That’s one of those tracks that makes me cringe when it comes up. Along with the short track at Long Beach (though I never see that in lobbies) and the short Top Gear tracks. I don’t hotlap them and will frequently leave a lobby when they come up. I hope you do get me on that track, good for you when you do… My first top 100 was on one of the crappy Top Gear tracks. I hated that it came on that track, but it still felt amazing, so enjoy any success you get.
Do you really get anything out of a track that takes about 40 or so seconds to complete a lap on? I personally don’t see the point. I like the long tracks, the longer the better. The Ring+GP is easily my favorite track. The only long/full track I dislike is the Oval. 99% of the time, I won’t run that track at all. I either leave the lobby or just wait for the others to finish when it comes up. I’d rather be forced to run 8 million laps at Cat School then to run 6 laps on the Oval, I hate it that much.
I guess that is one thing where we differ. It’s the really long tracks I don’t care to hot lap. I like Nordschlieffe in the no-collision as a race. But, I don’t like just running laps on it. Mainly because if I screw up and go dirty, that’s about eight minutes wasted. Nordschlieffe + GP even worse.
I think Cat School has its place, in terms of teaching you the proper way to take several different kinds of turns. But, I understand it’s not a “real” track, in the sense of a Road America or even Catalunya GP.
With you, it is Indy Oval. With me, it is Top Gear Full. I STILL get lost when I try to run it. It’s embarrassing to be in a race and have to pull over and ask for directions. Lack of any meaningful landmarks + tight turns make that thing a nightmare for me.
I think the fact that if you make a mistake and it takes 8 or 10 minutes to run another lap is part of the challenge with the Ring and Ring+GP. Sure, it sucks going dirty and having to run it again (can we get a button that restarts your lap instead of being forced to run the whole thing?), but there is a thrill that I get from those tracks because of that “danger.” Learning how to take all those turns at the max speed without going dirty is a huge rush for me. I have most of them figured out, but not all. With Cat School, the next lap is only 40 seconds away. Cat School is at least technical and I get that. The short Top Gear tracks are all of 3 turns, and easy turns at that. Where is the fun in that? I guess its why I hate the Oval so much too. You mash the gas the entire race, never touch the brakes at all, and make all of 4 left turns. Are you kidding me? I know Nascar is incredibly popular, but I have to ask why??? ITS BORING… What’s the Ring have? Over 100 turns? Now that’s a race track… I’m not a fan of the full Top Gear track, but I also don’t really mind it either. Its somewhat long enough, and challenging enough, to push you at least a little. Its variants are moronic though, IMO. I hear you on the being lost on Top Gear though, it took me a while to figure out how to run that track. I won’t hotlap it today, but I also won’t leave a lobby when it comes up either. I go through phases with all the other tracks. Right now, I’m really liking Sebring Full, especially in a drag tire Mini.
I really enjoy playing online when I can actually find a group of folks that try their best to race as clean as possible. I make mistakes, of course, & the worse mistake I can make is when I screw up & collect someone else with me. When I do that, I stay behind the person I collected as a form of an apology.
I’m not anywhere close to be any sort of expert. As far as handling & power goes… I enjoy racing with the old muscle cars in D class, however, I only run stock engine & concentrate all of any remaining PI to handling & transmission/clutch.
The pure handling type cars are obviously at a great advantage on close/ tight turning race tracks. Even on the larger tracks, those pure handling cars obviously hit the turns better, however, I can hit the turns nearly as good & make up for/ gain the upperhand when I’m able to use my speed & acceleration.
Regardless, I don’t stick soley to the muscle cars in D class…I try to pick a car & tune that works best for a specific type of track that I’m on.
Hey thanks Lou. Yeah, I like my musclecars (you probably saw me in my C3 or Camaro), and you’re absolutely right that most people don’t know how to drive them fast.
I’ve been racing my Fiat 131 alot lately though.
As far as the etiquette thing goes, I’m not talking about wreckers per sé. I mean those who obviously know how to drive, but make no effort to avoid collisions (or follow the track in some cases). The “drive like no-one’s there” type, I guess.
You really think that has anything at all to do with the car they are driving? I sure don’t… A Mini is the last car that you want to be reckless in because you’re the one who usually goes flying and spinning like crazy after any contact. I may have become somewhat decent at the game, but I still make my share of mistakes and bump into other cars while driving my Mini. I typically pay for it much more than the other guy does. The heavier cars are far more likely to just shrug it off and keep going.
I’ve won races in D Class with muscle cars; however, they are limited to tracks with longer stretches where the acceleration & horsepower are a factor. It takes a good driver & a good tune/ set-up to make these cars work & to be competitive. I still chose to use muscle cars whenever possible just because I’va always loved them in real life & enjoy running them in the game.
However, pure handling tracks are no place for those big bodied/ heavy cars & cause more harm than good to other drivers when driven by folks who either don’t know how to drive them or just don’t care to wreck other racers.
I’d like to have a core group of clean racers on here (Forza) to race with & more importantly to learn from.
Accidents are one thing. The 1st time it happens, I’ll assume it was an accident. Unfortunately, it usually turns out not to be- they usually do it again if & when I pass them.
Oh, I didn’t mean ALL Mini and CRX drivers are like that, sorry if anyone got that impression from my earlier post. What I meant is there seems to be a certain TYPE of small-car driver, who thinks their epic handling means they own the road and the rules don’t apply to them. How DARE I be in their way?
Some of the fastest and cleanest racers drive these cars, I’m well aware, but there are more of the other type than you may think.
