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User 15726
1. Information
Welcome to the European Truck Racing Championship Digital Racing Challenge, or in short, EDRC.
The EDRC aims to represent European truck racing in the virtual world in the best possible way. In 2020 this was exclusive for the participants of the ETRC, but now in winter the series is open for everybody.
The driving physics of the trucks were developed in close cooperation with the teams and drivers and refined again in the winter, after the first season. Taking in account the possibilities of Assetto Corsa and the Custom Shader Patch.
The "Beat the Pro" challenge showed how good the times of the real drivers were, even compared to experienced sim racers. It is very different driving than most of us are used to. 1200HP, 5500Nm and 5,3t that have to be tamed properly.
The format is divided into two parts. On the one hand there is a league for teams that also participate in real truck races and on the other hand there is the simracing league, of which you are reading the announcement here.
There will be 8 races at 4 events. After that there will be the grand finale, where the 10 best drivers of the real teams will meet the 10 best simracers to choose the champion of the champions.
No paid VR fee is required to participate in the EDRC.
2. Schedule and tracks
Datum | Event |
24.01.2021 | Hungaroring |
07.02.2021 | Nürburgring |
21.02.2021 | Le Mans - Circuit de Bugatti |
07.03.2021 | Jarama |
28.03.2021 | Grand Final |
3. Vehicles
There are 11 different racing trucks to choose from, and you can easily pick the one you like the most, since they all have the same physics. Yes in real life the vehicles have differences, but in the end fun and equality is the main aim.
- Buggyra Freightliner
- Iveco Stralis
- Iveco S-Way
- MAN TGS (5 different body kits)
- Mercedes Actros
- Scania
- Scania 2020
3.1 Driving characteristics / special features of the trucks
The driving characteristics of the trucks are very different from what you are used to drive. Big, heavy and lots of power.
The tires and brakes don't really like that, especially the front tires are permanently overloaded. So you should try to drive as smoothly as possible and with care of the equipment.
With a normal driving style, the tires need about 1 lap to reach their optimal condition, which they then hold for about 2 laps and then start to degrade.
But there is also the temperature component. Too much understeer, too much steering angle, if you lock your tires, all of that will drive the temperature up and it's not going away anytime soon.
The brakes can also get too hot and then lose power.
This may all sound like "trickery" or unrealistic restrictions, but that's exactly how it is in real life, or rather, the tires cool down even less.
So you have to get used to driving more rounded than you are used to and take care of your tires and brakes, otherwise it will take its revenge towards the end of the race.
Also the power curve of the trucks is much different than a normal race car. You have a lot of torque applied very early on, which then goes again to maintain maximum power. In the process, your boost pressure also drops. It is therefore of little use to shift out of the gears (you only drive in 3 and 4), but rather to shift a little earlier in order to use the torque and the boost pressure.
It is also advantageous to keep the boost pressure alive in curves or to build it up in time before acceleration.
3.2 Speed Limiter and technical limits of AC
The trucks have an automatic speed limiter at just under 160km/h, no matter how you set the differential or have slipstream.
This is a feature of the advanced physics in the custom shader patch. So it is also required that you use at least the CSP version 1.66. (You will not be able to access the server otherwise).
But what we also had to realize that AC is actually not made for such big and especially heavy vehicles. Especially the collision detection at big speed differences and unfavorable angles doesn't work like you are used to, so it can happen that the vehicles ghosted into each other. We know that this is not optimal, but we want to deal with the issue openly.
3.3 Setups
The setup possibilities of the trucks are very limited, so that no one gets lost in a wrong direction, but also no one can run away by a good setup.
So use the time you usually put into the setup to get familiar with the vehicle. If someone is faster than you, it's not because of the setup.
3.4 Starting number
Every driver chooses any 2-digit start number. However, each start number can only be used once.
Additionally the real teams have a priority on their real teams.
3.5 Paint Jobs
Each driver must submit a paint scheme for the chosen vehicle.
With the exception of the upper windshield banner, creativity is allowed to run free with the paint jobs.
The minimum requirement for a livery is the application of the personal number plates and the creation of the matching livery.png.
These are 150 x 123 pixels in size.
