New Driver

[adamg67]

Hi all,

I'm new to iRacing, but an ex-UKGPL driver (and I do a little bit in those funny real-world things as well ), one or two people here know me anyway. I havn't really got my head round how the UKiR racing works, is there a "quick start" guide anywhere? Or anything to help me get up to speed really.

I'm looking for some good racing with the right attitude, and I suspect this is the best place to start. I think people who have raced me before will vouch for the fact that I race will hard but clean.

I'll be testing only for a few weeks anyway, and sticking to easy to drive stuff and a small number of tracks I expect. I'll probably have a preference for road-based stuff as it will drive more like what I've got in the garage.

Cheers, Adam.

[mr_oily]

Welcome mate - I'm sure you'll be hooked in no time!

If you want some low pressure fun races come along on a Friday night, usually a few of us on Teamspeak too if you're up for it. I'll be posting tomorrow's race details in an hour or so.

We're recruiting over at Prodigy Racing (http://www.prodigyracing.co.uk/) too so if you fancy joining a team at some point just drop me a PM, we could do with some reinforcements in iR, not least for the upcoming enduro championship .

[Blunder]

Hands off Oily 

Team Oldie is also in need of iRacing support Adam!
( You don't have to be old to join !  )

Come and join us all ! Friday, Sunday and may be still Tuesdays too!

[Fred Basset]

Guys give the new old guy a chance. I'm sure Mr Thurston would have a place in his team for you Adam.

Regards
Gary

[Kerr]

Welcome along.

[Paul Thurston]

Guys give the new old guy a chance. I'm sure Mr Thurston would have a place in his team for you Adam.

Regards
Gary

Indeed.  IIRC Mr Greenwood was of the fruity variety team wise in the UKGPL days.  Erstwhile team manager Kong has probably still got the contract in the safe and he never puts an expiry date on them.

I know I've already said hello but here's an official welcome to the madhouse Adam.

Paul

[adamg67]

It's nice to be in demand!

What Paul says is true, team-wise I never left the Banana boys, I just havn't driven a race for a long time. Hopefully they will let me off driving a lilac car if I stick a fyffes sticker on it somewhere

I won't be able to make tomorrow but in any case I'm not ready yet, I know one track not very well and I'm still getting used to the MX5, though it seems pretty obvious. Once I can get sensible times round Laguna Seca in that I'll start looking out for some races there, then start learning some more tracks.

I suspect the auto-clutch gearchanges won't help my times, but a set of pedals with a clutch will have to wait a while.

Anyone prepared to say what a decent time round Laguna Seca with auto-clutch and auto-blip and a bog standard set up might be?

[Adam Parle]

I was running 1:44's/1:45's in the race I did yesterday.

[Paul968]

Welcome back Adam  Get the skippy if you haven't already - it's much closer to the GPL experience than the MX5.

[Fred Basset]

Hopefully they will let me off driving a lilac car

Now you're talking, my sort of colour scheme

Regards
Gary

[adamg67]

I was running 1:44's/1:45's in the race I did yesterday.

That's not too bad - I can see how to get it down in the 1:45s, after that I think it'll take some work, but that's what I like. There are some interesting corners at Laguna Seca that I think you have to get to know before they will give up the last few tenths.

I should be up to racing speed after xmas anyway.

[adamg67]

Welcome back Adam  Get the skippy if you haven't already - it's much closer to the GPL experience than the MX5.

Hi Paul, been a while!

That's probably true about the skippy, but it's also one reaon I'm enjoying the MX5! I want to try and feed what I've learnt from driving my mini into my sim racing and vice versa, and the MX5 seems pretty good for that so far. I tried a bit of GPL again it it just didn't seem to relate to the real stuff - I don't know if I have some old bad habits in GPL that I've managed to lose in a real car or something. iRacing with the MX5 just seems to respond to me doing the right things. It might also be that the MX5 is more forgiving of my old wheel & pedals.

Plus I know I have some stuff to work on - my trail braking mainly which has always been suspect, and was commented on by a real world instructor as being the main thing to nail now - so having an easier car will help with that I think.

I'll probably get tempted soon enough though...

[adamg67]

I'm thinking of trying the Jetta as my next car - front wheel drive, which is perfect for me. Any opinions on it?

I'm hoping that the fact that it's a DSG gearbox will mean I don't have such a penalty from not having a clutch and having to use the paddles anyway, have I got that bit right?

I'm up to racing speed at Lime Rock now anyway, and might have a go at Laguna Seca again tonight to see if I can get my safety rating over 3 (last chance before the end of the mx5 season, if I can I'll have a Class D license for after xmas).

[Dave 'Gizmo' Gymer]

I'm thinking of trying the Jetta as my next car - front wheel drive, which is perfect for me. Any opinions on it?

I'm hoping that the fact that it's a DSG gearbox will mean I don't have such a penalty from not having a clutch and having to use the paddles anyway, have I got that bit right?

I did a couple seasons in the Jetta. It's reasonably good fun, although being FWD the experience doesn't translate at all to or from any of the other iRacing cars. If you do official races expect a certain amount of rubbing - the grip to power ratio is such that passing is hard to do without contact.

The DSG is just like the real thing, so the clutch does nothing useful and it won't let you downshift as early as you want.