SECTION 6 - OFFENSES, PENALTIES, PROTESTS & APPEALS

6.1 OFFENSES
In order to provide for fair competition and control, penalties may be assessed against any entrant deemed to be in breach of the AHRMA competition rules. Such breaches may include, but are not limited to, the following offenses:
6.1.1 Failure to obey the instruction of a recognizable race official.
6.1.2 Any action with the goal or effect to deprive or defraud the organization, promoter, race track or sponsor of their proper and just financial considerations.
6.1.3 Attempted bribery, bribery or acceptance of a bribe by anyone connected to the operation or participation in a race event. An entrant shall be responsible for all acts of his or her crew.
6.1.4 Reckless or dangerous riding, or an act exhibiting a disregard for the safety of any participant or any other person, including the offender. An entrant shall be responsible for all acts of his or her crew.
6.1.5 Any action with the goal or effect of participation of an ineligible rider or motorcycle in competition.
6.1.6 Failure to follow any announced or posted rules specific to a certain racetrack or facility.
6.1.7 Any action that causes upset or disturbance within the area where the event is being held, including behavior problems in local businesses as well as private property.
6.1.8 Any action with the goal or effect to deceive, defraud or cheat competitors, AMA or AHRMA, including but not limited to an engine too large for the class, etc.
6.1.9 No rider shall knowingly operate a motorcycle on any paved surface while it is leaking oil. Once a rider becomes aware the motorcycle is leaking oil on a paved surface, he must promptly pull off, shut down and either push back to the paddock or wait to be picked up by the track crew. Under no circumstances shall the rider attempt to ride the motorcycle to the paddock under power. Any motorcycle which leaks oil on the track surface (including entrance, exit or staging areas) is deemed to have been immediately impounded by the Race Director. The motorcycle must be brought immediately and without detours to tech inspection for evaluation by the Chief Technical Inspector, who will determine the cause of the leak and instruct the rider/owner on the corrective action to be taken. The bike remains in impound status until released by the Race Director. Once repairs have been made, the motorcycle must be re-teched before it may be operated. The Race Director, with the assistance of the Executive Director, will issue a written report of each such incident. This report will be distributed to the rider, all AHRMA officials and will be published in the next issue of Vintage Views. Any rider who fails to comply will be subject to severe sanction.
6.1.10 Loan of a license to any other competitor will result in a one-year suspension and $500 fine. Participation of any in the act of allowing an unlicensed or unregistered party to ride on the track will result in the same penalty. This includes loan of equipment or other forms of deception.
6.1.11 Physical violence or abuse of any other participant or official will result in prosecution through local authorities as well as immediate suspension that will continue for one year from date of payment of a $500 fine.
6.1.12 “Burnouts” are not allowed anywhere on the track premises at any event.
6.1.13 Wheelies are not permitted in the pit or paddock area of any event.
6.1.14 Failure or refusal to tear down an engine for examination or measurement at the request of a race official will be penalized with loss of racing privileges for up to 13 months by the rider and/or machine owner.
6.1.15 No use of alcohol or other intoxicating/debilitating substances by a competitor, participant, crew or official until competition is complete.

6.2 PENALTIES
6.2.1 Specific penalties range from reprimand to banishment. The hierarchy of penalties follows:
a) Reprimands: Entrants will be given written reprimands for minor infractions committed by themselves or crew where a written record of the situation seems desirable. Such reprimands must be recommended by race officials. Any written reprimand will be kept on file for one year. All written reprimands will be sent from the AHRMA office.
b) Loss of Points: Offenses more serious than satisfied by reprimand may result in partial or total loss of points earned to date.
c) Removal from Events: Entrants may be removed from an individual meet for breach of rules or conduct. Individual promoters shall not be authorized to issue continuing suspension of AHRMA riders; this authority is retained solely by AHRMA.
d) Probation: In cases of offenses that are repeats of previous reprimands, or of a significantly more blatant nature, an entrant may be placed on probation for a fixed period. Additional offenses may result in suspension. Probation may only be levied after review of the case by the AHRMA Executive Director.
e) Suspension: Licenses may be suspended for violation of probation, as well as flagrant breach of these rules. Suspension will begin with delivery of the entrant’s license. Suspension may be imposed only by the AHRMA Executive Director.
f) Fines: Fines from $25 to $150 may be levied by race officials. Fines from $25 to $500 may be levied in lieu of or in addition to other penalties, based upon the severity of the infraction and the recommendations of the race officials.
g) Banishment: In cases of the most flagrant breaches, or with entrants who are habitual and deemed incorrigible, banishment will be applied. This punishment will include lifetime loss of AHRMA license rights, as well as notification to the rest of the motorsports industry of the action to be taken and the particulars of the base. Banishment will be levied upon a majority vote of the AHRMA Board of Trustees.
h) Assessments: The Executive Director or the Board of Trustees may assess an AHRMA member costs incurred by the association, including, but not limited to, phone, travel, AHRMA staff time and Board members’ time (at a rate of $25 per hour), incurred as a result of actions of a member that are not in the normal and usual course of the association’s business. Such assessment shall be due and payable within 10 days of mailing to the member’s last known address. Failure to pay such assessment shall subject the member to the penalties set forth in the bylaws and rulebook, including suspension or revocation of the member’s racing license or AHRMA membership. A team owner may be jointly and severally liable for assessments levied against a rider or member of such team.
6.2.2 Where a competitor has been found to have used an illegal performance-related component, the minimum penalty shall be loss of points and results for any class in which that machine was ridden at that event.
6.2.3 Any rider refusing to allow an inspection of his machine by race officials will be disqualified from that event and may lose all accumulated season points for that class. In addition, that rider will be suspended for up to 13 months at the discretion of the Executive Director.

