IFCA World Rankings - Stakes Match Race info

Okay boys, in an effort to bring different drivers together to compete against people they wouldn't normally get a chance to compete against in a million years, a new facet is being added to the IWR (IFCA World Rankings) list. What we want to do is open up the list so that more challenge matches can occur without it affecting anyone's ranking. Impossible you say? lol

Since it has been made known that quite a few drivers with serious high ranking reputations would rather not squander said reputations with a potential loss in this or any other competition, the entire list will be open for drivers of any rank to challenge any driver on an unofficial basis. What??? Hear me out. lol.

These would be special challenge match races only for those who are on the list, and will not affect your ranking. This will allow #200 for example to challenge #1 under the same criteria as an official IWR match race. The challenged driver still doesn't have to accept any challenges of course, but we will be offering a small token incentive and appreciation prize for those that do accept, and win.

Here's the deal, the original idea for a world rankings list itself came from professional Chess, the PGA, and the Pro Tennis rankings. The competition format (match racing) has its idyllic roots in of all things, horse racing.

Back in 1938 there were two American thoroughbred horses who represented the best of two different regions of the country in horse racing. From the East, an aristocratic Kentucky Derby champion, born and raised as a sleek athlete among race horses in Kentucky called, "War Admiral", who was also a Triple Crown winner (Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes) and the son of the famous, "Man o' War." War Admiral was also named 1937 Horse of the Year.

From the West came "Seabiscuit", a smallish "blue collar" type horse with a peculiar demeanor of running fast only when he really wanted to. Seabiscuit's grandfather was "Man o' War" making him the half nephew of War Admiral. After winning all but 1 major race in the West once he had the right jockey on his back, talk began to spread about what would happen if the two greatest horses at the time ever met in a match race? At first the owners of War Admiral thought it was a foolish comparison, and beneath the reputation of their great horse. But as the idea picked up steam, and the public interest grew, the match was finally agreed to.

On November 1, 1938, the smaller and less than average looking "everyman's horse" Seabiscuit met the polished veteran War Admiral in what was dubbed the "Match of the Century". The event itself, run over 1 and 3/16 miles (1.91 km), was one of the most anticipated sporting events in U.S. history. The Baltimore Maryland Pimlico Race Course where the second leg of the Triple Crown is run (The Preakness) was the chosen venue. From the grandstands to the infield the course was jammed solid with fans. Trains were run from all over the country to bring fans to the race, and the estimated 40,000 at the track were joined by some 40 million listening on the radio. War Admiral was the prohibitive favorite (1-4 with most bookmakers) and a near unanimous selection of the writers and tipsters, excluding the California faithful.

Head-to-head races favor fast starters, and War Admiral's speed from the gate was the stuff of legend. Seabiscuit, on the other hand, was a pace stalker, skilled at holding with the pack before destroying the field with late acceleration. From the scheduled old school walk up start (no gates), few gave him a chance to lead War Admiral into the first turn. The trainer knew these things, and had been secretly training the Biscuit to run using a starting bell and a whip to give the horse a Pavlovian burst of speed from the start.


When the bell rang, Seabiscuit ran away from the Triple Crown champion! Despite being drawn on the outside, jockey Woolf led by over a length after just 20 seconds. Halfway down the backstretch, War Admiral started to cut into the lead, gradually pulling level with Seabiscuit, and then slightly ahead. Following advice he had received from previous jockey Pollard, Woolf had eased up on Seabiscuit, allowing his horse to see his rival, and then asked for more effort. Two hundred yards from the wire, Seabiscuit pulled away again and continued to extend his lead over the closing stretch, finally winning by four clear lengths!

As a result of his races that year and the victory over War Admiral, Seabiscuit was named "Horse of the Year" for 1938. The only prize that eluded him was the "Hundred Grander" race, which he would eventually win also.

The reason for telling this story is so that everyone sees the idea behind the new feature being added to the IWR list. It is for the unlikely event of allowing skilled drivers the opportunity to see what it is like to compete against the very best under race conditions, --but without damage to anyone's reputation.

The only recognition on the official list itself will be to bold the name of the drivers who have won a non-official "stakes" match. The results of these special unofficial matches will not affect either drivers official ranking one way or the other. In this way the very best can showcase their talents, while those wishing to become the best can see just how far they have to go to get there.

Should the favorite somehow falter and lose a match because of a rare mistake or something, it will not affect his official reputation in the least, anymore than an underdog possibly winning a match would. In this way everyone's honor is preserved, and all reputations stay in tact no matter what the outcome. Everyone else in the meantime will look on in awe as they get to see some very skilled performances for a change.

The only so called "score" that will be kept will be between the competitors, and those who have won a coveted, "Golden IFCA Trophy car." What is a, "Golden IFCA Trophy car?" It is one of several actual IFCA competition cars from the various series we run, with a competition tune and race livery, painted all gold. You can only get one of these special competition cars by winning an IWR Stakes Match race. Again the golden car will come complete with a legal build, race tune, name of driver, and even be allowed to race in the event it derives from.

So have at it boys! Race an official IWR race with rank on the line, and up to 15 drivers higher than yourself, or go with an unofficial "IWR Stakes Race" and challenge anyone on the list above, or below you.

As for you super fast drivers who will be challenged, this is your time to shine, and show the entire Forza community how good you really are without risking your reputation in the least

The track will be Silverstone International, you pick the car mate. lol

does this require a new section? To keep it seperate from the IWR, but still in the same vacinity - as these matches don't affect the rankings, it might get confusing if all under the same roof?

Yeah, if you would, set it up seperate, because this add-on is but an exhibition format to help people "lighten-up" and engage in races that are more for the fun of it.

Are competitors allowed to put stakes on the line???
ie. SP33D RAC3R 28x challenges Chilledheat - 1,000,000cr. challenge (the loser would have to give the winner 1,000,000cr or whatever the set stakes would be) Is this legal?? or encouraged??

You may do what you like in that regard, but the only way anyone will get an official Golden IFCA Trophy car is if they win the match.

would you not be eligable for the car if you challenge someone below you on the list?

I will issue the challenge but I would like to know if i'm still eligible for the car in this case.

Yes, that is a good point, one that I did make mental note of too. Whoever wins an accepted Stakes Match will get the trophy regardless of their official ranking.

Would someone attempt to cheat just to get a golden trophy car by challenging a lower ranked driver to do so? Or could two drivers fake a race just to get one? Sure, but the meaning and value of the trophy is then lossed.

This is about being honorable and sportsmenlike, and having a good time competing fairly and honestly.

well there are people on the list lower than me who i believewill give me a great run for my money and some i believe are faster than me. I would not do such a thing because as you've said, the value and purpose are then lost. I would only challenge someone lower than me if I thought they had more than a 50% chance of winning.

me too