Also See
SimHub Setup Guide for iRacing
SimHub Official Site

Track Impulse processes iRacing telemetry and converts it into vibration signals for bass shakers and transducers. Because the signal processing is low-latency, physical feedback such as kerb rumble, engine vibration, ABS pulsing, and traction loss arrives in sync with what is on screen. That timing precision is what separates it from older audio-routing methods. Older methods often introduce noticeable delay.

The UI overhaul focuses on making the initial setup more accessible. The previous interface was capable but required familiarity to work through efficiently. It was particularly difficult for users configuring haptics for the first time. The redesign consolidates profile management and output routing into a cleaner layout. As a result, the time from installing the app to your first calibrated session is shorter.

Existing users can carry over their saved profiles without reconfiguration. Because the core processing engine has not changed, any calibration that was working before should remain valid. This is a surface-level redesign rather than a rebuild of the signal chain itself.

For iRacers who have been curious about adding haptics but held off because setup looked complicated, this update is a practical reason to take another look. Track Impulse haptics runs alongside SimHub and is compatible with most USB audio devices and dedicated amplifiers. The application runs on Windows and supports iRacing natively.

The post Track Impulse Haptics Addon for SimHub Gets a Major UI Overhaul appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

This guide covers what changed, why your old setups no longer work, and how to build a starting point for wet GTE racing.

What Changed for GTE in Season 2 2026

Season 2 2026 brought full wet weather capability to all GTE class cars. Previously, no GTE car could run in the rain at all. Now they all can, on any track that supports wet conditions in iRacing.

At the same time, iRacing revised the GTE physics and setup parameters across the board. The most immediate change is the ride height minimum. The new floor is 50mm across all four corners. As a result, any setup built before Season 2 now falls below that floor and fails tech. The community’s existing library of GTE setups is no longer usable.

Very little published setup guidance exists for wet GTE racing because the combination is new. Currently, most knowledge comes from community members experimenting in real time. That creates a situation where drivers who dial in the basics early have a real advantage.

Why Your Old GTE Setup Fails Tech

Most pre-Season 2 GTE setups were built with low ride heights. That approach reduced drag and improved aerodynamic balance under the old regulations. However, those ride height values now sit below the 50mm floor.

When you load a pre-Season 2 setup in the garage, iRacing flags it immediately. The car fails technical inspection and cannot enter qualifying or race. Therefore, trying to patch the old setup by adjusting individual values is slower than starting fresh.

Pull the default or stock setup for your car instead. Confirm all four corners meet the 50mm minimum. Use that as your baseline, and from there you can start making adjustments for wet conditions.

Building Your iRacing GTE Rain Setup Baseline

Wet setups in iRacing follow consistent principles across car classes. GTE applies the same logic, adjusted for its aerodynamic and suspension characteristics.

Raise ride height above the 50mm floor. The legal minimum is 50mm. In practice, going slightly higher in wet conditions improves how the car handles standing water and surface changes. A conservative starting point is 52-55mm across all four corners.

Reduce wing angles slightly compared to a dry setup. In wet conditions, maximum downforce can overload the front tires and make the car nervous under braking. A more neutral aerodynamic balance is therefore easier to manage on a wet surface.

Soften the suspension. Wet tracks reward compliance over stiffness. As a result, softer springs keep the tires in contact with the surface longer through direction changes and over kerbs. Start with medium spring rates and adjust from there based on feel.

Ease the differential toward open. A locked or tight diff in wet conditions makes power application out of slow corners difficult. More openness helps the car rotate cleanly and also reduces snap oversteer on exit.

Adjust tire pressures down slightly. Rain keeps surface temperatures lower than dry conditions. Because of this, your dry setup pressures will run higher in wet practice sessions than intended. Start 1-2 PSI lower than your dry baseline and monitor through the session.

Shift brake bias slightly toward the rear. A small move rearward, around 1-2%, helps balance the car under braking. This also reduces the chance of front locking in the wet.

How to Drive GTE in the Rain

Setup is half the work. Adapting your driving technique completes the other half.

Braking zones are longer in the wet. Your dry reference points will consistently arrive too late. Therefore, move your markers back and plan to carry the braking point through a few sessions until it holds consistently.

Complete most of your braking before turn-in. Trail braking in the wet is riskier because the grip margin for combining longitudinal and lateral forces is much smaller. Getting the car stopped and settled before you start rotating it reduces the risk of oversteer at entry.

Throttle application requires patience out of slow corners. GTE cars respond quickly to early throttle when the rear tires are warm and loaded. However, wait until the car is tracking toward the exit before feeding power in progressively. Snapping the throttle open when the car is still rotating will break traction.

