Generic rules for the most common meeting formats are given below. The actual rules used for some competitions may differ.

What are the rules for Individual Meetings?

From: Kevin Meynell

These meetings comprise sixteen competitors and two reserves. A draw is held before the meeting to determine the riding order, and these numbers are worn on the race jackets.

Meetings may be run over 20 or 23 heats on one day, or over 40 or 43 heats on two days. The heat format is determined as follows:

Heat Red
(Gate A)
Blue
(Gate B)
White
(Gate C)
Y/B
(Gate D)
1: 1 2 3 4
2: 5 7 6 8
3: 10 11 9 12
4: 15 14 16 13
5: 13 1 5 9
6: 14 10 2 6
7: 11 15 7 3
8: 4 8 12 16
9: 6 16 1 11
10: 12 5 15 2
11: 8 9 3 14
12: 13 4 10 7
13: 7 12 14 1
14: 2 13 8 11
15: 16 3 10 5
16: 9 6 4 15
17: 1 8 15 10
18: 9 2 7 16
19: 3 12 13 6
20: 5 14 11 4
The following heats are added for two-day meetings:
21: 3 6 8 10
22: 4 12 16 15
23: 2 1 14 13
24: 5 7 11 9
25: 9 3 4 14
26: 7 2 6 16
27: 1 5 12 8
28: 10 15 13 11
29: 16 11 3 1
30: 13 4 5 6
31: 8 14 15 7
32: 12 10 9 2
33: 3 13 7 12
34: 6 9 1 15
35: 11 8 2 4
36: 14 16 10 5
37: 4 7 1 10
38: 12 14 6 11
39: 8 13 9 16
40: 15 5 2 3
The following heats are added for 23/43-heat meetings:
Semi-Final 1: 1st, 4th, 6th & 7th placed riders after Heat 20/40
Semi-Final 2: 2nd, 3rd, 5th & 8th placed riders after Heat 20/40
Final: 1st & 2nd placed riders in Semi-Finals 1 & 2

Riders take the starting gate positions indicated. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate D is on the outside.

In official championships other than the initial round (when track reserves are nominated), should a rider withdraw from a meeting prior to the start, they are replaced by the reserve that qualified from the same round as them. This reserve becomes a scheduled competitor and, if sufficient time remains, the next rider in the final placings of the previous round is promoted to the reserve position. If only one reserve is available, they are eligible to replace any rider. When a meeting is being staged over two days, a replaced rider may become a reserve for the second day if they are able to do so.

After the start of a meeting, the reserves may alternately take the rides of any incapacitated rider, replace any rider excluded for a starting infringement, or replace any rider excluded for exceeding the two minute time allowance. Each reserve may ride in a maximum of five heats (per day in a two-day meeting), excluding any Semi-Finals or Final. A reserve may not directly replace another rider in a Semi-Final or Final, but they may qualify on merit.

Where two or more riders are tied on race points after Heats 20/40, the tie is resolved as follows:

  1. Most wins
  2. Most second places
  3. Head-to-head results
  4. A ballot

23/43-heat meetings: The result of the Final determines the 1st to 4th placings, the results of the Semi-Finals determine the 5th to 8th placings, whilst race points determine the remaining placings. Gate positions in the Semi-Finals and Final are drawn by ballot.

20/40-heat meetings: Final placings are determined by race points. A runoff is held if two or more riders are tied on race points for first, second or third place. In official championships, a runoff is also held if there is a tie for a final qualifying or reserve position.

In the event of a runoff being required for five or more riders, a series of heats is held as follows:

Five riders
R1: 3 riders drawn by ballot
R2: 2 riders drawn by ballot
R3: 2nd & 3rd R1, 2nd R2 (3rd placed rider is ranked 5)
R4: 1st R1, 1st R2, 1st & 2nd R3 (determines rankings 1 to 4)

Six riders
R1: 3 riders drawn by ballot
R2: 3 riders drawn by ballot
R3: 2nd & 3rd R1, 2nd & 3rd R2 (3rd & 4th placed riders are ranked 5 & 6 respectively)
R4: 1st R1, 1st R2, 1st & 2nd R3 (determines rankings 1 to 4)

Seven riders
R1: 4 riders drawn by ballot
R2: 3 riders drawn by ballot
R3: 3rd & 4th R1, 2nd & 3rd R2 (2nd to 4th placed riders are ranked 5 to 7 respectively)
R4: 1st & 2nd R1, 1st R2, 1st R3 (determines rankings 1 to 4)

Eight riders
R1: 4 riders drawn by ballot
R2: 4 riders drawn by ballot
R3: 3rd & 4th R1, 3rd & 4th R2 (determines rankings 5 to 8)
R4: 1st & 2nd R1, 1st and 2nd R2 (determines rankings 1 to 4)


What are the rules for Pairs Meetings?

