PCA racing: "racing room" not required?

[Phokaioglaukos]

I plan to start PCA club racing this year. So far I've raced under UK and German FIA rules and SCCA rules, and I have heard that PCA is a bit different. I print below what I think are the relevent rules, but it seems to me that PCA looks hard at assigning fault in any contact whilst other sanctioning bodies have more specific rules (more than one move is blocking and "racing room" must be given) that use far fewer words.

One PCA racer I know told me that some drivers use the 13/13 rule offensively--chopping an overtaking car at the apex to force it to back out or risk contact and a 13. In the one PCA race I observed it did not seem as though drivers were contesting corners as I anticipated.

For those of you who have raced in PCA and with other groups, I'm interested in hearing your comparisons.

MSA Regulation 14.4.2 (which mirrors Appendix L to the FIA’s International Sporting Code, so it’s the same throughout Europe). Overtaking, according to the circumstances, may be carried out either on the right or on the left. However, manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as more than one change of direction to defend a position, deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are strictly prohibited. Any driver who appears guilty of any of the above offences may be reported to the Clerk of Course.


SCCA GCR 6.11.1 On Course Driver Conduct
A. Drivers are responsible to avoid physical contact between cars on the race track.

B. Each competitor has a right to racing room, which is generally defined as sufficient space on the marked racing surface that under racing conditions, a driver can maintain control of his car in close quarters.

C. Drivers must respect the right of other competitors to racing room. Abrupt changes in direction that impede or affect the path of another car attempting to overtake or pass may be interpreted as an effort to deprive a fellow competitor of the right to racing room.

D. The overtaking driver is responsible for the decision to pass another car and to accomplish it safely. The overtaken driver is responsible to be aware that he is being passed and not to impede or block the overtaking car. A driver who does not use his rear view mirror or who appears to be blocking another car attempting to pass may be black flagged and/or penalized, as specified in Section 7.


PCA 4. Conduct that is inappropriate to the intent and spirit of the PCA Club Racing Program jeopardizes safety or results in dangerous or damaging situations will not be tolerated. In addition to the normal discretion of the National Stewards to deal with inappropriate and unsafe conduct during all Club Race sessions, the 13/13 rule will be in effect at all PCA Club Racing events and will be imposed for such conduct. Under this rule, any incident which results in car damage will cause the following:

A. The National Stewards will collect and review all information relating to the incident, including corner worker and other observer reports, driver statements, and damage and incident reports from the PCA Club Racing National Scrutineers (National Scrutineers). In the case of an incident involving more than one car, the National Steward will make a determination of fault.

B. Drivers involved in an incident shall immediately exit the track during the session and report to the Black Flag Station and then to the 13/13 impound area, as directed. Drivers will then report to Medical and then to the National Steward and shall not be allowed on the track until being cleared by the National Steward.

C. Any driver who is found to be at fault in an incident involving more than his or her car will be:

1) Excluded from competition for the remainder of the event at which the incident occurs.

2) Placed on probation for a thirteen (13) month period by the National Steward. If during this probation period the driver is involved in another “at fault” incident, his competition privileges will be suspended for thirteen (13) months. Suspended drivers must petition for reinstatement to the PCA Club Racing National Chairman (National Chairman). Re-entry into the program will be at the discretion of the PCA Club Racing National Committee and the driver may be required to return on probation.

3) Subject to more severe penalty should the seriousness of any incident warrant it.

D. Any competitor, after having been in an incident, who fails to immediately exit the track and report to the Black Flag Station or leaves the event without talking to the National Steward, shall be presumed to be at fault.

E. Any driver who has received a 13/13 must attend the Orientation Meeting at the next race in which they compete.

F. Any competitor who has been determined to be at fault and has received a 13/13 may request a review of the determination by written (or e-mail) request to the National Chairman within thirty (30) days of the determination. Said request shall provide all documentation and/or justification as to why the determination should be reviewed.