Thinking of getting iRacing, need advice.

[JamesU]

Hey guys,

As everyone seems to say iRacing is the best sim out there, i was thinking of grabbing it.

I like to get everything through Steam, and this game is £8.00 p/month on there - but i have stumbled across this:

http://www.g2play.net/category/5623/iracing-com-3-month-membership-with-gen-6-ford-car/

Now, the problem i have is i'm not sure how this works and how to sign up... Would i just create a new account on their site and not use steam, then enter the code and away i go?

Thanks fellas


EDIT: I think i got confused, is the G2Play code just for use with one single car?

 

[Lars Hansen]

Well, as another one who's taken the plunge recently (yesterday, actually), here's my two cents.
Personally, I love it. Stuctured, and the splits are reasonably fair, so there are fewer aliens around in my races.
And since there is almost always racers around, I've managed to get 7 races in during the last 24 hours.
Even started doing NASCAR stuff, which is.....different.
Not that it's any easier (or harder) than road-racing, it's just a completely different skill-set.
One that I have yet to master, I might add.

Now, iRacing isn't perfect. There are still Turn 1 heroes, and the occasional nutjob.
One perfect example is my last oval race, where some idiot who was a lap down refused to get out of the way of P2, 3 and 4(me). Ended up spinning out both P2 and 3.
Not that I mind getting P2, but I'd rather not get it this way.
But these are still Rookie races, and I imagine as you progress, the racing gets cleaner as the suicidal guys gets filtered out.

The pricing is both a blessing and a curse.
It is insanely expensive, there's no denying that.
On the other hand, it does mean that you are fairly limited in what you can drive (unless you're absurdly rich), so you kinda have to specialize in one car at a time.
One problem I have with GCSE (and Race07) is looking at all these wonderful cars and wanting to drive them all. Meaning I never get really skilled in any one of them.
Personally, after getting my D license, it was a toss-up between either the Spec Racer or the Skippys.
Ended up choosing the Spec, simply because the series required two fewer tracks, but with either choice, I'm fairly certain I'll be busy enough this season.

And there are several posts on their forums describing how you can get the most bang for your buck, simply by analyzing which series runs which tracks, then factoring in drop-weeks and finding the minimum number of tracks that will allow you to race in one or two series.
At present I think it's 3 track purchases that will allow you to do both the Manufacturers Cup (in the MX-5) and the Skippys.

 

[snyperal]

From what I've heard turn one heroes are abundant whatever the class. Just something to keep an eye on.

 

[Steve O'Malley]

gt1 was the worst place for turn one heroes last season. The SRF is probably the friendliest series I have encountered. My advice to rookies is to work on improving your sr rather than your speed and your results will improve fairly quickly.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

... where some idiot who was a lap down refused to get out of the way of P2, 3 and 4(me).

from what I - as another European who is not deeply into ovals but enjoyed the old Nascar titles - understand, giving way as a lapped car is not what you do in oval racing. I have consistently been fighting chaps several laps down at full risk for both of us over laps and laps and laps. it seems to be the norm since in real life it is well nigh impossible to get any meaningful flag signs addressed to anyone in these huge and dense packs. i for one have started doing the same and have never been called to task (unless i behaved like an idiot, that is, but would i ever?). i always do one oval series if possible each season, concentrating my buys on rovals which (sadly enough not very often) may pop up as road venues as well.

 

[Lars Hansen]

from what I - as another European who is not deeply into ovals but enjoyed the old Nascar titles - understand, giving way as a lapped car is not what you do in oval racing.

Possibly. I'll freely admit that my knowledge of oval racing is....sorta lacking.
But even then.....
I mean, I can understand it if you're a lap down in a 400 lap race. Anything can happen.
But this guy had already spun out on lap 1, went into the pits for repairs and came back out.
And this is a Rookie race of 20 laps and no flags, so unless the rest of the field spontaneously explodes he has no chance of improving his position, so why risk it?

 

[Steve O'Malley]

Possibly. I'll freely admit that my knowledge of oval racing is....sorta lacking.
But even then.....
I mean, I can understand it if you're a lap down in a 400 lap race. Anything can happen.
But this guy had already spun out on lap 1, went into the pits for repairs and came back out.
And this is a Rookie race of 20 laps and no flags, so unless the rest of the field spontaneously explodes he has no chance of improving his position, so why risk it?

because he simply doesn't care about anyone else. There are plenty of those guys out there but that's not unique to iracing.

 

[Jyri Kettunen]

A word of warning from bitter (albeit short) experience: If you care about your ratings, avoid the Cadillac Cup -series at all costs. The driving standards are worse than in Mazda rookies, truly horrible.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

yep, that's why us kia players have for seasons lobbied for the kia to be removed from sharing a grid with the cadillac. if they behave like that towards each other, figure out how they dealt with us smaller kias among them, it was sheer horror.

 

[Lorenzo Bonder]

Having raced the Global Challenge (CTS-V + Kias') last season, I must say I was impressed with the Driving out of most folks, well it was a fixed series and else, so basically all races save a few were very clean. But I gotta agree on the Optimas, they shouldn't belong in a league like that.

And I gotta say drive the RUF C-Spec is tough as hell. First time in a race AGAINST ANOTHER DRIVER that I get 14/17 penalties, none by hitting the player or the wall, just driving around Monza, it seems like I can't get a grip on that car, well back to the GT1s then.

 

[snyperal]

I've struggled but got there, or thereabouts. Its ridiculous hard, but throttle blip, and allow plenty of time for stopping, and you are halfway there. I drive with the racing line on, until i get to know all the tracks by heart its staying on too.

I think the braking (red areas) are not optimized for this layout, so brake well before them (if you run with them on) and its straight forward after that, Watch out for turn 5, and 6 (massive blip required here) and also turn 8 and 11 can get skittish here.

