79 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

Not to debate but...

Did you hear about the kid that was the top sim winner at the top level prototype, I don't know all the details of the car, etc Audi ?.

Anyway, Kid had no drivers lic., never been in France, was flown in last minute, hoped in the car to qual with like 5min to go and put it on pole at the 24 or LeMans.

Some factory driver said he wasn't being paid enough and not treated right so he didn't show.

Now the team has the kid, and told the factory driver, your number one, with the middle finger.

 

Maybe I'll look up an article. I watched it. Impressive.

 

Petty sure Matt's a sim kid too, 2nd at Sonoma regionally before getting 4th at the champs, 1st time out with no setup changes.

Run what you brung. I don't see a difference between 20 HC toyos and new.

J~

[sdiem27]

Steven,

Thanks for coming on and talking about your experience. Like you, I to think Mazda would be smart to have a competition with strictly sim racers.
Sometimes there might be a little disconnect between some of us "old" guys with what is going on around us. Don't take it personal...just know some would rather see you out at the track...hopefully in their mirrors...than as a screen name

Good point Ron, I probably shouldn't take the negativity towards sim racing so personally.  I'm just really passionate about sim racing because it's how I was introduced to racing and how I cam to love racing.  And I want to see the best sim racers succeed in the real world with the things they learned in the sim.  

 

Also, the reason why I found this thread is because I was looking into racing in Spec Miata in real life.  

[sdiem27]

Not to debate but...

Did you hear about the kid that was the top sim winner at the top level prototype, I don't know all the details of the car, etc Audi ?.

Anyway, Kid had no drivers lic., never been in France, was flown in last minute, hoped in the car to qual with like 5min to go and put it on pole at the 24 or LeMans.

Some factory driver said he wasn't being paid enough and not treated right so he didn't show.

Now the team has the kid, and told the factory driver, your number one, with the middle finger.

 

Maybe I'll look up an article. I watched it. Impressive.

 

Petty sure Matt's a sim kid too, 2nd at Sonoma regionally before getting 4th at the champs, 1st time out with no setup changes.

Run what you brung. I don't see a difference between 20 HC toyos and new.

J~

If you mean Matt Cresci then yes he's another great example of someone being great in the sim and great in real life.  The more people see the potential in sim racing the better.

 

And I think in that first example you are referring to Lucas Ordonez and the GT Academy program, which is a great program.  They really seem to fully get behind some of their previous winners and cultivate their talents into something we sim racers have only dreamt about.  From sim to the 24 Hours of Le Mans is insane, I still can't get over that. 

[Johnny D]

Thanks for filling in the blanks.

My 5 year old Racetech seat is going toward a sim station.

See you online.

J~

[Danny Steyn]

Steven - thanks for coming to our forum and educating the masses about the value of SIM racing.

 

As I have stated many times before, even for an old fart like myself, spending time on a sim like iRacing the week before an event is one of the fastest ways to ensure you show up sharp, ready to race and put down fast times the instant you step on the track. But more than that, it gives you the ability to make changes in setup and see how it affects the car at different places on the track. On test days, If you are fortunate sometimes the test day will have STL as a separate run group, and you might even get 6-8 sessions, but most often test day gives you 3- 4 sessions so you really only get to try out 2 or three setup changes, and possibly try a few tire pressure changes if you stop mid session.

[LarryKing]

 

entitlement

 That word does not mean what I think you think it means.

 

Surgeons, military personnel, pilots, etc., all train on simulators. Such training permits mistakes without catastrophic outcomes. it's also absolutely a good training tool for motorsports. I never said it doesn't take skill.

 

On the other hand, when I was young I would have given my left nut for a motorized vehicle - any motorized vehicle. I couldn't get a car soon enough. The automobile and motorcycle industries are having an extremely difficult time attracting the current young generation. The average contemporary teenager would rather get the latest iPhone than a new car. Motorsports in general has trouble attracting young audiences. When I say in the future we will all sit in our bubbles and interact/compete in an artificial environment, I may not be that far off.

