The objective in car racing is to cross the finish line first either before all the other competitors or before those competitors in your class. To do so you must be both offensively and defensively oriented. Offensively, you've got to get out front by passing your competitors. Defensively, you've got to stay out front by preventing your competitors from passing you.

An offensive maneuver in certain forms of road racing is to give a slight tap or bump to a competitor's car during a turn to nudge aside the leading car. A defensive maneuver in certain forms of road racing is to block a competitor's car, sometimes by weaving, preventing a pass.

In club racing, neither bumping nor blocking by weaving are allowed. No contact is allowed between cars, especially if it intentional, and even if it is light. While you are allowed one "move" as the lead car, you cannot weave back and forth to prevent a car from overtaking you.

All of which can lead to some pretty dramatic and exciting racing especially when one car has greater speed along the straights and another has greater speed in the corners. And it can also lead to some frustration and, sadly, even to some incidents.

The following exchanges began when Lance Dunbar raised the concern following the club races at Summit Point. His piece, which he titled "The Chrome Shoe Horn," originated on the BMW CCA club racing list (www.bimmers.com). The piece reflects his thoughts on the matter and sparked a number of replies on the list including my own. These appear below along with the last word on the matter. It was forwarded by the chair of Club Racing, Scott Hughes. It is the SCCA rule GCR 9.1.1 which addresses the rules of the road and the definition of racing and racers. Accompanying the rule is an interpretation by Mike Carney.

Let's go racin'!

Phil

I know this may sound stupid and maybe even repetitive but this weekend I came to a very clear understanding about the racing that we all participate in, namely BMW CCA racing. I just returned from the Summit Point weekend. On Sunday I went early to attend the SCCA regional race held there as well. As I watched the 9 races that day, I realized how much easier it is to pass under SCCA's rules. If you're behind a slower car in the corners, but that same car is faster in the straights (sound familiar), you simply apply a small bump or push past the apex of the turn. The car in front misses the apex, you being the second car simply dives to the apex on the inside and gets by. COOL. So I sez to myself, this is how you get by those cars that shouldn't be in front of ME. BUT.....

Then I sat and listened to a lot of club racers speak about the carnage in our own little event on Monday and Tuesday. For the most part no one wants contact, but at the same time no one wants to be in back of a car that is holding them up from racing with the other cars in their own class (that's my [complaint]). So then the conversation turns to how to get by these "slower" cars. More often then not the discussion of the "chrome shoe horn" begins. Just a small nudge isn't really contact right? I can tell you from watching the SCCA race on Sunday I could have used the old "shoe horn" myself a few times this weekend. And if I did, I would have been able to race with the other cars in my class. Seems there were a few cars not in my class between us 5 EM guys. So being the slow rookie in the group and not wanting to [upset] the higher ups in BMWCCA racing, I decided to continue our "No contact" way of driving. You know what I had to do then don't you? Slow hands, hit the apex perfectly, power on at the right time, carry all kinds of momentum, get a run on the guy, and make a clean pass. Guess what, that's a hell of a lot harder to do than using the "Chrome shoe horn" to get by someone. Passing with no contact is not easy. Maybe we should stop [complaining] about our rules and start braggin' about them. I for one am very proud to run clean, even if it means coming in second.

Lance Dunbar
#20 EM

Lance,

If I went that way, I'd kiss you for what you wrote. As one of the stewards at Summit Point I was involved in dealing with a complaint about slower drivers in front. While the "horn" is the easy way around such a driver, it's definitely not what Club Racing is about. Doing the extra work to make a clean, high quality pass IS what it's about. Driving like that is the mark of a good driver that's interested in winning on skills and not on whatever they can do to get by. Having patience and dealing with frustration are two of the hardest parts of racing, because they deal with factors that we don't always have control over, but if you can deal with them the payoff can be big. If you can't, the payoff can be a bent car or worse. While an activity can be fun overall (racing for example), some of the work involved in getting better at it may not be so much fun. But, after you have mastered that tough new skill, the good feeling is usually worth it because now you have a new tool to use in dealing with those frustrating situations.

Dave Fitting
Regional Tech Steward

Dave,

While I agree with you in principal, I'll tell you this: I can drive a car slower in front of you for 30 minutes and you'll NEVER get around me. I'm not sure what skill you will improve, but you will certainly prove that you have patience.

