I haven't done any testing yet. I was gonna try to get some laps in tonight and try some 2 tire runs. Wife is out of town this weekend and the kiddo is sick, so we'll see if I can get online.

Yeah I know how that is, mine was sick Friday and Saturday. This track is so easy to overdrive. You can carry a good bit of speed in the corner but it eats the tires, as they showed in the race tonight. Every 50 laps somebody blew a bead on the right front.

Yeah I saw that. Hell of a finish though.

It is really easy to overdrive the corners. We rarely see long green runs. Be ready for a bunch of cautions. I'm logging in now for some practice.

Ran 22 laps....fastest was 27:530 (lap 1), 28:000 lap 10, 28:440 on the last lap. Took 2 tires and ran 27:530 on the first hot lap, but that fell off pretty quick and I was back to low 28's after three laps. Tire strategy is going to be key. I heard we get 6 tires this week instead of 4, so it should be interesting who takes 2 then 4 and vice versa.

Yeah I am glad for 2 extra tires. That'll help a lot. I am very off pace...

You can probably drive it in deeper. Into 1, I start rolling out at the first marker and start breaking at the second. In 3 I roll out just before the last marker and brake after it.

Last year I followed one of the best in the service around for an hour and that's what I picked up.

What license are you up to?

I just ran a truck race at California, and it was some of the most fun racing I've had.

Haven't checked today but should be d still. Haven't run but like 2 races in oval. Road should be c.

Oval D2.60 1535
Road C2.39 1403

So it looks like the tire rule is going back to 4 tires. That is going to be rough....basically 50 laps per set of tires. If we get a long green run, some people are going to be in serious trouble.

Yeah like me. Man I am way off pace. Didn't pick up any time with the proper brake markers. Slightly better tire wear and much more consistent but no time gain. Turning 29 flat on good tires. After about 20 laps in I'm around a 29.6. Looks like I'll be holding down a good too 40 run here tonight. I like this track and car but for some reason I just can't figure it out. Guess I'll just focus on staying clean and not getting any penalties. Good luck tonight

I guarantee you that once you get in the lobby and start watching some of the fast guys, and following some people you'll pick it right up....you've been fast everywhere else.

When we get into practice tonight I'll follow you and give you some pointers.

Not a bad idea. I may get in early and watch for about 20 minutes from in car and then give it a go

is anyone streaming?

Dont really know. We know they lost broadcasting. Don't know how to get in touch with admins to find out about anyone personally streaming it.

Also I think I just discovered my issue. I have been practicing for a day race... I'm am idiot!

wow....26:8xx's. might be a long night.

Yeah I'm gonna get crushed. My goal is to be less than 10 laps down. Not sure if I can pull that off though

Just hang around. There are a lot of people here tonight...it'll thin out pretty quick with guys being over aggressive. Just try to stay clean and you'll be alright. Thats my goal...make it to the end.

Of course...run over from behind, then guys don't brake when the caution comes out. Hope you fared better than I did.

Well I was holding a solid top 18 all night. Anywhere from 7th to 18th depending on the restart, it was a cautionfest. 4 to go and someone got bumper hooked on exit of 4 and I had nowhere to go. Didn't even see him until it was way too late. Lap 96! Almost made it to the end and it sucks cause I think I could have grabbed a top 15. Terrible luck.

Yeah unfortunately Phoenix is usually a shitshow. I was 9th when I got taken out. Think I could have contended for a top 5. Whatever, on to California.

Yeah I went back and watched the replay. That sucked. Guy behind you just ran straight through you. Never checked up. Somehow after a fairly clean run and not causing any cautions and only being caught up in one of them, I managed to get 2 penalty points last night? Not that it matters in the long run since I'm only making just over half of the races but it still sucks being penalized and not knowing what for.

Incidents. If you have a certain number of iRacing incidents it's a penalty. I'm just looking forward to Cali. This is the only race I've ever won here so I hope to run strong.

I don't want to spend the money but I really enjoy this series. I might pick up auto club and Texas. I have pretty much every other track I care to run in this series. Not a huge California fan but maybe it wall be better than the Phoenix race, which was only 50 green flag laps out of 100, and I can get a top 10. Oh and while watching the replay I figured out what was wrong with my driving last night. I was using 4th all the way around the track and all the fast guys would just leave me on corner exit. I thought I just wasn't used to a tight car, I normally set up the late model pretty loose for the iracing league, and that was my problem, but no. All I had to do was use 3rd and the car would free up and I could have cut a half second or so a corner off my laps. I didn't hear anyone shifting during the race but in the replay it was pretty obvious. Wish I would have realised that sooner.

Oh yeah, a lot of guys shift there. I have never been able to do that successfully, so I keep it in 4th. It certainly makes you faster if you can drive it though.

Auto Club is usually a pretty good race. It's really wide so you can pass, and if you are really good you can make some passes on the high side.

I had some iRacing credits kicking around so I sent you some. Go buy Cali so you can race with me next week.

Thanks man. I appreciate that. I will. I like running the high side at a lot of tracks so it's good to hear the high lane can work there. I know at Atlanta I was one of the few running right at the wall in 1 and 2. I'll pick it up either today or tomorrow so I can start testing there.

Still trying to figure out the easiest way to share pics with you guys, here is another attempt. I repainted my car for Can-Am series. What you guys think? oh yeah, it has old photos in it too but you will see the new paint scheme.

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198262880990/screenshots/

I really like the late model. That is just a cool car to paint I think.

