CONTEST PROCEDURE - ALL PULLERS MUST BE ON THE GROUNDS ONE HOUR BEFORE SHOW TIME.
Pullers under 18 must have written consent from a parent or guardian, as well as prior approval.
Contestants may be barred from pulling due to emotional or physical reasons (e.g., intoxication, illness, etc.).
Only the driver will be allowed in/on the vehicle when it is being towed or driven.
No riders are permitted on tow tractors or track equipment.
A driver must be in/on the pulling vehicle at ALL times while the engine is running.
The vehicle must be in neutral or park while hooking to or unhooking from the sled. Drivers are encouraged to raise their hands while hooking and unhooking.
Any driver or crew member found under the influence of drugs or intoxicating substances in the track area will be disqualified.
A driver's meeting is optional and may or may not be held before the pull starts.
The first puller in the class will be considered the "Test Puller." This Test Puller may either accept their pull distance, choose to return immediately, or drop to any position in the pulling order.
a) If the head official determines that the first puller did not make an honest attempt or suffered mechanical failure, the next puller in line will become the "Test Puller" and will have the same options available to them. This process may continue (at the head official's discretion) until the class is set.
b) The finish flag official must be informed of the Test Puller's decision before leaving the track. No other contestant will be given the option to be the Test Puller.
A pulling vehicle may drop to any position in the class due to mechanical failure. This counts as the first of two attempts for the vehicle to make a measurable distance. This must be approved by the track judge. Safety equipment failure does not qualify as a mechanical problem.
A competitor has three minutes to hook to the sled after the track is ready or after the competition director and/or head flag calls them to the sled. Failure to do so will result in disqualification with no refund of entry.
Pullers receive two attempts to move the sled. If the driver lifts off the throttle before 100 feet on their first attempt, the puller will return to the start line and receive a second and final attempt. Only for mechanical breakage may the puller drop to last for their second attempt.
In the event of a re-pull caused by a contest malfunction, the affected puller(s) may drop to any position in the class or pull again immediately. Competitors may not move any weight.
Competitors may spot the sled anywhere in bounds and behind the starting line if desired, provided this is done while the sled is returning to the starting line. Only one sled spotting is allowed. Once the sled is ready at the starting line, the puller may NOT re-spot the sled. Doing so will count as the puller's first attempt.
All pulls will start with a tight chain. No jerking of the sled. Excessive jerking may result in disqualification.
Excessive loss of liquid will result in disqualification if the vehicle is under the green flag. If a vehicle is flagged, the pull will be measured from the point the red flag is issued. Failure to stop will result in disqualification. "Excessive" is defined as any steady or intermittent steam equal to a spot on the track measuring 8 inches in diameter.
Pulling will end when forward motion stops. Competitors must stop immediately when the RED flag is issued.
All pulls will be measured to the nearest 1/100 of a foot (two decimal places) using an Agri-tronix GPS sled measuring system or laser measuring device.
When possible, all contestants must drive on and off the track. Tow starts will be done as a last resort and under the discretion of the tech official.
All competition vehicles must report to the scales full of fuel, water, ice, etc. Fuel/water/ice cannot be added once the pulling vehicle has been weighed.
Once a vehicle has made its measurable pull and is unhooked from the sled, it must be moved from the end of the pulling track. Vehicles cannot be parked where they may interfere with the laser measuring device or the flow of event traffic.
Any disqualification on the first attempt will bar the puller from making a second attempt unless the class is restarted.
The "Test Hook" puller may return if they go out of bounds on their test hook attempt.
Pullers disqualified for actions on the track may still receive purse money. Should the class not be full, a disqualified puller shall receive last place purse money IF the vehicle has made a measurable pull.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
All pulling vehicles must pass a tech inspection and meet all safety requirements before they can pull in any event. AOPS reserves the right to fully inspect any vehicle at any time. Refusal to submit to a complete tech inspection will result in disqualification.
The tech official or presiding official has the right to stop and disqualify any competitor or pulling vehicle they deem unsafe.
Any competitor found under the influence of intoxicating agents before or during competition will be disqualified. Any crew member under the influence of intoxicating agents in the staging or track area will result in the disqualification of the vehicle they are attending.
Official decisions are final. There is no appeal process. Disagreements may result in disqualification.
Competition Director decisions are final and non-negotiable on any point of controversy. Disagreements leading to arguments can result in disqualification.
Any competitor abusing an official or other AOPS personnel verbally and/or physically will be disqualified for that event and asked to leave.
Disqualifications may result from, but are not limited to, the following reasons:
• Illegal fuel or water
• Out of bounds (any part of the vehicle touching the boundary line)
• Excessive loss of liquid
• Loss of weight under the green flag
• Failure to pass tech inspection
• Failure to be properly weighed
• Loss or failure of safety equipment under the green flag
• Unsafe operation of the vehicle
• Unsafe speed in the pits or leaving the track
• Unprofessional or unsportsmanlike conduct
• Illegal equipment
• Leaving the starting line under a red flag
• Deliberate delay of the event
• Attacking an official
ENTRY/TECH PROCEDURES
All competitors must be registered at least one hour prior to the pull.
Once a competitor arrives on the grounds, they must remain at their vehicle until it has been tech inspected.
All tech inspections will occur on the ground or on the trailer, unless inclement weather necessitates otherwise.
For any vehicle competing in a class requiring a safety shutdown switch, the driver is responsible for installing the tie strap to the safety switch.
Vehicles may enter only one class, but may only enter once per class.
Events are "open to the world" – no membership is required to enter, but the vehicle must pass tech for the class.
Participants must be members of AOPS to collect points. Membership must be in place before hooking to the sled to earn points. A vehicle may only collect points in one class, which will be determined by the class selected on their membership form.
