Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with racing

Learning video game race and rally car driving techniques?

lifeless — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:13:43 -0800

I've been bitten by a racing game bug. What resources would you recommend for learning basic-to-intermediate race and rally car driving knowledge, knowing that they will only ever be used in video games? The precise focus is on (semi-)realistic driving games, because the physics modelling of more arcade-style games like Burnout Paradise may be so far off the real thing that applying real world techniques may end up harming the driving performance. The best way to learn is by driving, of course, but I feel a theoretical basis would be useful and make driving more enjoyable.

I want to be able to successfully play the games with maximum realism settings. Some examples of the games I'm interested in: anything done by Papyrus, Richard Burns Rally, iRacing (all of the more hardcore variety AFAIK); Rally Trophy, FlatOut 2 (somewhat more arcade-oriented but still challenging at maximum settings), GTR 2 etc.

I'll be buying a Logitech G25 wheel in the very near future, and want to get my hands on some study materials by then, so all suggestions are welcome.

What can I expect from this bike race?

TurkishGolds — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:10:54 -0800

I'm participating in The Top Notch Triathlon tomorrow in Franconia, NH. I've never done an sort of competitive event like this. What can I expect, and are there any essential tips that I should know about? I'm on a relay team, so I'm only responsible for the 6.5 mile bike ride (which is primarily uphill, in the woods). We're basically just doing this for fun, and don't hope to have any sort of spectacular times or anything like that. I'm an experienced recreational road cyclist, but have very little experience with mountain biking, and no experience with racing of any kind.

I scrutinized the results from previous years - times for the ride are usually around 30 minutes to an hour. I'm going to try to pace myself so that I end up somewhere in the lower end of that. I'd be ecstatic with 45 minutes, but could live with "not last."

From what I understand, there are going to be real extreme athletes at the event who are there to win, and there are going to be family teams that are just there for fun. I hope to find a pack of riders who are holding a pace that I'm comfortable with and just stick with them.

Does anyone have inside tips specifically about this race, or this kind of event in general?

24 Hours of Le Mans Tips?

patr1ck — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:59:45 -0800

Anyone have advice on attending 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time? Where to be at what times, where to stay, other things to do besides watch the race, any other little tips, etc.

Awesome free Windows racing games

Plutor — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:49:23 -0800

So there are a lot of free (as in beer) FPSes out there. Are there any free racing games of similar caliber? (I don't mean the free Flash stuff on Kongregate, Newgrounds, etc. If it's there, I've almost certainly played it.)

What are your favorite blogs about running?

peep — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:18:58 -0800

I want to read some blogs by runners and people training for triathlons. I'm looking for day-to-day life sort of blogs, not like pro or semi-pro athletes writing only about training. Just ordinary people with full time jobs who happen to be runners and triathletes.

One example of a blog I like is Earthmovers and Sandcastles.

Googling brings me many link farms and dead links. Not to mention crappy blogs.

What are your favorites?

Bike numbers:

furnace.heart — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:25:08 -0800

How are motorcycle (or otherwise) race numbers determined? I've searched and searched, but can't find any real reason how race numbers on vehicles are determined. Is it random? Are they placing numbers from certain races?

I just can't seem to find a straightforward answer. Thanks..

How to run a sub-3-hour marathon?

killdevil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:11:17 -0800

I can run 6:30 miles for an hour, a little uncomfortably, or 7:00 miles pretty easily over the same interval. What would it take, training-wise, for me to run a sub-3-hour marathon? A little more about my current level of running fitness: I started running daily a little more than two years ago, having previously been a pretty serious cyclist. I run ~8.5 miles/day at present, and can run a mile in 5:30 (maybe more quickly, but I haven't tried it).

I'm 31, have no background in competitive running, and have never raced save for a few 5Ks. I'm planning to run a marathon in the spring, and would like to shoot for the sub-3-hour range in order to qualify for the 2010 Boston Marathon with some margin for error. Given my current fitness level, I'm pretty sure this is achievable, but I don't know much about how to prepare. There are quite a few marathon training resources on the Web, of course, but I'm hoping you can help me form a rough idea of what I'd need to do between now and, say, April '09.

As a side-question: what spring race in the U.S. would make a good first marathon?

I wanna drive fast too!

C17H19NO3 — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:09:53 -0800

How would one become a professional race car driver, specifically NHRA? I'm asking this purely out of curiosity, as I thought about it the other day while watching Ashley Force on TV.

