iRacing : I Can Get Used to This! (DW12 @ Mid Ohio)

I FREAKING LOVE THIS CAR. I've done a metric ton of laps around Mid Ohio, and enjoyed it pretty much the whole way except when Josh Chin showed up and put a voodoo curse on me. But anyways, read on below for more thoughts on the DW12 after a full week of racing on both road and oval series.
Before we begin, I'm an Indycar fan as I've said for a long while. So yes, I really want to like the car. It isn't "initial impressions" when I've probably driven it as much as I've driven the Ruf for example. I put a LOT of time into this car by my standard over the short time it's been available.
First, let's start on the oval, because that is where I started the week.
The car is fast, hugely fast. We originally had 65 F mostly cloudy weather, which meant good power and good grip / downforce. Speeds in the open series were above 240 MPH at the end of the straight, which was ridiculous. After the weather change, things were brought back a bit to reality, though still a touch too fast - I feel because we can run so close to one another with comparatively little issue it artificially raises speeds, better drafting, less wing to maintain handling. Thankfully though, it isn't a crank all the wing out affair, at Michigan I was running -1 degree front IIRC, -5.5 rear and won my split on Monday in Open and was competitive all race.
Then the weather changed to default 78 F partly cloudy, which put more emphasis on handling and brought speeds back to reality. As I had shipped my virtual self off to Mid Ohio by that point, I can't really give you an accurate opinion on that.
Now, onto the road side.
So I was watching the real race earlier today, and sure enough, the word "understeer" was uttered about a million times. People have been complaining about a few things on this car in iRacing - generally understeery, poor turn in, poor stability over bumps, inside front wheel lock up and carrying that wheel through the corner.
Which are valid complaints. It does do that. Yet now that I've taken some time, worked on the issues with my setup and driving style - well, how many times did you see inside front wheel lock up in this video? It's all setup related, and in my opinion the baseline set is quite poor in those regards. However, there are several setups on the forum - including the exact one I'm running in this video - which will fix a lot of those issues.
I can hear it now - I don't make / know / understand setups. Well, tough luck, honestly. Did you expect a ground effect open wheel single seater to not require setup work? Did you expect a 1600 lb car on harder tires to turn in better than the much lighter FW31?
On that note, tire wear. I've heard a couple of people mention they are really struggling with it. In the several races I've done, I've had ~93-95% tread remaining after the first stop - slight lap time drop off, but not major drop off or balance change. Meanwhile, I've heard a few people mention being into the high 80s on the front - which tells me they are using the fronts a lot more - creating more turn in understeer. More wear issues, more understeer, like I said - alter your setup, alter your style.
Follow me like a stalker! (please dont actually stalk me... duh)
/ emptybox_007

[@Raycefan]

I’m a “go fast, turn left” kind of guy, but I freaking love your videos, man. I wish I was half as good a driver on road courses as you are!

[@borman48]

These videos are making me want to get into my DW12. Need to get this damn sling off my arm first. Going crazy, but this is good stuff. Great racing as usual.

[@fishyyy84]

Love ur videos. Would love to see ur setup ur using. Always entertaining watching u race love it. Love iracing

[@IMrIMike]

These buttons on the wheel are hilarious,like "left,right,overtake,reverse" xD

[@Nightfire3714]

Wow great driving empty. That race was just epic.

[@DannyGiusa]

great race :) see you hopefully in watkins

[@scottgray92]

Great race Matt. I completely agree, this series is awesome! I'm hopeful that it continues to grow enough that races regularly go official in every time zone (cough Australia cough) but not so much that it gets to be a free for all. It's so much more intense than GT3 and the strategy having to make a pitstop brings about is great too.

[@lawl756]

Woo! I was looking forward to you posting a video, thanks man!

[@wolfman21]

More videos! I watch these when I'm bored at work!

[@Aliceintraining]

got new headphones, and somehow it makes your voice really sexy empty box ether way, good driving

[@B0GlES]

Great race, again :)

[@Des62_98]

Well so much for going to bed. Keep em coming!

[@Sam-sg9bo]

Yay! Fresh Video!

