General Rules for Galesburg Speedway

100 Decibel Noise Limit on all cars – No Exceptions! All cars will have working mufflers on cars at all times.

Race Day & Social Media Misconduct from our Drivers & Teams
Although we all participate in a highly emotional sport, you are still expected to act professional and courteous while at the track as well as when you are representing this sport outside of competition. You have chosen to be in the spotlight and with that spotlight comes some responsibility.  We ask that you be fair and considerate on social media to all involved parties of any racing incident. You are the stars of this sport and you will ultimately be the voice of reason to the many of the thousands of followers; many of whom will be children. The use of improper language or gestures in view of the fans will lead to an immediate disqualification and/or suspension.   Excessive negative social media postings may result in suspension from participating at Galesburg Speedway.

Rule Book Disclaimer

The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to provide for the orderly conduct of racing events and to establish minimum acceptable requirements for such events. These rules shall govern the condition of all events, and, by participating in these events, all participants are deemed to have complied with these rules. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATIONS OF OR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RULES AND/OR REGULATIONS. They are intended as a guide for the conduct of the sport and are in no way a guarantee against injury to or death of a participant, spectator, or official.

The race director or his representatives shall be empowered to permit minor deviation from any of the specifications herein or impose any further restrictions that in his opinion do not alter the minimum acceptable requirements. NO EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM SUCH ALTERATION OF SPECIFICATIONS. Any interpretation of or deviation from these rules is left to the discretion of the officials.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS SPORT IS DANGEROUS.

