iRacing Announces Added Features, Lower Prices

[Tim Wheatley]

iRacing Announces Added Features, Lower Prices: Private Hosted Racing & Race Participation Program Introduced; Annual Subscription Cost Cut 37%; New Public Site Unveiled

BEDFORD, MA (October 15, 2009) – Members of iRacing.com’s popular motorsport simulation service will now enjoy additional features as well as lower subscription and content prices. The new pricing structure, which decreases the cost of an annual membership by 37%, goes into effect immediately. The new features, including private-hosted sessions and a program that awards credits for regular race participation, commence with the November 3rd start of iRacing’s 2009 - Season 4.

The announcement was made by Tony Gardner, iRacing’s president, who said the increased value for members was made possible by the service’s remarkable growth since membership was opened to the general public in August, 2008. Gardner also announced a brand new version of iRacing’s public Web site (http://www.iracing.com) designed to introduce prospective members to the inexpensive fun of online racing with authentic virtual versions of popular race cars and tracks.

“More than 15,000 people have joined iRacing.com since we fully opened our doors 15 months ago,” Gardner said. “Because our membership has grown rapidly, we are able to both lower prices and increase features. We anticipate that by adding value, we’ll increase the enjoyment of our current members and bring even more new members into our community.

“We are committed to making iRacing a thrilling experience for current and new members. The larger the membership, the better the racing will be for everyone. We believe that lowering our prices will open the doors to whole new segments of the racing community.”

Lower Prices

iRacing.com offers a variety of subscriptions, ranging from month-by-month to a new two-year plan that reduces the monthly cost of membership to less than $7.50. Additional content is also available beyond the three cars and seven tracks that come with every subscription. In each case, the new price is lower than its predecessor. A summary of the price reductions:


Term & Old Price:
1 month, was $ 19.00
Term, New Price, Reduction, New Monthly:
1 month, $ 14.00, -26%, $ 14.00

3 month, was $ 50.00
3 month, $ 36.00, -28%, $ 12.00

6 month was $ 90.00
6 month, $ 60.00, -33%, $ 10.00

1 Year, $ 156.00
1 Year, $ 99.00, -37%, $ 8.25

New Term, Price, Monthly:
2 Year, $ 179.00, $ 7.46

Cars were $15.00, now $ 11.95. -20%
Long Tracks were $20.00 or $25.00, now $14.95. -25% or -40%
Short Tracks were $15.00, now $11.95. -20%

Members who have recently purchased additional content are protected by a pair of price-guarantee programs. Any member who has bought content (cars and tracks) within the 30 days preceding the new pricing will receive within 14 days via e-mail a code for iRacing credit for the full amount of the difference between the old and new prices. Similarly, members who have purchased content between 31 and 90 days from the onset of the new pricing will receive a credit for 50% of the difference between the old and the new prices.

Racing Participation Program

Finally, the new Race Participation Program, an earned credit of up to $40.00 per year ($10.00 per 12-week season) will be available to all iRacing members regardless of subscription type, replaces the previous subscription purchase incentive program. Existing quantity purchase discounts of up to an additional 25% remain in effect.

“We want to encourage our members to race more frequently, and we’re going to reward them for doing so,” Gardner said in making the announcement. “Really, it’s a win-win deal for our members. People enjoy racing against other drivers, and bigger fields just add to the fun and make the racing better. Someone who takes full advantage of the ‘Credit for Race Participation Program’ will earn $40 per year.”

The details of the “Credit for Race Participation Program” are as follows:

• To qualify for iRacing credits a driver must participate in eight different race weeks in the course of a normal 12-week season in an individual official iRacing series. (Only Race Sessions in Official Series Count; sessions in Pro and Rookie series do NOT count, nor do sessions in Week 13.)

• For the purpose of the “Credit for Race Participation Program” a driver satisfies the participation requirement by scoring championship points in his or her race session, and completing at least 50% of the number of laps completed by the class winner. Races with an odd number of laps will be truncated. e.g. If the winner of an individual’s car class completes 17 laps other members of that class need to complete only eight rather than nine laps.

• In the case of a race with no finishers, the race will still count as an official session for the purposes of this program. Drivers who complete 50% of the laps completed by the driver in that class who has completed the highest number of laps will receive participation credit.

• For the purposes of this program a driver may participate at any series for which he or she is eligible. (e.g. A driver holding an A license may participate in B, C, or D level races.)

• Payouts are $4.00 iRacing credit per official C or D level series and $7.00 iRacing credit per official A or B level series. Maximum credit per season is $10.00.

• iRacing Credits earned under this program will be calculated during Week 13 of that season. A promotion code will be generated for the proper amount of credit for each member and then e-mailed to the member prior to the start of next season.