[@LesPaulBJJ]

Loving the DW12 videos Matt keep 'em coming! I signed up to iRacing last week. I've got my Road SR to 3.43 in D so hopefully can get to B in time for next season, maybe by then I'll have the money to buy the tracks as well lol. Until then I'm hoping to get to C by October so I can run the V8's around Bathurst.

[@1010thechamp]

It's not a big task to get higher sr, just go to time trial on any series and take it easy so you don't go off track, do 500+ clean laps you can be Class A by the end of the week, its easy farming Sr.

[@TacticalCardboard]

Just so you know, (I think we've already talked about this though) the CotF (errr, the current car in the real world) should be coming some time around then, so it may be a good idea to wait until then and not purchase the current car, as it will pretty much be obsolete I'd expect (similar to the old Indycar).

[@LesPaulBJJ]

Empty Box Yeah it's unofficially slated for S4, though iRacing does have a history of releasing cars mid-season correct? Here's hoping they release it to capitalise on the 1000 hype.

[@TacticalCardboard]

***** Nah, they've done cars / tracks at the start of the season most of the time, but... they've made exceptions before (such as the DW12 Indy version being out in May for the real race) so hopefully they get the cars done in time - especially seeing how Australia is like the 3rd (or somewhere up there, it's quite high!) most represented country in iRacing by driver count.

[@LesPaulBJJ]

Empty Box Yeah I expect it to be a popular car. The FG isn't particularly popular because it's so hard to master, easily one of the trickiest to compete in. The New-Gen VF should be much more drivable and I imagine will attract many more people to the V8 Supercar series.

[@steveedgar1222]

Great watching you race! You always drive clean and you are very fast.

[@Greenslime300]

I have not found understeer to be that much a problem in the car. I can't keep it from spinning after every bump on the road. It doesn't seem to be a problem for most people, but for me, the back just wants to kick out unless I lose 2-3 seconds off an already slow laptime (about 6-7 seconds slower than the leaders at both Mid Ohio and Watkins Glen)

[@TheJordanHyland]

Josh Chin kills everyone's hopes and dreams.

[@SuperSmallwayne]

I wish I could do I racing id be racing every chance I get! Every type of car!

[@darkwingppk]

This car is so fun to drive. I've grown extremely tired of the NASCAR oval racing and the cautions. So, this season I'm running these and the Advanced MX-5 cup mainly. Too bad the GT3 challenge starts at the same time as this, because it'd be nice to have more people in these races.

[@506thLittleberry]

That last dude in the carnage report came pretty close to taking those two guys out the way he just blasted across the grass and back on to the track. Wish people would use more caution doing that.

[@beverlyperegoy5498]

hey man enjoy your iracing you are actually the reason i started been on about two weeks working on oval side dont have the skittles for the road side it is a disaster for me but i see you scrolling your black box on standings and relative where do you set a button for that

[@Terra_Hawk]

Those last 10 laps...literally a nail biter. Good racing man, really enjoyed this.

[@506thLittleberry]

I think with an ARB change you might have been able to dial out the understeer you suffered while following the other guy closely. At least in theory. You were definitely quicker in clean air.

[@gecsus]

I suggest that your entry into turn 1 was not your only problem. You consistently entered too early into turn two and that is why Diego was able to pull away so much on turn exit. I suggest that you enter turn 2 with a more delayed apex and you will exit faster. You did it right a few times, but never seemed to take that and stick with it. Normally, i find your driving to be nearly flawless, but this time you shot yourself in the foot a lot. ;-) Still a fan.

[@GTSaint3s]

Thank you for filling my Empty Box with more awesome content!! :D

[@nextrider123]

i was just at mid ohio saturday for the indy 200 lots of fun :D

[@dusty44444]

Cool to see you tried to keep it realistic, using the P2P just 10 times. (you had the unlimited P2P bug enabled in this race, meaning you could use it every little straight every lap if you wanted to take advantage from the bug - and yeah, I didn't race this week because of that, but it looks like fun)

[@TacticalCardboard]

Yea, I learned about that after the race. I had it in another race and thought it was glitched, but I figured I'd go on the honor system - plus it doesn't make much of a difference.

[@kcbroncohater]

If you can't beat him, just make him save both of you from a crash.

