Last year, I followed the IndyCar series more or less as it happened on Forza as best I could by myself. This year, I’m doing the same thing, but opening it up as a non-official, open, drop-in style series. There is no obligation to commit to the whole thing, you can run as many or as few races as you’d like (We had talked about doing it as a club series, not this year. Maybe if this goes well, we can turn it into a massive multi-club war or something for FM7), I will of course keep track of points for regular participants, due to the rather extreme duration of the series, it will be your best 10 results for the overall title, although the equally unofficial road and oval titles will be counted from each race. This is completely open to whoever wants to show up, be it alien level TORA driver who wants to roll up some chumps for fun or a chump like myself who just wants some good clean racing (I’m going to get killed…), although this all might not be rookie friendly. If we don’t draw enough people for an event, we will fill out the field with AI set to a level and number appropriate to the drivers attending and the track. We’re looking for traffic here, not competition, and this is racing for fun here, after all. If you are interested, let me know here or on XBL, and you will be invited.
Races will be held at 11 AM Eastern with the lobby opening 15 minutes prior on the Sunday mornings of the races, with the exception of Indy, which will be an Evercool Racing Team FRC meet on May 27 at the regular club start time (We do allow guest drivers, but consider joining! We’re a good bunch of guys!), although if there’s enough interest I will run one ERT race Saturday night and one series race the next morning. I can (and have!) run Indy all day long. These should all clock in at right around an hour or so.
Cars-You can pick any of the modern Indycars. Except for the big race at Indy in May (regular Evercool club rules will apply there), this isn’t an official series, so if your paint job fits Forza’s TOS, go for it, but I would encourage everyone to fly their team flags proudly. Tuning is completely open for road courses, but stock wheels MUST be used. We will run either the stock or a shared tune for the ovals to keep things close(r).
Race rules-Mics will be needed. We will follow the standard Evercool Racing Team club rules for these races ( which can be found HERE, the short version is don’t be an idiot or a jerk on or off the track, and don’t do any of the things we usually complain about here. And let people know what you’re doing via mic). These are long races, patience and strategy is going to be required. If you are a slower driver, please be aware of faster drivers, same goes for the other way. If you are being lapped, please move over and let the faster drivers pass safely, and if you are damaged please stay off the racing line as you make your way back around. We will have 5 laps ghosted qualifying. All races will be rolling start. For the oval races, we will run 50 laps twice. After the first race and a brief intermission, the leader will pace the field at 100 MPH for two laps. Drivers will take their former positions behind the leader, drivers a lap down will wait at the start for the lead lap drivers to come around, drivers more than one lap down will not have to wait further but will pit at the start of the race. The lead driver will start accelerating at the start of the pit wall to start the race at the end of lap two. We will have to run a couple of practices to fine tune this method, of course. I may also introduce some yellow flag rules for the ovals to tighten things up a bit.
The schedule-We will follow the actual schedule (NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Schedule, Results, Dates, Times | Official Site of INDYCAR), obviously we will be using some different tracks as stand-ins. I’ve tried to keep them as close as I can, where I can.
Race 1-March 12-For St. Petersburg, Homestead-Miami road course, 50 laps. It’s a hair longer at 2.18 miles to St. Pete’s 1.8 miles, and does play very much like a street circuit. Also in Florida. By the end of that weekend I will be cursing that state.
Race 2-April 9-Long Beach, 50 laps.
Race 3-April 23-Standing in for Barber, VIR South course, 50 laps. It’s tight, has nice rolling hills, is a little shorter than Barber, and will be a very busy track.
Race 4-April 30-For Phoenix, Laguna Seca, 50 laps. Phoenix is an oval in the desert. We really don’t have an oval like it, but Laguna Seca is pretty dry.
Race 5-May 21-Indy GP, 42 laps.
Race 6-May 27- Indianapolis 2x125 mile race. Please note this will held at the regular ERT club race time as an FRC meet at 7 PM Eastern. (We should do an exhibition sprint race at a road course as well). As previously stated, if there’s enough interest in a Sunday AM race I will hold one the too.
Race 7 and 8-June 4-double header sprint races at Road Atlanta and VIR full, 25 laps each. Struggled with this one a bit. Belle Isle is tough to replace, and it’s not a real nice track. But Road Atlanta and VIR are nice tracks! Plus I was really looking for an excuse to work two of my favorites in.
Race 9-June 11-The Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5 mile oval. The 1.5 mile Homestead oval 150 (2x50 laps)…in the rain (remember the real race last year?).
Race 10-June 25-Road America, 27 laps.
Race 11-July 9-Iowa Corn 300, replaced by the Homestead 150 but in the dry this time.
Race 12-July 16-Honda Indy Toronto. Standing in for this 1.75 track will be the 2.13 mile Sebring Short circuit, 50 laps.
Race 13-July 30-VIR North course is a natural to fill in for Mid -Ohio, 48 laps. They’re even similar in length, about 2.25 miles.
Race 14-August 20-Daytona is a 2.5 mile tri-oval. Pocono is a 2.5 mile tri-oval. 2x125 again!
Race 15-August 27-Lime Rock West chicane, 50 laps. Follow me here. We’re out of ovals. In the real series, Gateway Park more or less replaces Loudon, which is a short track in New England. Lime Rock is also a short track in New England. There we go.
Race 16-Sept. 10-Watkins Glen, 32 laps. What, you thought I was going to make everyone race on Labor Day?
Race 17-Sept. 17-Sonoma GP, 50 laps. Finally…Probably the last hurrah for FM6. Been a heck of a ride.
Anyway, hope to see everybody on the track!