NASCAR Rulebook
Qualifying Procedure
Qualifying will use a Group Qualifying Procedure. All drivers will be released onto the track at the same time as decided by practice speeds. Qualifying will be run immediately before the race.
Qualifying will consist of three rounds with the first round divided into two groups based on a random draw as decided by random.org. Vehicles drawing an odd number will be in the first group with even numbers in the second group. The first round is five* minutes and will be separated into 2 parts, 1 for each group. There will be a 7 minute break between each group for the first round. The 6 fastest cars from the first round advance to the second round. Following a 10-minute break, the second round will be five* minutes with the fastest 3 advancing to the third and final round. A seven-minute break will precede the third round, which will last five* minutes. The top 2 cars will make up the front row for the feature race.
*Daytona 500 only. Florida 300 will have 2.5 minute rounds.
1. Qualifying will be done in Practice Mode.
2. Qualifying will begin immediately as the room is reset.
3. The timer for each round will start with cars on pit road.
4. Once time ends in a session and a driver is still on their lap, they will be allowed to complete it.
5 . Lap speeds for drivers that advance to the next round reset after each round. Drivers that advance to the next round are locked-in ahead of drivers that did not advance, even if their next round speed is slower that a non-advancing driver’s prior round speed.
6. Drivers that advance to the next round will line up at the exit of Pit Road in preparation for the next round of qualifying. Drivers will use the drive-through procedure to get there.
7. Drivers are not allowed to make repairs on Pit Road. If a vehicle is involved in an incident and goes to the Pit Road, it is not allowed to return for qualifying. A car that goes to the Pit Road will be positioned in the starting lineup based on its top lap speed in the last round it completed. Once a driver enters Pit Road, their qualifying session is over, that driver may not advance to the next round.
8. Drivers may not exit the track and go to the garage. If a car leaves the track, it is removed from qualifying and positioned in the starting lineup by its top lap speed in its last round competed.
9. If there is an incident during qualifying, the qualifying timer will be stopped for the session and we will resume the allotted time when the track is clear. it can also be stopped at the discretion of the managing director of the series.
10. Drivers will be limited to one set of tires for qualifying.
11. Drivers will be allowed to draft in qualifying session.
12. A driver does not have to compete for the entire duration of a session, but the vehicle must complete one lap in order to record a qualifying time. Once a driver is satisfied with their lap, they are to pull over in the skid pad area before Pit Road. Drivers are allowed to resume driving if they find that their lap time is no longer good enough. If a driver is going to resume driving, they must use the Pit Road drive-through procedure.
13. Drivers are only allowed to wait at the exit of pit road.
14. If multiple vehicles are tied with the same top lap speed, at the end of a round, whichever driver set the duplicate time first would start in front of the other.
15. If qualifying is ended prematurely and one or more qualifying sessions are completed, the starting positions will be determined based on the most-recently completed qualifying sessions.
Daytona Duel Races
The Qualifying for the Daytona 500 will be split into two stages, initial Group Qualifying and the Daytona Duels. Initial Group Qualifying will be run immediately before the Daytona Duels. The first Daytona Duel will include the drivers that placed in the odd positions from the initial qualifying. (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) The results of this race will determine the inside starting grid for the Daytona 500. The second Daytona Duel will include the drivers that placed in the even positions from the initial qualifying. (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) The results of this race will determine the outside starting grid for the Daytona 500. 1st and 2nd place from the initial qualifying will start in 1st and 2nd positions in the Daytona 500 regardless of where they placed in the Daytona Duels.
Caution Procedure
A Caution (Yellow Flag) will be called if there is a wreck or 2 or more cars colliding with each other, a high number of cars spinning out at once, (race director discretion), or if there is a damaged car causing a hazard, From the moment that the Caution is called the field will be frozen instantly. Drivers will hold their positions at the moment of Caution. In the event of a Caution, drivers will slow down carefully, to the pace speed of the track. When a Caution is thrown, do not slam on your brakes to slow down. If you slam on your brakes, and it causes an accident, you will be penalized.
A Caution is called by saying the word "Caution" or by typing "c" into the chat. To make the Caution official, the race director must acknowledge the Caution. When a Caution is called, drivers must acknowledge the Caution by repeating "Caution" over their microphones if able. Drivers without microphones do not need to do anything.
When a Caution is called, the Pit Lane will be immediately closed. Pit Road will be closed until a Race Director announces that it is open.
