1. Treat and race your fellow competitors the same way you would like to be. 

2.  We will not tolerate racism or prejudiced comments towards another competitor, owner, or admin. This will result in an automatic ban.

3. Keep language as clean as possible. We all swear, but keep it to a minimum and have a level of maturity. 

4. Tempers flare, it’s part of racing. However, don’t let those tempers flare to the extent of you becoming kicked from the league. 

5. Intentional wrecking will not be tolerated! This is covered more in depth in the penalties section 10.0.

6. There will be a skill gap between the drivers on track, please remember that we all started in this service as a beginner/ novice at some point. If you notice a driver exhibiting beginner driving tendencies, feel free to offer advice, not criticism. This is a league, the more we bring each other up, the better the racing will be.

7. All iRacing standard rules/code of conduct also applies to this league. 

8.  Lastly, driver recruitment for other leagues will not be tolerated! If you want to advertise for your league, there are tons of forums to do so. 

To sum up our code of conduct, everyone should be here to help one another. Please ask yourself if you can do that, if the answer is yes, WELCOME!

Midwest Motorsports reserves the right to remove any member for any reason without notice.

League administration is what keeps this league healthy and fluent. Without administrators, we wouldn’t have a league!

2.1 League Owner

• Eric Thaler

• Justin Thaler
  
  

2.2 Road Series Admins (this is the ONLY living section of the Rule Book and may change at any point).

• Points - Steve Hansell

• Recruitment and Roster - Justin Thaler

• League Content - Eric Thaler

• Scheduling & Participation - Joshua Watt

• Rules - Justin Gloeckner

• Social Media - Aaron Holroyd
  
  

Admins are to assist the league owner in admin roles. They are here to help run the series, and do so as volunteers. Admins take time outside of their daily lives and should be treated with respect - it's okay to question, but do so with an understanding they also have obligations outside of iRacing. 

Do NOT be afraid to challenge an admin on track. Admins are just like you, a “DRIVER”, if they do something wrong, you should submit an incident. 

If you have any questions regarding specific league information, please DM the appropriate admin.

2.3 Stewards

Stewards are a group of league or non-league members who the admins deemed to be “unbiased” when making decisions on racing penalties. These Stewards are to act as no-one knows who they are. Only Stewards and admins will be in communication. Once an issue has come to an agreement from a Steward, a member of the admin team will discuss the penalty or further action with the parties involved. 

New members are ALWAYS welcome! No matter what point they enter during a season. Everyone is encouraged to compete with us.

Please note our participation rule in section 11.1. 

3.1 Equipment

We require that you have a working headset and mic so we can communicate with you during races should something arise. We also do not allow users utilizing gamepads, keyboards, mouses, touchscreens, etc. to race as these are unpredictable and hard for competitors to race around.  

Drivers are responsible for completing all stages of their registration to its entirety. Registration is mandatory, and acceptance into the league relies solely on a completed registration.  Midwest-Motorsports has a simple three-step registration processes outlined below:

1. Fill out the sign-up located on our website for the Road Series - Midwest Motorsports Website

   1. Please only submit ONE sign-up submission. Check to make sure car choice and number are what you want before submitting.

2. Join our Discord server - Discord Link

3. Join our league within the iRacing UI - iRacing League Link

Again, all three steps above MUST be completed in order to be accepted into Midwest Motorsports.

4.1 Discord

This platform is used for communication/information purposes. This is where ALL communication with you and the other members will take place. Please familiarize yourself with this platform and ask an Admin for help if you don’t understand. We do our best within Discord to make it as user friendly as possible. 

Discord Link 

5.1 Car Number Selection

Your car number selection cannot be changed once your sign-up is submitted. This car number must be run for the entirety of the season. Only available numbers will be shown on the sign-up. The number “1” is reserved for the current champion to run at their choice.

5.2 Car Manufacturer Selection

You will select your car manufacturer during the sign-up process. Drivers can elect to change manufacturers once during the season for a deduction in points. For manufacturer changes during the season, see the Penalties - Section 11 for stipulations. 

Midwest Motorsport’s Road Series will feature a PRO/ AM class split designation. 

