IHPVA 200 Meter Flying Start Speed Record Rules

I have located an HTML version of the HPVA (no longer International I guess) OFFICIAL RULES. The official rules are for all the events, including the 3.2.2.1 200 METER SPEED TRIAL.

Here are the rules as I remember them.

1. The event must be witnessed by at least two IHPVA officials. One observes the start of each run and radios the second indicating when the launch occurs. This first official also makes sure that no assistance is provided in the form of pushing the vehicle past the first 15 meters (about 49 feet) of the launch. This official may also follow the vehicle in a car or truck at a safe distance to ensure no other hanky-panky occurs during the run.

   The second official is located at the end of the 200 meter speed trap. This official begins measuring the volume of air that pass through a wind meter during the course of the entire run. Later the total volume of air is divided by the total time of the run to indicate the average wind speed, in any direction, during the run. A tell-tail is attached to the wind meter which the official is supposed to keep roughly parallel to the wind during the entire event. The average speed of the wind may not exceed 1.5 meters per second (about 3.4 mph). This official is also responsible for setting and resetting the timing equipment and videotaping the vehicle making its run through the speed trap. And without stopping the recording, this official is also supposed to tape the timing equipment display to unambiguously tie the witnessed run to the stated time.

2. The course may have unlimited run up to the speed trap with the following restrictions. The slope of the course may not exceed 2/3 of one percent. This is defined by constructing an imaginary line which begins at the end of the speed trap and extends backwards to the beginning of the run at 2/3 of one percent slope (2/3 of one foot elevation rise for every 100 feet of run). At no point may the course intersect this imaginary line.

   The second restriction on the course is that the total elevation drop from the beginning of the run to the end of the speed trap may not exceed 100 feet.

   So, the ideal course has a slope of exactly 2/3 percent and uses this entire 100 feet of elevation drop. This amounts to a course which is 15,000 feet or about 2.84 miles long. This ideal course provides the maximum advantage with the most run up. There is NO RESTRICTION on altitude and since the air is thinner at higher altitude, it is advantageous to find an ideal course at high altitude. But anything higher that 8,000 feet is difficult for an athlete to adapt to rapidly and hence this alititude is fairly optimal. The course and speed trap must be surveyed to ensure that the above criteria are met. And of course, permission to use the road must be obtained from the appropriate County.

3. Insurance for $1,000,000 must be obtained which idemnifies the IHPVA and its officials for any damgage your event causes.

4. Certified timing equipment must be used to time your runs through the speed trap. For a nominal fee, you can rent the IHPVA's timing equipment and trigger switches in which case they certify the equipment.

5. Lastly, the force must be with you because besides all these other bureaucratic hoops you must jump through, your run basically must occur with virtually no wind (or rain!). If there is any wind, it should be smooth, steady, blowing down your course, and less than the allowed value.