Mid-corner speed is more stable than high entry speed. Arriving at a corner with slightly less speed than your dry baseline and carrying smooth momentum through the middle often produces faster lap times than pushing the entry hard.

What the Community Has Found So Far

Wet GTE racing in iRacing is new, and the community is still building the setup and technique library. Currently, most knowledge is coming from drivers sharing results across Discord servers and the iRacing forums.

General consensus so far is that the 50mm ride height floor changes GTE handling in ways beyond just compliance. Some iRacers have noted that cars which previously understeered heavily in dry conditions become more balanced at the new ride heights. The aerodynamic characteristics shift when the car sits higher, and as a result some drivers are finding better overall balance.

The meta for wet GTE racing is still forming. Although the season is new, early work on setup and technique in this window will hold value for some time.

The post GTE in the Rain: iRacing Season 2 2026 Setup Guide appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Trading Paints in iRacing: what it does, how to install it, how to find and apply liveries, and how to upload your own designs. Whether you want to run a team livery or just stop looking at plain white cars, this is the tool that makes it happen.

What Trading Paints Actually Does

Trading Paints is a companion application that syncs custom car liveries between iRacing drivers. When you join a session with Trading Paints running, the app downloads the paint schemes of every other driver in the session who also uses Trading Paints. At the same time, it uploads your paint scheme so others can see your car. The result is a fully customized grid where every driver looks different.

Without Trading Paints, you only see the liveries of drivers who have manually shared their TGA paint files through the iRacing forums or other channels. Trading Paints automates this entire process and makes it seamless. You install it once, and it works in every session going forward.

Free vs Pro: What You Get at Each Tier

The free version of Trading Paints covers everything most racers need. You can download and display custom liveries, upload your own car paints, and browse the full library of community-created designs. This is enough for the vast majority of iRacing drivers, and there is no pressure to upgrade.

Trading Paints Pro adds helmet customization, suit customization, and priority paint loading. The helmet and suit features let you personalize your driver’s appearance beyond just the car, which matters if you care about how you look in replays and broadcasts. Priority loading means your paint downloads slightly faster at session start. Pro costs a few dollars per month and is worth considering if you race in leagues or stream your races. For everyone else, the free tier is perfectly fine.

How to Install and Connect Trading Paints

Start by visiting tradingpaints.com and creating a free account. You will need to link your iRacing account during the signup process so Trading Paints knows which driver you are. This connection is secure and only shares your public iRacing profile information.

Next, download the Trading Paints desktop application. Install it and log in with the account you just created. The app runs in your system tray and activates automatically when iRacing launches. There is no manual configuration needed after the initial setup.

Once installed, join any iRacing session and you will immediately see custom liveries on the cars around you. The first session might take a few extra seconds at the loading screen as Trading Paints downloads paints for every driver, but subsequent sessions load faster because previously downloaded paints are cached locally.

Finding and Applying Liveries

The Trading Paints website hosts thousands of liveries for every car in iRacing. Browse by car type, search by team name, or filter by popularity to find designs that match your style. When you find a livery you like, click “Use on my car” and it becomes your active paint for that specific car. You can set different liveries for each car you own in iRacing.

The library is massive and growing constantly. You will find everything from realistic motorsport replicas to creative original designs. Sorted by “most popular” is a good starting point, as the highest-rated paints tend to have clean designs and accurate templates. Many real-world racing teams and esports organizations publish their official liveries on Trading Paints, so you can run the same paint scheme your favorite team uses in competition.

Applying a livery is instant. Select it on the website, and the next time Trading Paints syncs (which happens when you start iRacing), your car shows the new paint. There is no file management, no folder navigation, and no template editing required on your end.

Uploading Your Own Paint Scheme

If you want to race with a custom paint job, you can create and upload your own designs. iRacing provides PSD and TGA templates for every car. Download the template for your car from the iRacing website, open it in a graphics editor like Photoshop, GIMP, or Paint.net, and create your design on the provided layers.

When your design is finished, export it as a TGA file and upload it through the Trading Paints website under your account profile. Select the car it belongs to, give it a name, and save. Your custom paint will now appear on your car in every session, and every other Trading Paints user will see it too.

Creating paint schemes does require some graphics skill, but the iRacing community is helpful. Forums and Discord servers dedicated to iRacing painting offer tutorials, free resources, and feedback on designs. If you do not want to paint your own car, you can commission a custom livery from community painters who offer their services at reasonable prices.

How Trading Paints Works in Multiplayer

Trading Paints only displays custom liveries for drivers who are also running the application. If a driver in your session does not use Trading Paints, you will see their default iRacing paint scheme or a basic numbered car. In practice, the adoption rate is high enough that most sessions have the majority of drivers running custom paints.

