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Rather than polute Dean's thread (which is an SCCA rule question), I wanted to clarify the NASA interpreation of this incident. Original thread:
http://mazdaracers.c...pec-miata-race/
I ask for my own understanding because I'm racing NASA (only) this year, and just finished Comp School. This situation wasn't specifically addressed in class, but below is what I THINK is the closest situation that we did discuss.
Reference 2015 NASA CCR: https://nasa-assets....82/2015_CCR.pdf, Section 26.0, Appendix A.
I think Figure 8 is the most directly appicable example. If I'm wrong, please clarify. I can't post the picture, but it is on page 90 of the link above. Essentially, Car B is attempting a pass of Car A:
Car B is attempting to make a pass. After point 4, one might assume that Car B has the right to choose his/her line as per the rules and that would mean that Car A must back out of it. However, the fault still lies with Car B. This is where things get tricky. There are two different rules that govern this situation, and it is up to the Race Director to make a determination. The first rule states that Car B has a right to choose any line because Car A no longer has a wheel next to the driver of Car B. Therefore, Car A must relinquish the lead. However, there is another rule that says that the driver that is attempting to make a pass has the responsibility to complete that pass safely. In this case the overriding rule would be the latter. That is why Car B would be at fault. Car B failed to complete a safe pass. The whole intent of the “wheel next to the door†rule is to make sure that the overtaken driver sees the overtaking car. Well in this case, the driver of Car B clearly knew that Car A was there because he/she was the one making the pass.
Also from 2015 CCR:
25.4.2 Punting
The term “punting†is defined as nose to tail (or side-of-the-nose to side-of-the-tail) contact, where the leading car is significantly knocked off of the racing line.
Once the trailing car has its front wheel next to the driver of the other, it is considered that the trailing car has a right to be there. And, that the leading driver must leave the trailing driver enough “racing room.†In most cases, “racing room†is defined as “at least three quarters of one car width.†If adequate racing room is left for the trailing car, and there is incidental contact made between the cars, the contact will be considered “side-to-side.†In most cases, incidental side-to-side contact is considered to be “just a racing incident.†If, in the case of side-to-side contact, one of the two cars leaves the racing surface (involuntarily) then it may still be considered “a racing incident.†[Note: The whole intent of the “wheel next to the driver†rule is to make sure that the overtaken driver sees the overtaking car.]
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