Hello racers,

DOWNLOAD THE RACE REPLAYS HERE

After many weeks of preparation the ICON Racing team would like to invite potential participants for a touring-car race series taking part in early 2009:

The iTCC Touring Car Championship

The car used will be the FXR, air intake-restricted to 32% to give 320 BHP. This is a sequential geared car, with similar power to modern touring cars. There is scope to expand the championship to include the FXO in seperate support races, however initially we will be concentrating on the FXR class.

The idea of this championship is for it be run, as far as is practical, in a similar way to both the BTCC and WTCC. This means a similar race format, with partially 'reversed' grids and also success ballast.

The start of the race will be a standing (grid) start.

It is envisaged that the series will run for 6 'triple-header' rounds. That is to say, there will be 3 points-scoring races at each round - all of equal length; about 25 minutes each.

The races themselves will be available to watch via LFS Remote and ICON TV, which will be broadcasting commentated live in-game coverage. Additionally there will be replay files made available soon after the race, as well as whole race coverage video and edited highlights video, with analysis, coming after the race.

There is a TeamSpeak VOIP channel available for every race, it is envisaged that this will be used primarily as a 'Race-Director-to-Car' driver control, however, teams are free to request private 'team' channels from ICON.

As you can tell, from the work on the website, server, LFS Remote, broadcast facilities, TeamSpeak and so on, what we are trying to do is to 'hit the ground running'.

Therefore, in order to test all our procedures, admin staff, and hardware/software setups, we are inviting racers to declare their interest in the following event:

























33 H. Richmond
34 Y. Laprevotte





Unable to attend

2 D. Zanetti
10 J. Taylor
11 K. O'Keefe
31 J. Rees



Also DOWNLOAD HERE for the 1024x1024 version and HERE for the 2048x2048 version - the Numberplate kit you should use when creating your skins for this race. Please download this and amend your skins. Remember to upload the finished skin to LFS World!

EDIT: As you can see, every racer now has a race number. Please make sure your race number is displayed prominently on the supplied numberplate.

Also make sure that your REAL NAME and number is displayed on your 'in-game' name tag in the format:

2 D.Zanetti (for example)

Possible interest form me, I will speak to the rest of the CR lot.

RSR will be interested for sure. I'll lead the troops here to check it out.
Sounds like a greeat idea.

I'm sure a few RSR will do it... I;'m interested

I will talk to my Revolution touring car team about it , but LRFs is my concentration now, maybe run a clio cup (XFG) Ginettas (XRG) FRenault (FOX) too, as support categories ofcourse

Sounds great. I'll try and make the test event.

If you're having 6 rounds, I presume it will make sense to have 1 round at each of the LFS tracks yah?

Quote from Joe_Keaveney :

P.P.S Lastly, if any of you are talented commentators, I invite you to come along and lend a hand, or should that be voice.....I will be commentating but unfortunately the dulcet tones of my North-East accent does not travel well, I fear my European friends might wonder what language I am speaking....

Mr Passingham/Mr Palmer?

Quote from J@tko :

Sounds great. I'll try and make the test event.

If you're having 6 rounds, I presume it will make sense to have 1 round at each of the LFS tracks yah?





Mr Passingham/Mr Palmer?

Yes, that will be the idea, obviously we'll revisit Aston in the series proper.

Suggestions for tracks are welcome, bearing in mind that we're aiming for the middle ground with these cars. Definitely not a track that's too small, we're looking for flowing tracks that help drafting/overtaking. Not something too big though either, big tracks are great in the GT1 cars but not IMO a fantastic spectacle. By keeping to the medium-sized tracks, we can get a good race, without having lots of lapping (small tracks) or stringing the field out (big tracks).

Mr Passingham and Mr Palmer would be MORE than welcome to commentate - I watched their fantastic coverage of the MoE event at the weekend, I must say they both have the gift of keeping a commentary going. I'll PM them shortly to ask.

Quote from Joe_Keaveney :

Yes, that will be the idea, obviously we'll revisit Aston in the series proper.

So which track is the Pre-season event at? I don't think it was in the OP

Tracks IMO:
Blackwood GP
Fern Bay Gold
South City Town Course
Kyoto National
Aston National/North
Westhill International

Quote from J@tko :

So which track is the Pre-season event at? I don't think it was in the OP

Oops, you're right. Edited now. I realise AS GT is actually a bigger track but we found during testing it did lend itself to a good amount of action. So it got the vote.

