Basic IndyCar Series 2005 setup tips

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 1:52 pm

Boys:

I know there are a lot of new purchasers of IndyCar Series 2005 out there who didn't play last year's game. I played the hell out of last year's game and am around the IRL game quite a bit, so I thought I'd share a few basic setup tips:

SHORTER TRACKS (Gateway, Phoenix, Nazareth, Pikes Peak, Richmond, Nashville, maybe Motegi because of tight turns 3 and 4)

Front tire pressure: Reduce the air pressure in both front tires by 2 pounds.

Right rear tire pressure: Increase the air pressure in the right rear tire by 1 or 2 pounds.

Front wing: Max out the angle of the front wing. Add all that you can.

Rear wing: Make the rear wing angle as shallow as you can. Remove all of the rear wing you can.

This setup will help the car turn more easily and stay planted in the corners without understeer. I turned a pole lap of 183.1 at Pikes Peak just making these changes -- was flat all the way around.

LONGER TRACKS (all the rest)

Front tire pressure: Reduce the air pressure in both front tires by 1 pound.

Right rear tire pressure: Increase the air pressure in the right rear tire by 1 or 2 pounds.

Wing angle: Reduce the front wing as much as you can without inducing a ton of understeer (where the car wants to push up the track into the wall). Do the same with the rear wing. You want to "trim" the car as much as you can, especially for qualifying, to reduce drag.

You also can lower the ride height, which reduces drag. I assume gearing also can make a difference, but I haven't messed with that at all.

I always side toward stability when devising a race setup. There's plenty of time to move up in the field with a stable, fast car, especially in longer races. But your race can be over in five laps if your car is on the edge all the time and unstable in traffic.

Good luck!

Take care,
PK

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 2:29 pm

Thanks for the tips PK. I was racing around at Indy last night but couldn't get an average lap speed of better than 228 while all the AI guys were averaging about 233 or so.

Nice job on the game, btw. Kudos.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 2:33 pm

Thank Codemasters, not me. All I did was offer advice, beta test and edit the manual and promotional materials.

And save the complete thanks until XBL racing gets fixed!

Take care,
PK

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 2:53 pm

Thanks dude!

davepack · Post by **davepack** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:16 pm

Pk, thanks so much for this advice. I've been reading some of your posts here and over at GameFAQS for the past couple of days, and they have been so helpful to a clueless newbie like me.

I'm stuck on the third Masterclass, and after 2 hours last night, I gave up. The best I could get was a lap just over 230+, and I needed a minimum of 231 just to get the bronze. I have to race at IMS via Quickrace because if I choose The Indianapolis 500 option, I *always* get bumped from the field. I can't seem to compete even if I can put in laps in the upper 220's. I looked at my car, adjusted tire pressures, adjusted camber, used your recommend wing angles (I think they were 4 and -2 for the front/wing respectively) but I still can't compete. I have no idea what else to do (I even put the fuel mixture at 7 just trying to gain a little extra speed during my qualifying runs).

It's a great game--living only an hour from IMS, I've had a lifelong interest in the 500 and have attended a few times, and that's the biggest draw of this game for me. But I need to get a handle on all this tuning business because it's the part of the game I'm having such a difficult time with right now.

I'm also having a tough time passing via drafting. I know that should be simple enough, but it's not working out. I'll get right up behind a car in the straightaways (draft meter is full), go into 6th gear and swing over to pass. Usually I'm lucky if I can be side-by-side with the guy going into the turn. I can get by in the turns, but the other guy always ends up passing me as we head into the next straightaway. 100% of my races so far (about 15) have ended with me running into the back of someone, spinning them (and me) out. Oh wait, I take that back--I did race last night where the AI had a sweet massive pileup coming out of turn 3, and there was nothing I could do to get around it.

Thanks again, Pk. Any other details you could post here will be GREATLY appreciated, by me and countless others I would imagine.

Edit: I should add that I turned off all assists and play with full damage at Pro level. I've heard it's better to jump right in that way, and I'd rather play it realistically.

SRNomad · Post by **SRNomad** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:35 pm

What would you recommend for Phoenix?

Thanks for the tips, I started a new Season and it helped big time on the Miami track. I'm trying to go through one at a time and get all my setups for each track.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:39 pm

SRNomad wrote:What would you recommend for Phoenix?

Thanks for the tips, I started a new Season and it helped big time on the Miami track. I'm trying to go through one at a time and get all my setups for each track.

Nomad:

Definitely the short-track setup. Sorry, I forgot to include Phoenix on the list of short tracks. I edited my above post to include it.

Phoenix is one of those tracks that you can't possibly crank in too much front wing. Use the max front wing and add the other half of a front degree in the pit setup screen. Max it out.

Also remove 2 pounds of air pressure from both front tires at Phoenix, not just 1. And add 2 pounds of pressure to the right rear.

It's damn hard -- almost impossible -- to go flat through Turns 1 and 2 at Phoenix. But a good setup will let you go damn close to flat through 3 and 4.

Phoenix is a fun, fun track. The dogleg on the backstretch, lots of traffic, asymmetrical turns ... Hmm, think I'll race it tonight!

Take care,
PK

SRNomad · Post by **SRNomad** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:54 pm

Thanks PK, i'll try it and post. I'm gonna add you to my friends list. I raced a couple with Dsnyder last night.

I read something about a 50 lapper tonight. I'd like to join in if there is room. What track are you doing?

EDIT*** The Phoenix setup worked great . Thanks again.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 5:27 pm

Nomad:

Glad the setup worked for you. Looking forward to racing against you.

I played host to a couple of 50-lappers last night. I have nothing planned for tonight, as I may read or watch TV. But I'll probably jump on XBL for some impromptu racing late-night.

Take care,
PK

SRNomad · Post by **SRNomad** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 5:51 pm

I've improved my ranking on every track since the new setup. I even got #6 on Motegi. Its time for Indy now, my favorite.

Digital Sportspage

Basic IndyCar Series 2005 setup tips

Basic IndyCar Series 2005 setup tips

Phoenix

Re: Phoenix