Southern California Old Timers’ Motocross Club By-Laws

2019

ARTICLE 1 (Updated Jan 1, 2023)

Name:

The name of this organization is Southern California Old Timers Motocross Club (SoCal OTMX) , doing business as (DBA) SoCal Vet Motocross and/or SoCal Vet MX.

ARTICLE 2

Purpose:

SECTION A: To provide and encourage motocross racing competition events for riders over 30 years old (updated 2024).

SECTION B: To provide support races separate from O.T. races. Support races can be run on the track at the same time with O.T. races if there is unanimous agreement by the affected riders.

ARTICLE 3 (Updated Jan 1, 2024)

Membership:

Membership is open to any individual that will achieve their 30th birthday within the calendar year, as evidenced by a driver’s license, birth certificate, passport or other document authorized by the board. The membership year is January 1 to December 31. In order to participate in any club event, a rider must have paid the annual dues for the current year and any other assessments authorized in the Standing Rules, which would make them an “active member” and a “member in good standing”. Any non-member who would qualify for full membership must purchase a 1 day membership to compete in Old Timer races.

ARTICLE 4 (Updated Jan 1, 2021)

Meetings:

A general business meeting shall be scheduled either monthly or quarterly at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The time and location will be designated by the President. The time and location for the general meeting shall be posted on the club website. Additional special meetings may be called by the Executive Board and held at a location designated by the President including any racing event. Notice to the membership shall be provided prior to such meetings.

ARTICLE 5

Club Colors:

Section A: The Southern California Old Timer Motocross Club colors shall be; Royal Blue, Goldenrod Yellow, and Bright Red.
Section B: So Cal Logo; Royal Blue; Goldenrod Yellow; Bright Red (exampe):

ARTICLE 6 (Updated Jan 1, 2021)

Elected Officers:

SECTION 1: The elected officers of the club shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Race Director. Each officer has specific duties and responsibilities. Members of the board may help each other by sharing some of the lesser important duties if all are in agreement.

SECTION 2: Duties and responsibilities of the Officers are as follows;

A: The President;

Is the chief officer and shall direct the business of the club, however, all officers shall have equal say in club business and majority rules.
Shall preside at the meetings of the club and the Executive Board.
Shall appoint (with the approval of the Executive Board) standing and special committees to implement and carry out the purpose and objectives of the club.
Can call special meetings of the Executive Board when necessary for conducting club business.
Shall supervise the duties of all other officers; and maintain a capable working organization.

B: The Vice President;

Shall in the absence of the president, perform the duties of the President.
Shall be responsible for the scheduling of races with the approval of the Executive Board.
Shall be responsible for making sure all requirements of the events are met, including; obtaining event insurance, arranging flagging personnel, start gate personnel and EMT’s.
Shall communicate with track management to confirm gate times and event costs.
Shall maintain communication with the board members regarding all event information.
Shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

C: The Secretary;

Shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the club and Executive Board, and shall maintain an archive of the minutes
Shall maintain a master file of the club rule book keeping it updated with any changes made during the year, and transmit a current copy to the Webmaster when changes have been made.
Shall be responsible for getting information to the membership by keeping all website, message board and digital media up to date, or through any other means approved by the board
Shall maintain a current membership list and maintain the current points for year-end awards.
Shall be responsible for maintaining copies of the club corporate papers, and work with the club’s CPA and the club’s Treasurer to file annual paperwork.
Shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

D: The Treasurer;

Shall be responsible for the keeping of records of all financial transactions including general profit and loss records of individual races, and all year to date business by either a ledger, or the preferred method of an accounting program on a computer.
Shall be responsible for providing treasury reports to the board, and to the members at a general meeting.
Shall be responsible for collecting all funds generated by club activities or sales. All funds collected by club officers or representatives shall be turned over to the Treasurer upon request. Failure to comply within a week of the request shall constitute disciplinary action by the board.
Shall obtain the approval of the executive board for all disbursements in excess of $1,500.
Shall be responsible for the disbursement of club funds or club certificates, such as “Crusty Bucks”, or can authorize persons to help. Any person disbursing club funds without expressed consent of the Treasurer does so at their own risk. The club shall not be held liable for any unauthorized expenditures.
Shall not distribute any funds for the purpose of securing tracks, club clothing, equipment, trophies, insurance, riding gear, permits, and banquets without the approval of the executive board. A written quote or invoice must be presented to the treasurer and the board when requesting funds. No reimbursements will be authorized without a receipt and board approval.
Shall perform such other duties as assigned by the president, providing they do not conflict with the treasurer’s primary financial responsibilities per this section.

