rec.autos.simulators

a smaller gear setting number means a taller gear and
a larger gear setting number means a shorter gear.

Correct?

According to the manual, a taller gear will provide overall top speed but
provide less acceleration and a shorter gear will do the opposite.

Fine, but how does this all relate to your overall rpms? The book says you
should shoot for just beginning to redline at the end of your maximum
straight run on a track. Let's use Talladega as a simple example. Let's
assume you are getting a maximum of 8000 rpms in 4th gear and are running
poor lap times. First and foremost, you want to increase your top speed so
you should lower the setting for 4th gear, i.e. using a taller gear. This
should give you a better top speed as stated above, but won't this also
decrease your overall rpms? Wouldn't you need a shorter gear to boost your
rpms toward the 9000 rpm range, or are the 2 concepts not related? Will
raising your top speed by using a taller 4th gear also increase your rpms
toward the 9000 rpm range? Where can I find good explanations of this stuff?
As someone wrote the other day, the manual seems to assume that you might
know more about NASCAR and automobiles than the average joe.

JMG

Correct.....

Yes, but it's not quite that cut and dried....

Think about your horsepower 'cause that's what gets the car around the track
to begin with. A lower gear (numerically higher number) allows the engine to
turn faster and get to its max. rpm quicker because there is less load on it
(it's not working as hard as when in a higher gear). At a certain point,
you're going to "pass up" peak horsepower and then you're just making
noise.... A higher gear will turn the wheels faster with less rpm than a
lower one, but the load on the engine is also increased so again, at some
point, you're overloading the engine and it can't get to its peak hp must
less go past it...

Using Talladega as you did, at 8000 rpm down the back straight, check your
top speed before turn 3. if your oil pressure light isn't flashing, go ahead
and try ONE gear lower and do it again. If your top speed is faster and
still no oil light, you're on the right track. Keep trying a lower gear
until either you get 2 or 3 flashes of red before the turn or your top speed
just isn't getting any higher. What you want at Talladega and any track is
the most ponies to the ground you can get. BTW, with N3, 9000 rpm at
Talladega is WAYYY too much - you're not getting anything to the ground but
main bearings <G>. I think good ol' N1 ran 9000+ at 'dega but the gears and
rpm's are a little closer to actual with 3.

HTH - I don't know of any sites to suggest, but you could post a question
about gear ratio/horsepower in general at REC.AUTOS.SPORT.NASCAR and get
more info than you want - besides, they could use a productive subject over
there right now....  <G>

JMG