rec.autos.simulators

I have been racing with NASCAR Racing for some time now.  And though, I don't
find enough time to get great setups completely tweaked, I do enjoy this game
more than any other game I have played. I have also noticd there is a 'Lap
Records' List for Indycar Racing, alas, none for NASCAR Racing.

Therefore. Starting now. I am maintaining a NASCAR Racing lap records list
to be posted as deeming possible. Just depends on how much traffic I get.

This list WILL NOT be automated [yet]. So I will be going thru these by
hand. So please keep the format to more or less as I specify.

Email your records to   c...@ra.msstate.edu   [Charles Evans is me :)]

Make the Subject line  :     NASCAR RECORD

If you don't make it that, I might not see it. But will do my best to find
all records. Will just make it easier on me if you do as I say :)

IN the body of the text:

Track     speed.spd mph      YY/MM/DD      C S D R M     NAME

Track = whichever track you are submitting a time for
speed.spd = speed in miles/hr followed by 'mph'
YY/MM/DD = date record was set
C = w(heel) | j(oystick) | k(eyboard)   [controls]
S = a(utomatic) | s(tandard)            [shifting]
D = y(es) | n(o)                        [damage]
R = s(vga) | v(ga)                      [video resolution]
M = c(hevrolet) | f(ord)                [make of car]
NAME = Your Name

** Please also enclose your email address**
** If you are submitting a speed for TALLADEGA, specify whether or not
   restrictor plates were in plac **

Please be as complete as possible. But send what you know and I'll just
put a '-' where you dont have information.

A '*' before a record is a new/updated record

------------------------- T H E   R E C O R D S ---------------------------
--===========----===========----========----=========----===============---
<   track    >--<   speed   >--<  date  >--<c s d r m>--< driver        >--
--===========----===========----========----=========----===============---

-Atlanta------------------------------------------------------------------
                 183.925 mph    95/02/18    - - - - -  John Knowles
               * 181.407 mph    95/06/21    j m y v f  Pasi Ahopelto
                 170.845 mph    95/06/20    k a n s f  Chuck Evans
                 -
                 -

-Bristol------------------------------------------------------------------
                 132.087 mph   95/03/04     - - - - -  Dave Larkin
                 131.545 mph   95/05/27     - - - - -  Terrill Yuhas
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Charlotte----------------------------------------------------------------
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Darlington---------------------------------------------------------------
                 178.876 mph   95/06/04     - - - - -  Tony Johns
               * 172.970 mph   95/06/29     j m y v f  Hannu Piispa
               * 172.343 mph   95/06/20     j m y v f  Pasi Ahopelto
                 167.546 mph   95/02/25     - - - - f  John Knowles
                 -

-Dover-Downs----------------------------------------------------------------
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Loudon---------------------------------------------------------------------
                 129.982 mph    95/04/15    - - - - -  Terrill Yuhas
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Martinsville---------------------------------------------------------------
                  98.968 mph    95/06/10    - - - - -  Vince Van De Coevering
               *  98.738 mph    95/--/--    j m y v f  Hannu Piispa
                  98.548 mph    95/03/11    - - - - -  Craig Wood
               *  97.829 mph    95/06/21    j m y v f  Pasi Ahopelto
                 -
                 -

-Michigan-----------------------------------------------------------------
                 189.528 mph    95/05/13    - - - - -  Richard Scott
               * 187.911 mph    95/--/--    j m y v f  Hannu Piispa
               * 186.643 mph    95/06/20    j m y v f  Pasi Ahopelto
               * 186.108 mph    95/--/--    - - - - -  Glen R. Kendl
               * 182.849 mph    95/04/01    - - - - -  Tony Johns

-N-Wilksboro--------------------------------------------------------------
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Phoenix------------------------------------------------------------------
                 131.189 mph    95/06/17    - - - - f  Tony Johns
                 118.103 mph    95/06/20    k a n s f  Chuck Evans
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Pocono-------------------------------------------------------------------
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Richmond-----------------------------------------------------------------
                 127.289 mph    95/06/19    k a s n f  Chuck Evans
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Rockingham---------------------------------------------------------------
                 146.192 mph    95/06/19    k a s n f   Chuck Evans
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Sears-Point--------------------------------------------------------------
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Talladega----------------------------------------------------------------
                 203.927 mph    95/03/25     - - - - -  Dave Ziesloft
                 194.171 mph    95/04/22     - - - - -  Gene Russell
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Talladega-NO-PLATE-------------------------------------------------------
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -
                 -

