Re: iRacing after 2+ years
The absolute best training tool IMO is to hop into live races as a ghost in a spectator session. Once you can turn some stable laps (not necessarily fast), you can go to the "Events" tab and go to spectator sessions. Disable everything except the race options on the series you want to run and go jump in a race. If you know when the races are, you can jump in right when the session starts up and take the green flag with them.
In spectator mode, the other drivers can't hear or see you at all. You can take the green flag, follow cars around at a race pace (even benefit from aero effects and the draft), and basically get used to being out there with other cars on the track without the danger of taking anybody out. If you wreck and plow a corner, you can simply reset and get back out there.
Granted, there's a lot of race craft to learn in a "live" session, but ghosting in a spectator session lets you size up your speed in whatever split you choose (you can browse previous results and see where you'd fall based on iRating, but if you're brand new, pick one close to the bottom).
After you can stay stable and on pace for a full race, then try out live practice sessions. After that, run the Time Trials to get used to making consistent laps without hitting anything (since TT's affect your safety rating). They're boring, but running a race-length TT with 0 incidents proves you're ready to hop into a real race.
After all of that, I'd say you're ready to run a live race. Too bad almost no rookies actually do any of that, and go straight to the race. So you will probably get taken out in turn 1 of your first race through no fault of your own other than being there
The absolute best training tool IMO is to hop into live races as a ghost in a spectator session. Once you can turn some stable laps (not necessarily fast), you can go to the "Events" tab and go to spectator sessions. Disable everything except the race options on the series you want to run and go jump in a race. If you know when the races are, you can jump in right when the session starts up and take the green flag with them.
In spectator mode, the other drivers can't hear or see you at all. You can take the green flag, follow cars around at a race pace (even benefit from aero effects and the draft), and basically get used to being out there with other cars on the track without the danger of taking anybody out. If you wreck and plow a corner, you can simply reset and get back out there.
Granted, there's a lot of race craft to learn in a "live" session, but ghosting in a spectator session lets you size up your speed in whatever split you choose (you can browse previous results and see where you'd fall based on iRating, but if you're brand new, pick one close to the bottom).
After you can stay stable and on pace for a full race, then try out live practice sessions. After that, run the Time Trials to get used to making consistent laps without hitting anything (since TT's affect your safety rating). They're boring, but running a race-length TT with 0 incidents proves you're ready to hop into a real race.
After all of that, I'd say you're ready to run a live race. Too bad almost no rookies actually do any of that, and go straight to the race. So you will probably get taken out in turn 1 of your first race through no fault of your own other than being there
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