How to Calculate a NASTAR Handicap

While the NASTAR Software does all the calculations, below are a few simple formulas that illustrate how the NASTAR Handicap System works and how a NASTAR Handicap is calculated.

  1. PAR TIME = Pacesetter's Time ÷ Pacesetter's Handicap

  2. Racer's Handicap = Racer's Time ÷ PAR TIME

  3. Time required for a specific Handicap = desired Handicap x PAR TIME


Example 1 (Calculating a Par Time)

Joe Fast is a NASTAR Pacesetter at Superstar Mountain. Joe received a 6.45 handicap at the NASTAR Regional Pacesetting Trials. The day of the NASTAR race Joe:

  1. Takes at least one run on the newly set course. His fastest time was 29.63 seconds.

  2. To establish the course's PAR TIME, Joe would divide his time 29.63 seconds (i.e. Pacesetter's Time) by his handicap of 6.45 (i.e. Pacesetter's Handicap).

PAR TIME = 27.83 seconds = 29.63 (Pacesetter's Time) ÷ 1.0645* (Pacesetter's Handicap)

* Mathematically a 6.45 handicap is written 1.0645 because Joe Fast's time is 106.45% of the Par Time or the National Standard. Another way to say this is that Joe is 6.45% slower than the Par Time. A 10.0 handicap would be calculated as 1.10; an 11.88 handicap as 1.1188; and so on (i.e. move the decimal two places to the left and add a 1 in front).


Example 2 (Calculating a Racer Handicaps)

Now that the PAR TIME has been determined, you can calculate racers' handicaps. Theoretically, a racer's handicap is the percentage slower his/her time is from the National Standard or Par Time. Some examples are as follows:

Racer 1's Handicap* = 1.3108 = 36.48 (Racer 1's Time) ÷ 27.83 (PAR TIME)
Racer 2's Handicap* = 1.0216 = 28.43 (Racer 2's Time) ÷ 27.83 (PAR TIME)
Racer 3's Handicap* = 2.0295 = 56.48 (Racer 3's Time) ÷ 27.83 (PAR TIME)

* NASTAR Handicaps are calculated to the hundredth of a point. The decimal point is moved two places to the right to determine the NASTAR Handicap that is posted for each racer. Handicaps are truncated after the hundredth of a point.

Therefore, each racer's handicap would be posted as follows:

Racer 1's Posted Handicap = 31.08   = 1.3108 (Racer 1's Mathematical Handicap)
Racer 2's Posted Handicap = 2.16     = 1.0216 (Racer 2's Mathematical Handicap)
Racer 3's Posted Handicap = 102.95 = 2.0295 (Racer 3's Mathematical Handicap)