6.3 PROTESTS
6.3.1 Protests are generally based on entrant conduct, claimed motorcycle illegality or ineligibility; however, they may be for other reasons.
6.3.2 Protest Procedures: All protests must be initiated in writing. Visual and scoring protests may be initiated by a person in the same race or moto as the machine and/or rider being protested. An internal protest may be initiated only by a person in the same category and displacement class as the machine and/or rider being protested. A protest fee (cash only; see fee schedule below) is required to initiate a protest. A protest must be presented to a race steward within 30 minutes after the posting of the provisional results. If the protest is upheld, the entire fee will be returned. If the protest is disallowed, the protest fee will be disbursed at the discretion of the Executive Director of AHRMA. Protests must be specific.
The race director may order the teardown of any machine, whether or not a protest has been filed. Once a protest is filed, the protested motorcycle shall be immediately impounded by race officials, pending determination of the protest. The inspection will be conducted under the supervision of the Technical Inspector. The inspection will generally be at the race event; however, the inspection may be at such place(s) as the Technical Inspector deems necessary. The Technical Inspector will have up to 10 days to determine the validity of the protest and may impound the protested equipment for that period. Race officials are not limited in their determination of illegality or ineligibility to the matter protested (i.e., if in the course of their inspection other illegalities or basis for ineligibility are found, penalties may be imposed). Once a protest is lodged regarding machine illegality or ineligibility, the responsibility of proving a legality or eligibility rests with the protested entrant. Failure to provide the necessary proof of legality or eligibility will uphold the protest.

6.3.3 Types of Protests/Fees: There are three types of equipment protests regarding machine illegality: visual, internal and fuel. The equipment protest fee is $10 for all protests except for an internal equipment protest, which follows the fee schedule shown below:

6.2.4 Results of Protests: Trophies, placing and points affected by a protest will be withheld until the protest has been settled. When a protest is upheld, race officials must make a decision regarding penalty.
6.3.5 The decision regarding the protest will be made by the Race Director.
6.3.6 Records of Protest: A copy of every protest will be kept on file by AHRMA for a period of five years.

6.4 APPEALS
6.4.1 Entrants have the right to appeal decisions of the Rules and Eligibility Committee and decisions on protests.
6.4.2 The appeal shall be in writing, postmarked within 30 days of the decision appealed and mailed to the Executive Director of AHRMA. If an appeal is filed, the initial decision is stayed pending the decision of the Appeals Committee (except for matters of safety, as solely determined by the Executive Director of AHRMA).
6.4.3 The appeal shall be accompanied by an appeal fee of $250. Disposition of the appeal fee shall be made by the Appeals Committee, which may decide to return or retain all or a portion of the fee.
6.4.4 Appeals will be heard by an Appeals Committee established by the Board of Trustees. The Committee shall consist of three members, as appointed from time to time by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may appoint such Appeals Committee on a case by case basis, or establish a standing committee. The number of committees, the length of committee service and the persons serving on the committee(s) shall be at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees.
6.4.5 The appeal will include a hearing, either in person or by phone, as the committee determines. The committee will consider all information presented, both oral and written within 30 days of the hearing. No attorneys are permitted to represent any party. The decision of the committee is final. The decision will be published in Vintage Views and will identify the parties, the dispute, the decision and the penalty (if any).

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