[Ron Alan]

Well said Denny...agree completely. Though every generation grows up differently, what seems to be a lack of human contact(face to face)these days is really concerning for us older baby boomers. Love the technology...hate how it is isolating many.

Also agree 100% with Danny! Though ever since I beat level 8 of Mario I threw away the controller(that almost got me divorced!)

Steven...I hope you get the opportunity to get in the car soon on a regular basis. Sure you will agree a Sim can not duplicate every sensation of the track!

[MDixon]

I will say my boy lives on iRacing, its great to stay sharp the month in between races. He only wishes that they would put out a SM car since the gearing is so different then the MX5 car, but he does say it still helps. He also wishs that Thunderhill would be offered as well :-)

 

He does just a Danny says and spends the week prior on the track we are heading to and it does help to unload up to speed.

[sdiem27]

Steven - thanks for coming to our forum and educating the masses about the value of SIM racing.

 

As I have stated many times before, even for an old fart like myself, spending time on a sim like iRacing the week before an event is one of the fastest ways to ensure you show up sharp, ready to race and put down fast times the instant you step on the track. But more than that, it gives you the ability to make changes in setup and see how it affects the car at different places on the track. On test days, If you are fortunate sometimes the test day will have STL as a separate run group, and you might even get 6-8 sessions, but most often test day gives you 3- 4 sessions so you really only get to try out 2 or three setup changes, and possibly try a few tire pressure changes if you stop mid session.

 

Good point, with limited track time it gets difficult to test every possible setup change.  By the way I love your onboard videos Danny, been watching them on youtube for a year or so now

[sdiem27]

 That word does not mean what I think you think it means.

 

Surgeons, military personnel, pilots, etc., all train on simulators. Such training permits mistakes without catastrophic outcomes. it's also absolutely a good training tool for motorsports. I never said it doesn't take skill.

 

On the other hand, when I was young I would have given my left nut for a motorized vehicle - any motorized vehicle. I couldn't get a car soon enough. The automobile and motorcycle industries are having an extremely difficult time attracting the current young generation. The average contemporary teenager would rather get the latest iPhone than a new car. Motorsports in general has trouble attracting young audiences. When I say in the future we will all sit in our bubbles and interact/compete in an artificial environment, I may not be that far off.

Sure, maybe a misuse of the word "entitlement" there, but I used it with the intention of it being synonymous with "close-minded" thinking.  I respect all opinions on this topic but it feels like some people have this idea that things should just be a certain way because that's how it used to be.  

 

Also if teenagers have iPhones, they will be needing a car to get to their job that pays for that iphone.

[sdiem27]

Steven...I hope you get the opportunity to get in the car soon on a regular basis. Sure you will agree a Sim can not duplicate every sensation of the track!

Absolutely Ron, when I first drove a real car on a track and had to deal with g forces, it was more distracting than anything else.  After I finally got comfortable with the car, then I could sort of shift my brain into "sim mode" which to me is just the same sort of mindset I have in the sim.  But that initial period of getting used to a real car and the real sensations can take some time to get used to.  But in the sim we drive many different cars on many different tires and grip levels so we know how to adapt to different driving conditions.

[Mark]

Sdiem27,

 

 

It would be interesting to have you contrast the differences in SIM driving vs a real car on track. Gforces are obvious, but what else stands out? I have a bunch of questions as I'd rather crash in the SIM vs a real car and I do see the crossover benefit from the SIM though I wish my wife would quit calling it a 'game'.  In what areas would you view the SIM experience as being useful training for the real car? Any particular areas that a race car driver should focus on when practicing on a SIM? What SIM equipment do you use? The Logtech G27 appears to be somewhat of a standard but I find it really lacking when it comes to simulating a real cars controls.

 

Maybe time for a new thread on this topic. Feel free to start one! Sorry for the hijack. 

 

Thanks,

Mark

 

Absolutely Ron, when I first drove a real car on a track and had to deal with g forces, it was more distracting than anything else.  After I finally got comfortable with the car, then I could sort of shift my brain into "sim mode" which to me is just the same sort of mindset I have in the sim.  But that initial period of getting used to a real car and the real sensations can take some time to get used to.  But in the sim we drive many different cars on many different tires and grip levels so we know how to adapt to different driving conditions.

