MSA TORA NATCC Season 1 - Rules and Regulations

*13/03/2012 - Rules Updated - Rolling starts implemented & Safety Car speed adjusted to 60mph from 80mph*

General Rules & Driving Etiquette

Touring Car racing, as defined by TORA, is a non contact sport. It is understandable that on occasion some contact may occur that is not expected by either party, for example due to lag. Competitors with 'lag' issues will not be penalized, but may be asked to improve their connection, if the issue is persistently hindering other's experiences please see connection section.

TORA expects competitors who partake in its championships and meetings to behave in an appropriate and respectable manner. Insulting comments or behaviour towards fellow competitors and race stewards is unacceptable and will be dealt with severely.

Competitors who are being followed on a straight part of a track by another car may move their position on the track ONCE to defend, any further sufficient movement outside of cornering will be deemed as weaving and you may be reported to the race director or head steward after the race.

If a competitor leaves the track at any time, it is advised that extra caution is taken not to impede other drivers when rejoining, please check and look before rejoining the track. Common courtesy stipulates that a driver in a dangerous position on the circuit should alert oncoming drivers of their position to avoid additional incidents, (essentially the yellow flag rules.)

Track Limits
The track limits are determined by the solid white lines either side of the track. At all times, two wheels must remain on this part of the circuit, unless of an occurrence where it is near to impossible to keep two wheels on the track, like avoiding a collision. During a race meeting, each time the track limits are not adhered to, a warning will be given. Each driver are allowed five warnings of all four wheels leaving the track via the inside of a corner, at any part of the circuit. If a sixth and subsequent "corner cutting" occurrences happen within a race meeting, then that driver will lose a position for each corner cut. Again, if a corner is cut to avoid a collision, this would not be given a warning.

The track limits must be adhered to in the event of gaining an advantage whilst having an on-track battle. If a driver overtakes a driver by getting all four wheels off the track, the driver must give that position back before they may continue the race. If the driver which was overtaken backs off heavily either through incident or "mechanical" failure, then the position will not need to be given back.

2012 TORA MSA NATCC Championships

The TORA MSA NATCC series will take place between the 6th of March and the 7th of August 2012 in a 24 round championship. The series will have two championships up for grabs.

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP

This will be a championship fought by each driver for themselves. The total amount of points at the end of the series, minus the lowest scoring round from their overall points will be their final points total and will result in their position in the overall drivers standing at the end of the year.

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

A team will be made up of a minimum of 1, and maximum of 3 drivers, all driving the same car in the same class. This championship will be scored by the total points score for all team drivers over the course of the championship.

- Team Driver Changes
From the start of the series, the full time driver line up may have a maximum two driver changes for the entire series. If another full time driver change occur, the total point score for the team will take a 10% reduction at the end of the year, and a subsequent 10% more for each further change. A fulltime driver change would need to be applied for via a new entry form as per championship sign-up.

- Substitute Drivers
For the length of the entire series, a team may make use of substitute driver if a full time driver cannot make a meeting. This substitute driver is eligible to score points for the drivers championship, and towards the point for the team they are driving for that meeting. A team has a maximum of 2 substitutes per season. Any further substitutes, and the replacement driver will not score points for the team they are driving for. Substitute drivers must be made aware to the series runners before commencing the race meeting itself.

The substitute driver can come from an existing team, privateer, or any other friend. A substitute driver may only score points for the team they are driving for in any particular race, and must remain in a single car/team for an entire race meeting.

Race Rules

Safety Car Rules

There will be no designated ‘safety car’ vehicle utilised in our championships. Due to the limited nature of online race lobbies. However TORA does operate general safety car regulations which provide a similar outcome, utilising the lead vehicle in the lobby to slow the cars to a safe speed whilst any obstruction is cleared from the circuit, or allowing affected competitors to repair any damage and catch up with the rest of the field.

- When the Safety Car Is Used
The Safety Car will only be deployed if an incident or incidents occur between three or more competitors that severly impairs both competitors race. Only a driver involved in the incident may request the safety car, and make the request to the Lobby Captain. The Lobby Captain may seek the opinions of other competitors, before making the decision to activate the safety car period.

The Safety Car may not be requested during the final two laps of a race.

- Forming a Safety Car Period

In the event of a safety car period being called, the lead car takes the role of the Safety Car or Pace Car. The Safety Car must not exceed 60MPH and the pack must form in current race position in single file.

- Conduct During Safety Car Period

Drivers involved in the incident should form at the back of the pack, in order of relative position before the incident, unless there is an obvious instigator. Competitors must keep a reasonable distance during the Safety Car Period. Brake testing during the Safety Car period will not be tolerated and may lead to penalties, either race meeting or championship. Warming of tyres is permitted but must be undertaken in a safe manner with due consideration given to other competitors. Competitors who leave the track by their own volition during the Safety Car period may be passed by the rest of the pack and the competitor will form at the back of the field.

