History VideoGame / IRacing

* NintendoHard: iRacing is not ''VideoGame/ForzaMotorsport''. While the former is a racing game that straddles the line between a simulator and an arcade racer, ''iRacing'' is a hardcore driving sim that replicates handling physics, suspension dynamics and tire behavior with painstaking realism. A mistake that can be easily recovered in Forza will end in an embarrassing wreck in iRacing. For off-road and rallycross racing, ''iRacing'' would give the (newer) ''VideoGame/DiRT Rally'' games a run for their money.

* NintendoHard: iRacing is not ''VideoGame/ForzaMotorsport''. While the former is a racing game that straddles the line between a simulator and an arcade racer, iRacing is a hardcore driving sim that replicates handling physics, suspension dynamics and tire behavior with painstaking realism. A mistake that can be easily recovered in Forza will end in an embarrassing wreck in iRacing.

* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: Anything in violation of iRacing's sporting code (such as intentionally ramming other players) is fair grounds for another member to protest you, which could lead to loss of privileges on the service, and in severe cases, an IP ban. Therefore, [[SeriousMode don't do it.]]

** The game allows all kinds of cars to race at any track, from driving wallowy off road trucks at the technical Laguna Seca road course to racing 650hp [=IndyCars=] and 150 hp Formula 2000 cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And to an extent, driving Le Mans Prototypes on rallycross tracks and dirt ovals. With multi-class systems, it's possible for Le Mans and rallycross racers to compete with NASCAR racers and Trophy Truck racers on in UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny.

** The game allows all kinds of cars to race at any track, from driving wallowy off road trucks at the technical Laguna Seca road course to racing 650hp [=IndyCars=] and 150 hp Formula 2000 cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And to an extent, driving Le Mans Prototypes on rallycross tracks and dirt ovals. With multi-class systems, it's possible for Le Mans and rallycross racers to compete with NASCAR racers and Trophy Truck racers on in TheUltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny.

** The game allows all kinds of cars to race at any track, from driving wallowy off road trucks at the technical Laguna Seca road course to racing 650hp [=IndyCars=] and 150 hp Formula 2000 cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And to an extent, driving Le Mans Prototypes on rallycross tracks and dirt ovals.

** The game allows all kinds of cars to race at any track, from driving wallowy off road trucks at the technical Laguna Seca road course to racing 650hp [=IndyCars=] and 150 hp Formula 2000 cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

-->--'''NASCAR Driver AJ Allmendinger'''

** The game allows all kinds of cars to race at any track, from driving wallowy off road trucks at the technical Laguna Seca road course to racing 650hp [=IndyCars=] and 150 hp Formula 2000 cars at a NASCAR oval.

-->--'''NASCAR and [=IndyCar=] Driver AJ Allmendinger'''

* NintendoHard: iRacing is not ''VideoGame/ForzaMotorsport'', while the former is a "sim-cade" racing game, iRacing is a hardcore sim that prides itself on realism. A mistake that can be recovered in Forza will end in an embarrassing wreck in iRacing.

-->--'''NASCAR and [=IndyCar=] Driver AJ Allmendinger's testimonial to the sim'''

-->--'''AJ Allmendinger's testimonial to the sim'''

%% * BadassDriver: Too many to name.

%% * CollisionDamage

** In an early version of the Jimmie Johnson spotter pack: "Twenty... TWO... [[VoiceChangeling (in British accent) has the Lucky dog. Let the by on the outside. (Back in Big Earl's voice)]] Pit road is closed..."
%% * NintendoHard

Established in 2004 by remnants of Creator/PapyrusDesignGroup, iRacing.com was the brainchild of David Kaemmer and John W. Henry (yes, the same man that owns the Boston Red Sox and somewhat lesser-known Liverpool Football Club). Using the code from Papyrus' ''NASCAR Racing 2003 Season'' as a starting point, the sim saw its public launch in 2008, with NASCAR officially sanctioning races in 2010. Even today, new content is released constantly, adding new tracks, cars, and features to the sim.

* FissionMailed: In Rookie and D Class license level series, there are no cautions, and one instant repair is given to make up for the fact. That means if you wreck, all is not lost. You can get a whole new car at the snap of your fingers, possibly get the win back, or salvage championship points, Safety Rating, and/or iRating.

** "Let the PACE [[Beat (beat)]] car by."

* GottaCatchEmAll: Well... More like Gotta Buy 'Em All. There's even an achievement for purchasing all content pieces available. Of course, [[AdamSmithHatesYourGuts this won't be easy on the wallet.]]
** iRacing is, almost, basically the simracing equivalent of Skylanders. You don't need every piece of content to play, but buying everything will make your bill several hundreds of dollars higher.

**

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Cigarette and alcohol sponsors are usually censored in other racing games, but they appear unadulterated, on track boards, on walls, and on contingency sponsors.

Keep in mind when editing this page that the competitors on the service are real people, using real names for the most part. Therefore, this is NOT a page to bash others by making fun of specific drivers here. Have a problem with someone? Settle it in private.

