This is What Your iRating Says about YOU

[@kalebbryan4012]

I hit ~3.4K on raw pace without a whole lot of tire saving ability, and had to learn how to keep the rubber underneath me to push above 4K and into the 5K range. Dancing the line between outright speed and tire saving is the biggest skill that I preach to anyone who asks.

[@R3mix97]

6k here, I think your explaination of 5k-6k was great. At that point, you've got a good understanding of all the things you need to do, but in order to maintain and improve your iRating, you have to constantly do all of these things perfectly. One slip up at this level is multiple spots or easily 100+ irating for a crash, especially in lower SOF races.

[@scottleitner4801]

For me, I'm too careful, and part of that is because I don't care if I win or not. It's about having fun racing. My problem is with drivers who wreck me because it ruins my driving experience. No matter where I'm running, if someone turns me, I get mad. Safety rating is more important to me than iRating, although I will try to finish higher than my official car number. If I don't, oh well. It just doesn't bother me.

[@DJYeeJay]

Yep that's a great way to approach it! I know a lot of people ask me "how do I get to the next level" and this is more of a response to that

[@JW-vq8fp]

I have the same mentality.

[@collinclary5762]

Glad i’m not alone! Iracing has actually been the only sim that even if i have a bad run i have so so much fun and that’s all that really matters, all the other sims piss me off but it’s just something about iracing that doesn’t

[@chrisbennett228]

@@collinclary5762 there are some weird iRating cults out there, keep having fun brother!

[@shaunster2]

Same dude I’m at a 1300 on oval and 1500 in road but the people who can’t be consistent are what makes me mad. And I just started iracing two months ago now and I’m trying to just be consistent over anything

[@taylorbertrim7625]

I was 2000 to 3000 in both Road and Oval with like 20 wins total. I tried iraving for maybe 3 months, I was in the first group of more conservative drivers you talk about, although it depended on the track. I've been into racing my whole life, between 30+ years of video games and watching Nascar. I got a grasp for it pretty quickly.

[@switch2086]

I’m the super conservative guy that over saves tires simply by going to slow. I am forever 2k and I’m fine with it. Every once in a while I’ll find a combo (arca old Atlanta or Arca Dover) I’m super comfortable with and sneak out a win but few and far between. Great content btw!

[@dallaskubala0331]

Dude you literally were the guy I watched when I had been practicing for iracing on NR2003 and you are the reason i had such a easy time getting my A license when I did start my iracing journey . Thanks for being the one who is willing to do everything Barney style so people can understand you!!!

[@robbyc408]

Great video.... as someone whose been stuck at ~3k for a year+ this was really helpful

[@Metal_junk]

I range from 4800-5300 iRating, and a big thing that helped me get above 4k was learning how to be smooth with my pedal inputs and steering. I could go higher, but I don’t race much and just one bad race will set me back 100+ points or so. Road is more competitive and 1500-2000 iRating guys are still super quick.

[@clayfoster9303]

this felt pretty spot on to my experience. I've been on 2 years or so now and have been hovering around 2000-2200 for like 4 months. I finally got the hang of not overdriving and being smooth with my inputs, but I still quite often find myself fumbling good finishes at the end of races with dumb mistakes and pushing too hard and putting myself in dangerous spots.

[@Drew.DrivesYT]

Only 4 minutes in but great video. I joined iRacing maybe 2-3 weeks ago now, right at the start of S2 Week 13, and was plugging away at the MX-5 Cup that everybody starts with and was just hating the experience. Bottom splits, Crew Chief always telling me I was 2.5+ seconds off the pace, and was driving way too carefully to even have any pace. For some reason one night I decided to try the Stock Cars and it's a whole other world - getting within higher splits consistently, getting Top 5's consistently, and actually having *fun* in iRacing now. I might still continue the Sports Car category, but I think my heart is now in Stock Cars. Do It For Dale!

[@Merryoffseason]

It’s so spot on what you said about 1-2k. I’m at 1.5k and only been on iracing for 5-6 months and I’m experiencing that point where I’m more consistent and confident but still running very conservative in races I could be up front. I run well in bottom split (avoiding wrecks) but even in the next split up I go back to mid pack. I’m not frustrated I just feel a sense of not belonging in B class because most B class folks are at 2.5-3k and I only got bumped because I ran safe races early on.

