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SC |
This section is subtitled because there is only a
fleeting reference to the Safety Car in the Blue
Book.
(Parade, Pace and Safety Cars [B 27]
19. A Safety Car may be used to control or neutralise a race in the event of an
incident, providing its use is detailed in the Specific or Championship
Regulations.)
However the MSA have produced a standard set of regulations in 2004 which they say should be adhered to by all organisers.
I have reproduced the main points of the regulations below with bold type for the parts I consider important.
If you wish to see the full set of MSA regs Click Here
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On
the order from the Clerk of the Course, the Safety Car will join the circuit
with its revolving lights on, regardless of where the race leader is.
When the order is given to deploy the Safety Car a stationary yellow flag and "SC" board will be displayed at the start finish line, and subsequently at each flag post, as the Safety Car approaches their sector. A second yellow flag may be used at those points where additional hazards are present.
Each
time the Safety Car passes a flag point the yellow flag will be waved
continuously while the Safety Car and all competing cars following it remain in
the section between this point and the next flag point.
While
the Safety Car is in operation competing cars may stop at their Pit, but may not
rejoin the track while the Safety Car and the line of cars following it are
passing the Pit Exit. A car rejoining the track will proceed at reduced speed
and without overtaking until it reaches the end of the line of cars behind the
Safety Car.
When
the Clerk of the Course calls in the Safety Car it will extinguish the yellow
flashing lights prior to exiting the circuit. (It is recommended that a minimum
of 25% 9f a lap for circuits over 2 miles, and 50% of a lap for circuits under 2
miles should be completed with the lights extinguished).
When
the Safety Car pulls off the circuit a green flag will be waved at the start
line and/or the green light shown. Overtaking remains strictly forbidden until
the car passes the green flag at the start line. All flag posts will withdraw
their yellow flag and "SC" board, in race direction rotation and
replace them with a stationary green flag for one lap.
Each lap covered while the Safety Car is in service will be counted as a race lap unless otherwise stipulated in championship regulations.
On the face of it this is a fairly simple procedure. SC board and stationary yellow flag at the Startline. which is then repeated Trackwise by all flag points, waved when the "train" is in your sector.
SC board and yellow withdrawn on the Startline followed by a green which is repeated around the circuit for one lap.
The last post before the startline MUST hold their flag and board out until the "train" has passed even though the green is out, in order to prevent the race "restarting early"
Generally speaking this is made easier because at the circuits that would run a race where a safety car would be used, it is fairly easy to "get wind" of an impending deployment.
The things to be aware of are to put the board and flag out But most importantly to make certain the green actually makes it all the way round.
(V unprofessional when it doesn't)
If you wish to see the full set of 2004 MSA regs Click Here