GPL setups

When you are running a long race you start w/ lots of fuel on board. This additional weight slows acceleration and your top speed at the end of a straight. If you use a gear ratio designed for 4 gallons with a full tank, you will shift later and never get into the power band in top gear. As far as how the additional weight affects handling because of weight distribution, I don't know, maybe stiffer roll bars? I set my gears up so that the gear ratio is just right after I have used half of my fuel. So your setup should depend on how many laps you run.

I read somewhere that I should be using different setups for qualifying and race. Why? I downloaded some guy's hotlap setup for the Lotus, and put in 500+ laps at Monza. Now I'm doing 1.28.xx consistently, as opposed to 1.30++ with default setups. Why should I alter a setup designed for hotlaps that has proven itself to be a success, just because I'm going to race? GPL veterans: Share your hard earned knowledge with this newbie. Jon

Go outside your house. Run as fast as possible till you drop. Now run at a slower pace for a longer time. There is a difference. A typical hotlap setup is way too squirrley for comfortable running over a long race, and a race setup is just slower than a hotlap setup. Hotlap setups are usually a bit stiffer in the suspension, lower gears and less gas. Check this out for setup info. http://website.lineone.net/~richardn/index.html John Moore

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> I read somewhere that I should be using different setups for qualifying and > race. > Why? > I downloaded some guy's hotlap setup for the Lotus, and put in 500+ laps at > Monza. Now I'm doing 1.28.xx consistently, as opposed to 1.30++ with default > setups. > Why should I alter a setup designed for hotlaps that has proven itself to be > a success, just because I'm going to race? > GPL veterans: Share your hard earned knowledge with this newbie. > Jon

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> I read somewhere that I should be using different setups for qualifying and > race. > Why? > I downloaded some guy's hotlap setup for the Lotus, and put in 500+ laps at > Monza. Now I'm doing 1.28.xx consistently, as opposed to 1.30++ with default > setups. > Why should I alter a setup designed for hotlaps that has proven itself to be > a success, just because I'm going to race? > GPL veterans: Share your hard earned knowledge with this newbie. > Jon

You don't necessarily need a "Qualifying" setup. While driving in a race, you have to be able to conserve the tires by way of Not over heating them. And, With a Qualifying setup, you can have a car that's loose as hell. With this setup you'll be quite a bit faster then your normal for at least two laps. After that, the car would become almost uncontrollable. With a "Race" setup, you need to be able to safely drive many different lines on the track while in traffic. This means setting it up quite differently then your Qualifying setup. Unfortunately, most practice sessions for Pickup races are just a bit shorter then the race it self. So, for those races, you can use any setup. For league races it's not much different, but your finishing position is a whole lot more dependent on your starting position. Now if you were in a league that had 30 minutes or less for qualifying for a full length GP race, then a separate Qualifying and Race setup is needed. To sum it up.. a Qualifying setup can be made to run one line and there for make quick laps. A Race setup must be more conservative to allow for traffic. Just my $0.02 worth, Mike -- ========================================= Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing? ========================================= http://members.xoom.com/BarlowRacing/ Racing online with the help of...... Race Communications Association Holodyne Engineering Mystic Music (have Your !!Name/Address!! placed here)

At Monza the difference between a hotlap and a race setup might no be that big. But if you try some hotlap setup for example in a long race at Zandvoort I'm sure you will heat up the tyres very quickly and then you'll be going slooooow or crash out. I use my hotlap setups for online practice sessions too but for the race I always use at least a little different setup. Naturally, more fuel. :) Usually a longer 5th gear, and maybe some other gears too. I also use less tyre pressure. Those are the most usual changes, at some tracks it's also good to put more ride height and maybe do some other small changes too. -- Greger

Why longer gears with more gas, i.e. more weight? Normally, I would believe that higher weight would call for lower gearing, because i takes longer time to reach top speed. Am I wrong? I did change the gearing in the hotlap setup I downloaded. I found that the gears was too short. Longer 3, 4 and 5 gave me slighly improved overall lap times. Or maybe it was more seat time that caused the improvement? BTW: when do you veterans shift gears? At the torque peak, or the BHP peak? I usually shift at the torque peak. Jon > >I read somewhere that I should be using different setups for qualifying and > >race. > >Why? > >I downloaded some guy's hotlap setup for the Lotus, and put in 500+ laps at > >Monza. Now I'm doing 1.28.xx consistently, as opposed to 1.30++ with default > >setups. > >Why should I alter a setup designed for hotlaps that has proven itself to be