* AchillesHeel: Much like real life drivers, competitors in the sim have tracks and cars that they are not particularly fond of.
* AntiNepotism: Professional drivers and drivers working as ambassadors for the service can receive temporary bans, just like everyone else. It's happened several times before.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: The relatively new Gateway Motorsports Park has walls plastered with 5 Hour Energy advertisements. [[UnfortunateImplications However, someone on the team messed up, with the inside wall off turn 4 reading]] [[AccidentalInnuendo "5 HOUR ERGY."]] This led to yellow flag conversations degrading into childish laughter and joking.

* TheAllegedCar: Many drivers piss, moan, and whine about how "undrivable" certain cars are rendered after tire model updates. [[TheScrappy The Legends car is a primary offender.]]

* BadassDriver: Too many to name.
* BerserkButton: Lap cars not yielding to leaders can, rightfully so, lead to frustration and problems on both ends.
** [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Brake. Checking. Cars. On. The. Pace. Laps.]]

* CollisionDamage
** [[MemeticMutation Car Contact (4x)]]
* CoolCar: Most of the cars in the game fall under this category, since they are tuned racing machines with the single goal being to go fast.
** Included are also classic Formula 1 cars, such as the groundbreaking Lotus 79, and the infuriatingly challenging Lotus 49.
*** And sports cars too, like the [=MP4-12C=] [=GT3=] and the BMW Z4 [=GT3=]! Hot damn.
*** Graphic designers, such as (but not limited to) [[http://www.iracing.com/iracingnews/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/translux-picutre-credit-to-Jordan-Hightower-574x245.jpg JDR Graphics]], [[https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t31.0-8/10467107_319206238244643_5659288627742310997_o.jpg?dl=1 GD2 Graphic Design]] (this troper's sponsor), and [[http://www.hostingbytes.us/images/3/1786418.jpg Dillon Raffurty Designs]] make incredible paint schemes that can make the most mundane and ugly vehicles look like ass-kicking speed demons.

* NintendoHard
* OhCrap: Cruising your way to a decent finish, you zone out during the race, in tune with the car's rhythm. [[ThisIsGonnaSuck You look up, and suddenly see yourself speeding towards a massive pileup on the back straightaway.]]
* OneSteveLimit: Drivers with incredibly common names (John Smith, for example), have a number affixed to the last name by order in which each, in this case, John Smith registered. John Smith, who registered in 2011, keeps his name, while another John Smith is known as John [=Smith2=], who registered in 2012, and so forth.
* SceneryPorn: And how! Meticulously detailed tracks (especially Phillip Island and Mount Panorama) and cars are very pleasing to the eyes.
* SeriousBusiness: The NASCAR iRacing.com Pro Series, the NASCAR Peak Antifreeze Series, the iRacing Grand Prix Pros Series, and the iRacing Grand Prix World Championship.

** Teams as well. Drivers in private team sessions bonding with each other can mean more than just success on the track; these guys, despite being separated by distance, are very close friends regardless.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: Did a fellow racer piss you off by making himself hard to pass, by racing you unfairly, or by [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking saying that your favorite driver sucks?]] Ramming the sucker off the road or into the outside wall could seem like a viable option...
** ...Up until you realize that since you are affecting an actual living, breathing human being, [[VideoGameCrueltyPunishment video game cruelty punishment]] certainly exists. As a matter of fact, anything in violation of iRacing's sporting code is fair grounds for another member to protest you, which could lead to loss of privileges on the service, and in severe cases, an IP ban. Therefore, [[SeriousMode don't do it.]]

* WhatTheHellHero?: Incidents, regardless of whether or not it was intentional, can usually result in shouts of anger from the victim at the offending driver. "REALLY, (car number here)?!" Bonus points if the driver divebombed the first corner on the first lap.

** [=iRacing=] itself can be said to be this, as with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic putting a stop on all sporting events, many current and former drivers have taken to racing on here and streaming it.

* AscendedFanboy: Josh Berry was discovered by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on the sim. Berry impressed Junior, which prompted Little-E to take the talented simracer to the real world by fielding the number 88 Speedco Late Model for him. He performed so good in the Late Models, he has recently doing several Nationwide/Xfinity races, with equally good results too. In fact, [[http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/dale-jr-says-berry-just-one-sponsorship-away-from-making-it/ Junior recently said that if he can find enough sponsorship for Berry, he will run one of his Xfinity cars full time next year,]] [[http://beyondtheflag.com/2015/09/17/nascar-dale-jr-predicts-chase-wants-to-run-four-cars-in-2016/ possibly even expanding his team from three cars to four to make a room for Berry.]]