The Safety Car will pick up the leader when the leader approaches the Safety Car's location while at pace speed. Until the Safety Car is deployed, the leader will be responsible for maintaining Pace Speed. Once the Safety Car comes out, Pit Road will be opened allowing drivers to pit.
During a "Quickie Yellow" all cars may enter Pit Road the first time by when it is opened. During a full Yellow, only Lead Lap cars may pit the first time by Pit Road. The next time by, all cars may pit. Cars may pit as often as they wish at the expense of track position.
ed. After the first round of pit stops, the first car a lap down at the moment of Caution (known as the Free Pass car) will get to go around the Pace Car and start the race at the rear of the field. The Free Pass car MUST pit at the time when lapped cars are allowed to pit. The Free Pass car does not pit as they are getting their lap back.
If the Free Pass car is judged to have caused the Caution (intentionally or not) there will be no Free Pass car. If the driver is a lap down because of a penalty, the driver will not be eligible for the Free Pass. The "Lucky Dog" rule does not apply during the last 10 laps of the race.
Aggressive driving and retaliations will NOT be permitted and drivers will be penalized accordingly. Drivers who hit other cars and cause damage during a Caution will be penalized. The Caution will be extended to allow the driver that was hit to pit again if pit stops have already occurred. That driver will be allowed to regain their position.
If a driver spins out during a Caution, racers will be allowed to pass that driver. (If drivers are already formed up behind the Pace Car, then racers will only be allowed to pass the driver that spun out as long as they do not exceed the pace speed.) Racers will not be allowed to pass the driver that spun out once that driver is back up to pace speed. If the driver that spun out is damaged as a result of their spin out, the Caution WILL NOT be extended. The driver that spun out WILL NOT get their position back.
During a Caution you may signal other drivers to pass you by ghosting your car while going below the pace speed. If you do this, you will only be allowed to take your position back at the call of the Race Director if you were typing something important in the in-game chat.
The field will remain under Caution until everything is set to resume racing under safe and fair conditions.
At the one to go signal, any car that is ahead of the leader of the race will be waved around the rear of the field. These cars are not permitted to pit until after the Green Flag comes back out and the race has resumed.
Red Flags
In the event of a Red Flag, all cars will come to a stop on the backstretch just before the Bus Stop Chicane. Drivers will give plenty of room to each other and slowly apply the brakes. It is recommended that the lead car count down their speed. All drivers will then hold the brakes and press Start to "ghost" their cars. Cars are to remain stopped and ghosted until the Red Flag has been lifted.
Pitting
Approaching Pit Road there will be a turn off point to enter Pit Road. After a certain point there will be a Commitment Line where drivers will not be able to change their mind and they must enter Pit Road, which will be announced by the Race Director.
Under Caution drivers may pit as many times as they would like. However, the first time by Pit Road will only be open to the lead lap cars. The second time by, all cars may pit.
Starts and Restarts
Starts and Restarts will be Double File. The leader will get their choice of lane for the front row. For the rest of the rows, even positions will be on the outside and odd positions being on the inside for all of the rows. There is to be no changing lanes until after your car has passed the Start/Finish Line. If you're on the inside row and the outside row gets a better jump, you're stuck on the inside row until your car passes the Start/Finish Line and vice-versa.
The Restart order is always this: Lead Lap Cars > Disconnect Caution Cars > Cars 1 or more laps down > Free Pass Car > Wave Arounds > Cars that have received a penalty. Once the Pace Car has pulled onto Pit Road, the leader will have control of the field at Pace Speed. There will be a Restart "Box" at a point on the track that will be marked by the Race Director in the drivers meeting. Once the front row has entered the Restart Box, both cars are free to accelerate to take the Green Flag.
Network Disconnect Cautions
When a driver has a network disconnect and is forced out from the lounge of an event race, a Disconnect Caution will be waved. NAT Type 1 or 2 are required to race, NAT Type 3 is prohibited. If you wish to retire from the race, enter Pit Road, do not click "OK", or if you do IMMEDIATELY hit Start. This will ensure that you car stays in it's pit stall for the remainder of the race. If you need to leave the room, make sure we know that you are leaving
by typing it out, so we know that you haven't been disconnected. You still need to drive yourself to Pit Road before leaving the room.
A. Disconnect Cautions resemble mechanical issues/failures, this MUST be the said driver's first network disconnect of the race.