[@yogidrummer333]

Glad to see you racing more and more open-wheels. I'm sure you'll think this is a strange question, but do you plan to get F1 2014? The 2014 cars will be... interesting... to drive. Just curious. They need to add at least 1 Indy car to Assetto as well...

[@TacticalCardboard]

Nope, haven't bought a Codies game since Grid 1, don't see a reason to either.

[@yogidrummer333]

Because it is a valid racing title. Note the words racing title and not simulation, but I suppose with rFactor there is no real reason to buy any Codemaster's games... but you may be missing out on a fun experience. I've seen enough of your videos to know that you sometimes enjoy just "driving" a certain car because it's fun... I mean, look at your Tokyo Extreme vids. Just saying. :)

[@TacticalCardboard]

yogidrummer333 No, I don't care for arcade / sim / whatever, that doesn't bother me one bit. Many hailed Grid as a great game, I had it, and well... it just wasn't good. From what I've heard, I'm not missing much. Not to mention well...I don't particularly care for F1 cars anyways.

[@yogidrummer333]

Empty Box I never thought Grid was very good... it had some good ideas but fell short in quite a few places, but it's good with a game pad and if you have nothing else to do. I know you don't like F1 because you haven't really made much other than with Assetto Corsa and usually you're driving the older cars which is cool. We all have our thing. I was just curious. Cheers.

[@yogidrummer333]

Empty Box To be fair though dude... you can't really even compare Grid with the official F1 games... they are completely different. Grid is a pure arcade game while the F1 games are more of a sim-cade.

[@fleajaee]

If anyone here watches AOR pro Mazda championship, Hugo Preto, which is seen I think in lap 3-5 he's from pro Mazda :D just wanted to point that out

[@fleajaee]

Oh and btw new sub

[@dlabyer]

yes, great race! What button box are you using for incremental control of adjustments?

[@TacticalCardboard]

A Sim Garage one I won in a series they were putting on in iRacing about a year ago as well as my wheel.

[@crash3137]

Initial comments about weather are exactly what this track has for you in any given weekend.

[@FlyingCC]

You should have been late apexing turn 2 with that soft setup, more time to be in the throttle out of it and faster into turn 4.

[@TacticalCardboard]

Nope. Practicing revealed that that line was almost always slower for very little straight line speed.

[@Viktorrhansen]

which steering wheel do you use i use g27 : )

[@HelpfulEnergy]

You should do a setup video and show us what gear you race with!

[@danielexton]

Hey EB could you drive the V8s soon?

[@TacticalCardboard]

Decent chance I'll do the V8SC full season next season (11 weeks from now) providing they have the CotF Holden + Ford ready to go as is expected.

[@Labtec600]

Can someone explain the numbers on the steering wheel?

[@agenthoini]

i can only tell you what the three big numbers mean. the one on top is which gear you are in. the one in the middle is your previous lap time and the bottom one is how much slower or faster you are compared to either your fastest or your previous lap. not sure if its fastest or previous

[@B0GlES]

'push to pass'!? Such a weird name for what is essentially a power boost! -why not rename the steering wheel the 'turn to turn'. Or, the brake pedal the 'step on to slow' :D lol

[@CallMeWiggles]

i love mid-ohio! its my local race track.

[@lascuionel3900]

cum se numeste jocul

[@Jimmy_Broadbent]

What kind of power/duration do you get from push to pass? Seriously considering driving this car next week, looks like a blast, especially at this track.

[@69houyt]

It's 100 horsepower for about 10 seconds(ish). The thing is brilliant with a few tweaks. Hated it at first though.

[@FirenzeStorm]

69houyt 20 seconds actually, its huge.

[@TacticalCardboard]

20 seconds, or until you lift. Worth about 30 HP extra in boost (supposedly, doesnt feel like nearly as much) and a 200 RPM higher rev limit.

[@69houyt]

***** That's what my ex-girlfriend said....

[@Animal_lives_matter]

I think this track is too small for this car. I enjoyed doing laps on my own just for fun, but to actually race and compete in high stress situations it was too small and stressful for my liking. I'm kinda suffering mental burnout from struggling with this car and the RUF @ sebring all week.