E: The Race Director;

Shall maintain order at all club races and is responsible for race day operations including; opening sign up, working with the Treasurer and computer operator for race day entries, and establishing practice and race orders.
May select a committee to observe racers, and to make recommendations for moving riders up or down in the classes.
Shall have final authority to assign classes and shall notify racers of class changes.
Shall be responsible for storing and transporting to and from the events the equipment and paperwork necessary for race day operations.
Shall be responsible for the trophies and/or awards presented at the events, and can assigns persons to help with the awards.
Shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

SECTION 3: An Officer must be a member in good standing of the club.

SECTION 4: The officers of this club shall be elected for a term of two (2) years from January 1 to December 31. There are no limits to the number of terms that may be served. If the incumbent officer wants to remain in his/her position and there are no other candidates running for that office as of the nomination date (October meeting), the incumbent can remain in office without a vote. In other words there is no need to have a vote for someone running unopposed. The incumbent must announce their desire to remain prior to or during the October nomination meeting.

SECTION 5: Vacancies occurring between elections shall be filled by special elections at the first regular meeting following the withdrawal or resignation of an officer. These specially elected officers shall serve only for the remainder of that year. Nominees for that position will be offered at the October meeting. This will be an election for a regular, new term. The fill-in officer will be eligible to run for this, or any open position, and it will be for the full term. The vacating officer’s term becomes void. Should an officer resign between the October meeting and the end of the year, the specially appointed officer will serve for the remainder of that year and the following year. A normal nomination/election will take place for that position at the next October meeting.

SECTION 6: Removal of an officer. At a general meeting, a motion of no confidence against an elected official or representative who has failed to uphold the By-laws, riding rules or shows disregard for the welfare of the club may be made. If a majority of those present agree, a notice of vote for removal shall be posted on the website. At the following general meeting, the motion for removal shall be voted on and requires a two thirds (2/3) majority to pass.

SECTION 7: Upon expiration of their term, all officers shall turn over to their successors all items belonging to the club.

ARTICLE 7

Appointed Officers:

Individuals for these positions shall be nominated by the president and approved by the Executive Board.

A: Webmaster:
It shall be the duty of the webmaster to maintain the club website, to update in a timely manner the race schedule, points information, newsletters, meetings and any other information authorized by the board.

B: International Representative(s):
Rep(s) shall serve as the club representative at all international races and at the International Congress. Rep(s) shall serve as the liaison between the international organization and the chapter.

C: Committee Chairpersons:
Chairpersons for committees authorized in the Standing Rules shall oversee specific projects or events. Chairpersons are authorized to select other club members to serve on committees. The chairperson(s) shall report to the president and shall make reports to the club at regular meetings as appropriate.

ARTICLE 8

Executive Board:

SECTION 1: The Executive Board shall have supervision and control over the affairs, funds and property of the club. It shall authorize disbursement of club funds; submit recommendations to the club membership for amendments of the By-Laws and Riding Rules and perform such other duties as the club or By-Laws may require.Page | 4

SECTION 2: Meetings of the Executive Board may be called anytime by the President with the approval of three (3) members of the Executive Board when required for the orderly conduct of the business of the club. All members of the Executive Board must be duly notified of every meeting.

ARTICLE 9 (Updated Jan 1, 2021)

Elections:

SECTION 1: Nominees for officers must be present at the meeting when nominations are made or must have consented to serve in the capacity for which he is nominated.