The paint exchange happens during the session loading screen. Trading Paints checks which drivers are in the session, downloads any new or updated paints, and applies them before you hit the track. This process is automatic and requires no input from you once the app is installed and logged in.

One important note: Trading Paints does not affect performance. The paints are simple texture files that replace the default textures in iRacing’s rendering pipeline. There is no additional GPU load, no frame rate impact, and no increase in network traffic during racing. The only slight delay is during the initial loading screen when new paints are being downloaded.

Finding Quality Liveries

The Trading Paints library is unmoderated, which means quality varies widely. Some paints are professional-quality replicas, while others are hastily made with clashing colors and misaligned logos. To find the best designs, start with the “most popular” sort on the Trading Paints website. High download counts generally indicate well-made paints.

Another good approach is to search for specific racing series or teams you follow. Many real-world teams and sanctioning bodies publish official liveries on Trading Paints. These are always high quality and accurately represent the real car.

If you race in a league, check whether your league has a Trading Paints page. Most organized leagues require members to upload their team paints to Trading Paints, and many maintain curated galleries of approved liveries. This keeps the visual standard high and ensures every car on the grid looks professional during broadcast events.

Trading Paints is one of those tools that makes iRacing feel more alive. The default experience with identical cars gets old quickly, and custom liveries add personality and identity to every race. Install it, pick a paint you like, and enjoy the upgrade. It is free, fast, and makes every session look better.

The post How to Use Trading Paints in iRacing appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

A recent r/iRacing thread posed exactly that question and pulled 62 replies from drivers at every stage of the learning curve. The answers range from “20 hours before I stopped binning it every lap” to “still learning after 400 laps and I am fine with that.” What emerges is an honest picture of how the Nordschleife gets learned, and when.

Also See
The Best Car to Learn the Nordschleife in iRacing
iRacing N24 2026 Entry Guide

The Honest Timeline

Most drivers land somewhere between 10 and 30 hours before they feel like they can complete a clean lap without holding their breath through the final sector. That is not a beginner number. Ten hours of focused Nordschleife practice is a significant investment, and the drivers hitting that threshold quickly are typically those who use reference laps methodically rather than running freewheeling laps and hoping things click.

A handful of experienced sim racers reported feeling “functional” after 8 to 10 hours, meaning they knew where the track went and could finish laps without major incidents. Comfortable, which was the word in the original thread, took longer for almost everyone. The distinction matters. You can memorize the sequence of corners relatively quickly. Carrying real speed through them, trusting the car through the blind crests and compressions, and managing tire and fuel over a full stint are separate skills that take considerably more time.

The thread’s most-upvoted reply drew a useful line between two separate learning phases. The first phase is navigation: learning the track layout and stopping driving off it. The second phase is pace: learning to actually drive it rather than survive it. Many drivers describe finishing phase one in 5 to 15 hours and then discovering that phase two takes as long again, if not longer.

How the Track Actually Gets Learned

The strongest consensus in the thread is that sector-by-sector work outperforms full-lap grinding by a wide margin. Drivers who set up AI races and restart repeatedly through the same sector, or who use the replay and rewind system to focus on individual corners, report measurably faster progress than those who simply run lap after lap hoping it clicks.

The Nordschleife’s 73 named corners do not all demand the same attention. Several contributors independently identified the same bottlenecks: Flugplatz, the long uphill run to Kesselchen, Karussell entry and exit, and the Schwedenkreuz-to-Aremberg sequence all appear repeatedly as the sections that take longest to feel natural. Flugplatz in particular, the series of blind crests and compressions that follows the fast Quiddelbacher Hohe section, is described as “the corner that separates people who are learning the track from people who actually know it.” You can see the line in a reference lap. Trusting it at speed, when the car feels like it is about to skip off the road, is something else entirely.

Reference laps come up constantly in the thread, and the advice is consistent: watch the reference lap in cockpit view first, then run your own lap alongside it in ghost mode, then discard the ghost and try to recall the reference from memory. Drivers who cycle through this process rather than passively watching the reference report that specific corners solidify much faster.

The Corners That Click Last

Almost every driver with more than 20 hours on the track named the same late-clicking section: the final sequence from Galgenkopf through the Dottinger Hohe and into the Bilstein complex that feeds back onto the start-finish straight. It is fast, the walls are close, and the run to Antoniusbuche requires a confidence in the car’s attitude that only comes from accumulated lap count.

Adenauer Forst, the left-right-left complex midway through the lap, is another section mentioned repeatedly as one that stays uncomfortable longer than expected. The sightlines are deceptive and the camber changes punish early turn-in in ways that take time to internalize.