Is it possible for somebody without a lot of money to begin with, or without "inside ties" to work their way into professional racing? I understand that there are amateur racing leagues and people work their way up the food chain, but how would you start?

Formula 1 question.

gummo — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:13:06 -0800

Formula 1 question regarding qualifying fuel requirements. Let me ask something. Why is there a fuel requirement in q3? What would be the problem of running q3 just like q2? The fastest 10 cars from q2 move on to q3. Then, they go for pole. They can do whatever they want with fuel. Just like in q2. Then on race day, they can do whatever they want with their fuel load for the race.

The way it is currently, you never really know who is fastest. In q1 and q2, the top 4 or 5 cars don't go for spot number 1, they just make sure they are safely out of the knockout zone. So you don't know who is really fastest. And in q3, the fuel is always a consideration. Maybe the guy who got pole only got it because he is super-light on fuel.

And I don't really see what you get out of it. What's the payoff? Why do the fuel thing at all in q3? What is the up side? Maybe there is a good reason, but I can't think of it.

I'm interested in any opinions as well. If you don't know the reason, but have a guess, or have a reason that you like the way it is, let me know that too.

Spira shoes: fact or crap?

middleclasstool — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:06:34 -0800

Spira running shoes: horseshit? I'm looking for personal experiences running with them, particularly running marathon distance, but I'll take any solid data on them. Are they snake oil, or good shoes for running?

Which Bike?

Kiwi — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:38:26 -0800

Should I get a racer or a tourer? Are there any particular advantages of a racing over a touring bicycle? I'm talking mainly in terms of differences between frame geometries, mudguard (fender) incompatibility etc.

Specifically, I'm trying to decide between Condor Cycles' Italia and Agio bikes.

Will be used mainly for commuting but also a little racing. This will be my first non-mountain bike; there is something nice about the single-mindedness of a pure racing bike, but will this end up being a bit much in potholed EC1?

Tips for MTB stage races?

dolface — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:41:43 -0800

I'm doing the Trans Rockies Challenge (a 5-day mountain bike stage race) in August and am looking for any tips and tricks people may have for doing something like this. Specifically, what kinds of gotchas should I be looking out for, what pieces of gear will make me more comfortable, and so on.

(I'll be riding an Ellsworth Truth with SRAM X.0 bits if that matters)

I'm in pretty good shape (regularly finish on the podium in 24-hour - and longer - adventure races) but have never done anything this long before and am not sure what to expect.

De-stressing/Re-Focusing

isoman2kx — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:07:43 -0800

Help me de-stress and refocus my moods. How do yall refocus after being extremely stressed for short bursts on end? Any activities, tips, thought patterns you think, stretching exercises, exercises in general??

I try to take deep breaths with some self talk and/or exercise, but it seems to work only about half the time.

I'm also a huge tea drinker as well, but that works sparingly sometimes.

90 vs 60 and Bugatti vs Nissan

revmitcz — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:26:35 -0800

Help me solve two MPG (and car) related arguments (quick side-note, neither of these are serious "OMG UR SO DUMB!" arguments - more like random musing. Though, the first argument has very practical applications)

Argument 1 :
I read this article stating that peak fuel efficiency is at 55-60MPH - and that you lose 5-7% efficiency per 5MPH over that. Using cruise control, obviously, increases that even more. My current car won't let me use CC above 90MPH.

But, my argument (really more of a question) is that if I drove my car from, say, LA to Phoenix (375 Miles, est) at 90MPH vs 60MPH, I'd ultimately help the environment because I'd be on the road for about an hour and 40 mins less time.

Does that make up for decrease in fuel efficiency, or no?

Argument 2 :
I was laughing at the MPG estimates on the Bugatti Veyron - which are 6MPG city and 10MPG highway. Going it's top speed, it would run out of fuel in just under 13 minutes. Of course, one would have traveled roughly 55 miles.

This lead to me saying "that means my piddly 6-speed 2.5L Altima could probably take a Bugatti Veyron on a race to Phoenix from LA" to my friend, who's got a hard-on for that Bugatti.

The best math I had to support it (and I suck at math) is this :

LA to Phoenix = 375 miles.
Bugatti Veyron @ 253 MPH = 1.5 hours
Nissan Altima @ 140 MPG = 2.6 hours.
Bugatti makes 7 stops for gas = add about 70 mins
Altima makes (maybe) 1 stop for gas = add about 10 mins.

