iRacing News

[vobler]

June 04,2009 - Volume Discount Program Enhancement

Our members have spoken. And iRacing has listened. As a result, some of our most enthusiastic members now have more reason than ever to take advantage of iRacing’s volume discount program. Effective immediately, any transaction that will result in the licensing of all currently available cars and tracks will automatically receive a 25% discount on included cars and tracks. So if you're only missing one piece of content for a complete set, there's no reason to wait for a bundle of three or six new cars and tracks to score a discount. And even if you only have the basic package of three cars and seven tracks, the Volume Discount program is sweeter than ever. Meanwhile, If the contents in your cart will NOT make you a 100% content owner, the multi-item discounts of 10% (for any three cars and/or tracks) and 20% (for six or more items) will still apply.
 
Volume discounts may not be combined with any other discounts or promotions. For more details, please click on Promotions at the top of this page.

[vobler]

I was hoping you UK based iRacing fans would post this, but here you go;


UK’s Brands Hatch & Oulton Park Set For iRacing

Brands Hatch, home for many years to the British Grand Prix, and Oulton Park, named by drivers as one of the world’s most challenging circuits, will join Silverstone as the second and third British motorsport facilities in the iRacing inventory.  
 
Data collection at the two tracks will begin in July; the finished versions are expected to be available on the service early next year.
 
While North American tracks will continue to be added to the service, the addition of Brands and Oulton is the leading edge of an initiative to broaden the roster with circuits from Europe, Australia and Asia. More news to follow . . .


Australian Server Farm Enhances iRacing’s World-Class Infrastructure

With this week’s introduction of a Sydney-based server farm to our delivery system, iRacing.com can now, literally, boast a world-class hosted infrastructure. Like our existing facility near Boston, the Australian facility consists of a collection of servers and sophisticated networking equipment in a Tier 1 data center with 24/7 monitoring and multiple Internet links. Together, the server farms insure that iRacing will continue providing state-of-the-art service to its members around the world.


“One of our main objectives as a company is to provide the best possible delivery of our service,” says Tony Gardner, president of iRacing.com. “We are constantly evaluating ways to do this. After all, it makes no sense for us to invest $20 million or more into products and services, then not utilize the best possible hosting and back-end solutions to deliver those products and services.


“Although it may not always be immediately apparent, it’s only through significant and regular infrastructure investment that an MMO like iRacing can continue providing the ease of use to which our members have become accustomed. The Australian server farm is the latest example of our commitment to that philosophy.”

[The Moose]

I was hoping you UK based iRacing fans would post this

Too busy driving

Fantstic choice for the first two new British tracks.  And the good news is the same people that own these tracks also own..... Cadwell Park!   I'd put money on seeing that in iRacing at some point now.

[Gnomie]

Great news! I bet the iRacing boards are pretty lively right now, with speculations about what's to come later on..! The Australia bit tickles my interest a great deal too!

Two more months till I'm can get racing again.. :flirty: A lot of good things seem to happen while I'm away!

[vobler]

A little more than a year ago iRacing.com began the rollout of the worldââ,¬â,,¢s leading internet racing service. In the twelve months since then, more than 14,000 people from all around the world have joined the ranks of iRacing members.
 
As a token of our appreciation ââ,¬â€œ and in celebration of our first anniversary ââ,¬â€œ iRacing is pleased to offer renewing members the car or of their choice. FREE! Members who renew their membership for twelve months before July 31, 2009 will receive a bonus of $25 in iRacing credits . . . enough to buy any iRacing car or race track. Those bonus credits are in addition to the $60 in credits members normally receive with an annual renewal, making $85 of iRacing credits in total.
 
In our first year, we introduced a variety of exciting new cars including the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series Impala SS, the Riley Prototype and the SpecRacer Ford, along with tracks like Talladega and Road Atlanta. Thereââ,¬â,,¢s lots more planned for the next twelve as well, including the introduction of two of historyââ,¬â,,¢s most successful race cars ââ,¬â€œ the Lotus 79 and Corvette C6.R ââ,¬â€œ and a number of ovals and road courses from around the world including Chicagoland and New Hampshire Motor Speedways, Mosport, Brands Hatch and Oulton Park.
 
