iRacing stands out as a leading online sim racing platform, offering a wide spectrum of series, from quick sprint races to extensive endurance events. To climb the ranks and access more advanced racing disciplines, you need to improve your license through consistent performance on the track.
This guide will explain the iRacing license system, provide effective strategies to boost your license progression, and detail what content unlocks at each license level.
Understanding iRacing Licenses
Upon launching iRacing, you’ll encounter four distinct license disciplines:
- Road Racing
- Oval Racing
- Dirt Road Racing
- Dirt Oval Racing
Each discipline maintains a separate license for every driver, progressing individually from Rookie to the coveted A-License.
Road Racing Progression
The Road Racing discipline begins with Rookie series such as the Formula Vee iRacing Series and the Fanatec Global Mazda MX-5 Cup. It ascends to high-level series like the iRacing Grand Prix Series and the European Sprint Series for A-License holders.
The Road discipline is home to many of iRacing’s most popular series. At the C-License level, racers can compete in the Porsche Cup Series and the Dallara F3 Series. B-License unlocks access to prestigious series like the IMSA iRacing Series and VRS GT Sprint Series – for which Coach Dave Academy offers setup subscriptions to enhance your performance.
Oval Racing: A Different World
Completely distinct from Road Racing is the Oval discipline.
Oval racing progression starts with the iRacing Advanced Legends Cup and the Fanatec Street Stock Series, leading up to the NASCAR iRacing Class A and NASCAR Next Gen Cup Series. These top-tier series offer some of the most intense oval racing competition in sim racing.
Dirt Road Racing: Rallycross and Off-Road
Dirt Road racing combines the thrill of Rallycross and off-road Pro Truck racing.
This discipline progresses from Rookie class series like the iRX Volkswagen Beetle Lite series and the Rookie Pro 2 Lite Off-Road Racing Series to B-License series such as the iRacing Rallycross Series and the mixed Pro 2 & Pro 4 Off-Road Racing Series.
Dirt Oval Racing: Sliding and Speed
Similar to Dirt Road, Dirt Oval racing advances from Rookie series like the ButtKicker DIRTcar Street Stock Series. B-License unlocks access to series featuring Sprint Cars, Late Models, and UMP Modifieds at the highest competitive levels. For enthusiasts looking to master dirt oval, understanding car setup is crucial, especially in series like Street Stock and World of Outlaws, where fine-tuning your car can significantly impact your race results.
Finding the Right Setup
To maximize your performance on the track, especially in competitive series, having a good car setup is essential. Professional iRacing drivers and engineers develop setups for various cars across different series. Consider exploring resources like iRacing setup subscriptions to gain a competitive edge. These subscriptions often provide:
- Race setups
- Qualifying setups
- Onboard laps
- Data packs
These resources are crafted by professionals to help you extract peak performance from your car in every race.
Alt text: iRacing in-game view showcasing racing action, emphasizing the visual fidelity and immersive experience of the platform.
License Advancement: How It Works
Within each discipline, your driver profile is evaluated based on three key metrics:
- Safety Rating (SR)
- iRating (iR)
- ttRating (ttR)
To advance your license to A-License – the highest level before Pro Road and Pro Oval licenses (more on Pro licenses in this guide) – your Safety Rating must reach or exceed 3.00 after completing a required number of “Placement Races.”
For Rookie licenses, this requirement is 2 races. For all subsequent licenses, it increases to 4 races or Time Attacks. Meeting these criteria leads to license promotion at the end of each season. Rookies are an exception, as they can be promoted to D-License immediately upon meeting the SR requirement.
“Fast track” promotion is possible for licenses beyond Rookie. Achieving a Safety Rating of 4.00 or higher allows for early promotion.
Safety Rating: Your Key to Progression
Safety Rating (SR) is the primary factor determining your license advancement.
- Rookie License SR range: 0 to 3
- D-License SR range: 0 to 5
- C-License to A-License SR range: 1 to 5
The core principle for improving Safety Rating is safe and consistent driving. SR increases after each race based on several factors, including your “Incident Count” in the session, race duration (distance and time), the incident counts of other drivers in the lobby, and the relative Safety Ratings of the field.
Longer races, like endurance events, typically yield higher SR gains (e.g., 1 to 1.5 SR) compared to shorter races (less than 30 minutes), where gains might be limited to 0.4 SR or less.