 

[Joao Fernandes]

I think the consensus with iRacing and all other sims is taking it easy at first.
Slowly adapt to the series you're racing. Learn the car and all it's ticks and tricks.
The tracks if you're never raced them it's just a matter of time before you start to get used to most of them.

Awareness is a good thing to keep in mind while you go up the licenses.
Keeping it clean and consistent (my way of doing things) is good and the service rewards you for that. After a while when confidence (in you and others) and experience start to settle you can push a little more and get better results.

I never did a full season due to lack of time and racing in other sims but when i do some races i appreciate all the work and the great service we have. Right now i'm trying to do a full season in the SRF maybe this time i can go until the end.
I'm not the fastest driver and my pace isn't that great to win races but so far has been fun and with clean races.

 

[snyperal]

I am probably guilty of the newbie syndrome, doing a load of races as and when they come up, with little or no practice too. In things like the mx5 putting a few clean laps together is not much of a big deal, being competitive is a whole other ball game though.

In the RUF is where I've been spending the majority of my time though, and the race at monza has really tested me. My first race, I had only done 10 minutes of practice, so it was a mess, a lot of spins, I was surprised here because, like many, I've raced monza countless times over the years, never this layout though. I was fortunate there was only 3 drivers, and one of those binned it on the first lap, so it was really an extended practice session.

My second, was an absolute disaster, I seem to be starting in the middle of the field a lot at the moment, so there was about 13 cars within a second of each other by the time they hit the first (light) braking area, which is quite a way in, a lot of drafting and overtaking and edging was the build up, followed by utter carnage. I even tried to let people overtake me, knowing full well the outcome, however some cars ended up standstill on the track, forming a chicane, I slowed down to ensure safe passage only to be rear ended into them. I limped back to the pits, waited the 8 minutes and plodded on the rest of the race with a beaten car and a bit of a grump.

My last race was much better, again middle of the pack (i ran a Q session for something to do) I let myself get overtaken, so I was last and then worked my way through the field, I came seventh out of 20, Ironically, I started in 7th, but i know if i had tried to race this position, I would've been taken out.

I'll have a look at the SRF when it comes to a circuit that i own, It may be something i enjoy, I have heard that the racers are a little more laid back than the RUF crowd and thats something I'd enjoy as much as the fat behind of the RUF.

 

[Lars Hansen]

The braking zones on the track-guide are rather optimistic no matter where you race.

The hardest part for me is trusting my fellow racers. I'm not fast, but I do try my damnedest to race clean, so I'm highly suspicious of anyone that gets near me.
It's not too bad in most races, as long as you give people plenty of room to overtake.
And it does pay to stay behind someone for a lap and observe their driving. Had one guy in front of me earlier today in the Skippys, and after half a lap I thought: "I'm not even going to attempt to overtake that guy. I'd rather juggle chainsaws while tap-dancing in a minefield..."

The one exception is the Rookie ovals.....Especially on short-tracks.
Last week was Charlotte where I could just trundle along in the back and wait for the inevitable spin-out of half the field, but this week it's a 3/4 mile.
3/4 mile filled with 18 drivers, at least half of which have no clue as to what they're doing...
Hooo-boy, the circus is in town.

 

[Joao Fernandes]

This is why i said awareness is a good thing to master.
Sometimes we have to choose to back out because we don't trust the way other drivers are racing.
With time we start to recognize the people we can have a little more trust. Of course there will be always some race incidents as long as they aren't on purpose i don't mind it that much.

 

[snyperal]

I agree, I quite liked charlotte, and letting everyone have a spill while gaining a nice advantage, I am afraid i am probably one of the no clue what i am doing types on that circuit. I just can't seem to find the pace, which i am having a job rationalizing considering its only a cpl of corners! :S

 

[Lars Hansen]

USA Speedway isn't that bad once you figure it out.
Brake a couple of car-lengths before the lights until you hit approx. 90mph, then turn in on coast and let the speed bleed off, then back on the throttle after the apex.
I can't play with the big boys since I'm still about half a second off the pace, but I can usually stay on the lead lap over a 40 lap race.
Assuming someone doesn't do something moronic...Like trying to back out into traffic after a spin......*sigh*
(I'm never going to get out of Rookie... )

 

[Decenten]

A word of warning from bitter (albeit short) experience: If you care about your ratings, avoid the Cadillac Cup -series at all costs. The driving standards are worse than in Mazda rookies, truly horrible.

I dont really agree with this. If youre in the top split and up the front there can be some really good battles to be had. I gained nearly 500 irating a couple seasons ago at watkins in the caddy. Just qualify up the front and be aware of who is around you. If they look dangerous side step them and they will eventually take themselves out

 

[Decenten]

The thing with charlotte is to hug the white line. It is basically the talledega of SS. Nobody can get past on the outside if you hold that line unless they bump you

 

[Jyri Kettunen]

I dont really agree with this. If youre in the top split and up the front there can be some really good battles to be had. I gained nearly 500 irating a couple seasons ago at watkins in the caddy. Just qualify up the front and be aware of who is around you. If they look dangerous side step them and they will eventually take themselves out

There have been only one split in my races with 27-29 cars starting. Awareness does you no good if you have only 1/10th of a second to react to cars that are sideways in front of you. And If you manage to slow down to avoid danger, youre back is hit immediately. Only way to survive in this series is to be fast enough to qualify up front. I'm not that fast, and I'm not going to waste my time practicing for this trash series.

 

[Jyri Kettunen]

The thing with charlotte is to hug the white line. It is basically the talledega of SS. Nobody can get past on the outside if you hold that line unless they bump you

Indeed. I won one race starting from the pole, and keeping the inside line. It was actually a bit boring.