Racing and Track Rules

With just a few exceptions, Stewart Raceway has adopted HOPRA’s 2022 platform rules. The primary reason for this is that HOPRA is a national organization and has been racing the types of cars we currently race for over 45 years. Their rules are nationally accepted, well-recognized, widely used, thoroughly debated, and well-managed.

Active Car Rules House Track Rules General Conduct Rules  

2022 HOPRA General Rules:

    1. All magnets must be “HOPRA Approved” and made from ceramic or polymer magnet material only.
    2. No freak or irregular magnets shall be allowed. Ceramic magnets must be within 5% of the standard set
      submitted. Magnets must be under a set Gauss limit. See car classes for more information.
    3. The number of armature magnets used per car cannot exceed the stock number and cannot be more than two. Each magnet cannot exceed more than .0233^3 and must be a minimum of .0175in^3 of total volume.
    4. The number of extra magnets used per car cannot exceed the stock number and cannot be more
      than two. Each magnet cannot exceed .0141in^3 and must be a minimum of .0125in^3 of total volume.
    5. The number of flux collectors used per car cannot be more than stock.
    6. Any car, which contains more than two magnets, shall not be allowed any flux collectors.
    7. The chassis entered must be HOPRA Approved, with magnets being part of the chassis and cannot be
      substituted. Bulkheads, chassis clip(s), end-bell, magnet retaining clip(s), and timing brackets are part of the car and can be replaced after qualifying. The body cannot be substituted except for same color conflicts and at the tech inspector’s discretion and approval.
    8. All cars/chassis must be readily available and HOPRA approved. See individual class rules for legal
      chassis.
    9. All new cars, chassis, and magnet sets must be submitted no later than August 1st to be considered for
      approval for the following year’s National Championship Race. (See appendix D for more details).
    10. Magnets submitted for “HOPRA Approval” are to be considered the “standard” set regarding all technical inspection questions. Meters throughout the organization will be calibrated using these standard magnets provided. These standard sets are to be identical to what is readily available.
    11. Chassis/Cars submitted for “HOPRA Approval” are to be considered the “Standard” regarding all technical inspection questions. Changes to the original “Standard” design spec chassis shall be resubmitted for “HOPRA Approval” and will be considered a new chassis or car. All chassis must be molded and no after production machining is allowed except for where allowed per class rules.
    12. No broken chassis will be allowed to enter the race except for body mounts and/or pick-up shoe bumper guards. Guide pin bumper must not be broken.
    13. A non-adhesive, non-magnetic, separate, and easily removable material can be used to restrict the
      movement of magnets in the chassis except for where not allowed per class rules.
    14. The minimum allowable wheelbase is 1 ¼ (1.250) inches.
    15. The maximum allowable width of the car is 1 5/16 (1.3125) inches.
    16. The maximum allowable length of the entire car is three (3.00) inches.
    17. Only one guide pin per car shall be allowed.
    18. The maximum allowable lateral movement of the front axle is 1/32 (.03125) inch and may not exceed general rule 15 when extended to the furthest point.
    19. During the race, any individual part of the car may be replaced. The chassis and body are not considered
      individual parts. The Race Director or Technical Inspector has the right to inspect any car after repairs
      have been made. If repairs are necessary, they shall be made before the car may re-enter the race. The
      repairs may be made during lane change periods or on the driver’s race time. The race shall not be
      stopped for repairs unless the Race Director has declared a track call specifically to allow for repairs.
    20. The body must be painted and rear wings/spoilers may be added for aesthetics only. Overall height of the car and mounted body cannot exceed 3/4″ (.750″). This height will be measured with the body mounted on the car as it sits on the track.
    21. The body must cover the chassis, tires and wheels when viewing the car from above except through legal openings (i.e., windows, etc.). No body cutting except for wheel openings. Open wheel bodies are only allowed in Stock Class. This rule does not apply to the Vintage T-Jet car class as it is subject to its
      specific body regulations.
    22. Any car without a body or with an interfering body will not be allowed to continue to run.
    23. Cars must be equipped with four tires, which touch and roll when checked on a test track with no or low rails.
    24. The driver has the final responsibility to prove the legality of their car.
    25. Every car entered may be required to submit to a post-race technical inspection. Failure to comply will
      result in immediate disqualification of the car and entrant and forfeiture of entry fees paid for that entry.
    26. If necessary, a vote by the National Executive Committee members present shall determine the final
      interpretation and enforcement of all rules. If it does not appear in this rulebook, it is not legal for
      HOPRA competition.
    27. All items to be added to the agenda for the open meeting must be submitted in writing or email to the
      National Director no later than June 1st. Any additions after that time must be approved by at least three
      (3) members of the National Executive Committee.
    28. The use of lights on cars in National Championship competition is not allowed.

Active Car Class Rules

The HOPRA rules are actually extremely close to our previous rules and do not require many changes to the cars we currently run. Below is a table that should help in translating our current car classes to the applicable HOPRA car class. The below links are Stewart Raceway published rules, which supersede any changes in HOPRA rules until such rules are evaluated and approved. HOPRA’s complete 2022 Racing Rulebook is available online for your reference.