From: Kevin Meynell

These meetings comprise seven teams with a draw being held before the meeting to determine the riding order. Team A is numbered 1 & 2, Team B is numbered 3 & 4, Team C is numbered 5 & 6, Team D is numbered 7 & 8, Team E is numbered 9 & 10, Team F is numbered 11 & 12, whilst Team G is numbered 13 & 14.

Competitions may optionally allow each team to nominate an additional rider as a reserve. These reserves are numbered 15 to 21 respectively, and there are no restrictions on who may ride in these positions. Otherwise, two track reserves are nominated who are numbered 15 and 16.

Meetings may be run over one or two days. The heat format is determined as follows:

Heat Red Blue White Y/B
1: 1 2 3 4
2: 5 6 7 8
3: 9 10 11 12
4: 13 14 1 2
5: 3 4 5 6
6: 7 8 9 10
7: 13 14 11 12
8: 1 2 5 6
9: 7 8 3 4
10: 9 10 13 14
11: 11 12 1 2
12: 3 4 9 10
13: 5 6 11 12
14: 13 14 7 8
15: 1 2 9 10
16: 11 12 3 4
17: 5 6 13 14
18: 7 8 1 2
19: 3 4 13 14
20: 9 10 5 6
21: 11 12 7 8
The following heats are added for two-day meetings:
22: 7 8 11 12
23: 5 6 9 10
24: 13 14 3 4
25: 1 2 7 8
26: 13 14 5 6
27: 3 4 11 12
28: 9 10 1 2
29: 7 8 13 14
30: 11 12 5 6
31: 9 10 3 4
32: 1 2 11 12
33: 13 14 9 10
34: 3 4 7 8
35: 5 6 1 2
36: 11 12 13 14
37: 9 10 7 8
38: 5 6 3 4
39: 1 2 13 14
40: 11 12 9 10
41: 7 8 5 6
42: 3 4 1 2

Riders wearing the red and blue helmet colours take Gates A and C, whilst riders wearing the white and yellow/black helmet colours take Gates B and D. Team members may decide amongst themselves which gate positions they will take in their heats. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate D is on the outside.

In competitions where team reserves have been nominated, a reserve may be used to replace another team member at any time. In other competitions, the track reserves alternately take the rides of any incapacitated rider, replace any rider excluded for a starting infringement, or replace any rider excluded for exceeding the two minute time allowance. Points scored by track reserves DO NOT count towards team scores.

Race points scored over all heats are used to determine the final placings. Where two or more teams are tied for first, second or third place, each team nominates a rider for a runoff. Ties for other places are resolved by:

  1. Most wins
  2. Most second places
  3. A ballot.

What are the rules for Four Team Tournaments?

From: Kevin Meynell

Teams comprise five riders including a non-programmed reserve. Team A wears the red helmet colour and is numbered 1 to 4 and 17, Team B wears the blue helmet colour and is numbered 5 to 8 and 18, Team C wears the white helmet colour and is numbered 9 to 12 and 19, whilst Team D wears the yellow/black helmet colour and is numbered 13 to 16 and 20. The reserves take Nos. 16 to 20, and there are no restrictions on who may ride in these positions unless competition rules state otherwise.

Meetings may be run over 16 or 20 heats. The heat format is determined as follows:

Heat Gate A Gate B Gate C Gate D
1: 12 5 4 14
2: 6 3 13 11
3: 2 9 8 15
4: 7 1 16 10
5: 9 16 6 4
6: 3 10 15 5
7: 13 12 7 2
8: 11 14 1 8
9: 8 4 10 13
10: 14 7 9 3
11: 5 11 2 16
12: 15 6 12 1
13: 16 8 3 12
14: 4 15 11 7
15: 10 2 14 6
16: 1 13 5 9
The following heats are added for 20-heat meetings:
17: 4th Highest Red White Y/B Blue
18: 3rd Highest Blue Red White Y/B
19: 2nd Highest White Y/B Blue Red
20: Highest Y/B Blue Red White

Riders take the starting gate positions indicated. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate D is on the outside.

Unless competition rules state otherwise, a reserve may have a maximum of four rides in a 16-heat meeting, and five rides in a 20-heat meeting that can be taken at any time. All exclusions count towards the maximum number of rides.