Totals :
Bugatti = 2.7 hours
Altima = 2.65 hours

This, obviously, assumes both cars could actually go their top speed the whole way. While the road is mostly straightaways (and let's suppose cops weren't a factor in this theoretical race), I still think one would have a much harder time maintaining 253MPH vs 140MPH.

My friend figures the Bugatti would win, hands-down, regardless.

So - which one would win?

Video Game of Europe?

fantasticninety — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:17:25 -0800

Is there a car racing video game that realistically depicts european cities? I really like car racing games and I really like european cities. So I was wondering if anyone knew of a game that allowed you to drive through a lot of european cities to get a realistic view of some of the main parts of the city?

I know I could just use explore the cities using google maps, but it's not really that fluid.

I found one myself – European Street Racing.

What's the deal with cyclists using rollers before 100 mile races?

mathowie — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:28:01 -0800

Why do cycling racers always warm up on a trainer/rollers thing before events, even ridiculously long ones? Doesn't it burn up energy they'll need during the race? I'm a big fan of cycling and follow bike racing pretty closely and I've attended a couple dozen events in the past few years but I've never known an elite-level racer personally so I've always wondered about the ubiquitous use of trainers at race events.

I totally understand it on time trail events, where from the moment you leave the start line, you need to be fully prepared to go full speed for a set amount of time. I understand that you'd want to warm up as close as possible to your start time so you could come out of the gate swinging full blast. Time trails are typically just 30 minutes or so long, and I suspect elite racers are prepared to ride for 6-8 hours a day, so 30 minutes on rollers would be no big deal.

What I don't understand are dudes doing the roller thing before a 100+ mile stage of a race, especially during a multi-day event where you need to expend incredible amounts of energy day in and day out. I've seen the starts of such long days and the field will often ride the first 10-15 miles at a recreational (for them, 18-20mph) pace.

So my question is, why the need to warm up at all on long days? Aren't you burning up the energy you'll need that day or the next, just wasting it on a quick warm up? Why not simply use the first ten miles of an event to warm up?

Karting for old folks

machaus — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:20:06 -0800

Getting started in go-kart racing at an old (for the sport) age. Where to start? I'd like to get into karting on the weekends, but I've got a few parameters:

1.I'm in my late thirties and tall, so if I'm racing against 14 year olds, there should be a weight class.

2.I'd like a series with parity, maybe due to a sealed engine specification.

3.I want to race on circuits, not ovals.

4.I live in New England.

Any thoughts?

How do you train for cyclocross races?

mathowie — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:13:44 -0800

How do I get started with cyclocross? I've been a spectator at a cyclocross race and I'm looking at picking up a low-end cyclocross bike, but what's the best way to get started doing it? How do you practice the odd obstacles and challenges found in courses? Cyclocross reminds me of drifting in cars -- it looks great at demos and competitions but I wonder how people actually prepare/practice for such a thing. It's not like anyone I know has access to a partially muddy steeplechase course on which to really practice all they want for cyclocross races.

I understand I should get a bike, get in really good shape, and be ready to race for about an hour or so. I figure I should learn how to dismount and remount quickly, but after that, I'm stumped.

I've seen cyclocross courses with stairs, mud, hurdles, hills, rivers, and all sorts of odd obstacles. Before I try my first beginner race, I was wondering how on earth should I train for such obstacles?

Do I look around the dirt roads where I live for downed trees and practice dismounts and jumping over stumps, then back on? Do I just practice dismounts then jumping over curbs in my neighborhood and remounting? Do cyclocross race organizers let you practice on the course a day before an event (if they allow this, I would drive out to an upcoming cyclocross event just to try my luck at a few practice laps). Should I just try hanging out with mt. bikers for a few weeks and doing every singletrack thing they can do. Is that enough?

Any other tips for anyone trying a cyclocross race for the first time?

No, really, I'm not resting -- we're just talking...

Ogre Lawless — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:38:16 -0800

Tour de France: what was the deal with the guys hanging on the support vehicles while interacting with them? I mean, I can see the advantages and by and large these vehicles were at the back of the pack, but it seems like you'd be getting -some- advantage...

