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2022-2023 ProStar Cup Tour Season Agreement

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The USSA ProStar Series is proud to operate and administer the ProStar Cup Tour, North America’s highest level of ice oval snowmobile racing. With the Tour crossing international borders and competing under various sanctioning bodies, unique circumstances are presented at each venue. The following agreement will provide standards and expectations drivers, crew members, and teams will be held accountable for during the race season. This USSA ProStar Series approved document will also define certain parameters within which the ProStar Cup Tour will operate.

Section 1:            Tour and Race Structure

Section 2:            Race Rules & Tech Inspections

Section 3:            Social Media Guidelines

Section 4:            Driver and Crew Conduct

 

Section 1:      Tour and Race Structure

  • Each Tour event race day will be scheduled for three 7-lap heats and a 15-lap final. The number of laps may be adjusted due to track conditions, visibility concerns, etc. Please check the race board for updates.
  • For all heat races, drivers will be randomly selected and listed on the race order of the day. The first driver listed will approach the starting line first and pick his/her spot on the line. The second driver listed MUST pull up to either the immediate right or left of the first driver with no obvious gaps in spacing. The 3rd and subsequent drivers will follow the same procedure until the heat starting line is complete.
  • Heat race points are awarded as follows: 10 points for first, 9 for second, 8 for third, etc. To qualify for points, a driver must take the green flag and competitively attempt to complete a minimum of one lap. DNFs will be scored in the race order. DNS receives no points, and anyone disqualified receives no points.
  • Points for the final are awarded as follows: 100 points for first, 90 for second, 80 for third, all the way down to 10 points for 10th. To qualify for points in the final, a driver must successfully complete a minimum of one heat race and take the green flag in the final. DNFs will be scored in the race order. DNS receives no points, and anyone disqualified receives no points.
  • The maximum amount a driver can earn in one event is 130 points. Points will be awarded from the official results of the race’s sanctioning body.
  • The final qualifying race order will be based on an accumulation of heat race points, with the highest number of points being the top qualifier. The top 9 drivers automatically qualify for the front row of the final. The remaining drivers will run a B-Main with the winner given the 10th spot on the front row and the 2nd and 3rd place finishers starting in row two of the final.
  • Drivers will line up for the final in the same manner as the heats with the #1 qualifier picking his/her spot on the line and the 2nd qualifier filling in immediately to his/her left or right with no obvious gaps. The process continues until all 10 are lined up. Drivers 11 and 12 can pick any position on the back row, with driver 11 making his/her selection first.
  • All 12 final drivers will participate in pre-race driver introductions as prescribed by the ProStar Cup Tour staff. Drivers are to be race ready when they enter the track for introductions and will not be allowed back for any sled maintenance prior to the race start. The top three finishers will return to the starting line for post-race ceremonies and interviews as directed by the ProStar Cup Tour staff. Regardless of race results, drivers are expected to act professionally and respectfully to race officials, on track personalities and fellow competitors in all post-race activities. Failure to do so will constitute a violation under Driver Conduct.
  • If drivers are tied after heat racing action, the first tie breaker is the position finished in the most recent head-to-head heat race using more than one round if necessary. (Example: Driver A has 28 points; Driver B has 28 points. In Round 3 of heat races, both Driver A and B were in the same heat. Driver B finished 1st and Driver A finished 2nd. The tiebreaker would go to Driver B) If the tie cannot be broken using heat race results, a coin flip will determine the tie breaker.
  • If there is a tie for 1st place in the final points standing, 1st place will be awarded to the driver with the most final wins over the Tour season.  Second tie breaker, if needed, will be determined by the most qualifying points accumulated over the Tour season. Third tie breaker, if needed, will be the finishing order of the last Final race of the Tour season. If there is a tie for Positions 2 through 10, the position’s purse will be added together and split equally among the drivers.
  • All races will be counted in the season point total.
  • As a Tour event, we will approach every race weekend with the intent to run the Tour race the first day of competition. This often provides us with better ice conditions and potentially a larger on-site crowd. All Tour race teams will be expected to stay for the entire weekend and race the following day. Failure to race the following day will result in forfeiture of any Tour points or cash awards from the previous days results. “Racing on Sunday” constitutes a professional effort to qualify for Sunday’s final. Taking one green flag in heat 1 and going home does not meet the expectation. An exception to the Sunday rule can be made for nonrepairable mechanical failure or driver injury. BUT – this exception must be granted prior to a team leaving the track. The Tour director, in consultation with the tech staff, will make the final determination. Contact made after the race weekend is completed regarding prior mechanical issues or driver injury will not be an acceptable excuse for absence.
  • If a race team forfeits points and cash by departing a venue early, there will be NO adjustments to the finishing order. Drivers listed as finishing behind the forfeiting driver will not move up in the standings.
  • The Tour final will be scheduled with a maximum of 12 sleds with every intent to complete the final the same day. If visibility, weather, or other non-controllable circumstances dictate unsafe conditions for 12 sleds, the next option will break the feature race into a B-Feature for qualifiers 7-12 (7 laps) and racing for final positions 7-12 followed by an A-Feature for qualifiers 1-6 (10 laps) racing for the top six spots for that Tour event. If visibility, weather, or other non-controllable circumstances dictate unsafe conditions to complete the split main option, the Tour final will be moved to the first race of the next morning. The same format will be used (12 sleds or A Feature/B Feature) to run the morning race. If racing is unattainable the next morning, the qualifying order will be used to determine the final placements.
  • If needed, the ProStar Cup Tour will invoke the Competition Committee to vote on race safety and conditions. The Competition Committee will consist of three voting groups – each with only one vote. The committee will consist of a ProStar Cup Tour representative (1 vote); a venue/promoter delegation (1 vote) and two drivers & two team owners (all different teams and selected prior to the race season) (1 vote).