The Karussell itself, the famous banked concrete corner, is almost never the problem. It looks intimidating and is frequently the most-worried-about feature before a driver’s first lap. In practice, the banking is forgiving and the line is easy to learn from a reference lap. What creates more trouble is the Karussell approach: the braking zone is interrupted by a crest, and getting the braking wrong there matters more than anything that happens inside the Karussell itself.

Realistic Milestones

Based on what the thread describes, a reasonable set of expectations for a driver coming to the Nordschleife fresh looks like this: after 5 hours, you can complete laps without major incidents most of the time. After 10 to 15 hours, you know where the track goes and can build pace in individual sectors. After 25 to 30 hours, a clean and reasonably paced lap is no longer the exception. After 50 hours, you are approaching the depth of what the track offers rather than just surviving it.

None of those are fixed cutoffs. Drivers who use reference laps, run consistent sessions rather than scattered ones, and actively study their mistakes compress the timeline meaningfully. Drivers who simply run laps and hope for the best can spend 40 hours and still feel like they are relearning the basics each time out.

With the N24 Coming Up

The iRacing Nürburgring 24 Hours Special Event runs May 1 through 3, which makes this the best possible time to be putting hours on the Nordschleife whether you are a seasoned N24 veteran or approaching the track for the first time. Even if a full 24-hour stint is not the goal, the event draws cleaner, more track-aware traffic than a typical iRacing practice session, creating better conditions for building lap count without the chaos of an open lobby.

If you are targeting the N24 specifically, the focus should be on consistency and damage avoidance rather than raw pace. A clean 6-hour stint at 90% is worth far more than a fast first three hours followed by contact with a wall. The Nordschleife punishes impatience in a way that almost no other track in iRacing does, and it rewards those who let the learning process happen at its own pace.

The post How Long Does It Really Take to Learn the Nürburgring in iRacing? appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

Also See
Quentin Warman Clinches 2026 eNASCAR QS Title at Michigan

With the season finished, all 30 drivers advancing to the 2026 Championship Series are now confirmed. Quentin Warman leads the final standings with 3,825 points, followed by Garrett Manes at 3,587 and Andrew Navarro at 3,503. The championship season opens with the Coca-Cola 160 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 19.

The final spot in the top 30 came down to the last race. Michael Frisch entered the finale 150 points below the cut line and finished seventh in the Top Split. As a result, he landed in 30th place with 2,520 points, making it by two points over Aaron Lee. Lee won the Second Split but ended up 31st overall.

Two drivers lost positions they had held entering the finale. Jacob Wilkerson dropped to 31st after connection issues in the Top Split, while Ethan Eckert slipped to 32nd after a damaged car left him 18th. Meanwhile, Ryan Doucette climbed from 31st to 23rd with a seventh-place finish.

Free Agency runs May 11 through 13, with 40 of 52 eligible free agents expected to sign before the Championship Series begins.

Final Top 30: 2026 eNASCAR Qualifying Series

1. Quentin Warman, 3,825 pts
2. Garrett Manes, 3,587 pts
3. Andrew Navarro, 3,503 pts
4. Matthew Morton, 3,406 pts
5. Sebastian Marin, 3,250 pts
6. Dylan Basen, 3,209 pts
7. Joe Armstrong, 3,132 pts
8. Jake Nichols, 2,913 pts
9. Wyatt Tinsley, 2,910 pts
10. Jose Solis Jr., 2,902 pts
11. Michael Cosey Jr., 2,844 pts
12. Seth Noell, 2,838 pts
13. Cody Byus, 2,812 pts
14. Logan Helton, 2,778 pts
15. Nate Stewart, 2,725 pts
16. Thomas Lloyd, 2,720 pts
17. Daniel Faulkingham, 2,711 pts
18. Kenny Brady, 2,705 pts
19. Shawn Conklin, 2,704 pts
20. Jayden Hopp, 2,671 pts
21. Mitchell Hunt, 2,662 pts
22. Blake Giglio, 2,649 pts
23. Ryan Doucette, 2,628 pts
24. Eddie Kerner, 2,625 pts
25. Blake Reynolds, 2,612 pts
26. Abraham Vela, 2,596 pts
27. Garrett Lowe, 2,593 pts
28. Tommy Gossett, 2,576 pts
29. Timothy Holmes, 2,549 pts
30. Michael Frisch, 2,520 pts

The post Quami Scott Wins eNASCAR QS Finale at Texas as Top 30 Championship Field Is Set appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

This guide covers the complete SimHub setup process for iRacing, from installation to your first dashboard. By the end, you will have overlays running on your screen and a clear understanding of how to customize them to fit your racing style.

