Items to purchase/future of iRacing (rookie's questions)

[Jan Roman]

Hi simracers,

I've been playing iRacing for a couple of days (it's a first simulator I've bought) and it's superb. I'm playing just with the basic content package, but since I'm going to hit D class soon, I'm looking into ways of saving as much money as possible during content purchase. iRacing announced a promotion lasting until 23rd of September - "buy three or more items and you'll recieve 15$ from us". I intend to put this in use by buying some of the content. I'd like to ask you, which tracks or cars I should purchase. Now I'm 2.85 Rookie (I've run just three races) and I'm not sure which series I should drive in the future. I'm 100% road racer (no ovals!) so I'm quite sure it has to be road series. I've been driving Mazda MX-5 Roadster in the nVidia rookie series. MX-5 is quite easy to drive I think and I like it very much. Even though it's rear-wheel drive, it doesn't tend to oversteer much (I experience understeer situations more often). I've tried SCCA Spec Racer Ford and it's much more difficult to drive because it tends to oversteer much more than Mazdas (I'd probably get used to it). So I'm asking you, which series/cars I should choose.

I understand that it'll take the most money at this moment, so I intend to save as much as possible. I know I should probably test a couple of cars first to see which ones fit me the most, but it would require to buy them for full price (no -20%). I was thinking about Mustang, but I think it'd be too difficult for me to drive it (a lot of horsepower). Since I'm a complete beginner, I'd like something not-so-difficult to drive (as I said, Mazdas fit me for now). Could you please give me some advice about this matter?

My second question: iRacing is an amazing game, but it lacks a lot. What are the plans for the future? I mean many things are missing - better enviroment, pit crews, look to apex, weather and so on. Is there any official source of information (besides iRacing.com)? iRacing's graphics are awesome (especially cars in reaplys look almost realistic, many people would even say they're virtual), but certainly there's still a lot to improve.

Thank you for your time and patience with these a bit stupid questions I'd need a "big brother", because new and new questions are coming every day.

See you on the track!

 

[Jan Roman]

Is there a good place to get some information about iRacing cars? iRacing HQ doesn't say much sometimes

 

[Dario Jagar]

look here:

http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/1487634.page#3492233

basically:

Watkins, Spa, Road Atlanta are on most of the schedules

 

[Eric Estes]

For your next step and purchases, I would (personally) look at the Skippy, although the Mustang has a lot of fans - depends on whether you prefer Formula cars or sportscars as your primary path. Take a look at the current season tracks and two of them, preferably two that could also be used in future series like V8 or Star Mazda, depending on your wing (or lack thereof) preference. Watkins Glen and Road America probably, or perhaps Road Atlanta. Typically the same tracks will be run the next season with one or two changes.

 

[Jan Roman]

Thank you. I think I'll choose series according to the car of my choice. I like understeering car more, but I don't care if there's a slight oversteer tendency. But that's really the problem - I don't really know what to choose. V8? Mustang? Corvette? GT? I don't have a clue.

I'd personally prefer sport cars Eric, but if formulas are more driveable (which I doubt), I'll choose them.

 

[Joe Hubbard]

Well welcome to iRacing Jan, in the D road you will have two choices really. The Skip Barber or Mustang, both are pretty popular. I have never personally ran the Mustang in an official race but I have the skippy. You can always get an official race with it as there are a ton of people that drive it. However it is like the Spec Racer. You cant let all the way off the throtle or it will start to spin. What I would do is look at the series and see what tracks you need for that series. Perhaps what you can do is see where the series is at now in the season and see which you need right now to run the rest of that series. I always bought things in groups of 4 or 5 get get the 20% off everything. It took a bit of the sting out for sure. If you aren't sure how to do this. However your mouse over series on the main page there and then click current season. Once you find the Skip or Mustang in that last click the plus sign on the left. Then you will see the tracks that are needed.

As far as the future of iRacing there seems to be alot of things coming down the pipe. Such as graphic updates and the new tire model for every car. There has been talk of an animated pit crew but no dates that I've heard. The real question is when will these things come to iRacing... lol...

 

[Joe Hubbard]

sorry I see there were a couple of posts while I was typing mine... haha :tongue:

 

[Jan Roman]

There is a topic about the future of the iRacing and I like it, however I'd like to see pitcrew immediately, it looks a bit funny without it. (And I understand it's probably a hard thing to implement).

http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/1524566.page

More advice appreciated! Every opinion is a lot of help.

 

[Joe Hubbard]

Well I know the pit crews will be cool when they get here. However for now I'm happy that they actually make the car move or say for instance in truck series during a pit stop. Each side of the truck gets jacked up one at a time, so at least we have that for now... lol...

 

[Eric Estes]

Hehe... which is more driveable depends on what level you are at. The following are my personal opinions on driveability, your mileage may vary:

At D, I'd say the Mustang is more drivable than the skippy (especially if you like understeer - you'll just love the Mustang ), and it falls into the Sports Car category.

At C, The Star Mazda is much more driveable than the V8 and gets a lot of drivers - great car. Now that the Riley and SR8 are at this level, though, you have plenty of sports car choices. If you go D with the Mustang, then moving to the Riley for C would be a natural progression, but the Radical is wicked fun.

 

[Jan Roman]

Thank you very much Eric, your answer basically solves my problem. Other users' opinions are still valuable!