LINK for numberplate
However, the following restrictions apply:
- The number plate will be placed on the side of the vehicle in the area behind the side windows
- Another number board will be attached to the back wall of the car, either in the center or top right, depending on the design
- The whole skin folder should not be bigger than 16 MB
- Original textures of the vehicles must not be scaled up
- Company logos and real paintwork may only be used if approval has been given/obtained accordingly
The naming of the painting is done according to the following scheme
EDRCI_startnumber_initials
(Example: if Max Mustermann starts with the 99: EDRCI_99_MM)
You then upload the livery to the portal, where it will be checked by the race organizers.
Link for Skinupload
4. Sporting regulations
The basis is the general regulations of the VR.
There is a change in the track boundaries, these are much narrower than in normal races. Driving is basically between the white lines, kerbs, carpets or generally areas behind the white line may be driven on with a maximum of 2 wheels.
In some places of the track there are additional white posts, which may not be driven through, which represents a further restriction of the track.
A "drive through" is when significantly more than half of the bollard disappears into the truck.
This corresponds to the specifications of the real ETRC. Kerbs and edge areas are used much less than in other race series.
5. Race commission
In the EDRC there will be a race commission. This commission will punish offenses only after submitted protests.
There will be no automatic triage of the start or other incidents.
However, if another offense becomes apparent around a protested situation, it could be additionally investigated.
The race committee will be formed by the participants of the league. If you are interested in participating in it, you can simply contact me via PM.
5.1 Gentlemens Agreement
In addition to the race committee there is a gentlemens agreement, which you can use to clarify a situation directly on the track. It corresponds to the real "Give Back Position" penalty.
So if you are responsible for another driver having to leave the track or losing positions due to a driving mistake or a misjudgement, you can correct this by letting the driver concerned back in front of you and then continue the race normally.
In this way, incidents are cleared up directly on the track and a possible advantage is given back directly.
Injured drivers can still file an additional protest, but if the race committee is of the opinion that enough "punishment" has already been done by waiting, there would be no further consequences.
In sum, we want you to be respectful and fair with each other on the track.
5.2 Penalty Catalog
The rule penalties in the EDRC are time penalties that are added to the race result. This can lead to shifts in the final result.
Also, the same offenses may be penalized differently to achieve the same effect.
5.3 Monitoring of the track limits
The monitoring of the drivers' line choices is done by the server. Every offtrack is registered. Should there then be conspicuousness with a driver regarding an advantage taking, the race commission can apply punishments.
In addition, the drivers can protest if another driver gains an advantage by exceeding track limits and doesn’t give back the advantage.
It is also possible that the race commission to judge track limits on their own, especially regarding touching or crashing through bollards.
6. Ablauf am Renntag
For each event there is the following schedule in the evening, the times serve as a guide and may vary by a few minutes due to the not exactly determinable overtimes of the sessions.
All times are CET (Central European Time – Berlin / Paris / Madrid / Roma)
20:00 - Start of the server into free practice session
20:20 - start of qualifying (15min + overtime)
20:40 - start of the first race (12 laps, one of which is the pace lap)
21:15 - start into the second race (top 8 result from "race 1" reverse their positions, again 12 laps)
Everything takes place on one server. Especially between the races it is mandatory that you stay on the server, otherwise you will be positioned wrong in the grid.
Attention: During the qualification it is not allowed to leave the pit more than once. If you return to the pits, voluntarily, with ESC or for any other reason, the qualification is over.
Background: In reality a tire change would take too long and the teams have only one set of tires for one race day.
If you have a disconnect in the 1st race, you can rejoin, but you are not allowed to leave the pits in this race, but you can participate in the second race.
6.1 Race start procedure
You will be automatically placed in the grid by AC when you join the race session. When AC releases the race with the red lights going out, you will go into Double File for the pace lap. This is driven at a speed of between 80 and 100km/h. At the entrance to the pits, the speed is limited to aproximately 60km/h so that any gaps can be closed.
In the area of the starting lights, the leader starts the race by a clear acceleration.
From this moment on, overtaking is allowed.
6.2 Einstellungen des Server
The following settings are on the server for each event.
Fuel consumption: 100%
Tire wear: 100%
Damage: 60%
Track grip: 100%
Tire heat blankets: are deactivated
Weather: Will be specified together with the training server/event announcement for each event individually and will then remain constant for the race as well
Custom Shader Patch: All users must have at least CSP version 1.66 installed. Please consider this when registering!
