Another season has come and gone and it’s just about time for a new one to begin. Here are some highlights for what is coming next at iRacing.
iRacing Beta User Interface (aka the Useless Interface aka the Beater Interface)
- The friends list feature has been added to the interface.
- Your funds balance is now shown in the top-right corner.
- The fixed setup upload apparatus is said to be working.
- League owners/admins can now delete league sessions from inside the interface.
iRacing Simulation
iRacing Member Website
- The blacklist functionality has been expanded. Blacklisted members can not spot for you, join any session hosted by you, apply to a league you own, view your online status, or send you a friend request. If you blacklist a current friend, the member is automatically unfriended.
- You can now block all incoming friend requests.
- A live support chat feature has been added. You can find it on the bottom right corner of the member website.
Dynamic Tracks
A new track temperature model has been added to the iRacing Simulation.
The upgraded model utilizes multiple layers beneath the ground to track temperature and moisture, as well as simulating three days of weather prior to an event start time for generating the track initialization. This track model also continues to run and generate data that will be used for additional sessions if there is a skip between sessions. The multi-layer approach means that temperature on the surface will behave more realistically. Also included is a more accurate interaction between water and temperature, which can result in the track being cooler than the ambient air temperature if the conditions are right.
The end result compared to the previous Dynamic Track model should be that temperatures will likely be cooler in the morning and early afternoon, and warmer in the late afternoon. With the previous system, as the sun sets, the track temperature cools rapidly with the incoming solar energy gone. With this new model, the heat that is built up (especially if the skies have been clear) in the layers of earth below will work its way back up and warm the surface. Similarly, built-up heat from cars will last longer if a lot of laps have been driven. The layers allow a realistic recording of history that the old model simply could not.
Think especially about a very short, mild rain shower — in the old model, the track temperature would plummet and never come back up, even after all the water was gone. With the new model, heat is retained in the lower layers and the surface may regain some of the lost temperature.
Also significant, when a session starts, the track temperatures are no longer calculated using the cloud conditions at the session start time. This meant if a session happened to start with the sun obscured, the track would have been unrealistically cool. In the new model, if the sun is out most of the time leading up to that moment, that will be captured and the track will still be hot but cooling off.
The effectiveness of using a dirt cushion has been reduced.
New Tire Model Version 7
The following vehicles will roll on NTMv7:
- Aston Martin DBR9 GT1
- Audi RS 3 LMS
- Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1
- Dallara F3
- NASCAR K&N Pro Chevrolet Impala
- Skip Barber Formula 2000
Tracks
Fairbury Speedway
Fairbury Speedway will be added to the roster of available dirt tracks. Located in Fairbury, Illinois Fairbury American Legion Speedway is a banked quarter-mile oval known for hosting World of Outlaws and DIRTcar Sprint Car and Late Model action. FALS is one of the most popular dirt tracks in America, winning three DIRTcar Track of the Year honors and earning its way into iRacing after being voted in by a passionate fanbase. FALS’ signature event, the Prairie Dirt Classic, has run for nearly three decades and takes place at the end of July. The season runs from May to September with weekly competition.
Kokomo Speedway
The tire barriers have been moved slightly in and attempt to reduce the reported top-dominant racing strategies.
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So there you have the highlights for the 2019 Season 4 build. Personally, I’m looking forward to the release of Fairbury Speedway as well as trying out the K&N Car on the new tire model.