Grand Prix Rules
About the Grand Prix
The Tuscaloosa Track Club Grand Prix of West Alabama is a series of road races in the West Alabama area. These races are directed by local race directors, however the results from the races are used to compute Grand Prix points. The races in the series are chosen by a number of criteria, including: Distance of the Event, Quality of the Event (certified course), Who the Event Benefits, Time of Year of the Event, and finally, Willingness to Participate.
Who is Eligible?
Anyone who is an active member in good-standing of the Tuscaloosa Track Club and participates in any Grand Prix Event is eligible for Grand Prix Award. However, to qualify for an award you must run at least three (3) Grand Prix Events and serve as a volunteer for at least two (2) Track Club races (either a Grand Prix race or non-Grand Prix race. You cannot run either of the races you are volunteering for, however, if you do run a race and want to volunteer, please let the Finish Line Coordinator know you are available. The volunteer must have signed the Volunteer Sign In Sheet at the races they volunteer. Dues for renewing members should be paid in full by January 1st. You may join at any time during the year. Grand Prix points may not be earned until membership dues are paid, and no points will be awarded retroactively. The official race season starts at the first of each year and goes through the entire year to December. The top ten (10) races of a runner’s highest points will count towards the year-end points.
The Executive Board may make exceptions due to extenuating circumstances for age group awards at the end of the year, but not Overall Top Awards.
If runners are tied, then the tie will be broken in the following manner:
a. the runner with the highest number of races will determine the tie breaker;
b. if there is still a tie, the two runners’ fastest times will determine the tie breaker; and
c. if still a tie, volunteering as a non-running volunteer for a race counts as a race run (no points accrued).
The volunteer must have contacted the TTC Volunteer Coordinator to count in the event of final tie breaker. Your age on January 1 will be your official Grand Prix age for that year.
For additional information about volunteering, contact Beverly Nance [ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ].
*** The Point System ***
All members receive points for every GP race finished according to the following method:
Points will be awarded based on the member’s finish time relative to the overall winner’s finish time. The first place overall TTC male and female will each receive 100 points. All other members will receive a fraction of the winner’s points based on their finish time.
For example, if the overall female winner finishes in 20 minutes and another female member finishes in 40 minutes then the allotted points would be calculated as follows: 20 minutes / 40 minutes = 0.5. This fraction is multiplied by 100 to get the number of points. In this case [20/40] x 100 = 50 points.
*Note: All points allotted are solely relative to the overall winner’s finish times and are independent of other’s times in a member’s age group. All age groupings are in effect, but each member of the age group is scored relative to the overall winner.
*Note: All races 15K or longer, points are doubled.
The Awards
At the end of the Tuscaloosa Track Club’s Grand Prix Series, the top 3 Males and Females receive Overall Awards. From the remaining runners, the top Male and Female over 40 receive the Master’s Award, the top Male and Female over 50 receive the Grand Master’s Award, and the top Male and Female over 60 receive the Great Grand Master’s Award. Top 3 in each age division among those remaining receive age division awards.
The Age Divisions are:
9 & under, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 & older.
The Party
All of the Awards are presented at the year-end Grand Prix party (January). The party is open to anyone associated with any Grand Prix Event. Any runner, volunteer, race director or sponsor.