[Ron Alan]

Sure, maybe a misuse of the word "entitlement" there, but I used it with the intention of it being synonymous with "close-minded" thinking. I respect all opinions on this topic but it feels like some people have this idea that things should just be a certain way because that's how it used to be.

Also if teenagers have iPhones, they will be needing a car to get to their job that pays for that iphone.

Sadly, now you have lost a little cred...maybe just exposed your youth. "Close minded" has been used for a long time to try and silence. Your effort to say "shut up" only puts you in your own similar box. Because one has an opinion or disagrees with yours does not mean they don't listen...they have come to their own conclusion which is theirs to bare. But us old guys are generally right (humor!)

Are you aware Obama phones are an entitlement in the US? No work necessary

[LarryKing]

I'm guessing that most people who meet the requirements to be entitled an "Obama phone" would gladly trade that entitlement for an affluence that permits, oh, I don't know, something like racing cars for a hobby.

[Waterboy]

I'm guessing that most people who meet the requirements to be entitled an "Obama phone" would gladly trade that entitlement for an affluence that permits, oh, I don't know, something like racing cars for a hobby.

 

Keep guessing because I would bet you are wrong with the above assumption.

[sdiem27]

Sadly, now you have lost a little cred...maybe just exposed your youth. "Close minded" has been used for a long time to try and silence. Your effort to say "shut up" only puts you in your own similar box. Because one has an opinion or disagrees with yours does not mean they don't listen...they have come to their own conclusion which is theirs to bare. But us old guys are generally right (humor!)

Are you aware Obama phones are an entitlement in the US? No work necessary

Fair enough, I think in the heat of a debate its difficult to really see the other person's side. I may have been a bit hypocritical with the "close-minded" comment.  If I take a step back and look at it from Hiro's point of view I can see where he is coming from and I can understand where real drivers are coming from when they question having sim racers at a club racer shootout.  I suppose I took to my keyboard on a knee jerk reaction without first seeing where other people are coming from.

 

*edit*

 

My point is that I want sim racing to be taken seriously.  When King Hiro made his initial comment, I took offense to it because I am passionate about sim racing.  That's all.  My apologies for derailing this topic a bit.  If anyone wants to discuss this topic further over the phone, PM me and I'd be happy to.

[Jim Drago]

I'm guessing that most people who meet the requirements to be entitled an "Obama phone" would gladly trade that entitlement for an affluence that permits, oh, I don't know, something like racing cars for a hobby.

But would they be willing to put in the work required ?  

[Ron Alan]

Fair enough, I think in the heat of a debate its difficult to really see the other person's side. I may have been a bit hypocritical with the "close-minded" comment.  If I take a step back and look at it from Hiro's point of view I can see where he is coming from and I can understand where real drivers are coming from when they question having sim racers at a club racer shootout.  I suppose I took to my keyboard on a knee jerk reaction without first seeing where other people are coming from.
 
*edit*
 
My point is that I want sim racing to be taken seriously.  When King Hiro made his initial comment, I took offense to it because I am passionate about sim racing.  That's all.  My apologies for derailing this topic a bit.  If anyone wants to discuss this topic further over the phone, PM me and I'd be happy to.

Respect here!

Don't worry...sim racing is taken seriously! But not all look at it the same way. In fact, some think it is a video game still! I think the only question here...myself included, was if Mazdas decision to include sim racers in the shootout was warranted/fair? Not only for class winners in a car but if you guys have a chance with limited experience behind a wheel.

Fair or not...I got a great laugh with regard to a picture I saw that came from the shootout on the rain day. It was one of the cars used with some damage and missing the rear bumper. Apparently this had been caused by one of the sim racers. The caption on the picture was "Where is the reset button?"

[MDixon]

 The caption on the picture was "Where is the reset button?"

 

In the right rear pocket...or the left.

[sdiem27]

lol, I'm proud to say that wasn't me who went off track.