One of the most unrealistic factors abt. GPL (or *almost* any sim), IMO, is
precisely that there is very little of what I would call 'environmental'
changes, the absence of which makes driving a whole bunch easier. To wit:
nobody ever blows an engine and spills oil all over the track, 'marbles'
never build up off the groove, your tires never 'go away' (as they do in
NASCAR Racing) and neither do your engine nor brakes nor ***, you don't
have to deal with changing weather, nobody ever tells you to slow down and
let Michael Schumacher pass you on the last corner of the last lap, etc.
Following the fastest car out there is a prescription for frustration. Try
to find somebody as fast as you are...to follow, not to lead. Improvements
in pb's usually don't happen in leaps & bounds (maybe they do in the
beginning, but rarely after you've plateaued), but getting the adrenaline
pumping in a close race (even in a practice session) will ususally result in
an incremental improvement. String a few of these together, and you could
take a second or two off your best time. And give you something to make you
feel good abt. yourself.
> Eldred,
> If I were to offer advise, it would be keep practicing and try running
with
> the faster guys in practice. Pick the car who is next faster than you.
Then
> study them. Try to watch the fastest car out there and learn your Prey.
> Kinda like being the hunter instead of the hunted! :) . You will always be
> trying to find the best line, when they are slowing down, turning, and
> moving away. Study your competition very closely. This will help you get
out
> of your current pattern at that track and will help you over time. Also, a
> positive and can-do attitude is a must. Following the best car at a new
> track helped me in real life. Fastest way to learn. !!
> Oh, one more thing. In racing, everything is always changing. No
constants.
> Nothing linear. Lots of interaction between and within factors. The only
> thing that must remain constant is your desire to learn and change faster
> than the competition.!!!
> grub
> > Too bad there isn't some magic lump of hardware (like your "anchor") for
> > running in GPL. I'm happy to find a controller that doesn't make me
chase
> > the car all over the road with the steering wheel.
> > > > Maybe it's just a case of finding the level you're happy racing
> > > > at (read: the right bunch of people / ability of competition).
> > > Hear hear, that's much more fun. You need to know that you actually
have
> > > a ghost of a chance sometimes.
> > > > I've been racing 1/10th R/C off-road now for, oh god, is it
> > > Hey, me too.
> > > > the models and GPL) and I'm keeping up with the equipment
> > > > (although I kid myself sometimes that I'd be quicker if I threw
> > > > more money at it),
> > > Let me tell you: you are *NOT* kidding yourself.
> > > I've driven club R/C races as well, sometimes winning, and took part
in
> > > some national Standard-class championships (ending up in the top ten
> > > once). By that time, I also R/C'd into the Modifieds class, and ended
up
> > > taking part in the unofficial European championship in 1991.
> > > During this event, most of my Dutch teammates were clearly faster, and
> > > being still in school I didn't exactly have a large budget (read:
> > > exceptional equipment). But I happened to sit next to one of our
former
> > > national champions, and he was nice enough to lend me an anchor
(that's
> > > what we call it in Dutch, don't recollect the English term right now.
> > > Anyway, it's the central rotating part of an electric motor). A real
> > > one. A tuned one. A professional one.
> > > This one thing turned my car almost into a fireball, by my standards.
I
> > > jumped way higher into the ratings and passed about half of my Dutch
> > > teammates. I knew I was not any faster in driving, but having access
to
> > > just one extraordinarily tuned piece of equipment from the pro's made
> > > all the difference. That's when I knew I wouldn't stand a chance
racing
> > > in Modifieds without a fairly big budget, and quit almost right away.
> > > Went back to club racing using cheap standard materials, and that
suited
> > > me a lot better.
> > > > so I can just have a good battle with them. The top guys will
> > > > be an entire lap or more quicker over five minutes, but if I
> > > > have a good fight for pole in the C-final or whatever then I've
> > > > enjoyed my day's racing.
> > > Indeed. And knowing it's not *only* more skill that makes them faster,
> > > does help put things into perspective.
> > > Regards, Rudy