Quote from Joe_Keaveney :

Oops, you're right. Edited now. I realise AS GT is actually a bigger track but we found during testing it did lend itself to a good amount of action. So it got the vote.

Sounds good to me

And, just realised, 32% is the same as CTRA GT2 spec cars, so I can use my sets too

Quote from J@tko :

Sounds good to me

And, just realised, 32% is the same as CTRA GT2 spec cars, so I can use my sets too

Care to share them?

Interesting. What was the thinking behind the choice of FXR given that 4WD is not allowed under S2000 rules, 320bhp is 50bhp more powerful than the BTCC, and the general look of the cars is different to the B/WTCC?

For supports - yes definitely FOX (so someone can use my Fortec livery! ) and a Clio cup style series - XFG or XFR - maybe XFR is more like the SEAT Cupras, while the Ginettas are RWD.

Am interested though, a good touring car racing series is something I've been wanting for a while.

This sounds interesting. I might even sign up.

Quote from boothy :

Interesting. What was the thinking behind the choice of FXR given that 4WD is not allowed under S2000 rules, 320bhp is 50bhp more powerful than the BTCC, and the general look of the cars is different to the B/WTCC?

For supports - yes definitely FOX (so someone can use my Fortec livery! ) and a Clio cup style series - XFG or XFR - maybe XFR is more like the SEAT Cupras, while the Ginettas are RWD.

Am interested though, a good touring car racing series is something I've been wanting for a while.

no more cupras, and XRG for Ginetta

Quote from boothy :

Interesting. What was the thinking behind the choice of FXR given that 4WD is not allowed under S2000 rules, 320bhp is 50bhp more powerful than the BTCC, and the general look of the cars is different to the B/WTCC?

For supports - yes definitely FOX (so someone can use my Fortec livery! ) and a Clio cup style series - XFG or XFR - maybe XFR is more like the SEAT Cupras, while the Ginettas are RWD.

Am interested though, a good touring car racing series is something I've been wanting for a while.

Good question! Thankyou and let me elaborate

Basically we wanted a touring car series using LFS as the simulator. The only two cars which look remotely like touring-cars are the FXO and the FXR.

Having driven both cars, we felt that the FXR more closely reflected a modern racing-car, unfortunately yes it is 4WD. What would have been ideal would be to have a FWD and a RWD 'touring car' but unless there is some way of making the FXR FWD/RWD-only and making that limitation enforceable, then it's a non-runner. So there you have it, our reason for the choice of car.

Also, the benefit of 4WD is that the cars are pretty controllable. We think this will benefit the series in that less effort will be wasted trying to control the car and more effort given to overtaking, and squeezing the maximum performance out of the car. Basically, using the FXR gives us more chance of closer racing, whilst also looking like touring-cars.

We did try limiting the FXR to 40%, but really it was totally undramatic to drive, no fun. There's a reason the CTRA chose 32%, it's the happy medium between power and controllability.

I love the ideas you said about the support series - it just so happens the other series we're organising - an RAC series - fits in with the idea of a support race. Ah, you got me thinking now....... The XFG and FOX series are also interesting too, although now we're talking a day's meeting to do them all and that's an awful lot to broadcast and commentate and admin!

Right now, we're going to see what the level of support is for the iTCC. But sure, let's not rule out the full gamut of support races. It is definitely something I'd like to try.

Quote from Joe_Keaveney :

Good question! Thankyou and let me elaborate

Basically we wanted a touring car series using LFS as the simulator. The only two cars which look remotely like touring-cars are the FXO and the FXR.

Having driven both cars, we felt that the FXR more closely reflected a modern racing-car, unfortunately yes it is 4WD. What would have been ideal would be to have a FWD and a RWD 'touring car' but unless there is some way of making the FXR FWD/RWD-only and making that limitation enforceable, then it's a non-runner. So there you have it, our reason for the choice of car.

Also, the benefit of 4WD is that the cars are pretty controllable. We think this will benefit the series in that less effort will be wasted trying to control the car and more effort given to overtaking, and squeezing the maximum performance out of the car. Basically, using the FXR gives us more chance of closer racing, whilst also looking like touring-cars.

We did try limiting the FXR to 40%, but really it was totally undramatic to drive, no fun. There's a reason the CTRA chose 32%, it's the happy medium between power and controllability.

I love the ideas you said about the support series - it just so happens the other series we're organising - an RAC series - fits in with the idea of a support race. Ah, you got me thinking now....... The XFG and FOX series are also interesting too, although now we're talking a day's meeting to do them all and that's an awful lot to broadcast and commentate and admin!