[@ohay12]

I ended up watching this because a high 5k guy in my gen 4 race last night said he took your 3-4k advice to heart and it helped him win the race (I assume the check is in the mail for that shoutout :P). As for me, I just hit 3k for the first time and my focus lately has been on using the throttle to rotate mid-corner. Still need practice to nail it, but good to know I'm heading in the right direction!

[@christianbudd2358]

Pretty good. I’d add that 3-4K is often held back by poor decision making that gets them wrecked. 5k plus start to figure out how to maximize their finish, even when they aren’t the fastest car on track.

[@DJYeeJay]

You're right decision making and mental is a big factor

[@RedSliceGaming34]

Yea I make alot of poor descisions that end up wrecking myself. I always say as long as when I wreck I only wreck myself and try not to bring more victims in the process.

[@klausbrahm3600]

Wow. I’m the guy between 1k and 2k and you described exactly how I behave. I really have a long journey to get 5k. Thanks! Really good!

[@vMaxDaniel]

This is really spot on Justin!

[@shawnreap]

I'm in the 1ks. Only about a month into iRacing after 20 years of NR2003. It's been a rough transition. I feel like I can get a feel for how to get a car around a new track easier in iR cs NR, but I can't be nearly as competitive yet as I can in NR with my literal decades of experience in it. Some races - like the ARCA at Homestead last week - just feel like Crisco on ice while some I'm in control but just mired in the mid-pack. Just need some seat time I guess. 💁‍♂️

[@Cain1717]

I'm in a weird spot mainly because I don't drive oval enough compared to road (about a 1:5 race ratio) to really see where my current irating coasting point is. I hit 3k oval last month and feel like I'm probably somewhere in the 3-4k range because I can tyre save well and maintain good pace through a long stint but maybe lack some aggression/know how when it comes to starts/restarts and lines to 'push'. Great video!

[@KayoMichiels]

2:20 this is why whenever i'm racing, i allways try to find the limits of the car and pushing beyond it, and when i find that limit, i stay below it.. others may complain i spin out a lot during practise... but how else can we know the limit if you don't go over it?

[@Wreckingball95]

Great video. As a 1.8k, it couldn’t be more spot on. I can put a good lap down, maybe save tires for a while. But you get inconsistent, make mistakes all the time but everyone else does too so you don’t see the losses of said mistakes all the time. I race a lot late night when it’s single split, maybe two splits and I’m the bottom of top split. It really is night and day at my level say vs a 3k. Great video, now time to try to out the pointers to work

[@T-N-TRacing]

This is great info rhat applies to fixed racing. Open races are a bit different because it's pretty common to watch a 2.4k iR driver outrun a 4k driver. At that point, it's all setup.

[@Sushi227]

This is nearly a 1:1 comparison with road iratings as well, only major difference to me is trail braking becomes a critical skill to learn in order to break into 2k on road. I'm definitely one of the conservative 2k-3k drivers. I'm slowly learning about how and where to be more or less aggressive, and I'm noticing more and more I'm able to hang with the 3k crowd in lots of races. I think I'll get there some day!

[@kalebjusino3561]

Took me a year and a half from dropping my iracing to 492. I’m up to around 2100-2200 now. And I still feel like I’m just driving by the seat of my pants. Where do I sign up to get a lesson or 2?

[@Armed4Gaming]

I am constantly wrecking in practice to try and find the limit, I just say I'm practicing my 360s lol But some tracks I wreck so much in practice I have no confidence going into the race but then I run fine there

[@Tacoplane91]

My irating 2800, reason Draft Masters

[@THENAMEISQUICKMAN]

I don't play iRacing and I'm not very good at sim racing... but a game I AM quite an expert in fighting games and most recently in them, Tekken. And boy, you would laugh at how similar the pitfalls are from beginner to intermediate to advanced to expert are even in a TOTALLY different game genre! Often times people playing our games will complain that they just aren't getting anywhere and it's crazy how many of them never thought to go into practice mode and just churn that butter. "Hitting the lab" as it's called in fighting games is the number one way to get from beginner to that comfortable level and a CRAZY amount of people just never do it. Shocking to see it's the same in sim racing.

