These are notable league changes for the 2007 season. Please be patient as we work on our new website. We hope to have things ready as soon as possible.
League members can use 3 custom paint schemes per series. Paint schemes can be changed or updated, but members are limited to 3 custom files at any given moment during the season.
Except for the first event at Daytona and for new drivers entering NHRL throughout the season, members must wait one week after submitting new paint schemes before using them in official league races. Drivers that ignore this rule lose 10 points in the season standings. We hope to alleviate some of the prerace chaos that takes place as members search for updated tex files (we have all had this experience at some point).
Drivers that receive penalties are not required to use provisionals in the next event.
During official league races, there are no accident-related restarts (a.k.a. NO RESTARTS). However, the admins will continue to restart the server for grid alignment problems.
The lap counts at four courses are different. We examined the race lengths throughout the 2006 season and found that these particular events were relatively short (30-40 minutes compared to the average 40-50).
Changes
Bristol: 125 to 150
Darlington: 80 to 90
Phoenix: 80 to 90
Richmond: 100 to 120
Wear factor changes to 4x.
League members are scored for missing races ("DNR finishes" in the race results) only when the league admins receive proper notification. Drivers are no longer scored for missing indefinite periods of time (a.k.a. "I do not know when I will return but continue to score me in the race results"). The league officials may grant some exceptions to this rule. For example, military members may explain that they will be absent for several weeks and receive points for missed events. Drivers may continue to email the league admins about absences, but we are placing a new emphasis on posting these notices in the league forum. If everyone posts in the forum, then the uncertainty about "who notified the league first" is removed.
We recognize that "last moment" emergencies often cause frustrating absences. In addition, league members such as Reef may be called away to their job at any time. As we have done in the past, we will score drivers that let us know what happened afterwards.
The season standings are based on a new overall points system. First, we recognize that the 2006 league playoffs provided exciting conclusions to series championships. However, given the shorter schedules designed to accomodate complete seasons for more league members, playoffs are no longer practical. It makes little sense to have 10 "regular season" events followed by 10 playoff events (and shorter playoffs make championship battles too random).
The new standings system involves dropping the worst finishes of league members. After the 20 season events, the 5 worst finishes are dropped. During the season, this takes place in segments. After race 4, the worst finish is dropped. After race 8, the worst 2 finishes are dropped. After race 12, the worst 3 finishes are dropped. After race 16, the worst 4 finishes are dropped. As the season progresses, everyone's worst finishes can shift and change. At any time throughout the season, "DNR" and "DNS" finishes are eligible to be dropped.
We believe that the new standings system provides close and more exciting points competition. League members are still rewarded for consistency throughout the season but no longer suffer large points setbacks for missing events and receiving occasional "DNR finishes" when they cannot find a substitute driver. We understand that the system can appear complicated, but in principle it is very simple.
The numerical points system may also change slightly. However, it will not be radically different from what we currently use. The present bonuses remain the same and a new bonus could be added.
League members are limited to 3 substitute drivers throughout the season.
NHRL Admins
