Your problem is contagious, TJ… after reading this I just dumped it on the closing lap whilst comfortably in 4th place (1350 Avg IR field so not bad for me). Thankfully was able to wobble home in 5th after being passed by 5th and 6th who ended up crashing into each other at the final hairpin.
Hi @tankyx, It’s nice to meet you electronically! I’ve heard a lot of good things about your from @Bimodal_Rocket. BTW, congrats on the win Dom!.
Thanks for the video! I know my main weakness is hard braking areas. I get an elevated sensation of speed during the large speed changes, which results in mental/physical tension, which reduces my sensitivity to traction and resolution of inputs. It’s interesting that you actually seem to begin braking a little earlier than I do in many corners, but obviously I’m over braking (parking it and then accelerating it) instead of rolling speed like you are able to do. Anyway, thanks or that, I’ll be working on relaxing more and focusing on rolling speed through the corners.
One question for you, which I’ve been thinking about for a while with the sim; I watched your video at 1/2 speed, and I notice that for maybe 6-7 of the turns, your turn-in steering input is done in stages (two or three stages e.g. steer, pause, steer, pause, steer), with the last stage (and often the largest steering input) occurring at, or just before, the apex. I have seen this same steering technique from many aliens and VRS coaches.
In almost all cases, my steering input is much more linear (I begin steering in, steering input continually increases until I get the the apex, and then is released --unless, of course, a correction is required at some point). I believe this linear steering is how I drove in the real world (pre-dates data, so I can’t be sure), and it always worked well for me. However, now I’m thinking that maybe I’m ‘having’ to over slow in order to use linear steering… if that makes any sense. Anyway, I’m wondering is this staged steering something you do (or more likely evolved into) to adapt to sim racing, or is this how you drove IRL. If this is your technique IRL, did you start sim racing before you went to IRL racing?
Sorry for the long question, but this old dog is trying to learn new sim tricks.
So you are right about my steering input 
The idea is that in the entry I am going to use the fact my front end is loaded to initiate some rotation. This helps to keep the speed high during the entry without triggering any understeer. Then, at the apex, I am going to apply more or less steering depending on the initial rotation. This works only on low downforce cars though, I wouldnt do it on a GT or a F1 car.
This technique comes from my driving style in IRL karting, as I started with karting at 6 and switched to simracing around 19 (I am 26 now). I am not doing it in a car though.
Here I am doing it in a rental
And here I am not doing it in a car
Cool, thanks!
I have tried this a bit, but it feels very foreign, however I will work harder at this finesse vs force approach.
I think that duality does not exist at high level. The key is to find a way to mix those two approaches.
True, I should have said I’ll work on mixing more finesse into my already forceful approach.
Long way to go still, but initial practice indicates that properly timed throttle application, during the final steering phase (e.g. before the car rotates around it’s CG), really stabilizes the car for the exit phase of the turn, and allows the acceleration forces to drive through the car’s CG instead of ‘spilling’ to the outside and inducing snap-oversteer. Getting that steering/throttle timing right vs getting it wrong (and/or vs inducing way to much yaw on turn-in) really makes it like driving two completely different cars, handling wise.
Was thinking about yu two and just drove to a second and new license ding. I was paying attention to the phases of the steering and had some very nice results. Got calmer and broke it down into pahses of direction change and throttle. Ran very fast laps.
@tjkoyen since i jusr dinged to C license, should I change series and cars? Or do I continue doing the USF 2000?
Seems like you are getting the hang of USF2000, I’d stick with it. Think of it like karting. Once you master club racing, move up to regional. Once you master regional racing, move up to national.
Once you feel like you are really good at USF2000, start looking at other series and cars. Could always start testing the next level up. Which I think is the Indy Pro car?
mm OK. Good way to put it. I think I’ll follow their series pathway to whatever end it leads to.
I am enjoying the USF 2000 but it is a snappy little monster. It is rewarding when you get it dancing, though.
I am ALL over the place pace wise, I really dont understand. One race Ill run 24’s with a 23 or two. Other races Im running 26-27. Its so baffling. Also, I cant figure out if its car damage sometimes. The car drives fine but suddenly you dont have top end.
Also, I blew a tire. It was very unexpected as it was white flag lap for second. “Your Tire Exploded”. Thanks, random chance!
Weather for practice and races is random, and can have a huge influence on lap times. However, weather is the same for all splits, so just check your times relative to the front (or middle) of the top split, and you’ll probably see there is actually more consistency in your lap times than when you just compare outright pace from one race to the next.
I’ve never had an exploded tire before; is it possible you had a 0x wall contact during the race? If so, I guess maybe that could cause sufficient damage for the tire to fail. Otherwise, maybe a bug.
Holy moly. Just had a great race against Will Salisbury! He got 4th and I got 6th! Karting enthusiasts, represent!
The strength of field was the highest I have seen by a long shot, so I am guessing I was in a higher split.
So with fast drivers, guess what? My laptimes were 23’s and 24’s! I was fast! Exact same conditions as any other race.
It’s in my head, apparently.
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This is worth discussing. As I pop up a split here (it would seem), I clearly have improved.
I can’t tell if KK has anything to do with it. Indirectly, I am sure it does.
I think KK does what it was supposed to do: allow me to drive. A lot.
And, in doing so, allowed me to explore and learn. That, my regular IRL driving, and now my IRacing, have all taught me stuff that is interconnected.
Would I be learning as quickly if I hadn’t pounded out all those laps in KK? Probably, but I’d be at a different spot in my learning.
The weather is fixed in that series
If you hit the wall, even at low speed, you are going to get damage, and you are going to lose a lot of time
@tankyx Thanks. Is there a way to see the status of your car in-game?
When because you are in the cockpit POV it might be complicated to see. And there are no addons for it
Impressive driving for a relative rookie. Nice lines, nice apexes, very little mistakes and very much in control. The only feeling I have is that your cornering speed can be a little higher but I don’t know for sure since I have no experience with this car. If your goal was to be consistent, then you very much succeeded.
Thank you, Matthijs. I am desperately trying to be consistent and am starting to feel like I am able to get around the track reliably. I definitely could carry more speed. I am running my fastest laps in the 23’s which is still a couple seconds off where I’d like to be.
That being said, my slow pace seems to do OK. I find that despite being outqualified, the random luck of racing allows me to find mid-pack or better, usually. I have learned that not making mistakes is huge in IRacing. Not slowing down. And, if you do have an issue, deal with it. Pit. Then get back out there in a fresh, full-speed car.
I am not sure when we change track but Long Beach has been an experience. This little car will snap oversteer and Long Beach has an odd mix of corners that tests your abilities nicely. I was really struggling with braking in this car. Mostly it was from how I was set up. I was struggling to find consistency with my foot on the pedal. This matters with loadcell pedals as where you strike the face is relevant, pressure wise. I was flailing, either overshooting or locking up.
So, I fashioned this out of my favorite sticky backed foam. My heel slots in and it helps me know that my foot is where it needs to be.
And rightfully so. If you would take iRacing like it was real life racing, you are not professional Indycar drivers. Instead you are a bunch of (albeit talented) inexperienced club racers driving cars that you can barely handle (at least in my situation). Not making mistakes is the biggest challenge and your primary goal.
I left iRacing for Kart Kraft for a while, but I don’t like the latest physics update of KK. Better start racing in iRacing again!
What made you switch from karting to sim?
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Money made me stop karting, as the international scene was too expensive and for many reason I didnt get any good results.
Then I started my master degree and I couldn’t drive IRL so I went simracing.
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