Combine Rules and Regulations
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Form downloads: Click the blue links below to download the forms and mail the form or forms to the address in the yellow highlight.
Driver Liability Release form:
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Lind Lions Club
% Mike Doyle
PO Box 37
Lind, WA 99341
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​Disclaimer
The rules and/or regulations set forth herein are designed to provide for the orderly conduct of the events and to establish minimum acceptable requirements of such events. These rules shall govern the condition of all events, and by participating in these events, all participants are deemed to have complied with these rules. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM PUBLICATION OF OR COMPLIANCE WITH THESE RULES AND/OR REGULATIONS. They are intended as a guide for the conduct of the sport and are in no way a guarantee against injury or death of a participant, spectator or official.
The event directors and officials shall be empowered to permit minor deviations from any of the specifications herein or impose any further restrictions that in his opinion do not alter the minimum acceptable requirements. NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF SAFETY SHALL RESULT FROM SUCH ALTERATION OF SPECIFICATIONS. Any interpretation or deviation of these rules is left to the discretion of the officials. Their decision is final.
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DRIVERS
To participate in the derby, a driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license (any driver under the age of 18 needs parental permission/consent NO EXCEPTION!). It is the responsibility of the drives to adhere to safety standards to protect themselves as well as others. The consumption of alcohol by a driver while participating in the derby increases the risk of injury or death to the participants and spectators of the derby and is strictly prohibited. When competing in the arena, a driver must be aggressive. Drivers have a three minute time limit to make contact or to attempt to do so. The three-minute rule applies to all heats. Being non-aggressive and avoiding contact in the three minute time period can result in disqualification. Each driver must accompany his/her combine from the arena so the combine gets to its designated space in the pit area & in a timely manner.
DRIVER MEETINGS/INSTRUCTIONS
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A driver meeting will be held three weeks prior to the derby on a Wednesday evening. At this time, rules and regulations are explained and discussed.
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A Steak BBQ and meeting will be held the Wednesday before the derby, and final instructions will be given.
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Drivers will be given an envelope containing 7 wrist bands, 2 vehicle pit passes, & combine numbers. Heat assignments will be decided at this meeting. Extra pit (gate) passes can be purchased at this time at a reduced rate.
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All drivers must be on the Lind Lions Club grounds by 9 a.m. on the day of the derby and ready for action no later than 1:00 p.m. Within this time frame, machines will be inspected by the judges and heat assignments will be drawn. Failure to comply with these requirements is grounds for disqualification.
ENTRY FORM & RELEASE
A month prior to the derby, a potential driver will receive an entry form. All information required should be completed on the form and returned as soon as possible to the Lind Lions Club. The entry form requires a list of sponsors, combine information (model, etc.) driver’s name, and the combine name. Driver is also required to submit a list of crew members. This information is required before the derby so that a MASTER SHEET can be completed for judges, announcers and spectators. A stamped, self-addressed is included for easy return. The entry form should be mailed two weeks prior to the derby with the entry fee.
Lind Lions Club
% Mike Doyle
PO Box 37
Lind, WA 99341
The entry fee will be returned if the combine is removed from the arena within a month following the derby. If the combine is not removed, the driver/owner will forfeit the entry fee. It is mandatory that each driver sign and date a release form. This form requires a Notary which will be available to each driver at the final meetings. IRS forms (W-9) are required one time only for all drivers, and it is the driver’s responsibility that one is on file with the Lind Lions Club Treasurer.
CREW MEMBERS/PIT AREA
There will be a limit of seven (7) pit-crew members (including the driver), who will receive complimentary gate passes plus two (2) vehicle/trailer passes, and 7 pit passes.. The gate passes, (wrist bands) are to be worn by all drivers and crew members, and the vehicle passes, required for service trucks, pickups & flatbed trailers, must be placed in the vehicle window. UNAUTHORIZED vehicles will not be allowed. If a driver or crew member does not have a wrist band, he/she will be asked to leave the pit area.
The back gate will close at 1:00 p.m., so vehicles MUST BE in place at that time. No one under the age of 18 years is allowed in the pit area for safety reasons, unless under the supervision of an adult. It is the responsibility of each combine crew to help alleviate the confusion and congestion that can cause problems in the area.
