ARL Drivers Etiquette 101
As sim racing drivers sometimes we forget that this is a game and let our competitive nature take over to the point we ruin other drivers races, forget the rules from time to time or have a brief lapse of judgement. We all enjoy racing that is why we are here, with that being said we need to remember others are here for the same reasons. The ARL way has and will always be clean and fun first! When we practice/race we all need to remember we are representing ARL and all the hard work that has been put in to make this one of the best up and coming leagues on GT Sport. These guidelines are not meant to single out a driver but are here to ensure that while racing hard all drivers understand what's expected of them. ARL has built a reputation of being a fun, competitive, clean series the following rules and guidelines are here to help drivers remember and learn the correct form of driving etiquette.
ARL JOBS
BoD: the body of directors are here to insure this is a well managed league and take everyone's best interest to heart to also insure fun competitive and clean driving.
Chief Stewards:
@Herimopp89 &
@Neutty are here to help with any grievances that a driver may have. They also have the FINAL say when carrying out penalties.
Assistant Chief Steward: will assist the Chief Stewards in any decision making needed.
Minor Stewards: are in charge of getting replays, pictures, or anything needed to assist the assistant or Chief Stewards when needed.
Score/Data: as you all know
@Nick Cannella is a wiz when it comes to data and scoring. He handles all scoring and data for each league. Along with confirmations for the races if there is any issues with these the BoD will help any way we can.
*Remember none of these guys are getting paid for this we all do it so everyone can enjoy racing and having fun. All we ask in return is to help make the jobs easier drive respectively and enjoy racing with like minded guys/girls who like to sim race.
PRE-RACE
- Drivers need to clear cache and even though this is not a must, it is highly recommended that drivers run a network test to insure drivers have a good solid connection.
- If a driver is seen lagging, glitching, or teleporting we recommend someone who sees the driver having problems report what they are witnessing in the chat so we can get the situation handled properly before the race starts.
- If you are one of the drivers that is experiencing this problem we will issue 1 restart, if the problem persists we will require you to go back clear cache, reset the router, run a network test. We will wait 10 minutes before starting the race so these requirements are met and you will start last on the grid. If the problem is still occuring the BoD will take note of the issue and award the driver last place points and ask you to exit the race. We know its not ideal but we can not postpone the race any longer for connection issues.
- We ask that all drivers please join the chat lobby, no you don't have to have a mic or talk but this will help insure that drivers can communicate freely and should help cut down on any on track incidents.
QUALIFYING
- There will be a 10 minute open qualifying session prior to the race start.
- After qualifying is complete we ask that you finish your lap and pull your car off to the side of the track and wait for the lobby host to record the qualifying times. (You are also encouraged to do donuts in front of @Nick canella after qualifying is completed.)
- Everyone is to use RS tires for qualifying.
- Your qualifying tires do not count towards your allotted amount of RS tires for the season
THE RACE
As stated multiple times above drivers are expected to race with the highest regard to clean competitive racing. Below are some examples on what to do or not to do to help ensure we are representing ARL the way it was meant to be.
Track Cutting: better known as all 4 wheels off, if a driver find him/herself abusing the track limits an IR can be filed. When racing and pushing hard sometimes you can push the car past its capability and run a corner wide or short depending on the corner, if this does occur you must keep at least 2 wheels on the rumble strips or inbounds on the white track limit line. If a driver fails to do so he or she must lift off the gas for a full second before continuing and give any advantage back if this occurs.
Minor incidents: This is when a driver may accidentally cause another driver light damage (aero, suspension, etc.) but not enough to cause engine damage or damage to 2 or more parts of the vehicle. If this does occur the typical guideline is to give any places gained from the collision back to the driver who received the damage. Failure to do so can result in an IR.
Flag Rules: We have a video in place to clear up flag rules but one thing it does not go over is blocking. If you are being lapped by a driver we ask that you hold your line and allow them to pass cleanly but not block them. There are multiple grey areas in this statement but if we feel that a driver is being purposely blocked there will be a IR filed and the Chief Steward will levy any penalties needed.
Lapse of Judgement: hey it happens your racing the same track for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 45 minutes something is bound to happen from time to time. I myself am guilty of this very thing but I hold myself to the same standards ARL is held to. If there is a lapse of judgement we ask that you don't risk ruining someone else's race because you spaced out. Example if i go off track i will not re-enter the track until it is 100% clear to do so and expect the same from any driver who finds themselves in that situation, if I miss my braking zone its better for me to use the run off areas to regain control and composure opposed to trying to make the corner spinning, taking a driver out, causing us both damage that could have been avoided.
Divebomb: We have all been guilty of this one from time to time. A divebomb happens when a driver is trying to make a pass in the corner and has little to no regard for the driver they are passing and cause a collision. You have to be smart when passing a good rule of thumb and an ARL must is when a driver is overtaking another driver they must do so in a clean respective manor and it is their job to do so not the driver being passed.
Blocking: This is another one of those grey areas but like before if the Chief Stewards feel it was a block an IR will be filed. Blocking is defined as more than one change of direction to defend a position, any driver moving back towards the racing line, having earlier defended his position off-line. The driver should leave at least 1 car width between his own car and the edge of the track on the approach to the corner.
Conceding: This is a big one for me and ARL. If you find yourself in a position where you have knocked a driver off track the correct and respectable thing to do is wait for them to gain the position back not when another car passes but when the driver you have knocked off regained the position ahead of you. Not conceding your position when you've clearly knocked a driver off will not be tolerated and will result in a HEAVY IR or SUSPENSION. Conceding has to do with self respect just as much as it has to do with respecting other drivers no one should want to cheat their way to a podium or win that is not the ARL way.
Retaliation: We all know what it is, we all know we have either done it or thought long and hard about it but it must not be executed in an ARL sanctioned race. It 100% will not be tolerated and is one of the biggest ARL no-no’s, retaliation will result in Suspension there is no way around it. I should not have to explain this any further but if needed private message me and we can discuss this further.
Pit Exit: When exiting the pits always watch for drivers who are on the racing line , do not re-enter the racing line until you are back to full speed, it is clear to re-enter and you have reached the end of pit lane (solid white line).
A few other notes:
- Contact between cars should be avoided at all cost
- It is the job of the driver that is making the pass to pass clean and not interfere with the driver they are passing.
- With the above being said the driver in front should not intentionally slow the driver gaining on them or do anything to hinder their race either.
To add to the mentioned guidelines above race others how you would want to be raced. The BoD has put a lot of time and effort into making this league what it is and want to continue to see it grow this is where you guys come in and help. People notice who we are and what we are about i don't want to see that perspective change. We all hope that by following these guidelines it will help promote ARL and we continue to watch ARL grow and evolve.
*These same rules apply to any ARL race including ones against other leagues.