Current Midwest Motorsports drivers will be placed within the division utilizing the following procedure from the previous Road Series season:

• PRO Division Placement:

  • All returning PRO drivers will remain in the PRO division

  • AM promotion to PRO during the end of a season will be based on admin decision

• AM Division Placement:

  • • Returning AM drivers not placed in the PRO division will remain in the AM division

New members will be placed within a division utilizing the following procedure:

• At the end of the previous season, the median iRating across all current Midwest Motorsports Road Series drivers will be calculated

  • • Any new driver above the league median iRating will be placed within the PRO division

    • Any new driver below the league median iRating will be placed within the AM division

Road Series Average iRating = TBD

Every race will be posted in #race-sign-in. You must react in order to obtain all points. Please react using the below Emoji’s:

Joining the race =  🏎

Not Joining = ❌

If we do not see a reaction, we are just going to assume you are NOT making the race.

If you are not racing that week, there is no need to contact an admin, just react appropriately. 

6.1 Race Sign in and Attendance Policy

Race sign in closes five minutes prior to the race server opening. This allows our admin team to collect the list of drivers in a timely manner, and conduct an internal roll call.

** See penalties section for regarding attendance policy **

If required a quick drivers meeting will be held with all drivers. This will start with approximately 5 minutes left in the practice session of the server.

It is your responsibility as a driver to attend these drivers meetings. During these meetings, conduct for pit road entry and exit, along with other important track notes are discussed.

8.1 Setup

• iRacing’s fixed setups will be used. Setups for each track will be posted on the schedule for each week 

8.2 Weather

• Weather will be “Realistic"

• The iRacing Tempest weather system will be utilized for every race session

8.3 Practice

• Sessions are set to open at 7:00 PM Eastern Time

• Practice will be open to all competitors before qualifying. Rules are enforced during practice and monitored by @RaceControl

  • • Practice will be 10 minutes in length for standard race weeks. Endurance race weeks will have a practice time of 5 minutes

8.4 Qualifying

• Qualifying will start at 7:10 PM Eastern Time for regular race weeks, and 7:05 PM Eastern Time for endurance weeks

• Qualifying will have iRacing strict scrutiny rules

• All qualifying is open

  • Qualifying will be split into two 10 min windows for 20 min total. 

    • AM drivers will have the first 10 min to qualify.

      • AM drivers are permitted to finish a lap after the 10 min mark, but may not start a new lap. After crossing the finish line reset/tow back to the pits in a safe manner - DO NOT IMPEDE PRO DRIVERS. 

    • PRO drivers will have the last 10 min of the session.

      • PRO drivers may begin queuing in the pitlane after the 2 min AM warning from @Racecontrol  

      • If drivers are found to be on track outside of their qualifying window Race Control will issue a black flag. 

    • During qualifying, the standard for clean, respectful driving still applies. Provide a manageable gap between yourself and the car ahead. Just because you may be faster than the car ahead, does NOT justify you pressuring/ pushing the other driver. Another competitor's lap is just as important as yours.  

• Race will proceed immediately following the qualifying session

8.5 Race Length - Standard Weeks 

• Practice - Qualifying - Race

• Practice length: 10 minutes

• Qualifying length: 10 minutes per class (20 min total) 

• Race length - 1 hour 

8.5.1 Race Length - Endurance Weeks

Select weeks on the schedule will feature endurance races.

Endurance weeks will be set for the following format:

• Practice - Qualifying - Endurance Race

• Practice length: 5 minutes

• Qualifying length: 10 minutes per class (20 min total) 

• Endurance race length - 1 hour 40 minutes

8.6 Fuel Load & Tire Sets 

• Fuel load will be 60% for all manufacturers within the AM (GT4) Class

• Fuel load will be 40% for all manufacturers within the PRO (GT3) Class

• Tires will be unlimited

• The race will require pit stops due to reduced fuel load

Faster drivers may burn through the allotted fuel at a faster rate than the slower drivers. This makes it so drivers will need to strategize, and attempt to be more efficient if they do not wish to pit at some tracks.

8.7 Repairs

• There will be one fast repair available per race

8.8 Start

• Rolling starts.