[@russelldevane5434]

Shows what I know. I didn't know trail breaking was a thing on oval! 🤦🤷‍♂️ Damn I've got a lot to learn!

[@johnreams3182]

As one who is at 1.5k and is either finishing 1st or 21st, what you said about that level is absolutely true

[@BottleRocket11]

I'd say you got my range down. I'm a low 2k on both road and oval and I'm definitely one to keep things smooth and not push for game unless I feel like I'm truly faster or can be as fast as those in front of me to apply pressure. My wins either usually come from starting up front or capitalizing on other's mistakes. 100% a comfort thing as I don't have a lot of time to practice and grind out the edge of grip or performance, but it's been rewarding through my first year on iRacing

[@bryankelly2546]

I'd be interested in a road version of this. I got hooked on driving the skippy back in 2016 and have come back to iracing after a few years off. My irating has gotten to about 5k in the last 6 months. I think my biggest struggles are perfecting trail braking to get the rotation to get on throttle as early as possible. Since there isn't tire saving there I'm sure I'd be way lower irating wise in a series that requires tire saving or setup knowledge. I'm thinking about doing some low level indy series to learn ovals while sticking to open wheel cars.

[@Yaroslav2205]

As a guy who plays iracing for only 2 months and has 1,7k oval irating i can say that i'm fast in some series like trucks, street stocks, but i'm a very bad driver in arca and xfinity so this all depends on the car and series too

[@strovich]

Wonderful explanation too btw

[@colegudmestadracing8940]

Probably the biggest thing I struggle with, I'm working very hard on it. In a open practice session I'm usually top 10. But when I get to a race I qualify up front and when I try to save they are faster than me and when I don't I can berely keep up. Aka I'm pretty much a hot lap hero lol

[@MotocrossRacingOnline]

Good stuff awesome video, wonder what Kevin his feelings and opinions are about the evolution of the games and meta's to be competitive and the hardware used over the decades of competitive racing, i can imagine the early stuff is possibly not even done with wheels

[@lionteam]

I'm in the 1k to 2k range, and the two main problems I have are pushing the limits and losing the car, and the second problem I have is my luck when it comes to other people crashing.

[@calebleach4658]

I noticed my biggest issue is im terrible on fresh tires. I can't run the laps the leaders do. Then I start to be competitive and faster on the long runs but. I lost to many positions from the start because I couldn't keep up.

[@TanaraKuranov]

At about 1.6k, it sounds about right. Alternate between being too worried about overdriving and spinning out, so I go slow, or I get perhaps too comfortable and botch a race partway through. Granted, my shoulder's really kept me from racing lately, so whether that's a consistent rating, I don't know. I think I mostly (though not entirely) skipped the sub-1000 bit by doing a lot of solo practice, so that checks out, too. My very first races probably looked something like the .8k. My first Street Stock practice sessions were eating a lot of outside wall, haha.

[@MrNascarfan1]

I always trailbrake Michigan and I always end up being the quickest in racws

[@strovich]

1850-2k oval here definitely pushing faster with tire saving. I race late evenings so I'm usually in a high split with many 3k+ drivers so I feel the struggle

[@chasexiii1523]

I am at 0 racing right now but last night I did my first oval race in street stocks and finished first a good thing to know is throttle control I got good at in Asseto corsa learning how to drift

[@felixeur1276]

I am superspeedway Specialist and can get top 5's a lot of the time, but struggle at short tracks. I am decent at most intermediate

[@phoenixmotorsport647]

The issue I find at the moment is, to gain iRacing you have to race, but this puts you in the mix with an awful lot of people who are very unpredictable to race against. You gain iRacing but lose safety rating due to other peoples actions. So you end up having to run at the back to save your license class so you lose iRating

