Core Racing TNT Late Model Series
Season 1 Rules & Regulations
Created: July 22, 2021
Section I: Administration
All rules and regulations laid out in this document will be in place for the entirety of Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series and will be enforced by league administration unless a situation arises where a rule or regulation needs to be changed in order to address shortfalls or issues in race operations that are directly affecting the quality of competition in a negative way.
Any changes to the rules beyond that exception will be considered at the end of Season 1 prior to Season 2.
League Admins for Season 1: Carl Handwerk, Eric Andrews, Kevin Foster, Nick Nickerson, Paul Butler, Josh Billiter and Wes Fuller
Website Admins for Season 1: Carl Handwerk and Paul Butler
Facebook Admins for Season 1: Carl Handwerk
Section II: Race Operations
Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series will feature 11 weeks, comprised of 17 Regular Season events.
All races will be run with the following specifications:
– 1 “Fast Repair” Per Driver, Per Race
– Fixed iRacing Setups
– 50% Fuel
– 2 Green-White-Checkers
To qualify to be able to participate in the CORE TNT Late Model Series, you must meet the following.
– Apply to the league and prove that you can race clean
– Continue to help the league and yourself grow and get better
– Pay the season entry fee of $15
Provisional – All drivers will receive 1 provisional that they may use at any point during the season to receive points for a race that they miss. (If you miss a race you will automatically receive a provisional unless you notify a series admin that you would not like to use it.) If a provisional is used, that driver will receive the same points as if he would have finished that race in last place. If last place results in 0 points, then a drivers provisional will not be used.
Any questions regarding this policy can be directed to CORE TNT Late Model Series owner Carl Handwerk.
Backup Drivers – Not allowed.
Race Times – All race lobbies for Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series will be open at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Hot laps will begin at 8:45 as 3-4 cars will be called out in groups to run 3 laps (unless otherwise specified)
At the completion of hot laps qualifying will start with drivers being called out individually to run their laps. Order will be the reverse order of the point standings and will be announced the day of the race.
The heat racing will begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time (unless otherwise specified).
Race Format – Races for Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series will be conducted this way:
– (2) heat races – Top 8 in each advance to the A-Main, the top 5 drivers in points will receive an EOL to start the heat race
– B-Main (LCQ) – Top 4 advance to the A-Main (on nights with multiple features all drivers will make the feature and the B-Main will just set the starting order
– A-Main – Feature race with 20 drivers (16 from heats and 4 from B-Main)
– Double Features – Both features will have all drivers in attendance. The first feature starting order will be determined by the heat races and the B-Main. The second feature starting order will be a reverse order of the first race.
– Triple Features – All features will have all drivers in attendance. The first feature starting order will be determined by the heat races and the B-Main. The second feature starting order will be a reverse order of the first race. The third feature starting order will be a reverse order of the point standings
Points – Drivers will receive the following points during the course of the CORE TNT Late Model Series Season 1:
1st – 50 pts. 11th – 30 pts. 21st – 10 pts.
2nd – 48 pts. 12th – 28 pts. 22nd – 8 pts.
3rd – 46 pts. 13th – 26 pts. 23rd – 6 pts.
4th – 44 pts. 14th – 24 pts. 24th – 4 pts.
5th – 42 pts. 15th – 22 pts. 25th – 2 pts.
6th – 40 pts. 16th – 20 pts. 26th+ – 0 pts.
7th – 38 pts. 17th – 18 pts.
8th – 36 pts. 18th – 16 pts.
9th – 34 pts. 19th – 14 pts.
10th – 32 pts. 20th – 12 pts.
Additional Bonus Points – Bonus points will be allocated to drivers at the conclusion of the race and applied to their final total. The bonus points for Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series are as follows:
Qualifying:
1st – 5 points
2nd – 4 points
3rd – 3 points
4th – 2 points
5th – 1 point
Heat Race:
Winner – 1 Point
Feature Race:
Leading at least one lap – 1 point
No incidents (0x) – 3 points
Section III: In-Race Driver Rules
Starts – For the entirety of Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series, the initial start of any race will be conducted by the drop of the green flag. Jumping the initial start could result in a drive thru penalty, if violated.
