ROUND 1 - FRL Season 12: Controlled Chaos

Submitted by Preston Liberatore

ROUND 1 WINNER Travis Billingsly

Sunday December 3rd was the start of the FRL's 12th Season! Grand Oak Raceway would host the first race of the season with a whopping 17 drivers on the lineup, so we saw action on nearly every lap! 1st lap was an interesting one as the drivers lined up for a formation lap that the FRL doesn’t see often. 

As all racers sat on the grid the excitement in the air grew. With our Engines revving, the blood was pumping but the tires weren't moving. This caused an issue for turn one as several drivers would lose control of their Honda Civics because they reacted as if they were on ice! For some, this was a moment to strike, but for others, it would cause them to tumble. Tony Tyree in the #47 car would suffer the worst as he took on too much damage when colliding into the barrier than his car could manage. This in turn would retire Tony from race early where he would take last place. Trey Stover #128 could be heard over the team radio multiple times saying "My wheel has disconnected from the car!” This mechanical failure caused Trey to have to make an additional pit stop for the driver to reattach his wheel. However, this led to an exciting battle for 11th as the FIVE cars of Brandon Tretsvan #92, Trey Stover #128, Trent Daniels #15, Max Jordan #66, and Riley Liberatore #42 would fight for that position in the last lap of the race. This bumper to bumper action was hard fought but Max Jordan #66 would be the one to emerge victorious over the other rookie drivers by just 2 seconds. For the others it would be a photo finish as they crossed the line with .01 difference across the remaining 4 racers where the accrued penalties would be the overall deciding factor of the positions! Now we get to the points where Joey Lamothe #23 would score his first point in his first race of the FRL! Finishing above Joey was Aaron Vines #89 who put in an impressive fast lap of 1.19.4 during the race which was 1.5 seconds faster than his qualifying time! But being fast is just as important as strategy, and due to a miscalculation of fuel he would have to pit an extra time eating away his chances of overcoming his brother in the #22 car, Jonah Vines, who would take 8th in the race. We climb up the board a bit more and we had an interesting shake up from our qualifying results to race results! Matt Smith #12 would lose one position throughout the race to take home 7th. Due to the cold tires of Seth Jensen #6 in turn 1 of lap 1, he would catch a quick glimpse of the vehicles behind him as he slide out from 3rd place and would fight with the cars of Ghabe Stouffer #2, Matt Smith #12 and Paul Maestri #8 throughout the race. In a post race interview, Seth Jensen commented that he found himself searching for the wrong gear causing damage to his V-Tech Power Unit respectably earning him 6th place. Ghabe Stouffer had a consistent race pace where he would emerge victorious over the other drivers to grab him the same spot he qualified at in 4th place. Paul was later heard commenting on how clean all the racers drove Sunday evening and was extremely impressed by their sportsmanship and found a great amount of happiness in his 5th place standing. Andrew Steppat #001, the leagues most infamous driver, gave Preston Liberatore #54 a run for his money. For the first 5 laps these 2 drivers would fight tooth and nail staying within .2 seconds of each other as they saw the taillights of Travis Billingsly #18 grow dimmer as he grew his first place lead. After several back and forth action between the two, turn 1 would be the downfall for Andrew as he would struggle to maintain the pace in the first section losing out on 2nd to Preston by just shy of 5 seconds. 

Grand Oak Raceway has been an exciting start to the FRL season and January 5th we will see these racers in Japan at Hakone Circuit for a 3 Heat Event!

 

Standings and points accrued: 

P1 - Travis Billingsly - 25 

P2 - Preston Liberatore - 18 

P3 - Andrew Steppat - 15 

P4 - Ghabe Stouffer - 12

P5 - Paul Maestri - 10 

P6 - Seth Jensen - 8 

P7 - Matt Smith - 6 

P8 - Jonah Vines - 4 

P9 - Aaron Vines - 2 

P10 - Joey Lamothe - 1 

P11 - Max Jordan 

P12 - Trent Daniel 

P13 - Trey Stover 

P14 - Riley Liberatore 

P15 - Brandon Tretsvan 

P16 - Ace Wethan 

P17 - Tony Tyree

The Forzday Racing League Announces Its 12th Season: FRL Winter Spec Series

The Forzday Racing League (FRL) is back, and it's revving up for its 12th season of competitive virtual racing excitement in the new Forza Motorsport! This time, we're thrilled to introduce the FRL Winter Spec Series, featuring the nimble and powerful #73 LA Honda World Racing Civic as the car of choice. The action-packed season is set to kick off on December 3rd, promising a thrilling racing experience for both new and seasoned FRL competitors.

The Car: #73 LA Honda World Racing Civic

For the FRL Winter Spec Series, all participants will get behind the wheel of the #73 LA Honda World Racing Civic. This incredible racing machine can be obtained through the Online Qualifier, ensuring that all drivers start on an even playing field. The #73 Civic comes standard with race tires and aero and is fully tuneable to suit your racing preferences. Please note, these are the only upgrades you can add: Race Brakes and a choice of wheels, resulting in a PI of 697. This setup will provide a dynamic and competitive racing experience for all participants.