• PRO leader to choose start after the pace car enters pit lane

  • AM class leader must maintain a minimum 5 sec gap to last place PRO driver

    • @RaceControl will announce pace car entry

    • PRO leader must maintain pace until he/ she deems the race to start

  • If necessary, a “start zone” will be designated within the drivers meeting per track by @RaceControl

  • No overtaking until passing the start/finish line

    • Drivers must stay in line until crossing the start/ finish

  • Drivers must maintain a safe relative distance to the car in line ahead

  • Start procedures will be reviewed by @RaceControl between laps 2 & 5

    • Any start procedure violations will result in a drive through penalty issued by @RaceControl

8.9 Cautions

• Local cautions only*

  • 1. • In the event that a full course yellow is deemed necessary by @RaceControl, iRacings safety car will be deployed 

8.10 Blue Flags

• It is the responsibility of the faster car to pass blue flagged (lapped) cars cleanly. However, lapped cars (backmarkers - within the same competing class) are ENCOURAGED to allow the lead lap cars to overtake as soon as possible. Backmarkers are to pay attention to the relative and mirrors to know when a lead lap car is close behind. It is ENCOURAGED to use audio or iRacing text to communicate your intentions to allow a lead lap car passed (ex. “Driver ABC - I’m going to lift and pull left, pass me on the right”)

Backmarkers are NOT to impede, or hold up cars on the lead lap. As a backmarker you are NOT racing cars on the lead lap for position. Allow them to pass or a penalty will be given of -50 points per incident. Admins will issue a warning post race for any incidents noted per race for the first offense. Every offense after will result in a -50 point penalty.

8.11 Pitting

Announcing your pits will be a courtesy, if someone is near you and feel they may need a warning, please announce.

When exiting pit road, you must follow the pit line until you pass the blue cone. If you do not follow this, iRacing will issue you a black flag for an unsafe pit exit. Once you are past the blue cone, you may enter safely.

Upon entering the track with cars present, you must yield to their line. 

8.12 Incidents

• Incidents to incur a black flag - 15

• Incidents to incur a DQ - 25

• Incident points will be incurred per iRacing, therefore they cannot be protested/ removed

Remember, we are promoting clean racing here. 

8.13 Black Flags

• Black Flags will NOT be cleared.

8.14 Checkered Flag/ Cool Down 

• 1. • After the checkered flag is flown, ANY INTENTIONAL WRECKING will result in an immediate ban from the league!

     • Multiple factors come into play after the race, most notably is safety. Many drivers may have direct drive wheelbases than can cause physical harm!

     • Secondly, some drivers may be close to the incident DQ limit, and an additional 4x would remove them from any points gained for their finish.

During racing conditions, please keep race chatter quiet. Set up a private chat for if needed, to avoid distracting other teams and drivers. All drivers must be on the @DRIVERS channel when in the iRacing session. This is to insure that if communication is necessary between two competitors, that communication can be heard. Use of foul language, calling out other drivers, or excessive race chatter may lead to penalties or removal from the league. There is a race chatter channel in the series Discord, but it's not actively monitored by admins. 

If there is an incident during a league race that you were involved in that seems more than a race incident or accidental, it is the drivers responsibility to submit an incident submission for the stewards to review. If it is worth your time to complain about, it is worth a submission (both parties could incur penalties).

Incidents can be reported using the google form in Discord Channel #Incident-Submission. 

Incident submissions must include the following:

• Your car number

• Offending car number

• Lap number of incident

• A clear description of the incident 

• A video submission from far chase camera

  • 1. 1. • Other relevant camera angles may be submitted if deemed necessary. 

If an incident submission does not include all required information, the incident submission will be thrown out.

Some incidents during the race may be tagged to be reviewed immediately following the conclusion of the race. This will be carried out at Race Controls discretion.

Incident reports may be submitted up to 24 hours following a race. After 24 hours have passed we will no longer accept incident requests from that race.

Once incidents are received, they will be fed to our Stewards. Once a report has come to an agreement from Stewards, an admin will discuss the penalty or further action with the parties involved. If no penalty is to be issued, we will notify you of this. If a penalty is being assigned, we will notify both parties. 

Although Midwest Motorsports is a league based upon having fun and building a community, there has to be a baseline of rules that all members must follow. With that said, there are also rules that should not have to be directly stated by the league - such as race manipulation, unnecessary contact (ex. dooring a competitor on a straight), etc... Everyone on the iRacing service should have the proper understanding of right vs. wrong, and carry the proper racing etiquette at Midwest Motorsports. 

Penalties work as a point deduction within the current series your violation occurred. 

At any point drivers are found to be conducting themselves in a manner that goes against the code of conduct or a rule infraction within a session, @RaceControl will notify/ issue a penalty as they see fit.

