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How Do I Host Private Race in Iracing

Learn how do i host private race in iRacing: step-by-step setup for iRacing drivers. Create passworded sessions, invite racers, and fix join problems fast.

If you’re asking how do i host private race in iracing, the short answer: create a Hosted session and mark it private or add a password. This guide gives the exact, no-fluff steps inside the sim and the member site plus quick fixes if people can’t join.

how do i host private race in iracing (Quick Answer)

Create a Hosted session (from the iRacing client or member site), choose car/track and session type, set the session to Private or enter a password, then start it and share the name/password with your drivers.

What’s really going on

iRacing’s Hosted sessions let any member run custom practice, qualifying, or race servers outside official series. Private sessions are simply Hosted sessions with either a password or visibility restricted so only people you tell can join. Problems people hit are usually: wrong session filters when browsing, mismatched build/content (car or track), or the host not running the session.

Step-by-step fix (create a private session)

Sign in to the iRacing client (or go to the iRacing member site).
Open Hosted Sessions: in the sim look for “Hosted” or “Create/Host”; on the website go to Hosted Sessions → Create.
Pick session type and details: choose Practice/Qualify/Race, car, track, and max drivers. Keep settings simple for testing.
Set privacy: choose “Private” or add a password in the session settings. If there’s a checkbox for “Password Protected,” enter a clear password.
Create and start the session: click Create (or Start) so the server is live. Stay logged in — the host controls the server.
Share details: tell racers the session name (and password if used). Drivers join via Hosted → Browse and will be prompted for the password if needed.

Extra tips / checklist

Match builds: everyone must use the same iRacing build (check the client version) and own the car/track.
Use a short, unique password and send it privately (chat, Discord, DM).
If racers can’t see the session, tell them to clear filters in Hosted → Browse and enable “Show Password Protected” or “Show Private” if available.
Host must stay in the session; if the host quits, the server will shut down.
If connection errors happen, ask racers to verify their downloads and restart the iRacing launcher; usually not a port-forward issue.

FAQs

Q: Where do friends enter the password to join?
A: When they select your Hosted session in the Browse list a password prompt appears. If they don’t see the session, they may need to toggle private/passworded sessions in the filter.

Q: Do guests need to own the car and track?
A: Yes. Everyone joining must own the same car and track or have the content available through iRacing; otherwise they’ll be blocked from joining.

Q: Can I schedule a private race for later?
A: You can create a Hosted session in advance on the member site or client, but the host must start it at the scheduled time and remain online.

Q: What happens if the host disconnects?
A: The session will end. Use a backup host if you need the session to remain live.

Short wrap-up

Hosting a private race is just creating a Hosted session and protecting it with a privacy option or password. If people can’t join, check filters, content ownership, and that the host stayed logged in. Try one quick practice session with a friend to confirm settings before the full event.