When I have played recently, its been more on LTC with the LX6, however after watching some top gear, I feel like learning to really pick up some speed in racing, and perhaps trying CTRA again. I downloaded a setup for the XRG for blackwood off of team inferno, and i did a couple laps following the ingame line a bit, but i was getting mostly 1:40s. Id like to get more around 1:36, 35. Any suggestions on what I should do? Or would you guys like me to upload a replay?

that ingame racing line is no good btw,and a replay is always helpful,so we can see where u have to improve

XRG is a difficult car to first start racing in, to be fast in it requires more skill than most cars, maybe try the XFG or FXR.

In XRG any slide on the exit of a corner will kill your time but its not always a bad thing on entry to a corner as it can set you up at a really good angle (i always do this at the corner aftter the backstraight) Use more engine braking to slow you down quicker as the XRG doesn't have very good brakes. And upload a replay so i can be more specific.

Quote from e2mustang :

that ingame racing line is no good btw

I find the race line great! It improved nearly all of my times by 1-2 seconds... It will suit some people but not others so best thing is the raceline will help you for where to keep the car on the track. It isn't that good for break points as each set up has it's own break power in rear or front. Thus making most setups having a different breaking point.

The best thing to do mate, is watch someone you see getting 1:35 - 36 times and see what there doing different to you, watch them for a couple of laps then try it yourself and what also is good is to get someone to review your laps which can help you alot!

With the team i drive with just now, they have helped take a massive chunk of my times

Get in a good wee racing group and it will help too

Quote from johnfromsunnymull :

Get in a good wee racing group and it will help too

Damn scots

Yeah - start with the XFG, the XRG is a bit of a bummer really.

Quote from J@tko :

Damn scots

Yeah - start with the XFG, the XRG is a bit of a bummer really.

Oi, whats wrong with using Wee

To get faster with the XRG you need to be smooth. Keep corner speed high, keep your racinglines clean and use every meter the track has to offer. Taking the XFG instead is a pretty bad advice IMHO as it's totally different racing. (The XRG is rather nice as it teaches you lots about how to drive RWD cars and how to be smooth. Racing the XFG doesn't have much to do with being smooth..hurtle it in the corners with a bunch of understeer, etc. Doesn't teach you much if you're planning to race the LX's or RAC or F08 etc. later on.)
The XRG corners faster under power and so: In slow , Out fast , really applies for it. Brake nice and early and get back on the power soon as possible. Not nescesarily full if it's a long corner, but keep that weightbalance neutral to rear by feeding in the throttle and let those rear tires do the "work" instead of the front. Once you go smooth and get that power on early times will quickly drop.

Id rather learn the XRG now, for practice with RWD. I like it better looks wise, and I love challenges. A lot of the time through my turns, I would be braking and healtoe down shifting, not so much engine braking. I found engine braking for the turn did help me slow down quicker, but my times were a little worse cause i wasnt used to it for turn 3 (i think its t3, the one after the long straight). Anyways, heres my replay & setup i use from team inferno.

I'm also racing Blackwood in XRG and I have got my times to about 1:38 - 1:40. I'm also using same setup as you are but I modified it a little bit. I'll tell what I'm doing and then maybe somebody can help us both.

You are locking brakes in t1. In my modified setup my brake force is smaller, about 730. This way I don't have to worry about wheels locking. I also changed diff to vicious LSD with 20 torque. I feel it's better.

When your brakes don't lock any more, I think you will feel better braking. In t1 I start braking a little bit earlier than you and I keep standing on brake pedal until I'm slow enough to turn.

I recently watched a Top Gear episode where Jackie Stewart was teaching James May to drive fast and I remember this piece of advice: "you never press the gas pedal until you know that you never have to take it off." I can't really explain it any better.

hmm, ill try lowering the amount of force like you did. What make me felt like racing again was watching them do the 24 hr race with the diesel 3 series.

Just have a go with the set attached -
the inferno set is a hotlap set, designed to go really fast, so it is very unforgiving.
It will allow you to drive on the edge but will grant a severe punishment if you step out of the line!

The set I posted does not use a locked differential so it is easier to use (turn - in is easier) and when you meet kerbs you will lose power but not control. It allows some margin for racing compared to hotlap sets.
I can do 1.34 - 1.35 with some consistency with it.

Best thing is to watch and then follow - find a good server first!

Quote from pkniemi :

I recently watched a Top Gear episode where Jackie Stewart was teaching James May to drive fast and I remember this piece of advice: "you never press the gas pedal until you know that you never have to take it off."

haha, saw and tried this too. the question is: does this mean that you let the car just roll into the bends before you reach the point to floor it? I think this only works for cars with heavy engine braking... so not for XRG, XFG, UF1.

