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Sound Management Program for RacetracksSound control is a concern for all parties involved in motorsports (racers, track promoters, muffler manufacturers, fans, etc.) In order for motorsports to continue to grow and survive in the 21st century, it must be a joint effort by all of the parties mentioned above.Excessive sound is quickly becoming a BIG issue nationwide and worldwide. Tracks should voluntarily start reviewing a sound program, this not only is a sign of good faith, but it is showing progress to something that will definitely be imposed sooner than later. If a track shows that it has been making an attempt at sound control, the local or state government will most certainly be more lenient to the track as time progresses. In the past in California, state or local government imposed sound limits have led to very tough and hard to meet dB limits at certain tracks. When the state or local government imposes sound limits, this usually creates problems for the racers (along with the track promoters) to meet these stringent requirements and possibly could result in the loss of race activities entirely. Did you know? In Australia and New Zealand, the E.P.A. enforces the sound levels at racetracks. They use sophisticated video/audio equipment to record sound readings of each racecar during the event, then reviews the tapes. If a car loses a muffler during the event, it's an automatic $100.00 fine! Although no program like this currently exists in the United States, it quite possibly could end up this way without the cooperation of all of the above-mentioned parties. Is this the type of sound program anyone involved in racing wants for the future of racing? I seriously doubt it. To date, there are no real standards set (nationwide) on how to take sound readings reasonably and accurately in a racing environment. These guidelines and references should help clarify and simplify a procedure for suitable and accurate sound management (these same procedures have been used at most all of the tracks in California for the past 10 years). These procedures are for tracks with a sound rule, either on its way in the near future, or for tracks with an existing sound rule. First, the track will need to purchase a sound level meter. This will need to be of good quality and must be able to be calibrated. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has established performance standards for sound level meters for automotive use; ANSI S1.4 - 1983 S1 - Precision S1A - Special Purpose ("A" weighting scale only) S2 - General Purpose S2A - Special Purpose A sound meter with an S1 or S1A rating is recommended. A "Radio Shack" brand sound meter is undeniably inexpensive, but its accuracy is not sufficient for racetrack needs and it cannot be calibrated. These sound meters were originally designed for balancing home stereo speakers. If a track is using a "Radio Shack" sound meter for managing sound dB rules and is challenged by a competitor in court, it would lead to automatic loss for the track for not complying with the minimum requirements for sound meters as stated in the ANSI S1.4 - 1983 standards. When purchasing a sound level meter, some of the features to look for are:
Once you have purchased your sound meter, you must then decide on a fair and reasonable dB limit. There are many different parameters to take into account when taking steps to start a sound management program:
Sound readings should be taken at either 50' (with the correction factor) or 100' from the driving line of cars, at a point where cars are under full acceleration (usually after exiting a corner). The main reason for this is consistency. This will help aid the muffler manufacturers in being able to make a correct muffler recommendation to meet the desired dB limit generally the first time. This will save lots of headaches for the racers and the racetracks. Consistency is the key! In most cases, tracks starting a muffler rule for the first time should start with a sound dB level of 100 dB measured @ 100'. This is a reasonable limit to start. This will help racers and fans alike adapt to the new sound rule. After a season (if desired) the track could lower the limit within reason (2-3 dB) per season, for no more than a total of 7 dB. An honest 93 dB @ 100' is getting fairly strict (again depending on the classes of race cars and race track variables) and in almost all cases, should be more than quiet enough to keep all parties involved happy. Every 6 dB increase, is a doubling of sound pressure, this also holds true for reductions in sound. EXAMPLE: 100 dB - 6 dB = 94 dB, which equals a 100% reduction in sound pressure! It is not recommended to lower the limit down so low as to make great hardships on the racers to meet these limits. This could create serious mechanical problems (such as excessive engine heat, possibly leading to engine failure). The important fact to remember is, consistency when taking sound readings, without