SECTION 2: Nominations for offices shall be made no later than the October General Meeting. The proposed ballot shall be posted on the website following the nominations. The nominated individuals shall be given the opportunity to include a statement about themselves and their candidacy on the website.

SECTION 3: Ballots shall be distributed by mid-November and shall be returned to an appointed.
Individual that is not a current or nominated officer. Ballots may also be distributed electronically through the website.

SECTION 4: Ballots shall be tallied by the designated election official at the December general meeting and the results made public at that time.

SECTION 5: Special Elections: In the event of a vacancy created by the resignation or removal of an officer the Executive Board shall nominate the replacement which will be voted on at the next general meeting following the resignation or removal.

SECTION 6: Only active members are eligible to vote and each member may only submit one ballot.

ARTICLE 10

Procedures:

SECTION 1: In the event of controversy or conflict, Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern procedures for meetings.

SECTION 2: The Standing Rules shall govern normal club operations and business meetings.

SECTION 3: The Competition Riding Rules shall govern the club operation and conduct at all club races.

ARTICLE 11 (Updated Jan 1, 2021)

Rule Changes and Amendments:

SECTION 1: Amendments to By-Laws:

A: All Amendment change documents must be presented at the General Meeting in October in a form that is ready to be added to the ballot, and may be offered by any active member. In order for the suggested changes to be ready for the ballot, the document should state the current rule, the suggested changes to be made to the rule, and how the new rule, if implemented, will read. It is recommended that suggested changes be brought to a meeting before the October General Meeting to help insure there are no conflicts with other bylaws and to leave time to make necessary changes, if required. A majority of the Executive Board shall approve the proposal and shall assure that the proposed change does not conflict with other By- Laws.

B: All proposed changes, provided that the conditions in the previous Section A have been satisfied, shall be presented to the membership by any reasonable means, which may include; read aloud at October meeting, posted on the website, sent out through email or literature handed out at races.

C: By-Law changes shall be included on the Ballot and follow the procedures specified in Article 8 of these By Laws. Approval of a By-Law change shall require a 2/3 majority vote of all returned ballots.

SECTION 2: Changes to Standing Rules or Competition Riding Rules:

A: Changes may be offered at any General Meeting of the Club.

B: A majority of the Executive Board shall approve the proposed change and shall assure that the proposed change does not conflict with these By-Laws or other Rules.

C: The proposed Change shall be posted on the club website prior to the next general meeting.

D: At the next general meeting following member notification of the proposed changes, those present shall vote on the proposal and a simple majority shall be required to pass it.

ARTICLE 12

Dissolution of the Club:

SECTION 1: This club may be dissolved, and its activities terminated, by written vote of two thirds of the club membership. The Executive Board must notify all members in writing of the intention and reasons for dissolving the club and provide a ballot to be returned to a designated individual within 30 days.

SECTION 2: If this club is dissolved, after payment of all bills, claims and demands, any remaining assets of this club shall be divided equally among the current members of this club.

Standing Rules

Updated October, 2021

In order to ride with an earned number or to renew a selected riding number all dues must be paid by February 1st of each year.
Yearly membership dues shall be $35.00 per year. New member dues shall be prorated after July 1st of each year, to $20.00 for the balance of the year. A one day membership may be purchased for $5.
Appointment of record keeper—individual who shall maintain the membership roster and club points can use the master file from Trackside or any other appropriate software.
Authorized Committees and committee chairpersons may be appointed by the board when deemed necessary or useful for the club.
A member who has reached their 80th birthday will not have to pay for race entries.
Any member who will reach an “age up” birthday (ie. 50, 60, 70 or 80) during the calendar year shall be entitled to join that age class as of January 1st of that year regardless of when their actual birthday is in that calendar year (added at August 2021 meeting).
Any member who has reached their 70th birthday shall be entitled to renew their annual club membership at no cost to themselves.

