Season 2 format introductions

The IFCA Relay Challenge:
 
Lotus vs McLaren:


 
Here's how it works: You and your teammate take turns (stints) in relay fashion. At the start, one driver will be the lead-off driver for the first stint, while the other driver on the first lap drives (around the track) to the pit to park at pit exit, and then waits for his turn in ghosted form. Both of you will do 2 pit stops, plus a final mandatory pit. 


Once you both have completed your mandated pit (3rd and final pit), you both leave the pits together for the first time to finish the remaining laps together in tandem.

Both drivers are required to pit on the same lap number for each pit stop.  The first 2 pits can be whatever your team decides.  Whatever number your partner pits on has to be the same lap number you pit on. The "goal" is to get to the end of the mandatory 3rd pit as fast as possible, so you both can finish the remaining laps together on the same lap and ahead of your team rivals. 


The simulated exchange of drivers happens whenever one driver exits the pits and goes through the waiting ghosted driver. Once "contact" is made, the waiting driver can then leave to start his stint while the tagging driver parks at pit exit.  Everyone is required to pit at the end of the mandated pit/lap which is a different designated number at every race.

With everyone having different pit strategies it becomes difficult and therefore fun to tell who is actually in the lead until teams start coming in on their mandatory 3rd pit, and you start to see 2 cars leaving the pits at the same time for the first time.  And this is when the racing intensity actually begins.
 
As the last stint of laps begins, and as faster drivers from slower teams start to gain on slower drivers from faster teams the pressure increases!  We leave just enough laps for drivers to make some ground up on their rivals during the last stint.

In the end, the team with the best combined average finishing position wins!  If there is a tie, the team with the highest combined pre-race average IFCA computer rating, wins!  
 
This format offers close and surprising finishes, and is the only known format that replicates endurance racing driver exchanges in all of Forza.
 
It’s a real test of teamwork, endurance, and race management.  You are after all, only as fast as your slowest driver.
 
Cars:
1965 Lotus #1 Team Lotus Type 40 R-Class  vs. 1966 McLaren #4 Bruce McLaren Moto Racing M1B
 
Tracks:
Mid-Ohio
Road America
Lime Rock full
VIR full
LeMans Old Mulsanne
Silverstone GP
Catalunya GP

The Hybrid Invitational Spec Championship (HISC) format:


Ford vs Ferrari




The HISC format is a fun modified racing format that incorporates the use of hot lapping to determine the best drivers to invite to the championship round.  The biggest cash prize simulation racing events use this simple format exclusively for good reason.  It nets the most drivers.

Here’s how it works:
It’s a 5 week season where each week everyone is in the same 2 spec cars adjusted to the Copper thru Pro IFCA handicap.  *You are allowed to use either car every week. (The hot lap track changes each week.)
Every week during the first 4 weeks everyone hot laps on Rivals.  At the end of each week there is a follow-up points race every Saturday with the two championship cars at the championship track (Daytona road course).

So, the Saturday race is always at the same championship track with the same championship cars that will be contested at the end of the season championship race.

New Hot Lap Leaderboard points:
Track lap record =3pts
2nd = 2pts
3rd-13th = 1.5pts
14th-24th = .75pts


The top 24 drivers in weekly hot lap points by Friday 6pm CST, are eligible to race in the weekly Saturday points race. The grid will be set according to a 4 lap best lap shootout qualifier prior to the race.
The Saturday race offers the top 12 finishers an additional 1.25pt bonus each week.  This means that there’s a maximum of 5 extra bonus points that can be collected for the season by finishing in the top 12 each Saturday.


There will be a team bonus and team championship as well.  Form a 3-man team and each member gains 3 individual bonus points before the first green flag falls.  Make it a 4-man team and each member will gain 4 bonus points.  This means that you can now run as a single driver this season, and that teams are optional, but, team drivers are numerically superior and have a points advantage.

During the week our Wed night practice race remains as a, ‘just for fun race.’ 


