9/18/2025 – Bigger and Thicker – Episode 0502
iRacers Lounge Podcast – Conversation Topics
Show Introduction
On today’s show we find out which four drivers are competing for the Dale Earnhardt Jr Cup, share more experiences from the Sim Gaming Expo, see what was fixed in the first patch of the 2025 Season 4 build, check out some new wheel rims, does Simucube have something new planned and has Logitech released the Fanatec killer?
And remember you can follow along with us on your PC or mobile device in real time as you listen to the show and see for yourself all of the great topics and products we’ll discuss by visiting iracerslounge.com and selecting show notes. Hope to see you there..
TITLE SPONSOR READ:
https://www.premierracingsetups.com/
Topics
Over One Million!
2025 Season 4 Video Development Blog
R.I.P.
HAD 15385 OVAL STARTS!
https://members-ng.iracing.com/web/racing/home/dashboard?cust_id=65372&tab=stats
Killing Global Endurance
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/85521/killing-global-endurance
It’s All About The People
Sim Gaming Expo Was Epic
iRacing 101: Cosworth PI Toolbox
https://www.iracing.com/iracing-101-cosworth-pi-toolbox
2025 Season 3 Is A Wrap
Where Did Everyone Go?
Championship Four Is Set
What Are Your Plans For 2025 Season 4?
Racing Line Ohio
Worth The Wait?
Was It Worth It?
Big Blocks At Sonoma
2025 Season 4 Issues
If you see the UI displaying only 1/2 of what it should (either horizontally or vertically), either disable AMD FSR or rename the Documents/iRacing folder.
If you see the UI displaying only 1/2 of what it should (either horizontally or vertically), either disable AMD FSR or rename the Documents/iRacing folder.
If you are driving the Ford GT3 and the sim crashes, try a different setup file. There is a known issue where some setups are causing the sim to crash.
If you are getting the “Loading Error: Simulator appeared to be unresponsive for more than 25 seconds” error or stuck loading the sim 98 or 99%, check this out: https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/84832/workaround-fix-loading-error-simulator-appeared-to-be-unresponsive-for-more-than-25-seconds/p3
For anyone getting the “Unexpected Error” message trying to open the iRacing UI – please make sure that your graphics card drivers are up to date.
A Last Second Change To Confuse The Grid
Relaxed Camera Settings In Hosted
2025 Season 4 Patch 1 Release Notes
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/85557/2025-season-4-patch-1-release-notes-2025-09-12-01
I Need Help
ITA Open Wheel Challenge
https://www.intotheapex.com/open-wheel
Bathurst 1000
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/85843/2025-bathurst-1000-by-next-level-racing
This Week In iRacing
https://www.iracing.com/this-week-in-iracing-september-16-to-september-22-2025
Podcast Housekeeping
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We are in the regular rotation… (Mike)
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Fantasy
Hardware/Software
Logitech And McLaren
Insane Value From Cube Controls
Deep Discounts From The Expo
https://alexanderpcs.com/products/competition-rig-sim-gaming-expo-presale
https://alexanderpcs.com/products/sim-gaming-expo-esports-5060
Ark Dynamics
Aiologs Silent Shifter
Murico Radien X
Ford GT3 By VPG
Conspit Fully Stocked
Co-Pilot By Daniel Newman Racing
Tifosi Red By Track Racer
Sim Lab’s New Quick Release
Simucube 3 Leaked Info
NRG Carbon Fiber Seat
https://simhq.com/products/nrg-carbon-fiber-bucket-seat-large
Full Immersion
Pimax Sync 2025
Benofficial2’s Overlays
https://www.overtake.gg/threads/benofficial2s-official-overlays.278643/
Is Aluminum Worth The Upgrade?
Conspit CCP Apex Coming Soon
Results
NASCAR iRacing Series
Friday Open – NiS – Bristol
- David – P wrecked
- Chris – P 17
- Brad- P15 As usual caught up in everyone else’s mess. Had to sit for almost 6 minutes to get damage fixed just to go back out and save SR. Had a car good enough to win both starts just can’t avoid all the NiS stupidity.
Sunday Open- NiS – Bristol
- David – P wrecked, straight dumped
Wednesday Open -NiS – New Hampshire
- Chris – P 19. 26 cautions… what a mess
- David – P22, last race, i’m done with NiS. I can’t remember that last race that was actually decent. iRacing does have a problem and if they don’t fix it they’re going to start losing members. Taken about because one of the drivers that we point out every race as a dirty driver, lays back over a car length and jumps a restart.
- Brad- P3 Very happy with the result but I’m about done with the NASCAR iPacing Series. Another week with double digit cautions. Over a ⅓ of the race was under yellow. It’s just not fun anymore. We have completed 30 weeks of NiS. Out of those 30 weeks, I have only had 3 races where the yellows were in the single digits. This is why we are choosing to stop running NiS.
