Guidelines for new drivers and their first race meeting (or how to make life easier for yourselves) 

• Checklist
  Licence
  Helmet
  Suit
  Boots
  Gloves
  Wetsuit  

• Sign on
  Take Mum or Dad – a parent or guardian needs to countersign you if you are under 18
  Hand over licence for upgrade signature
  Hand over any outstanding money (for transponder, entry, etc.)
  Collect programme & scrutineering card

• Scrutineering
  Make sure card is filled in correctly
  One wrong number on the card can see you out of the meeting!!
  Wear suit & boots
  Gloves & helmet in the seat
  Is the kart clean?
  Listen to the scrutineer and make any changes he suggests. Re-present the kart if necessary.
  Pre-event scrutineering is generally safety scrutineering  

• Drivers Briefing
  Read the programme to find out when it is.
  Ask where it will be - scrutineering or dummy grid are the favourites
  Don't be late! Can you afford a £100 fine?
  The Clerk of the Course may be a few minutes late if he/she has had some other items to deal with
  Although the ARKS course goes through the flags in some detail, listen to the Clerk as there may be some differences in the way this circuit operates red flags for instance
  Don't be afraid to ask questions, we're all here to learn something new

• Upgrades
  After 5 signatures and the ARKS test, you are no longer a novice
  You may still run on black plates if you wish or you can go straight on to yellow plates, however, you will not be eligible for novice awards
  If one of your signatures is from a different circuit, you can apply to the MSA for your licence to be upgraded to National A. This is best done at the end of the year, when you apply for your new licence anyway, unless you wish to do a Championship meeting which requires a Nat A licence.
  In order to get an upgrade signature, you must

• Finish 50% of the races you start
  Drive at a competitive pace – being lapped twice in a six lap race IS NOT COMPETITIVE!
  The Stewards word is final and the Clerk has no input in this process at all  

• Post Race Scrutineering
  When you sign on, you declare that the kart complies in all respects with the regulations
  Now we get to find out if it does!!
  The scrutineers will generally weigh and examine the first three or four karts, plus some others at random
  They can do anything up to and including a complete engine strip
  Components may be sealed and sent away for further technical examination
  If the scrutineers find anything wrong with your equipment, its isn't them saying you are cheating. In fact, you won't find any officials saying this at all. Just because your equipment doesn't comply with the regs, doesn't mean you have cheated.
  The scrutineers will issue a notice to you that the equipment does not comply with the regulations which the entrant (Dad) will sign to say he agrees or doesn't agree with the decision. The scrutineer will not and cannot exclude you from the race or the meeting.
  The scrutineer then reports his findings to the Clerk who will, unless there are very good reasons why not, exclude you from the race or the meeting, depending on the Championship regulations in force.

• Penalties
  All penalties must be recorded on the licence.
  This is not a penalty in itself, but three signatures on the licence will generally see it returned to MSA for further action if necessary.
  For 2003, a penalty points system will be in place, which is a rather fairer method of deciding penalties on licences. 12 points will see your licence suspended
   

That is just about it, other than to say
ENJOY YOURSELF - its supposed to be fun!