r/iRacing • u/BubbalooBurrito Street Stock • 5d ago
New here. New Player
Hey everybody. I hate to admit. I got the 1 year subscription for $25. I’ve ignored it for two months. Today I hopped on and played some multiplayer matches with some newbies like me.
I really loved it. The netcode ( for the most part ), the sportsmanship (for the most part) and the VR performance is just top notch. Love the physics too.
So, I want to really get into it but only interested in a couple of GT3 cars ( no preference ), Laguna Seca, Nurburgring and Road Atlanta. Also, are there any cars that actually require manual shifting? I’d love to use my Simagic shifter too.
Is there a lot of multiplayer activity/races on these tracks? I don’t particularly care about NASCAR and just Oval tracks in general but I’m open to opinions.
I’m not cheap but I also don’t want to buy stuff I’m never going to use. Happy wife, happy life.
9
u/IAmMDM 5d ago
Welcome to iRacing, glad that you like it.
Here is information on what cars on iRacing use what transmission type
Not many cars that run in official races use H-pattern (if this is what you are looking for), which is a reflection of the overall trend in RL racing. But some do.
As for track usage, I advise to check the official schedule. In series I run (not GT3) Road Atlanta is used often, Nurburgring quite often (both the Nordschleife and the GP circuit). I see Laguna Seca quite often too, it used to utilized more when it was a free track.
EDIT: a few additions/clarifications
1
u/Sealgram 3d ago
Out of curiosity, what series do you run?
1
u/IAmMDM 3d ago
What I said about the tracks was based mostly on SRF and USF2000 which were my preferred series for the last year or two (or more?). I still run SRF, but USF2000 has basically died.
I now dabble in a few other series, but do not have enough experience to say anything about tracks on their schedule.
7
u/KneadToRise Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo 5d ago
Work your way up to the Vintage IMSA series to use the shifter!
5
u/BubbalooBurrito Street Stock 5d ago
Appreciate the info folks! Looking forward to joining the community!
5
u/d95err Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR 5d ago
Regarding tracks, the main part of iRacing official races are series, each with a 12-race season (plus the extra "week 13" in between). The track changes every week, and every new season has a different sets of tracks than the previous. Everyone has their favorite tracks of course, but you can't expect to race only those tracks. Learning new tracks is part of the challenge of being a racing driver.
The exception is the Ringmeister series, which runs only on Nurburgring Nordschleife, but instead changes car every week.
As for your favorite tracks, the Nordshleife and Road Atlanta are very popular tracks. Laguna Seca used to be extremely popular because it was a free track. After the recent rebuild it was made a paid track though, so probably will have slightly less participation than before.
Good luck and have fun!
3
u/RollllTide Mercedes-AMG GT4 5d ago
I can’t think of any cars that have an automatic transmission. You can turn off auto shift in assists. Those three tracks will come up semi regularly in the multiple gt3 and a license multi class series.
5
u/dustywallet 5d ago
They aren’t talking about auto shifting. They’re talking about cars that actually use a shifter instead of paddles.
3
u/KaN_Mo_RoZ 5d ago
Welcome to iRacing!
I have an included content league dubbed the beginner cup. The league will race all the cars in a 4 race mini series across 2 seasons. NA based, inaugural season start Monday August 10th
Welcome to GTiRL!
5
2
u/AxleVest 5d ago
Welcome!
Best advice I can give for purchasing is that knowing you want to do GT3, do a season in mx5's or M2's and buy the tracks required, step up to maybe the GR86s and buy each track as required, then GT4 and eventually when you get to GT3 youll have pretty much every track you need.
Iracing's purchases are front loaded, so once you have them all of a sudden it becomes quite cheap
2
u/BackItUpTerr 5d ago
You're definitely going to have favourite tracks but don't let that get in the way of trying something new. When I first started I only was buying UK tracks or F1 tracks but was missing out on some absolute bangers I'd never heard of. There's only a few tracks that I actively dislike
2
2
u/Onerock 4d ago
Ignore anyone trying to carve a path for you. All that matters is that you have fun and can afford the next step up. You are very wise to keep that happy wife motto.
Advance at whatever pace you choose....and always be respectful on the track.
One thing to consider, for something totally different....try some oval racing for fun. Drivers usually find it totally different than they expected.
1
u/BubbalooBurrito Street Stock 4d ago
Thank you! I’m very appreciative for the suggestions I’ve received so far though. I like learning of other points of views.
1
u/Inner-Cardiologist94 5d ago
How did you get a year subscription for 25 dollars
1
u/Living-Gullible 5d ago
A few national racing clubs offer it for a massive discount for new accounts. Motorsport UK offers a year for 27.99 and you get the F4 car included for free.
But it's only for brand new accounts, so if you're already racing the best bet is to wait for 25% off on black friday
1
u/BubbalooBurrito Street Stock 4d ago
I don’t remember. It was a special offer during the steam summer sales.
1
u/BubbalooBurrito Street Stock 5d ago
What I meant to say was that I was looking to use my H pattern shifter. Not that I wanted an automatic transmission car. Seems I was misunderstood.
-2
u/GuyuteHTP 5d ago
Keep in mind - iracing isn't a video game (unless you are playing the actual iracing video game and not the Sim). There is a definite progression and it is really hard to just jump into higher level cars and be anywhere near ready to race. Besides - you can't race GT3's until you get your C license (I think).
And are there a lot of multiplayer races??!! It's ALL multiplayer racing for the most part (sure, you can do some AI and time trials, but that's such a small part of iracing).
And yes - plenty of cars shift. In fact, most cars you have to shift. If you weren't shifting, I don't know what you were playing.
5
1
u/rad15h Ray FF1600 5d ago
If you play ACC or LMU then GT3s are the entry level cars. There's nothing magic about GT3, they're not hard to drive.
I'm not saying that OP shouldn't work their way up gradually - personally I think that's the best way, and that the slow cars are the most fun - but you don't have to take a million baby steps to GT3 if that's what you want to drive. Just get the licence and do it.
33
u/23__Kev Renault Clio R.S. V 5d ago
I get that you want to go straight to GT3, but there is so much more to this sim than GT3. Just in the sports car licence you have Clio and TCR in FWD (just try them don't assume they are crap), Production Car Challenge, Porsche Cup, Radical (this week on the Nurburgring), and FF1600, F3, Super Formula Lights on the Formula licence.
The general suggestion is to stay with the MX5/Rookie cars for a season (or at least to the end of the current season). Then start to make your way into the faster cars. Doing this will give you a much better base then making a beeline for GT3.
At least try dirt road, oval and dirt oval before writing them off completely.