Tips for Surviving the iRacing Rookie Series

In this post I’m going to pass along a few tips that will will help you get out of the iRacing Rookie Series. These tips apply to any iRacing Rookie Series.

1. Recognize the fact that the iRacing Rookie Series is not a driving skill test. It is an idiot test. The Rookie Series (all of them) are there to weed out the idiots. You’re not there to win races. You’re there to prove that you are not an idiot so you can advance to the next license. You’re there to prove that you can string together a few consecutive laps in which you don’t run into barriers, run off course, or run into other drivers. You’re also there to learn how to avoid idiots.
2. Practice. Learn to drive at least 20 consecutive laps with no incidents before you enter a race.
3. Mute chat or bind a button to mute chat. There is really nothing very useful said in rookie sessions and some idiot might say something that angers you. Driving angry is never good driving, as a professional driver on iRacing recently learned. So turn off chat, and if you do get angry, ease up and finish your race the best you can. Don’t leave. Leaving an official session in iRacing is very harmful to your iRating. Yes, rookies do have iRating. You just can’t see it until you get your D license. Always finish unless your car is destroyed.
4. Your sole purpose in the iRacing Rookie Series is to get out of the rookie series. Focus on driving smooth, clean, consistent laps. Don’t talk while you’re racing. Mute chat.
5. Assume that every driver in the session is an idiot and is out to get you. Assume that every driver is 16 years old and is also texting while driving.
6. Assume that the guy who spun off to the side or is sitting in the middle of the track sideways is going to pull up in front of you. Watch him, slow down some, and prepare to take evasive action. Avoid him at any cost.
7. Remember the names of the idiots and also the good drivers. This one will probably come naturally. That way you will have some idea of who the idiots are and who you can trust in subsequent sessions.
8. If the guy behind you is obviously faster, let him pass you. It’s quite alright. He’s headed into one of three possible scenarios. He may wear out his tires and fall back later. He may wreck because he’s driving too hard. He may just be good and have a good finish. If you’re holding him up he’s not going to like it and it probably won’t end well for either one of you. It’s not a crime to be passed. If the guy is just good, practice more and get faster so you can be more competitive with him.
9. When you see an incident in front of you, slow down and take evasive action. If you’re running asphalt ovals at Charlotte, go high. The wrecks tend to slide down the banking. Some people say no no don’t slow down there are cars behind you. Wrong. Slow down. You’re better off taking a chance on the cars behind you than you are running headlong into a wreck like some idiot. Just don’t slow down more than you really need to. Slow down enough to get around the idiots then get back on it and go.
10. Be very aware of what’s going on around you. Know where other cars are at all times.
11. Don’t race unless you are capable of racing. If you can’t make 25 consecutive laps with zero incidents then you are not ready to race. In that case, you drive the best you can and avoid incidents. Just by doing that alone, you can have very good finishes in the top five. That’s because the idiots crashed and you finished well by attrition. That’s smart driving.

Follow these tips and you will be out of the Rookie Series and have your D license before you know it.

Empty Box contributed to this article.

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