“By both reducing and restructuring our prices, we’re encouraging our members to have more fun by racing more frequently, with more cars on more tracks, thereby increasing the value of their memberships,” Gardner said.

Hosted Private Sessions

As a new option in addition to the official weekly schedules of more than 15 regular rookie, regular and pro series, iRacing will now offer its members hosted private sessions.

For a single $3.00 hosting fee any iRacing member may organize a private race, using a variety of cars and tracks in the iRacing inventory, which is open to any other iRacing members, without additional charge and regardless of their license level.

At the option of the organizer these race and/or test sessions may be open to any iRacing member or made private through use of a password issued to a group of members of the organizer’s choosing. While the race organizer may maintain a point structure for a series of these events, a member’s official iRating and Safety Rating are not affected by the results of any hosted private session.

Gardner noted that the creation of hosted private sessions opened the service up to a large group of online racers who preferred racing in a private-league format.

“A lot of sim racers have organized their own leagues – groups of friends who like to race together,” Gardner said. “Our existing structure organizes races basically according to skill level, which is what our current members want. From the start we planned to eventually add private racing to the mix. We believe that the private league racers will join the service to take advantage of this new functionality, but will also try out our structured racing, like it, and add that to their schedules.”

New Web Site

With the advent of each new 12-week season iRacing.com updates its Members Web site with new features and functionality, the place where iRacers go to race, socialize and keep up with all things iRacing. For prospective members who want to learn more about the iRacing service and community, an all-new version of the company’s Public Web site has been launched today. Reflecting what’s been learned in the 15 months since the service opened to the public, the new site provides a clearer and more complete introduction to the fun of iRacing and affords an easy way to become a member.

[ysu]

Great news, I'll resub straight away I think
Thanks Tim!

[thornz]

Big step in the right direction in my opinion!
Amazing how a few people I know who were put of by the costs, all of a sudden this morning are saying, "i might give it a whirl now"
Can only be good for iracing.

The new iracing site is bloody good as well, just spent almost an hour going through it and reading about all the cars tracks etc.

http://www.iracing.com

[AstrO]

Bring back the AAL!!!

(just in iRacing this time )

[TCR]

So do people like myself, who have recently resubbed for a year receive a partial refund of their subscription fee, or does only apply to content (cars and tracks)?

[DarrenM]

So do people like myself, who have recently resubbed for a year receive a partial refund of their subscription fee, or does only apply to content (cars and tracks)?

No, only content. What they've done is remove the subscription credits system by deducting the credit amount from the subscription. So you aren't out of pocket as far as the subscription price is concerned. You're actually $3 ahead. $156-60 credits=$96

The new credits system is the participation thing.

[9ra55h0ppaH]

With the Australian dollar on the way back up, this doesn't look half bad! might have to have a go with it in the next few months

[pab]

Yep, so you got US$60 off your US$156 yearly subscription when you paid it (through the old credit system, plus another $25 off if you paid during the bonus period) and now you can get another $10 per season through participation credits, so we are actually much better off now, we get the best of both credit systems (for this year at least).

[TCR]

So do people like myself, who have recently resubbed for a year receive a partial refund of their subscription fee, or does only apply to content (cars and tracks)?

No, only content. What they've done is remove the subscription credits system by deducting the credit amount from the subscription. So you aren't out of pocket as far as the subscription price is concerned. You're actually $3 ahead. $156-60 credits=$96

The new credits system is the participation thing.

Ok, that makes sense.

So, if I purchased content with my $60 credit, will I receive a partial refund on those?

Just asking

[AstrO]

I just want to get back into private league racing (e.g. AAL/MNR). So who else is up for an ARSE league?

[TCR]

So do people like myself, who have recently resubbed for a year receive a partial refund of their subscription fee, or does only apply to content (cars and tracks)?

No, only content. What they've done is remove the subscription credits system by deducting the credit amount from the subscription. So you aren't out of pocket as far as the subscription price is concerned. You're actually $3 ahead. $156-60 credits=$96

The new credits system is the participation thing.

Ok, that makes sense.

So, if I purchased content with my $60 credit, will I receive a partial refund on those?

Just asking

I've just been reading the forum, and to answer my own question, yes!

If you can believe what's on the forum

I purchased 3 tracks about 3 weeks ago, so the refund might be just enough to buy me a Corvette

[Exar Kun]

I just want to get back into private league racing (e.g. AAL/MNR). So who else is up for an ARSE league?

I'm still tentative about league racing - especially in our time zone where the numbers are already so low. I won't be joining any leagues and I just hope that the leagues that are created don't pull too many people from the regular series.

[Quincy]

I just want to get back into private league racing (e.g. AAL/MNR). So who else is up for an ARSE league?

You are aware of the league nights we already run as an Aussie group? Doesn't that satisfy your urge? I race the Imapala B nights, and have met some great guys, and we get a regular crowd of drivers.
I'm struggling to find reason to race in "another" league, especially if nothing counts, ie, ratings etc. . .

