PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge rules explained

The popular PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge will return in this year’s Repco Supercars Championship, and will feature some key tweaks.

Last month, PIRTEK extended its involvement in Supercars to 24 years after being announced as the Official Control Fuel and Air Hose Supplier of the category for the next two years.

Introduced in 2017 to recognise the efforts of pit crews, the PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge will see teams go head to head in pursuit of $20,000 and the coveted 'Golden Rattle Gun Trophy'.

The competition will begin at this weekend’s Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint, with Brad Jones Racing the two-time defending champions.

RULES

In 2021, entrants will compete as teams as opposed to cars. Teams are defined by pit boom, with each team comprising two cars.

The fastest pit stop by either car within each team from each race will count towards the Preliminary Races point score.

For avoidance of doubt, a single team paired by a pit boom will be deemed a two-car team.

SCORING AND PENALTIES

The pit stop time used in calculating points is the duration between crossing the pit entry line and pit exit line, as recorded by timing. This pit stop time is final.

Should a team complete multiple stops in a race which comply with the requirement of a compulsory pit stop (CPS), the quickest time of all will be used to calculate points.

Should a team fail to complete a CPS in a race, no points will be awarded to that team for that race.

Points will be earned on a descending scale per race, with the quickest pit stop earning 12 points, second quickest earning 11 points and so on, with the slowest time earning one point.

If a driver or team incurs a penalty in completing the CPS, the team will be disqualified, resulting in no points for that race.

Any pit stop time disqualification is final and is not subject to an appeal. Any car disqualified will not be awarded any PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge points.

In this instance, the slowest team will then earn two points, as opposed to one point if there were no disqualifications, and so on.

A pit stop time can be disqualified for various reasons, such as a pit lane speeding infringement, any pit lane infringement as decided by the stewards, and a breach of any Rule in D3, D11, D17, and D23 of the 2021 Supercars Operations Manual.

To avoid any potential impact for a BP Ultimate Safety Car to influence team’s performance in pit lane and therefore results, any race where a Safety Car is called will not count toward the point score.

In the event of two or more team are equal on points at the conclusion of the Preliminary Races, the teams' best individual performance across the Preliminary Races will be used to rank the teams.

For example, if over the Preliminary Races, Team A earns a best score of 10 points and Team B earns 11 points, regardless of the Preliminary Race in which those points were earnt, Team B will place higher on the table.

If this fails to break the tie, then the team's second-best individual performance regardless of the Preliminary Race will be used and so on until the tie is broken.

SCHEDULE

Preliminary Races

This year, multiple* races will decide which four teams move onto the live finals at this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000. All the listed races require one CPS.

The top four teams from the Preliminary Races will compete in a live eliminator final at the Repco Bathurst 1000* for the PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge Golden Rattle Gun and cash prize.

1) Race 3: Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint2) Race 4: Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint3) Race 5: Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint4) Race 6: Beaurepaires Tasmania SuperSprint5) Race 7: Beaurepaires Tasmania SuperSprint6) Race 8: Beaurepaires Tasmania SuperSprint7) Race 9: OTR The Bend SuperSprint8) Race 10: OTR The Bend SuperSprint9) Race 11: OTR The Bend SuperSprint10) Race 12: Winton SuperSprint11) Race 13: Winton SuperSprint12) Race 14: Winton SuperSprint13) Race 15: Merlin Darwin Triple Crown14) Race 16: Merlin Darwin Triple Crown15) Race 17: Merlin Darwin Triple Crown16) Race 20: Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight17) Race 21: Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight18) Race 22: Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight19) Race 23: Bunnings Trade Perth SuperNight20) Race 24: Bunnings Trade Perth SuperNight21) Race 25: Bunnings Trade Perth SuperNight

*Schedule subject to change as events and event formats are confirmed.

PRIZE POOL

Preliminary Races

At the completion of the Preliminary Races segment for the PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge program, the top team on the PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge Leaderboard will be awarded $5500, with $3500 for second and $2000 for third.

Live Final

The winner of the Live Final to be held at the Repco Bathurst 1000 will be awarded $20,000.

Rules surrounding the Live Final will be distributed to relevant Teams closer to the Event.

The Repco Supercars Championship field will return to Victoria this weekend at the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint. Tickets are on sale now.

The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo. Check out the full weekend schedule here.