Race Every
Thursday Night
Academy Sim Racing's recurring iRacing league. Six rounds, fixed setups, and a scored Pro/Am split so new drivers and fast ones both have something to race for. Join from home for the whole season, or book a seat at the Tampa lounge and race any round in person.
One name, one league, two ways to race it. Enter once from home for $20 and run all six rounds on your own rig, or show up Thursday nights and race the same field on one of our simulators for $40 a round. Either way you are in the same standings, chasing the same $180 in prizes.
Season 3 is Porsche Cup Pro-Am: a spec field in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992.2) with identical setup specifications for everyone, split into Pro and Am classes so a new driver and a fast one are both racing someone they can actually beat. Six Thursdays, points scored within class, so setup work never decides the result. Racing is the only variable.
Season Schedule
All six rounds run on Thursdays: qualifying opens at 7:30 PM ET, green flag at 8:00 PM ET, race length one hour. Lounge racers should arrive by 7:15 PM.
| Round | Date | Qualifying | Green Flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thursday, September 3 | 7:30 PM ET | 8:00 PM ET |
| 2 | Thursday, September 10 | 7:30 PM ET | 8:00 PM ET |
| 3 | Thursday, September 17 | 7:30 PM ET | 8:00 PM ET |
| 4 | Thursday, September 24 | 7:30 PM ET | 8:00 PM ET |
| 5 | Thursday, October 1 | 7:30 PM ET | 8:00 PM ET |
| 6 · Finale | Thursday, October 8 | 7:30 PM ET | 8:00 PM ET |
Best 5 of 6 rounds count toward the final standings once every round has results. Setups are identical for every driver, in every round.
Two Ways To Race It
Same league, same standings, two separate ways to buy in. Pick one, or use both across the season.
From Home · $20
One payment covers your entry to all six rounds. Uses your own iRacing account, on your own rig, for the fixed 7:30 PM qualifying and 8:00 PM green flag each Thursday.
JOIN FROM HOME →At The Lounge · $40 / race
No iRacing account needed and no season commitment. Book any single round on one of four single-monitor rigs set aside for league nights: Sport 1, Sport 2, Sport 3 or Club 3. Arrive by 7:15 PM.
BOOK A LOUNGE SEAT →These are two independent ways to enter, not a bundle. The $20 home entry and the $40 lounge seat are each their own purchase, and a lounge seat does not require also buying the home season entry.
How To Join
Racing from home needs an iRacing account and a season entry, in this order:
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Buy your entry
$20 through the Thursday Night Lights product at academysim.com covers your whole season, all six rounds, from home.
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Request to join in iRacing
Search for Academy Sim Racing inside iRacing's Leagues section and click Request to Join. Approval is matched to your order by name, nothing else to send. If your iRacing name is different from your order, say so in the notes on the join request.
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Get confirmed and race Thursday
Registration is processed weekly, with a confirmation email inside 24 hours. Once confirmed, race from home any round on your own account.
Racing at the lounge instead does not require any of this. No iRacing account, no season entry, just book the round at booking.academysim.com and arrive by 7:15 PM.
Class Split And Prizes
Road iRating under 2,000 as of Round 1 races Am. 2,000 and above races Pro. A ringer rule lets admins move an exceptionally skilled driver to Pro regardless of rating. Class placement is fixed for the season once set: no moving down, and late joiners are placed on their rating at their entry date.
| Class | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | 1st | $60 cash |
| Pro | 2nd | Free entry to the next league |
| Am | 1st | $40 cash |
| Am | 2nd | Free entry to the next league |
| Either class | Hard Charger | $40 cash |
| Anyone who raced | Attendance drawing | $40 cash |
Pro pays out more than Am on purpose: if both classes paid the same, a quick driver would have a reason to hang back and farm the easier one. The $180 figure is the cash pool; the two runner-up prizes are free entries on top of that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Thursday Night Lights?
Academy Sim Racing's recurring iRacing league. Season 3 is Porsche Cup Pro-Am, six rounds on consecutive Thursdays, open to drivers racing from home or in person at the Tampa lounge.
How much does it cost to join?
Two separate options. Racing from home is $20 for the whole season, paid once, using your own iRacing account. Racing in person at the lounge is $40 per individual race, with no season commitment and no iRacing account needed.
How does the Pro/Am split work?
Under 2,000 road iRating races Am, 2,000 and above races Pro, checked as of Round 1 or, for a late joiner, as of their entry date. A ringer rule lets admins move an exceptionally skilled driver to Pro regardless of rating. Pro pays out more than Am on purpose, so a quick driver has no reason to hang back and farm the easier class.
What are the prizes?
A $180 cash pool plus two free league entries: Pro 1st $60, Pro 2nd a free entry, Am 1st $40, Am 2nd a free entry, a $40 Hard Charger award, and a $40 attendance drawing open to anyone who raced.
How do I join from home?
Buy the $20 season entry, then request to join Academy Sim Racing inside iRacing's Leagues section. Approval is matched to your order by name, so note it if your iRacing name is different.
Can I race in person at the lounge instead of from home?
Yes, and no iRacing account is required for this option. Book a $40 seat for any round at booking.academysim.com on one of four single-monitor rigs, and arrive by 7:15 PM.
Where can I read the full rules?
The complete ruleset, including on-track conduct, penalties and the 48-hour protest window, is published at academysim.com/pages/league-rules.
Season 3 Opens September 3
Join The League
$20 covers all six rounds. Buy your entry, then request to join in iRacing under the same name.
JOIN THE LEAGUE →Race In Person
Book a $40 lounge seat for any Thursday round on Sport 1, Sport 2, Sport 3 or Club 3. No iRacing account needed.
BOOK A LOUNGE SEAT →Not ready to commit to the season? See the full range of racing experiences at the lounge, or read the complete league ruleset.