rec.autos.simulators

1)  Tire temps... At Spa, with Allison's high-rider setups my
rear tire temps have soared.  What is "too hot" in GPL??  I'm
running like 245+ on my left rear... OUCH!  My own half-baked
frankenstein setups usually run around 210+ or so when I'm
lapping smoothly.  Also, my tire temps are no longer even accross
the tire... is this something to do with my (likely pathetic)
driving style??  I'm pretty smooth but I do enjoy 4 wheel drifts
where possible... this could cause tire temp problems??  Almost
always my "hot PSI" in setup after a 20 lap run is 30psi on the
left rear, not sure I understand why?

2)  I enjoy Allisons ferrari setup for SPA and do believe it is a
joy to drive (especially through Masta Kink... brilliant!)...
however, my lap times are the same as the frankenstien setup I
made on my own... do I just suck at this sim??  3:26'ish is best
I can do... am I just a slow dolt??  Are people really running
3:14's and 3:15's on Allison's ferrari setups at Spa??

Is auto-shifting really a huge, huge slowdowner??

Thanks.

-=Hammer
(remove x fer email reply)

SNIP!

OK, first off.  If you had read all about the setups on Alison's site, it would
explain some of these problems.  I'll do my best to put it into quick,
easy-to-read terms for ya though.
1.  Tire temps are not even around the tires because the camber for the tires
is not too highly set.  This is to help keep the car stable under braking.  It
shouldn't affect your handling much.  And pretty much any tire temperature a
good amount under 300 degrees isn't too hot IMHO.
2.  You're just not well practiced at the sim enough yet to be able to go fast.
 Hell, I've had the sim for 6 months and I'm still in the 3:20 range at
Spa-Francorchamps, in an Eagle however as I find that car to be very smooth and
stable with gobs of top end horsepower.  Only track I use the Eagle on.  <g>
3.  Auto shifting is a bad crutch to use.  I used it for about 2 months when I
realized that I could drop my laptimes a ton with manual shifting.  I'm a full
two seconds quicker at Spa with a manual transmission gearbox.

Dan Belcher
Team Racing Unlimited