Oh also...if you got the Gen6 and Cali, the NASCAR iRacing Fixed Set Up race is tonight. Full distance race at California (200 laps), 32 cars to a room. It's open to Class D-A. I think I'm going to run it.

No kidding, what time? Unless it's pretty late I won't make it. Haven't even eaten dinner yet. I can watch if it gets broadcast. Is it the carburetor cup? Of not where is it at so I can find it if I make it in time.

Race starts at 9pm. Its at the bottom of the list of Oval Series.....NASCAR iRacing Series - Fixed. I don't think its broadcast, but you can watch any split under the "Find Official Races" section....there is a watch option.

Cool. I'll see what I can do about making it. Hope to see you there. Also any guarantee we will get same race lobby?

I'm class d and it says I don't meet liscence requirements?

Oh crap really? Maybe cause you aren't a D-3.0. No matter, I'm not sure I'm gonna run it. I just ran some practice laps and the set up is pretty rough. Won't turn in 1 and crazy loose off 4. Not sure I want to dedicated 3 hours to struggle. Its a weeknight after all...haha.

I was looking at the wrong series but I still can't join. No idea what's up

Must have to be 3.0. Oh well, if you run let me know and I'll spectate

Yeah not gonna do it. I don't want to struggle for 3+ hours tonight. Gonna run the B Fixed instead as a tests session for Tuesday.

Well that is hella slippery. I'm gonna have to out in some laps to not botch this up.

Well damn. Had a good run going in the beginning. Went down hill fast once the guy got loose and shoved you into the tires. Hopefully better luck next week.

Yeah, when the tires wear it gets a little gnarly.

I've been wrecked running top 5 in every single race I've done this week. Starting to piss me off.

Cars are extremely loose. Will we be running with the same temp? A little cooler will make it better I think. That track is so slick.

Did a semi extensive testing run this morning at auto club. I ran a .7xx as a fast lap and an average of .9xx. Is that a competitive lap time? Also no idea on tire wear. I was only getting about 10-12 laps before looping it off of turn 2. Didn't seem to any falloff at all on the tires though as all my laps stayed within a half second every run I did.

The race I ran over the weekend I qualified at a 41.527, and my fastest lap during the race was a 41.556. I know there was another tenth or two out there though in my Q lap. I got a bad run out of 3. Top 3 all qualified at 41.2xx's, and backed that up with their fastest laps in the race.

If you can stay consistent at .7xx-.9xx you'll be ok, probably mid pack. Again I think if you watch some of the fast guys you'll pick up something. I always watch from "chase" view to see their marks and listen for when they get out of the gas. You can drive it in deeper, way deeper than you think (that's what she said).

The tires fall off a couple tenths after a few laps, then even out for another 10-15, then fall off again, then even out.....etc. Thats been my experience anyway. This place is so big, there are going to be some long green runs (at least I hope). Be really careful exiting 2. The fast way is to stay low, but if you get too low its crazy loose. The white line is dangerous. Same thing in 4 but to a lesser degree I think. From my experience that really cooks the right rear and you'll be wrecking loose within a few laps if you aren't careful.

The line I am most co.for table with is on the white line through 1 and 2 and let it kind of drift out to the wall, so slick coming off of two, then about a lane up in 3 and 4 and off 4 right at the wall. I stay high down the front because that's where the car ends up exiting 4 but I see everyone else going low down the front stretch. I get no gain from this, lap times stay identical, and high gets me into 1 without being crazy loose to get down to the white line. That's what I'll keep running as long as people notice I'm up there and don't scream up to the wall enter 1 to get a good run. I would hate to be slammed into the wall because someone didn't know I was there. Either way I think I'll be okay here. The car is very loose but like I said before, I drive everything loose and it's comfortable for me. I'm hoping we stay green, I think I'm consistent enough to gain some time over long runs. My tires have been holding very well. I have run a few 20-25 lap tests and haven't noticed any time loss. I think me being slow and focusing on hitting the proper marks is helping save the tires.

Yeah that'll def save the tires. You are gonna see a lot of guys in the race going low and swerving up at the last minute going into 1. Most of the time gain I see is drafting the guy in front of you down the front stretch. There is a little gain when you do it alone, but its def minimal.

Since I've had such terrible luck so far this season I'm switching up the paint scheme for a race to see if I can change my luck. I'm going with the old school Harvick scheme from that first win in Atlanta.

http://www.tradingpaints.com/showroom/view/51337/2001-GM-Goodwrench-Camaro-Kevin-Harvick-Atlanta-Spring-Win

Hope that helps, you have had some shit look this season. Surprisingly I have done fairly well until the very last caution. I always seem to be in the wrong spot at the end of the race. I'm going to try a different out strategy this week. Instead of pitting half way and taking 4 tires, if there are a couple cautions in the first half I think I'll take two just short of half way and the try to pit again at about lap 45 or so and take 2 again. May not work but it's worth a shot. Its only 65 laps and left sides have been holding up pretty well. If we go green and I have to green flag pit I'm still taking two but then I may not get a chance to pit again, unless we see a late caution which would work pretty good I think. Them I'll have left sides that are probably around 80% but the freshest right sides on the track. Maybe that will be enough to get a few spots on a restart and short run. I guess we'll find out.

Not a bad strategy. I have no idea what I'm going to do yet. I haven't made it to the first pit stop yet this season....hahaha. So I might wing it tonight and hope.

Wow, I didn't even realise that but you haven't. You have been taken out early every time. Well maybe that will turn around tonight. Time for NSA to grab 2 top 10s this week. Maybe more...you do have good luck here.

Good new and usual new, I'll let Jay Dee give y'all the details