Racing Marble League – Season 3 Rules

The Racing Marble League is a competitive marble racing series which is intended to be conducted and officiated in accordance with this rules page. These rules may be amended from time to time. Special rules may be published by RacingMarbles.net specifically for the race series. This rule book contains rules and technical requirements governing all events that make up the Racing Marble League series including the Championship Series and Challenger Series. These rules are given to provide the racing marbles owners insight to operations, processes and rules that apply to the racing program as well as information to help them prepare for competition.

Racing Marble League races are organized according to an established procedure:

1. The Series’

Championship Series: The top 21 marbles will participate in this race series.

Challenger Series: The remaining marbles will participate in this race series. We anticipate there will be more than 42 marbles submitted to the RML by the time Season 3 arrives. To accommodate the larger number of submitted marbles, we will run heat races for this series. (See additional detail below).

2. Time Trials

Championship Series: Starting with Season 3, time trials will be run in the following manner. Marbles will be selected by a specific order for time trials. The selection is based on current standing of either qualifying position or championship points standing. The lowest qualifying marbles or lowest points standing marbles will always be the first to run the time trials prior to any race in an order of 21st to 1st. 3 marbles will be lined up on the front row of the starting grid. The lowest scoring marble will have the advantage on the starting grid in position one, the second lowest in position two and the third lowest in position 3. All 3 marbles will be released at the same time and will travel a partial/full lap of the race course specific for that race. Times will be tracked for all 3 marbles in at least two sectors on the race track. The final time will be recorded for each marble as they cross the finish line. There will be a total of 7 time trial heats (totaling 21 marbles). A time tracking table will be visible showing all marble times for the time trial. The marble with the quickest time recorded will earn Pole Position. Winning Pole Position also earns the racing marble 3 bonus championship points. If a marble fails to finish their time trial, they will be placed at the back of the starting grid. Marbles will be placed on the starting grid based on their performance in the time trial. The fastest marbles in the front of the grid and the slowest to the back in order from 1st to 21st.

Challenger Series: There will be no time trials for this series. This series will use the ELITE starting grid with all the marbles lined up side-by-side for each race.

3. Race

Championship Series: Races will be from 10-20 laps, depending on the length of the track. The first competitor across the finish line at the conclusion of a race is the winner. Position for all marbles will be based on their position as they cross the finish line. 

 There will be multiple Heat Races in this Series. Each Heat will consist of a group of marbles based on their Try-Out results. 16 marbles will form Group A, another set of 16 marbles will form Group B, etc. Heat races will be from 5-10 laps and will be run on the same tracks as the Championship Series. Race finish times will be used to determine their position in the overall race. At the end of the regular 6 race season, the top marbles from each group enter into the CHASE for the Challenger Series Title. There will be a two-race shootout, where the top 6 marbles advance to the Championship Series for next season.

4. Racing Marbles score points based on finish position.

Championship Series: Every racing marble will receive championship points as long as they complete the race (see Championship Points below). Any marble unable to finish a race will be listed as DNF (Did Not Finish) and will score 0 points for that race. The marble with the most points at the end of the season will become the RML Championship Series CHAMPION. 

      * At the end of the Season, Championship Series marbles will receive their new ranking. 

Challenger Series: Every racing marble will receive title points as long as they complete the race (points to be determined based on their finish position in their heat). Any marble unable to finish a race will be listed as DNF (Did Not Finish) and will score 0 points for that race. The marble with the most title points at the end of the season will become RML Challenger Series CHAMPION. 

 

Race Director

• Ensure the race course is suitable and safe for racing.
• Responsible to discontinue race activity if conditions become unacceptable.
  
• May direct the starter to red flag a race that was started improperly.
• See that accurate recording of lap # is kept for all races.
• The race director is empowered to make and enforce temporary regulations necessary to cover emergencies or special conditions (not covered in these rules), including any unforeseen situation for the betterment and in the interest of the program. The race director must consider all protests and appeals. All protests and appeals must be submitted by the racing marble’s owner within 24 hours of the race posting on YouTube.
• The race director may at his discretion take the protests and/or appeals to the RML Committee for review and oversight.
• The number of competitors allowed to start in any race will be subject to the approval of the race director.

Timing

• Timing will be controlled in video editing. A timer will be configured to start when the time trial starts as well as when the race starts. It will be configured to maintain times through the end of each time trial and each race.

Rubbing is Racing

• Marble racing includes pushing, banging, shoving and otherwise rubbing against each other. These are not violations in marble racing.

Flags

• Green stationary flag – Racers prepare for the start.
• Green waving flag – Indicates the start of the race and/or restart of the race. Clear track conditions.
• Checkered stationary flag – Racers notification that the end of the race is coming.
• Checkered waving flag – Indicates that the first finisher has crossed the finish line. Flag will continue until all racers have crossed the finish line. 
• Red waving flag – Indicates a condition on the tack which requires the race to stop. If possible, the marbles will be collected in the pit area in preparation for a restart.
• Yellow waving flag – Indicates hazard on or near the track, a racer is stalled on the track or has fallen off the track. Racers Proceed with caution (and may be pulled into the pit area)

Restarts

• Yellow Flag Restart: – Caution due to incident.
  
  • All racers will travel to the pit area and a re-start will take place as soon as possible.
• Red Flag Restart: A – Fewer than 2 Laps Completed
  
  • When a red flag is displayed, signifying a race stop, and fewer than 2 laps have been completed the race will be considered null and void.
  • The racers will return to the starting grid and a re-start will take place as soon as possible.
  • The racers will keep their initial starting order.
  • The race will be run for the original number of laps.
• Red Flag Restart: B – More than 2 Laps Completed
  
  • When a red flag is displayed, signifying a race stop, and more than 2 laps have been completed by the race leader the racers will travel to the restart area and a re-start will take place as soon as possible.
  • The starting order will be determined by the current position the marbles are collected into the pit area.
  • The race will be run for the remaining number of laps.
• Red Flag Restart: C – More than 90% of Laps Completed
  
  • If 90% or more laps are completed and the race is stopped for whatever reason, the race may be declared completed at the discretion of the Race Director.

Race Finishes

• Races are officially ended for all racers at the completion of the lap in which the checkered flag is displayed to the winner. If a racer is down laps they will be expected to complete their remaining laps. 
• A video camera may be used at the finish line to aid the Race Director in determining the finishing order of a close race. Should video footage from a designated camera be unavailable or inconclusive for any reason, the scoring of the finish will be based solely on the Race Director’s decision.