SRO America Sets Sporting Regs for New Three-Hour Format

Photo: Fabian Lagunas/SRO

SRO America has published the sporting regulations for next year’s GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season, featuring notable changes amid the series’ move to a single race three-hour format.

Released in a draft form last weekend, the regulations confirm the addition of a third, 30-minute practice session during events, to go along with a single 15-minute qualifying period to set the grid for the single headline race.

The biggest notable change is that Driver 1 in the Pro-Am class must be the amateur (Bronze-rated) pilot. Series officially did not designate this in the last two seasons, which had famously allowed Regulator Racing to qualify its pro driver, Philip Ellis, and run on a reverse driver strategy.

As has been the case, Driver 1 must qualify and start the race, meaning the Bronze-rated drivers in the Pro-Am class must now fulfill those duties.

While the number of pit stops will not be mandated in the new three-hour format, teams will no longer be required to change all four tires during each stop.

In the case of a stop not involving refueling, there will be no minimum pit stop time, unlike full service stops, which will have a declared minimum time that will be communicated at the start of each event.

Driver changes, refueling and tire changes will continue to be able to be carried out at the same time during stops, meanwhile.

Am drivers, who are designated as Bronze-rated, must complete at least 1 hour and 15 minutes in each three-hour race, with the maximum driving stint being confirmed at 50 minutes and extended to 55 minutes in the case of a safety car period or Full Course Yellow during that stint.

If a competitor exceeds the driving stint time, a drive-through penalty will be imposed for any infraction up to 4 minutes and 59 seconds in time. Violations beyond that will be handed a stop-and-hold plus a relevant time penalty.

SRO America has also clarified several other sporting elements that came into question during the most recent season.

It includes that the official session clock will not stop during a red flag, with half points awarded based on less than 50 percent of the official race time being completed. Full points, meanwhile, will be awarded if the leader has completed more than 50 percent of the official time.

At least two cars must be entered in an event to award a class title or trophy. A provision previously existed that allowed points and titles to be awarded if at least three cars took part in a minimum of three events and two cars entered all events.

Private testing, meanwhile, has been further restricted, with competitors not permitted to test seven days prior to the paddock load in. Previously, the cutoff was the Monday at 12:01 a.m. of the calendar week of the event.

As has been the case in previous years, a separate set of sporting regulations will be issued for the season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS, the only race outside of the new three-hour race format.

Source: Sports Car 365