While "Test Drive" practices and grinding Official Races in iRacing are great and both have their place, I've found a new love of League Racing. What could be better than respectful and clean, yet highly competitive racing in a field of over forty?

What Are Leagues?

Leagues are private races that don't count toward official statistics such as iRating and Safety Rating. They are similar to Hosted Races, but with a formal structure and schedule. They tend to be organized on Discord, which can help build long-term camaraderie with other competitors.

Leagues typically follow a set schedule, perhaps with 8- or 12-week seasons. Some less formal "leagues" might only host special events occasionally, such as a quarterly endurance race.

The appeal of leagues is akin to GLTC—the fields are large and diverse in skill, ensuring you'll always have someone to race. Most leagues embrace drivers of any skill level, as long as you have the right attitude and respect for others.

Leagues: Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Cleaner racing due to respect and accountability
  • Depth of talent (always someone to race)
  • Something to look forward to (set schedule)
  • You can compete for a season championship
  • Races don't affect your iRating/Safety Rating*

Cons

  • Nobody is perfect and accidents/crashes still happen
  • League might not be racing a car you like
  • Inflexible schedule versus constant Official races
  • Races don't affect your iRating/Safety Rating*

*This can be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective. Crashing out without losing 100 iRating is nice, but winning a race and gaining nothing (officially) can be a bummer!

If this sounds up your alley, here are some leagues I've been competing in and enjoying. There are many more out there if these don't catch your eye.

WDCR SCCA Virtual Racing

Who: Washington DC Region SCCA Chapter
What: Porsche Cup 992.2 and Toyota GR86 Cup multiclass racing
When: Thursday Nights, 7:00 PM practice, 8:10 drivers meeting, 8:15 qualifying, 8:30 to 9:00 race. (Eastern time)
Where:

Spring Season General Competition Rules
WDCR Discord
WDCR Website

Notes & Comments:

WDCR is a friendly group of skilled racers. Average turnout is about 25-35 racers. All races are live-streamed and commentated. You must be an SCCA member to join, but you don't have to be from the Washington DC region.

The Porsche Cup and GR86 were both recently updated in iRacing and are greatly improved. The driving dynamics of both are very engaging, and the multiclass 30-minute races add another dynamic.

APEX THIS iRacing League

Who: Over 700 racers from across the world
What: Global MX5, GT4 Class, Porsche Cup, sprint and short-endurance formats, depending on the night.
When: Race nights include Tuesday (GT4 45-min.), Friday (Porsche Cup 2x 20-min. heats), and Sunday (MX5 2x 20-min heats). Practice starts at 7:00 PM, qualifying is at 8:50, and races start at 9:00. (Eastern time)
Where:

APEX THIS Discord
APEX THIS Website (includes rules)

Notes & Comments:

APEX pulls large numbers, often with over 40 racers. The cars and formats vary and offer things you might not experience in Official Races, such as Open Qualifying (everyone is on track at once) and mandatory pit stops in the 45-minute GT4 races on Tuesdays.

They have two "divisions" for the points championships, PRO and MPL (Mid-Pack Larry). These are initially based on your iRating, but they move drivers up or down as needed. Everyone races together, but the season points are tracked separately.

This league features a protest system with stewards, broadcasts the Tuesday and Sunday races, and offers something for everyone.

Bonus: Lizard Brains "Fun Chicane" 3hr Enduro

Who: The Lizard Brains podcast community
What: Porsche Cup, GT4 Class, and Toyota GR86 in a 3-hour endurance race.
When: Sunday, February 15th. 12:00 PM practice, 1:00 qualifying, 1:30-ish start for the 3-hour race. (Eastern time)
Where: Nurburgring GP-Strecke BES/WEC Layout

Lizard Brains Discord

Notes & Comments:

The Lizard Brains podcast has been hosting endurance races every few months, especially during the racing off-season. The events have historically drawn more than 50 teams for multiclass three- and four-hour endurance races.

The highlight of these races is the depth of competition paired with an awesome broadcast live-stream from Gridlife's very own host Kyle Heyer and Lizard Brains' co-host Tom O'Gorman.

Teams of 1-4 are allowed (in other words, you can drive solo), and the 'Ring GP layout is a lot of fun to drive. Find me racing solo in the Porsche Cup.

✌️ Thanks for reading! Hope to see you on the virtual track soon!