Why do we run/skate/race counterclockwise?

sonofslim — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 06:05:16 -0800

Seems like a lot of races and similar activities go counterclockwise -- foot, dog, horse, and auto racing; skating rinks both ice and roller; baseball. Is it confirmation bias, "just one of those things," or is there a valid reason?

Help me see John Force race!

nitsuj — Tue, 22 May 2007 08:02:07 -0800

Help me see John Force race this summer. Hi there, I know absolutely nothing about car races, the NHRA, or anything even remotely related, but I've been watching Driving Force on A&E and I think it'd be cool to go see John Force and/or his daughter race one day. Problem is, the NHRA seems like a confusing mess of various leagues, car styles, and other things making it hard to find out when and where I can see the Force family.

John Force's website schedule says they'll be in Bristol, TN at the O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals from July 6-8. This is probably the closest place to me, so I'd like to shoot for that one. Is it guaranteed that they will be there racing?

Tickets for each day are somewhat expensive (and I'm not really sure I'd want to go every day anyway), so if I were to go to either July 6th, 7th, or 8th, which day would be best to ensure I get to see a Force race? Is it even possible -- what with the nature of a race -- to be absolutely sure a particular team will be racing? Further, if it is possible, which day would maximize the number of times I would get to see them race?

Thanks in advance.... I need all the help I can get!

how do get more people to participate in my adventure racing site?

dolface — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 18:08:19 -0800

i'm trying to increase participation and membership in the (free) adventure racing website i built, what can i do that i haven't already done? we have no income, so any expenses are out of pocket, and we'd like to keep them minimal.

here's what we've done so far:

a regular ad in the 'activity partners' section of the local cl

regular announcements on the local AR yahoo group (i've talked with the list owner, and he's assured me that and we're not stepping on his toes)

gotten listed in dmoz

free 'adventure racing 101' clinics at local sports stores

'adventure racing 101' presentations at triathlon clubs

a booth at adventure races and triathlons

reasonably slick postcards left at gyms/REI's/similar places

branded t-shirts and socks given to race directors to award as prizes

semi-regular social events

semi-regular training events (usually free, but some have had a nominal fee < $20)

an adventure racing team that does pretty well at regional races (top 3)

other stuff, but this list is getting too long

so, am i missing anything, or doing anything i shouldn't? i'm not trying to make money, i'm just trying to get more people into the sport.

Schematic for DIY sequential shift lights?

ZoomX2 — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:07:10 -0800

Can anyone hook me up with a schematic for a DIY sequential shift light set up? My friend is building up a '95 BMW 318ti into a full on race car. He's completely gutted the electrical system and is getting ready to drop in an M54 3.0 liter six and re-wire it.

He'd like to put in sequential LED shift lights into the gauge cluster, but isn't really happy with the ones commercially available because they're either ugly, proprietary, or cost a shit-ton of money for what is essentially $5 in parts from Radioshack.

Can anyone hook me up with a schematic for a DIY set up?

Last minute running tips?

patr1ck — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:29:16 -0800

RunningFilter: I'm running my first competitive 5K race tomorrow morning. Any last minute tips? I've been training since early August, and I'm ready to run my first ever 5K competitive race tomorrow morning. Previous running questions (like this one on recovery, or this one on it's benefits) have been of great help, but can anyone tell me what I can expect on the actual race day, and how to be ready for it?

Extra info: It's the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront race so there will be several thousand people there and I'm a little nervous (but also very excited).

Nike + iPod or Garmin Forerunner?

bDiddy — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:45:37 -0800

I am about to start running in a more serious capacity, which is to say to train for races. I love gadgets, so I am drawn to both of these for various reasons. Which is better, Nike + iPod or the Garmin Forerunner 201? I enjoy the idea of the Forerunner getting my speed and pace, etc. from GPS. But is the iPod system as accurate? Also, from a cost perspective, the Forerunner is a bit cheaper as I do not currently have an iPod Nano. Currently, I am looking to see how long and how far I'm running but eventually I would also be interested in seeing my pace. Additionally, since my short term goal is a duathlon, if the Forerunner is adept at adjusting for biking I'd like to know that. I know the iPod system won't be any good there.

I am also wondering if the Forerunner 205 is significantly better than the Forerunner 201 such that I should only consider the 205.

So, which should be the object of my technofitness lust right now? The Nike + iPod, the Garmin Forerunner 201 or the Garmin Forerunner 205? Anyone have any experience with these? Thanks in advance!