-Watkins-Glen-------------------------------------------------------------
                 118.734 mph    95/05/06     - - - - -  Bob Hruska
               * 118.552 mph    95/--/--     j m y v t  Hannu Piispa
                 -
                 -
                 -

--------------------
-SUPPLIERS----------
--------------------
Charles Evans                           c...@ra.msstate.edu
Glen R. Kendl                           glenrke...@aol.com
Hannu Piispa                            hpii...@lut.fi

Opponent's strength is set to 100%

This is a "what is up with this" type question.  I've been practicing
alot with NASCAR racing by Papyrus and I get confused sometimes.  The
manual says that the qualifying record at Darlington is 163.xxx.  I can
do 166.xxx.  I thought that was great until I went to the track on race
week and practiced with other drivers.  They were all doing 170+.

At Bristol, I can do 124.xxx and that appears to be very competitive.

At Martinsville, I'm in the middle of the pack with 95.xxx.

I can't do any better than 192.xxx at Talledega, where it is all setup.  
Any driver can run top speeds there if their car is set up correctly.

Could this be random weather conditions?  Is this Papyrus' way of
outdoing the real Winston Cup drivers.

Whatever the case may be, I wish it were more consistant.  I understand
that some drivers do great on one track and lousey on others but this is
discouraging.  I don't see how I would be able to squeeze 7+ mph more out
of my Darlington setup.  I'm not asking for help on setting my cars up.  
I get tired of hearing other people ask for help.  Your setup is yours and
you should keep it.  Besides, what good does it do to give someone a good
car if they don't know how to drive it.

Any light would be greatly appreciated here.

BTW, anyone else like to see roof flaps removed from old car sets?  I
have to assume that Papyrus would have to account for this in the code.  
Removing them would do nothing as the program is written now.  But Buddy
Baker and roof flaps don't go together.  Just my opinion.

David G. Martin        BBB  EEE EEE N  N   CC   OO  U  U N  N TTT RRR  Y Y
354 Burnette-Womack    B  B E   E   NN N  C  C O  O U  U NN N  T  R  R Y Y
CB# 7075 UNC-CH        BBB  EEE EEE N NN  C    O  O U  U N NN  T  RRR   Y
Chapel Hill            B  B E   E   N  N  C  C O  O U  U N  N  T  R R   Y
       NC 27599-7075   B  B E   E   N  N  C  C O  O U  U N  N  T  R  R  Y
919-966-5203           BBB  EEE EEE N  N   CC   OO   UU  N  N  T  R  R  Y

I would NOT recommend setting the BLAPS to be equivalent to current
Winston Cup records for one reason: there is no guarrantee that the
game supports the sort of physics that are allowing the higher speeds.
Papyrus has apparently gotten the asphalt layers out for some tracks
(notably Michigan, where in 1.2 qualifying speeds for players came way
up all of a sudden).

I've reset SOME of my BLAPS so that 1 or 2 drivers are over the
existing track record when qualifying, but that's about all...I'd
recommend users do whatever they feel comfortable with in altering the
data.

    I believe this has to do with the repaving of the tracks...didn't a lot of
nascar records fall this year...i was suprised at first also..i saw that i had
broken the track record while qualifying, but then i qualified well back.. I
believe that is what has happened..but i don't know for sure...just a good
guess..anyways...anyone else have any ideas??

                                            Jay Martin

Yes, but does it have any bearing on how fast the race is run?  I mean
that I have sat on the pole a few times and have run at near pole speeds
only to get passed by cars that seem to be setting hot lap records!  The
latest league race I ran had the AI cars running above the record for
AVERAGE lap speeds!!!  How's that for unrealistic?

Todd, could you please explain how to interpret the BLAP figures in *.txt
and in records.txt so that they can be converted to actual mph - for
instance, how does Loy Allen's 180.205 at Atlanta become 31103?

Earl

I think they threw a variable into the formula so it wouldn't be the same
every time even with the same BLAP number.  Just to make it interesting.

Mike