Restarts, Resuming Races – For all restarts following the initial start of the race, the leader is considered the control car and will be able to dictate when they decide to resume racing, only after the pace car has dropped off and begun its approach and entry into pit road. Drivers are expected to be within a car length of the car in front of them at the initial start and later restarts unless they feel it will be unsafe. Lagging behind more than a car length in order to try and time the start and get a jump WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. This will be closely monitored by league administrators and penalties may be enforced during and/or after the race.
Restarts, Changing Lanes – For the initial start and all restarts through the entirety of the race, drivers are not permitted to change lanes [e.g. moving from the inside lane to the outside lane] prior to the start-finish line, unless circumstances present themselves where a lane change is required for the following reasons:
– Avoiding an occurring incident, such as a crash.
– Avoiding a collision due to a driver ahead either not properly shifting, a.k.a. “missing a shift,” and/or spun their rear tires on the start/restart, preventing them from gaining speed with the rest of the field.
In these cases, it will be reviewed by league administration to confirm if the circumstances did indeed require a lane change prior to the start/finish line.
As is the case of the initial start, restarts, pacing, and pit road, this will be closely monitored by league administration during the race and violations could result in a penalty, if violated.
Pit Road – Drivers are required to stay toward the right while advancing down pit road under all circumstances until you are three boxes away from your pit stall. Incessantly driving through fellow competitors’ pit boxes before or after your pitstop will not be allowed and this rule will be closely monitored by league administration and could result in a penalty, if violated.
Additionally, drivers are asked to maintain the given pit road speed limit for the duration of their time on pit road. Drivers who consistently drive under that limit, thus creating hazards and congestion on pit road will be warned to maintain proper speed.
Pacing & ‘Cleaning Tires’ – Drivers are permitted to weave back and forth under pacing, known as “warming up” or “cleaning” tires. If a driver decides to do so and they collide with another car and/or cause disruptions under caution during a race they will be given an EOL penalty. Multiple incidents involving the same car will result in further penalties and potential removal from the race. This rule will be closely monitored and enforced by series administration.
Black Flags – Black flags will be controlled by iRacing and will not be cleared unless the league administration deems the action that resulted in the black flag was at no fault of the driver penalized. In this case, the series administration will make the decision and all laps may be granted back to that driver except for one.
For example, speeding on pit road in an effort to advance your position or not paying attention to the speed limit does not meet the threshold to have a black flag cleared. Additionally, a driver who is able to drive their vehicle following a crash that places the race under caution and, instead of rejoining the field and performing their pit stop when pits were open, they opt to pit during a closed pits, that also does not meet the threshold of having a black flag cleared.
On the opposite side, a driver may have used pit road to avoid a crash and entered at a high speed, getting a black flag. That may warrant a review by league administration to see about removing that flag or a situation where a driver did not grid up properly, causing others to receive a black flag for passing under yellow, that, too, would be grounds enough to allow for a review of the black flag for possible clearing.
As a rule of thumb: Black flags will not be cleared unless there are extenuating circumstances that warrant it, which will be reviewed by league administration, such as being the innocent bystander in an incident or having to use pit road to avoid an incident.
“Lucky Dog” Free-Pass & Wave-Around – In season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series, the “Lucky Dog” free pass will be in effect, meaning the car scored by iRacing as the first car at least one lap down will be allowed to pass the pace car and earn one of their laps back. Follow the rules and prompts on screen from iRacing when it comes to properly visit pit road after earning your lap back and your placement on the track. Wave-Around cars (cars behind the pace car, but ahead of all lead lap drivers) will be allowed to pass the pace car and receive their lap back at the 1 to green. Again drivers must follow the rules and prompts on screen from iRacing.
Beyond the Lucky Dog and Wave-Around, the league administration WILL NOT be giving any drivers a manual wave-around by the pace car unless the laps down were do to a computer situation or iRacing error. In this case, the series administration will make the decision and all laps may be granted back to that driver except for one. This rule will be in effect for the entire season and will not be subject to modification until Season 2.