As this is a Massively Online Multiplayer game, the way races are scored needs to appease the casual racer, and the serious gamer. Official races, which count towards a driver's license class (grants access to different series), Safety Rating (the class depends on this), and iRating (a gauge of a driver's skill), are run around the clock, with an average of a driver's best races during a week counting towards the championship. Mess up a couple races? [[AntiFrustrationFeatures Don't sweat it, provided your other races were decent.]] Said championship is divided into 10 divisions which are determined by iRating at the end of each 12 week season, with an overall champion and 10 division champions decided at the end of the season. On the other hand, a league is more like a traditional series that harkens back to the "NR2003 Days." Running a set schedule on a set day, league races do not count towards iRating or Safety Rating. Drivers in serious leagues can often be found with their teammates perfecting their setups to ensure a dominant performance in the upcoming race, vying for the championship title.

* BoringButPractical: NASCAR stock cars and, to an extent, V8 Supercars are less technology reliant than the UsefulNotes/IndyCar or Williams FW31 F1 car, but are still a joy to drive regardless.

*** And sports cars too, like the MP4-12C GT3 and the BMW Z4 GT3! Hot damn.

* GuideDangIt: Also a case of PressXToDie, both UsefulNotes/IndyCar vehicles, the IR-05 (circa 2011) and the modern DW12 do not have built-in starters, unbeknownst to most drivers. While it may seem like a good idea to kill the engine to save fuel under a caution, [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck finding anyone willing to risk their nosecone to push-start the car for you.]] Otherwise, it's a loooooooooooooooong way back to the pits to get it restarted.

* OneSteveLimit: Drivers with incredibly common names (John Smith, for example), have a number affixed to the last name by order in which each, in this case, John Smith registered. John Smith, who registered in 2011, keeps his name, while another John Smith is known as John Smith2, who registered in 2012, and so forth.

** Teams as well. Drivers in private team sessions bonding with each other can mean more than just success on the track; [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments these guys, despite being separated by distance, are very close friends regardless.]]

* WhatTheHellHero?: Incidents, regardless of whether or not it was intentional, can usually result in shouts of anger from the victim at the offending driver. "REALLY, (car number here)?!"
** [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Bonus points if the driver divebombed the first corner on the first lap.]]

* WackyRacing: Roadkill Racing Series' ever-so-popular CRASHCAR championship. The winner of the race is not the one who places first, rather, the driver who has the most incidents after a certain time limit.

** Teams as well. Drivers in private team sessions bonding with each other can mean more than just success on the track; [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming these guys, despite being separated by distance, are very close friends regardless.]]

** [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Bonus points if the driver divebombed the first corner on the first lap.]]

* AscendedFanboy: Josh Berry was discovered by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on the sim. Berry impressed Junior, which prompted Little-E to take the talented simracer to the real world by fielding the number 88 Speedco Late Model for him. He performed so good in the Late Models, he has recently doing several Nationwide/Xfinity races, with equally good results too. In fact, [[http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/dale-jr-says-berry-just-one-sponsorship-away-from-making-it/ Junior recently said that if he can find enough sponsorship for Berry, he will run one of his Xfinity cars full time next year,]] [[http://beyondtheflag.com/2015/09/17/nascar-dale-jr-predicts-chase-wants-to-run-four-cars-in-2016/ possibly even expanding his team from three cars to four.]]

* AscendedFanboy: Josh Berry was discovered by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on the sim. Berry impressed Junior, which prompted Little-E to take the talented simracer to the real world by fielding the number 88 Speedco Late Model for him.

* BoringButPractical: NASCAR stock cars and, to an extent, V8 Supercars are less technology reliant than the IndyCar or Williams FW31 F1 car, but are still a joy to drive regardless.

** Messed up the front end on an IndyCar? The nose cone is detachable, so you can get seemingly catastrophic front wing damage completely repaired, good as new.
* FragileSpeedster: The IndyCar Series (or just about any open wheel car for that matter) cars are lightweight, easy to maneuver, and have high speed and acceleration marks. That being said, make sure to keep it off the wall and other competitors, [[ThisIsGonnaSuck or else the suspension will likely become unusable.]]

* GuideDangIt: Also a case of PressXToDie, both IndyCar vehicles, the IR-05 (circa 2011) and the modern DW12 do not have built-in starters, unbeknownst to most drivers. While it may seem like a good idea to kill the engine to save fuel under a caution, [[ThisIsGonnaSuck good luck finding anyone willing to risk their nosecone to push-start the car for you.]] Otherwise, it's a loooooooooooooooong way back to the pits to get it restarted.

* MemeticMutation: "You've got hweel damage!"
** "Door, bumper, clear!"
** "He blowin' up?" [[PrecisionFStrike "Fuck if I know, man..."]]
** [[ApologeticAttacker "Sorry, got loose/tight!"]]

* TheScrappy: Every series has at least ''one'' driver that tends to piss most of the competitors off.

** The virtual spotter has drawn the ire of many racers, mostly due to dumb calls that result from improper calling settings on the user's part.
*** [[NiceJobBreakingItHero "GO HIGH!" *Pancakes another driver in the door*]]
*** "Car at your door!" *Car in question in plain sight ahead of driver*