Rain Light Rule - CHANGED for 2018

#1

Head’s up:

5.4 Rain Race Mandatory Equipment

To be approved to run in a rain race, drivers must have two functioning taillights. One of those lights must be FIA approved. The other may be an OEM equivalent.
FIA lights and taillights must function as follows:
FIA lights must be steady ‘on’ during entire time on track.
FIA lights will not be flashing.
FIA lights must be on the exterior of the vehicle with nothing obstructing the led’s (may not be behind glass, lenses, plastic lenses, etc.)
Taillights must be steady ‘on’ during entire time on track.
Taillights must illuminate brighter than steady on when driver is using brakes.
Below are some examples of FIA rain lights:


https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=5603
Any infraction not acceptable to these standards will result in a black flag during the race or disqualification.

#2

“… drivers must have two functioning taillights. One of those lights must be FIA approved.”

Surely they meant three total. Should that have said “minimum of two”?

I can see where you might have one (1) functioning stock tail/brake light + the FIA light, and this means to say that’s okay, like you won’t get black flagged for that. But certainly they meant for it to say three, with one being FIA-approved?

#3

I think the original rule was that you had to have at least one functioning tail light. (I’d need to go look it up) So this regional rule just says you need to have an FIA light in addition to that.

Obviously it would be better if all of them were functional.

#4

Agreed that two taillights plus a rain light is preferable, at least in my mind, but the wording seems like it could be revisited, at least for the “letter of the law” types like me. Hate to be DQ’d because the “rule” says two, and someone had three! :smiley: Seems stupid, but they way it’s currently worded, it could happen. :man_shrugging:

#5

A little help, this link I am using to see the rules https://nasa-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/document/document/12911/2018_Spec_E30_RulesV1.2.pdf
doesn’t show the rain light rule change or I cant find it… is there an updated version??
edit:
Ok so its a regional rule, will it apply to COTA?

#6

Ok,. Just got an Afterburner FIA approved rain light through the SE group buy. Thanks Walter :).
It looks like it has two modes, lower intensity 4 hz flashing and high intensity steady brake on. Based on the rules that say no flashing, I am worried that the wiring so it is always in the high intensity steady mode will mask the normal brake lights plus it will not change when the brakes are applied. This doesn’t seem right to me. It looks like all of the new FIA rain lights are going to a flashing normal mode and bright steady brake on mode.

How is everyone wiring these up?

#7

Steady on when the tail lights are on, no flashing.

If your brake lights work, it’s still noticeable.

Here’s mine, for example:

#8

Interesting, it doesn’t look that bright. Do you standard bulbs in the taillights?
The FIA light does not brighten when the brakes are on? I thought that was required.

#9

Yes, just standard bulbs.

The FIA light itself doesn’t brighten, no. As a collection, the “tail lights” do get brighter when the brakes are depressed.

This is exactly how the Mid Atlantic rules require them to be. I had the Race Director of Compliance weigh in on it over on FB to confirm, which is why I made this video in the first place.

As an aside, the Afterburner light isn’t really all that crazy bright. There are other lights available, notably the Lifeline, which will seer your retinas. But for god’s sake, make sure you hook it up so that you can turn it off when it’s not raining.

#10

Ok thanks. I’ll stop worrying about it and intall it like you did.