making exceptions for anyone class of vehicles or drivers (professional or otherwise). Flowmaster is looking to add to our race dealer database program, to service the tracks and racers in all areas. We currently receive hundreds of calls daily for referrals for Flowmaster dealers in different areas across the country. This program will help make the change easier for tracks and racers having to implement a sound program, who use Flowmaster products. Please give the toll-free phone number to any interested businesses and have them call the Senior Sales Technicians for there territory, to receive assistance for updating files or adding referrals to the Flowmaster database. In closing, the purpose of these guidelines is to establish a consistent criterion on how to make sound management a solution, not a problem. I hope these guidelines will be of benefit to all tracks who will need some guidance for sound management either now or in the near future. Dale Dotson Motorsports MOTOR VEHICLE RACE TRACK NOISEThe following pages 5 through 10 were prepared by the California Department of Health Services to be used solely as a guideline so that fair and achievable sound levels could be managed at all tracks. This in turn would eliminate confusion and preserve the sport of racing.BACKGROUND Noise from motor vehicle racing events has been a source of constant complaint from citizens who live in the vicinity of the racetracks. Although some attempts have been made to control the noise from the vehicle, there are no state standards established for motor vehicle racing events. Too often the major effort is aimed at stopping the race rather than attempting to develop a standard measuring procedure that will quiet the vehicles and still allow the race to continue. The California Department of Health Services staff has measured noise levels at many racing events. Based upon this information it is believed that a satisfactory measuring method can be adopted with sound level limits that will be accepted by the racers and the majority of the neighboring community. There must be rigid and strict enforcement of the standard to make it effective in controlling the noise level from motor vehicle race events. One state-wide uniform procedure, rigidly enforced, will benefit all and eliminate most of the noise complaints from the race tracks and make it easier for race drivers to compete in events at other tracks. The procedure, to be effective, must apply to all race events at the track. Exemptions from the noise standard for special events, such as "professional" racing events, drag races, tractor pulls and specially designated noise days should not be permitted. The procedure, to be effective, should apply equally to all vehicles using the track. One important point to remember in setting noise limits or altering the limits set forth here is that this proposed noise limit applies to noise from single vehicles. Noise from two vehicles on the track will make more noise than one vehicle, however, because noise is measured on the logarithmic scale, the amount that the noise will increase is not as dramatic as might be expected. For example, if one vehicle on the track is producing 95 dB(A) at 100 feet, when a second vehicle also producing 95 dB(A) is added to the track the total noise will be only 3 dB higher or 98 dB(A) when measured at 100 feet. Therefore 8 vehicles on the track, all passing the sound meter at the same time, all producing 95 Db (A) will generate roughly 104 dB (A) if measured at the same distance. NOISE LIMIT AND MEASURING PROCEDURES FOR MOTOR VEHICLE RACE EVENTS MEASURING PROCEDURE
INSTRUMENTATION
MEASURING DISTANCE AND MAXIMUM SOUND LEVEL The horizontal distance from the microphone to the microphone target point (unmarked location on the vehicle path opposite the microphone) shall normally be 100 ft. but may range from 26 ft. to 118 ft. if the correction factors shown in Table One are used. The recorded "A" weighted sound level reading shall be the highest reading obtained as the vehicle passes through the measuring site and shall not exceed the value specified for the measuring distance used in Table One. A tolerance of 2 dB has been added to the maximum sound Level because of differences in tracks, measuring areas and manufacturing tolerances in instruments. Vehicles that exceed the established sound level, during the qualifying sound test by even a fraction of a dB, shall receive the black flag. Each vehicle that fails the test shall be allowed no more than two attempts, for a total of 3 tries and no more, to comply with the noise standard. Vehicles that fail to meet the noise level standard will not be allowed to race. Vehicles that exceed the established sound level during a race will be disqualified for that race. Vehicles that exceed the established sound level the second time during a race event shall be disqualified and not allowed to compete in any more races during that race event.
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