Current Class Designations HOPRA Class Designations Key Differences
OS3 TFX “Lite” None No HOPRA rules—yet.
OS3 TFX “Modified” None No HOPRA rules—yet.
VSR Viper “Viper-Jet” SPEC JET CAR CLASS Brass only weights from OEM.
VSR Viper V-SPEC “Lexan” SPEC RACER CAR CLASS HOPRA allows adjustable motor brush tension, we don’t.
VSR Viper V-SPEC “Hardbody” SPEC STOCK CAR CLASS HOPRA allows fewer body choices, we allow any hardbody.
VSR Viper V-SPEC “Formula V” SPEC JET CAR CLASS Combined with HOPRA SPEC JET class rules.

Jag Hobbies TR-3 “Lite”

Jag Hobbies NC-2 “Lite”

Jag Hobbies PR-5  “Lite”

AFX Mega-G+ 1.7 “Lite”

 BOX STOCK CAR CLASS All HOPRA BOX STOCK rules apply.

Super Stock

 SUPER STOCK CAR CLASS HOPRA does not allow L4 Compression-molded polymer magnets, only ceramic. HOPRA allows dual-compound tires. We allow L4 magnets but do not allow dual-compound tires. 
Please Note: HOPRA specifies a minimum of 18-volts track power for most classes, Twenty (20) volt filtered power supplies shall be used for Vintage T-Jet class. Twelve and a half (12.5) volt minimum, 13 and a half (13.5) volt maximum filtered power supplies shall be used for Spec Jet class.

Please keep in mind, these are rules for the many classes that we run that are nationally recognized and supported. We can certainly run any class of car our local community wants to run. These HOPRA rules have been adopted to provide uniformity and solidarity with our regional and national Slot Car brethren. The hope is that we can unite—as a country—and support a manageable and standard set of rules that can be easily adopted by all racing groups, large and small.  It’s way past time to unify and grow this way cool sport/hobby. The only way to accomplish that goal is to organize, unify, and standardize.

House Track Rules:

        1. Anyone (marshal or driver) may call Track as long as it is done in response to conditions as stated below:
          1. Car doesn’t move at start of race. Track Call. Restart the race or stop other cars and allow stalled car to catch up. Exception if controller hooked up wrong then car goes back to start line.
          2. Not all cars reach 1st turn during start. Track Call. Restart or stop others and allow off cars to catch up to pack. Exception if controller hooked up wrong then car goes back to start line.
          3. Any time there are 2 or more cars off at same place. Track call.
          4. Car comes out on the straightaway (any, main or inner) and lands on the racing lanes. Track Call.
          5. Rider. Track Call. Place rider car back to correct lane. If car passes lap counter as a rider, on request, the driver will be credited during or at end of heat. At race director’s discretion, rider car may be placed behind timing gantry so it can proceed and score lap without further scoring action.
          6. Poor or slow marshaling of a car. Track Call. If a turn marshal is excessively slow or burdened in returning a car to the track the driver may call track to stop the race until car(s) can be replaced onto the track. Excessive off length will be determined on a track by track basis but will typically be the period of a single lap (i.e., minimum 6 seconds).
          7. Track marshal has fat fingers. Track Call. Cars are replaced in order that they come off. Whenever practical, turn marshal is to put car on in the same place it came out of the slot.
          8. Lane goes dead, or track power drops during race. Stop race, fix, continue race.
          9. Driver knocks another car out while attempting to marshal their own. Track call.
          10. Driver blocks the view of another driver while attempting to marshal their own car. Drivers should try to be courteous, no consequences unless done on purpose.
          11. Mechanical failure of a car. Track Call. Stop race, allow repairs (remember, this is supposed to be fun).
          12. If a car leaves the track and hits the floor. Track call, clean tires, replace where it came off. Repair if necessary.

        2. Anyone may marshal while race is under yellow (this will reduce or eliminate drivers from leaning forward to marshal their own car and blocking other drivers view).
        3. Driver marshaling own car. We discourage marshaling of your own car but it is allowed only on the main straight directly in front of the driver’s panel or when sufficient marshals are not available to adequately address the field.
        4. Tires may only be cleaned before competition, during active timed heat, or between heats.
        5. In IROC races, all cars get tires cleaned every heat and may get maintenance and shoes cleaned as needed.
        6. Track voltages are specified in each individual car platform’s rules. The Race Director may elect to change voltages based on track layouts and driver preferences for each meeting.
        7. Duration of heats and race length will be at the discretion of the race director/organizer.

General Driver and Spectator Conduct:

        1. Have fun! And remember: these are little toy cars so don’t take winning—or losing—too seriously.
        2. Be polite. Don’t yell at the turn marshals! Do not intentionally distract the other people involved during the race.
        3. Remember to thank turn marshals and your hosts.
        4. The Race Host/Director always has the final word on the interpretation of all rules, procedures and outcomes.
        5. Please DO NOT place cigarette butts in cans or bottles.
        6. Please DO NOT place garbage in the Blue Recycle can.
        7. Please DO NOT leave unemptied, open, aluminum cans or bottles standing unattended.
        8. Please DO NOT leave track room doors open (House Cats!)

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