Conference Racing Under 18?

[austinrotaryracer41]

Curious to know what peoples thoughts are on allowing people to start driving at the age of 16. I just turned 17 last week, and would have loved to have joined Conference racing last year, but due to the age restriction that was not possible. I have talked to numerous people about proposing this change to the board, but am curious to know why this hasn't been put through in the past. I am not trying to put down Conference and have been supporting this club since I was born. The only reason I'm asking is because I'd prefer to get my license in ICSCC rather then SCCA. What are the main concerns and down sides to allowing drivers that are under 18 to obtain their license? I'd love to know your thoughts. I've seen the ups and downs with entries, but currently entries are on the downfall and I would like to do everything I can to help support getting young racers in cars driving with Conference. Maybe changing the rule from 18 to 16 could help promote getting new people into our sport and bring our entries back up.

If you have any thoughts and want to discuss please send me an email and I'd love to chat.
flyingphotoaustin@gmail.com

I'm sitting at the start of my racing career, and I want to help bring new people into our sport so all of us can continue doing what we love in Conference.

-Austin Bradshaw
flyingbyephoto.com

 

[Richard Broadhead]

The way F1 is going, If you're over 18 you're 'mid career'. Here, it used to be about insurance issues but, NASCAR has figured that out for 16 year old.

 

[rick_bostrom]

Hi Austin - this has been discussed many times here, might be able to find it with the search function but I will try to quickly summarize.

Conference has no vested interest in keeping anyone of a any particular age whether old, young, or in the middle from driving a race car. The primary issue for us is primarily a legal and insurance related question. As far as both Washington and Oregon are concerned anyone who is legally a minor puts us in a bit of a bind. The law commonly describes minors as people lacking the authority to make legally binding decisions for themselves. That means your signature won't stand up in court if you sign the legal paperwork required to race. Important among those is the waiver that basically states that you are making the decision to participate in an activity that could, in the worst albeit unlikely case, lead to unpleasant consequences and that you further agree to voluntarily limit the liability of others involved. The law has further complicated the situation by not allowing your legal guardians, who are empowered to make some other kinds of legal decisions on your behalf, to sign away your rights. If that unlikely, un-hoped for, but possible bad situation occurs there are no limits to Conference's legal liability because neither you nor your guardians are allowed to limit your rights.

It's a difficult Catch-22 type situation and I assume the reason that SCCA has a program that allows 16 year olds to drive is because they are a national organization with a large insurance pool of participants that allows them to take on some increased liability but that is just a guess on my part. Nascar certainly has a monetary base that is exponentially different than our situation - they could easily self insure and even in the event of a catastrophe (which has happened periodically in the past) they wouldn't immediately cease to exist.

Conference and it's member clubs are primarily volunteer driven, not for profit organizations that try to keep just enough of their members money to insure the ability to keep grassroots racing happening the following year. There is no huge financial buffer waiting that can handle any large lawsuit or catastrophe, just a bunch of small clubs racing on small budgets.

I know this was discussed at the ICSCC Spring Meetings briefly I think but it isn't a decision that is easily made or lightly considered. We definitely want to invite younger racers into the sport but want to insure we don't put racing for ALL ages at risk in the process.

I'm always here for you if you have questions Austin!

 

[Lance Richert]

Rick summarizes the point well. The Puget Sound BMW Club also does not allow 16-17 year olds to drive at their seemingly benign HPDE events for the same legal reason.