2001 Rules & Regulations

Final – January 22, 2001

Red text indicates changes or additions to the rules since last season.

Blue text indicates changes since the Second Draft.

Green text indicates changes since the Third Draft.

Magenta text indicates changes since the Fourth Draft.

Grey text indicates changes since the Fifth Draft.

dB Drag Racing Competition

dB Drag Racing is an auto sound competition format where competitors compete against one another to see who has the loudest car stereo system. This is the fundamental basis for a dB Drag Racing event.

The dB Drag Racing Association (dBDRA) has gone to great lengths to ensure that the rules for competing in dB Drag Racing are as comprehensive and unambiguous as possible. Even so, there will invariably be times when a particular application or installation will fall outside the scope of this rule book. When those occasions arise, it is the responsibility of the head judge to make a determination as to whether the incident in question abides by the “spirit” of dB Drag Racing competition. As a competitor, it is your responsibility to understand the rules contained in this book and to abide by any decisions rendered by the head judge.

Section 1 - General Rules

1-1 Competitors may use the program material of their choice while competing.

Additional Guidelines:

· The program material being played must originate from a source unit that is specifically designed for installation and operation in a 12-Volt auto sound environment. This includes cassette decks, CD players and changers, DVD players and changers, VCR’s and VCP’s, MP3 units, AM / FM / Satellite radio tuners, and any other playback device that is specifically designed for installation and operation in a 12-Volt auto sound environment.

· The program material may consist of music, test tones, or any other type of recorded audio signal.

· The program media may be from a commercial source (such as a CD you purchase) or a custom, home-made recording.

· Tone generators, frequency multipliers, harmonizers, etc. are prohibited.

Exceptions:

· Competitors must use the official dB Drag Racing competition CD (dB Jams Volume 4) at all multi-point events.

· Competitors are limited to playing frequencies of 80 Hz and below at all multi-point events. If a competitor's highest SPL is achieved at a frequency of 81 Hz or higher, then that competitor’s score will be disallowed. If the violation occurs during the qualifying rounds, the competitor may be granted a retry at the sole discretion of the head judge. If the violation occurs during the elimination rounds, the competitor will be eliminated from the competition, regardless of the competitor’s score.

1-2 Adjustments to the sound system may be made while the vehicle is being metered as long as no other applicable rules are violated during the adjustment process. (Metering is the process where the Sound Pressure Level or SPL of your vehicle is measured.)

1-3 The contestant’s vehicle may be running while in the judging lanes as long as the following conditions apply:

· Operation of the vehicle or sound system must not endanger the judge, competitor, spectators, or any real or personal property on the premises.

· The vehicle’s parking brake must be set.

· The wheels must be chocked.

· The hood must be closed.

· The maximum engine idle speed must not exceed 2000 RPM.

· A remote “engine kill switch” must be easily accessible from outside of the vehicle for those competitors that are bolting (clamping, strapping, etc.) the doors of the vehicle closed while in the judging lanes.

It is the competitor’s responsibility to comply with the conditions listed above. Competitors found to be in violation of one or more of the these conditions shall be disqualified from the competition.

1-4 The contestant must be outside of the vehicle while the vehicle is being metered and all doors, windows, and other openings to the vehicle must remain closed during this time.

Exception - Competitors may remain inside of the vehicle during metering provided:

· They wear adequate hearing protection at all times. Removal of the hearing protection while inside of the vehicle will result in immediate disqualification.

· The competitor’s maximum SPL never exceeds 140 dB. A measured SPL in excess of 140 dB will result in immediate disqualification.

· The competitor signs a dB Drag Racing entry form that includes a waiver stating that the competitor understands that “exposure to high sound pressure levels may result in temporary or permanent hearing loss”.

1-5 When the SPL metering process begins, contestants will have 30 seconds to achieve their highest Sound Pressure Level (SPL). The SPL metering equipment will record and save each competitor’s high score during this 30 second judging interval.

1-6 Contestants may not open their vehicle during the metering process. If a contestant opens his or her vehicle while being metered, the competitor may be disqualified. If the violation occurs during the qualification rounds, the competitor may be granted a retry at the discretion of the head judge. If the violation occurs during the elimination rounds, the competitor shall be disqualified from the competition.

Section 2 - Competitor Classification System

Competitors are classified by the number of woofers in their system and the extent to which their vehicle has been modified. For specific limitations regarding vehicle modifications for each division, refer to Sections 3-5 later in this rule book.

Important changes since last season:

· The 50K Watt limit has been lifted from all classes.

· The Commercial Vehicle restriction has been lifted from all classes.

· The Manufacturer Owned vehicle restriction has been lifted from all classes.

2-1 The dBDRA considers speakers with maximum diameters of 8 inches or larger to be woofers.

2-2 All of the woofers in a vehicle (8 inches and larger) will be counted when determining what class a competitor should compete in, even if the woofers in question are not operational.

Additional Guidelines:

· Every woofer in an Isobaric or Compound configuration shall be counted.

· Hidden woofers (such as those found in Bandpass enclosures) shall be counted.

· Passive radiators, ports, and vents are not considered to be woofers, and therefore will not be counted as such.

2-3 “Token” woofers are strictly prohibited. If a competitor has installed woofers in such a manner as to circumvent the competitor classification system, the competitor may be re-classified or disqualified at the sole discretion of the head judge.

