Non-Members: The 2026 format formally limits non-members to 3 events and requires a single-event membership form.
Non-Points Fees: 2025 charged a flat $15 per car; 2026 states fees are "Variable by event".
Merchandise Sales: 2025 mentioned selling raceceivers, headphones, and batteries; 2026 entirely removes this section.
Transponders: Changed from "can be rented" in 2025 to "will be rented" in 2026.
Schedule and Venue Rules
Schedule and Venue Rules
Schedule and Venue Rules
Facility Agreement: 2025 referenced a "license agreement"; 2026 updates this to a "lease agreement".
Morning Staging: 2025 sent "First Class cars" to staging at 8:45 AM; 2026 sends "Novice cars" to staging prior to the pit meeting.
Ejections: 2025 allowed removal from "all racing and paved surfaces"; 2026 expands this to removal from "any or all of WQMA property".
Qualifying Issues: Malfunctioning cars went to the "hot chute" in 2025 , but go to the "work area" in 2026.
Volunteering and Judging
Schedule and Venue Rules
Volunteering and Judging
Volunteer Quota: 2025 required families to work "3 race's worth" of positions; 2026 reduces this to "2 classes worth".
Judging Assignment: 2026 rules state that Judging assignments are assigned.
Judging Stand: 2025 required a judge present before push-offs and detailed replacement rules; 2026 removes these specific clauses, simply stating procedures follow QMA guidelines.
Race Formats & Scoring
Race Formats & Scoring
Volunteering and Judging
A-Main Inverts: 2025 used a dice roll (0, 4, or 6) for competitive class inverts; 2026 uses a fixed invert of 4 for Novice and 5 for all other classes.
Scales Penalty: 2026 adds a new rule: not crossing the scales after a race yields zero points.
Disabled Cars: 2025 added and divided points equally; 2026 simplifies the text to state drivers "will share points".
Throw-Out Exceptions: 2025 disqualified a throw-out for a "Technical DQ at teardown"; 2026 updates this to an "end of day tech DQ".
Awards and Safety
Race Formats & Scoring
Awards and Safety
Non-Points Awards: Determined by the "board" in 2025 ; determined by "that race event committee" in 2026.
Year-End Jackets: 2025 awarded jackets to the top four; 2026 awards jackets only to first place.
Track Records: 2025 gave an award to "Any WQMA member" breaking a record; 2026 only gives an award to the "Final track record breaker".
Perpetual Ties: In 2025, tied members shared the award ; in 2026, the board votes to break the tie.
Fuel/Throttle Systems: A new rule was added for 2026 stating, "Two throttle return springs are required on all Honda engines". (This is listed under section 2(N) Fuel).
Helmet Ratings Updated: In 2025, helmets were required to be rated SA2015 or SFI 24.1 or newer. For 2026, this has been upgraded: helmets must now be rated SFI 24.1/2020 or newer or SA2020 or newer.
CMR Karting Helmets Removed: The 2025 rulebook allowed the "CMR 2016 karting helmet" as an option if used with an SFI 3.3 rated head sock. This allowance has been completely removed from the 2026 rulebook.
Head Socks for Modified WF: In 2025, an SFI 3.3 rated head sock was only required for drivers of Half Midgets using alcohol. In 2026, this requirement has been expanded to include drivers of Modified WF using alcohol as well.
Suit Repairs Banned: Under the Suits, Jackets and Pants section, a new rule was added for 2026: "No patches for repairs or holes in suits will be allowed".
Racing Rules
Equipment Specifications
Equipment Specifications
Tail Cones: A clarification was added to rule 1(C) explicitly stating that "A tail cone is required when more than a single car is on the track".
NEW - Mobility Devices Ban: A new rule, 1(H), has been added. It states that "No mobility devices (i.e wheelchairs, crutches, motorized scooters, knee scooters, etc) will be allowed in the hot chute, staging lanes, or racing surface areas".
Smoking / E-Cigarettes: The smoking ban has been significantly expanded. It now explicitly includes "electronic cigarettes" and adds "especially whenever fuels may be exposed to the atmosphere".
No Judges Option: For local events run without judges, a new rule 1(E) was added giving the Race Director or Flagger the "authority to make any judging call as described in section 7(H)".
Loss of Control Definition: The definition of a "Loss of Control" penalty was slightly broadened. In 2025, it applied when a single car lost control "and additional cars become part of the incident". In 2026, it applies whether or not other cars are involved, updating the text to "additional cars may or may not become part of the incident"
Racing Rules
Equipment Specifications
Class and Division Structure
Initial Starts (Flagger Responsibility): A new rule mandates exactly when the flagger can start the race: "Flagger shall start the race when the first place car reaches the apex of turns three and four, but no sooner than the turn three commitment line and no later than the turn four apex"
Initial Start Accidents (No-Calls): In 2025, if an accident occurred on the initial double-file start and no call was made, the field resorted to a single-file restart. For 2026, if this happens before all cars pass the start line, the race is reset and they will get "one attempt to restart again in double file".
Class and Division Structure
Class and Division Structure
Class and Division Structure
Age 9 Move-Up Exception: Rule 1(C) allows drivers turning nine to move up to the Senior division early, with an exception. In 2025, this exception was for the "Light WF class". In 2026, it has been changed to simply the "WF class".
Novice Rules: No changes
Inspections
Class and Division Structure
Administrative Procedures
Heavyweight Driver Privacy: A new procedure was added to Section 2 for weighing drivers in the heavyweight division. Drivers will now be weighed "one at a time privately and may be accompanied by their handler". Additionally, their specific weight will no longer be logged; the weight sheet will only record "a yes or no".
Article 8A: Engine Suspensions: This is an entirely new article added for the 2026 season to formalize tech penalties and the appeals process.
Illegal Engine Penalties: Specifies suspensions for illegal engines: 1st offense is a 30-day suspension, 2nd offense (within a year) is 6 months, and 3rd offense (within a year) is 1 year.
Multiple Cars: Clarifies that if a handler has multiple cars in the same class at one event and multiple engines are found illegal, it only counts as one offense.
Refusal of Tech: Outlines strict penalties for refusing tech, starting at a 6-month suspension for the first occurrence, 1 year for the second, and a life suspension from QMA for the third.
Appeals Process: Handlers now have exactly 15 minutes to decide whether to appeal an illegal part. If appealed, the part is sent to the National Tech Director within 5 business days, and all shipping is strictly at the member's expense.
Administrative Procedures
Class and Division Structure
Administrative Procedures
Elections: 2026 rules have an exhaustive "elections" sections around voting for new board members.
Memberships:
Alumni and Associate Handlers: A new membership category for $50 annually, with no voting rights.
Minor Volunteer Membership: A new membership category for "16-18 year old minor plus one Parent or Legal Guardian". The fee is $100, and it carries no voting rights.
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