TEN YEARS AGO TODAY! THERE WERE NEW RULES FOR 2014 (AND THEY HAD A 50% CHANCE OF BEING ENFORCED)

The rules are the rules. Quit laughing. The AMA goes to the trouble of writing new rules every year and you may think that these are just more rules that they won’t enforce, but you are wrong. The AMA always enforces every rule against privateers and French riders in the book. Here are the new rules for the 2014 Supercross season. We are pretty sure than the AMA is watching Christophe Pourcel closely.

SOUND RULES GO TO 112 DECIBELS:
Sound levels in the 450SX and 250SX classes will be verified with the two-meter-max method. For 2014 through 2017 the maximum sound limit is set at 112 dB/A (113 dB/A for a post-race test)

The sound test rules change every couple of years and they are about to change again in 2025.

SOUND TEST CHEATER CODES
If the AMA uses a Class 1 or Class 2 sound meter they will deduct 2 dB/A. Plus, if the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit one more decibel will be deducted. If the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit then they will deduct 2 dB/A. Plus, sound numbers are rounded down, thus 114.9 dB/A counts as 114 dB/A. Under this rule and with the correction deduction for sound meter errors, a bike will pass the 112-decibel rule if it is as loud as 114.9 decibels.

CARBON FIBER SPOKES AND HUBS
Wheels and wheel components (spokes, hubs) cannot be constructed exclusively of carbon fiber or carbon composite. However, carbon and aluminum, carbon and steel, carbon and magnesium or carbon and plastic would probably be legal. And a carbon fiber decal doesn’t have any performance benefits, but it does confuse AMA tech inspectors.

THE PROMOTER GETS TO SELL VIDEO RIGHTS
The use of a video recording device or its likeness is not allowed at any time during the on-track competition, including practice, qualifying, and races without permission from the Championship promoter.

MYLAR IS ILLEGAL EXCEPT IN GLITZY LAS VEGAS
Mylar numbers (silver, gold or other) are not allowed, but they will be allowed in Las Vegas.

German Ken Roczen won the 2014 AMA 450 National Championship for KTM, but it was okay because he had an AMA license instead of a German license. 

FOREIGN RIDERS CAN’T EARN POINTS
Foreign riders competing with only an FIM World Championship license will not be eligible for points toward an AMA National number.

EVERY RIDER IS ON PROBATION FOR THREE EVENTS
All AMA Supercross licenses are considered provisional. The license process will not be considered complete until the rider competes in his/her first three events without issue.

MORE RIDERS ON THE TRACK IN 2014
450 Supercross events are composed of a 20-lap final race for 22 riders and 250 East/West races are 15-lap finals for 22 riders.

How many rules is James Stewart violating in this photo? He left the track but is trying to jump over the berm in the path of an oncoming rider safe?

LEAVING THE TRACK AT SPEED DURING THE RACE
A rider leaving the course must reenter the track at the closest safe point from where he left the course and he cannot gain an advantage (although avoiding a crash by leaving the course is obviously gaining an advantage). The rider may not accelerate in an unsafe manner. The Race Director will determine if the rider accelerated. The penalty for gaining an advantage while off-course will be the loss of the number of positions gained plus one additional position. If no positions were gained, the penalty will be the loss of one position in the final results.

How did Zach Bell end up in this predicament?

LEAVING THE TRACK AT SPEED DURING TIMED QUALIFYING
The penalty for gaining an advantage while off-course during qualifying will be the loss of the rider’s fastest lap time during that session. It is also against the rules to stop during qualifying. The riders must keep moving.

In 2014 the medical crew was sponsored by Asterisk, but now it is sponsored by Alpinestars.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION
All riders may be subject to a special medical examination given by the Chief Medical Officer at any time during the event. Any rider who refuses the special medical examination will be disqualified from the event and placed on the medically unfit list.

FLAGS AND LIGHTS
“Red Flags” that indicate that the race or practice has been stopped may be displayed anywhere on course. Penalties incurred prior to the red flag will be assessed at the completion of the race, not during the re-start.

The “white flag with Red Cross” or red flashing light means that riders must roll each jump individually with no passing and exercise extreme caution until they are past the area of concern. This flag takes precedence over all other flags that may be displayed.

The penalty for non-compliance of the Red Cross flag during a race will be the loss of the number of positions gained plus two additional positions in the final results. If no positions were gained, the penalty will be the loss of two positions in the final results.

The penalty for non-compliance of the Red Cross flag during qualifying practices will be the loss of the rider’s fastest lap time during that session.

Before the introduction of the talent-robbing metal grids, riders had to rely on their reflexes to get a good start

STARTING GATE
Scratching or defacing the starting gate’s plastic signage is not permitted. Stopping immediately in front of the starting gate to do a burn-out prior to the sighting lap will be considered grooming in front of the starting gate. Any rider who is found in violation of this rule will have one lap of his race result removed.

RESTART PROCEDURES
If a race is stopped with more than three laps completed and less than 90% of the total distance completed by the leader, the riders will return to the starting area directly in front of their original starting gate and a re-start will take place as soon as possible.

You can ignore the guy with the checkered flag, because by the time the riders get anywhere near that flag the race is already over. The race is scored at the transponder wire, which is buried into the face of the finish line jump. The checkered flag is just ceremonial. But, do you ever wonder why they wave a green flag at the end of the first lap? It’s supposed to signify that the race has started, even though it is obvious to everyone that the race started when the gate dropped.  Shouldn’t they just wave a red flag if the race hasn’t actually started?

WHERE IS THE FINISH LINE? WIRE OR FLAG?
The officially designated finish line is located at the site of the scoring/timing transponder receiver loop. This line will be clearly defined with trackside markings and will be located as close to the finish-line flagger as possible. In the event that the electronic timing system fails to record a time, a video camera may be used at the finish line to determine the finishing order of a close race. Should video footage from an AMA-designated camera be unavailable or inconclusive for any reason, the scoring of the laps or finish will be based solely on the scorekeepers’ decision.
In the case of a visual tie or where a clear determination cannot be made, the riders concerned will be ranked in the order of the best lap time made during the race.

At the conclusion of the main event, the top five finishing riders and their motorcycles must go directly to a staging area located at the podium. Failure to go to the designated podium staging area will result in a $500 fine.

PROTESTS
Any rider affected by dangerous, unfair or fraudulent behavior has the right to protest such behavior. No protest can be lodged against a statement of fact pronounced by the Clerk of Course, the Race Director, or any other executive official during any race, practice or qualifying.

APPEALS
Any rider, person or organization affected by a disciplinary decision of the Supercross Race Director has the right to appeal this decision in writing within 30 minutes after the notification of that decision and be accompanied by a fee of $800—returnable if the appeal is justified. Appeals cannot be lodged against a statement of fact pronounced by the Clerk of Course, the Race Director, or any other executive official.

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
The Chief Medical Officer shall be responsible for all medical aspects of the event, including inspecting all medical services before the start of practice, ensure that all medical staff are in their correct places, briefed and debriefed the medical staff; determine that injured riders are medically fit to continue in competition; make recommendations on all aspects of the event which may have potential medical consequences.