rec.autos.simulators

1) Make sure your steering lock isn't too narrow
2) Depending on the road course, adjust your shocks and stagger to
compensate for demanding turns
3) Adjust your wings -- sounds like you could be pushing into the
corners.  Also, try the sway bars in the***pit to adjust the feel.
4) Adjust your brake bias into the turns
5) Read the manual for tips.

...and the most important...

6) Get to know the road courses VERY well.  I started doing better after
I knew the course inside and out.

Hope this helps!

--
                            :::> Tony  Johns <:::

Just start slowly! It is a much better strategy to learn the track
gradually,
than to go out there and bang into walls all the time. It usually takes
me
about 100-200 laps to get a feel for a new track (still haven't tackled
Laguna Seca), but after spending one week of testing and setup on one
track, I generally can run against 105% opponents and win. This differs
from track to track. ICR is very realistic when it comes to brake and
traction performance at different speeds. Just try braking with the FAST
setup for Michigan, then drop the rear wing to it's lowest possible
setting
and try again. You will not only notice a lack of traction when leaving
the pits, but also a reduced braking performance when dropping below
100mph.

It takes time to set up a car properly. And the setups change depending
on
wind direction and intensity! I learned Toronto with a 20mph wind from
the s
south and did some 0:58min laps, then I set it to no wind and could barely
drive there! All my brake points had to be relearned and some settings in
the car needed to be modified.

Basically - this is the fun in this game and that's why I prefer it over
WC/F1GP. If you want more race action, just slow down the opponents and
get
youself a very easy to handle setup (lots of wing and understeer).

Some people post setups for specific tracks to prove to others that they
actually managed to run certain speeds. I have one of these in my ftp
site, to gether with a replay showing this car do a 241+mph lap at
Michigan.

Check in 144.92.30.243 under the ICR directory for some goodies and info.

Peter

I had the same problem when I first started. Here's what I did.

1) Work on one course at a time.
2) LEARN THE TRACK. Drive as many laps at speed limit speeds as necessary.  
Your trouble is most likely not with driving strategy or car set-up. The
   Road and street courses really require you know the course in your head.
3) Make sure you've set yourself for NO DAMAGE. It lets you get away with alot
   of mistakes while learning.
4) While you are learning a track (hopefully under TESTING, not RACE), give
   yourself maximum wing, front and rear. Also give yourself soft tires all  
the way around, and reduce the tire pressure a little in each. It will slow
   the car a little but give you better grip in the turns.
5) I could not play this game with a keyboard. Get a quality joystick. I have
   the CH Flightstick. It works great although I plan on buying a steering  
wheel soon. If you are using a joystick, get competant at using it. When
   you first start, you have the tendancy to always give too much input. This
   is especially true on the ovals. I can turn my car perfectly, but you  
hardly notice any movement from my hands to the joystick.
6) Give yourself time. Dont get frustrated. It took me 6-8 weeks to begin to
   get competant at road/street courses. Now, 3 months later, I'm giving them
   a run for their money on the track, and there's no track I love to drive
   more than Toronto, one of the hardest tracks to learn because of its
   length.
7) READ THE BOOK. While you always want to jump right off the bat and race the
   car, the 130 page user's manual is fabulous, especially the entire section
   telling about how to use all the adjustments available to you. I've watched
   Indycar racing for 5-6 years, but I still learned stuff that helped me by
   reading the manual. Use the "setup doctor" on page 115.

As said before, this game is not for those who want to be able to play it the
first day with skill. It takes time. But for those who take the time, once
you've gotten the hang of it, it's the most realistic simulation ever created
for a personal computer.

Hope this all helps.

John Liskey