How to Run an Assetto Corsa League Race Weekend

Running a proper league race weekend comes down to four things: a locked entry list so only your registered drivers can join, Balance of Performance to even up a mixed field, the right session structure, and a penalty plugin, since the base server can't enforce serious race rules on its own. This guide walks through each one.

Locking the Grid Without Booking Mode

The old-fashioned way to lock a grid is booking mode, but it's clunky and Kunos's own documentation recommends against using it. The modern approach keeps pickup mode on and locks the entry list instead:

PICKUP_MODE_ENABLED=1     ; keep pickup mode ON
LOCKED_ENTRY_LIST=1        ; only Steam GUIDs listed in entry_list.ini may join
PASSWORD=league-secret       ; a join password as a second gate

LOCKED_ENTRY_LIST=1 restricts the server to the exact drivers you've listed by Steam64 ID in entry_list.ini. Combined with pickup mode, each registered driver connects and takes their assigned slot, giving you a fixed, known grid without the booking-session workflow.

Building the Entry List with Balance of Performance

Each [CAR_N] block in entry_list.ini pins a car and skin to a driver's Steam64 ID and carries that car's Balance of Performance (BoP):

[CAR_0]
MODEL=ks_ferrari_488_gt3
SKIN=racing_team_01
DRIVERNAME=A. Driver
TEAM=Rosso Racing
GUID=76561198000000001    ; the driver's Steam64 ID, only this account can take the slot
SPECTATOR_MODE=0
BALLAST=20                ; +20kg ballast (BoP), changes handling, capped by MAX_BALLAST_KG
RESTRICTOR=0               ; 0-100% air restrictor, cuts power only, no handling change
FIXED_SETUP=                ; blank = free setup, a path locks the car's setup
[CAR_1]
MODEL=ks_mclaren_650_gt3
SKIN=blue_01
DRIVERNAME=B. Racer
TEAM=Papaya Motorsport
GUID=76561198000000002
SPECTATOR_MODE=0
BALLAST=0
RESTRICTOR=8               ; 8% restrictor to peg back a quicker car
FIXED_SETUP=

The two BoP levers behave differently:

Set SPECTATOR_MODE=1 on a slot to mark it as a non-racing entry, useful for a broadcast camera or race control.

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Structuring the Race Weekend

Sessions run in a fixed order: practice, then qualifying, then race. A typical sprint weekend looks like this:

[PRACTICE]
NAME=Practice
TIME=20
IS_OPEN=1
[QUALIFY]
NAME=Qualifying
TIME=15
IS_OPEN=1
 
[RACE]
NAME=Feature Race
LAPS=24                ; lap-counted race, use TIME instead for a timed race
TIME=0
WAIT_TIME=60             ; seconds on the grid before the green light
IS_OPEN=1                ; keeps drivers from parachuting into a formation lap

For a mandatory pit stop, add the window to [SERVER]:

RACE_PIT_WINDOW_START=8   ; window opens on lap 8 (or minute 8 for a timed race)
RACE_PIT_WINDOW_END=16    ; window closes on lap 16

A stop only counts if the driver enters the pits and stops in their box inside that window.

Enforcing Penalties

Real leagues layer a plugin on top for proper enforcement:

For championship standings across multiple rounds, the community standard is assetto-server-manager (ACSM) by JustaPenguin, which integrates with KissMyRank, Real Penalty, and stracker.

With the grid locked, BoP applied, and a penalty plugin in place, you've got a championship-grade server.