Drivers not involved in the incident may pit during a Safety Car Period, but will become resume the race at the back of the field. If the grid has not formed by the time the pole sitter reaches the pit lane entrance, the safety car may continue for another lap. It is YOUR duty to ensure the safety of your fellow competitors.

Race Meeting Set-Up

QUALIFYING

We ask that all competitors are on Xbox live 15 minutes prior to the start of the race meeting, and appear online. Where necessary, if each competitor could post "In" in the relevant race meeting thread on the TORA forums. Anyone who wishes to race without posting "In" will need to wait the race meeting organisers confirmation before being allowed to race.
TORA’s ‘Live Timing’ system will be updated prior to the race meeting with who your lobby host will be for qualifying, and will be updated during the meeting with the results. One invite will be sent out to all race entrants. This invite will also denote your qualifying lobby.

If a connection issue is apparent please contact the race director or lobby host as soon as possible and they will do their best to ensure you can connect to the qualifying lobby.

Competitors who are not connected to the host’s room at the start time without reason stated before the start time of the race meeting will not be able to take part in qualifying. The qualifying session will should no later than 5 minutes from the designated race meeting start time.

Settings
-Qualifying will consist of 4 flying laps (lap counter will be set to 6 laps)
-Collisions will be forced off
-Damage will be set to Limited damage
-There will be a 5 second roll off delay
-The Grid will be set to Random
-Once you complete all 4 flying laps you will meet in the first corner so that the lobby marshals can take down your qualifying time and conduct scrutineering if required.
-Times will then be uploaded to the Live Timing application by the chief marshal of the meeting
-Clean laps take preference over Dirty laps. A slower clean lap will qualify in front of a faster Dirty lap.

RACE

TORA’s ‘Live Timing’ system will be updated after qualifying has taken place to update you who your lobby host will be. We ask that all competitors remain on Xbox live for the start of the race. ONE invite will be sent out to all race entrants. This will denote your race lobby. If a connection issue is apparent please contact the race director or lobby host ASAP and they will do their best to ensure you can connect to the race lobby.

Competitors who are not connected to the host’s room, or contacted a race official to explain a delay, after 10 minutes of the race lobby invite has been sent will not be able to take part in race.

Race - Grid will be the results of the qualifying session. All drivers with "clean" laps in qualifying will be before all drivers who set "dirty" laps. Races will take pace over a pre-determined amount of laps. Please see the Season Calendar for details.

*Due to the issues experienced at the last round and to reduce the number of time we need to restart lobbies all TCC races will now begin under rolling starts. Rolling start speed is 60mph*

There will be two races in an evening, and all will last around 20 minutes.

Race One will form up on the grid in the order in which the competitors qualified.
Race Two will form up on the grid in the reverse order in which the competitors finished Race One.

There will be no mandatory pit stops during the races.

Rolling Start
Competitors will perform a single Formation lap to set the grid positions, before a rolling start on lap 2 begins race conditions. We ask all competitors to listen to the lobby host for what speed they should drive on the parade lap. Competitors are asked not to move until the lobby host reads out the grid order and confirms when they can move off. We ask that competitors do not race one-another in the formation lap as to not interfere with the grid order, any resulting infringements will be reported to the race director and penalties may be given.

To achieve a rolling start the competitors may be led by the lead car until the start signal is given. All rolling starts must be in 2 x 2, bumper to bumper formation. Once the lead driver reaches a pre-designated section on the track (usually the final corner), they shall let the pack bunch up side by side in a two by two formation. The lead driver is given the choice what side he wishes to begin the race on, and all following competitors must follow this lead.

When all drivers are in position and the field are all on the start / finish straight, getting confirmation from the last driver that all are in position, the lead driver may start racing conditions by shouting "Go" and accelerating.

Under no circumstance shall any competitor be allowed to pass the vehicle in front until they have passed the start and finish line. Should a car overtake another before the line, the offending driver must give the place back within 3 corners, or penalties will be given out.

Settings
- Collisions during all races will be on, and set with Limited Damage. Driving Line and Normal/Simulation Steering are the only allowed driving aids that may be used. TCS, ABS, STM, Auto-brake and Auto-gears are prohibited. Manual gears must be used but it is up to the competitor if they wish to use the clutch or not.
- The race will be set to a pre-determined amount of laps which the lobby host will make aware to the competitors in the lobby.

Race Etiquette
-Touring Car racing is defined as non-contact but a certain level of door rubbing and panel bashing is inevitable. With Limited damage on please take care when racing with each other so you do not ruin other people's races as well as your own. If you are found to be causing incidents that were avoidable then action will be taken by the stewards.

1st offense- Warning
2nd offense- One lap penalty that will be taken from drivers finishing distance.
3rd offense- Exclusion from the race.