There are two sides to every argument, and the ivory tower argument of "working the skills" for that "clean pass" is a great ideal, but not necessarily applicable in many a situation. And while Club Racing is not just about the win, you might find yourself introduced to the "high quality pass" alter ego -- the "high quality block." I think it doesn't give the conversation or drivers (especially those behind) justice to just discuss one side of the issue…

You mention in your note..."Doing the extra work to make a clean, high quality pass IS what it's about. Driving like that is the mark of a good driver that's interested in winning on skills and not on whatever they can do to get by." So true. But a half way decent driver that blocks will consistently prevent a quality pass, much less a high quality one. Some of the blocking I saw at the Putnam O'fest race really drove this point home.

Two sides to the coin. Food for thought...

Cheers, and please take my opinions constructively as they are intended...

Filippo Morelli

Filippo,

Point well taken. I agree that a skilled driver can make their car 'wide' for as long as it takes to get to the end of a race, so I ask you this: What is the best way to deal with such a situation? In our form of racing, the 'horn' is discouraged, so as far as I can see that leaves the onus on the driver in front to be fair to the faster driver behind. I realize that this may not always be realistic, but given the 'no contact' rule, where is the answer? I understand the 'ivory tower' view and I also understand the 'racer' point of view. My problem, along with every racer's problem is deciding where that fine line is and what constitutes going over the line. This is a broad question, and finding the answer is going to involve both racers and administration. Club Racing is not SCCA racing and vice versa, but where shall the twain meet? There are many similarities, and the major difference lies in the 'no contact' rule. I don't have a car out there on the track, but I certainly have to deal with the results of incidents of cars that are. It is to both my benefit and yours to find an understanding that works for everybody involved. In my view Club Racing doesn't want to be 'God' and dictate behavior, but we do want to lay down a set of rules that is reasonable and workable. To achieve that, we need the input of all of the people involved. Nobody wants to hit or be hit, but where is the reasonable answer? We have a very diverse group of cars and drivers, and given financial and practical concerns we have to place them all on the track at once. This will obviously lead to situations of closely matched cars in different classes going back and forth. On a given weekend we can't put 10 fast class cars out in one session and 30 slower class cars out in another session, so where is the point that is of least detriment to all of the participants? I'm not challenging your comments, I'm just looking for a reasonable answer to one of the many concerns that affect all of us.

Dave Fitting
Regional Tech Steward

Filippo,

Well, although I understand that potential and I see how it can be frustrating as Hell, I really feel compelled to point out that this is a price I am gladly willing to pay.

I mean, I may have only one race under my belt -- although it was spent pretty much as described in this thread, looking at the other guy's trunk roundel through much of the course (*no* blocking was involved)-- I will tell you this:

If we didn't have the strict no-contact rules in BMW CCA Club Racing, I would have *zero* races under my belt and I wouldn't even have considered Club Racing in the first place.

We have plenty of SCCA racing down here in the Houston area and I have worked corners for enough SCCA races to know exactly how they drive. Although I am told that this is not one of the worst regions, it is quite clear that the motto du jour is "rubbing is racing." Heck, a couple of A-sedans swapped door handles right in front of us and my corner captain said exactly that. It's all very well and exciting, but for anybody that either cares about their car or can't afford the body shop bills, it sucks. It certainly is more "exciting" than I can afford. Otherwise, I'd have been racing with the SCCA a long time ago.

The flip side is that we have rules to enforce people being fair. We do have rules on blocking in the rule book and as long as they are applied vigilantly and fairly, we are in good shape. I think that if you can keep the other guy behind you without contravening the rules (i.e., simply by judiciously choosing your line, by braking really late, etc. -- no weaving involved, no plowing the other guy off the road once he gets alongside, no... you get the idea...), you have a *right* to be in front.

Road racing is more than just driving faster than the other guys, it's also about racecraft, even if those are less glamorous skills.

Cheers,
Carl W. Irving

To all,

Right in the first paragraph of the BMW Club Racing rules it states: The overall philosophy at each BMW CCA Club Racing Event will be the same: "A competitive driving experience for all BMW CCA enthusiasts, in any/all types of BMW's in a fun, safe, and friendly environment where the primary emphasis is on clean driving and machinery preservation."

To me this means we do not engage in "no holds barred" racing. Instead, we are encouraged by this philosophy to exercise some constraint, to exhibit a degree of courtesy and consideration, and generally to act like good sports while competing.

