Race Circular: Roger Newton Memorial

Here’s all you need to know about the Roger Newton Memorial
The seventh race of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Roger Newton Memorial presented by Roostertail Talk, set for Saturday, July 9, 2022 at Longs Pond in Woodland Creek Park in Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the seventh event of the year.

LOCATION
Long’s Pond/Woodland Creek Park
6729 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503

CONTEST DIRECTOR
David Newton

CONTEXT
This will mark the 15th running of the Roger Newton Memorial. Roger Newton, club founder and hall of fame RC scale racer, passed away in the summer of 2008. Since then the club has been dedicated to racing in his honor.

Roger spent his lifetime promoting and racing scale RC hydroplanes of all sizes. In the early 1970’s he created Newton Marine, a side business that sells 1/8-scale hydroplane plans. He then created R/C Unlimiteds in 1976, the first club dedicated to racing nothing but scale hydroplane models. He helped to form Classic Thunder in 1994 and then created ERCU in 2003. He was influential with scale RC racing around the world and spent his life fulfilling that dream.

David Newton will again direct the race. This year he plans to make the race bigger and better than previous years with more raffle prizes, awards, hot lunch and other surprises along the way. This will be a race you won’t want to miss!

What to Expect
(All times approximate, and subject to change)
· No vehicles can load until the last heat has been run and awards presented.
· Awards and major prizes will not be presented until after the club trailer has been packed.
· There are a lot of prizes and give aways for the race. Many of the raffle prizes will be awarded throughout the day.
· There will be a raffle with two significant prizes to be given away. David Newton and Rick Evans have managed to secure two 1/7-scale laser cut wood kits from ML Boatworks to give away during the raffle. These will not be awarded until after the club trailer is packed at the end of the day.
· Please note you must be present to win your raffle prize. If you elect to leave the race site early you are forfeiting your chance to win.
· An award will be presented to the owner who brings the most boats and compiles the most total points accumulated for the entire event. So bring all of the boats you’d like to run in, across our two divisions and six classes!
· A 30 minute lunch break will be held after the second flight of heats is complete. Lunch will be provided by Roostertail Talk and ERCU.
· Winner-take-all final heats.
· Race course will be set between 7:30-8 a.m.
· Practice water and on-site registration 8-9 a.m.
· Mandatory drivers meeting 9:05-9:20 a.m.
· Racing begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. (maximum of 10 minutes after drivers meeting)
· Three flights of heats for each division (1/10 and 1/7)
· First consolations (depending on boat count and attrition)
o First connie winner is trailer in the final
o First connie second place is alternate for the final
· Final heats will be run for each class.
o Finals will be five boats on the front line and a trailer.
· One minute-30 second start clock for all racing
· Awards and major prizes will be handed out after the club trailer is packed. Please help pack the trailer and stick around for the awards presentation and celebrate your fellow racers.

PRE-REGISTRATION
Pre-Registration for the Roger Newton Memorial is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/roger-newton-memorial.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., FRIDAY, JULY 8. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m.

You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Roger Newton Memorial” from the schedule itself.

SCHEDULE
It is our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time so that they can get inspections that are needed, and be ready to race.

The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start no less than 5 minutes after the water closes. Drivers who do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the drivers meeting. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats.

STARTING CLOCK
A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers the 1:30 clock will be started. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position.

HEAT DRAWS
Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in our Excel workbook that’s used for scoring races. Every effort will be made to avoid preferred driver/spotter heat conflicts, but sometimes those cannot be avoided. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done after the draws are finalized.

RACE OFFICIALS
· Contest Director: David Newton
· Chief Referee: David Newton
· Drivers Representative: TBA
· Pit Boss: TBA at drivers meeting
· Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge two heats later

ROGER NEWTON MEMORIAL DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
· 1/10 Scale Modern: Chuck Murray, 2000 Miss Elam Plus
· 1/7 Scale Modern: Nelson Holmberg, 1972 Notre Dame
· 1/10 Scale Classic: Chuck Murray, 1983 Miss Houston
· 1/10 Scale Vintage: David Newton, 1960 Miss Thriftway (Owner: Kerry Kjos)
· 1/7 Scale Vintage: Terry Harmer, 1986 Miss Bahia

RACE FORMAT
· LOVE PLAN: Three flights of preliminary heats, five laps each. Connies and winner-take-all finals.
· First and second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition).
o Boats 6-10 in cumulative event points qualify for the first connie.
o First connie winner advances to the final as a front line starter. Second place in first connie is alternate in the final.
· Final heat with top five boats in each class, plus the connie winner as a front line starter.
· Flight Schedule
o 1/10 & 1/7 scale modern
o 1/10 scale classic
o 1/10 & 1/7 scale vintage
o 1/8-scale boats may run between flights as time allows (1/8 scale will not be scored; and there are no entry fees or registration necessary for 1/8 scale)
· Final heat of the day will feature a 1/7-scale class

POST RACE CLEANUP AND AWARDS PRESENTATION
Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards and major raffle prizes will be presented. Awards will be given to the podium (first, second and third place). All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not.

WEATHER FORECAST
As of this writing, weather.com predicts partly cloudy weather and 77 degrees with a 9 percent chance of rain and 8 mph winds out of the west.

COVID ACCOMMODATIONS
Following local, state and federal guidance, face coverings, social distancing and vaccination proof will not be required at ERCU events in 2022. Those who would like to take any precautions to their own comfort level are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so. ERCU reserves the right to change the Covid accomodations, in accordance with local, state or federal guidelines, should that need arise. ERCU will give as much notice as possible if changes are made.

RESTROOMS
There are two public restrooms available in the park and they are expected to be open.

ELECTRICITY
There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to charge during the day.