To take advantage of this limited time offer just visit the My Account section of the member site and select ââ,¬Å"Change subscription,ââ,¬Â choose ââ,¬Å"Yearlyââ,¬Â and then click ââ,¬Å"Renew Now.ââ,¬Â Youââ,¬â,,¢ll receive your special promotion code with your bonus credits at the end of the promotional period (on 8/7/09).
 
This offer is only good through July 31, 2009 so act now.
 
Offer valid only for current or past accounts. Offer not valid for new accounts.

[Doorman]

Now where have I seen that before? :g:

I know, everywhere! :lmfao:

[vobler]

Circuit Park Zandvoort to Be First European Track in iRacing: Joins UKââ,¬â,,¢s Silverstone, Brands Hatch & Oulton Park as Initial Additions Outside North America


BEDFORD, MA (July 6, 2009) ââ,¬â€œ Most visitors to seaside sand dunes are there to swim and lounge on the beach; in the Netherlands, hard on the North Sea, they come to Circuit Park Zandvoort to race cars. Under the terms of an agreement jointly announced today by Exploitatie Circuit Park Zandvoort B.V. and iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations, LLC, drivers from all over the world will be able to experience the challenge of this classic European road-racing facility and compete with each other in organized races there just by logging onto the iRacing motorsport simulation service over the internet.

ââ,¬Å"The last Dutch Grand Prix was held in 1985, but as the host to 30 editions of the race, Zandvoort has more than its share of history,ââ,¬Â said Divina Galica, iRacingââ,¬â,,¢s director of partner relations. ââ,¬Å"Weââ,¬â,,¢re very pleased to be able to make the latest version of this great racing facility ââ,¬â€œ now home to DTM, Formula 3 and many club events ââ,¬â€œ available to iRacingââ,¬â,,¢s membership. Last month we initiated the expansion of our track offerings beyond our base in North America with the addition in the UK of Brands Hatch and Oulton Park to Silverstone, which is already available to iRacing members. Circuit Park Zandvoort, the site of so much motorsport history, is a particularly appropriate first European track. Our members from all over the world will enjoy racing there.ââ,¬Â

The list of winners of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort reads like a Whoââ,¬â,,¢s Who of the first four decades of Formula One, beginning with Alberto Ascari in the first World Championship event in 1952, and including Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Jacky Ickx, Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Mario Andretti, Alan Jones and Nelson Piquet. But Zandvoortââ,¬â,,¢s greatest master was Jim Clark, winner four times in the five races held from 1963 through 1967.

ââ,¬Å"In addition to our many fans, who will now be able through iRacing to have the fun of racing on the circuit themselves in the virtual world, we have real-world racers come from all over Europe and the UK to compete at Circuit Park Zandvoortââ,¬Â said Bart de Snaijer, Circuit Park Zandvoortââ,¬â,,¢s marketing manager. ââ,¬Å"With our partnership with iRacing and their creation of a millimeter-accurate virtual version of the facility, now drivers who are making their first visit will be able to learn our very challenging track before they arrive for the race meet. And everyone will have the chance to get up to speed before the weekend begins.ââ,¬Â

de Snaijer noted that while Tarzan, the 180-degree hairpin at the end of the start/finish straight, is the best-known of the dozen named corners on the 2.672-mile track, Scheivlak is the most challenging, and the turn that newcomers will profit most from by pre-race practice in the iRacing service.

ââ,¬Å"Scheivlak ââ,¬â€œ there is no English word for it ââ,¬â€œ is famous for its high speeds, changes in elevation and the fact that itââ,¬â,,¢s a blind cornerââ,¬Â, de Snaijer said. ââ,¬Å"Drivers either fear or love it. In a fast car a driver approaches the turn at a speed of 260 km/h (160 mph) and canââ,¬â,,¢t even see the start of the turn until they are right on top of it because the track elevation changes. They enter the turn with a speed of 220 km/h (135 mph). The track drops about 10 meters (33 feet) in height and for three quarters of the way through the corner, they canââ,¬â,,¢t see the exit. A driver can only understand the true rush of this turn when he or she has experienced it, whether in the physical world or in the virtual one.ââ,¬Â

Circuit Park Zandvoort is the fifth major configuration of the track since it opened in 1948. While no more than a quarter of the original layout is part of todayââ,¬â,,¢s modern track, what all iterations have had in common is a combination of dauntingly fast sweeping corners and tight slow corners that demand technical perfection. Circuit Park Zandvoort is expected to join the iRacing track inventory early next year.

