Northern New Jersey SCCA COVID-19 Operations Plan and Policies

Updated 6/23/2020 (This might update prior to the event if restrictions change.)

Notice to Participants: In light of the current COVID-19 situation, every attempt will be made to minimize the risks of exposure to the virus. New processes and procedures are being developed and will be put into place for events going forward.

Ultimately, it is your responsibility to assess the risk to you, both on-track and off, and to make the decision on whether or not to participate. If you are feeling unwell or are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath please stay home. If you have been in contact with someone who has been experiencing these symptoms in the last two weeks, please stay home. While on-site please take the health and safety of your fellow participants, volunteers and staff into consideration and practice social distancing, wear a mask, and wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer frequently.

As a participant in NNJR-SCCA Autocross events, you are required to comply with our event and site policies. This COVID-19 risk management plan is a new policy and procedure we will implement (and request your participation to implement) to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission between persons while participating in NNJR-SCCA Autocross events. The policies and procedures laid out in this plan shall be considered a condition of participation in NNJR-SCCA Autocross events. Event and program chairs reserve the right to take all measures necessary, including removing individuals due to noncompliance to the requirements of this policy, in order to ensure the successful and compliant running of NNJR-SCCA Autocross events.  

The virus is not the only threat to our events. Government officials, news organizations, property management, and New Jersey State Police have the power to end our season if they observe that we are not behaving appropriately. Be cautious when sharing/posting event photos.

Face Coverings / PPE 

• ENTRY GATE – Face covering is MANDATORY when interacting with Staff at the Entry Gate.  Please stay inside your vehicle.
• TECH – Face covering is MANDATORY when going through Tech.  Please stay inside your vehicle and follow instructions from Tech.
• GRID – Face covering is MANDATORY when outside of your vehicle.  This will be strictly enforced.  After your first warning, you will be asked to leave and you will not receive a refund.  Do not approach the Timing Truck.
  PADDOCK – Face covering is MANDATORY when socializing within 6 feet of each other.  If you are alone or maintaining proper distance from others, a face covering is not required.
• COURSE – Face covering is optional if you are maintaining proper distance from others.  You should be spread out while working the course anyway. There will be hand sanitizer at all stations.

Cancellations and Refunds 

• If you missed the deadline to cancel your registration through MSR and you wake up feeling sick the morning of, e-mail (solo@scca-nnjr.com)  the day of the event and we will be more than happy to put your entry fee towards a future event. 

 Registration 

• At this time, no Novices are permitted to register.
• We will be conducting online registration only , SCCA Members Only at this time.
• Cash payments will not be accepted the day of events.

Waivers 

• WAIVERS – There are TWO WAIVERS this year, both of which must be COMPLETED BEFOREHAND. You will NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER without first completing both waivers. You have been warned.
• MetLife Stadium Waiver – Everyone must DOWNLOAD, PRINT, AND SIGN THIS WAIVER http://www.autox4u.com/file/metLifewaivernnjr.pdf before arriving on site. The completed form will be dropped in a box at the entry gate.
• SpeedWaiver – Everyone must also complete THIS DIGITAL WAIVER https://sccannjrsolo.speedwaiver.com/ before arriving on site, unless you have an SCCA annual waiver card. It replaces the paper waiver you used to sign at the gate. Use your cell phone for the best experience, as you need to take a selfie and physically “sign” it. You will need to show the completed digital waiver at the gate, so TAKE A SCREENSHOT for easy access. You can apply anytime before the start of the event.

Paddock Parking

• Please park every other spot.

 Set Up / Tear Down 

• We will make all efforts to minimize the number of setup persons to the lowest level practical to set up a safe event and course. 

Tech 

• Drivers remain in cars. 
• Tech workers will wear nitrile gloves. (nitrile preferred to latex due to allergies)
• Tech workers will sanitize their gloves

• For your helmets, you’ll also have to show the tech person the appropriate Snell sticker.  If you have a 2019 sticker you are still good as 2005 or newer helmets are still good till the end of this season.  

