DRIVING STYLE

Dover

The driving style I use for Dover might be somewhat hard for others to adapt to, but it has worked well for me. Coming down the front stretch into the first turn I am out against the wall coming to the start-finish line. As I approach the first turn I tap the brakes to set the suspension and bring the speed down to about 135-mph. As soon as the suspension sets, I ease back into the throttle keeping the car on the white line to have an exit speed of 148-mph out of turn 2 and drift out towards the retaining wall. Down the backstretch I stay within inches of the wall setting up for turn three. To enter turn three I come off the throttle, tap the brakes to set the suspension and enter turn 3 at 137-mph. At the apex of the turn I ease down on the throttle hugging the white line to achieve an exit speed of 150-mph and let it drift out to the wall again going toward the start-finish line.

Michigan

My driving style at Michigan a little unorthodox; coming down the straight toward the start-finish line I am hugging the white line. As soon as I go over the start finish line I start driving the car out toward the wall to set up for turn one. Here is where I differ from most: instead of going low into turn one as I have seen the majority of people do. I stay out against the wall and at the last possible minute, tap the brakes to load the chassis and throw the car toward the bottom of the turn. This allows me to achieve a better entrance angle and take some of the inertia away from the car when it is searching for the apex. Speeds vary here quite a bit but as I let the car drift toward the wall I strive to exit at a rate of approximately 178 to 180 mph. Down the back stretch I keep it out against the wall and again going into the turn I wait for the last possible moment to apply the brakes and bring the car down to the white line in an attempt to shorten the turn for a faster exit. I have also been able to drive it in the conventional manner, meaning to drive in low at the entrance and hold the car on the bottom all the way though the apex and still have a respectable exit speed. If you don't overcook the corner entrance you should be able to keep it on the white line in the middle of the turn and come out low with enough speed to gain some good momentum down the straight. However, if you push too hard coming off the corner and have to lift, you'll lose a few tenths trying to keep the car off the wall in turn 4. I have found that it is better sometimes to have a slower entrance speed at Michigan which if done properly will translate to a higher exit speed. Lap times are killed when you have to wait and wait for the car to slow down enough for it to turn.


CLOSING COMMENTS

Papyrus has taken a huge step forward in the development direction of their Nascar Series. This is not merely an update to the current car-sets or a track pack to an existing format like we've seen and paid for in the past. What they have put together for this demo appears to be created in the direction everyone has hoped with better physics and graphics. Though to run all of the available graphics, your hardware will have to be able to meet the challenge. But, good software sells better hardware and unfortunately that's the price we pay in the technologically advanced world we live in. The hope is, that in the end, we get our moneys worth.

The physics of the game more closely resemble real world racing than ever before and the expanse of the menus will allow the racer configure to his hearts content. Nascar4 has been a long time coming. I'm sure there will be those that either enjoy or hate the advanced learning curve involved in this newest Nascar Series. I do wonder though why Papyrus has released this demo so far in advance of the proposed final. Could it be they would have a forum to collect input: as I'm confident some would certainly like to see a few things included? Considering the hype it has created, it will be interesting to see if Papyrus listens to any feedback resulting from the Demo. In the past, they have been reluctant to do so. I will not go as far to say Nascar 4 will be the "drop dead sim to end all sims" based on the newsgroup fodder and the Papy faithful, in my opinion it isn't that. But then again it's a demo and not the final and we'll just have to wait and see.

Authors: David B. Harrison, Don MacDonald and TJ Majors