S4 Week 13 (7)

[Daunt]

Week 13 comes early this season. How early? The moment the checkered flag waves on Week 6 of 2014 Season 4. Call it Week 7, Week 13 or Week 7/13, it’s part of our effort to get the iRacing seasons in-sync with the regular calendar. No matter what you call it though, the week offers one last chance for iRacers from Rookie to Class B to climb to the next rung on the license ladder in time for all twelve weeks of 2015 Season 1 -- and an opportunity for all iRacers to have plenty of fun.

Road and oval racers can advance to the next license level in two official series. The Mazda Cup is just the thing for road racers: 20 lap races in the Mazda MX-5 Cup at Charlotte (road), Lime Rock, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Okayama (short and long) and Summit Point Raceway (full course and Jefferson reverse). For those who prefer turning left, the Street Stock Oval Series features 30 lap races at Charlotte (Legends), Lanier, Oxford Plains, South Boston and Thompson International Speedway.

Safety Ratings and iRatings are in effect in these two official series, offering competitors the opportunity to boost their license ratings before promotions for 2015 Season 1 are finalized at week’s end. Likewise, rookies who have yet to complete the category-specific minimum participation requirements for graduation to a D license (two official races or four time trials in each category) can do so.

The week’s unofficial competition features the Carburetor Cup at Talladega Superspeedway with the Gen6 Chevy SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry, along with six different 24 Hours of Fun series starting with the Dallara DW12 on the Gateway Motorsports Park oval.

And as soon as the new build is released, the 24 Hours of Fun 2 will feature the brand new Ford Falcon FGII V8 Supercar doing battle with Holden VF Commodore at Philip Island while the 24 Hours of Fun 3 will see a full complement of GT3 cars (BMW, Ford GT, McLaren and RUF) going head-to-head-to-head-to head in 30 minute team races at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps . . . at night.

The 24 Hours of Fun 4 has the Legends Ford racing at Virginia International Raceway’s Patriot Course, while the 24 Hours of Fun 5 features the Kia Optima on the Figure 8 layout at Irwindale Speedway and 24 Hours of Fun 6 is a decidedly mixed class affair with the HPD ARX-01C and the “old” Dallara IndyCar going at it on Okayama International Circuit’s 2.314 mile “full” road course.

Oh my god. Does everyone see it?? See it???? Let me highlight:

24 Hours of Fun 3 will see a full complement of GT3 cars (BMW, Ford GT, McLaren and RUF) going head-to-head-to-head-to head in 30 minute team races at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps . . . at night.

See it yet???

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps . . . at night.

AWESOME! The 24 hours of fun 2 seems really awesome, too! Will probably dive into both those. Especially 2 for the V8 practice.

 

[Noodleguitar]

I wonder how Spa would look at night. It would be amazing if they introduced day/night cycles. That would be right on time for the Spa 24 hours .

If we can get a bunch of us online at the same time I'm also happy to host one of our patented "crazy multi-class" practices with V8s, Rufs, Mx-5s and GT3 or something on a track that everyone owns. Last time, this was a lot of fun and the racing was still clean for such a setting. I think we had the MX-5, Mustang, HPD, Ruf C-spec and BMW at Lime Rock park.

 

[Daunt]

I wonder how Spa would look at night. It would be amazing if they introduced day/night cycles. That would be right on time for the Spa 24 hours .

Breaking news! This just in, first screen from Spa at night:



Seriously though, I don't think cycles are in the near future. At least until a good amount of DX11 is implemented. But we don't even have that yet...

If we can get a bunch of us online at the same time I'm also happy to host one of our patented "crazy multi-class" practices with V8s, Rufs, Mx-5s and GT3 or something on a track that everyone owns. Last time, this was a lot of fun and the racing was still clean for such a setting. I think we had the MX-5, Mustang, HPD, Ruf C-spec and BMW at Lime Rock park.

Same! Though I am pretty sure there's a five car limit, so we really need to pick and choose what cars. I will be in the V8 for the first few weeks and looking to try and not spin out on every corner! So excited.

 

[Kenadian]

I'm probably going to skip the entirety of Week 13(7) so I can get caught up on all the web stuff I've been putting off.

I need to get the forum buttoned up and need to start on the blog styling for launch in the first week of January.

