iRacing school

[aerog]

Sliding out of reality for a moment, iRacing just started their online "racing school" for members - and, later this year they're introducing the Miata/MX5 as one of the base cars. For those of us that can't afford even the historics and hobby racing this has been a fun and educational way to experience and learn about racing.

Here's their blurb on the school:

<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">iRacing is excited to announce the iRacing.com Driving School is now available -- free -- to all our members. Nearly two years in the making, the iRacing.com Driving School is designed to help new members grasp the fundamentals of racing while providing veteran iRacers with a timely refresher course.

“For the past 50 years novice racing drivers have learned basic race-driving skills in both informal and organized driving schools,” said Dave Kaemmer, iRacing.com’s CEO and a veteran real-world racer. “But in the virtual world for the most part beginners have just had to find their way by themselves. Many do develop the skills they need, though perhaps not too quickly. And many others, who have the native ability, have failed to learn the necessary skills, gotten discouraged and dropped out of the sport. With appropriate interactive instruction available, drivers will master racing skills much more quickly and have more fun racing.”

The syllabus for the iRacing.com Driving School was developed by veteran driving instructors who are also real-world championship-winning racers, including Adam Burrows, Rob Slonaker and Barry Waddell, and in collaboration with the Skip Barber Racing School. The 16 self-paced modules include instruction on topics ranging from braking and negotiating corners effectively to making car adjustments for maximum performance and developing racing techniques against other drivers. Each module is three to six minutes in length, and provides exercises iRacing members can then practice behind the wheel.

“iRacing’s aim has always been to duplicate in the virtual world all the significant aspects of racing in the real one,” said Kevin Bobbitt, iRacing.com’s director of marketing. “Developing a useful online driving school was always a part of our plan. A lot of resources – time and money – went into this project, and it’s great to see it now become available to all of our members, rookies and veterans alike.”</span></span>

 

[AngliaGT]

If I get this correctly - how can you possibly
learn racing on the internet?
Sounds to me like learning brain surgury the same
way.There's no way you can learn to drive/race by
"clicking" on a website.
Am I wrong here,or has technoligy gone too far?

- Doug

 

[aerog]

Doug, the "school" is a series of videos and texts assembled with the collaboration of Skip Barber and racing instructors to give the "student" the basics. How tires work, vehicle dynamics, weight shifts, finding and driving correct lines, different corners, etc - all covered in the first set of videos. I expect future editions will get more advanced and more complex, including the effects of vehicle setups, etc. The syllabus is naturally supplemented with on-track practice in the simulator. To help they've marked the ideal turn-in, apex, and track-out points with cones on certain tracks like driving schools do...and it's all a standard feature for all iRacing members.

I have no illusions that this is a <span style="font-style: italic">simulator</span> and not real. Neither do the people at iRacing. In the "school" series they point that out and are careful to explain how to judge your mistakes without a real-world coach by your side. However, a good number of real-world top-name professional racers use the simulator for training. Quite successfully too.

The basic skills learned in the sim directly transfer to the real-world tracks. Many of the weekend-racers go to Watkins Glen, Summit Point, VIR, Mid Ohio, Lime Rock, etc - all of which iRacing recreates using precision laser scanning. Every aspect of the real track is in the sim - not to mention the intricately-detailed true to life vehicle and tire physics.

It's a tool (albeit a fun and challenging one) and no replacement for reality. How influential a training/learning tool it is debatable but it's a terrific and very realistic way to learn the basics, try new ideas, or get track-time while having some competitive fun at the same time. The experience <span style="font-style: italic">will</span> teach you what the best line is, how to find that line, drive that line, and how to correct your mistakes when you miss the line.

For those of us that don't have the ability to even climb into something like Nial's Midget it's a great way to learn, appreciate, and participate.

Hardly just clicking on a website, really.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Assuming the data input is processed and displayed in a real way, if this is approached as a study and not a game I can see it being a helpful learning tool. I have a Traqmate data aquisition system that has both GPS and an inertial sensor plus rpm display, etc. in my Courier. When I replay a sessioni along with video laid onto the same screen I get helpful information as to what line, braking points, etc. worked best and why fast laps were fast, etc.