[vobler]

A day in the life of a cat herder....#10

http://www.iracingworld.com/_A-day-in-the-life-of-a-cat-herder10/blog/452132/57752.html

[vobler]

Ace in the Virtual Space Faces First-Ever Green Light at Road America Round of Volkswagenââ,¬â,,¢s Professional Green Racing Series

BEDFORD, MA (August 11, 2009) ââ,¬â€œ Is it possible that just by running enough laps in a racing simulator, a person could develop a sufficient level of skill to hold his own in a field of young professional drivers, all hungry to climb the motorsport career ladder? When the green flag drops for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup this Saturday at the historic Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, series guest driver John Prather, a top-rated competitor in iRacing.comââ,¬â,,¢s online racing service who less than a month ago took his first laps in a racing car in the physical world, will look to answer exactly that question.

ââ,¬Å"This is a moment Iââ,¬â,,¢ve worked for and dreamed about for the last ten years,ââ,¬Â said Steve Myers, iRacingââ,¬â,,¢s executive producer. ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢ve long believed that a motorsport simulation that had cars and tracks that were as accurate as what weââ,¬â,,¢ve developed for the iRacing online service would not only make the driving more fun for all of our members, but it would also enable a person to learn in the virtual world the actual skills necessary to successfully race in the physical world.ââ,¬Â

Prather, a 30-year-old IT professional who grew up around motorsport ââ,¬â€œ his father was an amateur sports car racer and his earliest childhood memories are of attending races at Road America ââ,¬â€œ is the ideal candidate to test Myersââ,¬â,,¢ theory. Heââ,¬â,,¢s the highest ranked North American road-racer among the more than 16,000 members across the globe whoââ,¬â,,¢ve joined iRacing in the 12 months since the service opened to the general public.

One person who believes Prather can succeed is the 2008 Jetta TDI champion, Josh Hurley, also an iRacer, who last year made no secret of the fact that the virtual laps he did in the simulator prior to real-world races gave him an advantage over his competitors.

ââ,¬Å"I expect that John will turn some heads this weekend,ââ,¬Â said Hurley, who leveraged his 2008 championship to a full-time ride in this yearââ,¬â,,¢s Grand-Am Koni Challenge, where heââ,¬â,,¢s already won four poles and one race. ââ,¬Å"A lot of people are starting to understand that high-quality simulation can help an experienced driver make better use of on-track time in the real world and get better results. But I donââ,¬â,,¢t think they grasp how much a person can learn just in the simulator before they ever get into a car. John has done hundreds of races in the iRacing service and run thousands of laps.ââ,¬Â

Pressed for a prediction on Pratherââ,¬â,,¢s performance at Elkhart Lake, Hurley said ââ,¬Å"I think John will run quite well, probably mid-pack, which is pretty remarkable given the quality and experience of the drivers heââ,¬â,,¢s going to be competing against. And I think Johnââ,¬â,,¢s racecraft will be surprisingly good.ââ,¬Â

For his part, Prather professes not to be surprised that a driver from the virtual world would get a shot at racing in the physical one, only that heââ,¬â,,¢s the one whoââ,¬â,,¢s getting that chance.

ââ,¬Å"Iââ,¬â,,¢ve known for years that this would happen ââ,¬â€œ just not to me,ââ,¬Â Prather said following a three-day introduction to racing in the physical world at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, courtesy of the Skip Barber Racing School. His instructors marveled at the intimate knowledge of that tricky trackââ,¬â,,¢s racing surface he displayed from his first laps in the car. ââ,¬Å"They said theyââ,¬â,,¢d never had a student whose line was so correct. They just couldnââ,¬â,,¢t grasp that I really ââ,¬Ëœknewââ,¬â,,¢ the track; not just which way the turns went, but all the nuances that determine how you actually drive it, like small changes in the camber and small bumps in the paving.ââ,¬Â