SOL/Weatherfx: Can be used by the users voluntarily, but it is not compulsory. Since there are neither night nor rain races, deactivating it is not an advantage.
7. Championship
For the participants there is the possibility in each race to get points for the championship.
These are awarded as in the real ETRC according to the following:
Platzierung | Punkte |
1 | 20 |
2 | 15 |
3 | 12 |
4 | 10 |
5 | 8 |
6 | 6 |
7 | 4 |
8 | 3 |
9 | 2 |
10 | 1 |
There is no discard result. All four events count towards the championship.
7.1 Special classification
Depending on the number of participants, race management reserves the right to add an additional classification for a VR Cup.
In this cup, points would then be awarded for more places.
For the selection of the top 10 for the final race, however, the classification under point 7 is decisive.
7.2 Team classification
In addition to the driver ranking there is also a team ranking.
Any number of drivers can form a team.
However, only the two drivers with the most points will be considered for the classification.
In the team ranking there are no discard of results.
If a driver changes teams or joins a team later in the season, only the events that the driver has competed in after registering will be taken into account.
The team that could experience the most points at the end is then the team champion of the EDRC.
The team ranking is valid for the regular ranking and the possible special ranking.
8. Registration
Requirement: Participants in the EDRC must be registered in the forum with their real name, or with a combination of first and last name.
The registration for the season starts on 10.01.2021 at 20:00 in the portal. (There you have to log in with your forum account).
Link to the registration
Please note that you enter your GUID in the Portal and choose a race number in the appropriate thread after(!) the registration, so that your registration is also complete.
8.1 Race grids
The driver field consists of a maximum of 30 places. (Possibly less if there should be more grids).
If there are more than 30 registrations, these drivers will be put on a waiting list.
If there are cancellations in the grid on the day of the race, the drivers will temporarily move up into the grid according to this waiting list and can collect points.
If a driver drops out of the grid, this place will be filled with the first driver of the waiting list.
If the waiting list is big enough, there will also be a waiting list race on race day, where there are no points and you can't move up, but this race counts for a possible wildcard for the next season and it can improve your position on the waiting list. (Purely by participation versus non-participation, not dependent on the result in the race).
If there are 50 or more entries, there would be a second grid with a promotion/relegation system.
The division into grids would then be done by a "Preseason Hotlap Challenge". However, this would only apply to the first 60 registrations, from the 61st registration onwards a waiting list would be formed again, no matter how fast the driver is in the preseason.
8.2 Cancellation for an event
If a driver can not participate in an event, he has to cancell his participation in advance in the portal. This applies to all drivers registered in the series, no matter in which grid or on the waiting list. The deregistration for the race can be found on the portal page of the respective race, a link to it follows in the respective event announcement.
If a driver deregisters for the 2nd time and does not give a valid reason, or does not request in writing to the race director to remain in the league, he will be removed from the field of drivers.
If a driver is absent without excuse and does not apologize to the race management within 7 days, he will be removed from the league.
If the apology is received, it will be an "excused" absence.
If there are multiple grids, then a cancellation in the first grid will result in direct relegation. This is due to the fact that there are no discard results in the standings and in total there are only 4 events.
9. Required software
A guide where and how to get and use which programs can be found here:
Manual
For participants who already drove other series with us, it should be clear.
For new, or uncertain is, it is briefly explained in the following.
9.1 Simsync
Simsync is a small program to share content for Assetto Corsa.
The Simsync of the series is called "ETRC digital".
It is a separate .ini file, which you can select in Simsync via drop-down menu, if you have multiple .ini files. (e.g. also the one of the vr).
You can download the whole thing HERE.
9.2 Content Manager and Custom Shader Patch
The Content Manager is an alternative launcher for Assetto Corsa and provides together with the Custom Shader Patch many new features.
As described before you need the Custom Shader Patch at least in version 0.1.66. Otherwise you can't join the servers.
10. Livestream
There will be at least one German livestream. We will check if an english stream can be realized as well.
You can find the streams under the following addresses:
www.youtube.com/virtualracingev
www.twitch.tv/virtualracing
11. Training server
ETRC_DIGITAL_RACING_CHALLENGE _Trainingsserver_1_Hungaroring
ETRC_DIGITAL_RACING_CHALLENGE _Trainingsserver_2_Hungaroring
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