Getting Started in Weekend Warriors

🏁 Getting Started in Weekend Warriors League Racing

Welcome to Weekend Warriors, a Ray Esports Racing (RES) league program built around clean racing, learning, and community.

If you’re new to league racing, this page will walk you through everything you need to know — how to join, how classes work, how schedules are set, and what we expect from each other on track.

If you’re already a member, this page serves as the shared foundation we all race from.

🎮 What Is Weekend Warriors?

Weekend Warriors is structured league racing on iRacing, designed to feel closer to real-world club racing than public official sessions.

Our focus is simple:

  • Respectful, predictable racecraft
  • Consistent weekly competition
  • Learning through repetition and experience
  • Community first, results second
  • Broadcast racing that showcases clean driving

We race hard.
We race fair.
And we race with people we expect to see again next week.

🧭 Quick Start (The Short Version)

  1. Apply to join the league in iRacing
  2. Join the correct Discord server
  3. Choose or reserve a car number
  4. Register for the weekly race session

If something isn’t clear, ask — helping new drivers is part of the culture here.

🧭 How to Join Weekend Warriors

1️⃣ Find the League in iRacing

  • Open the iRacing UI
  • Click Leagues
  • Search for:
    • FV Weekend Warriors
    • FF1600 Weekend Warriors
    • SRF Weekend Warriors

(You may also see Ray Esports Club Racing — that is a separate mid-week program.)

2️⃣ Apply to Join

  • Open the league page
  • Click Apply to Join
  • Join the corresponding Discord server
  • Introduce yourself and read the pinned league information

Discord is where schedules, updates, and conversation happen.

3️⃣ License Requirements

  • All Weekend Warriors leagues require a D-license or higher (Road)
  • If you’re unsure where you stand, ask — nobody gets turned away for asking questions

🔢 Classes & How Placement Works

Weekend Warriors uses classes to keep racing competitive, fair, and enjoyable.
The system is structured, flexible, and intentionally human.

Step 1: Initial Class Placement (First Season)

For your first season, class placement is based on iRating:

  • S1 — iRating 3500 and above
  • S2 — iRating below 3500
  • Masters — Age 60+, regardless of iRating

This gives everyone a clear, objective starting point.

Step 2: Performance-Based Classing (After Your First Season)

After completing a season, iRating is no longer the primary factor.

Class placement is based on a Performance Rating, calculated from:

  • Average starting position
  • Average finishing position
  • Across completed league race rounds

Grid Size Matters

Results are normalized to overall field size:

  • A 10th-place finish in a 40-car field carries more weight
  • Than a 10th-place finish in a 15-car field

This measures how you race relative to the field, not just raw position.

Why iRating Is Only Used Initially

Many Weekend Warriors drivers:

  • Reduce or stop running official iRacing races after joining leagues
  • Run very few officials per year (sometimes none)
  • Improve significantly through league racing and practice

Important to understand:
League races do not affect iRating.

Because of that:

  • iRating can stagnate or decay
  • Skill and racecraft can improve while iRating does not

That’s why Weekend Warriors uses:

  • iRating only for initial placement
  • Performance-based classing once league history exists

It’s a better reflection of how someone actually races today.

Driver Choice & Flexibility

  • Any driver may choose to race S1, including Masters
  • Masters drivers (60+) may choose:
    • Masters
    • S1
    • S2 (if performance falls within S2 boundaries)

Masters is a classification, not a restriction.

Can Classes Change?

Yes — between seasons, not mid-season.

  • Reviews happen at season breaks
  • Decisions are based on trends, not single races
  • The goal is balance and fairness, not punishment

If there’s ever a question, it’s handled through conversation.

Classing Summary

  • First season = iRating-based
  • After that = performance-based
  • Grid size is accounted for
  • Masters is flexible
  • Anyone may choose S1

📅 Season Schedule & Track Selection

Weekend Warriors aligns with iRacing official schedules — but not blindly.
Each league is handled slightly differently to balance practice access and variety.

Formula Vee (FV)

  • Does not strictly follow the rookie FV schedule
  • Rookie-only tracks limit variety and development
  • League admins select a mix of official FV tracks and additional tracks
  • When possible, FV aligns with FF1600 or SRF tracks the same week

Formula Ford 1600 (FF1600)

  • Follows the official D-class FF1600 series
  • Not the rookie FF series
  • Allows drivers to practice all week in populated official sessions

Spec Racer Ford (SRF)

  • Directly follows the official SRF series
  • SRF drivers can practice all week knowing the league race uses the same track

Why It’s Done This Way

  • Practice time matters
  • Variety matters
  • Consistency matters
  • Learning together matters

The schedule is intentional — not random.

🗓️ Finding & Registering for Race Sessions

  • Open iRacing → Leagues
  • Select your league
  • Open the Schedule tab
  • Choose the session (Practice / Qualifying / Race)
  • Click Register

Tips

  • Join 5–15 minutes before qualifying
  • Practice usually opens about 1 hour prior
  • Always confirm times in the current weekly schedule post

📅 Season Format

  • 12 official rounds per season
  • Week 13 is an off-week

Championship Points

  • Only your best 9 races count
  • Standings can shift — consistency matters

🎨 Car Appearance & Trading Paints

All Weekend Warriors leagues use Trading Paints:

  • Custom paints appear in sessions and broadcasts
  • Default paints display if no custom paint is loaded

🤝 Conduct, Expectations & Racing Culture

This matters.

Weekend Warriors works because:

  • We treat each other like adults
  • We expect everyone to give their best
  • We assume mistakes are mistakes — not malice

Racing incidents will happen.
They’re frustrating in the moment — we’ve all been there.

What matters is intent.

  • Honest mistakes are handled with conversation and learning
  • The leagues are largely self-policing because of mutual respect
  • Intentional wrecking, retaliation, or repeated reckless behavior will not be tolerated

Drivers who intentionally cause incidents will be removed.

That line is firm — and it’s what allows the rest of the culture to stay relaxed and welcoming.

✅ Beginner Etiquette (The Basics That Matter Most)

  • Practice before race day
  • Hold a predictable line
  • Give racing room
  • Keep communications respectful
  • Don’t rage-quit
  • Follow posted league rules

Clean racing earns respect faster than outright speed.

🔗 Official Links & Resources

(Insert live RES links here)

🏁 Ready to Race?

  1. Apply in iRacing
  2. Join your league Discord
  3. Pick your car number
  4. Register for the next race
  5. Introduce yourself — you’ll be welcomed