Racing Simulators
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Soldato
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There's no contest. Dave Kaemmer has driven the real Skip Barber a lot, even winning a race in a real series IIRC. As a result the Skip is one of the best modeled, and most satisfying car there (it can be a bit of a handful at first though, like the SRF). The series is (well, it was before I left anyway) very popular and it was one of the few series you could nearly get an official race in at any time of day.
The Jetta may be more popular since it went into damage limitation mode (ie two car types in one race) but I've no idea. Like all iRacing content, it's nice enough to drive in its own way, but the gearbox has a mind of its own and I never really enjoyed it. However that may be because it's a bit like the Solstice, a car which really shows the difference between talent and also-ran. And I have no racing talent.
Disclaimer: I have often said in the past that if iRacing only had one road car, the Skip Barber, it would have been a much better project. So my opinion may be biased. The Jetta did have a small, but very enthusiastic following, just like most of the rest of the iRacing stable.
Andrew McP
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Similar here I'm on SR-3.96 on my D license after a very successful weekend (for me). Managed to finish in the top 5 three times!
I'm finding the Skippy challenging but fun. I haven't tried the Jetta. Took me a good few weeks to start to feel comfortable with the Skippy and I'm still struggling with braking.
It amazes me how some ppl can brake so late for corners where I have to slow so early, must be a technique I have come across...?? Any suggestions Skippy masters?
I'm finding the Skippy challenging but fun. I haven't tried the Jetta. Took me a good few weeks to start to feel comfortable with the Skippy and I'm still struggling with braking.
It amazes me how some ppl can brake so late for corners where I have to slow so early, must be a technique I have come across...?? Any suggestions Skippy masters?
Soldato
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I think years of GPL possibly gave me a head start with the Skip. Compared to the '67 Lotus it's a pussycat.
But in controls I had the brake slider thing all the way up to, er... 3 I think. I forget what the scale was now. That means the first 2/3rds of your pedal's throw is very gentle, giving you better fine control.Remember iRacing is not a school, it is a lesson in humility.
If you can handle a low brake bias, making the back end unstable and "swingable" you have a huge advantage in sim racing. I could never handle setups like that, preferring my brake bias as far back as possible for stability. That's why I only ever got to be mediocre and consistent rather than fast.Some say if you persevere you will improve. Others say that they're talking out of their hat, and there's a limit to how much you can train a non-twitchy brain to handle a twitchy setup. :->
Good luck.
Andrew McP
Soldato
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I think I'll go for the Skippy then. Just need to decide which tracks to buy, and I have to wait until pay day 
Yep, definitely Skippy, way more fun than the diesel thing 
CatMangler, with the corners you need to both enjoy having a car oversteer, and left foot brake/trail the throttle constantly, braking without trailing the throttle is possible, and even possible to go quickly with it, but it's a lot more stable in my experience with trailing throttle into the corners,
ScarySquirrel, when is pay day, obviously no point getting Road Atlanta now as tonight is the last chance to race it this season, so assuming it's sometime soon I'd go with the Skippy, Zandvoort for the last week and possibly something like Watkins Glen/Spa which are almost definitely going to be on the schedule next season to get the 10% discount for 3 items,
If it's after week 12 then wait until they release the new schedule and buy the first few tracks (or the full season, your choice) as they may well change it from the current tracks, especially with Okayama coming in week 13.
CatMangler, with the corners you need to both enjoy having a car oversteer, and left foot brake/trail the throttle constantly, braking without trailing the throttle is possible, and even possible to go quickly with it, but it's a lot more stable in my experience with trailing throttle into the corners,
ScarySquirrel, when is pay day, obviously no point getting Road Atlanta now as tonight is the last chance to race it this season, so assuming it's sometime soon I'd go with the Skippy, Zandvoort for the last week and possibly something like Watkins Glen/Spa which are almost definitely going to be on the schedule next season to get the 10% discount for 3 items,
If it's after week 12 then wait until they release the new schedule and buy the first few tracks (or the full season, your choice) as they may well change it from the current tracks, especially with Okayama coming in week 13.
Soldato
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Yep, definitely Skippy, way more fun than the diesel thing
CatMangler, with the corners you need to both enjoy having a car oversteer, and left foot brake/trail the throttle constantly, braking without trailing the throttle is possible, and even possible to go quickly with it, but it's a lot more stable in my experience with trailing throttle into the corners,
ScarySquirrel, when is pay day, obviously no point getting Road Atlanta now as tonight is the last chance to race it this season, so assuming it's sometime soon I'd go with the Skippy, Zandvoort for the last week and possibly something like Watkins Glen/Spa which are almost definitely going to be on the schedule next season to get the 10% discount for 3 items,
If it's after week 12 then wait until they release the new schedule and buy the first few tracks (or the full season, your choice) as they may well change it from the current tracks, especially with Okayama coming in week 13.
Thanks Skill. I just found out pay day is Thursday this week instead of Tuesday next week.
Although it does look like it might be better waiting until the new schedule is released, which is a bit of a shame as I'd like to have a go this weekend.
Having said that if it's likely that Spa will be in the next season as well I might do what you suggest and get the Skippy, Zandvoort and Spa.
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Soldato
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I was pretty chuffed with this race last night.
