Required
Internet service and a modern browser on the phone, tablet, or computer being used. Open the permanent link, sign in when required, and keep the control screen awake.
MID AMERICA RACE CONTROL · FIELD MANUAL
Race day, step by step.
Made for race-car people, not software people. Start here when you need to know what to open, what to tap, or what not to screw with.
THE SHORT ANSWERYou need internet and a browser. You do not need ChatGPT, Joe, or a local server running.
START HERE
What has to be running on race day?
Not required
ChatGPT, Joe, a command window, a server laptop, or leaving a special computer running. The Site and race data live online.
Strongly recommended
A primary internet connection plus a hotspot or Starlink backup, charged devices, power cords, and a printed result log.
Always authoritative
The PA, track officials, and direct safety instructions. The app helps run the event; it does not overrule the track.
PHONE ALERTS & AUDIENCE
Public, racer, crew, and official phone alerts
One tap per phone
Spectators use Turn on race alerts. After signing in, Race Pass and Official Control each show a large private-alert button. Phones will not let a website silently default permission to “on,” so that first approval must be tapped by the user.
Automatic after approval
Once that phone has granted permission, a current Race Pass or official sign-in attaches its private alert channel automatically. Signing out, rotating a code, revoking access, or locking staff sessions stops that private channel.
What Control counts
Watching now and Used this event cover anonymous public-board devices. Alert-ready phones are split into Public, Race Pass, and Official counts. One phone can belong to more than one group, so these are device counts—not exact people or ticket sales.
Delivery reality
Alerts cover official announcements plus role-relevant callouts, class status, pairing changes, camera reviews, buybacks, staging, and Pit Help. Signal, battery settings, browser support, and phone permission can delay or block delivery; the PA remains authoritative.
ACCESS
Who opens what?
Public board
Calls, pairings, camera reviews, results, brackets, and announcements.
Open /go/watchNo account or code required.Race Pass
Race status, driver callouts, fees, camera-review notices, and Pit Help.
Open /go/raceRequires the event-specific driver or crew code.Official Control
Registration, calls, draws, results, money records, requests, and setup.
Open /go/controlEvery official uses their own staff code.Permanent QR kit
Print or download the public, Race Pass, and staff access signs.
Open /joinThe QR codes contain links only—never access secrets.Codes are personal.Do not print a code inside a QR sign. Do not share the owner code. Rotate a staff or Race Pass code if it is exposed, and lock staff sessions if a control device is lost.
Owner lost the code?Open Official Control, expand the small “Owner access help” link, and sign in with the ChatGPT account that owns this Site. A verified recovery creates one replacement owner code and signs that owner back in. The old owner code and previous owner sessions are revoked; the event, racers, results, staff accounts, settings, and history do not change. Save the replacement when it appears, and never paste it into chat.
BEFORE RACE DAY
Owner and setup checklist
- Open Official Control → Setup.Verify the event name, public headline, date, address, prices, contact, and partners.
- Review every class.Confirm order, registration status, buy-in, tech fee, payout note, rules, callout mode, buybacks, and late-entry policy.
- Create individual official access.Assign the smallest practical role. Save each one-time code when it appears.
- Print the QR kit.Public and Race Pass signs can go outside. Keep staff access inside controlled work areas.
- Choose operating jobs.Name the primary scorekeeper, the draw official, the registration person, and the official who decides camera reviews.
Owner
Event settings, classes, staff security, every race-day function, and closeout.
Race director
Broad race-day control, including race flow, draws, entries, announcements, money records, requests, and staff access.
Scorekeeper
Pairings, draws, camera-review holds, and official results.
Registration
Racers, entries, Race Pass codes, cash/comp/payment status, and Pit Help.
Staging
Live race actions, staging announcements, camera-review holds, results, and Pit Help.
Announcer / Pit response
Announcements and requests according to the assigned role. The system rejects actions outside that role.