 

[Carl Abrams II]

Keep in mind also, if you want to do this on the cheap, that Rustang also opens up future mix class races. If you end up getting the Skip but then go to Radical and want MC races, you'll have to then buy the Rustang anyways.

And shameless, biased plug...you're doing yourself a terrible disservice shunning ovals

 

[Larry Stovall]

And shameless, biased plug...you're doing yourself a terrible disservice shunning ovals

He's not kidding.

 

[George Pilkington]

I must agree too. Just have a few laps in the draft, around Talladega in the Carboretta cup dude... its got me bad. I'm even trying the trux now...
neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww .

Last night we were doing 9+ ways for 50 odd laps with hardly a wreck... awesome!

 

[Jan Roman]

I don't want to create a new topic so here's my problem. I'm driving a Mustang right now and is an amazing car, really. I got used to it and now I'm very consistent (not fast of course, but that's not a problem for me) and I can drive very safely. The thing is, I've never really wanted to drive Mustang. But I'm a class D driver and Stang is the only solid sport car in D series. So my question is, what are my options? I was looking to C and B series and it looks there's not much choice in C class - people say the V8 aren't quite well made and their driving is a bit wierd. I was thinking rather of Corvette or Ford GT. But since I'm a beginner (4 weeks in simracing), I don't rally know what to chose. I'd prefer NTM cars, but Week 13 is near and I hope more cars will get the NTM after that. I don't like openseaters (but someday, I'd certainly try them), not oval, road racing only.

Could you help me please? I have no clue how cars handle and there's no way to try them, so I rely on your advice

Mustang is quite hard to handle, it's s very specific car, but the handling (nowadays with the OTM) is quite bad. I mean, you can powerslide through all the corners and you won't loose much time.

Thank you for your response.

 

[Dario Jagar]

I like most of the tintops in iR, even V8 but my recomendation goes to Radical, most nimble car on road side, very much oposite of Mustang but very very fun and chalenging, I don´t like open wheelers but still I if should pick one it would be Dallara Indy car

Star Mazda have most populated races but I don´t like it for some reason

 

[Joe Hubbard]

The only problem with the Vette or Ford GT now is that in order race them you have to buy both of them and the LMP to run the official races.

 

[Steve O'Malley]

Jan,
I only started this year. My advice, dont bother to try and fast track to the next license, always remember you are doing this to have fun. Get the Skippy, although initially its a pig to drive, and do a season with it. You will find you are racing with people of a similar standard. Dont be phased by the skippy iracing forum posts with their really quick lap times, some of the guys have been racing a long time. Be prepared to get knocked off a few times by people who think they have done nothing wrong and try not to get annoyed with them. Measure your improvement by how you climb the division you are in and concentrate on finishing races rather than being the fastest bloke out there.
Buy the tracks as you need them and after a season in the skippy you will probably have most tracks you need should you decide to move up to the Star Mazda. But always remember you are in it to have fun so when things are not going too well ont get upset - 1 decent result changes your outlook on everything.

 

[Jan Roman]

Thank you guys. I'm actually doing everything you said Steve, but I'm driving Stang instead of Skippy. I hope the NTM will hit mustang next season. I don't fast track at all, the only thing I'm trying to do is gather enough SR to get promoted in the of end of the season. You are suggesting open seaters, which are not exactly my cup of tea. I will finish this season in Thrustmaster Mustang Challenge for sure (looking forward to Sebring at night, but frightens me a little), but after my promotion to C class (I drive very safely, safety is my main concern nowadays so I don't suppose I'd loose .40 SR) I have to decide whether to keep racing in Mustang Challenge nor move into other series.

The thing is, I'm driving really safely. I usually have about two offrads per race, but my incident points tend to be much higher. Low D class drivers usually ruin things for me. I love when I'm driving with A class drivers - I'm (almost) sure they will overtake cleanly and in the safe place. And I'm sure they won't do any harm if I let them pass or try to overtake them. I'm usually starting in back of the grid (usually behind the 10th place) because I don't qualify - I think it's a bit safer for me, even though I'd probably finish better. And I'm surely able to be faster than many drivers ahead of me and I can definitely overtake. The thing is, when I put the pressure on, many drivers tend to pedal to the metal and they start making mistakes. And these mistakes are very dangerous, because on certain tracks (like Suzuka), there are not many spots to overtake and you have to drive really close to them. And when driving side by side, accidents are very difficult to save.

I hope when I move to higher class, drivers like these will slowly disappear. I understand that an A class driver may make a mistake too, but it's much less likely. I was thinking about driving the Grand-Am series with Stang, but I don't like the multiclass idea at all (especially with the slower car in the field).

 

[Carl Abrams II]

Some advice - Don't rely on "the letter" to save you from incidents. In D, you may have drivers with less skill, but they may also be like you, trying their best to stay clean. In A, you may have guys that are naturally good and therefore clean, but are trying to win races and pass all the D's on the first lap, which causes more accidents. My point is, do not RELY on things to avoid incidents, take it upon yourself to learn how to avoid them. No letter, no series, nothing is going to make as much a difference in your safety rating as YOU. No matter how blatantly wrong someone's move may had been that takes you out, ALWAYS look at how YOU could have avoided that. It'll keep you safer than any letter could ever hope to.