In Heats 17 to 20, each team is represented by their 4th highest, 3rd highest, 2nd highest and highest scorers respectively (reserve excepted). Team members scoring an equal number of points may be nominated for any heat where they are eligible.

Race points scored over all heats are used to determine the final placings. Where two or more teams are tied for a place, each team nominates a rider for a runoff.


What are the rules for Five Team Tournaments?

From: Kevin Meynell & Marcin Babnis

Teams may comprise either three riders including a programmed reserve, or four riders including a non-programmed reserve. Team A is numbered 1 to 3 (and 16), Team B is numbered 4 to 6 (and 17), Team C is numbered 7 to 9 (and 18), Team D is numbered 10 to 12 (and 19), whilst Team E is numbered 13 to 15 (and 20).

The reserves are programmed at Nos. 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 in three-rider competitions, or take Nos. 16 to 20 in four-rider competitions. There are no restrictions on who may ride in these positions unless competition rules state otherwise.

Meetings may be run over one or two days. The heat format is determined as follows:

Heat Red
(Gate A)
Blue
(Gate B)
White
(Gate C)
Y/B
(Gate D)
1: 1 4 7 10
2: 13 2 8 5
3: 11 14 3 6
4: 9 12 15 1
5: 8 10 6 3
6: 2 9 14 4
7: 5 11 7 15
8: 12 13 4 8
9: 14 1 10 5
10: 7 2 11 13
11: 4 8 12 14
12: 10 5 13 7
13: 3 15 9 11
14: 6 13 1 8
15: 7 12 5 2
16: 15 6 10 3
17: 8 14 11 1
18: 13 4 2 9
19: 1 5 14 11
20: 10 2 7 4
The following heats are added for two-day meetings:
21: 3 11 4 13
22: 2 6 9 12
23: 14 7 1 10
24: 12 8 3 15
25: 10 1 5 9
26: 11 15 6 7
27: 5 14 8 2
28: 6 7 12 13
29: 15 1 4 8
30: 13 5 2 10
31: 7 4 11 14
32: 1 13 8 5
33: 4 10 2 14
34: 8 3 5 11
35: 9 10 13 6
36: 2 7 15 12
37: 11 9 1 4
38: 5 3 14 7
39: 4 11 13 1
40: 14 8 10 2

Riders take the starting gate positions indicated. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate D is on the outside.

Unless competition rules state otherwise, a reserve may have a maximum of six rides (per day in a two-day meeting) that can be taken at any time. All exclusions count towards the maximum number of rides.

Race points scored over all heats are used to determine the final placings. Where two or more teams are tied for first, second or third place, each team nominates a rider for a runoff. Ties for other places are resolved by:

  1. Most wins
  2. Most second places
  3. A ballot.

What are the rules for Test Matches?

From: Kevin Meynell

These matches are held between the representative teams of different nations. Teams comprise either seven or eight riders who are numbered 1 to 8. Each team may nominate either one or two non-programmed reserves at Nos. 7 and 8 without any restrictions.

The heat format is determined as follows:

Heat HOME TEAM AWAY TEAM
Red Blue White Y/B
1: 1 2 1 2
2: 3 4 3 4
3: 5 6 5 6
4: 3 4 1 2
5: 5 6 3 4
6: 1 2 5 6
7: 5 6 1 2
8: 1 2 3 4
9: 3 4 5 6
10: 1 2 1 2
11: 3 4 3 4
12: 5 6 5 6
13: 3 4 1 2
14: 5 6 3 4
15: 1 2 5 6
16: 5 6 1 2
17: 1 2 3 4
18: 3 4 5 6

The team captain winning the toss of a coin prior to the start chooses the starting gate positions for the first heat (A & C or B & D). These gate positions then alternate every heat. Team members may decide amongst themselves which gate positions they will take in their heats. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate D is on the outside.

Each reserve may have a maximum of six rides that can be taken at any time. All exclusions count towards the maximum number of rides.

No rider is required to take a minimum number of rides.

The team scoring the greater number of points over all heats is declared the winner. When teams score an equal number of points, the match is declared a draw.


What are the rules for Longtrack/Grasstrack Meetings?

From: Kevin Meynell

These meetings comprise eighteen competitors and two reserves. A draw is held before the meeting to determine the riding order, and these numbers are worn on the race jackets.