Cautions & In-Race Penalties – The CORE TNT Late Model Series was created to get drivers together and have a good time. Racing incidents can and will happen over the course of a season. Our goal is to help drivers clean up the unnecessary and avoidable incidents that cause more harm than good to the league. Aggressive hard driving is allowed and is encouraged, if it’s done at the proper time and can be handled cleanly. Racing like an idiot or pushing too hard too fast (going 3 or 4 wide on lap 1) can result in a penalty.
This season, if a driver is found to have been the principal cause of a caution flag that was egregious and avoidable, their first penalty will be an End-of-Line (EOL) penalty where they are sent to the rear of the field as well as a 1 point penalty.
If that same driver is found to have been the principal cause of a second caution flag that was egregious and avoidable during the same race, that driver will then receive a one-lap black flag penalty. They will be required to stay in the pits and let the field pass by one full lap. In addition they will receive a 5 point penalty.
If that same driver is found to have been the principal cause of a third caution flag that was egregious and avoidable during the same race, that driver will then be immediately removed from the server by race administration as well as receiving a 10 point penalty and EOL to start the next race.
Additionally caution laps will count for all races.
Section IV: Driver Behavior
Managing tempers – We understand racing can result in some heated moments between drivers as they all jockey for the same real estate week after week to get to the same goal, winning the race and eventually a championship. To that end, we also understand things can be said “in the heat of the moment,” but there will be an expectation be mindful of what is said in a fit of anger, or not.
Series administrators reserve the right to assess penalties and other action against drivers who make offensive comments in text and/or voice communications toward drivers or others participating in the CORE TNT Late Model Series, ranging from warnings, to point penalties, to as severe as complete removal from a race lobby or the league outright.
These are actions the administration would prefer not to take, but again this league was created for those that like to have fun and race hard but clean. The league racing and Discord will not be ruined based on the reckless comments or actions of someone who may not be able to control their temper during a moment of a given race or after.
Intentional wrecking, Retaliation – This will not be tolerated. In a similar vein to managing tempers, there is an understanding that close quarters racing can heighten emotions when battling for position but, should a battle result in drivers using their cars to retaliate over a perceived slight against them or a move on the track they didn’t like, or take someone out for any reason, the driver found to be intentional wrecking and/or carrying out retaliation will be IMMEDIATELY removed from the race server, with the series administration reserving the right to completely remove the driver(s) from the series.
This behavior will not be tolerated and race administration will be monitoring each race to ensure competition remains close, competitive but free of offensive communications and detrimental on-track conduct.
Section V: Penalties, In General
Following a race the series administration may then enforce the following penalties to a driver depending on their on and off track behavior:
– Level 1 Penalty – Verbal Warning
– Level 2 Penalty – 1 month probation and EOL to start the next race
– Level 3 Penalty – 3 months probation and 1 race suspension
– Level 4 Penalty – 1 month suspension and rest of the year probation
– Level 5 Penalty – Removal from series
Probation – A period of time where series administrators will be closely monitoring behavior and driver conduct where, if additional infractions occur, further penalties could be assessed against the driver.
In-Race Penalties – Penalties delivered by race administrators during a CORE event at any time.
1st Offense – End of Line penalty, 1 point penalty
2nd Offense – 1 lap penalty, 5 point penalty
3rd Offense – disqualification from race, 10 point penalty, and EOL to start next race
Any questions regarding this penalty system can be directed to CORE TNT Late Model Series owner Carl Handwerk.
Section VI: Fees
Season Fees – Entry to Season 1 of the CORE TNT Late Model Series will be $15 per driver to compete in the championship. If a driver races in all 17 races (or all weeks but one with the use of the provisional) that driver will receive $5 back.
Payments – All season fees must be paid prior to being allowed on track. Payments can be made via iRacing credits to Carl Handwerk, via PayPal to quad588_18080@yahoo.com, or another agreed upon method.
Section VII: Season 1 Awards (Minimum 20 drivers)
Points Champion – The driver that finishes the season with the most points will be crowned the Season 1 Points Champion. That driver will receive the following:
– $100
– Free paid entry into Season 2
2nd – 5th Place in Points – The drivers that finish 2nd – thru 5th in the Season 1 point standings will receive the following:
2nd Place – $50 and free paid entry into Season 2
3rd Place – $25 and free paid entry into Season 2
4th Place – $15
5th Place – $10