Right now, we're going to see what the level of support is for the iTCC. But sure, let's not rule out the full gamut of support races. It is definitely something I'd like to try.

In terms of the FWD/RWD issue, you can alter the setups to make most of the power go to the front or rear, I believe. You can monitor setups, however it would be a very tedious an drawn out process of doing so - basically asking every driver to send you their setup and then checking it after the race. Of course, once the driver has sent you their setup, they would not be allowed to pit or anything like that. Maybe it's possible to make an external program that analyses the setups for you. But since the test event is in 20 days, I wouldn't risk trying to get it done in such a short space of time.

Quote from Mp3 Astra :

In terms of the FWD/RWD issue, you can alter the setups to make most of the power go to the front or rear, I believe. You can monitor setups, however it would be a very tedious an drawn out process of doing so - basically asking every driver to send you their setup and then checking it after the race. Of course, once the driver has sent you their setup, they would not be allowed to pit or anything like that. Maybe it's possible to make an external program that analyses the setups for you. But since the test event is in 20 days, I wouldn't risk trying to get it done in such a short space of time.

Yah you can make the FXR up to 95% FWD/RWD with the Torque Splitter.

I was going to say this, but for the reasons ^ I decided not to.

Quote from D.Zanetti :

Really looking forward to this.

Hopefully we might see an appearance from our friends D.Lobb and Hypothraxer who showed amazing speed in our 16hour FXR entry

For my sake I hope we don't

Quote from J@tko :

Yah you can make the FXR up to 95% FWD/RWD with the Torque Splitter.

I was going to say this, but for the reasons ^ I decided not to.


For my sake I hope we don't

And for those reasons - we'll be sticking to 4WD for now. So J@tko can I presume we'll be seeing an appearance behind the wheel from you?

Quote from J@tko :

Sounds great. I'll try and make the test event.

Quote from Joe_Keaveney :

And for those reasons - we'll be sticking to 4WD for now. So J@tko can I presume we'll be seeing an appearance behind the wheel from you?

Indeed

For the real series, depends on what day it is, but I'll try and make it

Why not take off all the downforce and make them true touring cars?
This would lead to some exciting racing.

Quote from J@tko :

Sounds great. I'll try and make the test event.

If you're having 6 rounds, I presume it will make sense to have 1 round at each of the LFS tracks yah?





Mr Passingham/Mr Palmer?

some [NDR] team action as racing team ?


I'm interested at taking part, as the FXR is one of my favorite cars, and the date is during my x-mas holydays this BTCC style sounds interesting

Quote from TFalke55 :

some [NDR] team action as racing team ?


I'm interested at taking part, as the FXR is one of my favorite cars, and the date is during my x-mas holydays this BTCC style sounds interesting

Sounds good Falke

I'll join as well Should be possible for me to make it since I took holidays and don't have to work on 22 - 24.

Hey joe, i think this is a great idea. A neat suggestion might also be the use of success ballast like in WTCC whereby the top 3 points scorers (point scorers and not necessarily fastest) after a race weekend receive ballast, 4th highest scorer retains his ballast and positions 5 downwards are allowed to reduce ballast in different amounts.

If you dont mind, im gonna pass this link on to some other guys that race in South Africa.

Quote from Dizzydarryn :

Hey joe, i think this is a great idea. A neat suggestion might also be the use of success ballast like in WTCC whereby the top 3 points scorers (point scorers and not necessarily fastest) after a race weekend receive ballast, 4th highest scorer retains his ballast and positions 5 downwards are allowed to reduce ballast in different amounts.

If you dont mind, im gonna pass this link on to some other guys that race in South Africa.

FYI, from the WTCC website via Google:

'The imposition of success ballast remains based on different criteria: championship points and race results.

a) according to the Championship points: 1 kg per every point scored

b) according to the sum of points obtained in the two races of each event, according to the following scale:

1st + 30 kg
2nd + 25 kg
3rd + 20 kg
4th + 15 kg
5th + 10 kg
6th + 5 kg

These ballasts will be scrapped and recalculated after each championship event.

Handicap weights a) and b) are cumulative up to a maximum of 70 kg (previously 60 kg).'

Thanks Darryn, yes we're definitely going down the route of success ballast. We've yet to test the amounts of ballast required on the FXR but I'm pretty confident they will be similar to the amounts that the WTCC use.

The WTCC also use a 30 Kg ballast for any driver's first-time entry into the championship, for the driver's first race only - do you think we should use this rule too? I'm currently undecided, so any feedback would be welcome!