Example:

· A competitor who normally competes in the Super Street 1-2 class shows up at an event and decides that his normal class is too competitive for his taste. In an effort to circumvent the competitor classification system and move up into the Super Street 3-4 class, the competitor borrows 2 woofers and then lays them in the back of his vehicle. Now, there are a total of 4 woofers in the vehicle, even though the 2 woofers he just “installed” are not a legitimate part of the sound system. Activities such as this are strictly prohibited.

2-4 Each competitor may compete in one, and only one class at each dB Drag Racing event.

Additional Guidelines:

· Competitors may not enter the same vehicle in more than one class at a dB Drag Racing event, nor may a competitor enter more than one vehicle at the same show.

· Competitors may not send out a “fleet” (2 or more) of vehicles to compete in an attempt to circumvent the points accrual requirements for the World Finals.

· Competitors must accompany their vehicle at each event. In other words, a competitor may not send his vehicle to an event with a friend in order to compete while he stays at home.

2-5 The standard classes for dB Drag Racing are as follows…

Street Division

· 1-2 Woofers, 12-inch maximum woofer diameter – 1 subwoofer amplifier maximum.

· 3-4 Woofers, 12-inch maximum woofer diameter – 2 subwoofer amplifiers maximum.

Additional Guidelines for the Street Division:

· Each subwoofer amplifier is limited to a maximum of 4 “non-bridged” output channels or 2 “bridged” output channels.

· Amplifiers used for non-subwoofer applications will not be counted. provided they are completely disconnected prior to the competition. To completely disconnect an amplifier, the competitor must remove the power fuse to the amp and unplug the input signal connectors (RCA, etc.).

· Subwoofers may not contain more than 2 voice coils per sub.

· Competitors who qualify for the World Finals must move up into either the Super Street or Extreme Divisions the following season. Once a competitor has moved up, they may no longer compete in the Street Division.

Super Street Division

· 1-2 Woofers – No Walls

· 1-2 Woofers

· 3-4 Woofers

· 5-8 Woofers

· 9+ Woofers

Extreme Division

· 1-2 Woofers

· 3-4 Woofers

· 5-8 Woofers

· 9-12 Woofers

· 13+ Woofers

The classes listed above are the recommended standard classes for dB Drag Racing. Typically, all of these classes will be offered at multi-point events. However, if there are fewer than 8 entries in a given class, or if the event is a single-point event, the show promoter may, at his discretion, combine one or more classes in order to fully populate the elimination brackets. In any case, the number of classes offered, and their specific breakdown, is at the discretion of the show promoter.

Section 3 - Passenger Compartment Regulations

3-1 The passenger compartment and listening / measurement compartment shall be one and the same. (Intent: Measurements should be taken inside the passenger compartment.)

3-2 No partitions or other barriers may divide or compartmentalize the passenger compartment. (Intent: The listening environment should approximate that found in a typical vehicle.)

3-3 The windshield and front doors to the vehicle must function as an unobstructed boundary to the passenger compartment. (Intent: The listening environment should approximate that found in a typical vehicle, where the doors and the windshield act as “walls” to the listening environment.)

3-4 The passenger compartment must accommodate 2 average size adult passengers, sitting side by side, in a traditional seating arrangement. (Intent: The passenger compartment of the vehicle should approximate that of a typical vehicle.)

Additional Guidelines:

· For clarification purposes, the dBDRA defines an average size adult as someone who is 66 inches (5’ 6”) tall.

· While seated, the distance between a passenger’s knees and chin shall be at least 12 inches. (Compliance with this rule can be verified by laying a mic jig across the passenger’s knees and then measuring the distance from the center of the jig to the passenger’s chin.)

· The size (air volume) of the passenger compartment may not change during competition. (For example: The subwoofer enclosure can not move forward, airbags may not be deployed, etc.)

· The cabin of the vehicle may not be “pressurized” or “de-pressurized” with a gas or fluid of any type. In addition, the air inside of the cabin may not be replaced with a gas or fluid of any type.

*********** Picture of a traditional seating arrangement.

3-5 Nothing must interfere with the placement of the microphone or the use of the microphone jig.

Additional Requirements for Extreme Division competitors

· Each competitor must provide adequate space for the placement of the microphone stand on the passenger side of the vehicle. (A minimum 12-inch diameter flat surface is required.)

· Competitors are requested to attach 3 straps (tie-down, Velcro, or equivalent), spaced in a Y configuration, to hold the legs of the microphone stand in place.

3-6 All reflective surfaces, with the exception of the windshield and dashboard, must be located a minimum of 1 microphone jig length (13 inches) from the microphone capsule. (Intent: Reflective surfaces shall not interfere with the measurement equipment.)

3-7 The extent to which modifications to the passenger compartment are allowed is limited by the division a competitor is competing in. (See Section 2 entitled, “Competitor Classification System” earlier in this rule book for a complete listing of competition divisions and classes.)

For clarification purposes, the dBDRA uses the term “modification” to describe changes to the vehicle that have been made in order to accommodate the sound system or to improve the competitor’s score.

Some examples of passenger compartment modifications include:

· Replacing the OEM glass

· Replacing the OEM dashboard