RACE DAY SCHEDULE

When you have turned enough practice laps to feel confident in yourself and your kart, its time to join in for a race day. Here is what to expect when you arrive, and how an OVKA event plays out:

7:00am – Gates Open:  Gates to the track open, visit the entrance building on your way in to sign-in and purchase a Pit Pass Wristband. Find an open pit spot, either in the Free Pit Spots, or your own if you’ve reserved and paid for one. Begin unpacking and setting up your pit area.

7:30am – Registration & Pre-Tech Opens: Visit the Scoring Tower to Register for your class and rent a Timing & Scoring Transponder (if needed) and purchase fuel (if needed). You will be given Pre-Tech form to complete and return to complete registration. If this is your first race with OVKA, you will need a member of the Tech Team (Tech Director or Race Director) to inspect your kart and sign-off on your tech form that the appropriate safeties are in place. Pick-up your fuel and transponder and prepare your kart for Warm-Up.

9:00am – Class Warm-Ups: Each class will be given two 5-minute warm-up sessions. These go by very quickly, so be sure to have all of your equipment ready and be on the grid early for when your class is called. Give yourself room by starting at the rear of your field. Small classes of similar speed may be combined.

The order of warm-ups will be posted on the board at the head of the grid. Each class will go out for warmup  in-turn and then the cycle will repeat for the second session. Be cautious on track during cool mornings and focus on turning solid laps with other karts around you. Try to follow other racers in your class and learn from their racing lines.

Take time to make notes after each session on your kart’s setup, how it felt on track, and any changes made. You must turn laps in at least one warm-up session to compete in the races.

11:00am – Drivers Meeting: A Mandatory drivers meeting will take place on the grid before racing starts. Here, the Race Director will go over the rules and procedures for the day and give any notes they may have for the Drivers. Minor drivers MUST have a parent present at the Drivers Meeting. Make sure to pay attention to the instructions given, especially the procedures for entering and exiting the track.

You will then be released to take your kart through painting, where each controlled component will be marked. Anything painted cannot be replaced for the remainder of the event without approval from the Tech Director. Painting may also occur at the conclusion of the first competitive session, as you cross the scales.

11:30am – Races Start: Competitive sessions will now begin. These can take a number of different forms at OVKA, which are explained in the following section.

Note: Times always subject to change due to weather or track condition. For OVKA Night Race events, all times are shifted forward accordingly from Gate Opening time.

OVKA RACE PROCEDURES

Each race begins by lining up on the grid in your given position. (New Karters will be required to start at the rear of the field for their first THREE race EVENTS). When the command is given, the class will pull off the grid and proceed to the track, where they will remain lined-up in-order for pace lap(s) on the “pace-oval” at G&J Kartway (see HERE). Classes will be given the Green Flag if the Head Flagger approves of the lineup and pace, otherwise they will be sent for additional pace laps.

The first racing lap when given the Green Flag at G&J Kartway uses the cut-through from Turn 1 to the back straightaway (See HERE) to allow adequate space for the field to fall into line. All other racing laps use the designated configuration for the day as shown. After taking the checkered flag, drivers will again use the pace oval at a slow, controlled speed to return to the scale lane for weigh-in

OVKA RACE FORMATS

Pea-Pick (Winner Take all) [Two Heat Races + Feature Race]: In this format, there will be three races for each class. The first race will have its starting grid set by a random draw, which will be posted on the board at the head of the grid before racing starts. Arrive at the grid with plenty of time to get ready before your race.

The second race will start with the starting grid for the first race inverted, (with new karters still at the tail-end). The average finishes for the first and second race will then be computed, and the Final race will be set with the best average finisher from the first two races starting first, and progressively down the field from there. The finishing order of the final will determine how points are paid out for the day.

Race lengths at G&J Kartway in this format are typically 8-10 lap Heat Races and a 10-12 lap Final. 

Qualifying Format [5 min Qualifying Session + Pre-Final Race + Final]: In the qualifying format, the first session after the drivers meeting will be a 5-minute session very similar to warm-up, where all drivers will be allowed to freely run hot laps. The fastest single lap from each driver will be used to set the field for the Pre-Final race. The finishing order of the first race will then set the field for the Final. The finishing order of the final will determine how points are paid out for the day.

Race lengths at G&J Kartway in this format are typically 8-10 lap Heat Races and a 10-12 lap Final. 

Qualifying + Extended Final [5 min Qualifying Session + Extended Final]:  This format proceeds exactly like the qualifying format above, but with no heat race and a single, longer Feature Race.

Race length at G&J Kartway in this format is typically a 15-20 lap Final.

Champ Race Special Format [2-lap Qualifying Session + Pre-Final + Extended Final]: The OVKA Memorial Champ race is a special 2-day event held each summer. The race format for the Champ Race features standard warm-up sessions on Saturday, followed by a special qualifying session where each driver is given only 2 laps to set a fast time. On Sunday, drivers are offered an optional warm-up session, followed by a Heat race which sets the grid for the Feature. Top finishers in the Feature receive trophies/plaques at this race.

Race lengths at G&J Kartway in this format are typically a 8-10 lap Heat and a 15-20 lap Final.