OFFICIAL CONTROL
The normal race-day flow
Entries — register and check in
Find or create the real racer, add every class entry, enter the class-specific car number, record check-in, and record cash, comp, or payment status. Issue separate Driver and Crew Race Pass codes and save them when shown.
To actually close entries, use Setup → edit class → Registration = Closed. Changing the Live status label to Registration does not close class entry registration.
Draws — callouts first, random field second
If a class is configured for callouts, set it to Callouts Open. Drivers can send a Round 1 callout from Race Pass, or an authorized official can record one. Resolve every required driver acceptance before publishing the random draw.
Review and publish the pairing order
Check the class, round, and racers before confirming. A safe late entry can be included by revising an unstarted round with a written reason. Once the round has started, do not force a racer into that live bracket—follow the class policy or use a proper Second Chance race.
Live — issue calls and run pairs
Use announcements for NOW, NEXT, holds, weather, safety, oil downs, or general information. Alert-enabled phones receive those published notices, but the PA remains the final call. Read the class, round, pair, and both racers aloud before acting.
Record the official winner
Tap the correct racer, read the confirmation, and post the result once. The winner advances and the class buyback rule is applied to the loser. If there is any doubt, use camera review instead of guessing.
Resolve buybacks before the next draw
Mark each eligible racer paid, comped with a reason, or declined. Close the buyback window before publishing the next round. Unresolved racers are eliminated when the window is closed.
Closing buybacks is immediate. There is no second confirmation screen. Get the cashier and PA readback before pressing it.
Repeat until the class is complete
Draw the next round only after every result and review from the current round is resolved. Use Second Chance only for a deliberate separate race made from eligible eliminated racers.
CLOSE FINISH OR DISPUTE
Camera-review procedure
1. Hold the pair
On the unresolved two-car heat, tap Hold result for camera review and confirm. Do this before choosing a winner.
2. Keep racing
No winner or loser is posted, nobody advances, and no buyback action occurs. The next pair remains available to run.
3. Resolve it
After footage review, tap the official winner and confirm Resolve review & record winner. The next-round draw stays blocked until the review is resolved.
DO NOT GUESS AND “FIX IT LATER.”Use the review hold. The public board will say the result is under official review, and affected Race Pass users will see that no winner has been posted.
DRIVERS & CREW
Race Pass instructions
Driver code
Shows every class under that racer. The driver can send or answer permitted callouts, review race status, manage available fee actions, and request Pit Help.
Crew code
Shows the same racer and can view status, manage available fee actions, and request Pit Help. Crew cannot send, accept, or decline driver callouts.
Safety
Turn on the private alert card before racing, but never use Race Pass while driving. Phone delivery is best-effort, so keep listening to the PA.
Pit Help is not 911.Fuel, tools, parts, towing, or official assistance can go through Race Pass. Medical or immediate safety emergencies must be taken directly to track personnel or 911.
MONEY
Payments and buybacks
What works now
- Cash payment recording
- Comp recording with a reason
- Manual payment-status tracking
- Class fee and buyback tracking
What is not active
Live Square online card checkout is not active. Do not tell racers that online cards work, and never paste Square secrets into chat or any public note.
There is no refund or reversal button. Verify the racer, class, amount, and payment method before saving.
IF THE INTERNET QUITS
Internet-outage backup procedure
- Tell the PA and tower.Announce that the digital board is temporarily unavailable and official verbal calls control.
- Stop tapping when a device says offline.Offline actions are not queued. Do not repeatedly submit results or decisions while the connection is uncertain.
- Use the printed pairing/result log.Record the class, round, pair, winner, time, and official on paper. Keep disputed finishes marked for review.
- Switch to the backup connection.Reconnect the control device through the approved hotspot or Starlink connection.
- Refresh and verify before entering anything.Check the last posted official result against the paper log. Enter only confirmed real results that are missing.
- Resume normal operation.The hosted data should still be there; the track does not need to restart a server or keep Joe open.
