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How Does a Hosted Race Work in Iracing

Clear, practical guide for iRacing drivers: how does a hosted race work in iRacing, what it costs, and step-by-step setup and join tips so you can fix this fast.

If you’re asking “how does a hosted race work in iracing,” here’s the short version: it’s a custom session you create or join with your own cars, tracks, and rules. It doesn’t affect iRating (skill rank) or SR (Safety Rating), and friends can join via the Hosted tab or a link. Let’s set it up right.

Quick Answer: how does a hosted race work in iracing

A hosted race is a user-made session on iRacing’s servers. You pick the car(s), track, schedule, cautions, fast repairs, and access (public or password). There’s a small per-session fee shown before you confirm. Results don’t change SR or iRating. Anyone with required content can join.

What’s Really Going On

Hosted races are the sandbox of iRacing. Instead of following an official series schedule, you run your own event with your iRacing setup and rules. You can make it a chill practice, a private league night, or a full race with qualifying and cautions. You control:

  • Content: one or multiple car classes, any track you own.
  • Format: practice/qual/race lengths, standing or rolling starts.
  • Rules: cautions, damage, fast repairs, incident limits.
  • Access: public listing or password-protected for your group.
  • Server region: choose a region to keep ping low for your drivers.

Important: hosted sessions don’t impact iRating or SR. That’s why they’re perfect for testing iRacing settings, trying new cars, or coaching laps without risking official stats. Everyone joining must own the content you select; if they don’t, they’ll be prompted to buy or can’t join.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. To create a hosted race
  • In the UI, go to Create a Race > Hosted > Create Session.
  1. Pick content and format
  • Select car(s) and track. Set practice, qualifying, and race lengths. Choose start type and time of day.
  1. Set rules and options
  • Configure cautions, damage, fast repairs, fuel/tyre limits, incident cap, and dynamic track/weather as needed.
  1. Control access
  • Choose server region. Set a password if it’s for friends. Keep it public if you want anyone to join. Review the fee before confirming.
  1. Launch and invite
  • Click Create. Share the session link or tell friends to find it in the Hosted tab. Allow a practice window so late joiners can get in.
  1. To join a hosted race
  • Open the Hosted tab, filter by car/track/host, click Register, download any missing content, and join when the session is ready.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Own the content: everyone needs the chosen cars and track installed.
  • Give a buffer: include at least 10–15 minutes of practice for people to join and grid cleanly.
  • Pick the right region: choose the server closest to your group to reduce ping.
  • Passwords prevent chaos: public sessions fill fast and can get messy.
  • Save your template: reuse the same iRacing setup/rules without re-clicking every time.

FAQs

  • Do hosted races affect iRating or SR?
    No. Hosted results don’t change iRating (skill rank) or SR (Safety Rating).

  • How much do hosted races cost?
    There’s a small per-hour fee shown at checkout. Longer sessions cost more. You can pay with iRacing credits or card.

  • Can I run multiple car classes?
    Yes. Select multiple cars when creating the session. Set class-based restrictions if you want cleaner splits.

  • Can I spectate or broadcast a hosted race?
    Yes. Enable spectators when creating the session, then share the link. Broadcasters can join as spectators.

Short Wrap-Up

Hosted races let you control the event: cars, track, rules, and who gets in. Create it, share the link or password, and race—without risking iRating or SR. Next time, save your session as a template to spin up new races in seconds.