Pit area rules include:
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No Fires allowed
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No Standing on fence
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No campers
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No ATV’s allowed unless approved by the Lind Lions Club
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Alcohol consumption in non-authorized area is prohibited
EQUIPMENT
A combine may use a twenty year old axle, other than original equipment, as long as the modifications are for installation purposes. A (2) ton truck axle is NOT allowed. Modifying the rear axle is allowed, such as repositioning tie rod, drag, and steering cylinder. Any iron used for such purposes will be counted against the ten-piece limit. There will be no other changes to the combine during the derby other than the two options below.
Axle location: Note the following for rear axle location
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Stock location is acceptable.
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Rear axle can be moved from stock location as long as the rear wheels remain outside the frame.
Steering cylinders
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After-market steering cylinders are allowed, as long as they are of equal size as the original equipment.
Fuel tank size and securing
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The fuel tank may not be more than ten gallons, and it must be mounted & secured with metal straps. Bungee & ratchet straps are not allowed. Fuel tanks must be secured with caps that do not allow spillage of fuel, in the event that the combine tips over. (Vent can be used for ‘breather.’)
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Factory fuel tanks need to be removed. Duct tape is allowed to secure the fuel tank cap.
Battery securing
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All batteries must be secured in a box for protection from debris and fastened down with metal straps only – no bungee straps allowed.
It is recommended that an eye be installed on the rear axle of each combine to facilitate the removal of disabled combines from the arena.
COMBINE REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcing iron is limited to ten pieces of iron, any length, located anywhere on the combine, except in areas restricted by the rules. Iron reinforcement is limited to a maximum gauge of 2” X 2” X 1/4”. This 2” X 2” X 1/4” can be any type of iron, such as angle, square tubing, channel, or flat. Iron spears or external iron used for aggressive action is prohibited. NO extra welding on the Cutter Bar Edge, NO welding on Rock Guards and Header Bottom, and NO concrete in the platform auger. No well casing can be used as a stiffener or as an auger, & Rub bars, because they’re so brittle, cannot be used. Bracing is not acceptable outside of the wheels, but this does not include bracing to keep the headers at the required 16 - 18 inch height. The reinforcing ten-piece limit allows for protection, but leaves machines vulnerable enough to keep the combine mobilized. For safety, any number of iron pieces can be used including bracing used for hydraulic stops for safety or any driver protection supports.
The Driver has the option of using the maximum (5 pieces) of metal from where feeder attaches to combine to the back of the header. (If this is unclear, please call Mike).
Two pieces of iron is allowed to brace the header. The iron will be no bigger than ¼” X 2” X 2”. The iron will be fastened inside the front tire out to the header. Two other pieces of iron can be added to the header as long as they do not run back to the feeder spout or the combine frame. Maximum header width is 25 feet.
Square tubing may not be capped. If square tubing is capped, the driver will be required to cut the cap off to verify the thickness of the metal. If a combine has suffered a broken piece such as a tie-rod or axle, it can be repaired with iron to support the break which does not fall into the ten-piece limit, as long as reinforcing iron is the same width as the broken piece. This limit is at the judges’ discretion.
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No cap on header backbone
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No welding on top feeder house door
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No center support on feeder spout
Calcium chloride & foam or any liquids must be removed from the machine’s tires, as it is very corrosive and considered an environmental hazard.
Reinforcing the straw chopper housing is allowed, using only ¼” X 2” X 2” metal. This will not count against the ten-piece limit. Also Note:
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No sharp points on chopper housing
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No decorative items that can break into small pieces
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Custom covers may not extend more than 2 feet from the rear axle
Protection must be in place for the driver (e.g., a protective cage, or several bars in the front and to the side of the driver). This does not count against the ten-piece limit. The cage must be as high as the top of the steering wheel. Seat belts & fire extinguisher are mandatory & fire extinguishers must be fully charged, secured & within the driver’s reach. The combine inspection committee has the final say. Safety is the first concern! There will be no other changes to the combine during the derby other than the two options below. Note the following for rear axle location:
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Stock location is acceptable.