AFTER THE LAST PASS
Event closeout
CLOSEOUT IS NOT A RESET BUTTON.Resolve reviews, results, buybacks, and money records first. Use Finish event & start fresh only after the owner explicitly confirms the event is over. Closeout archives the old event and preserves its racers, pairings, results, payments, requests, and audit history while opening the next blank event. After closeout, the owner must review the new date, headline, and flyers in Setup before publishing the next event.
PRINTABLE CONTROL-TOWER CHEAT SHEET
Mid America Race Control
PA + OFFICIALS ARE FINAL.Internet and browser required. ChatGPT/Joe/local server not required.
Normal pair
- Read class, round, pair, and racers aloud.
- Run the pair.
- Tap the actual winner.
- Read the confirmation and post once.
- Verify the public board updates.
Close or disputed finish
- Tap Hold result for camera review.
- Do not pick a temporary winner.
- Continue with the next pair.
- Review footage.
- Pick the official winner and resolve review.
Before next-round draw
- Every heat complete
- Every camera review resolved
- Required callout responses resolved
- Buyback window closed
- Late-entry change reviewed before racing starts
If internet drops
- PA says the digital board is paused.
- Stop tapping offline controls.
- Write results on the paper log.
- Connect the backup internet.
- Refresh and compare the last posted result.
- Enter only confirmed missing results.
PERMANENT LINKSControl: https://mid-america-race-control.ardent-chub-5476.chatgpt.site/go/controlRace Pass: https://mid-america-race-control.ardent-chub-5476.chatgpt.site/go/racePublic: https://mid-america-race-control.ardent-chub-5476.chatgpt.site/go/watchQR kit: https://mid-america-race-control.ardent-chub-5476.chatgpt.site/joinManual: https://mid-america-race-control.ardent-chub-5476.chatgpt.site/help
PRINTABLE FIRST-RACE CHECKLIST
Backside Brawl trial run
Day before
- Confirm the event name, date, address, prices, contact information, partners, classes, fees, rules, and class order in Setup.
- Confirm every official has their own working staff code. Do not share the owner code.
- Charge the control devices, bring charging cords or battery packs, and decide which device is the primary scoring device.
- Verify the track internet and a backup hotspot or Starlink connection.
- Print the permanent spectator and Race Pass QR signs. Keep the staff QR inside the tower or registration area.
- Print this tower sheet, the first-race checklist, and a paper pairing/result log for internet backup.
- Decide who is authorized to post results and who makes the final camera-review decision.
Before gates open
- Open Official Control on each staff device and sign in with individual codes.
- On every Race Pass and Official Control phone, tap the large private-alert button once and confirm it says Alerts are ready.
- Open the spectator board on a separate phone and confirm the correct event appears.
- Scan each permanent QR and confirm it reaches the correct sign-in or public screen.
- Tell registration that cash, comp, and payment-status tracking work; online Square card checkout is not active yet.
- Do not create fake racers or post fake results in the live event for practice.
- Confirm the PA announcer and officials know the digital board is helpful, but the PA and track officials remain authoritative.
Before the first pair
- Confirm every real racer is checked in under the correct class and car number.
- Resolve required callout responses and review the field before publishing the draw.
- Read the class, round, pair number, and both racers aloud before staging or scoring.
- Confirm the next pair is visible on the public board and the scoring device shows connected.
- Keep the camera-review button available whenever the finish is disputed or unclear.
During racing
- Use one designated official to confirm each winner. Avoid two people scoring the same pair at once.
- If the result is uncertain, hold it for camera review and continue with the next pair.
- Resolve camera reviews before attempting the next-round draw.
- Resolve buyback decisions and close the buyback window before drawing the next round.
- Watch Priority Actions and Pit Help requests instead of relying only on verbal messages.
End of event
- Resolve every camera review, unfinished pairing, buyback decision, and open payment note.
- Compare the final bracket and money records with the tower's paper log.
- Do not use Finish event & start fresh until the owner explicitly confirms the event is finished.
- Closeout archives the completed event and opens a new blank event; it must never be used as a reset button during racing.