Work / Heat Assignments 

• After tech, you follow directions to receive your worker assignment as you stay in your car. 
• There will also be no worker check-in before going out to your station, we will check you in via radio.  

 Loaner Helmets 

• We will not be providing loaner helmets for the foreseeable future.  
• You can find SCCA-legal Snell helmets for very reasonable prices.  Here is a quick guide and some links to helmets for sale: 

• https://www.teamdi.com/
• https://www.stableenergies.com/

Driver’s Meetings 

• We will have our on-site driver’s meeting as usual, however, we will require that individuals not sharing a household remain 6 or more feet apart and wear a mask/face covering.

Grid Spots 

• Grid will be broken up into a two-driver car section and a single-driver car section.  We will grid cars every other row to keep 6’ distance.
• Drivers are to remain in the area around their vehicle for the entire duration of their run group.  They should inform the grid workers if they must leave grid. 
• Socializing is permitted, but please do not walk over to another participant’s vehicle. We ask that everyone use common sense in maintaining 6 feet from one another. 
• Face covering is MANDATORY when outside of your vehicle.  
• Two driver vehicle participants who share a household will not be asked to maintain social distancing.  

Timing and Truck Work 

• No more than 3 individuals shall be permitted to work inside the truck at any time. 
  • Computer T&S
  • Cone Caller
  • Announcer
• Event participants that are not assigned to work in the truck are not permitted to enter the truck for any reason, at any time, during events. 
• Workers inside the truck shall wear face coverings at all times.

Results 

• There will be no physical results sheets generated or posted at any event during the 2020 season.  
• Everyone has access to live timing via their phones and we ask that individuals make a conscious effort to avoid congregating. http://www.autox4u.com/nnjrlive/
• Official Results will be posted online within 48hrs.

Passengers, Non-Participants & Co-Drivers

• Ride-alongs in single driver cars for novice instruction are suspended until further notice.  
• Co-Drivers from same household are permitted
• Those who are sharing a car that don’t live in the same household must have approval to share a vehicle
• Non-participating spectators will not be allowed to enter autocross events until further notice.  

 Course Walks  

• Course walking shall maintain 6 of more feet between them at all times. 
• Please use ‘walk right, pass left’ policy.
• Persons observed course walking in groups will be asked once, to separate. A second warning will result in disqualification of results for the event and/or program chairs reserve the right to request any individual actively in non-compliance to leave the event.

Shared Site Resources  

Shared event and site resources include: 

• Timing computers 
• Station Radios
• Flags 
• Fire extinguishers  
• Surface disinfection of these shared resources will be required at the beginning of the day, after each run group and prior to the handing off of any of the above listed materials from one person to another. 
• NNJR-SCCA will provide supplies for surface wiping, gloves and hand sanitizer. 
• We recommend you bring your own PPE and hand sanitizer

Bathrooms 

• Events at MetLife Stadium are dependent on Port-a-johns bathroom facilities. 
• While not ideal, this our only option so the following best practices are encouraged
• NNJR-SCCA requests that event participants wear their facial coverings whenever they use the bathroom facilities.  
• We will have a washing station on site.

 General 

• Food & water will NOT be provided.  Please bring your own, or stop somewhere to buy it BEFORE you arrive on site.  It might be HOT, so bring at least 6 bottles of water per person.
• Autocross is an inherently social event. We typically encourage socializing during events, within reason. We know the ongoing COVID19 situation is going to make it very difficult to go back to ‘normal’ in the short term. We must ask that if you are going to socialize at autocross events, you use common sense.
• Do not walk up and down the grid lines. We need to be reasonable and serious about complying with the State’s up to date social distancing guidelines.  

Driver of the Year / Class Championships 

This is all depends how many events we have in 2020

 Final Thoughts 

• We are going to be trying our best to be following the best-practices outlined by the SCCA. What we need from you, the competitors that make driving around cones so much fun, is understanding cooperation and patience.  We’re doing everything we can think of to continue to hold events in a safe manner and in accordance with State and Federal guidelines.  If we’ve missed anything or need to make any adjustments on the fly, please bear with us. 

Stay safe, and wash your hands…. 

NNJR Solo Chiefs