[@ryang1591]

I'm with you in the ruf. Between that and the Skippys at LRP I've lost close to 500 irating. I need some serious work on my consistency cause I'm wrecking in every 4 out of 5 races now. Started out too quick in my 1st month for my own good.

[@Animal_lives_matter]

***** If the iRacing car is an accurate representation of the real thing, then I would hold that the track is not particularly well suited to the car for the same reasons. I wonder what the drivers think.

[@TacticalCardboard]

sonic_blue Mid Ohio is one of the long time stops on the calendar, and has always been one of the more well liked circuits, it's just hard to pass here.

[@Animal_lives_matter]

Empty Box Do drivers like tracks where it's hard to pass? Do drivers like driving high downforce aero cars on tracks with mostly low speed corners? Well, they might, but I don't! Loving it in the Mustang btw. And loving Watkins Glen too.

[@speedsyndromeracing]

How do you use the push to pass?

[@JetlinerX]

Push, then pass. ;) Jokes aside, map a push to pass button on your wheel, then push it, and pass.

[@speedsyndromeracing]

Haha ok thank you!

[@onebadzx3460]

this isn't even they track layout for the indy car race at the top of the hill just before the 180 degrees turn you should kick out to the right reall quick kick back to the left back onto the straight away and then take the 180 you can see the cones to the right theres 2 sets

[@TacticalCardboard]

Allen Jarrett This is the layout they've used for a long while.

[@dal1189]

Why does Indycar not start on the Start/finish straight?

[@TacticalCardboard]

Ironic considering the real world start crash, but... to avoid crashes. As you can see, it's a really tricky place to start a race, which led to a lot of crashing / fields not taking the green flag properly because of the way the corners flow. Just generally not good stuff.

[@nilesyensel7516]

See 2014 Indy Grand Prix Start.

[@darkwingppk]

Niles Yensel That's why he said it was ironic considering that crash.

[@pattyhough4361]

Obviously you haven't ever been to Mid Ohio- even moisture from the dew in the morning makes it insanely slick. This is known very widely in the REAL racing world.

[@TacticalCardboard]

Patty Hough Not an issue in iRacing.

[@brianchatfield2571]

I know you want to be a very low key or whatever youtube personality but the fact of the matter still remains that you are a very popular individual now throughout the iracing community doing great things with your youtube channel content bringing aboard new racers, and also demonstrating through your own abilities proper racing etiquette and techniques to so many individuals hopefully increasing the quality of the grids as well. Being a fan myself enjoying your videos and learning from you I sometimes wish you had an available donation tab so that we as a community could give back and if we feel the need compensate you for all of your hard work and talent. I also know you are going to be 1000% yes 1000% against this but man I think you could do very well if you offered like private sessions with individuals for a set rate depending on the length going over racing fundamentals, setups, proper racing lines or whatever really. I feel as a fan you should embrace your popularity more and not be so against individuals getting pumped off you entering a room (although i can imagine that some people can go overboard and be obnoxious) in the end I believe that you should be gaining something from all of this cause whether you agree or not you are a very talented individual as a total entertainment package from your personality to your driving ability and awareness. Keep up the great work man as always man and I hope to continue seeing you on the track and have few battles on the Glen this week. GLHF Brian Chatfield

[@Boxscot49]

So there isn't any tire compounds on these cars? (Ps this is the first time for me seeing the dw12 at a road course so I don't know I'm just going off the car had the normal generic tires on them no red or blacks)

[@TacticalCardboard]

Witty KZbin name Because there isn't. They can't switch compounds mid race right now as it hasn't really been an issue (seeing how the old indycar was the proverbial unloved red headed step child within iRacing, that is)

[@TheKlausunderwin]

I was in the same race (the Player’s guy from the beginning). First indycar race, big SOF, nervous like hell… didn’t want to be THAT guy. :D From my experience the tires felt like soap just after 10 laps. Is that normal with the NTM5 or is it just careless driving from my side?

[@TacticalCardboard]

Nope, not really for me.