[@Raptor99]

i know whenn i was less then 1k, and even now. id purposely upset the car to initiate a slide or spin so i have an idea as to what itll feel like and because of it, my car control is actually really good. (and i do dirt) i just lack the general pace on intermediates or anything like that. its really frustrating as i cant seem to get a hang of it

[@_gr1nchh]

I have pace and I have tire saving. Just not as good as the top guys in my spits. I'm a 3.4k driver now. When I got into ARCA and realized I had to save tires I was around 2.7k. I don't race much but I'm always right there with the top guys in the 4-5k range. Same pace, I just save too long and too much. I've beaten plenty of guys around my iRating and a little above just by saving tires when they didn't. Now I just need to find that balance and I'll hopefully see my iRating and win rate skyrocket.

[@RefrigeratedTP]

I'm sorry, I can't focus on the video while knowing you bought an XLR capable microphone and using USB instead. That is -1000 rating sir.

[@DJYeeJay]

Idk before buying i listened to the mv7 sound tests between the usb and xlr and I thought they were different but one was not particular better than the other sounding to me

[@RefrigeratedTP]

@@DJYeeJayit's okay I found a way to focus on the video :)

[@nazcarcup]

I got to 5K on pure speed and slowly improving tire management. I occasionally beat 6K plus drivers, but would fall short most times. I feel back to 4.8K through not racing enough, developing bad habits, and not managing my race well enough.

[@King1614]

I can finish mid pack in top split, but can’t find the balance of running the fastest possible pace and give up the least amount of time. Finding the invisible grip strip to maximize turn on entry with minimal wheel input is hard to do.

[@wyomingfly]

What would suggest for the guys like me? Started iRacing in 2021, didn't start getting "serious" about until 2023. 1500 iR, 300+ starts, 2 wins, 8 Poles, 65 Top-5's (probably that many 5th-10th finishes), Avg start-12th, Avg finish-12th. 587 laps led, 4.4 Avg Incident. I honestly run in the Top-10 everywhere I run on a regular basis. In my observations, getting caught up in other driver's mistakes that take me out of contention is the biggest hurdle. I run in a couple of invitation-only League with races that avg 3-3.5K SOF and very rarely have any incidents and can run with the guys who have 2x-3x the iRating I have. But.......progressing beyond 1500 iRating has been frustratingly difficult.

[@DJYeeJay]

Sounds like a track position thing might make the difference. If you’re serious about progressing try to improve in hot lapping and see where the additional track position takes you

[@wyomingfly]

@DJYeeJay I've tried the track position thing if we're talking about the same thing. *Not qualifying vs. qualifying* Which has resulted in essentially 50/50 results. I've been taken out mid-pack racing to the front as often as I've been taken out by a Top-10 to Top-5 guy once I've raced to the front from the back or qualified starting in the Top-10. If there's one thing I have noted. The 3K iR crowd, when you check their stats, tend to have +3 years of time on the service. Which hits on something you brought up on a previous video, the level of Racecraft (lack of) on display over the past year or two. It may simply be a matter of it's become exceptionally more difficult to move up the iRating ladder because the sub-2k iR crowd with A-Class Licenses is mostly compromised of folks who probably need a lot more time in C-Class to work on their Racecraft.

[@wyomingfly]

I've come to the conclusion that iRacing's scoring system handicaps new members who actually have above average Racecraft and abilities. Especially if they first came into the service during 2022. My first "season" in iRacing (2021) I had 25 starts, 7 Top-5's as many 6th-10th finishes, average start/finish 8th/9th and 3.96 avg Incidents. A pretty dang good record by all accounts, I would think. Yet still dropped from 1350 iR to around 1000 iR, which I would say is simply a matter of going through Rookie and D-Class. Quit running in the Officials after those first 25 starts and ran just AI sessions because I didn't care for all of the in-race chatter BS and found AI more challenging, fun and incident free. Started back in the Officials in early 2023 in D-Class. Fell as low as 650 iR getting to B-Class. Made A-Class during the summer and have been clawing my way back to as high as 1600 iR, currently as of today, sitting at 1531 iR. And that's while running pretty much exclusively A-Cup races in the bottom splits.

