Club Arnage

As there were a few questions asked about this at Silverstone, here are the provisonal regs.


Bobblehat Racing’s
Le Mans du 24 Minutes

A few questions that have been raised whist Keith and I have been discussing these regs.

1) Is MB the best place to hold it?
We will have to block off most the campsite for about an hour, on which ever day we run. I think that will make us mighty unpopular with camping marshals, and fellow campers arriving.
2) Do we get the ACO involved?
We will need a suitable race track if don’t use MB , so do we ask for the ACO blessing and see if we can get an hour on say Prost Karting track, or the schools track near the Dunlop bridge (were all the little race cars)
3) Do we use this as a fund raiser for charities?
If the ACO are involved, or not, should we run it as a fund raiser. Each team has it own charity it is racing for, and the signing on fee goes to a local Le Mans charity.
4) Do we drop the alcohol bit?
There will be enough drunk people around, if we what to be taken seriously the race should not be look at as a piss up. Keith and I are a bit worried that, drunken Brits (and may be a few Dutch!) abroad have a poor enough reputation. Also we don’t want 16 stone of drunk driver crashing into some ones pride and joy.

The whole idea is that this is a fun event in the ethos of what camping at Le Mans is all about. But we do not want to cause any damage or disruption.

Constructive suggestions will be most welcome


Regulations

A 24 minute race for peddle powered go-karts teams

A) Mechanical regulations
1) The kart can only be human powered, either by hands or feet, or any other part of the human body.
2) Peddles, chains gears and/or cranks are the only permitted forms of power transmission.
3) No other form of propulsion is allowed: Electric motors, (battery or other means) steam, internal combustion, Hydrogen fuel cell, sails, jet or rocket are NOT allowed.
4) Minimum weight is 70kgs including driver. There is no maximum weight. Karts that are below weight will be ballasted with water filled bottles.
5) Karts must fit into a box measuring 2m long, 1m wide by 700mm high.   
6) There is no rule 6.
7) Carts must have a minimum of 3 wheels.
8) An effective braking system must be provided.
9) Gearing is allowed.

B) The team
1) The team must consist of 3 drivers.
2) A four man pit crew one of which will act as team leader, all must be clearly identified, with Team Name and the words “Pit Crew”.
3) All drivers will be over the age of 18 years.
4) It is requested that each team entered must provide minimum of four “volunteers” to assist in the running and marshalling of the event.

C) Qualifying
1) There will be a timed one lap standing start qualifying session. The fastest time kart will take pole position.

D) The Race
1) The duration of the race will be 24 minutes long.
2) The Karts will form up in the classic Le Mans style start.
3) The race will be started by the dropping of the French National Flag, at 4pm local time.
4) Please refer to rule A.6.
5) At the drop of the flag (D.3.) all drivers will sprint to the karts from a point opposite their kart.






6) All teams must pit at least twice, and must change driver twice.
7) At each pit stop “fuel” will be taken on board. The standard “fuel” will be Kroneberg 1664. 1x33cl bottle has to be drunk by each member of the pit crew NOT Drivers, at each “fuel” stop.
7.1) The “fuel” will be supplied by each of the teams themselves, and there must be enough “fuel” to complete the race. This will be known as the Frank Beilla Rule
7.2) Alternative “fuel’s” can be used but these have to be authorised by the scrutineers.
8) At each pit stop the pit crew must - after the Kart has stopped in its correct pit - in this order
8.1) Re-fuel themselves.
8.2) The driver must get out, the Pit Crew must pick up the Kart and rotate it horizontally 360o and place it back on the ground facing the right way. The new driver must climb in and rejoin the race.
9) No non-alcoholic drinks can be used. Any team found to be in breach of this rule will be punished at the discretion of the organisers.
10) The race will finish 24 minutes later with the waving of the checkerd flag.
11) The winner will be determined as the kart to have completed the maximum number of laps on/at or after 4.24pm (local time).

E) The track
Will be announced at Scrutineering.

F) Scrutineering
1) All karts will be presented to the scrutineers at 4.00pm Thursday afternoon.
2) Please refer to rules A.6. and D. 4.
2) Any replacement “fuel” will be checked at that time.

G) Signing on & fees
1) Signing on will commence at 3.30pm Thursday afternoon.
2) Fees are set at 1 bottle of Sancerre. Other bottles may be substituted, but only at the discretion of the organisers.

I) Prizes
1) A trophy will be awarded for the winners with a bottle of Champagne.
2) A trophy will be award for the winner of the concourse du elegance.

We need to make this a sticky!

Ask nicely  :)

That's a lot of reading for this time of night.

First thing that I see is the minimum weight of 70 kgs incl driver.
That could/should be doubled at least I think.

And yes smokie, please... ::)

I like the idea of this  ;D

71KG and already race bicycles internationally ;D

We'll have to knobble you with a sharp knife then Rick  ;D

Bicycles??

