Rules - North Carolina Hare Scamble Association (NCHSA)
**These rules are not all-inclusive and the NCHSA Board and Officials reserve the right to update the rules as needed. Any rule questions should be directed to John Jordan (704-437-2720 or jfrank59@att.net). The NCHSA is a Non-Profit organization governed by a board of directors consisting of 10-15 persons.
Any rider that is Disqualified from any event must count that "0" for year-end awards and is not able to use that DQ as a drop.
NCHSA Rules.pdf
GENERAL RULES
3.0 Any supplemental rules, regulations, instructions or procedures established by the NCHSA for the
purpose of implementing, interpreting or enforcing these rules will be deemed to be part of the
rules. Please refer to the AMA Amateur Rule Book for any rules or requirements not addressed
within these rules. http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/racing/rules
3.1 Course Requirements. Unless otherwise specified by the Referee, the following course
requirements are in effect.
3.2 Arrows will be used to direct competitors on the proper route when the terrain does not
clearly dictate. A marked course is defined as an established trail containing arrows along a marked path.
3.3 Ribbons, signs, banners, hay bales, etc., may be placed along the trail to help guide riders.
Ribbons and banners may not be crossed or ridden through. Riders riding outside these areas
may be penalized.
3.3.1 Spectators are not permitted on the race course at any time during the event.
3.4 A “bottleneck” is a section of trail that becomes impassable due to riders stopping, falling, or
getting stuck while attempting to traverse an obstacle and in doing so does not provide enough
space for another rider to pass. Any rider encountering a bottleneck on the course shall be
allowed to go more than 20 feet off the course but must re-enter the course immediately after
the bottleneck or as close as practical to the bottleneck. This alternate route may not be used
during the following laps unless a bottleneck condition continues to exist.
3.5 Alternate trails may be provided by the promoter to by-pass obstacles. “ALT” or a different
color course marker will identify alternate routes. Alternate routes will be longer or take more
time to traverse than the main route.
3.6 Any rider leaving the course, except as noted above, shall continue the race from the point
where they left the course or as close as reasonably possible.
3.7 Riders may be allowed to walk, or ride bicycles prior to the start of the event. No one other than Race Officials can ride a motorized bike on the Race Day course prior to the event.
3.8 Entrants shall not ride on the course in any race other than their own, except in the capacity
of course marshal or course worker, as deemed necessary by a NCHSA Race Official.
3.9 A rider whose machine is disabled may receive outside assistance up to the point of the "No
Passing Zone" at the main scoring area. A rider is required to push their bike through the
scoring area on their own.
3.9.1 A rider must begin and race the same motorcycle during the entire race. Riders cannot switch bikes during the race for any reason.
4.0 If a rider falls in the main scoring area they may receive assistance from an official of the
event or that official’s designee with picking up their bike but must continue on their own.
4.1 Starts. All starts are dead engine start. Riders should receive no assistance from any other person during the start. No person, other than the rider, can be in contact with the rider or motorcycle in any way during the start. If a rider is unable to start their bike for any reason, all other riders must have left the row before receiving outside assistance.
Regarding minors, the rider must attempt to start their own bike for no less than 30 seconds or until all other riders on that row are gone before any person attempts to help that rider.
Riders are not allowed to place any object on the starting line to hold a starting place except the motorcycle that will be used in the event. No stands, coolers, boxes, etc are allowed to hold a spot on the starting line.
4.2 Results. Each rider is entitled to examine his/her score. There is a 15 minute petition window, once results are posted. After that time, trophies will be awarded.
4.3 Scoring
4.3.1. Rider Etiquette in the Main Scoring Area. The Scoring Area is defined as from the "No
Passing Zone" established leading into the scoring tent, the scoring tent, and the boundary path
immediately exiting the scoring tent. The following rules apply when a rider is entering or
leaving the computer scoring station.
4.3.2. Riders must pass through the scoring lane to be scored. It is the rider’s responsibility to be
scored. Riders who attempt to proceed through the scoring lane at high rates of speed,
endangering the scoring personnel and equipment, may not be scored and could be penalized.
Leaving the scoring tent prior to being scored may result in no score for the rider.
4.3.3. If a rider accidentally leaves the scoring lane without being scored, they must move out of the
way of any riders behind them. After all traffic has cleared the lane, the scorer may manually enter
the rider’s number. A rider who enters the Scoring Lane backwards on a machine, meaning from
the opposite direction of the race course or against the flow of the race course, will be disqualified.
In the event of a missed score, a rider may dismount and enter the scoring lane on foot to be scored
as long as their machine does not block the course and as long as their transponder will not affect
scoring.