The pulling order will be determined by the "luck of the draw" at sign-in. Numbers used may not be visible to the pullers. If a team has two or more entries in a single class, the vehicles must be registered separately to prevent confusion in numerical placement.
If a competitor is forced to withdraw from a class due to breakage from a previous class, they must notify officials before the class begins.
Once a competitor has hooked to the sled, entry fees are non-refundable.
If a puller arrives late (after the class has started), they may NOT compete in the class.
The only approved late entries will be those who have made prior arrangements with the registration official.
Competitors will earn no points if their entry fee is refunded, including in the event of a rain-out.
Pulling vehicles may be held for post-competition tech inspection. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.
Any competitor refusing to submit to tech inspection will be disqualified and earn no points.
POINTS SYSTEM
Buy-in fee per class: $150. Expect 3.6 Pro Street Semi, Limited Pro, Super Farm, and Super Modified to be $250.
Points for finishing positions:
1st – 50, 2nd – 48, 3rd – 46, with a 2-point drop down to 26 points.
All remaining competitors will receive 24 points.
DQs will receive last-place points in their class.
Competitors receive 20 show-up points upon vehicle arrival and registration.
To be eligible for points, the competitor must pay the entry fee and pass tech inspection. It is the competitor's responsibility to have their vehicle inspected.
In the event of a tie at the season's end, ties will be broken in the following order:
a) Attendance at all events
b) Most wins in the season
c) Most wins combined with the greatest number of 2nd place finishes
d) Most wins combined with the greatest number of 2nds and 3rd place finishes
In case of a rain-out or cancellation more than four hours before the pull, no points will be awarded. If cancellations occur during the pull, all classes that pulled will earn their respective points. Classes that are restricted from pulling will earn 20 rain-out points.
Points will not be awarded for no-shows (except for dropped hooks).
If a class is called off after being officially presented, the purse will stand in order of finish, and points will be split equally among competitors based on the number of entries.
Entries must remain open for two hours after the scheduled starting time when pullers have registered.
No rain-out points will be awarded if registration does not open.
Dropped Hooks: Each competitor is eligible for one "dropped hook" per season. AOPS reserves the right to limit the number of dropped hooks. A dropped hook will result in last-place points (minus two) for that pull. It may be used for mechanical breakage or unforeseen circumstances. Competitors must call to receive a dropped hook.
A vehicle that is found to be illegal will forfeit all points for the current year.
Points follow the vehicle, not the driver.
Disorderly conduct may result in the loss of the distance pulled.
Championship Purse Breakdown:
1st – 50%
2nd – 30%
3rd – 20% of total buy-in fee
RAIN-OUT SITUATIONS
Events canceled more than four hours prior to the scheduled starting time are considered cancellations, not rainouts.
A session is official if half the advertised classes are completed. Promoters are not required to refund gate money in this situation.
Any class not completed for any reason, including sled malfunction or electrical failure, will be considered a rain-out.
Unofficial Class: If less than 2/3 of the competitors have hooked, the class is a rain-out, and rain points are awarded to all pullers in the class, regardless of whether they hooked to the sled. No purse is paid if fewer than 2/3 of registered pullers have competed.
Official Class: A class is official when 2/3 of the competitors have pulled. The promoter must pay the full purse, split equally among all entered pullers, regardless of whether they made a measured pull.
The decision to call a class or session a rain-out is joint between the event official and the event promoter.
FULL PULL AND FLOATING FINISH LINE
Floating finish lines will be utilized at all events, with the Competition Director announcing the floating line prior to the class starting.
The boundary line and track prep will be 340 feet long to start the pull.
No part of the pulling vehicle may cross the boundary lines at any time.
If the test hook vehicle exceeds 340 feet on its initial run, the sled will automatically be reset, unless overridden by the Competition Director due to inclement weather or other event constraints.
All classes will run on a floating finish line. Track officials will notify the class before the event starts if a pull-off is required.
PROTESTS
Protests can be made for any rule violation or misapplication of the rules. These protests may involve either the vehicle or the rules application.
A protest must be filed in writing within five minutes of the completion of the class being protested. AOPS reserves the right to refuse any protest.
Only current members of AOPS may submit protests.
Official protest forms are available at the registration table and must be signed by the owner/driver within the same class of competition.
Protest fees will only be accepted in cash.
a) If the protested vehicle is found legal, the protest fee is forfeited.
b) If the vehicle is found illegal, the vehicle will be disqualified, and the fee will be returned to the protester.
The fee for a protest is $500.00.
Any disruption during a protest will result in disqualification.
Only officials and the protested individual are allowed near the vehicle during a protest.
If a competitor is found guilty of exceeding the cubic inch limit, they will be barred from all events for one year and one day. Refusing to tear down or be pumped will be considered exceeding the cubic inch limit.
RULES VIOLATIONS
A first-time violation will result in disqualification from that event.
A second violation for the same infraction will result in a season-long suspension.
Anyone suspended will not be allowed in the track or pit area for the duration of the suspension. If the vehicle is sold, it may still pull, but the suspended party cannot be involved with the vehicle in any capacity.
SCALES
All competitors must cross the scale before entering the staging area.
After entering the staging area, competitors may not open the weight box without an AOPS official present.
If no official is present, the competitor must rescale before hooking to the sled.
Weight may be moved around in the weight box, but no additional weight can be added.
No water, ice, or fuel can be added after scaling, unless the vehicle was being scaled at the time.
Rescaling may be done after pulling at any event.
If 10 or fewer competitors are in the class, the top five will be rescaled.
If there are more than ten competitors, the number of rescaled vehicles will be at the discretion of the competition director.