Alpha Cup 2026 Race Day Rules & Incident Procedures

Race Day Operations

Race Day Rules & Incident Procedures

What happens when things go wrong: course outs, collisions, lost parts, and reraces. Read this alongside the Official Rules so there is zero confusion at the track.

Rerace Criteria Impound & Repairs Collisions & Course Outs Official Rules
Important: All race day decisions are made by the Race Director. All decisions are final. No appeals will be considered after the next heat begins. Racers may not request or demand a rerace.
Track
3-Lane Track
All heats run lane by lane
Advancement
1st Place Advances
2nd and 3rd are eliminated
Impound
Winners Impounded
No repairs or battery changes while impounded
Repairs
3-Min Exception
Only for damage caused by another car
Start Here

Definitions

Know these terms before racing begins. They are used in every ruling on race day.

Result Codes
  • DNS (Did Not Start): Car was called to staging but was not race-ready at heat start.
  • DNF (Did Not Finish): Car started a heat but did not complete it.
  • DSQ (Disqualification): Removal from a heat or the event for a rule violation.
  • Bye: A free pass to the next round awarded by the Race Director.
Track Terms
  • Heat: A single race within a bracket or round.
  • Course Out: A car leaves the track surface during a heat.
  • Re-entry: A car returns to the lane after a course out while the heat is still in progress.
  • Staging: The designated holding area immediately before a heat begins.
Officials & Process
  • Race Director: The designated official responsible for all race day decisions. All rulings are final.
  • Tech Inspection: A physical check confirming a car meets class rules, before or after a race.
  • False Start: A car moves before the gate drops, confirmed by the Race Director.
  • Impound: Winning cars are held by the organizer and may not be touched.
Race Format

Format & Starting Procedures

Clear heat flow keeps the day moving and keeps every call predictable.

Heat Format
  • All heats are run on a 3-lane track.
  • Heat results are determined by finishing position unless the Race Director rules otherwise.
  • 1st place from each heat advances to the next round. 2nd and 3rd place are eliminated.
Starting Procedures
  • Cars must be staged and ready when called. Late staging results in a DNS for that heat.
  • One false start warning per racer per heat. A second false start in the same heat is a DSQ for that heat.
  • False start warnings reset at the start of each new heat.
  • No assisted starts. No touching cars after release.
Between Heats

Impound, Battery & Repair

Winning cars are locked. Repairs are an exception, not a routine.

Impound
  • Winning cars are impounded immediately after each heat and remain impounded until their next heat.
  • Impounded cars may not be repaired, adjusted, or have batteries changed.
Repair Exception
  • Applies only when a car is damaged by another car: collision fault or course out re-entry interference.
  • Damage must be confirmed by Race Director inspection.
  • The racer receives 3 minutes to repair under Race Director supervision.
  • Repairs restore the car to its pre-damage condition only. No setup changes or part upgrades.
  • After repair, the car returns directly to impound.
  • Self-inflicted damage (own course out, own part failure) does not qualify.
Batteries
  • AA NiMH only, 1900mAh max, per the Official Rules.
  • Box Stock: no battery changes once racing begins.
  • Impounded cars may not have batteries changed in any class.
Schedule rule: Repair time does not delay the event schedule. The Race Director may extend repair time at their discretion only.
Incidents

Collisions, Course Outs & Lost Parts

Contact happens at speed. These rules decide every incident the same way, every time.

Collision Policy
  • Contact between cars is a racing incident unless the Race Director determines otherwise.
  • If a collision results in a car leaving the track or sustaining damage, the Race Director determines fault.
  • The at-fault car receives a DNF for that heat.
  • The affected car advances based on its finishing position in that heat.
  • No rerace is issued for collision alone.
  • If the damaged car finishes 2nd and the damage prevents it from continuing competition, the Race Director may add that car to the next round at their discretion.
  • Damaged cars must be presented to the Race Director for physical inspection before advancing. Unconfirmed damage claims will not be considered.
Course Out Policy
  • A car that leaves the track receives a DNF for that heat. Car off track equals loss.
  • Course outs caused by track or gate malfunction may result in a rerace at the Race Director's sole discretion.
  • A car that re-enters the track after a course out and continues running does not receive credit for that heat.
Course Out Re-Entry Interference
  • If a car courses out and makes contact with another car still in competition, the course-out car is automatically DSQ'd for that heat. No Race Director discretion on this call.
  • All cars not at fault must complete a 3-lap verification run to advance. This applies whether one or two cars remain.
3-Lap Verification Run (Earlier Rounds Only)
  • Applies to all rounds before the finals.
  • All cars not at fault run the verification together if multiple cars remain, or solo if only one car remains.
  • Cars must be started with a gate drop. No manual or rolling starts.
  • To pass: complete 3 laps without a course out, with all parts intact at the finish.
  • A car that courses out or loses a part during the verification run does not advance.
  • If multiple cars complete the verification run, 1st place advances. 2nd and beyond are eliminated.
  • If a solo car completes the verification run, it advances automatically.
Finals: All Cars Course Out
  • If all 3 cars course out in the finals heat, a full rerace is called.
  • If all 3 cars course out again in the rerace, Last Man Standing rules apply.
  • Last Man Standing: the last car to course out wins. Placement follows the reverse order of course outs. First car to course out finishes last.
  • Race Director observation determines the order of course outs. Race Director decision is final.
Lost Parts & Track Obstruction
  • If parts are found on the track after a race concludes, results stand. No rerace is issued.
  • If the Race Director observes a part on the track mid-race that creates a visible obstruction, they may stop and rerace that heat.
  • Racer complaints about lost parts after results are posted will not be considered.
  • Repeated part loss may result in a car being flagged for re-inspection before its next heat.
Reraces

Rerace Criteria

A rerace is only called by the Race Director. Racers may not request or demand a rerace.

When a Rerace Happens
Valid Triggers
  • False start confirmed by the Race Director
  • Track or gate malfunction
  • Mid-race course obstruction from a lost part, confirmed before the leading car clears that section
  • Power interruption affecting any lane
  • All 3 cars course out in the finals heat
Not Valid
  • Collision between cars
  • Lost parts discovered after the race ends
  • Dissatisfaction with the race result
  • Protests from anyone other than the Race Director
Enforcement

Disqualification & Conduct

Race with integrity. Build it right. Race fair. Elevate the hobby.

DSQ Triggers
  • Failing post-race tech inspection.
  • Intentional interference with another car or racer.
  • Unsportsmanlike conduct, as determined by the Race Director.
  • Second false start in the same heat.
  • Course out re-entry contact with another car still in competition.
Conduct
  • Racers are responsible for their own cars at all times.
  • Spectators and pit crew must stay behind the designated boundary during heats.
  • The Race Director may remove any participant whose conduct disrupts race operations.
MiniMod Garage | San Diego, California