B. The standing Race Director will call for a Caution when noted that the qualifying driver has left the room.
C. Drivers will race back to the line as usual. Once under Caution, at the call of the Race Director. All drivers will gradually come to a STOP on the track.
D. The disconnected driver will have 5 minutes to get back in the lobby. If they are not back in the lobby within 5 minutes, the race will resume Yellow Flag conditions. If the driver rejoins the room before the race goes Green again, they will be allowed back in. Otherwise, they won't be and the Caution Procedure for a normal Caution Period will be followed in place of the Disconnection Caution Procedure. If a driver gets back online and is able to communicate their attempt to fix their issue, they may be allowed extra time.
E. In the event that the disconnected driver rejoins the room on time, there will be mandatory pit stops. Following that, will be another Red Flag so that the Official's can take a tally and placement of current drivers for the restart. All drivers will exit the track so the host can reset the room. DO NOT LEAVE UNTIL TOLD.
F. The host will set laps to remaining amount. (Additional Pace Laps may be needed if there are lapped cars.)
G. Once the room has been reset, drivers may re-enter the track for competition. (It helps if the host is on everyone's Friends List.)
H. The disconnected driver will restart at the rear of the field on the Pace Lap.
I. If there are lapped cars, the lapped cars will pull over to the side of the track on the backstretch and will rejoin the lead lap cars when they are the correct amount of laps down. (No more than 5.) If they are more than 5 laps down they will not be allowed to go around the track to catch the leader after racing back to the line for a Caution if they beat the leader to the line until there have been enough times where that would have happened, where they would actually be 5 laps down. (Help from Officials will be available if necessary.) The field will remain under Caution until all cars are the laps down they should be before the disconnection occurred.
Ia. If there are lapped cars, before the 1 to go signal, there will be optional pit stop, in which drivers will not lose any track position for pitting.
J. Standard Restart procedure will be followed on the final Pace Lap.
K. Disconnect Cautions will not occur with 10 or less laps to go. (2 laps at Special Stage Route X)
L. If a driver is disconnected a second time, a second Disconnect Caution WILL NOT be granted, the driver will record a DNF, and may remain in the lounge area.
M. Re-entry after 2nd disconnect drivers and lapped down drivers; Drivers will be able to re-enter a race if they are disconnected a second time. When the driver re-enters the room they will not be awarded a Disconnect Caution and the room will not be reset. However, if another Disconnect Caution is called later in the race, and the field is reset along with the room, that driver will be granted re-entry to the race. It is as if their car was taken behind the wall for repairs. See Section I if the driver will be a lapped car. (Highly likely.)
Wrecks on the Last Lap
If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. The race is over. The field is frozen at the Moment of Caution. For scoring purposes the Moment of Caution will be official 6 seconds after the wreck begins. However, if there is an incident during the final lap behind the leaders, and the run to the finish line is clear for the leaders, the Caution may be delayed until the leader has taken the Checkered Flag. This allow an opportunity for the leaders to race for the win.
For cars that are involved in the wreck, the cars must be back on the track and moving at a fairly reasonable speed comparable to the track and the Caution Speed Limit in order to hold position. Drivers will be allowed to pass cars that are still recovering from the wreck.
Penalty Procedure
To perform a drive-through penalty, follow the inside wall on the pit road approach as close as you can, this will force your car to reset and drive-thru Pit Road without pitting. Running a Pit Stop when you are required to do a Drive-through Penalty will result in another Drive-through penalty when you arrive at Pit Road after going around the track. When performing a drive-through penalty, drivers must still be at or under the pit road speed limit.
The following is a list of NASCAR penalties.
Pit for Heavy Damage
1. Driving a car with heavy damage, to the point where it is difficult to control the car, or with engine damage, will result in the driver having to pit.
End of Line Penalties
2. Having possibly entered your settings after qualifying your car. Please remain on pit road after qualifying.
3. Starting the race with a different driver than whom qualified the car.
4. Pitting when pit road is Closed. This includes drivers pitting when they are a lap down when Pit Road is only open for the Lead Lap Cars as pit road would still be closed for Lapped Cars. If a driver is already on Pit Road when Caution is called out, closing pit road; that driver will not be penalized.
5. Pitting out of order.
Drive-through Penalties (Green Flag) or End of Line Penalties (Caution)
6. Cars must enter pit road in single file. If a driver is out of line, they will be penalized.
7. Speeding while entering Pit Road.
8. A Commitment Line Violation.
9a. Crossing the Pit Entrance Line, when entering Pit Road and/or not being within the Pit Entrance Lines on Pit entry.
