Competition Rules & Guidelines

Version 3.1
Updated September 8, 2025

Introduction

These Competition Rules & Guidelines (CRG) apply to all PCA Sim Racing series and special events unless stated otherwise on the event webpage. Additional rules unique to a Series or Event will be published on the webpage for that event.

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Blue Flags

• iRacing shows a blue flag warning when the approaching car is 1.5 seconds behind.
• Once the gap is less than 1.0 seconds, the car receiving the blue flag must let the other car(s) pass within 3 corners.
• A driver who is being held up (read: for more than 3 corners) by a driver who is being shown blue flags may request a review by RC during the race through iRacing chat comms.
• RC, when confirming the car shown the blue flag is within 1 second of the car behind, will direct the blue flag car to move out of the way, off the racing line if necessary, and lift to facilitate the pass.
• Failure to follow the Race Control Blue Flag instructions may result in a penalty.
• Letting a car by should be facilitated by, for instance, a (slight) lift on a straight or giving up the inside of a corner and purposely run wide/deep to let the other car by. The action should be taken in such a way that it is obvious for the overtaking car and does not require last-minute avoiding actions.
• The blue flag car may use iRacing comms to communicate its intentions.
• Reference Video: iRacing Etiquette Series Episode 2: How to Facilitate the Pass

Brake Checking

• Brake checking is an intentional, malicious action.
• If you are found to have engaged your brakes at a part of the track where braking is normally not expected, and cause an incident, you will be penalized.
• Note: Newer drivers may simply be braking earlier than expected for a following driver, but that should not be considered brake checking.

Considered Clear When Passing

• This is as it sounds. A car is considered clear when there is no overlap between cars.
• That is, both cars could turn in either direction without causing contact.
• At this point, there is no overlap, and the cars can proceed as usual.
• Note! The leading car, after clearing another car, must give adequate space before pulling back in front of the car that was just cleared.
• This is mostly relevant at or just before the braking zone. You must give the car that was cleared a reasonable time to react.

Custom Paint

• We are required to comply with the iRacing Terms of Use and EULA, which include requirements for custom-painted car skins.
• We will still use Trading Paints, but it is each driver’s responsibility to provide their custom-painted car skin with the requirements defined in the iRacing Terms of Use and EULA. If a custom skin is found not to comply, it will be substituted.
• Compliance information is included in the iRacing Terms of Use and EULA, and the list of approved iRacing sponsor logos is in the iRacing Paint Shop.
• In plain English, this means you cannot use any manufacturer, product, company, logos, or graphics in your custom-painted car skin unless they are in the iRacing Paint Shop or you have written approval from the owner to do so.
• The “test” to determine if an item is permissible: is it uniquely identifiable? If yes, don’t use it.

Dive Bombing

• When a passing car attempts a pass very late, e.g., late braking to establish position well into the braking zone, failing to establish position before the normal turn-in point, etc.
• When a car establishes position before the turn-in point, it is clear that the passing car will not make the corner, i.e., the car would go off the track or need to significantly slow, or stop the car to keep it on the track.

Driver Conduct

• PCA Sim Racing is dedicated to sportsmanship and camaraderie.
• It is expected that each member will comply with the PCA Code of Ethics and Conduct and treat other members in a respectful, fair, and courteous manner.
• Demeaning, embarrassing, derogatory, bullying, retaliatory, or disrespectful language or actions are prohibited in any PCA Sim Racing session, on the Discord server, or in Discord direct messages.
• Race Control has the authority, without prior notice or warning, to penalize or disqualify, and remove a driver from a session if any of the above are observed.
• The PCA Sim Racing Steering Committee has the authority to suspend or permanently remove a driver from any/all PCA Sim Racing activities, including the Discord server and driver classes/leagues.

Establish Position

• A passing car must first establish position before the cars are considered alongside.
• To establish position and be considered alongside, the trailing car’s front axle must be ahead of the rear axle of the leading car.
• A car must establish a position at turn-in before it can complete a pass.

Blocking

The following applies:

• Drivers are allowed one defensive move before the braking zone, provided there is no overlap and that sufficient space or time exists for the chasing car to react.
• Sudden last-second moves that could cause collisions and leave little or no time for the trailing car to react are not permitted.
• Once a defensive move is made, no further moves are allowed until the next corner.
• Slight adjustments back to the racing line are permitted as long as racing room is left.
• A defensive move begins when the leading car starts moving toward one side of the track to fend off a pass and ends when the car stops moving in that direction.
• If the driver moves in one direction, continues straight, and then starts moving again in either direction without leaving racing room, it counts as two moves and will be deemed illegal blocking.
• A defensive move must be completed before the braking zone. Moving to defend while in the braking zone is not permitted.
• Blocking is subject to a penalty.