SoCal OTMX, Inc. Competition Riding Rules

Updated January 2024

ARTICLE I

Classification:

SECTION A: Rider Classification: (Updated at Jan 2022 meeting)

All members are classified in one of the following classes:

Novice: Green Number Plate, White Numbers
Intermediate: Yellow Number Plates, Black Numbers
Expert:White Number Plates, Black Numbers
Master: Black Number Plates,White Numbers
80+ : White Number Plates, Black Numbers

SECTION B: Changing of Classification (Updated at Nov 2020 meeting)

Move-ups and move-downs shall be the sole responsibility of the Race Director, with input and recommendations from the race committee (if used). Move-ups and Move-downs shall be based on an evaluation of the rider’s ability with respect to the class he/she is currently riding in and that which they are being moved to.
New members shall participate in two (2) races prior to their being classified. The Race director and Race Committee (if used) shall, upon completion of this requirement, classify a new member in that class which they deem appropriate.
A new member is eligible to receive a trophy. They will receive 10 points for their first classification race and 20 points for their second. Full points will be earned on the rider’s third race.
Any rider requesting a move up or move down in class must have prior approval from the Race Director.
It is preferred that riders returning from injuries or extended time away from riding do so in their regular class. If a rider, with the race director’s approval, chooses to drop down a class due to these special circumstances, the rider may do so but will earn no points or trophies for a period of 6 races. After 6 races, the Race Director will decide whether the rider should stay in that class and start earning points and trophies or if they need to go back to their original class. The Race Director may also decide to extend this period for another 6 races. The rider may choose to go back to their original class at any time. This is a special request situation and is not required for normal class moves by the Race Director. However, all moves are at the discretion of the Race Director, who may choose to impose these or other conditions on the move.
Riders who move themselves down in class, unnoticed, without approval, may be subject to DQ.
When a member changes class during a calendar year, his/her points accumulated in their original class during that calendar year shall be carried forward to his/her new class (added at August 2021 meeting).
SECTION C: Age Categories (Updated January 2024):
The following age categories are in effect:
+30 years old +40
+50
+60
+70
+80
+90

ARTICLE II

Racing Procedures:

SECTION A: Scoring:

Scoring for the SoCal Old Timers’ MX Association races is based on the overall (OA) result of the combined moto finishes to create a finally tally position. This includes any DNF (Did Not Finish) or DNS (Did Not Start) calculations. The lowest tally number earns the first place OA position. The higher the tally number, the lower the OA position. Club points are issued based on OA position. All races count towards year end Overall position.

SECTION B: Did Not Finish (DNF)

1. For the purposes of OA scoring, a rider who does not finish a moto will receive a tally placement of last place.

2. In the event of two (2) or more DNFs, the rider(s) completing the least number of laps will place successively one (1) position lower. If two or more riders DNF on the same lap, their positions are scored by who was ahead on the last recorded lap.

SECTION C: Did Not Start (DNS)

1. For the purposes of OA scoring, a rider who fails to start a moto will receive a tally placement of two (2) times the number of riders that started the first moto of the day.

3. In the event of two (2) or more DNS's, the rider(s) positions will be determined by their other moto finishes.

4. Riders who fail to complete one lap must inform the scorekeepers he/she did indeed start the moto.

SECTION D: Definition of a Class:

Three riders make a class for the purposes of trophies. A class must have three current club members to be eligible for full points.

SECTION E: Club Points:

Club points, are based on an overall result of the combined motos and shall be scored as follows;

1. Earned points for overall positions;

First Place = 50 points
Second place = 47 points
Third place = 45 points
Deduct 2 points for each succeeding place through 20th place.
21st place and all remaining finishers and received placements receive 10 points.

2. SoCal scheduled one-day event shall be scored per Article II, Section A.

3. SoCal scheduled two-day events shall be scored on a per day basis per Article II, Section A.

4. Riders who complete at least one moto, but earn a DNS in another, will receive a ten point deduction from their final points for that event. Not to go below the minimum 10 points.

5. Riders who DNS all motos will earn no points for that event.

6. Local points are awarded for SoCal scheduled events only, with the following exceptions:

A. 20 participation points per day shall be awarded to all SCOTMX members who are entered and start at least one moto each day of the SCOTMX International instead of normal club points structure. 20 points per day for a possible total of 40 points.

