Reduced-field question

In a club race, you’ll sometimes end up with fewer drivers midway through the race than you may want.

If you’re down to 2 or 3 running karts, with a reasonably close battle between them, I think most of us would agree that the race should go its scheduled distance. That way it’s fair and the drivers get the chance to let the race play out.

Do you throw the flag early if you are down to two karts, with either an insurmountable margin or the second place kart clearly busted and off the pace?

What about one kart? Do they have to go the whole way, or just a lap past where the rest quit?

Finally, how long do you give a driver to get back on track and running when there are none left circulating at all?

I would hope not…I paid my track fee for X number of laps I would feel shortchanged if the race was ended early just because it wasn’t much of race.

Same as above, but I have also seen drivers (especially older guys) just take the points in this situation and not run.

This one is a little more complicated. If a kart stalls, breaks, or has an off where they are not able to continue then the race is over. However, if the kart is still running or able to be restarted by the driver after an off I would say let them continue.

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This is why the racing gods invented combined classes.

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Theoretically it’s possible that the last guy standing blows an engine or gets a flat… what then? :joy:

Race called on account of bad luck and general incompetence?

I would agree that combining classes is the way to go, especially if track time is at a premium. Nobody wants to see valuable track time wasted on 2-3 drivers, likely not even close enough on track to race each other.

We have this with a regional series we run. So frustrating, especially when people have asked for more race time throughout the weekend.