  1. Conditions
    1. No alcoholic beverages or controlled substances are to be consumed before or during races by anyone entering the restricted pit area.
    2. All drivers must be at least 14 years of age with a valid driver’s license, ID, or birth certificate and have a minor participant form notarized and signed by a parent or legal guardian.
    3. Galesburg Speedway officials reserve the right to reject or not allow the entry of any person, driver, or car into the restricted pit area.
    4. Fighting in the pits or on the racetrack premises at any time is prohibited and may be subject to suspension, loss of points or money for the said event, or exclusion.
    5. Abuse of any Galesburg Speedway official and/or use of improper language or gestures towards fans or children by those in the restricted pit area is prohibited and subject to suspension, loss of points and money for the said event, or exclusion of event(s).
    6. Rule changes or interpretation of rules is at the discretion of track officials.
    7. The decision of track officials is final.
    8. Galesburg Speedway reserves the right to deduct from your prize money any fees owed to the track for any safety systems, pit stalls, track rentals, tires, race fuel, etc. Suspensions will be strictly enforced for fighting or any other acts the management of Galesburg Speedway deem inappropriate.
  2. Driver/Crew Member Conduct
    1. The driver assumes responsibility for the actions of his or her pit crew. Drivers may be issued penalties for pit crew misconduct. Such penalties, if applied may extend to the car as well as the driver.
    2. Unsportsmanlike driving, rough driving, or unnecessary bumping is prohibited and may result in removal from a race. Flagrant and/or repeated unsportsmanlike conduct on the track or in the pits may result in suspension. This suspension may span the winter hiatus and be completed in the following season.
    3. Unsportsmanlike, violent, or abusive behavior toward officials, competitors, and/or fans is prohibited and may result in penalties.
    4. General misconduct in the pit area may result in penalties, suspensions, fines, or the matters may be turned over to the proper authorities for legal action.
  3. Qualifying
    1. Qualifying will be done in groups. Please see Group Qualifying procedure.
    2. Any tie in qualifying will be broken as follows:
      1. 2nd fastest lap, 3rd fastest lap etc.
      2. Coin flip (2 drivers) or blind draw (3 or more cars)
    3. Sandbagging or Breaking Out
      1. After qualifying, a quarter second is given to you to account for changing track conditions throughout the evening. This is called your breakout time. If any two laps during a race or the last lap of a race are recorded faster than your breakout time, by our officials, you will be penalized.
      2. In the event this happens in a feature event your race is over. You have lost all points for the race. You will receive tow money for the evening
      3. In the event this happens in a heat or dash, your race is over. You have lost all points for the race. You will be placed at the back of the field in your feature, lined up behind all cars regardless of they selected the tail. You MAY be placed in a different feature based on the judgement of the race director.
    4. Scratching your time is allowed, but requires you to notify the Race Director you are scratching your time. You will then be placed at the tail of both your heat race and feature. Although you scratch your time, your new break out time for that race will be that of the fastest car in that race.
    5. If any driver/car does not qualify, they may start the tail of the feature, unless there are enough cars for a last chance, a B or C feature they would start the tail of it. If they were to start tail of the B or C feature, there break out time would be that of the fastest car in that said race.
    6. Late qualifying will not be granted, except for unforeseen circumstances and those decision will be made by the Race Director.
  4. SAFETY
    1. If a car is involved in an accident and can no longer keep going and no extenuating circumstances exist such as smoke in the cockpit or fire, the driver will not loosen any personal safety equipment until directed to do so by safety personnel or a track official.
    2. It is highly recommended that you have a Snell 2005 or higher rated helmet & all safety equipment being SFI/1 approved and that drivers wear a minimum of a double-layer suit of fire resistant material OR single-layer suits with full coverage fire resistant underwear that effectively covers the body from the neck to ankles and wrist. Full coverage fire resistant gloves are mandatory. Any medical information tags should be attached to your helmet.
    3. All cars will be equipped with a minimum 5-point seat belt harness, with 3″ wide belts. All belts should be properly mounted and should be no older than 3 years.
    4. A taunt driver’s side window net with quick release is required and is to be mounted in a secure fashion, no zip ties.
    5. It is recommended that all drivers use a Head and Neck Restraint System.
    6. Driver must be able to enter / exit both doors through window openings.
    7. Rear windows must be completely see-through (no decals or lettering).
    8. An approved headrest will be located directly behind the driver’s head with the driver normally seated.
    9. All roll bars near driver must be well padded.
    10. All safety equipment must be less than three years old.
    11. Safety shoes (fire resistant racing shoes) strongly recommended.
    12. All foot boxes and firewalls (if applicable) must be steel, recommended 22-gauge minimum.
    13. All cars will have jack stands in use, when anyone is working under a car.
  5. Communication
    1. No two-way communication equipment or one-way communication to the driver is allowed at any time except for Raceceiver and only from track officials.
    2. Raceceiver or equivalent brand are required for all divisions at Galesburg Speedway. These are not optional, as any car caught racing without one will be black flagged and done competing in that event. These allows track officials to communicate instructions to the driver.
  6. Race Rules
    1. At no time shall any non-competing member, crew member, owner or other persons associated with a race car be permitted on the racing surface following the start of a race and prior to the completion of race without the express permission of a speedway official. Violation may result in the car being placed at the rear of the field, a lap penalty assessed or even disqualification. This rule is in place for your crew members safety. During a red flag or major caution period, one crew member may be allowed on the track at the discretion of track officials.
    2. Transponders must be run at all times while on the track. If a car does not have a transponder on at any time the car will be black flagged and will not be allowed back on the track until the transponder has been put on the car.
    3. All cars are required to be in line by the time two races prior to their race is complete. Failure to be ready will result in the offending driver being placed at the tail of the race or disqualified.
    4. The start of all races will be determined the day of the event. Double file restarts, The car on the inside of the front row is the control car and sets the pace. The control car must maintain a steady pace at all times. Failure to maintain a steady pace may result in the control car being placed at the tail if the head starter or race director consider the control car did something to gain an unfair advantage on the start, such as breaking hard or taking off to early.
    5. There is a start/restart box located in turn 4. On any start/double file restart the front row cars must be side by side when they get to the box. At that time, the leader (control car) may decide to start at any time before the end of the box. If the leader gets to the end of the box and still has not accelerated, the flagman will throw the green at that time. The same rules apply to single file restarts, with the obvious exception being the top two cars will not be side by side. If a driver fails to adhere to the start box rules they may be placed to the tail of the field.
    6. In an effort to cut down on the reckless driving on the first lap of each race, the following rule will take effect. Although it will continue to be a complete side by side restart, if there is an obvious car/driver(s) may be sent to the rear of the field, just like any other restart. Hopefully this will erase a lot of the three and four wide bonsai moves going into turn 1 on the starts.
