Organizational and Competition Rules

for the Year 2011

The items covered here apply equally to all hills receiving Northwest Hillclimb Association (referred to as NHA) sanction and or insurance. Bold and Red items are new changes for the current year.

Section 1
 Administrative

1.1 Board of Directors: The Board of Directors (herein referred to as BOD) shall be made up of: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Promotions/PR, and a representative from each hill not already represented on the BOD.
1.2 Conference calls may be arranged at the discretion of the BOD.
1.3 A copy of NHA meeting notes will be distributed to all member organizations. Member organizations will notify NHA of changes in leadership.
1.3.1 Clubs must be legally registered non-profit club or organization to be a NHA member organization.
1.3.2 To be an event host, clubs must be a NHA member organization. A club membership fee of $25.00 will be submitted to NHA by November 1 each year so a final schedule can be set at the annual meeting
1.4 NHA sanction and series insurance: Organizations seeking NHA sanction and inclusion in the NHA championship shall be insured via the NHA insurance policy, or must provide NHA with an insurance binder, having NHA as a named insured, and pay a $100.00 sanction fee. Hills with NHA insurance pay a $75.00 administration fee over the cost of insurance.
1.4.1 Individual clubs have the ability to refuse entry based on prior safety violations, providing the club has issued written warning of unsafe conduct to the entrant and to the NHA.
1.4.2 Organizations requesting NHA sanction and insurance must pay $100.00 non-refundable date deposit for each event. This fee will be applied to their insurance billing, and should be received by April 1. BOD President may approve date adjustments.)
1.4.3 At least a photocopy of the master insurance policy will be provided by NHA to member events with the insurance binder, upon request.
1.4.4 Organizations receiving NHA sanction and insurance will guarantee that all currently paid-up NHA members will have entries accepted at their hillclimb, provided the NHA member’s entry is received prior to the cutoff dates for regular entries. Booklets/fliers are to be received by members a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the event.
1.4.5.1 Two NHA members (approved by BOD) shall inspect new hillclimb sites for suitability and safety. At least one of the inspectors should have experience in higher speed vehicles (i.e. FF, FA, CSR, S2000, GT1 or SPO). The inspectors shall report on suitability of the site to the BOD who shall make the final determination of NHA sanction.
1.4.5.2 Events added to the schedule after April 30 will be non-pointed events for that year and will not count for “Climbed them all” awards.
1.4.6 Should an organization wish to change a hillclimb date after March 1, they will be assessed the cost of mailing to those on the mailing list, if the change is approved by the BOD. This will be a guaranteed mailing announcing the new date of the event.
1.5 Membership dues for NHA are $10.00 annually and cover the calendar year.
1.6 NHA Will purchase one complete set of SCCA competition rules biannually and make the set available to each hill, with a copy of the current NHA Rules.
1.6.1 NHA rules are based on or conform to SCCA
1.7 Competition License: Members requesting a competition license will be required to compete successfully in a minimum of 3 NHA sanctioned event over 2 years. Additionally two (2) members of the NHA BOD must sign the license attesting to the competence of the applicant. To keep license active, participation in at least one hillclimb per year is required. To renew, must have run at least one event per year previously and have it documented in the driver's log.
1.7.1 A $5.00 fee will be charged for a competition license. A logbook will be issued with each license.
1.8 NHA Challenge Series Year End Trophies: All events with NHA sanction should be included toward year end points.
1.8.1 Points will be awarded for 1 event only prior to joining NHA. Points are awarded as follows: 9 (1st), 6 (2nd), 4 (3rd), 3 (4th), 2 (5th) and 1 (6th or lower).
1.8.2 NHA will not recognize hill records, or award NHA points for cars known to be illegal for the NHA class.
1.8.3 To be eligible for a trophy a competitor must attend more than half of the NHA events for the year, and must start at least one run at each event. At least one event must be run on the East and West side of a line running North/South through Bend, Oregon (this is in effect on a trail basis for 2003/2004 seasons)
1.9 Each member club should send a list of participants, including addresses, to NHA no later than two weeks following the event.