What SimHub Does for iRacing

SimHub reads real-time telemetry data from iRacing and presents it through visual dashboards and overlays. These can float on top of your iRacing window, showing information like relative positions, fuel calculations, tire temperatures, lap deltas, and input traces. Think of it as a customizable instrument panel that supplements what iRacing shows you natively.

Beyond screen overlays, SimHub also drives external hardware. If you have bass shakers or a buttkicker, SimHub can send haptic feedback based on road surface, curb strikes, or wheel slip. If you have an external LED display or a second screen running a dashboard, SimHub powers that too. The software is incredibly versatile, but most iRacers start with screen overlays and expand from there.

How to Install SimHub

Visit the SimHub website and download the latest version. The installer is straightforward. Accept the license agreement, choose your install location, and let it finish. SimHub will ask during installation which sims you use. Select iRacing and any other sims you run. This step configures the correct telemetry plugins, but you can change it later in the settings.

After installation, launch SimHub. The main window shows several tabs: Dash Studio (where you build and manage dashboards), ShakeIt (haptic feedback), Arduino (hardware integration), and Settings. For your first setup, the only tab that matters is Dash Studio.

Connecting SimHub to iRacing

SimHub connects to iRacing automatically through the iRacing SDK. No additional plugins or configurations are needed on the iRacing side. However, there is one critical setting in iRacing that must be correct: your rendering mode.

SimHub overlays can only display when iRacing runs in windowed or borderless windowed mode. Full-screen exclusive mode blocks all overlays from appearing. To change this, open iRacing’s graphics settings and set the display mode to “Borderless” or “Windowed.” Borderless is the recommended option because it looks and performs almost identically to full-screen while allowing overlays to render on top of the sim.

Once iRacing is in borderless mode, launch SimHub before starting your iRacing session. SimHub detects the running sim automatically and begins receiving telemetry data. You will see a connection indicator in the SimHub window confirming it is reading data from iRacing.

Setting Up Your First Dashboard

SimHub comes with some built-in dashboards, but the real value is in community-created templates. The most popular collection for iRacing is benofficial2’s official overlay pack, available on the SimHub forums and GitHub. This pack includes a relative timing display, fuel calculator, input trace, and standings overlay. Download the pack, import it into SimHub through Dash Studio, and you have a professional overlay setup in minutes.

To import a dashboard, go to Dash Studio in SimHub, click “Import,” and select the downloaded file. The dashboard appears in your library. To make it an overlay that floats over iRacing, right-click the dashboard in your library and select “Add to overlay layout.” Position it on your screen where you want it to appear during racing, resize it, and lock it in place.

Most racers start with three overlays: a relative box showing the cars around them, a fuel calculator showing consumption and remaining laps, and an input trace showing throttle and brake inputs. This trio covers the most important information gaps that iRacing’s native HUD does not fully address.

Community Dashboards Worth Trying

The SimHub community has created thousands of dashboards for iRacing. Beyond benofficial2’s pack, several other collections stand out. The iRacing HUD pack on OverTake.gg provides a comprehensive set of panels including weather data, pit timing, and track maps. The mkstrike overlay collection offers a minimalist design that works well on smaller screens or when you want less visual clutter.

When choosing dashboards, consider readability at racing speed. A dashboard might look great in a screenshot but be impossible to read when you are doing 150 mph and trying to manage traffic. Simple, high-contrast designs with large fonts tend to work best. Test each dashboard during a practice session before bringing it into a race.

You can also build your own dashboards in Dash Studio. The editor is drag-and-drop and supports binding any iRacing telemetry channel to any visual element. If you have a specific data display in mind that no community dashboard provides, building your own is entirely possible without any coding knowledge.

Motion and Haptic Feedback with SimHub

SimHub’s ShakeIt module is the most popular way to add haptic feedback to a sim racing setup. If you have bass shakers attached to your rig or chair, SimHub can drive them using telemetry data from iRacing. You feel curb strikes, road texture changes, gear shifts, and wheel lock through physical vibration. This is not just an immersion feature. It provides useful tactile information that helps you feel the car’s behavior without looking at a screen or listening for audio cues.

Setting up ShakeIt involves configuring which telemetry channels trigger which output devices. SimHub provides preset profiles for common setups, and the community has shared tuned profiles for specific cars and tracks. If you are running bass shakers, SimHub should be your go-to software for managing them.

Why Use SimHub Alongside Crew Chief

SimHub and Crew Chief serve different purposes and work perfectly together. Crew Chief provides audio feedback: fuel updates, spotter calls, damage reports, and gap information through your headphones. SimHub provides visual feedback: on-screen overlays showing relative positions, input traces, and data readouts.