[@wyomingfly]

As far as my driving style and race management goes. I go for consistency over being conservative and get aggressive when the opportunities present themselves. I like to "read the room" if that makes sense. Based on how the guys during the practice sessions are running that end up in the same split as me. As well as reading how the race is going. If I feel I have a Top-5 race, that's what I'll push for. If I feel I have a Top-10 race, I'll shoot for that. Very few people in iRacing seem to know how to race for the finishing position they have the best chance to finish at.

[@davidnogle2661]

I always run the most competitive series. Shredded my iRating doing that. I always out compete my irating

[@disfiguringthegoddess1102]

My issue is, i can't afford a wheel or any setup by controller. So i can do tire savings etc. But doing so i end up a bit slower. Usually a 5th to 15th finish. Honestly can't complain. Just hope to get better eventually

[@shanewardesspeedwayvideosr8449]

Im a 3k IR, all from Superspeedway weeks

[@cbremer83]

I was a little over 2k in road a few years back. Just came back after many years. Man, my skills have dropped off like crazy. My irating has been crashing. Sometimes I am the fastest "slow" guy putting me in mid pack. But the guys ahead are 1-2 seconds faster. I know it is me. But man, I was used to being a podium racer not a mid pack leader. Some races I just blow it real bad and end up at the back after a spin or lockup. Need a lot more practice I guess.

[@STSSRacing]

I’m about 2K irating. I only struggle with pace. I am consistently doing ok laps.

[@bro_duck]

Bro just described my entire iracing career 💀

[@KevinMWard]

I messed up by focusing too much on safety rating for way too long so much so that i dropped below 800 I rating, once I hit A class is when I started pushing and driving more competitively, I'm up to a 1800 Irating now, I should have started competitive first

[@idkplayer]

198 iRating 💪🏻

[@blkSabbathSE3P]

I tell everyone, I lucked my 2k irating. I just love superspeedway racing 😅

[@timwellslive]

I’ve been stuck at 2800-3200 for a year. I know it’s tire saving, feels impossible to improve. Every time I think I’m doing a great job conserving on a run, I’m 2-3% lower on right sides than top guys in split. I struggle to find the balance of speed/conserve

[@SteveAAF]

0:44 I have my own ideas about broads and racing. But your insights into women are welcome too.

[@sharkk127]

So what would you say about someone who only races against ai and has a good amount if experience from other nascar games, oh also do you know how to get the damn updater to stop breaking

[@DJYeeJay]

AI can be weird but doing well against ai at the higher setting can translate well to ranked races

[@CDLtoCFI]

Once I hit 4k I stopped caring

[@killasjanitor]

As a now sub 1k iRating road driver, the thing I'm struggling with right now is that every race whether it be my own spin or getting caught in someone else's mess, I was constantly wrecking and finishing low. I'm now sub 1k and I can't keep up with anyone, almost as if I've hit the bracket of those that tank their rating to win races, and I still keep getting caught in messes. What do you or anyone else recommend I try doing to potentially avoid these wrecks that cost me positions and rating? My own spins I understand, but anytime I'm not spinning, someone else is and they always seem to catch me with them. When I was at around 1250 rating I could keep up with people and it was just hard racing that costed me but now I literally can't even keep pace with these lower brackets which makes zero sense.

[@DevilZ432]

I am part of the 1-2k group but I more so just never do officials so it is more self inflicted

[@dibarel]

I dont know if it is the same thing, but when i learned to tire save in a way that was affective for me i started rotating the car more with the throttle and brake instead of the wheel in corners, which helped me. It sounds like what you explained but is it the same or am i wrong here?

[@falconeye577]

Interesting, I am around 2,200 typically, but broke 2,500 once lol, yes, I tend to burn the right front

[@tbuckets14]

The 2k fast but mistake prone is me to a tea 😂 im getting fast but i cant put together a race to save my life

[@ShawnBranan]

Do u have a discord to get ahold of u for coaching

[@RedSliceGaming34]

Im somehow at 3.7k and I'm neither safe, nor do I know tire conservation 🤣🤣🤣 But I also mainly run C Class Street Stocks so that plays a factor. And I hate mile and a halfs Im a short track driver. On dirt Im 4.8-5k range and am washed up compared to everyone else yet I find myself on the good end of the stick to keep myself upnthere

[@DillanBaldwin67B]

3k dirt oval but I don't play much anymore lol

[@Blown_engine]

i’m 5.7k and i can NOT tire save. i set fastest laps of the week a lot. but man i can not figure out how to tire save.