Racing in series below your current license level is also less effective for SR gain. For instance, a Rookie and an A-License driver completing a Fanatec Global MX5 Series race incident-free will see different SR increases, with the Rookie gaining significantly more.
Understanding Incident Count
“Incident Count” tallies up penalties accumulated during a session. Different types of incidents carry varying multipliers:
- Off-track: 1x multiplier
- Wall contact or loss of control: 2x multiplier
- Car contact: 4x multiplier
These multipliers can accumulate, but not always additively. For example, spinning off-track and hitting another car might still result in a 4x incident rather than a 7x. Minor car contact, like leaning on another car, usually results in 0x unless it causes the other driver to go off-track or spin, in which case you receive the same incident points as they do.
Incident weighting is halved in official Practice and Qualifying sessions compared to Races. On dirt surfaces, incident multipliers are also approximately half of those on tarmac.
iRating and ttRating: Measuring Skill
Beyond Safety Rating, iRacing also tracks iRating (iR) and ttRating (ttR). iRating determines lobby placement based on skill level but does not affect license progression. iR fluctuates based on your race results relative to the Strength of Field (SoF) – the average iRating of the lobby. Finishing higher in stronger lobbies increases your iRating, and vice versa.
ttRating (ttR) ranks drivers based on Time Attack results. Like iRating, ttRating is a performance metric and does not influence license progression.
iRacing Progression Trees: Series Variety
While specific series and progression paths differ across disciplines, iRacing maintains a consistent approach: at each license level, multiple paths lead to the next.
Whether it’s open-wheelers versus closed-wheel cars in Road and Oval, trucks versus rallycross in Dirt Road, or sprint cars against stock cars in Dirt Oval, there’s generally more than one series option at each step.
Road Racing Series Progression
The Road Racing discipline offers a diverse range of series for license advancement. After starting in entry-level GT or open-wheel series, numerous options quickly become available.
Rookie Level
Rookies can choose between the Formula Vee iRacing Series for open-wheel racing and the Fanatec Global Mazda MX-5 Cup for tin-top racing. The Global Mazda MX-5 Cup is often favored due to its forgiving handling, making it easier to learn car control (further details in this guide). Both series feature free tracks, maximizing track time for new drivers.
Alt text: Starting grid of Mazda MX-5 Cup cars in iRacing, highlighting the accessibility and close racing action of the rookie series.
D-License Series
D-License unlocks a wide variety of series spanning different racing styles.
Open-wheel options include the Cooper Tires USF 2000 Championship, Skip Barber Racing Series, and FIA Formula 4 Challenge. Tin-top series feature the Sim-Lab Production Car Challenge – combining the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Car and Toyota GR86 – and the Turn Racing Touring Car Challenge.
Additional options include the unique iRacing Spec Racer Ford Challenge, GT racing with the BMW 12.0 Challenge, Ferrari GT3 Challenge, and Ruf GT3 Challenge, and endurance racing opportunities in sporadic events like the BMW Sim GT Cup and Nürburgring Endurance Championship.
C-License Series
C-License expands series variety further. Open-wheel choices include the Grand Prix Legends series and two Dallara F3 series (setups available via the Coach Dave Delta app), and the Indy Pro 2000 Championship, featuring both road and oval circuits.
Alt text: Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars battling on a circuit in iRacing, showcasing the competitive and visually appealing Porsche Cup Series available at C-License.
Other C-License series include the Supercars of Australia series, Radical Racing Challenge, Fanatec Advanced Mazda MX-5 Cup Series, GT racing in the Porsche Cup Series (series guide here), Heusinkveld GT Challenge, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, and Kamel GT Championship. Endurance racing opportunities include the Creventic Endurance Series, VRS GT Endurance Series, and VRS Global Endurance Series.
B-License Series
B-License series become more specialized.
Open-wheel options include the US Open Wheel B Dallara IR18 series, Dallara Formula iR series, Classic Lotus Grand Prix, and iRacing Formula 3.
GT and Prototype racing are represented by the Fanatec GT3 Challenge, VRS GT Sprint Series, IMSA iRacing Series, and LMP2 Prototype Challenge.
A-License Series
A-License, the pinnacle of road racing licenses, features the iRacing Grand Prix Series and European Sprint Series, offering elite-level competition.
Alt text: Formula 1 style cars racing closely in the iRacing Grand Prix Series, emphasizing the high-speed and prestigious nature of A-License road racing.
Races at this level are longer and more demanding, offering greater rewards and challenges.