Running both lets you minimize screen clutter while maximizing the information available to you. Let Crew Chief handle the data that works better as audio (fuel warnings, car proximity, position changes) and let SimHub display the data that works better visually (relative timing, input traces, tire data). This combination is what most competitive iRacers run, and it covers nearly every information need you will have during a race.

Both applications are free, lightweight, and actively maintained. Together, they form the backbone of a competitive iRacing setup that costs nothing to run and takes minutes to configure. If you are only going to install two companion apps for iRacing, make them SimHub and Crew Chief.

The post Setting up SimHub for iRacing appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

Also See
How to Get Out of Rookies in iRacing

How iRating Progression Works in iRacing

iRating goes up when you beat drivers with higher ratings than yours, and it goes down when you lose to drivers with lower ratings. The system uses an expected finish model. If you are expected to finish fifth based on everyone’s iRating, and you finish second, you gain points. If you finish fifth when second was expected, you lose points.

The important detail is that each car class tracks iRating separately. Your road iRating and your oval iRating are different numbers. If you jump between sports cars and oval racing in the same week, you are splitting your results across two separate pools. You are not building a rating anywhere near as fast as someone who runs every race in one place.

There is also a split quality factor. The better the field you beat, the more you gain. Consistent finishes against strong competition in one series compounds faster than average finishes spread across five different ones.

The Case for Staying Put

The drivers who climb iRating the fastest almost always do it by drilling the same combination week after week. When you run the same car and track repeatedly, you know the setup, the braking points, and the traffic patterns cold. That familiarity translates to cleaner race starts, fewer mistakes in tight situations, and stronger qualifying positions that put you ahead of trouble from lap one.

The community makes this clear. One iRacer put it directly: “If you become a better driver overall you could easily get to 3k driving whatever you feel like. But very few people can jump from MX5 to GTP and be at 8k level. It entirely depends on what your goal is. High iRating? Stick to a couple of series.” That gap between 3k and 8k reflects a genuine difference in outcomes between focused and variety-first approaches.

Another iRacer framed it around time: “I only get time to race maybe 2-3 times a week and just about hold down 3k iR, but I only run one combo per week because of this. If you have plenty of time to practice different cars and tracks there is no reason you cannot be a journeyman.” The time factor matters more than most drivers admit.

Why Variety Is Not a Waste of Time

Here is what the specialists rarely say out loud: driving different cars does make you a better driver overall. The iRacer who has competed in GT4, LMP3, and oval picks up new combinations faster than someone who has only ever run one series. Variety forces you to learn car behavior from scratch repeatedly. You develop better feel for when a car is sliding, sharper awareness of traffic dynamics, and more patience in wheel-to-wheel situations.

Some community members who have reached 4,000 or 5,000 iRating through varied driving argue the path was longer but the driving quality was broader. The ability to pick up a new car in a session or two, rather than a week, has real competitive value. Furthermore, the iRacers who adapt fastest to new seasons, new tracks, and new cars tend to be the ones who have raced across the most content.

One iRacer in the thread summed it up well: “iRating isn’t everything. If you are gaining SR, you are gaining skill. If switching between cars helps you learn new cars quicker, you are gaining skill.” That reframe is useful if a fixed number on a leaderboard is not actually your goal.

A Middle Ground That Actually Works

The most practical advice from experienced iRacers comes down to structure. Rather than choosing pure focus or pure variety, the smarter move is to pick a new combination each week and commit to it for the full seven days. Run enough races to actually understand the car and the track, then move on to something different the following week. Over a full season, you still cover a wide range of content. However, within any given week, you are not throwing away laps to car-swap confusion.

A second approach is to split your time by purpose. Run your primary series when you want iRating to move. Treat oval, dirt, or shorter open-wheel classes as practice racing where the number does not matter as much. This keeps variety in your schedule without it bleeding into the sessions that count toward your main goal.

How much track time you have should shape the decision. If you only race two or three times a week, spreading those sessions across five different cars means none of them gets enough reps to build real pace. With limited time, focus is almost always the smarter call. If you race daily, variety becomes viable because the volume compensates for the split attention.

The series hopping debate does not have a clean answer, because the right call depends on what you actually want. If you want iRating above 4,000 this season, the math favors specialization. If you want to be a complete sim racer who can get into anything and be competitive within a few sessions, variety is the longer-term investment. Most iRacers end up splitting the difference, and that is probably fine. Track what works, run what you enjoy, and the iRating progression tends to follow the laps.