    7. All restarts after the first completed lap will be single file in dashes, heat races, A features , B features and C Features unless we have chosen double file restarts for that event or a particular race.
    8. A Feature double file restarts. All double file restarts, even in the last chance race, the leader will choose their lane and the second-place car will fill the other position on the front row. Starting with 3rd place on back odd numbered positions will line up on the inside and even numbered positions will line up on the outside. In the event there is car being sent to the tail or a car coming out of the pits, they will be lined up in that order. All cars on the lead lap will restart ahead of all lapped cars, provided they are on the track when the double up is called for by the Race Director. Lapped cars will line up behind the lead lap cars in the order they were running on the racetrack at the time of the caution, not necessarily in the order they are running in the race.
    9. Jump starts will not be tolerated on any restarts. If you jump any position to further yourself you will be docked 2 positions per position you jump at the next caution or at the end of the race.
    10. Once the white flag is displayed, under caution, all cars are required to be within one car length of the car in front of them any car laying back more than two car lengths can be passed for position without penalty.
    11. Every event will have a time limit of one minute per lap. No race will be called official before reaching the half way point. If a race has reached its time limit and half of the race or more has been completed the next caution will end the race. Final scoring will revert to the last completed lap with the caution car(s) being moved to the tail of their lap. If the caution is out when the time limit is reached and half of the race or more has been completed then there will be one more attempt to complete the race and the next caution will end the race, if it comes before the scheduled distance. All heats and dashes will run a 6-minute time limit with no exceptions.
    12. The car deemed at fault, by our officials, for any caution will be placed at the tail in front of any lapped down cars. Protesting any call on the track will result in immediate disqualification. If it cannot be quickly identified who was at fault then any car ruled to have been involved, with the initial reason for the caution, will be placed at the tail.
    13. It is highly recommended that if you know you are at fault to tap out by placing your hand out the window and tapping your roof on the front stretch, making it clear to both the head starter and race director of your intentions. If you are unable to do so you may also stop in turn 1 and notify an official.
    14. In the event that one or more cars cross the finish line and receive the checkered flag, and then a caution comes out, the race will be considered complete. All cars that have crossed the line will be scored and the remainder of the field will be based off the last completed lap except for the car deemed to have caused the caution, who will be placed as the last car on the same lap.
    15. For any lineups during the race officials will line up cars based on the computer scoring of the cars from the most recent lap, unless any obvious exceptions occur (transponder didn’t pick up, etc.). The car(s) causing the caution will be put to the tail. On the last lap only, officials will use all necessary means (scoring system, videos, photos, etc.) to determine finishing order.
      1. Effective 5/11/2019, due to the large discrepancy in wheel bases in each division and the transponder loop being in a fixed location, results will be determined solely by the computer scoring system and not by which cars nose reaches the start finish line first, but instead by which cars transponder crosses the scoring loop first (unless any obvious exceptions occur). All drivers are required to mount their transponder on the left rear axle tube in RWD cars and the center section of the rear end on FWD cars. Transponders will be mounted in their pouch with the bottom of the transponder facing down towards the track. Any car found to have the transponder in the wrong location will be disqualified and forfeit all points for that race and be given tow money.
    16. Drivers are allowed to exit their vehicle during any lengthy red flag and fix any damage but must be in their car and ready once the red flag is lifted. Drivers may not use any tools given to them or they have with them, this includes air pressure gauges.  Nobody is allowed on the track without permission.
    17. Any intentional contact or attempted contact with a car during a caution or after the checker flag can lead to being placed to the tail and/or disqualification and/or loss of points and/or loss of payout for that event.
    18. Galesburg Speedway officials reserve the right to request a doctor’s release at any time, for the driver to participate at Galesburg Speedway.
    19. Driver and car changes are permitted only prior to the official start of the race. The official start of a race is when the field enters the track, and goes out onto the racing surface. When determining the official start, one lap does not have to be completed. However, scoring for position does not begin until one green flag lap has been completed. All cars will need to enter the track under their own power to get start money and points. After that point, no change of driver is permitted. Any driver making a change will go to the tail of the field in the lesser race that the driver/car combination is qualified for (Example: If the driver is qualified for the A Feature and the car is qualified for the B feature, the car with the new driver will start tail of the B Feature.) Points and payout earned will be awarded to the driver starting the race. If a driver wishes to change cars prior to the event start, only the driver or crew chief is allowed to inform the Race Director in the Tower of the change prior to the start of the race. If this does not occur, the driver may forfeit all points and payout earned in the event.
    20. On a yellow or red flag that happens on the start of a race, any car(s) that enter the pits will go to the tail of the field, even though a full lap has not been completed. On a red flag, a driver may exit their car to check over their own car but can only make adjustments on their own car without any tools or assistance from anyone. The driver must be back in their car ready to go when the yellow flag comes out. Violation will result in the car being placed at the rear of the field.
    21. If a driver refuses the official’s order to take a certain position on the track (i.e. go to the back of the field), resulting in a delay of the race, he/she may be black flagged. If the actions by the driver continue to be inappropriate as seen by the race officials, that driver may lose their points and money for that event, as well as face possible suspension of future racing events.
  7. General
    1. Tire treatment or altering of any kind is not allowed on the property at Galesburg Speedway. Any use of tire treatment is prohibited.
    2. No mirrors or reflective surfaces are allowed inside or outside the car that may show a driver what’s behind their car.
    3. Lead ballast will be painted white with the car number on each piece. No cement, Mercury, or liquid style weight is allowed. All weight will be securely bolted to the car.
    4. One drive shaft hoop on forward half of shaft.
    5. Drive shaft must be painted either silver or white.
    6. All cars must be equipped with a working starter.
    7. No clip-on wheel weights on outside of wheel. Stick-on weights, if used on outside, must be glued and taped down.
    8. Mufflers are mandatory, with no cars checking over 100 decibels.
    9. No anti-freeze in radiators. Environmentally friendly coolant or lubricant, such as Water Wetter is allowed.
    10. Tech
      1. Any car may be teched after any race at anytime.
    11. Any ties in the point standings will be broken as follows
      1. Number of Feature wins, 2nd Place finishes, 3rd Place Finishes …etc.
      2. Number of Qualifying Fast Times, 2nd Quick, 3rd Quick …etc.
      3. Number of Fast Car Dash wins, 2nd Place Finishes, 3rd Place Finishes…etc.
      4. Number of Heat Race Wins, 2nd Place Finishes, 3rd Place Finishes…etc.
      5. Fastest Qualifying Lap of The Year, 2nd, 3rd …etc.
      6. The drivers will remained tied.
    12. Rookie Status
      1. Driver may not have raced more than 5 total races in a class or comparable class at any track.
      2. No driver may drop a class and be eligible. Class order is currently; Late Models Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Outlaw Front Wheel Drives and Burg Stocks.