Prather said his first experience driving in the natural world was less different than heââ,¬â,,¢d expected. ââ,¬Å"Wearing a firesuit and helmet, being strapped into the car, feeling the g-forces ââ,¬â€œ yeah, that was different, but not as much as I thought it would be. In fact, in some ways itââ,¬â,,¢s easier. You can ââ,¬Ëœfeelââ,¬â,,¢ the car a little better and see the apexes (of the corners) a bit more easily.ââ,¬Â

Not that Pratherââ,¬â,,¢s three days were totally incident-free. He ran into a gravel trap on what was supposed to be a cool-down lap. ââ,¬Å"I made about six mistakes in a row,ââ,¬Â he said, sheepishly. ââ,¬Å"I guess we all learn from our mistakes.ââ,¬Â

The experiment that sees a virtual racer matching his skills against those of experienced real-world drivers in the worldââ,¬â,,¢s most environmentally friendly race series is one result of the partnership between Volkswagen of America, Inc. and iRacing.com Motorsport Simulation, LLC that will see participation in an iRacing-organized online version of the Jetta TDI Cup series as a major portal to participation in the 2010 edition of the real-world Jetta TDI Cup.

ââ,¬Å"We expect as many as 2,000 people to apply and we only have 50 slots open in the program,ââ,¬Â said Clark Campbell, Volkswagenââ,¬â,,¢s U.S. motorsports manager. ââ,¬Å"Prospective drivers for our 2010 series who join iRacing and excel in the virtual Jetta TDI Cup will be invited to participate in the final round of 200 from which weââ,¬â,,¢ll select the field for next yearââ,¬â,,¢s series.ââ,¬Â

The Jetta TDI Cup car is powered by a 2.0-liter, 170 hp, four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine mated to a six-speed, double-clutch, automatic DSG transmission. The car is only slightly modified from stock with Pirelli racing tires, race suspension and brake components, drivers racing safety seat, FIA roll cage and an on-board fire extinguisher system.

The iRacing VW Jetta TDI Cup starts 8:00 p.m. ET Tuesday, August 18, and features an exact digital duplicate of the actual race car ââ,¬â€œ less the safety equipment of course. Reigning series champion Hurley has helped with development of the virtual car, and Prather has been practicing with a pre-release version of the Jetta race car on iRacingââ,¬â,,¢s virtual version of Road America. Itââ,¬â,,¢s so accurate that the only thing missing is the smell of Elkhart Lakeââ,¬â,,¢s renowned bratwurst sausages.

[vobler]

Whether you dream of racing in the SCCA Pro Series Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series or you want to compete in the iRacing Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup series and enjoy the fun of driving the first front-wheel-drive car to join iRacingââ,¬â,,¢s inventory, the VW Jetta TDI is the machine for you.
 
With a turbocharged, intercooled two liter engine that puts out 168 bhp and 280 ft/lb of torque, the Jetta TDI has all the performance you could ask from a small sedan.  Itââ,¬â,,¢s all available now, for $15.00, at iRacing.com.

[Gnomie]

Looks good.. but a tad stiff..! Check this out for a good example.

Does it have fixed setups? What's the verdict so far?

[vobler]

Does it have fixed setups? What's the verdict so far?

Setups are fixed as in real life. Feels good to me.

[Doorman]

Like everything iRacing, very well done. Took me a lap or two to understand that the car's idea of when to change down didn't correspond to mine. It didn't get me whooping with joy like some but it's...very well done. Tell me, if you had to race a car with big black curtains in the window, would you ask for a finer mesh? :g:

[vobler]

Like everything iRacing, very well done. Took me a lap or two to understand that the car's idea of when to change down didn't correspond to mine. It didn't get me whooping with joy like some but it's...very well done.

What this means is that this is a great car with little to complain about. No setups to discuss or fiddle with, it runs on some of iRacings finest tracks. It is available for everybody with a license. There is not much to say really. All you need to do is drive. :yahoo:

[vobler]

Took me a lap or two to understand that the car's idea of when to change down didn't correspond to mine.

As far as I can tell from postings in the iRacing forum this is what it is supposed to do. It does not shift down if it will over rev the engine.