New NASCAR driver advice

Help for a newcomer to NASCAR please. I'm a reasoanble driver in F1GP, OK at Indycar (much less practice), but these cars are _very_ different (heavier, less acceleration and braking, slower to react and less easy to catch when they slide...) - as are the ovals. Do you need to use the gears a lot? What sort of revs/powerband do people use? How much do the brakes get used. Should I brake for a corner, get the car balanced, and then come on the power at the apex for an ovals corner like I would on a track, or just ease off the throttle and run through on a trailing or medium throttle. Or can the cars be set up for full throttle through a corner? At the moment, I can't seem to get the hang at all - I'm sliding and understeering through the entrances and exits of corners, or loosing the back end as I completely unsettle the balance of the cat when I use the brakes. And for circuits like Martinsville and Phoenix, I'm needing the top three gears - though Taledega is obviously flat 4th all the way. Lots of advice would be appreciated on how to set up and drive these heavy beasts. Are there any "fast setups" available - I've nosed around didnt.doit.wisc.edu and ftp.webcom.com/sabata/ but not found anything.....have I missed them or are they elsewhere? Cheers --+------ |++|+++ -------+ --- * RM 1.3 U0414 * One day, Son, this space will be filled by witty taglines.

: Help for a newcomer to NASCAR please. : I'm a reasoanble driver in F1GP, OK at Indycar (much less practice), but : these cars are _very_ different (heavier, less acceleration and braking, : slower to react and less easy to catch when they slide...) - as are the : ovals. Do you need to use the gears a lot? What sort of revs/powerband : do people use? How much do the brakes get used. Should I brake for a : corner, get the car balanced, and then come on the power at the apex for : an ovals corner like I would on a track, or just ease off the throttle : and run through on a trailing or medium throttle. Or can the cars be set : up for full throttle through a corner? : At the moment, I can't seem to get the hang at all - I'm sliding and : understeering through the entrances and exits of corners, or loosing the : back end as I completely unsettle the balance of the cat when I use the : brakes. And for circuits like Martinsville and Phoenix, I'm needing the : top three gears - though Taledega is obviously flat 4th all the way. : Lots of advice would be appreciated on how to set up and drive these : heavy beasts. : Are there any "fast setups" available - I've nosed around : didnt.doit.wisc.edu and ftp.webcom.com/sabata/ but not found : anything.....have I missed them or are they elsewhere? : Cheers : --+------ : |++|+++ : -------+ : --- : * RM 1.3 U0414 * One day, Son, this space will be filled by witty taglines. One suggestion I can make is to reduce your wheel lock down to around 5% for the tighter ovals and road courses. this will cut down on the oversteer and keep you from hating life. And spinouts. "BOOM!" "CRASH!" "SQUEEL!" And still the pace car drives on undamaged.

>ovals. Do you need to use the gears a lot? What sort of revs/powerband Not at all. All the ovals, with the exception of Pocono (which really isn't an oval) use 4th gear exclusively. You just need to change the gearing for each track to suit your driving style. Normally, you don't need to let the revs get above 9000, unless your running a fairly short race. The only track you can run flat out, all the way around, is Talladega. You might have to lift in the dogleg on the front straight because, in the sim, it's tighter than it is at the real track. For the medium distance, high banked ovals (Atlanta, C***te, Darlington, Dover, etc.) don't charge into the corner. As Buddy Baker says "sometimes you have to go slow to go fast." What this does is keeps the car's handling from getting upset. Once you get the car settled in the corner and get it to the apex, you can usually get on the gas. If your car is set up right, you'll be flying when you come out of the corner. Most of these tracks require very little brake, if any at all. And, I would suggest not trying Darlington until you master Atlanta, Michigan, and some of the others. Short tracks and flat ovals are completly different. You'll have to use the brakes for sure, how much depends on which track. Martinsville is a brake track, so is Louden. Again, don't charge the corners. Get in easy and get out fast. You'll love Bristol. High banking means very little brake and fast speeds. Hope this helps. Pat ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pat Campbell Go #6, #94 Huntsville, AL The Auburn Baseball Tigers--Regular Season SEC West Division Champs! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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>: Help for a newcomer to NASCAR please. >: I'm a reasoanble driver in F1GP, OK at Indycar (much less practice), but >: these cars are _very_ different (heavier, less acceleration and braking, >: slower to react and less easy to catch when they slide...) - as are the >: Are there any "fast setups" available - I've nosed around >: didnt.doit.wisc.edu and ftp.webcom.com/sabata/ but not found >: anything.....have I missed them or are they elsewhere?

Well, set-ups for nascar racing are a well guarded secret! Similar to real F1 racing, Nascar set-ups must somehow reflect a drivers style. The best way to get some killer set-ups is to join IWCC or Nasscar mailing list and 'persuade' some of the drivers to help you. Richard Scott #6 #28 ******************************************************* * Control Data Systems * voice : 615-690-4680 * * 9041 Executive Park Dr* fax : 615-690-5862 * * Suite 212 * voice mail: 615-539-9489 * * Knoxville, TN 37923 * * ******************************************************* Internet Grand National http://www.webcom.com/~pinniped

I do have one little comment to add. The set-up I have for Talledaga and for michigan will allow you to flat foot it all the way around the track. The only problem I have found is that I can't get above a 198 mph average for Talledga. The other catch is, it takes 3-4 laps to get to full speed and to get around the dogleg is more a matter of how you come off turn 4 and how early to dive into the dogleg.

Hi folks, The best way to keep on the track is to drive carefully the first 4 laps, to get the tires hot. I tell this because a friend of mine is also always crashing because he is to *** on the throttle the first laps. After that it is the same story, be fore a corner try to ease of the throttle rather than to breake, because breaking can make your car react sudden and difficult to control. In nascar you have to balance between a fine line of control and speed. To go in a corner start high and cut in to the corner so you are low, and try to stay there. If you go high and stay high your dead meat. Getting out is, the opposite accelerate and don't hit the wall. On the straight push push push the throttle down. If your passing the other drivers watch it, no *** movements or you'll end up against him or the wall. I hope i was of any help. Marc (Fast nascar driver BELGIUM)