9b. Crossing the Pit Exit Blend Line, when exiting Pit Road.
Drive-through Penalties.
10. Accelerating before the Restart Line on a Start or Restart. (AKA Jumping the Green Flag.)
11. Changing lanes before the Start/Finish Line after the leader has entered the Restart Box on a Start or Restart. This includes the lane changes caused by warming your tires.
11a. Being in the incorrect lane on a Start or Restart.
12. Being ahead of the leader at the Restart Box on a Start or Restart, if the offending driver does not give the spot back by the Start/Finish Line.
13. Being ahead of the leader on a Start or Restart at the Start/Finish Line, if the spot isn't given back within a reasonable amount of time.
14. Passing on a Start or Restart before the Start/Finish Line.
15. Not being bunched up with the group on a Start or Restart.
16. Under Caution, passing after the second to last turn on the "One to Go" signal.
One Lap Penalties
17. Not serving a Drive-Through Penalty when required, or, in a more severe case, being removed from the race.
18. Passing the Pace Car.
19. Pulling up to pit; drivers must maintain position in relation to the field under Caution.
20. Passing a car under Caution that is heading to pit until they are on Pit Road.
21. Damaging a car under Caution. A more severe penalty may be induced.
Penalties Under Race Director Discretion
A Speedweeks Official may direct a Competitor to cease competition, to leave the racing lobby or to bring the car to the pits for a specified number of laps, and/or a specified time penalty for the balance of the race - or future races - if it is necessary to do so in order to promote the orderly conduct of the Speedweeks event(s). (Adapted from NASCAR Rulebook Section 9-12)
These can result in a simple restart at the tail of the field, a multiple lap penalty, or disqualification.
22. Disobeying a request from the Race Director.
23a. Request: Do not swerve/weave to warm your tires under Caution until the 1 to go signal has been given.
23b. Do not press Start to "ghost", "put your car on auto drive" under Green Flag unless you're in your pit box. It is allowed under Caution.
24. Intentionally causing a Caution.
24. Verbal abuse to an Official.
25. Disobeying a Black Flag or penalty.
26. Intentionally wrecking another driver.
End of Race
27. If there are not enough laps left in the race for a driver to serve a penalty, then they will be penalized after the race by being dropped to the last position for the current lap that they are on. (Example: If a driver is on the lead lap and he doesn't have enough time to serve the penalty, they will finish as the last car on the lead lap, ahead of any lapped cars.)
Daytona's Yellow Line Rule
28. Driving below the yellow line to advance your position is subject to a drive-through penalty, or if the foul occurs on the last lap that car will be regulated to the last car on the lead lap in official race results. Drivers may not complete a pass if any portion of that pass was below the yellow line. Drivers will not have to take the penalty if it is determined that the car that driver was passing forced the driver below the yellow line. Cars are allowed to pass other cars when they are "out of bounds", (below the Yellow Line) if they are doing so to avoid a wreck that is in progress.
Out of Race
29. Failure to comply with a Drive-Through Penalty within 3 laps will result in a disqualification where the driver must go to Pit Road and wait there until the end of the race. Failure to do that will result in the Host leaving the race and kicking the offending driver from the room. The Disconnection Caution procedure will then be followed so that the host may rejoin the race. If a driver does not serve their penalty within 3 laps, but continues to finish the race and is not kicked from the room, the driver's last lap will be 3 laps after they received the order to go the pit road for the drive-thru penalty. This also applies for drivers that do not pit if they are damaged. This only applies if the Race Director saw the penalty during the race and the driver was told about said penalty. Otherwise, in the case of a Drive-through Penalty not being served, drivers will be scored 1 lap down for not serving the Drive-Through Penalty.
Post-race Scoring Note: If a driver was supposed to be scored as 1 lap down and they earn their lap back for scoring, when the game (correctly) shows them as ahead of the leader. That driver will not scored as on the lead lap until the correctly scored leader passes them or they stay ahead of the correctly scored leader for 3 laps. Whichever comes first.
Probation
Under certain circumstances a driver may be placed on probation. When a driver is on probation, if they are seen breaking any rules (this includes not following the
GTPlanet OLR and/or the
Good Racecraft Guide) they may be banned for 1 or more races.
