rec.autos.simulators

Dear All,

I'm luck enough to be attending the American LeMans at Infineon
Raceway / Sears Point on July 27th.

I'll have access to a hospitality tent near Turn 2, but was wondering
if anyone more familiar with the track could recommend a good
location to watch the race from, as well as perhaps get some decent
photos?

Also (to drag it back on topic...) which sims have a decent
representation of the course that they will be running?

Thanks for any insight!

Ian
--
Ian Riches
Bedford, UK

The best thing about ALMS events is that they last several days.  I
would highly recommend attending more than one day.  Exploring the
track, Watching practice, and walking through the paddock are things
best done prior to the race.  If you can only make it the one day.  Get
there early, watch the support races, walk the track and find the
corners that you like.  It's my experience that people like different
angles and views.  There's also nothing like hearing these cars at
different points on the track.  Sounds change dramatically under
accelleration, flat out and under braking.  If you can get close to the
rack, bring ear protection.  The Panoz, Corvettes, and a few of the
Porsche's make an amazing amount of low end noise, while the Ferraris
simply scream.  The Audi's are just damn fast and noiseless compared to
the rest of the field.

I think the Sears Point track for GTR2002 is quite good.  With the added
bonus that you can drive a Porsche which is something you'll be seeing
alot of at the track.

Ian:

You will have a blast, all kinds of cool sights and sounds.  Not sure if
SPEED World Challenge is running as support events, but that's some of
the best wheel-to-wheel racing going on in the U.S.

As far as the track, RSDG's recently-released Sports Car Racing mod
feature both the NASCAR and ALMS versions of the current layout.

-jde

Never been to I/SP, but you might just try walking the whole track.  I
always do that, though the 2 & 3/4 hr races make it tough to spend a lot of
time in any one spot.  I've found the best places to watch are heavy braking
zones and S-curve sections. The former because they're usually good passing
zones and it's a blast to watch how quick the prototypes decelerate, and the
latter because watching the LMP's scythe through the slower classes like
sharks among guppies is a hoot.  Watching Weaver in the Lola/MG 675 chasing
Lehto in the early going at Road Atlanta last month was great.  At one point
they went on either side of a GT-class 911 as they dropped out of sight down
into the bottom of the esses before T5.  Three-wide off a steep, off-camber
drop-off at about 120mph.  Too bad there's not a sim version that's gotten
R.A. remotely right.

Should be good; Infineon's twisty enough that the Dyson 675's might finally
pull it off - they absolutely FLY through the corners.  And try to catch
some support races if you can. I highly recommend the Star Mazda races; like
VROC in the flesh... ;-)

Have fun!

SB

says...

I noticed that last year, my first year attending the ALMS at Mosport,
Canada. The sound difference from the Audis to the rest of the field was
HUGE.

I just wanted to pop in this thread and say I am going again to Mosport
this August. Soooooo e***d, can't wait. I plan on going every year for
the rest of my life.

<back to your regularly scheduled R.A.S.'ings>

--
MRSisson

LOAD "GPL",8,1
RUN

I noticed the same thing at Elkhart last year...and you could have your eyes
closed and know when the Panoz or Corvette went by....
Kevin (aka tlgtr)
****
"A GOOD friend will come bail you out of jail...  but, a TRUE friend will be
sitting next to you saying, "Damn we screwed up!!!!."