rec.autos.simulators

Spend a lot of time working on your qualifying.  This is very important at
Dega because the races are normally short sprints, and if you start out of
the top 10 it is very difficult to draft up to the front.  Plus the further
back you are, the higher chances of being involved in a wreck.  You don't
have to be the pole-sitter, but it helps to be better than average.

The car indeed has brakes.  You will need them from time to time even on
this restrictor plate track.  When the green flag falls, there will be
people in front of you with different gear ratios.  Often on starts a
slower-starting car gets taken out by some fast starter behind.  Give the
guy in front of you a break buy tapping your brakes just a tad to avoid
ramming him.  But don't lift off the throttle as you will get left behind
quickly and lose the draft.  That's really all it takes to help everyone
have a good clean start.  All racers should be ready for cars checking-up
during the start, but some just don't get it.  Brake lights would help but
we don't have them ;-)

Another good rule of thumb is to avoid passing anyone until you have at
least reached the backstretch on lap 1.  This allows everyone to get their
car stabilized and up to speed before the action really starts.  If cars go
three-wide into turn 1 on the first lap, that is usually a disaster.

Last time I checked nobody ever won a race on the first lap, so be patient
and practice give and take.

Before attemtping to pass a car in the draft, watch him for a lap or so and
learn his preferred line.  This will show you where you can best pass him,
and help to avoid a wreck.  If he is very unstable, back off and wait a
little longer.  You'll save yourself a wreck that way.

Brakes are your friend in the draft too.  If your setup is good, your car
will really "suck up" in the draft.  You must resist the tempation to lift
the throttle.  If you want to stay in line for a while, just tap the brake
on the backstretch/trioval if you don't want to bump him. Keep in mind that
bump drafting in N4 is a LOT trickier that it was in N3.  You can easily
cause a wreck if you don't bump the car squarely.  Most of the time, I avoid
it.

For the newbies, the most important thing to remember is stay in line and be
patient at all times.

Keep these things in mind, and let the usual idiots take themselves out of
the race.  With some luck (always needed) you will miss the wrecks and come
out with a decent finish.

If your race is ranked, make every effort to finish the race.  Every point
helps in your driver rating.

ThreeWide

Amen to that.  And once you start moving up in the ratings, get off the
Papy servers & get in some higher rated races.  That will help a lot
ratings-wise.

--

Fester

1 0 4 9  2170

There is a tradeoff.  The papy server sometimes have a full field.  If you
finish high you can get big points just from one race.  But it also works in
reverse if you finish poorly.  Smaller races are less risky point-wise.

ThreeWide
0 2 3 6 638

1.)  Remember to "Draft first, Race later!"  I can't count the number of
times when people would insist on refusing to draft in favor of trying to
race you side by side while the leaders just speed off into the sunset.  By
racing instead of drafting the first 10 laps you are only taking yourself
( and most likely others) out of contention.  Same goes for those in the
lead pack.  A three or four car race is a lot better (not to mention safer)
than a 10 car cluster.  Don't even let the pack behind you catch up!  Of
course you do have to try to make passes from time to time, but the longer
you are side by side with someone, the slower you both are.  Pass quick and
get back in line.  When there's about 5 laps left in the race, all bets are
off and it's everyone for themselves!

2.)  For God's sake, if you are using automatic transmission, stop!  Use the
manual transmission.  People using auto are the ones causing the huge slinky
effect on pace laps.  They also cause most of the wrecks as the green flag
drops because everyone has to swerve around them on cold tires.  You can
maintain your speed MUCH better using manual.  If you lag behind durring
pace waiting for your car to speed up, you are really screwing yourself and
the drivers behind you before the race even starts!

3.)  If someone passes you, it's not the end of the world.  Get behind him
and get him back next lap.  Just give room when someone is really gaining on
ya.  He could be your best friend in a draft!  Your car will instantly be as
fast as his!

This went on a little longer than I intended.  I'm probably preaching to the
choir here, but I hope these and ThreeWide's tips help anyone new who might
not have been sure of something.

Thank you!

Rob

Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...

Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

--

Fester

1 0 4 9  2170

Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...

Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...

Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

-Larry