Drag Race

UK Micromouse Drag Race Rules: August 2022

A. The Drag Race

  1. The aim of this class is for the mouse to travel as fast as possible over a straight course rather like that used for full-size drag racing, then to come to a standstill before reaching the end wall.

  2. The competition is run in two phases: Qualification and Knock-out.

    1. In the qualification phase, mice will be allowed a specified number of runs to establish an entry time for the knock-out competition. The number of qualification runs allowed will be determined by the organisers.

    2. In the Knock-out phase, a series of rounds of races are run where the winners of the races in one round go forward to the next round of races. This continues until there are just two mice remaining who then race each other to become the winner of the event.

  3. The timed runs begin when the starting system indicates and finishes when the mouse crosses the finishing line. Both mice will be timed independently. The first mouse across the line allowing for time penalties is designated the winner of that race.

  4. The linear dimensions included in these rules are nominal values and organisers will seek to implement these nominal dimensions actual dimensions may vary slightly due to fabrication tolerances. The width of the white lines may vary by up to +/- 2mm.

B. Rules

  1. Mice must be capable of passing under timing gantries that will be at least 20cm above the track and must fit within the start area of the track

  2. Mice must actively follow the straight white line down the centre of the course.

  3. Mice will incur a time penalty of 5 seconds for any of these events occurring:

    1. exceeding the braking distance

    2. requiring manual intervention to continue (touch penalty)

    3. touching the safety barriers (if fitted) at the edge of the course.

  4. Mice will be disqualified for:

    1. ‘jumping’ the start

    2. falling off the edge of the course.

    3. interfering with the mouse in the other lane in any way.

C. Track details

  1. Overall, each lane on the track is 7.2 metres long with a minimum width of 0.26 metres. The lane surface will be black. A white line is laid up in the middle of the lane. The line has a nominal width of 19mm. The start box occupies the first 375mm of the track with the start line being defined by white lines with a nominal width of 19mm. The track will be laid as flat as possible, but mice should be able to cope with small steps across the track where boards are joined.

  2. A start beam will detect jump-starts. The start beam will be aligned with the far edge of the start line.

  3. The finish line is defined by white lines with a nominal width of 19mm. The finish line timing beam will be aligned with the near edge of this line.

  4. The braking area comprises the final 1.2 m of the track. Mice must stop before any part of the mouse travels beyond the braking area length. Any mouse projecting beyond the braking area will incur a 5 second time penalty.

  5. Gantries with a minimum height of 20cm will straddle the track at the start and finish lines.

  6. The start and finish lines extend 120 mm from both sides of the central white line.

  7. At the organiser’s discretion, a safety barrier up to 20mm above the track surface may be fitted to the sides of each track. If fitted, side barriers will be at least 120mm distant from the edge of the line.

  8. The surface is typically 12 mm MDF painted with black paint finished with matt varnish, other materials included vinyl may be used.