4.3.4. When being scored, the rider must make every effort to clear the scoring lane quickly as to
not create bottlenecks. No pit activities, finding drink water tubes, adjusting or checking
mechanical items or performing any other non-scoring function that delays the next rider to be
scored will be done inside the scoring area. Riders must enter the scoring area in a timely
manner, stop to be scored, and exit the scoring area in a timely manner.
4.3.5. Riders are not allowed to pit, gas, water, etc., inside the scoring area including the entrance
to and exit from the scoring area. Interference with another rider’s ability to be scored in a
timely manner could result in a penalty.
4.3.6. Riders should not converse unnecessarily with scoring personnel during the event. The
scoring personnel do not have time to answer general questions (i.e., how many laps to go, etc.)
as this may cause delays in scoring other riders.
4.3.7. All riders shall remain in single file when entering the scoring area. At no time should the
front tire pass the rearmost part of the machine in front or penalties may be incurred.
4.3.8. If a rider’s engine stops running inside the scoring lane and IF no riders are behind them,
the rider may make a QUICK attempt to start their machine. If a riders’ engine stops running
inside the scoring lane and they are unable to start their engine quickly, they must dismount and
remove the machine from the scoring lane immediately at the request of scoring personnel.
Riders removing their machine must ensure that their machine is clearly out of the path of other
riders exiting the scoring lane.
4.3.9 No rider shall intentionally "over-rev" their engine while in the designated scoring area. Said action will be treated as unsportsmanlike conduct.
4.4 The race is “Officially” over when the sweep rider has cleared scoring and notified the scoring
personnel or if 40 minutes have passed since the checkered flag.
4.5 Event Rules of Conduct. An AMA/DOT approved helmet must be worn at all times by anyone
riding a motorcycle upon event premises. A 5 mile per hour speed limit is also imposed upon all
vehicles on event premises except upon the racing track during a racing event, or other approved
warm up areas.
4.5.1 Pit Riding is NOT ALLOWED at any event. No motorcycle, mini cycle, ATV, mini ATV or electric bicycles with throttles are
not allowed to be ridden in the Pits at any time. Any exception for handicap or similar must be approved by NCHSA race official at
each event.
4.6 Risks. All riders and other race personnel must assess for themselves the track, facilities,
existing conditions and other matters. All riders and race personnel must rely on their own
judgment and assume all risks of participating in competition in any manner.
4.7 Unless otherwise instructed by the referee, all riders must slow down through the main
scoring area and come to a complete stop at all other check points.
4.8. There may be “No Passing” zones prior to checkpoints. No passing is allowed in
these areas. The area will be marked by a “No Passing” sign and will extend from the sign up to
and including the checkpoint.
4.9. Passing in a “No Passing” zone, such as scoring, will result in a penalty. The minimum
penalty is the loss of a position in the rider’s class per rider passed, regardless of the class of
the person passed.
5. EVENT AND CLASS QUALIFICATIONS
5.1. Regarding the Big Bike classes at 12p and 3p, in addition to advancement rules specified herein, any rider who voluntarily advances himself/herself up to another skill level is thereafter required to enter a class within that skill level.
If a rider advances themselves into the "AA" or "Pro” classes they must remain in that advanced
class until that rider is ranked out of that class or is granted a petition to return to a lower ranked
class. Any rider must remain in that advanced class unless the rider submits a petition and is
granted approval to return to a lower ranked class.
5.2. All experienced riders must ride an equal or greater class that is contested in other series including SETRA, VCHSS, MIDEAST, etc. If you ride an “A” class in SETRA, you must ride an “A” class in NCHSA. If you are unsure what your skill level is, and you find after 1 race that you are not competitive, you should change classes at the next event. If you are caught “sand-bagging” from another series, you will be moved to the correct class with no transfer of points or awards from previous races.
5.3. Every effort must be attempted to be in the correct class.
5.4 All Mini class age restrictions are based on your age January 1st of the current race year.
5.5 Race Day Conduct
5.6 All riders and their respective support teams (known as "rider") are required to display good Sportsmanship while at the event. This includes before, during and after the event.
5.6.1 Any rider displaying poor sportsmanship may be penalized, up to being permanently excluded from any future NCHSA events. Said penalty would be varying in severity based on the riders actions.
5.6.1 Examples of poor Sportmsanship would include but are not limited too:
- Profanity, physical altercation, course cutting, intentional class manipulation for rider benefit (purposefully signing up in the wrong class), cheating in any form, social media slander or bullying, etc.
- This also applies to on the track behavior.
5.6.2 Said rider may be penalized for the acxtions of their respective support team. For example if the parent of a minor displays unsportsmanlike conduct, the rider may be penalized.
5.6.3 Penalty may include but is not limited too:
- Additonal time added to lap, loss of lap or laps, loss of race day points, Disqualified from race (any DQ must be counted as a zero for year-end awards and cannot be dropped), Disqualified from any future NCHSA event.