Coach Dave Delta App
The Coach Dave Delta app simplifies setup and data package installation for iRacing Setup Subscription users. Accessing a vast library of professional setups becomes quick and easy, enhancing your on-track performance with just a few clicks.
Oval Racing Series Progression
The Oval discipline starts with two Rookie series: the Fanatec Street Stock Series and the iRacing Advanced Legends Cup. The Fanatec Street Stock Series is particularly relevant for drivers interested in grassroots oval racing and understanding car setup for stock cars, which serves as a foundation for higher-level oval series. Mastering the street stock car can be a rewarding experience and a great entry point into the world of outlaws style racing.
D-License oval series include the iRacing ARCA Menards Series, two SK Modified Weekly Series, and two iRacing Late Model Tour series.
Alt text: Pack of NASCAR style stock cars racing on an oval track in iRacing, illustrating the close-quarters and strategic racing typical of oval disciplines.
C-License expands oval options with two Super Late Model Series, two NASCAR iRacing Tour Modified Series, two NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, the iRacing Street Stock Series, Indy Pro 2000 Championship, and IndyCar Series (oval). C-License also grants access to Special Events and the NASCAR iRacing Series (Cup Cars).
B-License features two NASCAR Xfinity Series, iRacing Sprint Car Cup, iRacing Silver Crown Cup, and NASCAR Legends Series for classic oval racing experiences.
A-License represents the highest oval tier with two NASCAR Cup Series and two NASCAR Next Gen Cup Series.
Dirt Road Racing Series Progression
Dirt Road progression offers a mix of trucks and rallycross at each level. Rookie series include the Pro 2 Lite Off-Road Racing Series and iRX Volkswagen Beetle Lite – Fixed Series.
D-License features the open-setup iRX Volkswagen Beetle Lite series and Pro 4 Off-Road Racing Series – Fixed.
C-License offers fixed-setup races in the iRacing Rallycross Series and Pro 2 Off-Road Racing Series.
B-License, the top Dirt Road level, includes open-setup iRacing Rallycross Series and the combined Pro 2 & Pro 4 Off-Road Racing Series.
Dirt Oval Racing Series Progression
Dirt Oval progression is somewhat unique. While the iRacing Dirt Legends Cup appears available to Rookies, only the ButtKicker DIRTcar Street Stock Series is truly accessible at the Rookie level. This series, the ButtKicker DIRTcar Street Stock Series, serves as an excellent starting point for drivers aiming to understand dirt oval car control and setup fundamentals. For those specifically interested in “World Of Outlaws Street Stock Setup Guide” content, focusing on mastering the ButtKicker DIRTcar Street Stock Series is a logical first step.
D-License unlocks the iRacing Dirt Legends Cup, Fanatec DIRTcar 305 Sprint Car Series, DIRTcar Limited Late Model Series, and Engine Ice DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.
C-License expands significantly with seven unique series: DIRTcar Class C Street Stock Series, fixed-setup World of Outlaws Late Model Series, RYCO-Motorsports.com DIRTcar Pro Late Model Series, SUPER DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series, UCAS 360 Sprint Car Series, DIRTcar 360 Sprint Car Series, and iRacing Dirt Midget Cup. The World of Outlaws Late Model Series and DIRTcar Class C Street Stock Series are particularly relevant for drivers interested in applying “world of outlaws street stock setup guide” principles, although the setups will differ due to car class variations. Understanding general setup philosophies is transferable and beneficial.
B-License, the highest Dirt Oval level, includes two World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series, AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car Series, and DIRTcar UMP Modified Series. For those seeking advanced “world of outlaws street stock setup guide” information, exploring setups within the World of Outlaws series in iRacing would be the most direct application, although understanding the fundamentals from lower series like Street Stock is invaluable.
Conclusion: Climb the iRacing Ladder
iRacing provides a comprehensive range of racing series across four distinct disciplines, each with its own progression ladder. Advancing through these licenses opens up increasingly challenging and rewarding racing experiences.
For drivers seeking guidance on car and track selection for license progression, refer to the Ultimate iRacing Car Guide and Ultimate iRacing Track Guide. To gain a competitive edge with professional setups and MoTeC data analysis, explore Coach Dave Academy’s iRacing setups and guide on MoTeC data usage. Understanding car setup, especially in series like Street Stock and World of Outlaws, is crucial for maximizing your performance and enjoyment in iRacing.