At the end of the 4-week season, the top 24 drivers in points are then invited to race in the actual finale for the championship. The championship points table will be based on the size of the championship grid. If there are 24 drivers then the maximum points to be gained would be 24pts with 1pt increments. (If there are any ties they will be broken by the driver with the higher rating.) 


The same championship cars and track that were used during the season on Saturdays, are the same used for the championship round.


The champion is the driver who has collected the most total points after the championship race, and not necessarily the driver who wins the championship race.
Collect enough points during the 4 weeks, and you are in the BIG race! It’s that simple.

Weekly Hot lap Cars and Tracks:
1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback C-Class vs. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Luso C-Class
Laguna Seca
Watkins Glen
Nürburgring Sprint
Indy GP


Saturdays Championship Cars and Track:
1991 Ford #15 Roush Racing Whistler Mustang R-Class vs. 2017 Ferrari #25 Corsa Clienti 488 Challenge R-Class
Daytona road course

In this way many more drivers can take a shot at collecting points every week via hot lapping. Then, they also get a chance to see what it is like to race in a championship round every Saturday (even if they don’t make it to the actual final championship round) and, maybe pad their points totals to get into the championship round.

The main advantage of this hybrid spec format is easy and massive driver entry into the series.  All you have to do is post a time on Rivals which acts as your sign-up.  You don’t have to go to the IFCA to register and sign-up or read anything, just post a time, and you’re in. Much easier than pouring over format rules on a complicated website. 

The result will be potentially a much larger number of drivers posting laps.  However, this will mean a much larger number of drivers who don’t follow through every week too.  And this is fine, because the overall numbers will be larger still, placing more pressure on those who want to compete.  Missing drivers who don’t want to compete or can’t, is no longer a big problem or waste of everyone’s time. They only serve to add pressure because we don’t actually know who will show up every week.

It becomes a win-win whether people show up each week or not.  Instead of absent drivers taking away from the roster/grid/fun, they can only add to the roster because the primary grid that matters most is the one championship grid at the end of the season for double points.  

Collect enough points during the 4 weeks, and you are in the big show! It’s that simple, hassle free, and fun.

Spec Racing Combine format:
 
The Spec Racing Combine format is a mixture of hot lapping and racing all in one during a 12 week season divided by 2 week increments.
 
Here’s how it works:
 
All racers will race the same spec combine car for the first 6 weeks using a different track every 2 weeks.
 
The second half of the 12 week season will utilize a different car and new set of tracks.
 
Everyone will race the exact same Spec Combine cars, which will be fully upgraded except for power engine parts, and ballast parts.  
 
*Note that there will be no driver skill/car handicap in this format, instead there will be a compensating points handicap. So, no Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum or Pro builds to have to deal with. Everyone is in the exact same car.

A full season will be a 6 week period at 3 different tracks, and then, a second 6 week period with a different car and set of tracks.
 
Each 2 week period is contested on the practice leaderboard in Rivals ending on Saturday with a preparation race the first week, and then a final race the second week.  The grid will be a random grid order and special points table as follows:
 
Weekly Leaderboard Points:
 
Weeks 1-2
1st and 2nd get 0.75pts
3rd to 12th gets 0.5pts
13th and below get 0.25pts
 
First week prep race is a 6pt formula, and the second week final race is a 12pt formula:

Pro win = 6pts
Platinum win = 6.25pts
Gold win = 6.5pts
Silver win = 6.75pts
Bronze win =7pts
Copper win = 7.25pts
 
Every 2^nd race (Saturdays), gets double points.
 
Featured Cars:
2020 Lynk & Co #62 Cyan Racing  03  A-Class
1970 AMC Rebel Machine  B-Class
2018 Volkswagen #22 Experion Racing Golf GTi A-Class
1969 Dodge Charger Daytona S-Class
 
Initial Tracks:
Kayalami
Hockenheim
VIR
Daytona Oval

Because of the arrival of Daytona we are switching Homestead road course out for the HISC, and replacing it with Daytona which was the intended championship track anyway.

Same with Indy Oval Don