While @RaceControl will issue penalties within a session we cannot monitor every car on track at all times. If there are any rule/code of conduct violations that you wish to be reviewed please see section 10 of the rules, and submit an incident report. 

The following are league rules that will impact scoring/ starting procedures:

1. Race Opening Lap (All Race Weeks):

1. • To ensure cautious driving on the opening lap:

   • The full opening lap will be reviewed by Race Control and the Admin team immediately after the race. Drivers found responsible in an opening lap incident (an opening lap incident is defined as any 4x contact resulting in a single car - or - multiple car incident) with others will receive a mandatory pit-lane start in the next race they participate in

     • Race Control will call out the driver/ drivers required to start from the pit-lane the following race

     • Drivers starting from the pit-lane are NOT allowed to complete qualifying laps

     • If you receive a mandatory pit lane start and you FAIL to start from the pit-lane, you will be issued a drive-thru penalty

     • Drivers penalized with a pit-lane start are not eligible to earn bonus points for “most positions gained”

       1. 1. • • • Drivers penalized with a mandatory pit-lane start MUST complete the following race

                   1. Example - if a driver with a mandatory pit-lane does NOT complete the race which they are penalized with a pit-lane start, the penalty will NOT clear

     • In the event of a final race opening lap incident, a 450 point penalty will be issued to the driver responsible

2. Lane Change or Passing Before Start/Finish Line (Race Starts):

   • • Drive through penalty issued by @RaceControl

3. Blue Flag Impedence:

   • • 1st offense - Warning issued

     • Repeat offense - Penalty -50 points

     • If found to be excessive impeding during a race @Racecontrol reserves the right to remove you from the session

4. Live Race Control Penalties

   • Race Control reserves the right to issue penalties within the session based upon driver etiquette/ incidents

     • These penalties can be issued for a multitude of reasons, examples being:

       • • 1. Causing a collision

           2. Car control/ placement vs. competitors (ex. - Divebombing, Unsafe Rejoin, Unsafe Pit Exit)

           3. Cutting corners/ competitive manipulation (ex. - gaining an advantage by shortcutting the track)

   • The above instances could result in a drive-thru penalty being issued to said driver. The penalty will follow iRacing's standard time-frame to satisfy the penalty (3-laps to serve)

     • • • 1. FAILURE TO SERVE A PENALTY ISSUED BY RACE CONTROL WILL RESULT IN A DQ FROM THE SESSION

5. Incident Submission:

   • • Incident submission penalties will be assessed on an individual basis and severity of penalty determined by the stewards 

6. Attendance Policy:

   • • After 3 consecutive weeks of not RACING, it is suggested you reach out to an admin if you wish to remain in the league

       • Signing in to a week's race as “not-attending” does not circumvent the attendance policy

     • If an admin does not hear from you within the 4 week window, you will be removed from the league

     • If you sign up for a race, and you do not take part in that race, you will receive a 15 point penalty

     • If you do not sign up for a race, and you do take part in that race, you will receive a 15 point penalty

7. Intentional Wrecking:

   • • 500 point deduction, one license strike, and a one-week race suspension

       • If you receive this penalty and try to join the following week's race, you will be banned from the league

     • If a competitor is found to have committed multiple offenses during a race, they will be removed from the session and placed on probation until informed otherwise by the admin team

8. Strike Policy:

   • • We will abide by a 3 strike penalty policy

     • Strikes can be accumulated through reported incidents, or penalties issued by admins for broken rules

     • Once 3 strikes are obtained, you will receive a 2 race ban. Any penalty after 3 strikes will result in a league ban

9. Track Etiquette:

   • • Driving backwards on track during ANY session is strictly prohibited

       • Doing so may result in a penalty, DQ from session, or removal from the league

10. Improper Manufacturer Choice

    • • 50 point penalty

11. Mid-Season Manufacturer Change:

    • • Drivers are granted a one time change of car manufacturer during the season

        • To request the change of manufacturer, fill out the "Manufacturer Change Form" located in the Discord server

          • Once a car manufacturer change is submitted, that new manufacturer choice must be ran for the remainder of the race season

      • The penalty for a manufacturer change is as follows:

        • 50 point penalty

        • Mandatory EOL (in class) for the next race

All League Issued Penalties Are Non-Appealable!