iRacing Penalties Explained

While it is the responsibility of each member here at RFJ to understand the basic rules/flags of iRacing as well as race procedure and penalties, we will attempt to post some of those here to clarify these penalties drivers are receiving.

Black Flag Penalties:
A) Stop-and-Go – This penalty requires the penalized driver to return to his or her pit box and come to a complete stop inside the box before rejoining the race.
Stop-and-Hold – This penalty requires the penalized driver to return to his or her pit box and come to a complete stop inside the box. Race Control will then hold the driver for a specific duration of time before releasing them to rejoin the race.
C) Drive-Through – This penalty requires the penalized driver to drive through pit lane without stopping. Race Control will clear the penalty as the driver exits pit lane. Drive-Through penalties may not be served while any other black flag penalty is applied to the driver.
D) Disqualification – Upon disqualification, a driver has 30 seconds to pull off of the racing line and exit the Session, otherwise Race Control will automatically remove the disqualified driver. Race Control will immediately remove any driver from a session who is assessed a disqualification black flag for driving the wrong way on the track.
If a driver is assessed a black flag penalty by Race Control in any session, he or she must return to the pits to serve the penalty. Although the driver’s lap count will continue uninterrupted, official lap times will not be recorded until the driver has served his/her penalty. Failure to return to the pits and serve a black flag penalty will result in disqualification.

Yellow Flag Procedures:
On oval tracks, a yellow flag will signal a full-course caution. The pacing order will be frozen at the moment the full-course caution begins. Cars causing the caution or otherwise seen as out of control may, however, not be awarded a place in the pacing order until they are detected to be on course and under control. Race Control will instruct the leader to follow the pace car. All other drivers must fall in line in accordance with instructions from Race Control. To assist drivers in preparation for a restart, up /down arrows will be shown to help with positioning. Failure to line up correctly by the time a driver attempts a pit entry or the race restarts will result in the offending driver receiving a black flag penalty.
When there are two laps of pacing to go until the green flag restart, Race Control may restructure the pace lines in preparation for the restart. Racers that are not on the lead lap will be shuffled down the pacing order, behind racers that are on the lead lap.

Wave-by:
When there are two laps of pacing to go until the green flag restart, Race Control will restructure the pace lines in preparation for the restart. Racers that are not on the lead lap will be shuffled down the pacing order, behind racers that are on the lead lap. Pit lane is closed to all lead lap cars that have not pitted. If a lead lap car pits under this condition, he or she will have to serve a green flag penalty stop.
When there is one lap of pacing to go until the green flag restart, Race Control will issue the Wave-By to all cars between the pace car and the leader of the race. Pit lane is closed to cars receiving the Wave-By. Should the driver pit, he or she will have to serve a green flag penalty stop.

Pit lane speed limits are in place for all series and all official sessions. Drivers must slow to the posted pit lane speed limit prior to passing through the two yellow cones that mark the entrance to pit lane, and drivers may not accelerate above the pit lane speed limit until after passing through the two green cones that mark the exit of pit lane. Failure to obey the posted pit lane speed limit will result in a 15-second black flag Stop-and-Hold penalty.
At tracks with defined pit lane entry and exit, as indicated by existing painted lines, barriers and/or cones, drivers must observe and obey such demarcations. Failure to do so on entry may result in a 15-second black flag Stop-and-Hold penalty. Failure to do so on exit may result in a black flag Stop-and-Go penalty.

Drivers shall not pass cars in their own pacing line on the left-hand side before the start/finish line. Drivers attempting to improve their position by passing on the left-hand side before the start/finish line will be given a black flag Stop-and-Go penalty by Race Control. The leader of the second pace line may not pass the leader of the first pace line (pole position) before the start/finish line. Doing so will result in a black flag Stop-and-Go penalty.

Drivers are responsible for knowing if pit road is OPEN or CLOSED! The Black Box will indicate if Pit Road is Open/Closed as you come off turn 4 and get closer to pit road. If you make the mistake of entering a Closed Pit Road you will have to serve the black flag.  If you make an unsafe pit exit because you did not stay below the line or you did not exit at the blue line/blue cone, you will have to serve the black flag. If you get a penalty because you entered pit road ahead of a driver you are supposed to be behind, you will have to serve the black flag. STOP and wait for that driver to pass you, then procede! You need to be responsible for your actions on-track and be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention and follow what the game is telling you to do.

It is our position for our RFJ Cup Series that we DO NOT clear black flags. Everyone is equally affected by the same rules and penalties. Also, there is no way for admins to review said incident during a race to prove it is valid or invalid.

This is still something everyone should understand.

Please read so we don't have to explain why drivers received a Black Flag every race. If in doubt, go to your replay and look for the not-so-obvious.