B. When an International of another chapter falls on the same weekend as an SCOTMX event, members participating in the International will receive 40 club participation points.

SECTION F: Reduced Points:

For classes that have one or two club riders, 46 points shall be awarded to first place and 44 points awarded to second place.

SECTION G: Protests:

1. All protests are to be taken up with the Race Director.

2. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS ANY MEMBER TO APPROACH A SCOREKEEPER REGARDING A PROTEST, OR CONFLICT WITH/OR ABOUT A RACE.

ARTICLE III

Conduct:

SECTION A: Sportsmanship:

All members should conduct themselves in a sportsman like manner which reflects the policies and guidelines of the club. A suspension from the club may result from any violent behavior or substance abuse while attending club functions.

SECTION B: Racing Line:

Be on the line at least 5 minutes prior to race time. If your motorcycle quits on the start line and you fail to restart it within a reasonable time, push it off the line and let the race go on.

SECTION C: Passing:

Pass with safety. Blocking a faster rider can put both of you down.When being lapped by a rider of another class, move over and let him pass, your race isn’t against him.

SECTION D: Flagmen:

Obey all flagmen. They have a singular purpose at the track and that’s the safety of the riders. There is a reason for every flag... so obey them whether you agree or not (see Article VII). PASSING UNDER A YELLOW FLAG SHALL RESULT IN THE DOCKING OF ONE LAP.

SECTION E: Rough Riding/Unsportsmanlike Conduct:

At the discretion of the race director and two committee members, a yellow card warning will be given to a rider as a warning for rough riding or unsportsmanlike conduct.
A second offense will result, at the discretion of the race director and two committee members, in a points penalty of 15 (to be deducted from the rider's cumulative season points total).
A third offense will result in a board review of the rider's conduct with possible suspension(s) from one to three races.

SECTION F: Starting Gate Conduct:

Riders on the starting line may sweep concrete and foot prep their own start gate dirt to their preference.

ARTICLE IV

Riding Numbers:

Numbers 1 – 10 are earned and cannot be reassigned.
Numbers 11-100 will be earned numbers and must be claimed by February 1st of the new year. Numbers not claimed by that date may be reassigned.
All other numbers are available. The first rider requesting a number who has paid their membership dues for that year shall have that number assigned for the year. If a second rider attends an event with a number that is the same as an assigned number and that rider is in the same moto as the assigned number, the second rider will modify his number to be unique (e.g.by adding a “1” or and “x” with tape).
A rider may carry over a number from year-to-year as long as it doesn’t violate paragraphs 1 and 2 above.

ARTICLE V

Clothing:

SECTION A: Members are encouraged to wear a SoCal jersey at all events.

SECTION B: SAFETY REQUIREMENT! All riders are responsible for wearing appropriate safety gear and apparel, including but not limited to, a helmet (US DOT and Snell approved for motorcycles), off-road motorcycle boots, and off-road motorcycle pants at, all SoCal OTMX riding events.

ARTICLE VI

Race Committee:

The Race Director may select a Race Committee to help with the Race Director duties at the track, including helping with rider classification. In the event the Race Director is absent, the Board of Directors will assign the Race Director’s duties to another member. The Race Director may consult with the Race Committee or other Board Members in resolving protests. Protests that cannot be resolved must be submitted in writing (from the protesting member) and forwarded to the President.

ARTICLE VII

Racing Events:

All racing schedules or special racing events must be approved by the Board.
The club shall schedule no more than three (3) events per month.
Club races shall not be scheduled on the following national holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, New Years, and the Fourth of July.

ARTICLE VIII

Flag Colors:

Yellow - caution, unsafe conditions-rider down DO NOT PASS.
Black - disqualification. LEAVE THE TRACK AT THE NEXT EXIT.
Red - race stopped.
Blue - means faster rider(s) approaching. MOVE RIGHT.
White - one lap to go to finish of race.
Checkered - race finished. LEAVE THE TRACK.