Section 2:     Race Rules and Technical Inspections

  • All races and rules will be governed by the rule book put forth by ISR. Tech Inspections, race order, lap adjustments, etc will be conducted by the sanctioning body running the event. The ProStar Cup Tour will provide tech inspection sheets for the sanctioning body to fill out and return to ProStar Cup Tour to verify the fairness of each competitor. The final decision on tech inspections will be with the sanctioning body. Normal ISR appeal rules will be in place.


Section 3:     Social Media Guidelines

  • Social Media is a great tool, but only when used properly. The ProStar Cup Tour reserves the right to admonish anyone associated with the Tour for comments, statements, or visuals detrimental to the overall health of ice oval racing.
  • Drivers, teams, and sponsors of the ProStar Cup Tour are encouraged to share, like, and re-post any and all information provided through the social media channels of the USSA ProStar Series and the ProStar Cup Tour.
  • Should an individual driver, crew member or person associated with a particular race team violate the intent of a positive social media environment, the contents of this document will constitute the first warning. A request will be made to remove the content and the violation will result in an on-track punishment by placing the driver in the back row of the next final they qualify for. The second violation will result in the loss of all points for the current or immediately preceding Tour race date. A third violation will be consideration for suspension of undetermined severity.


Section 4:     Driver and Crew Conduct

  • To be eligible for points and payouts from the ProStar Cup Tour, a driver MUST be registered with the Tour 24 hours prior to the first race they enter. The registration MUST be fully completed with a driver’s headshot picture (no sunglasses). Team/Sponsor hats and or shirts are acceptable for pictures. The photo needs to be clear and of the driver only. Drivers are also responsible for updating email and contact information on their RaceDay profile on an annual basis.
  • Teams wanting to discuss on or off-track issues including race control, tech inspections, driver conduct and the like, will send the driver and only the driver to make the initial contact with the ProStar Cup Tour race director. If the director deems necessary, other members of the race team may be consulted for clarification.
  • By nature, sports are competitive. Being the premier ice oval race series in north America, drivers and crew members are expected and required to hold themselves to a high standard of public etiquette. Respectful competition and respectful rivalries are expected and encouraged. Emotional outbursts and momentary displays of disappointment are acceptable.
  • The ProStar Cup Tour will draw the line with obscene gestures, inappropriate applause for another team’s failure or misfortune, public outbursts involving race officials, etc. The Tour staff will be available for private discussion regarding issues at any time. Discussions can be held in a race trailer, tech building, or other private site out of the public eye.
  • Should an individual driver, crew member, or person associated with a particular race team violate the conduct policy, the contents of this document will constitute the first warning. The driver will receive a request to refrain from future similar activity and receive on-track discipline by placing the driver in the back row of the next final they qualify for. The second violation will result in the loss of all points for the current or immediately preceding Tour race date. A third violation will be considerations for suspension of undetermined severity.


Conclusion

When referencing ProStar Cup Tour, the first contact will be the Tour Race Director. If the Director is not available, another Tour representative will be appointed. The ProStar Cup Tour strives to bring a professional product to various venues throughout North America. These guidelines set a course of expected action for conduct. Drivers, crew members, and individuals associated with a race team participating in a ProStar Cup Tour event are to look and act professionally during Tour timeframes.