A TEAM OF UP TO: 2 IMPOUND: Yes TIME: 10 mm.

THE VEHICLE: 

a) Vehicles should be designed to travel a between 5 and 10 meters and come to a complete stop without any part of the vehicle leaving a 1.5 meter wide lane. The exact distance (in 0.5-meter intervals for regional, 10 cm intervals for state and 1 cm intervals for national tournaments) will be chosen by the event supervisor and announces after all vehicles have been impounded.

b) All energy used to propel to the vehicle must be stored in a nonmetallic elastic solid device. The elastic device may be left unattached until just prior to the run, but must be impounded with the vehicle. An extra elastic may be impounded with the vehicle. Conversion of the non-metallic elastic energy into other mechanical energy forms is permissible (for example, a metal spring could be used but it must start the run at its lowest energy state). No electrical/electronic devices may be used on the vehicle for any purpose.

c) Contestants will place a mark on a fixed, non-movable, point, which will be used to measure the Finish Distance. Aligning and sighting devices must be part of the vehicle and travel with it. A target to sight on may be placed at the finish line, but must be removed before the vehicle starts each run.

d) Once impounded, no parts, except the elastic solid, may be removed from or added to the vehicle. Adjustments for changing the time/distance are allowed.

e) The vehicle must be set in motion by actuating a release mechanism with a pencil, pen or dowel or similar item that does not need to travel with the vehicle. The contestants may not hold or constrain the vehicle during release and may not push the vehicle to start it. All parts of the vehicle must move forward as a whole (i.e., no launching ramps, etc.).

2. THE COMPETITION:

a) Contestants may bring tools for adjusting the time/distance, test data and electronic calculating/computing devices to assist in making accurate time/distance predictions. Safety Spectacles (See: http://www.soinc.org/general/protectionl) must be brought and worn by participants during vehicle practice and testing.

b) All vehicles will be impounded before the start of the competition and may be released when the team has finished competing. The Target Distance will not be announced until all vehicles have been impounded. Teams may not file an appeal after they have taken their vehicle from impound.

c) Competition will be on a smooth, level corridor or similar hard surface. Space is needed on each side of the lane and beyond the finish line to allow for error in the vehicle’s path. Judges will use tape to define the starting line, the sides of the 1.5-meter wide lane and the finish line (Target Distance). The inside edge of the tape will define the sides of the lane, the starting line and the finish line. The center of the finish line will be marked. Only contestants and judges will be allowed in the vehicle impound and track areas while teams are competing.

d) Before the first run the contestants will predict their vehicle’s Travel Time. They may not change the prediction for the second run, but they may adjust the vehicle. Teams will be given ten (10) minutes to measure the distance if desired, load energy into their vehicle, and complete up to two (2) runs. At State and National Tournaments the contestants may not measure the distance by rolling the vehicle - on the track surface (floor) between the start and finish line at any time. A run may be completed as long as the release mechanism has been actuated before the end of the 10-minute time period.

e) When it is their turn, the contestants load energy into the vehicle and place it so that its marked, fixed point is EXACTLY above any point on the 1.5-meter wide starting line. Event supervisors may require contestants to step away to ensure that the release mechanism is what actually starts the vehicle. At the judge’s signal, the contestants will actuate the release mechanism.

f) The judges will determine if any part of the vehicle leaves the lane during its run and measure the Travel Time, Distance Traveled, and Finish Line Bonus Distance.

3. SCORING:

a) The score for each run will be a sum of the Time Score, Distance Score, Lane Bonus and Finish Line Bonus for that run. The minimum for each component score will be zero (0) points. Maximum score is 200 points.

b) Time Score: Predicted Time (in seconds) minus the absolute value of the difference between the Predicted Time (in seconds) and Travel Time (in seconds) divided by the Predicted Time (in seconds), multiplied by 50. Travel Time starts at the judge’s signal and ends when the supervisor determines the vehicle has first stopped its forward motion.

Predicted Time - Predicted Time - Travel Time I

Time Score =- . . -X50

Predicted Time

c) Distance Score: Target Distance (in meters) minus the absolute value of the difference between the Target Distance (in meters) and the Distance Traveled (in meters) divided by the Target Distance (in meters) multiplied by 100. Distance Traveled is measured from where the vehicle’s marked, fixed point comes to rest to the starting line (perpendicular to the starting line).

Target Distance - I Target Distance - Distance Traveled

Distance Score = . X 100

- Target Distance

d) Lane Bonus: Ten (10) points if no part of the vehicle leaves the lane during the run. These points will be awarded regardless of whether or not the vehicle’s marked, fixed point crosses the finish line.

e) Finish Line Bonus: Up to forty (40) points if the vehicle’s marked, fixed point does not go past the finish line. Finish Distance (in centimeters) is measured in a straight line from the center of the finish line to where the vehicle’s marked, fixed point comes to rest. Points will be calculated by the formula:

Finish Line Bonus =40 - Finish Distance

If the vehicle’s marked, fixed point crosses the finish line, zero (0) Finish Bonus points will be

awarded, even if the marked, fixed point returns to the starting side of the line.

f) The final score for the event will be the higher of the total scores for the two runs. High score wins.

g) Tie Breaker: In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken first in favor of the contestants with the better Time Score and if the tie still exists, in favor of the better Distance Score.

Scoring Example: Target Distance 10 meters, Predicted Time = 5.9 sec

Travel Time = 7.45 sec [(5.9 - 5.9 - 7.45 I )/5.9] x 50 36.86 points

Distance Traveled = 9.85 m [(10 - I 10 - 9.85 )/l0] x 100 98.5 points

Lane Bonus = Yes 10 bonus points

Finish Distance = 7.6 cm 40-7.6 32.4 bonus points

Run Score 36.86 + 98.5 +10 +32.4 177.76 points