[@Jasconius87]

whole lotta aero-push

[@nilesyensel7516]

When iRacing gets it, would you be willing to get the new Indy Lights car? Also, where do you stand on the asthetics battle over the the DW12? Heres a link to the site with the new IL-15 car. www.indycar.com/News/2014/08/8-4-New-Indy-Lights-car-passes-first-test

[@TacticalCardboard]

IF, not when - unless you've heard something different. But yes, I'd race it, it's probably closer to my speed than the Indycar anyways! The IL15 is a good looking car, reminiscent of the Formula Atlantics from years back. It still has the goofy Dallara nose going on, but it's a good looking car for what it is. I'll reserve judgement on that until next year, as the DW12 should evolve into the IR15 and have some changes (I've heard no air box in favor of roll hoop, which will be AWESOME! as well as aero kits conceivably... so next year the grid very well could look much better)

[@nilesyensel7516]

Empty Box I say when because more than likely they will add it. After all, at one point there was no indication they would add other manufacturers other than Chevy to the stock cars, but now we have three.

[@nilesyensel7516]

Empty Box Also, in my opinion, I like the DW12 because, in the real world, it adds to the competition as well as having some safety features that could help, like the "pseudo-fenders", as I like to call them, that reduce the chance of a car hitting the rear wheels and launching into the air, like the crash that killed Dan Wheldon.

[@TacticalCardboard]

Niles Yensel Nah, NASCAR was always the main oval game. I think logically it was a question of when is it convenient for them to add other manufacturers rather than could they. Don't forget, at one point they said they would be doing the (still current) Lights car, and now however many years later still absolutely nothing on it, though I don't think anyone really actually wants that car. LOL I think it makes a LOT of sense to add it (being a still very fast car on road and oval, the only thing out there that realistically prepare someone for the jump into the Indycar) and I would like to see it, but I'm not expecting it any time soon, especially with a focus on more international content - they even said the DW12 isn't / wasn't being considered for the Pro series, despite the fact the FW31 is perhaps the most hated car on the service, is 5 years old and totally irrelevant, while we have a current spec Indycar that could lead to a partnership with Indycar (the series), while F1 is obviously a dead end. Which is quite frankly, silly. But yea. I hope we see it, but even if it is licensed it will be years likely, like with the DW12.

[@piratelover64]

So Empty is the DW12 worth buying? I only have enough money to commit to one series and I'm torn between nationals and indycar, what would you recommend?

[@TacticalCardboard]

I'm biased towards the Indycar, but last I drove the National car it was a hoot. Probably uses a few tracks the DW12 will use, tracks are the real costly part, not the cars.

[@piratelover64]

Well with a desire to run larger cars on the oval side, leaning towards the Gen 6 car for the iRacing series, which do you think would help me more while still being fun?

[@TacticalCardboard]

piratelover64 National.

[@korujaa]

Haven't seen yet, old but cool, aaahhaa

[@TripSpeedGT]

"This isn't GT3" Yup, the DW12 is much more challenging, which might hurt participation a little compared to GT3, but it'll also help driving standards, since it's definitely no car for Mr. Idon'thavetimetopracticebutI'lldofiveracesaday

[@Obi-WanKannabis]

There is a mod that adds this circuit to Assetto Corsa :D

[@JetlinerX]

Bro... we are exactly on pace with eachother here... actually I might be a touch faster. >:) I am running 1:08:5 in race trim. Mwahahahahaha

[@zXYOMAMA2120Xz]

Do you have limited fuel, and tyre wear?

[@TacticalCardboard]

Pretty sure the pit stop wasn't for funzies, so yes.

[@zXYOMAMA2120Xz]

Sorry.

[@TacticalCardboard]

***** :)

[@zXYOMAMA2120Xz]

Empty Box How much have you invested into this game? Is it a standard price or do you add on to it? The site only have me a membership price.

[@TacticalCardboard]

***** Membership + content, anywhere from no content to.... a lot. Over ~5 years, probably about $600 in content total (though a good bit of that I wouldn't have bought if it weren't for making videos) Ain't cheap, but it breaks down over the years. :|

[@Sturmovik1946]

This car sounds so... weak. I know it goes fast, but still, I don't think it has the best engine sound in racing.

[@killa000009]

yeeeeeeeeeeah empty booooox. my fav