"7) Carts must have a minimum of 3 wheels."

were in for that and 70kg is a bit light really make it 100kg.

"4) Minimum weight is 70kgs including driver. There is no maximum weight. Karts that are below weight will be ballasted with water filled bottles.
5) Karts must fit into a box measuring 2m long, 1m wide by 700mm high. "

So we're looking at three very heavy (or ballasted) lads on a fairy cycle with stabilisers.

There's only 1 Ballast  ;D

3 drivers, 4 pit crew and teams expected to provide 4 volenteers to marshal ! By my count that makes 11 people per team. This may alienate a few potential entries as not everyone comes to Le Mans in a JPC size group.
Also not everyone has arrived at Le Mans by 4pm Thursday. I suggest either a later time or the next day for scruteneering.

Also what the hell is the bottle required for entry. Never even heard of the stuff.

Don't know about anyone else, but I think i have spotted a potential loophole in the rules. Anyone else spotted it yet ?

In response:

Sancerre is a rather nice French wine

Is the loophole related to the driver changes?  8)

As for 11 "person" teams, smaller groups/individuals could join together to make up the numbers  - perhaps a thread nearer the time to match people up?

Try a google - sancerre wine - you'll get 105,000 entries.
Loopholes - who knows, but you can probably nominate 3 drivers and use only two. You can probably argue that the vehicle does not have to be in running order to comply with reg. A)5 - it could mean that it must fit in the box in component form.
However there is no date stated for the race. Not possible to run the race on the Thursday, as scrutineering starts that afternoon at 4.00 pm , and the race starts at 4.00 pm and  finishes at 4.24 pm - when?.

The wheels should all be the same size, or you end up with cut down bikes with stabilizers.

Great Rhino There goes my brilliant idea then ::). I suggest the rules remain simple then we can see what some clever people come up with ??? Will the Karts be weighed at the end of the race. Also if the start is at 4:00pm surely scrutineering should be a few hours not a whole day before?
 
Canada Phil

For more ideas on human powered pedal cars, try http://www.pedalcars.info - they even run a 24 hour race every year and many of them are LM enthusiasts/attendees too!!

I've been promising myself to do this for about 3 years now but just can't find the time!!

 ;D

There's another uncertain point. There's nothing stated about how many drivers are allowed in the cart during a "stint". All three = triple power ?

Now your talking HGB. Cubic Capacity theory?
Canada Phil

Just a couple of thoughts...

Could there also be more than one class of entry? - ie LMP vs GT class? Or possibly some handicap system based on average age/weight & IQ of team?!

Consider eqivalent to Hawaiian Tropic Girls at the start...

Or alternatively The Wild Choppers to run display before the warm up lap?

Oh, and on the subject of the start , is it rolling, or LM style - if it's rolling I assume you will need a grid based on qualifying times?

According to rule D.5.

"At the drop of the flag (D.3.) all drivers will sprint to the karts from a point opposite their kart"

So looks like a proper start to me.  ;D

So, how far did we get up untill now? Are there any specific changes to the rules as for weight and size?

I worked out a solution. The problem can be solved by using a beer restrictor, thus the limitation of refreshments during the race.

As soon as the specs and regs are clear, I'll try to get a lemanszone.de team together.
What about tyres? are slicks allowed ;D ;D ;D
And eectronics? Is a MP3-player OK ;D ;D ;D
And the grid girls? ;D ;D ;D

Well, got the frame on Friday. Gonna start pretty soon on grinding, welding and stuff.
Any changes on the rules, mr. Bobblehat?

Cool looking frame mate! That seams to be in the sprit of the competion.

At the momment Bobblehat Racing (now an real company!!) are trying hard to raise sponsership for TOM Dunstan and his attack on the Formula BMW championship for 2006. You may of read on CA that he is one of the 12 hopefulls that have been asked back by BMW to Valencia for the Scholership shoot out, not bad for 15yr, who only started karting in April this year!!

Which means unfortunatley I have not had the time to look again at the regs and give them a revamp. There are a few loop holes that need to be looked at.

I can send you by email the full regs in word format, and let you have a play with them, see if you can sort out the loop holes! I dont mind handing over the project to someone who can do it justice, tell me what you think................

I have read a lot of people discovered loop holes and yes, you have some work to do before next June as for this ;D

All I need to know is if the dims 'n weight will be okay.

ps. the frame above will be modified in Cologne, at the Toyota F1 Factory 8)

Whatever happens, it will not look Italian!! ;D

Not???  :'(

But but but, it will not be black and grey either then!  >:(


 ;D

Of course not black and grey! Black 'n white blocks, with orange fenders 8)

Has this event died??

Not been spoken of since September last year.

Del

I guess it did, Paddy tried to revive it at some point, but did not succeed.

We are selling the cart frame we bought, interested??

Maybe next year.

Does that mean we could get Mick the Master Farter to start her and keep the bastard going. Or would that count as internal combustion?