Thanks for the info - don't apologize at all for the "wall of text". This should be a lot more informative than just looking at the split times to try and figure out where I need to improve the most. Good level of detail for me - time to upload a hotlap and face the graphs.

Thanks again for all the advice - lots of friendly folks here. I started LFS as a way to get some autocross practice - looking to try out autocross this year, but I got hooked on the GP racing. Started with the XFG, but moved to the XRG since most of the other cars are RWD and I learned to drive on RWD cars.

It looks like the consensus is I need to watch / follow better drivers to get a better picture for what they do, and where I lose time.

BTW, 2 glasses of wine after work do not seem to help the lap times for XFG or XRG much at all.

Thanks again, and happy racing.

Quote from Keling :

About setups:

SetupGrid/SetupField setups are usually made to be running on the bleeding edge. Are they really good for beginners?

I pulled XRG_bl1_Dark[_hot off of the setupfield site and it seems to fit my driving style pretty well. I was able to knock another 1/2 second off my PB - now down to 1:38.38. Doing a little statistical analysis of each split compared with a hotlap I downloaded. (I'm an engineer, and couldn't resist). I'm most inconsistent on the last section of track, but I'm closest in time to the hotlap. My middle split is 1.25 seconds slower - that's the one with the biggest difference. Anyway, I've got a setup that I feel good about, and I'm getting a feel for where I have the most trouble.

So if you're looking for a setup a beginner can handle, I would recommend "Dark". I tried several others and was all over the place.

Thanks.

Quote from Keling :

Hi! Welcome.

do NOT try to race bumper to bumper. It does more harm than good.

Watch how others drive, and try to copy what they do. It's the best way to get started.

Thanks for the advice. I have downloaded some of the fast runs and watched how they drive the track with the XRG. I am just much slower through the hairpin. (Also I'm often not as clean through the last "s"). The runs I've looked at have a controlled oversteer at the beginning of the turn that angles them nicely to follow the line through the curve, and they do all their braking/downshifting from 50m mark in. So that's definitely an area of control and stability that I can't match right now. I can mod the car to take out the oversteer and get a little cleaner and faster, but it's clear that's not what the faster drivers are doing.

OK, I'll keep plugging away. Thanks again for the advice.

Quote from Eclipsed :

With these times you shouldn't be worrying too much about passing others,to be honest.
Just join a demo server with 3-5 people in it,race. Stay sharp,check situation on track,be aware of others around you,use minimap/mirrors if necessary. And have fun!

Thanks - so I should maybe focus on getting out of the way. OK to be a slowpoke if I'm a polite / aware slowpoke. Guess I should keep working on getting faster too.

Quote from Jettascuba :

btw, as long as you do not mess up other drivers' races, being courteous and cautious, you will be welcome on any racing server, never mind your times.

and the best way to learn is to just take the leap and sign up for a league!

I signed up for the OLFSL 2011 league 2 months after starting with LFS, qualified dead last, 95 out of 95, for the first race, but darn, I learned a lot during that season!

Thanks for the advice!

Hi - new to lfs, s2 license, and I'm practicing to try and get good enough to race w/ real people. One of the things I'm trying to learn is how to pass without running into other cars. The AI guys seem to be fairly willing to bump into me, but I want to get better at judging when I can pass safely. Any suggestions? Right now I'm putting slower AI guys in front of me and doing single player.

Also, right now I'm running about 1:39 to 1:41 on Blackwood with the XR GT. How fast should I get before looking to race on a server? Don't want to be a rolling obstacle, and I know I'm way off the WR's. Thanks!

Downloaded the videos, and they are very helpful and well done. Especially liked the one on overtaking - that's one that's hard to practice on my own, and I need to get better at before racing against other humans.

Hi All,

Been doing the demo for a week, then bought the S2 license. Still working on Blackwood GP - felt comfortable with the XF, now working on getting smooth with the XR. Game is fun and challenging, probably won't go online until I get better, though.

Like the forum, got some good advice by searching around.

New to lfs, learning on Blackwood GP, just switched from xf to xr. After reading this article I was able to shave 3 seconds off my PB with the xr, and now am close to my xf time. Still a noob-like time (1:47.77), but I at least feel I know what to work on. And I don't slide around so much. Thanks - this kind of article really works for me.