Incident Definition

• An incident is defined as at least two cars making contact, with one of them being turned, spun, or damaged.
• If only the driver at fault is impacted (spun/damaged/lost positions), it will be considered a “racing incident.”
• Racing incidents occur. Not all contacts will result in a penalty.

Incident Race Review

If a Series or Special Event uses penalties and the IRR process, it will be stated on the Series or Event page. The following then applies:

• Read the information carefully on the Incident Race Review form.
• The process will have no exceptions.
• The following timeline will be used before posting the race’s official results:

1. 1. A link to each race replay will be posted on the page within 3 hours of the race.
   2. IRRs should be submitted no sooner than 24 hours after the race and no later than 48 hours after the race.
   3. The IRR Team has up to 7 calendar days to respond.
   4. Once all IRRs have been returned from the IRR Team, Timing & Scoring will process the results within 48 hours.

• If an IRR is ruled actionable, the penalty will add 30 seconds to compensate for the pit lane ingress/egress. 
• This compensation will be 30 seconds for all venues in which the IRR process is available.

Pace Lap

• A short pace lap will be used if iRacing permits it on the event track.
• Weaving around, hard braking, hard accelerating, and lagging back to get a “run” on the field is forbidden on the pace lap.
• Drivers should not move up on the grid if the car in front of them does not grid. Leave the space.

Orange Zone

• The Orange Zone is in effect for your first lap of the race.
• All penalties assigned by Race Control during the Orange Zone will be a 15-second stop-and-hold penalty.
• Orange zone violations include:

1. 1. Rejoining unsafely and causing a wreck.
   2. Spinning while not holding the brakes results in a wreck.
   3. Making contact with another competitor.
   4. Expect that any fault in causing a collision will be penalized, i.e., less leniency will be given.

Reminders

• On the formation lap and up until the green, please leave room for your next-door neighbor (half a car width will suffice).
• Pole position should be ahead at the green light (but not necessarily before the start/finish line).
• Pole should maintain pace car speed up til green.
• Stay in your lane until you pass the start/finish line, but also before we go green, do not leave more than a car’s length in front of you (bunch up), creating a bigger gap isn’t fair to those behind you.

Penalty License & LPPs

If a Series or Special Event uses penalties and the IRR process, it will be stated on the Series or Event page. The following then applies:

• Each series driver is provided with a penalty license with zero LPP points at the beginning of a Series.
• All LPP points are cumulative throughout the Series.
• Drivers who accrue 8 LPP points (Pro, Club, Sport) or 10 LPP points (Challenge) on their penalty license will receive a 1-race ban, and their penalty license reset to 5 LPP points.
• For example, if you get 8 LPP points on your license by Event 5, you will miss Event 6 and then resume at Event 7 with 5 LPP points on your penalty license.

LPP Points

• 3 points – Driving causing an incident on the Pace Lap or in the Orange Zone. Penalty assigned by Race Control.
• 2 points – Driving causing an incident after the Orange Zone (e.g., an unsafe rejoin). Penalty assigned by Race Control.
• 3 points – A violation of the PCA Code of Ethics & Conduct, the iRacing Official Sporting Code, or the event rules. Determined by IRRs post-race.
• 4 points – Disqualification due to verbal abuse or intentional wrecking. Penalty assigned by Race Control.
• 2 points – Disqualification by iRacing for exceeding incident point limit. Determined by IRRs post-race.

Penalties

Race Control (RC)

Race Control may penalize drivers for the following:

• Race Start infractions.
• Pace Lap and/or Orange Zone infractions.
• Illegally blocking and/or not complying with the Blue Flag Rules.
• Use of abusive, derogatory, or profane language.
• Intentionally wrecking in retaliation.
• Unsafe Rejoin.
• Other items mentioned as being subject to penalty within the CRG.

Reminders

• The Steering Committee and league admins are not involved in RC decisions and should not be approached on decisions made by RC.
• RC will post the race penalties and descriptions on the PCA Sim Racing Discord “penalties” channel.
• Participants should not post their interpretation of Race Control rulings.
• If you need clarification of an RC penalty, write your question in the appropriate Ask Race Control channel on Discord and await a response.

iRacing AI

• All iRacing penalties must be fulfilled.
• iRacing issued black flags due to the new Network Quality Rule cannot be cleared by Race Control.