Lowest ranked racer, started at the front because I had a decent qualifying time, and led all the laps
My first 0 incident race, yay!
http://members.iracing.com/membersite/member/EventResult.do?&subsessionid=3385862&custid=64999
Lowest ranked racer, started at the front because I had a decent qualifying time, and led all the laps
My first 0 incident race, yay!
http://members.iracing.com/membersite/member/EventResult.do?&subsessionid=3385862&custid=64999
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Thanks for the information Skill and Andy
I have tried adjusting the brake bias towards the rear and I do left foot brake & run the throttle into corners.
With this weeks track, Road Atlanta, on two occasions I have had ppl run into the back of me when braking into the chicane after the long back straight.
My G25 pedals seems to be operating fine so I must be doing something drastically different. As there is no way I can maintain the speed and brake sufficiently to make the corner. Has me rather perplexed
BTW: Great result SS
That's what I'd go for, I could be wrong and they'll take Spa off but I doubt it, it seems to work quite well and hasn't been on there for too long,
but on the other hand you'll be paying that money now for 1 weekends racing until the new build/schedule, may be worth waiting?
I was pretty chuffed with this race last night.
Lowest ranked racer, started at the front because I had a decent qualifying time, and led all the laps
My first 0 incident race, yay!
http://members.iracing.com/membersite/member/EventResult.do?&subsessionid=3385862&custid=64999
Nice, wish I could remember how to do incident free races, I always seem to get at least 1x if not more
Thanks for the information Skill and Andy
I have tried adjusting the brake bias towards the rear and I do left foot brake & run the throttle into corners.
With this weeks track, Road Atlanta, on two occasions I have had ppl run into the back of me when braking into the chicane after the long back straight.
My G25 pedals seems to be operating fine so I must be doing something drastically different. As there is no way I can maintain the speed and brake sufficiently to make the corner. Has me rather perplexed
BTW: Great result SS
Where are/were you braking for the chicane, I brake at the white mark between 3 and 2 iirc, but I pretty much expect others to brake at the 3 marker board, it's a corner where the exit is really more important (unless you're going for an overtake into it) so it doesn't really matter all that much as long as you carry the speed,
It could just be that they were n00bs, getting the extra speed from the tow (if you stay in it and 0.1 behind I think it ends up being upto 5mph extra, enough to notice) and then not giving any margin for error and screwing up, rather than you braking particularly early
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Sounds like I'm braking at pretty much the same point as you - the white line across the road, just after the 100yd marker iirc.
Good thinking about the tow for the guys that rear ended me. Perhaps I'm over thinking this... or I'm just rubbish
Soldato
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Check out this for a photo finish, did him on the last corner for 4th
0.004 seconds in front of him
0.004 seconds in front of him
Not bad SS, I've seen results with dead heats for the win (it doesn't list a gap to P2) but not that close further down the field, I never get that either, mainly because if the racing is that close I wouldn't thrown it into the barrier long before the last lap
Yeah, if you're braking there then I don't think I'd class that as too early (and I certainly never had anyone go into the back of me, all top splits though I think), out of interest what kind of lap times were you putting in?
Sounds like I'm braking at pretty much the same point as you - the white line across the road, just after the 100yd marker iirc.
Good thinking about the tow for the guys that rear ended me. Perhaps I'm over thinking this... or I'm just rubbish
Yeah, if you're braking there then I don't think I'd class that as too early (and I certainly never had anyone go into the back of me, all top splits though I think), out of interest what kind of lap times were you putting in?
Soldato
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So, I bought the Skippy. It's certainly a handful isn't it?
hehe, yep, as a fan of oversteer I love it
main thing is just keeping smooth, and trailing throttle into the corners (eg left foot brake as I mentioned earlier) do that and I think it's reasonably 'easy' to keep on the road, then you just have to get quick which takes a bit more practice...
main thing is just keeping smooth, and trailing throttle into the corners (eg left foot brake as I mentioned earlier) do that and I think it's reasonably 'easy' to keep on the road, then you just have to get quick which takes a bit more practice...
Soldato
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I'm not sure I know what you mean by trailing throttle. I left foot brake anyway, but do you mean quickly alternating between brake and throttle around a corner to keep yourself steady?
No, I'm talking about leaving some throttle on whilst braking into a corner, specifically when you're braking past the turn-in point (so generally not the big stops, as they tend to be brake in straight line and then turn in) as it stops the rears locking and helps keep control...
Just uploaded a replay which may or may not help describe it further, picked one at Summit as I had it lying around and I believe that's a free track:
skippy replay
If you haven't used replays before they go in <my documents>/iRacing/replay and then you can access them from the website via Events -> Replays
Just uploaded a replay which may or may not help describe it further, picked one at Summit as I had it lying around and I believe that's a free track:
skippy replay
If you haven't used replays before they go in <my documents>/iRacing/replay and then you can access them from the website via Events -> Replays
Soldato
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Cool, thanks SKILL, I'll check it out
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Leave a little gas on when braking.
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In practise I can run in the 1:39's in race conditions it tends to be a little slower on average -> 1:40 - 1:41's. Not the quickest I know but I'm still fairly new and this is my first proper driving game. /excuses
EDIT: Had a look at Zandvoort National last night for the first time, if that doesn't look like a SR sink hole I don't know what does :/
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