• Make zero (0) to five (5) ordinary prediction about the 36 points races.
• Each correct ordinary prediction earns 1 point.
• You may also choose the race winner in addition to up to five (5) ordinary predictions.
• Picking the race winner correctly earns 3 points.
• Score your own predictions.
• Keep track of your own score.
• Boast as much as you dare about your pickin' prowess.

1. The Benevolent Dictator (BD) makes all the rules.
2. When in doubt, consult rule 1.
3. Generic valid predictions count +1.
4. Picking the race winner counts +3.
5. Players may make compound predictions if they wish, but every element of the compound must turn out true for the compound statement to earn a point.
6. Players may change their predictions for a race up until the green flag flies; after that, they're stuck with what they have already sent to the group.
7. As a general rule (but see below for a big exception), contestants may make zero (0) to five (5) generic predictions a week plus pick the race winner. In other words, those who wish to play the game by picking only the race winner may do so.
8. Contestants may make only one (1) prediction for the race winner per race. Generic predictions that come true because a driver happened to win the race receive a +1 score at most. In other words, in order to get the big payoff you need to make an explicit “winner prediction.”
9. Big Exception: Contestants who have fallen behind or who enter the game late may make as many generic predictions as needed in order to catch up with the rest of the field. If a contestant has missed 5 races, he or she may make 30 predictions for the next race (25 makeup plus 5 for the next race, as well as one prediction for the race winner). Alternatively, they may spread their makeup predictions over the remaining races in the subsection until they have made as many predictions as the rest of the field.
   1. Please note: This exception does not apply to those who use fewer than 5 choices in a previous race or races, but who did submit an RPG for that race or races.
   2. The phrase “they may spread their makeup predictions over the remaining races in the subsection” means this: Carryovers may only be used in the segment in which some picks were missed. If lost ground hasn't been made up by the time a new segment starts, the extra picks may not be used in the next segment.
10. All contestants are personally responsible for grading their own predictions and keeping a running tally of their success to date. They should announce their results in the subject line of their posts.
    Subject: RPG MXM Daytona 400 Result +5/+13
11. There will be three subsections:
    1. Prologue: races 1-13
    2. Race to the Chase: races 14-26
    3. The Chase: races 27 to 36
12. Any prediction can be challenged as being a “gimme” (trivial/obvious) before the race occurs, excepting a prediction of the race winner.
    1. Gimme gripes made the week after the race carry less weight, but still may be sustained upon further review.
    2. Anyone who complains about a gimme after the next race has begun is taking the game waaaaaaaaaay too seriously and should give themselves a time out away from the keyboard.
    3. Linked pairs or groups of predictions that guarantee a point to the predictor are automatically identified as gimmes. For example, a player may not say “#99 will finish behind the #38” and “#38 will finish behind #99.”
    4. Dichotomies and implicitly multiple predictions are not allowed: “Either Kurt or Kyle will win the race.” “A Busch will win the race.”
13. Consensus of the group decides if a challenge is valid. If opinions are evenly divided, the predictor gets the point.
14. Winners of the three subsections will be determined by the number of correct predictions made in that subsection.
15. The season championship will be determined by The Benevolent Dictator after all contestants have explained why they should be declared the victor, all things considered (late entries, batting percentage, courage of convictions index, etc.).
16. All contestants are required to have fun playing the game. If it's not fun, the game will die a sad and tragic death.
17. These rules are subject to change at any time. All decisions about the rules are final, except when they're not. Cf. Rule 1.
18. The game will end when everybody quits and/or when there are no new arguments to be had about the rules, the rulings, and the results.
19. Arguing about the rules, their interpretation, and their application is part of the game, although no RPG points may be earned by causing a change in the rules.
20. Contestants may claim Moral Victory Points at any time and for any reason. Since Moral Victory Points (MVPs) are of incalculable worth compared to the finite and enumerable RPG points, they may not be entered into the calculation of who wins the RPG subsections or season's championship. This rule is, of course, not strictly necessary, since those who are Moral understand that there is So Much More to Life than Winning or Losing.
21. Anybody who wants to take over as The Benevolent Dictator (BD) of RPG may do so. The outgoing BD will give them access to the wiki and they may rewrite the rules to suit their taste.
22. If the new BD grows weary and abdicates, the mantle will return to Martin X. Moleski, SJ, a.k.a. the Hermit of Moral Victory Mountain.
23. No one has to read the fine print if they don't want to.
24. Anyone who wishes may used an abridged set of the rules to play their own version of the RPG game. All is fair in love and RPG, so long as people make it clear that they are using a subset of the rules.
25. The BD may play the game but may not act as the Final Arbiter (FA) on his or her own results.
    1. Decisions on BD appeals will be made by vote of those who have played RPG up to that point in the season.
    2. In case of tied votes, the BD loses the appeal.
    3. The BD's vote is not counted in the appeal.
26. Any contestant may attempt to convene a Kangaroo court to settle disputes.
    1. The person who wants the points is the “defendant.”
    2. Those who are opposed to giving points are the “prosecution.”
    3. Decisions on BD appeals will be made by vote of those who have played RPG up to that point in the season.
    4. In the case of tied votes, the person who called for the Court loses the trial.
27. Suggested tie breakers:
    1. The person who picked more race winners wins.
    2. If that does not break the tie, a special runoff will be held: each person will make pole predictions until one person outscores the other(s).

1. Please mark all RPG posts with the RPG tag in the subject line so that those who do not wish to see the RPG traffic can filter out such posts.
2. Within the limits set by rasnm's charter, all contestants may mock other contestants mercilessly for their failure to see the obvious.
3. Those who succeed in making valid predictions may preen as much as they want, although they should realize that doing so is bad karma.
4. Since there are no negative points (HURRAH!) the use of plus signs is a matter of personal taste and not strictly necessary in reporting results.
5. Everything contestants say will be taken down and used against them.
6. Contestants are not expected to know all the rules before they violate them, but “ignorance of the law” is no excuse if they get caught cheatin'.

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• It is a big-8 newsgroup: rec.autos.sport.nascar.moderated.

• Figure out how to read and post to the newsgroup.

• Start by browsing through Google Groups.
• If participating in the group looks like fun, Get A Real Newsreader, Amigo! Then you hook your newsreader up to a News Service Provider and you're ready to join the big dogs in RPG.

• It's a place where people have fun talking together.

• It is in the realm of the spirit, which is broad, roomy, and all-inclusive.
• If you don't know the way there, you don't deserve to find it.

FrontStretch.com Mirror Predictions 2011

Welcome to our fifth consecutive year of Mirror Predictions! Each week, our experts take the end of this column to tell us who the winner of each Cup race will be. But as we all know, predicting the future is difficult if not completely impossible … so how do you know which writer you can trust when you put your own reputation (or money) on the line?

That’s why we came up with our Mirror Predictions Chart. The scoring for this year is simple:

So the way the game works is that you pick one driver to win. You get from +5 to -3 points depending on how your driver does in the race.