Section 2
Car Classification and Preparation

2.1 Nitrous Oxide will not be allowed in any car.
2.2 All vehicles at the hillclimb site, including workers’ vehicles, must have a spark arrestor type mufflers.
2.2.1 All vehicles participating at the hillclimbs will display an approved NHA sticker, unobstructed and prominently on both side of the automobile. These will be given to NHA members and non-members will be charged for them.
2.3 Current NHA GCR classes will be used for anything on race tires and Improved Touring. NHA classes will be used for Stock and Street Prepared.
2.4 There are 5 NHA specific classes: Over Street Prepared, Super Production, Formula Libre, Mod Vee, and Prototype.
2.4.1 Over Street Prepared is a class for cars that are prepared beyond Street Prepared, but not competitive in Super Production.
2.4.1.1 Capable of being licensed.
2.4.1.2 Must run on DOT approved tires.
2.4.1.3 Forced induction to 1.3 their eqiivalency and rotaries doubles displacement equivalency.
2.4.1.4 Over 2.5 liters are OSPO, less than 2.5 liters are OSPU.
2.4.1.5 Glass windshield required.
2.4.1.6 Door panels required, need not be stock
2.4.1.7 May remove all seats, but driver's seat
2.4.1.8 All modifications must be safe.
2.4.2 Super Production is a class for production based cars with modifications not allowed in Production, GT and IT classes.
2.4.2.1 Must be a production-based vehicle. Tube chassis cars are legal but the bodywork must be recognizable as the model, which it is intended to represent.
2.4.2.2 Must have all bodywork in place. A one-race exception will be granted for previous wreck damage.
2.4.2.3 No wings other than as originally equipped shall be allowed.
2.4.2.4 Under 3.0 liters is SPU, over 3.0 liters is SPO, rotary 10A & 12A are SPU, 13B & 20B are SPO.
2.4.2.5 DELETED
2.4.2.6 Engines must be in the same general location as original vehicle manufacturer.
2.4.2.7 No minimum weight.
2.4.2.8 All modifications must be safe.
2.4.3 Formula Libre is an open class for cars that do not fall into other classes.
2.4.3.1 Purpose built for racing
2.4.3.2 Single seat
2.4.3.3 Unlimited displacement
2.4.3.4 Four wheels fully suspended.
2.4.3.5 Two or more wheels open.
2.4.3.6 All modifications must be safe.
2.4. Mod Vee
2.4.4.1 Must conform to the NHA Formula Vee rules, except for the following allowable modifications:
2.4.4.2 Wheel and tire sizes are open.
2.4.4.3 Carburetion must be normally aspirated, otherwise is open.
2.4.4.4 Engine size must be air cooled, under 2000cc, using a Type I, II, or III case only.
2.4.4.5 Aerodynamic devices are allowed.
2.4.4.6 Wings are allowed.
2.4.4.7 Bodywork must be open wheel, but may be of any type or design.
2.4.4.8 All modifications must be safe.
2.4.5 Prototype
2.4.5.1 Can-Am, WSC, IMSA/Sportscar, and FIA Prototypes, all sportsracers built beyond NHA ’s ASR specifications.
2.4.5.2 Closed wheel, purpose-built race cars production cars built beyond Super Production specifications.
2.4.5.3 Four wheels, fully suspended.
2.4.5.4 No mechanical downforce (sucker cars).
2.4.5.5 No restrictions on induction or displacement
2.4.5.6 Maximum wing height is not to exceed 115 cm (45.25 inches)
2.4.5.7 All cars/modifications must be safe.
2.4.5.8 All cars must comply to all NHA rules 3.0 through 3.9 and 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3.
2.5 Vintage racing cars are welcom to race at NHA events. They will be classified by SCCA-NWR rules tentatively. NHA safety regulations must be met as well.

Section 3
Safety

Compliance with this section is a condition for NHA Sanction and Insurance 3.2.1 By the year 2007, minimum NHA roll bar is required in any car running in a class allowing racing slicks. NHA recommends that all cars run roll bars.