Driver Submitted IRRs

• Drivers are now responsible for submitting an IRR post-race for any incident not covered in the Race Control and iRacing AI sections. Consider if these conditions were present:

1. 1. Did any other car(s) suffer more than just cosmetic damage?
   2. Did the other car(s) lose 1 or more positions?
   3. Did the other car(s) lose significant time as a result?

Racing Room

• One car width plus the width of a tire from the edge of the track.
• Note! The interpretation of where the edge of the track is might include curbing; however, there is room for interpretation, given that some curbing is more “part of the track” than others.
• Once there is an overlap between two cars, it is both cars’ responsibility to leave “racing room”.
• An overlap is where two cars are beside each other such that if either car moves in the direction of the other car, they would make contact.
• If contact occurs, fault may be placed on one or more of the drivers.
• Where drivers are found to share equal or similar blame, this would be considered a racing incident, and no penalties would be assessed.
• Where a single driver is judged to have most of the blame, this would likely result in a drive-through penalty for that driver.
• A straight is considered a section of the track where both cars can maintain full throttle, irrespective of their position on the track.
• Failure to leave racing room, including forcing another car off the racing surface, is subject to a penalty.

Race Starts

• Drivers may not start from the pits unless they request and get acceptance from Race Control.
• Starting in the pits is limited to emergencies such as a disconnect just before the race.
• Drivers should maintain pace car speed until the green.
• Races start when iRacing shows the green flag/green lights.
• The start/finish line, for race starts, is the point where iRacing’s “Barney the Flag Man” is located.
• Drivers must stay in their lane until after the car’s front axle crosses the start/finish line.
• A lane will consist of the width of the car in front of you. If you look above the car, straight down, draw two lines back. Inside those lines is the “lane”.
• A driver must have at least 2 wheels (right or left) in that lane at all times until you cross the start-finish line.
• You are allowed to “peek” or otherwise move left or right, as long as 2 wheels remain in the lane.
• IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to maintain such a lane, even if the drivers in front are slow, you must not only pay attention to the driver in front of you, but also the drivers in front of them.
• Failure to stay in your lane before S/F may be subject to a penalty.
• Passing because a driver was slowing or for any reason along those lines is not acceptable.
• If the gained position is immediately returned, Race Control will not assign a penalty.
• Changing lanes may be advisable and permitted to take evasive actions to avoid a collision.
• Example: A driver has technical difficulties and needs to pull off to the side to stay out of the way:

1. 1. To avoid a car in front of you that is stopped or brakes suddenly.
   2. To avoid another incident.

Re-entering the Track

• Do not re-enter the track surface until it is clear.
• It is the responsibility of the re-entering car to enter safely and to yield to oncoming traffic.
• You may be penalized for any actions that cause a collision or force other cars off the track while re-entering.
• This does not give the cars on the track free rein to force or keep the re-entering car off the track, or not leave reasonable room for those re-entering.
• If a driver takes all precautions to safely re-enter the track, an approaching driver may be penalized for an incident if Race Control deems that there was adequate time or space to avoid such contact.

Technical Issues

• Do not connect to a PCA Sim Racing event via a wireless connection. Use only Ethernet-cabled connections to join PCA Sim Racing events.
• Connection issues can be resolved by rebooting the computer, router, or reducing the home Internet connection load (e.g., streaming a movie).

PCA Sim Racing is using the new iRacing Network Quality Rule for all points events.

• iRacing has implemented a new Connection Black Flag system to address connectivity issues, which is part of their efforts to improve network quality and ensure a fair racing environment.
• This system is designed to monitor and manage the connection quality between players and the race servers.
• The main factors affecting connection quality include latency, packet loss, and jitter.
• iRacing emphasizes the importance of low latency, as it directly impacts the responsiveness and fairness of online races.
• Players are advised to ensure their internet connection is stable and optimized for low latency.
• For troubleshooting, users are encouraged to use tools like PingPlotter to identify issues within their local network, ISP, or between their device and the iRacing servers.
• Additionally, iRacing recommends checking the connection type settings in the account preferences, as this can affect the amount of data exchanged between the client and the server.
• If players experience frequent disconnections or poor connection quality, they may need to consider upgrading their network equipment or contacting their internet service provider to resolve underlying issues.
• The new system aims to provide a more reliable and consistent online racing experience by addressing these connectivity challenges.