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Rear axle can be moved from stock location as long as the rear wheels remain outside the frame.
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There is no “Grandfather” ruling for veteran combines. ALL combines will be considered equal; meaning that no extra reinforcements even if used in prior years will be allowed.
One or more judges will inspect each combine before the derby begins. Among other things, the judge(s) will be looking at major reinforcements of each combine’s header and rear axle. The judge(s) may require that a hole be cut in any piece of metal to verify its thickness. If it is determined that there is an infraction of the rules, the contestant has the option of removing the piece before the event begins or being disqualified. Welding and modification after the 1 pm deadline is not allowed unless approved by the judges.
HEATS
The Derby will consist of three or four heats (regulated by the number of entries), a consolation heat (if necessary), and the final heat. However, if there are only two combines left for a consolation heat, the two drivers will draw for the final heat status.
Each heat will be fifteen minutes in duration, except for the final heat, and will be run back–to-back. There will be an intermission before the final heat & consolation heat, allowing drivers and crew time to make necessary repairs. If after 15 minutes during a regular heat the remaining combines will be eligible to participate in a final heat or a consolation heat before the championship heat. The derby championship will be awarded to the combine which is the final combine continuing to do battle, or at the judges’ discretion, two or more combines will be awarded a tie.
Combines in the final heat include winners from the first three or four heats & the top 3 combines from the consolation heat.
REPAIRS
Repairs to machines may commence at any time after the machine has been removed from the arena, between heats or during intermission. If a machine, approaching the heat or during the heat, suffers an engine failure not caused by competition contact, it may be able to return for a consolation heat before the final heat, depending on the crews ability to get it running and/or at the discretion of the judges.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
All decisions of the judges are final! The judges may, but are not required to, impose a warning prior to a disqualification. A driver will be allowed one warning per heat, at the discretion of the judges. A driver receiving two warnings in a heat will be disqualified from that heat. Driver will be allowed to participate in his next heat only at the discretion of the judges. If a driver is disqualified, a crew member may be chosen to drive, also at the discretion of the judges.
Following is a list of common reasons for disqualifications, but this list is not intended to be exhaustive, as there may be other grounds for disqualification:
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Pushing or pulling a combine outside of the barriers lining the arena
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High speed ramming
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Two or more combines locked together must attempt to separate within the three-minute time limit
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Continual out-running, out-maneuvering another machine
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Losing a header (judges will determine if the header is off or partially off & can require driver to remove his/her flag
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Excessive speed, unsafe or reckless driving (judge’s determination)
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Poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated and may result in disqualification & loss of prize money
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All combines must enter heats under their own power
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3 minute non-aggressive action
JUDGES
Four judges will preside at the derby. They are selected from surrounding communities and are presumed to be fair and impartial. Judges will carry hand held air horns which can be heard by the drivers. All decisions of the judges are final!
PRIZES
Money prizes are awarded to derby winners, heat winners, and to the best decorated combines. Entry money will be returned when combine is removed from the arena within a one month period following the derby. A first, second, and third place prize will be awarded to the “Best Decorated” combines. To compete, combines are required to participate in the annual parade where judging will take place. Judges for this event will be chosen at random.
AFTER THE DERBY
All derby combines and equipment must be removed from the Lions club Arena and grounds within thirty (30) days following the demolition derby. It shall be the sole responsibility of the combine driver to remove the combine and equipment from the arena and grounds or to make arrangements for it with the derby chairman. Any and all combines, equipment, and other property remaining on the grounds after that time period shall become the property of the Lind Lions Club, and shall be disposed of and/or destroyed in the sole and absolute discretion of the Lind Lions Club. Notwithstanding the Club’s ownership of the property, the driver of said combine and related equipment shall remain liable for any and all costs and expenses relating to the disposition and /or destruction of said property, and the Lind Lions Club shall not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages whatsoever relating to the disposition and/or destruction of said property.
Contacts: For questions or more information, contact one of the following by calling 509 677 3432
Mike Doyle, Chairman:
Tyran Doyle
Josh Knodel
Matt Miller
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