The heat format is determined as follows:

Heat Red
(Gate A)
Blue
(Gate B)
White
(Gate C)
Y/B
(Gate D)
Green
(Gate E)
B/W
(Gate F)
1: 1 2 3 4 5 6
2: 7 8 9 10 11 12
3: 13 14 15 16 17 18
4: 3 17 1 15 8 10
5: 16 12 5 2 9 13
6: 4 6 11 18 14 7
7: 18 15 7 12 10 1
8: 2 13 17 11 16 4
9: 5 9 14 3 6 8
10: 10 11 18 13 3 9
11: 6 16 8 1 2 15
12: 17 7 4 5 12 14
C-Final: 13th to 18th placed riders after Heat 12
B-Final: 7th to 12th placed riders after Heat 12
A-Final: 1st to 6th placed riders after Heat 12

Riders take the starting gate positions indicated. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate F is on the outside.

Where two or more riders are tied on race points after the Qualification Heats, the tie is resolved as follows:

  1. Most wins
  2. Most second places
  3. Most third places
  4. Most fourth places
  5. A ballot

The results of the Finals determine the final classification. In each Final, the highest scorer has first choice of gate position, the second highest scorer has second choice of gate position, and so on...

In official championships other than the initial round (when track reserves are nominated), should a rider withdraw from a meeting prior to the start, they are replaced by the reserve that qualified from the same round as them. This reserve becomes a scheduled competitor and, if sufficient time remains, the next rider in the final placings of the previous round is promoted to the reserve position. If only one reserve is available, they are eligible to replace any rider.

During the Qualification Heats, the reserves may alternately take the rides of any incapacitated rider, replace any rider excluded for a starting infringement, or replace any rider excluded for exceeding the three minute time allowance. A reserve may not directly replace another rider in any of the Finals, but they may qualify if they score enough race points. Each reserve may ride in a maximum of four Qualification Heats.


What are the rules for Sidecar Meetings?

From: Kevin Meynell

These meetings comprise twelve competing crews and two reserve crews; a crew consists of a driver and passenger. A draw is held before the meeting to determine the riding order, and these numbers are displayed on the front and sides of the machines. Meetings may be run with either four or six sidecars per heat depending on the width of the track.

The heat format for four sidecars per heat is determined as follows:

Heat Red
(Gate A)
Blue
(Gate B)
White
(Gate C)
Y/B
(Gate D)
1: 1 2 3 4
2: 6 5 7 8
3: 9 10 11 12
4: 5 9 1 11
5: 8 3 10 6
6: 2 4 12 7
7: 11 1 6 3
8: 10 8 5 2
9: 7 12 4 9
10: 12 7 8 1
11: 11 6 2 9
12: 3 10 4 5
C-Final: 9th to 12th placed crews after Heat 12
B-Final: 5th to 8th placed crews after Heat 12
A-Final: 1st to 4th placed crews after Heat 12

The heat format for six sidecars per heat is determined as follows:

Heat Red
(Gate A)
Blue
(Gate B)
White
(Gate C)
Y/B
(Gate D)
Green
(Gate E)
B/W
(Gate F)
1: 1 2 3 10 11 12
2: 4 5 6 7 8 9
3: 9 8 1 4 12 5
4: 2 3 7 11 10 6
5: 5 11 9 3 7 1
6: 10 12 8 2 6 4
7: 6 7 4 12 1 8
8: 11 9 10 5 3 2
B-Final: 7th to 12th placed crews after Heat 8
A-Final: 1st to 6th placed crews after Heat 8

Crews take the starting gate positions indicated. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate F is on the outside.

Where two or more crews are tied on race points after the Qualification Heats, the tie is resolved as follows:

  1. When only two crews tied, most points scored in the heats where they met
  2. Most wins
  3. Most second places
  4. Most third places (six sidecars per heat only)
  5. Most fourth places (six sidecars per heat only)
  6. A ballot

The results of the Finals determine the final classification. In each Final, the highest scorer has first choice of gate position, the second highest scorer has second choice of gate position, and so on...

In official championships other than the initial round (when track reserves are nominated), should a crew withdraw from a meeting prior to the start, they are replaced by the reserve crew that qualified from the same round as them. This reserve crew becomes a scheduled competitor and, if sufficient time remains, the next crew in the final placings of the previous round is promoted to the reserve position. If only one reserve crew is available, they are eligible to replace any crew.

During the Qualification Heats, the reserve crews may alternately take the rides of any incapacitated crew, replace any crew excluded for a starting infringement, or replace any crew excluded for exceeding the three minute time allowance. A reserve crew may not directly replace another crew in any of the Finals, but they may qualify if they score enough race points. Each reserve crew may ride in a maximum of four Qualification Heats.


Copyright Notice - Page updated 21/09/2004