Since this venue is in a neighborhood, we must ensure that all vehicles meet a 100 dB sound limit in order to ensure that this site remains available to us in the future.
Simply stated, we will use a sound meter to measure each run from a place where you would be full throttle. If you exceed the limit three times, then you cannot make any additional runs in the offending vehicle. If you exceed the sound limit on a run, then you must attempt a viable remedy to reduce the sound before you can take another run.
The enforcement of this limit will generally follow the procedures outlined in the APPENDIX I - SOUND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES section of the SCCA Solo National Rules, but there will be minor modifications in order for them to function with our club's procedures. You can find the SCCA Solo National Rules on www.scca.com, but here are the highlights:
The club will assign a steward to be in charge of sound enforcement for the event. This person will be responsible for configuring and testing the equipment, ensuring that the sound measuring station is manned for each heat, and working with drivers who exceed the sound limit.
An ANSI Type 2 sound meter with a digital readout will be placed 50' from a section of the course where the car can reasonably be expected to be at full throttle, under load, and at high RPM.
If you exceed the sound limit, then that run will be scored as a DNF.
You can take a subsequent run if you can show that you have attempted a viable remedy. If this run is still in excess, then you will again receive a DNF for that run.
You can make a third attempt if you can again show another attempt at a viable remedy. If you exceed the limit on your third attempt, then you will receive a DNF for the run and forfeit any additional runs in the offending vehicle. You are welcome to complete your remaining runs in a vehicle from the same class that is borrowed from a competitor, if available.
You cannot take runs outside of your assigned heat. For example, if you install a remedy after your first run, but you only have time in the heat for one more run, then you forfeit the remaining runs in that heat. However, you can still make your normal afternoon-heat runs, assuming that you are not exceeding the sound limit or have failed the sound limit for the previous three runs.
Rulings regarding sound are not protestable. We will do our best to work with offending vehicles to ensure that they can continue to compete (within the sound limits), but we cannot allow offending vehicles to continue competing outside of the sound limits. This is a reality to all clubs using Pennington Field must face.