I'm loving the leagues we already run with, we have our "Aussie" pointscore, and on top of that, the racing counts towards the official iRacing season.


As far as "private" leagues go, I'm not touching them, unless it is a special "end of season" or "enduro" One off event, with prizes etc.

2cents.

[ysu]

So do people like myself, who have recently resubbed for a year receive a partial refund of their subscription fee, or does only apply to content (cars and tracks)?

No, only content. What they've done is remove the subscription credits system by deducting the credit amount from the subscription. So you aren't out of pocket as far as the subscription price is concerned. You're actually $3 ahead. $156-60 credits=$96

The new credits system is the participation thing.

Ok, that makes sense.

So, if I purchased content with my $60 credit, will I receive a partial refund on those?

Just asking

just read the orig article - it's in there

We're actually far in front, IMHO, with the reduced price of contents.

[Hazelb]

ORSM stuff...

[DarrenM]

I'm still tentative about league racing - especially in our time zone where the numbers are already so low. I won't be joining any leagues and I just hope that the leagues that are created don't pull too many people from the regular series.

Yep. If we have people split off into little groups again like it is with other sims it's going to suck balls. Hopefully any leagues that are put up will be open to all Aus members, though they'll add to the problem of having too many choices.

It'll be interesting to see if a hosted truck league still goes ahead now that they'll miss out on $4/season

[TCR]

The only "league" races that I plan to run will be the Aussie ones if I can find a suitable night and car combination, and perhaps a one off mixed class, sports car enduro.

[AstrO]

You are aware of the league nights we already run as an Aussie group? Doesn't that satisfy your urge? I race the Imapala B nights, and have met some great guys, and we get a regular crowd of drivers.
I'm struggling to find reason to race in "another" league, especially if nothing counts, ie, ratings etc. . .

I'm loving the leagues we already run with, we have our "Aussie" pointscore, and on top of that, the racing counts towards the official iRacing season.


As far as "private" leagues go, I'm not touching them, unless it is a special "end of season" or "enduro" One off event, with prizes etc.

2cents.

I have yet to get a race with any Aussies in the Jetta

PS I'm not a fan of oval racing (still a Rookie in oval)

[thornz]

You are aware of the league nights we already run as an Aussie group? Doesn't that satisfy your urge? I race the Imapala B nights, and have met some great guys, and we get a regular crowd of drivers.
I'm struggling to find reason to race in "another" league, especially if nothing counts, ie, ratings etc. . .

I'm loving the leagues we already run with, we have our "Aussie" pointscore, and on top of that, the racing counts towards the official iRacing season.


As far as "private" leagues go, I'm not touching them, unless it is a special "end of season" or "enduro" One off event, with prizes etc.

2cents.

I have yet to get a race with any Aussies in the Jetta

PS I'm not a fan of oval racing (still a Rookie in oval)

I was the same until I tried the late model, now I cant get enough of it, and havent even looked at the road side in a month or so.

[DarrenM]

I have yet to get a race with any Aussies in the Jetta

I tried to get it going on Sunday nights, but if nobody is bumps the thread on the forum like Rob Lee has been doing for some of the other series, then they go nowhere.

[TCR]

I have yet to get a race with any Aussies in the Jetta

I tried to get it going on Sunday nights, but if nobody is bumps the thread on the forum like Rob Lee has been doing for some of the other series, then they go nowhere.

I've been tempted to run the Jetta and Sunday nights would work for me, but I've been put off to date by some of the discussions on the forum about overly aggressive drivers at the SRs taking a big hit. I've still been racing the Solstice but I'm getting a bit sick of Lime Rock and Laguna Seca, maybe I should bite the bullet and get it.

Just re-reading the original post, do we need to complete the participation requirements in both an A or B class car AND C or D class car to get the full $10 credit per season?

[DarrenM]

You need 8 point scoring weeks per series and you get $4 per D/C series and $7 per A/B series for a maximum of $10.

So to get the $10 you could do one D/C series and one A/B series, or 3 D/C series, or two B/A series.

[TCR]

You need 8 point scoring weeks per series and you get $4 per D/C series and $7 per A/B series for a maximum of $10.

So to get the $10 you could do one D/C series and one A/B series, or 3 D/C series, or two B/A series.

Cool, thanks.

[Sterling]

Good news and a decent step in the right direction , with the climbing aussie dollar and the new pricing it certainly is becoming a lot better value for money, i think the participation dollars are a good idea as well.

The new site is much better as well, however they still neglect to disclose the cost for additional content before you signup, a big shame tho to see that IRL crapwagon plastered on the front page and the association with the soon to be defunct racing series.

[DarrenM]

What's going to be defunct? A1GP is the series that's in trouble.