 

[Daunt]

This is so cool. Love insight / commentary like this:

[video=youtube;Z0cQzbCouBQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0cQzbCouBQ[/video]

iRacing needs, especially at night now, camera flashes and shit like that!

 

[Daunt]

Release notes are also out... big ones for GT3 include weight reduction for Mclaren and a big weight reduction for Ford GT but a brake bias nerf. BMW just got an updated setup and Ruf wasn't touched at all.

 

[little P]

Spa at night sounds fantastic

 

[Kenadian]

Release notes are also out... big ones for GT3 include weight reduction for Mclaren and a big weight reduction for Ford GT but a brake bias nerf. BMW just got an updated setup and Ruf wasn't touched at all.

Yay so the Macca may be a bit more stable and less prone to snapping out from under you I hope.

My guess is though that the BMW is still the best all around car.

 

[Slider]

Great. The one car they needed to equalize with others, they leave, oh well.

 

[Kenadian]

I agree Slider, they should definitely add some weight to the BMW. The funny thing about the BMW is it's the best at nothing but good at everything and that's why most seem to drive it; I know that's why I did for a season.

It's also pretty easy to catch if you start losing control because it warns you it's about to slip whereas the Macca does no such thing. You can change steering input pretty much instantly in the BMW but try it in the McLaren and you're dead.

Maybe the weight reduction will help, hopefully. I just wish they'd make it so you at least have some inkling that you're about to lose control; it would make the car far more driveable.

...or better yet, make catching a drift at least somewhat savable because there's no way it's correct currently.

 

[Noodleguitar]

This probably means that the McLaren will be king of qualifying now. In races, I'm guessing it will be equal to or slightly faster than RUFs. The BMW should still be the fastest.

The Ford change is interesting. It already was really fast on the straights so I can't see how it is not going to be a jet-powered rocket now. I hope I'm wrong, otherwise it's like combining the RWD RUF with the Track RUF and putting them in one class.

 

[Slider]

Here's the full list:
http://www.neo-endurance.com/iracing-2015-s1-update/

 

[Daunt]

No changes to the caddy either, so I will probably ignore that series. :icon_rolleyes:

 

[Noodleguitar]

24 Hours of Fun 3 will see a full complement of GT3 cars (BMW, Ford GT, McLaren and RUF) going head-to-head-to-head-to head in 30 minute team races at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps . . . at night.

30 minute team races? Is that a type and should it be 300 minute team races? How did they imagine 30 minute races with driver swaps would work?

 

[Slider]

Just for fun. You can still do it alone.

 

[Kenadian]

No changes to the caddy either, so I will probably ignore that series. :icon_rolleyes:

What a disappointment and a total botch of a good series.

On another note, why haven't the done something about the Corvette either? Nobodies racing that series at all which sux because it's a pretty great car.

 

[Slider]

We need Proto/GT back and leave Cspec for the Ruf Cup.
In my opinion, Caddy should be open setup for C and above. Too many bad drivers in a fast car.

 

[Daunt]

Release notes are out. I'm left scratching my head at most of the changes. The only one I agree with though is the BMW was given a small 10kg weight addition.

Rest seems crap to me: Ford GT3 was not touched aside from a baseline update. Mclaren was given the 15 kg it lost, so it is back to the same as last season.

 

[Kenadian]

Oh ffs, why the h3ll can't they just leave the fucking McLaren alone? The thing is already a pig mid turn and can snap out from under you with no notice. They just can't seem to keep their mitts off it and it's baffling to say the least.

I do understand why their doing it though and that's to balance out what they see people running. Right now it can be seen primarily as the BMW GT3 Challenge however McLarens have made there presence known as of late.

Having said that, Ruf's are everywhere if the track suits them however the Ford is rarely seen anywhere.

What irks me the most is now I'm going to need to spend more time than I want this week at COTA trying to maintain laptimes with more weight.

Really, they should have just left them all alone for a Season and focused on the Corvette or Cadillac or something that requires the attention.

 

[Daunt]

Agreed Duke. When something obviously warrants attention, then I can understand it. Like the Ford- it was OBVIOUSLY lacking last season. Or the second season last year where it was literally BMWs everywhere (moreso then now)...

This minor changes crap is stupid though, especially to renege on the Macca change... did they not test that out prior to implementing it?? I understand week 13 is perfect for testing stuff but did they just guess? Like "hey let's try adding 15kg and see what happens..."