The post iRating Progression in iRacing: Should You Stick to One Series? appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

Also See
How to Race Clean in iRacing
r/iRacing: Race Oscar Piastri thread

The event is hosted by HP Tuners, the automotive performance tuning and data logging company. The connection to Piastri is direct: HP Tuners was co-founded by Chris Piastri, Oscar’s father. As a result, the company has used this competition as a way to connect the sim racing community with one of Formula 1’s most prominent current drivers.

Piastri is not a novelty sim racer. He carries an iRating of approximately 5,600, which puts him in the upper tier of competitive online racers. Because of that, the May 4 event will not be a casual celebrity appearance. Drivers qualifying for the top 30 can therefore expect a genuine race.

Qualification is still open. The top 30 finishers in the qualifying window earn a spot in the live race on May 4. However, the window closes before the event, so this is the week to put in your qualifying laps.

The post surfaced on r/iRacing on April 29 and picked up quickly. Community members noted the Piastri family connection and his legitimate sim racing credentials. Furthermore, several iRacers pointed out that this is one of the few events where a real-world F1 driver will actually be racing for position in the same session.

Events like this do not come around often in iRacing. If you have been looking for an excuse to sharpen your qualifying pace, this is a good one.

The post Race Oscar Piastri in iRacing: HP Tuners Live Event, May 4 appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

Also See
iRacing Nürburgring 24 Hours 2026: Entry Guide and Preview
Community thread: Team-matching app update

The app works like a dedicated matchmaking tool for iRacing endurance racing. Drivers register and enter their car class, iRating range, and available hours. The system then matches them with other drivers looking for the same combination. The developer confirmed that registrations are going through and matches are being made. Furthermore, the app is free to use.

Other Ways to Find a Team

If you are still without a team, registering now is your most direct option. However, if the app does not produce a match quickly enough, the standard backup paths still work. The iRacing Forums team-finder threads go up before every major special event. They tend to have the fullest picture of who is still looking. Additionally, the iRacing Discord has dedicated team-matching channels. These get active in the 48-72 hours before an event opens. Posting in r/iRacing with your car preference and iRating also works well if you do it with enough lead time.

For drivers new to endurance team racing, the N24 in GT4 is the most forgiving entry point. The stint structure works well across time zones. Moreover, GT4 gives you more margin on a track where barriers arrive quickly. You do not need a professional setup sheet. A group of matched drivers who communicate clearly is enough to have a competitive race.

Endurance racing is one of the most rewarding parts of iRacing. It is also consistently undersold to drivers who only do sprint events. The N24 is the one to try it.

The post How to Find iRacing Endurance Teammates for the N24 appeared first on iRacerHUB.com.

Why Moza Racing Has Taken Over the Sim Racing Market

Moza entered the sim racing scene as an underdog and quickly became one of the most popular brands in the hobby. Their strategy is simple: offer direct-drive performance at prices that undercut the competition. Combined with solid build quality and excellent software, Moza has earned a loyal following among iRacing drivers worldwide.

The Moza ecosystem includes wheelbases, wheel rims, pedals, shifters, handbrakes, and dashboards. Everything connects through their Pit House software, which provides a unified interface for configuration and firmware updates. This tight integration means fewer compatibility headaches when you build an all-Moza rig. Additionally, Moza frequently updates their firmware to improve force feedback profiles, which keeps their products feeling fresh long after purchase.

Moza R3: The Absolute Starter (3Nm)

The Moza R3 sits at the bottom of the lineup with 3Nm of torque. It targets complete beginners who want direct-drive technology at the lowest possible price. At around $199 for the base, it is one of the cheapest direct-drive options available anywhere.

For iRacing, 3Nm is functional but limited. You will feel the basics of force feedback, but heavier cars like stock cars and GT3 machines will not communicate their weight convincingly. The R3 works best as a temporary entry point before upgrading. If you can stretch your budget even slightly, the R5 offers significantly better value.

Moza R5 Bundle: Best Value Entry (5.5Nm)

The Moza R5 All-in-One Bundle at $399 is the most popular entry point in Moza’s lineup. It includes the R5 wheelbase with 5.5Nm of torque, an ES steering wheel, and SR-P Lite pedals with a load cell brake. Getting a complete direct-drive setup with load cell pedals for under $400 was unthinkable just three years ago.

In iRacing, the R5 delivers clean, responsive force feedback that reveals details gear-driven wheels cannot reproduce. You will feel tire slip, weight transfer, and track surface changes clearly. The 5.5Nm torque is enough for most car classes, though very heavy cars like the NASCAR trucks may feel slightly light. For the price, the R5 Bundle is the best way to enter iRacing with quality hardware.

