How are drivers ranked?
Drivers are ranked based on the combination of their Total Points (TP) ranking and their Average Points (AP) ranking.
First, drivers are ranked based on who has accumulated the most total points. Second, drivers are ranked based on who has averaged the most points, which is calculated by taking each driver’s total points divided by their number of scored races. These two rankings are then added together and drivers are given their world ranking based on who has the lowest score.
By combining the two rankings, we are able to reward drivers who are both committed to the sport and who have success on the track. To be ranked highly, a driver must compete in many events and must consistently perform well in those events.
Tie Breakers
There are no tie-breakers for the TP or AP rankings. For the Final World Rankings, the tie-breakers in order are: Highest Average Points, Most Wins, Most Finals, Toughest Schedule, Head-to-Head, Most Semi-Finals, Fewest First Round Loses, Official Deliberation.
Why use Total Points
The Total Points ranking is important because it rewards commitment. Drivers who compete full time will earn more points by competing in a large number of events. The advantage to this method is that drivers who are touring professionally will be rewarded for their dedication to the sport. The drawback is that a driver may be accumulating lots of points without ever winning an event or advancing far in the brackets. This method rewards commitment, but not necessarily excellence.
Why use Average Points
The Average Points ranking is important because it rewards success. Drivers who compete against difficult opponents and who routinely advance to the final rounds will have a higher average score. The advantage to this method is that drivers who post strong performances will be rewarded for their accomplishments. The drawback is that a driver can acquire a high average by having one great event and then not competing in any other events. This rewards success, but not necessarily excellence.
Season Duration
The racing season for the MTROC begins the first Monday in October and runs for one year. The final standings for each year will be determined in early November.
Minimum Number of Events
To be eligible for inclusion in the rankings, a driver must have competed in a certain minimum number of events. This minimum will begin at 1 and will be increased throughout the year until reaching the final minimum of 20. Drivers with fewer than the minimum number of events will still be tracked and scored, but they will not be included in the rankings.
Example Rankings
To illustrate how the rankings are determined, here is an example with ten fictional drivers.
Here is an example of driver rankings based on Total Points:
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Garcia – 2800 (16 races)
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Wilson – 2520 (18 races)
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Davis – 1960 (8 races)
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Rodriguez – 1880 (8 races)
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5 – Brown – 1700 (10 races)
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Jones – 1540 (14 races)
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Williams – 600 (2 races)
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Smith – 510 (6 races)
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Miller – 465 (3 races)
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Johnson – 400 (2 races)
Here is an example of driver rankings by average points:
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Williams – 300.00 (2 races)
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Davis – 245.00 (8 races)
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Rodriguez – 235.00 (8 races)
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Johnson – 200.00 (2 races)
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Garcia – 175.00 (16 races)
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Brown – 170.00 (10 races)
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Miller – 155.00 (3 races)
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Wilson – 140.00 (18 races)
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Jones – 110.00 (14 races)
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Smith – 85.00 (6 races)
By adding together each driver’s TP and AP ranking, you can determine their overall ranking.
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Davis = 3 + 2 = 5
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Garcia = 1 + 5 = 6
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Rodriguez = 4 + 3 = 7
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Williams = 7 + 1 = 8
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Wilson = 2 + 8 = 10
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Brown = 5 + 6 = 11
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Johnson = 10 + 4 = 14
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Jones = 6 + 9 = 15
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Miller = 9 + 7 = 16
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Smith = 8 + 10 = 18
Here are the rankings with their Total Points, Average Points, and number of races:
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Davis – 1960 / 245.00 / 8
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Garcia = 2800 / 175.00 / 16
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Rodriguez = 1880 / 235.00 / 8
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Williams = 600 / 300.00 / 2
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Wilson = 2520 / 140.00 / 18
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Brown = 1700 / 170.00 / 10
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Johnson = 400 / 200.00 / 2
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Jones = 1540 / 110.00 / 14
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Miller = 465 / 155.00 / 3
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Smith = 510 / 85.00 / 6
In this example, fictional drivers Garcia, Wilson, Davis, and Rodriguez ranked high in Total Points. However, we can see that Garcia and Wilson have competed in over twice as many events as Rodriguez and Davis which has given them an advantage in earning those points. When ranking based on Total Points, a driver does not need to perform very well so long as they compete in lots of events.
On the other hand, fictional drivers Williams, Davis, Wilson, and Johnson have all averaged a high number of points, but Williams and Johnson have only compete in 2 events, which provided fewer events to be averaged. When ranking based on Average Points, a driver does not need to be consistent because you could sweep one weekend, never compete again, and maintain a top ranking.
When we combine the two rankings, however, we see that Davis has the best combination of both participation (Total Points) as well as consistency (Average Points).