3.0 NHA Vice President will appoint a NHA Representative for each event, to enforce NHA safety requirements per Section 3.
3.0.1 The NHA Representative will complete an accident report for any major accident, including photos, if possible. This is to be kept on file with NHA
3.0.2 In the event of a safety infraction and having exhausted all other means of resolving the issue, the NHA representative will inform the event organizers that the hill will not be considered for year end points for the current year. He/she should request a drivers meeting to explain the situation and inform the driers of the decision. If possible this decision should be discussed with another board member. In the event of such action the NHA President should be notified ASAP and a written record of the incident made and forwarded to the Sec/Treas.
3.1 All entrant cars must have a shoulder harness or straps
3.2 Roll bars or roll cages are required in all open cars. Integrated roll bars (i.e. Corvette, Porsche) are acceptable. Roll bars/roll cages are required in Super Production. Roll bars/roll cages must be constructed to 1975 or later GCR rules. Inflated or popup roll bars are not permitted. The roll bar must be above the drivers’ helmet, and be adequately braced. It must pass tech inspection.
3.3 Fire extinguishers, or fire systems, are mandatory in all cars. A minimum of 5BC rating required. Extinguisher, or system activator, must be located within easy reach of driver and/or safety officials (forward of front seat in all stock, production or super production type cars).
3.3.1 Extinguishers must be securely mounted with metal brackets.
3.3.2 All extinguishers, except Halon, must be professionally inspected and tagged, within 13 months of event date.
3.3.3 Tech inspectors will remove portable extinguishers from brackets, visually check pressure and turn upside down to loose extinguishing agent.
3.4 Entrants will wear long sleeve shirts and long pants made of cotton or Nomex while driving. Nomex suits are highly recommended.
3.4.1 Shoes are required.
3.4.2 Helmets will comply with current NHA Solo II Rules.
3.4.3 Helmets will be worn up and down the hill.
3.5 NHA requires all member organizations to conduct a pre-event driver’s school for all newcomers to that event. The school should familiarize drivers with any hazards and give them a basic knowledge of the course and procedures. All drivers should be encouraged to attend.
3.6 All member clubs must show proof of instruction or school for corner workers to include minimum equipment for each checkpoint and instructions for use.
3.6.1

NHA Representative will set minimum requirements and advise all member organizations of these requirements. Non compliance will result in revocation of sanction insurance.
3.6.2 Minimum equipment at each corner worker station will be a red flag, a fire extinguisher, and a radio.
3.6.3 Corner workers should be placed so that race vehicles are not out of sight for more than 10 seconds at a time.
3.7

First responder First Aid Kits shall be available at each hill. A non-participant certified EMT or physician shall be required or a fully stocked rescue vehicle present.
3.8

NHA Safety Equipment: NHA requires that all hill organizations have a vehicle, with communications capability placed on their hillclimb site to be able to get to an emergency situation with adequate safety equipment quickly
3.9 Member organizations must take vigorous action to assure that all persons on the hill sign a release form. Parents must sign for minors.
3.10 "Driver only on any timed run in a vehicle" i.e. No passengers allowed in competition cars on timed runs

Section 4
Recommendations

4.1 NHA will not recognize hill records nor award NHA points for cars known to be illegal for their NHA class; strongly recommend that all clubs police their classing closely.
4.2 NHA will only recognize the first two runs per day for points and records unless all drivers are allowed the same amount of runs in that day.
4.3 Arm and Neck Restraints – remind everyone periodically that arm restraints and neck restraints are very important in reducing the possibility of injury and are highly recommended.
4.4 NHA highly recommends that attendance at the driver’s meeting each day before activities is made mandatory by the individual hill organizing bodies.
4.5 NHA recommends hay bales or tires at the downhill end of any guardrail that is within ten feet of the road.
4.6 NHA recommends that all hills have a ladies class with the option to either run ladies or open class. This is to encourage more participation by women.
4.7

NHA strongly recommends all corner stations have a minimum of 2 people with 1 person having the ability to respond on foot with a fire extinguisher to any emergency. Also, that all minors working at stations have prior approval by the event safety steward.
4.8 NHA recommends that part of the drivers’ school should include a trip up the hill with the new drivers to familiarize them to the hill for safety reasons.
4.9 It is recommended that a copy of the insurance binder be available at each event for review on request.