Moza R9 V3: The Sweet Spot (9Nm)

The Moza R9 V3 at $329 for the base alone bumps torque to 9Nm, which is a noticeable step up from the R5. At this power level, every car class in iRacing feels properly weighted. GT3 cars communicate their heft, open-wheel cars snap with authority, and oval stock cars push back through the corners convincingly.

The R9 uses the same outrunner motor design as the rest of the Moza lineup, delivering smooth and detailed forces. It competes directly with the Fanatec CSL DD at a similar price point, and many reviewers consider the R9 the stronger performer in terms of raw feel. If you want meaningful torque without spending $500 or more, the R9 V3 hits the sweet spot perfectly.

Moza R12 V2: Enough for Nearly Everyone (12Nm)

The Moza R12 V2 at $429 is arguably the best value wheelbase in the entire sim racing market. It delivers 12Nm of torque with the same smooth outrunner motor technology used in the higher-end models. For reference, 12Nm is more torque than most real race car steering systems produce, so you are getting a fully realistic force feedback experience.

In iRacing, the R12 excels across every discipline. Oval racing, road racing, dirt, rallycross: it handles them all with authority. The extra headroom over the R9 means the motor never clips or runs out of torque during high-demand situations like catching a slide or hitting a big curb. Furthermore, the R12’s build quality is excellent, with a sturdy metal housing and quiet operation. Most iRacing drivers will never need more wheelbase than this.

Moza R16: High Performance (16Nm)

The Moza R16 delivers 16Nm of sustained torque for around $549. It was one of the original Moza wheelbases and remains a strong option for drivers who want more power than the R12 without jumping to the flagship R21. The extra 4Nm over the R12 adds subtle benefits: low-speed feedback feels richer, and high-speed impacts hit harder.

For most iRacing drivers, the R16 represents diminishing returns compared to the R12. The difference between 12Nm and 16Nm is noticeable but not transformative. However, if you drive a lot of heavy oval machinery or prototype cars with significant downforce, the R16’s extra torque does add another layer of realism. It is a solid choice for the serious hobbyist who wants to future-proof their rig.

Moza R21: The Flagship (21Nm)

The Moza R21 sits at the top of the lineup with 21Nm of sustained torque at $699. This is serious power that competes with wheelbases costing $1,200 or more from other brands. The R21 uses a large-diameter outrunner motor that delivers enormous torque with remarkable smoothness.

In iRacing, the R21 provides a no-compromise force feedback experience. Every detail is present, every force is accurate, and the motor never strains regardless of what you throw at it. However, 21Nm requires a robust rig. Desk clamps and lightweight cockpits will flex and twist under this much torque, which wastes the R21’s potential. Make sure your mounting solution can handle the power before investing at this level.

Moza Ecosystem: Wheels, Pedals, and Accessories

Beyond wheelbases, Moza offers a full ecosystem of compatible accessories. Their wheel rims range from the budget ES wheel at $99 to the premium FSR Formula rim at around $349. The GS GT wheel at $199 is the most popular choice for GT and multi-class racing in iRacing.

Moza pedals include the SR-P Lite at $129, the SR-P at $199, and the CRP2 at $449. The HGP shifter at $149 offers H-pattern shifting, and the HBP handbrake at around $119 covers rally and dirt racing needs. All components connect through Pit House software, making setup and calibration straightforward. Moza also offers various bundles that package wheelbases with wheels and pedals at discounted prices.

Moza Racing Lineup: Reliability and Support

Early Moza products had some quality control concerns, but the brand has improved significantly in recent generations. The V2 and V3 revisions of their wheelbases address earlier issues with motor cogging and firmware stability. Customer support response times have also improved, with most warranty claims handled within two weeks.

Firmware updates arrive regularly and often include meaningful force feedback improvements. The Moza community on Discord and Reddit is active and helpful, which makes troubleshooting easier. Overall, Moza has matured into a reliable brand that backs its products with solid support.

Which Moza Racing Lineup iRacing Wheelbase Should You Buy?

For most iRacing drivers, the Moza R12 V2 at $429 is the recommendation. It delivers enough torque for every car class, builds well, and costs less than many 8Nm competitors. If budget is tight, the R5 Bundle at $399 gives you a complete direct-drive setup that will serve you well for years.

The R9 V3 at $329 is the smart pick if you want a standalone base at the lowest price with strong torque. The R21 at $699 is for the enthusiast who wants flagship power without the flagship price tag. No matter where you land in the Moza lineup, you are getting a direct-drive wheelbase from the Moza Racing lineup for iRacing that will transform how the sim feels and sounds under your hands. For more iRacing content, read our iRacing getting started guide. Visit Moza Racing official site for current pricing.

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