I don't like blocking but I don't think a good solution is bumping either. If education and discussion don't work as preventive actions, it seems to me that there is no recourse but regulation and enforcement. Furthermore, I do not accept as a solution that we should just let either blocking or bumping happen as natural parts of club racing.

Blocking is an offense which is now punishable under the rules (see p.3) by the steward who may, during a race, do such things as black flag the offending driver. If blocking is not brought to the attention of the steward during a race by the marshals, I see no reason why a racer cannot lodge a complaint or file a protest following a race. Having in-car video of the offense may be persuasive and lead to such things as a one lap penalty.

Phil Abrami

Everyone,

The current dialog on Club Racing philosophy leads me to share the following with you. We are indebted to Mike Carney, SCCA member, for the GCR 9.1.1, which we have been handing out at many of the BMW CCA Club races during Rookie meetings as a part of the discussion on the conduct and philosophy of BMW CCA Club Racing.

Scott Hughes

GCR 9.1.1: The Responsibility... rests with the overtaking driver. The overtaken driver has the responsibility to be aware... and not to impede... The overtaken driver shall not block. Any driver who fails to make use of the rear view mirror, or who appears to be blocking…, may be black flagged and/or penalized.*

That's it. All of it. The entirety of the "Rules of the Road" regarding drivers dealing with the presence of each other. Succinct, isn't it? If not downright cryptic.

Actually its rather verbose compared to the usual bench racing pronouncement. "whoever has his nose in front has the corner". One wonders why we would be interested in something so simplistic.

Such statements usually come at the end of a discussion of some racing incident, which in turn was likely caused when one or both drivers ignored the real rule of the road: Know where the other one is if at all possible and, whether it is or not, leave room for him or her to survive the moment.

Having your nose in front does not mean you own the corner. That other car is still present, is still racing, and has the right to enough space to exist. Just a car width plus a few inches, that's all.

And, if you are in the other seat and that guy does not have his nose in front , it does not mean he or she doesn't own the corner either. If you drive all the way to the apex and that car was far enough up or coming on so fast that contact can reasonably be expected to happen, you just violated the rule. He or she could even be fully behind you but be obviously committed to the inside at such a speed that you can no longer move into that path without being hit. You must be aware of the relative speed and car placements, then decide what you can or cannot do. It all comes down to judgment.

That is the core of racing, the very essence of it. If you demand or need the entire road to race, go Solo I instead. Wheel-to-wheel racing centers on dealing effectively with the presence of each other and still racing. You should be able to get or stay in front by superior skill and/or equipment, not by your willingness to commit mayhem.

Being a race car driver entails leaving that car width plus inches, then instantaneously picking and driving a racing line using the part of the road left to you.

It is ever-changing and requires intense constant concentration while operating at the car's limits within the situations. It has no hard, set rules like "nose in front". That's as untenable as the "rules" of emergencies. (What do you do when a car spins in front of you)? How should I know? I've only had a few hundred of them. Simplistic souls say steer for it, hit the gas, scream "Oh S…". What happens is, you take in endless bits of information, process it, make a decision, act, reevaluate, act again, and so on - all faster than onlookers can gasp and jump to their feet. That's what makes race drivers. We do not react. We think, at speeds that seem to be reactions. We revel in that ability. And the volume of our thought processes in those moments explains why a brief incident can require so much description.

If you cannot do this, you are no race driver. That's why being one is such a big deal. Who would care if anyone could do it?

And if you insist on disregarding the other guy, moving over knowing contact is likely, you are also not a race driver. You are a jerk. A fast jerk, possibly, but a jerk nonetheless. Any other story is b.s.

You are also somewhat shortsighted. Contact between cars tends to unsettle them, to make the moment ragged and uneven, and that has never been the description of how to go fast. It also causes damage to your car, damage that may end your race and that you yourself have to pay for. Why one would choose to cost himself unnecessary expense for the privilege of going slower escapes me.

Racing will give you plenty of opportunity for that without your assistance. Untimely mechanical foul-ups, human errors (your and others), and occasional bad luck will at times manage your charger. You don't need to encourage that with an attitude that racing is sheer nerve and guts. It's not. It IS concentration, attention, and skill -- skill that delights in showing the other guy that you can drive around him and still do it faster. That's where our attitude shows. - Mike Carney