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> >a success, just because I'm going to race? > >GPL veterans: Share your hard earned knowledge with this newbie. > At Monza the difference between a hotlap and a race setup might no be > that big. But if you try some hotlap setup for example in a long race > at Zandvoort I'm sure you will heat up the tyres very quickly and > then you'll be going slooooow or crash out. > I use my hotlap setups for online practice sessions too but for the > race I always use at least a little different setup. Naturally, more > fuel. :) Usually a longer 5th gear, and maybe some other gears too. I > also use less tyre pressure. Those are the most usual changes, at some > tracks it's also good to put more ride height and maybe do some other > small changes too. > -- > Greger

I haven't got time for running round my house. Espacially not many laps in a slow pace. Too busy playing GPL :-) Just joking. I got your point. Nice link. I've printed out everything. Now it is time for reading. Jon > Go outside your house. Run as fast as possible till you drop. Now run at a > slower pace for a longer time. There is a difference. A typical hotlap setup is > way too squirrley for comfortable running over a long race, and a race setup is > just slower than a hotlap setup. Hotlap setups are usually a bit stiffer in the

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> suspension, lower gears and less gas. Check this out for setup info. > http://website.lineone.net/~richardn/index.html > John Moore > > I read somewhere that I should be using different setups for qualifying

and > > race. > > Why? > > I downloaded some guy's hotlap setup for the Lotus, and put in 500+ laps at > > Monza. Now I'm doing 1.28.xx consistently, as opposed to 1.30++ with default > > setups. > > Why should I alter a setup designed for hotlaps that has proven itself to be > > a success, just because I'm going to race? > > GPL veterans: Share your hard earned knowledge with this newbie. > > Jon

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> You don't necessarily need a "Qualifying" setup. While driving in a >race, you have to be able to conserve the tires by way of Not over >heating them. And, With a Qualifying setup, you can have a car that's >loose as hell. With this setup you'll be quite a bit faster then your >normal for at least two laps. After that, the car would become almost >uncontrollable. With a "Race" setup, you need to be able to safely >drive many different lines on the track while in traffic. This means >setting it up quite differently then your Qualifying setup. > Unfortunately, most practice sessions for Pickup races are just a bit >shorter then the race it self. So, for those races, you can use any >setup. For league races it's not much different, but your finishing >position is a whole lot more dependent on your starting position. Now >if you were in a league that had 30 minutes or less for qualifying for a >full length GP race, then a separate Qualifying and Race setup is >needed.

Since I'm not much of a setup mechanic, I take the easy way out. I just fill up the qualify setup for a full race. In ICR, I used to just put enough fuel in my race setup to make the qual. laps... Not perfect, but until I find some setup 'skill'...<g> Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Own Grand Prix Legends? Goto http://gpl.gamestats.com/vroc Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

> When you are running a long race you start w/ lots of fuel on board. This > additional weight slows acceleration and your top speed at the end of a > straight. If you use a gear ratio designed for 4 gallons with a full tank, > you will shift later and never get into the power band in top gear. As far > as how the additional weight affects handling because of weight > distribution, I don't know, maybe stiffer roll bars? I set my gears up so > that the gear ratio is just right after I have used half of my fuel. So > your setup should depend on how many laps you run. Jon, Your advice only works if your running Grand Prix races. For the average 9-17 lap inter short race there isn't that much fuel to make a difference. And the longest pro race I've been in is only 27 laps,so changing the gearing really isn't important. What's important is stiffening up the suspension as much as possible for 1or 2 all out laps. You really need a softer setup for the actual race since you have to deal with other cars making you either change your line or braking and turn in points. Joel Willstein

Depends on driving styles. In shorter races i will basically run a qualifying setup with the tire temps knocked down a pound. Similar gearing. But for the longer races where I have to have a car that will still be running at the end I do up some of the gears a notch or 2. % Your advice only works if your running Grand Prix races. For the % average 9-17 lap inter short race there isn't that much fuel to make a % difference. And the longest pro race I've been in is only 27 laps,so % changing the gearing really isn't important. What's important is stiffening % up the suspension as much as possible for 1or 2 all out laps. You really % need a softer setup for the actual race since you have to deal with other % cars making you either change your line or braking and turn in points. % Joel Willstein -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=