Race Schedule

The FRL Winter Spec Series will take you on a global tour of exciting tracks, offering a diverse range of challenges. Here's the season's race schedule:

1. December 3rd: Grand Oak Raceway – USA

   • Single race event, spanning 27 laps.
   • Mandatory pit stop to add a strategic twist to the competition.   

2. January 7th: Hakone – Japan

   • 3 Heat Race Event, with 8 laps per heat.

    
   

3. January 21st: Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit – Midrand, South Africa

   • Another 3 Heat Race Event, this time with 6 laps per heat.

    

4. February 11th: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Circuit (Short Course) – Ohio, USA

   • A single race event, covering 32 laps.
   • Mandatory pit stop, adding strategy to the mix.

   
   

5. March 3rd: Suzuka – Suzuka, Japan

   • The season's grand finale is a 3 Heat Race Event, with 5 laps per heat. 

       

Qualifying

To determine your starting position on the grid for each race, we'll be using Forza Rivals as the qualifying method. Seth, our seasoned FRL expert, will be monitoring the Rivals board each Friday night at 10:05 PM Eastern Time before the scheduled race for posted times. Here are some important qualifying details:

• Rivals times will be used to build the race grid for each race.
• For heat race events, the rivals time will be used as qualifying for the first heat only.
• Second and third heat grids will be built in reverse based on previous heat race results.
• Please note that no lap times will be accepted after Friday 10:06 PM Eastern Time.
• Any driver racing on Sunday who has not posted a rivals time will start at the back of the grid.

Rules

As with all FRL seasons, typical FRL rules apply as deemed by "The Board" and stewards. These rules ensure fair and competitive racing while maintaining the spirit of sportsmanship that has made FRL such a beloved community. Please keep in mind that this is a new game, several new drivers, and new race direction. There may be some hiccups starting out, but hopefully with this shorter starter series and simpler rules we can make it a success. 

In the spirit of friendly competition, we encourage everyone to race hard but race fair. While we acknowledge that minor bumps and nudges are inevitable in the heat of the moment, let's be mindful of the fine line between spirited competition and reckless behavior. If you find yourself inadvertently nudging a fellow racer off the track, and it's within your power to avoid it, do show some sportsmanship. Waiting until they're back up and running not only showcases your respect for your fellow competitors but also adds a touch of integrity to our races.

We usually strive to keep race communications focused on race-impacting announcements, such as pit in or out, caution at specific corners, and other vital updates. By keeping our in-game chat reserved for these essential notifications, we can ensure that everyone is well-informed and that the race runs smoothly for all participants.

FRL DRIVER ROSTER 2023

ANDREW STEPPAT - #001 | GHABE STOUFFER - #2 | ETHAN MAESTRI - #3 - RETIRED | DREW DILBECK - #29 | NICHOLAS HARGROVE - #5 | SETH JENSEN - #6 | PAUL MAESTRI - #8 | BLAKE WILDE - #9 | TRAVIS BILLINGSLEY - #18 | JONAH (ECHO) VINES - #22 | JOEY LAMOTHE - #23 | MIKEY COLLINS - #27 | TONY TYREE - #47 | PRESTON LIBERATORE - #54 | RICKY WILBORN JR. - #84 | DAVID (DAVO) DODSON - #86 | BRANDON ADKINS - #88 | AARON (STILZ) VINES - #89 | BRANDON TRETSVEN - #92 | WESLEY (ACE) WATHEN - #99 | TREY (PANCAKE) STOVER - #128 | BRYAN DEAN - #808 | MEYER PIGOTT - #00 | BRANDON TRETSVEN #92 | TRENT DANIEL #15 |  MATT SMITH #12 | MAX JORDAN #66

 

 

FRL Gamertags:

ROADIE TONY – Tony Tyree

Echoand5s22 – Jonah

liilliill#2835 – Max Jordan, (Lazor)

jojofet – Joey Lamothe

Breezyncrdbl – Drew

VonRabbet – Preston

Spicy#9410 – Ghabe

TRIPL3 Dlll – David (Davo)

tsto128 – Trey (pancake)

ROBOSTIG – Paul

Myopiceagl3 – Ethan

LoneSpy – Travis

WHSK3YBENT – Seth

stilz96 – Aaron

AceHarndwire – Wesley

MISTERCHIEF25 – Andrew

mrbubbles4545 – Meyer Pigott

Greywolfe#3157 - Brandon Tretsven 

TCountrynerd - Trent Daniel

IMVERYIMPORTANT - Matt Smith

Lights out!

The FRL Winter Spec Series is poised to be a thrilling season for competitors.Whether you're a seasoned FRL racer or a newcomer looking to dive into the world of competitive Forza racing, the FRL Winter Spec Series is an event you won't want to miss! Get your #73 LA Honda World Racing Civic ready, and let's hit the track for an unforgettable season of racing action.