I also read "either brake or accelerate" once... somewhere. I think it had to do with F1.

And I also read "after breaking, try applying a bit of throttle", kind of to "prepare" for full-throttle. ok, that was about motorbikes, but hey, it's rwd, isn't it?

IRL I hardly ever go thru a bend without having my foot on the brake or on the accelerator. It's kind of a mix of the three statements above.

In LFS it's kind of hard to actually feel what's good, but I tried choosing my brake-points/stretch the way that I can apply some throttle just after braking. feels good but actually I'm still in my 1.36's... I JUST DO NOT GET FASTER :Eyecrazy: - maybe it's the inacurate wheel or I have to format my brain's c-drive and start from zero.

Quote from Bandit77 :

haha, saw and tried this too. the question is: does this mean that you let the car just roll into the bends before you reach the point to floor it? I think this only works for cars with heavy engine braking... so not for XRG, XFG, UF1.

No, and it applies to all cars really, particularly those with limited power in some regards. If you're able to let the car roll with your foot off the pedals, and still be at the appropriate speed, then usually you braked too soon. The ideal for a "typical" corner (say a medium radius 90 degree right) is to brake as late as possible, all the way to the slowest point of the corner, and from there immediately apply the power required to keep the car at the very limit of grip whilst you unwind the steering lock at a rate which allows you to use all the road on the exit.
If you have to lift and reapply either pedal it means you misjudged somehow.

Quote from sinbad :

...

Ok, that makes sense to me and is actually the way I thought was right before I heard J. Stewart say this. Maybe he put it a bit too simply for unexperienced or non-racers.

i always thought that the best way to drive on lfs is to drive if you were out on a track in real life but i find that doesn't work for me

with real driving, there is the discipline, if thats the right word, not to push too hard. This cannot be applied to lfs because (to mirror what someone else said in another thread a while back,) there is no element of real fear involved when racing in a sim. In lfs, you crash, you lose positions, car breaks, big deal!? If you crash like that in real life, it hurts (ALOT!) and you could really to some damage to yourself, or worse! There isnt that discipline to stop you going too fast or taking big risks in any sim or game.

Quote from Mille Sabords :

Just have a go with the set attached -
the inferno set is a hotlap set, designed to go really fast, so it is very unforgiving.
It will allow you to drive on the edge but will grant a severe punishment if you step out of the line!

Thanks for setup. I also think that hotlap setup I'm using is a bit too advanced for me. I watched WR replay and there's no way I can drive like that.

I had a few rounds and your setup feels fast. I got some nice split times but my rhythm is a bit off. Brakes are very different. When I step on brakes a bit before curb in t1, I hear engine revs go down and car feels like wheels are locking. But they are not because tyre display does not show it. How do you break? Do you do it with full force?

Quote from danthebangerboy :

i always thought that the best way to drive on lfs is to drive if you were out on a track in real life but i find that doesn't work for me

with real driving, there is the discipline, if thats the right word, not to push too hard. This cannot be applied to lfs because (to mirror what someone else said in another thread a while back,) there is no element of real fear involved when racing in a sim. In lfs, you crash, you lose positions, car breaks, big deal!? If you crash like that in real life, it hurts (ALOT!) and you could really to some damage to yourself, or worse! There isnt that discipline to stop you going too fast or taking big risks in any sim or game.

There's the feel of it that really prevents us from driving too hard. You kind of know whats too much sometimes.

Quote from pkniemi :

Thanks for setup. I also think that hotlap setup I'm using is a bit too advanced for me. I watched WR replay and there's no way I can drive like that.

I had a few rounds and your setup feels fast. I got some nice split times but my rhythm is a bit off. Brakes are very different. When I step on brakes a bit before curb in t1, I hear engine revs go down and car feels like wheels are locking. But they are not because tyre display does not show it. How do you break? Do you do it with full force?

I brake a little and than brake hard all the way before the turn,while shifting back to low gear,but this requires the brakes set to more to the front with lower brake force(to not lock up tires) But all the pros have their brakes on very hard and balanced to like 60 %(i could never do a turn like that )

Quote from agm_ultimatex :

Id rather learn the XRG now, for practice with RWD. I like it better looks wise, and I love challenges. A lot of the time through my turns, I would be braking and healtoe down shifting, not so much engine braking. I found engine braking for the turn did help me slow down quicker, but my times were a little worse cause i wasnt used to it for turn 3 (i think its t3, the one after the long straight). Anyways, heres my replay & setup i use from team inferno.

you need to practice.