[@JESUSstrengthensme]

Am I the only one who thinks he looks like Kyle Larson????????????

[@regibson23]

I really think there's a big difference between 1-1.5k and 1.5-2k drivers.

[@toonraider7041]

I identify as a 6k irating driver

[@samharris3508]

Normally when i see someone with sub 3k iRating that's outright fast, I know they will burn their tires off in the long run. Its not true for everyone, but thats my general assumption.

[@justinkrizenesky]

WhAt AbOuT mY 6k+ JuStIn?!? In all seriousness, this is a great vid.

[@89blackcamaro]

3k that's me top 5 top 10 but just don't have that winning speed

[@benthecaptain7419]

1k and I think I'm focusing too much on the tire savings from watching too many YT videos. Need to work on car controll and finding the fastest line is beyond me.

[@NathanWaddell5]

What about 8k???

[@DJYeeJay]

At 8k you realize irating is a social construct

[@ihog_xd6762]

meanwhile me being 2.1k on controller:

[@NoobKing-ui7sl]

I don't have iracing lol

[@Matt18880]

Between 1000 to 2000 is exactly 60% of oval racers.

[@NascarSonicthehedgehogfan2009]

Formula e need to come to iracing

[@Dallas_Matt]

What about me lol............. former 5000+ then down to 1000-2000 the last 13 yrs ;)

[@oren2000]

ok

[@PrimalBlue-l6o]

Lol, you didn't mention the impact of fools that can't drive for shit at any level that cause accidents that take you out and lower your IRating.......

[@bonzibuddy8423]

And uh...what if your 0-1k but your one of the people you described at 3k🤣

[@Junieper]

Your results are your skill level. If you can’t consistently (consistently means almost always) beat the people in bottom split, you are bottom split level.

[@joshuachipling6923]

sorry big fan but I don't think IR/SR has any to do with what sort of iRacer you are. Have great footage of a 2k driver with 50+ wins now at 800 due to wanting to race at Daga, all that shows to me I'm an idiot and love being crashed out. 8/9 races were me being taken out other was netcode. I've had coaching by COKE series drivers and thousands of hours in the sim and real life. I get your premise of the video but there are too many factors that make up your experience and mostly that is piss poor driving skills of people in all ranks, once not giving 2 fucks about iRacings ranking has made playing this game a lot less stressful and fun and not wasting time reporting people and expecting a different result.

[@michaeltrivette1728]

Umm yea, no. They use Dega to get their rating to 8 so then they get more wins on the way back to 2k. rinse and repeat.

[@johnfontenot8569]

Not how it works. Irating and safty rating are just the business. You can be the fastest cleanest sim driver on the planet. If you don't invest time and money with iracing you don't get more iracing points.

[@DJYeeJay]

Can you show me where to invest money to get iracing points? Been meaning to pick more up lately

[@johnfontenot8569]

@@DJYeeJay try spending $0 on iracing and see what happens. If you don't put time and effort into the points system you don't get points. Regardless of your skills you have to race the races that apply to the system.

[@DJYeeJay]

@@johnfontenot8569 I guess you didn’t watch my vid about getting 4 A class licenses for $12. Regardless your argument is irrelevant to the video and just seems like projection about either an inability to partake in the sim, or a general lack of skill

[@johnfontenot8569]

@@DJYeeJay stop that. Don't make assumptions about people. I'll just take my experience in the motorsports simulation industry elsewhere.

[@DJYeeJay]

@@johnfontenot8569 seems like you were never here to begin with. If the only thing you bring with your experience is misconceptions and negativity you’re definitely free to go elsewhere

[@kakswell]

To be fair the skill needed to do ovals is very very minimal