Rules

So, exactly how does Fantasy Indycar work? It is actually pretty simple. Heading into each race weekend, every participant either messages me or tweets me (both via Twitter) the five drivers they wish to have represent them for the coming race weekend. The better these drivers do, the better the participant does. The points each driver gets is also what the participant gets. For example, if my drivers finish 2nd, 4th, 8th, 15th, and 21st, then according to the official Indycar points system, I would get 40, 32, 25, 15, and 9 points for those picks, totaling 120 points for that race. For more on point allocation, read the Indycar rules here: http://www.indycar.com/Fan-Info/INDYCAR-101/Points-System . If a driver in penalized after the race, it will be reflected in the scores.

Picks for each weekend are due before the first official practice of that weekend. For most race weekends, that usually means Friday. Other races may vary. If picks are turned even one minute late, it will result in a 50% reduction in points. So, the 120 points I received in the previous paragraph would be reduced to 60 points. This rule is designed so players do not gain a competitive advantage by analyzing current session times to influence their picks. This adds more skill and strategy to making selections. Picks may not be changed after first practice unless rules specify (Briscoe / Newgarden rule).

To make things more difficult, participants may only select a driver five times per season. This is to prevent participants from selecting Will Power every race. At the bottom of the Fantasy Indycar page is everyone’s pick allocation on the year. You can keep track yourself or view the official records that I have at the bottom of the Fantasy Indycar page on my website. Scroll down to ‘Protests’ if you think the official count on the website is inaccurate.

MONTH OF MAY

May is a great month for Fantasy Indycar. Multiple races at Indianapolis and a lot of points up for grab means a hectic time in the Fantasy world. Picks for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis will be due before their first practice (usually Thursday before the Saturday race), while picks for the Indianapolis 500 will be due the Monday following GPI. The first practice is a long time before the Indianapolis 500.

Participants will also submit a sixth pick for the Indianapolis 500. This pick doesn’t count towards the race, but it does count towards your score. From 2017 onwards, this sixth pick will no longer be who you think will win the Indianapolis 500 pole. The new bonus will be selecting who you think will win the Indy Lights Freedom 100 race on Carb Day. A participant will select any driver in the Indy Lights field and will receive 50 bonus points if that driver wins the Freedom 100.

DOUBLEHEADERS

For doubleheaders, two separate sets of picks are needed for both races. They can be the same drivers for each race or different, it is up to you. Make sure to differentiate the picks between ‘Race 1’ and ‘Race 2’ when you turn them in.

TIEBREAKERS

After the last round of the season, there are procedures in place in case of a tie. Here is the hierarchy in case there is a tie. If #1 is a tie, then it falls to #2. If #2 is a tie, it goes to #3 and so on. Here’s the order: 1) Wins 2) Podiums 3) Top-fives 4) Highest point total at a non-double points race 5) Coin flip. If it gets to step #5 we have a serious problem on our hands. Tiebreakers will not be enforced until the last round of the season. Until then, tie goes to the person higher in alphabetical order.

PROTESTS

If you feel I have made a mistake with the calculations of a given race, you must give notice to the commissioner prior to the conclusion of next race before the statute of limitations runs out in time for the protest. I keep the sheet of the immediate prior race up until the running of the next race, so once it is deleted, it takes several hours to recreate the sheet to find the error. However, it is up to the discretion of the commissioner to hear any protests even if it beyond the statute of limitations.

If you feel a mistake has been made on the cumulative picks per year, you may lodge that protest whenever you feel and I will happily reconcile the data I have to make sure your pick count is accurate.

ADDED RULES

BRISCOE RULE – If Driver A is injured, sick, etc. before the race takes place and Driver B takes their place, the participant who selected Driver A will get the points Driver B gets without a penalty. Your pick for Driver A won’t count against your five you have on the season, while you will be charged a pick for Driver B. If you have maxed out your yearly pick total on Driver B, then you will be awarded zero points for this pick. This started when Ryan Briscoe was injured in Race #1 of Toronto in 2013. For those who had Briscoe in Race #2, they were given replacement driver Carlos Munoz and given full-points.

NEWGARDEN RULE – To build on the Briscoe rule, if a driver gets injured and has a substitute lined up, then participants should select the replacement. However, if the main driver comes back before the race weekend starts, people who selected the replacement will be penalized. Prior to Road America in 2016, JR Hildebrand was slated to race. However, Josef Newgarden decided he could race and returned. If those who had Hildebrand did not change their picks, the Briscoe rule would not cover them and they would be penalized. So, in a nutshell, the Briscoe rule only covers driver changes during the race weekend and not changes leading up to the race weekend.

RESOLUTION #1 AKA ELIMINATION

Proposed November 1, 2014. Ratified November 9, 2014 by a vote of 32-0 with one abstention. Resolution #1 states that the participants who finish P31, 32, and 33 at the end of the season will be eliminated from the field the subsequent season.

RESOLUTION #2

Proposed on September 24, 2017. Ratified September 29, 2017 by a vote of 25-3 with two abstentions. Rseolution #2 states that the field shall be increased to 37 participants and the elimination zone will be expanded to P34, 35, 36, and 37, who will be eliminated from the following season's roster.

RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions may only be initiated by the founders of Fantasy IndyCar. Resolutions will require a majorities vote to pass. Resolutions are designed for major changes to the rules of Fantasy IndyCar, but differ from other rules like the Briscoe & Newgarden rules, as those are meant to clarify rules under unusual circumstances.