The Garage & Options Tabs (Basic Setup)

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Introduction to the Garage and Setup

As a beginner driver in iRacing, you’ll spend most of your time getting familiar with your car, the tracks, and your driving skills. Car setup can seem intimidating at first, but for now, you don’t need to worry about most of the settings in the Garage. The Garage is an area where you can make adjustments to your car’s configuration for better performance, but as a starter, you’ll primarily use it for tire changes when conditions require it, such as shifting to wet weather tires.

Here’s a basic rundown of what you’ll encounter in the Garage and how to use it at the beginner level:

What Is the Garage?

The Garage is where you can access and modify various settings for your car, such as tire pressures, fuel load, aero settings, suspension, brakes, and much more. While these settings are important for more experienced racers, as a beginner, you won’t need to make many adjustments to them until you become more comfortable with your racing.

Using the Garage for Tire Changes

One of the most basic and essential tasks you’ll need to do in the Garage as a beginner is changing tires based on track conditions, such as rain or dry weather. Here’s how you can do this:

Changing Tires to Wet

1. Accessing the Garage:
   When you’re in a practice session or preparing for a race, the Garage can be accessed through the Garage Tab in the main iRacing interface.
2. Changing Tire Types:
   If weather conditions change (e.g., rain), you may need to switch to wet weather tires. In the Garage, you’ll find a menu to adjust your tires.
   • Dry Weather Tires: These are used in regular conditions, offering optimal grip on a dry surface.
   • Wet Weather Tires: These are designed for rainy or damp conditions, offering better traction in slippery conditions.
3. How to Change Tires:
   • Step 1: Go to the Tires section in the Garage.
   • Step 2: Select Wet Tires if the track conditions call for it.
   • Step 3: Save and exit the Garage after the tire change.

Why Tire Changes Matter:

• In wet conditions, wet tires provide more grip and better water dispersion to keep your car stable. Not using the appropriate tires for weather conditions can cause you to lose control and make the car harder to drive.

What Else Is in the Garage?

For now, don’t worry about other settings in the Garage such as suspension, gear ratios, brakes, or aero adjustments. These settings are more relevant as you advance and gain experience with how the car behaves.

Once you feel more comfortable and start participating in official races or longer sessions, you’ll want to explore these settings more. But for now, focus on these essentials:

• Tire Type (dry vs. wet conditions).
• Fuel Load (though generally, you won’t adjust this much early on).
• Tire Pressures (which might be covered later if you get more into tuning).

Why You Don’t Need to Worry About Setup Yet

At the beginner level, it’s more important to:

• Focus on driving and learning the track.
• Use the default car setup and only make minor adjustments when needed.
• Concentrate on improving your racing fundamentals, like braking, acceleration, and cornering, rather than obsessing over car setup.

Next Steps

Once you’re comfortable with driving, you’ll gradually start learning how to adjust your car’s setup for different tracks and weather conditions. Until then, don’t feel the need to dive deep into the Garage settings—just stick to the basics and let your racing skills grow!