Thursday Open- NiS – New Hampshire
- Mike- P 10- led some laps, but eventually you got involved in some incidents a couple times. I actually spun on my own coming off too on the bottom. There’s some bumps in the car just come around on throttle. At seven minutes damage got four of it fixed, rode around and finished P 10. We’ll take it.
- Chris – P12- Top Split. I think racing with the international crowd is better than the US. Only 16 cautions. Was in top 10 most of the race. Got wrecked but made my way back up late. P12 and 7th in Div 2 points
Thursday Open- NiS – New Hampshire
- Mike- P 10- led some laps, but eventually you got involved in some incidents a couple times. I actually spun on my own coming off too on the bottom. There’s some bumps in the car just come around on throttle. At seven minutes damage got four of it fixed, rode around and finished P 10. We’ll take it.
- Chris – P12- Top Split. I think racing with the international crowd is better than the US. Only 16 cautions. Was in top 10 most of the race. Got wrecked but made my way back up late. P12 and 7th in Div 2 points
Official Series
Gen 4
- Ellis – P got Chicago started eight finish fifth
- X-ray had some heavy hitters in it including pro Taylor hurst. Same result finish P5.
- Then on to California top split started P5 out of 16 got a tangle and lost my track position fell to the back was able to have a nice recovery with no cautions in this race with green flag stops. Worked my way up to finish P7. We’ll take it.
- Then started second the leader took off and drove away from the rest of us. The rest of us were in a little pack and I ended up finishing P4 great race.
Ring Meister
- Mike – P started fifth out of 28 and the Toyota GR 86. Got involved in a couple of let’s play chicken incidents at the end of the long street one guy threatened to protest me, but I was clearly beside him when he ran me into the grass. Finished 15th out of 28.
- Ran again this time I wrecked out and lap one finished at last
- Started fifth and finished P3 finally a podium
- Started at seventh finish third great race. Had to earn that one.
- Then started at six and got dumped before the green flag DNF
- Then I finally took Paul position, but dumped the car on my own and like turn six like a fool bounding over the curbs
IMSA
- Brad W – P7 Sebring GT3 – Oh what could have been. Had a very fast Ford but got way too aggressive trying to get to the podium. I spun it out coming through Sunset white trying to overtake p3. The Mustang was not happy at all in this corner and it was my biggest challenge all race. I have been moved up to Division 3 so the goal is to finish in the top 10 in points like I did last season in Div 4.
- William W- P7 – Sebring. Messed up qualifying badly. Slow first lap and got an offtrack on my second. Would have been pole, but instead started P16. Very hard working my way up through the field. 2 wide for almost first 2 whole laps and I don’t think I was out of traffic the entire race. Made it up to P10 by pit stop, and got P9 in the pits. Made it to 8th, and couldn’t get past Mustang in front, but he sent it on the mustang in front of him in Sunset on last lap. Was able to follow him through for P7. Good result but could have been much better with a proper start.
GT3 America Fixed
- Donnie- Laguna Seca – Ran two races and finished P13 and P9. Races were clean and my pace picked up with each lap.
INDYCAR OVAL – Fixed
- Donnie – Auto Club, a P13 and a P10. The set was super tight, the track was super bumpy and I was rocking the Ellis 100% force feed back. 70 Lap runs burns your shoulders out…lol
League / Hosted Races
Grass Roots Racing
GTP/GT3 League – Le Mans Endurance Race
- William W – P2. Only 1 clean quali lap or would have been pole. Started P4. Got P3 on first lap and then moved to P2 on the second. Quickly figured out I would need to save fuel with our enduro BOP to make it 8 laps. Spent the first 2 stints fuel saving. Me and P1 pulled a 3 second gap in the first stint. I stupidly took tires when I probably didn’t have to. Fell to 4th warming the tires. Second stop came out right behind leader, and gained lead when he had to fuel save. Got lead up to 2 seconds at points, but got 2 dumb off tracks and brought him right back and he got around me. Add some bad traffic and another offtrack and fell 2 seconds behind. Was catching again when I realized we were going an extra lap than my fuel calculator had planned. Had to slow to allow GTP leader to pass me before the line on the last lap. P1 pit to not run out, and he crossed the line right before me and GTP lead. So close but so far.
- Brad W – P did not finish. One of my least favorite tracks. I could not get the Merc to be stable in the fast sweepers and that cost me multiple slow downs, three in one lap. Completely embarrassed at how I drove after having a great qualifying position. I ended up wrecking and even though we had the fast repairs, I parked it.
Elbows Out Racing League (LMP2 and GT3 Wednesday Nights)
- William- P6. Finished P8 on track but gained 2 spots due to post race penalties. Was looking for something to do on Wednesdays and found this league. Interesting set up with 60 min races and required 4 tire stop. Qualified P3, near pole. Actual racing was very good up front, but we had 62 cars in grid and there is quite the IR discrepancy through the field. On lap 2 the mustang in P4 sent it in sunset and hit me in the right rear. Somehow I saved it but lost a lot of time and tires were angry for 2 laps. Got passed by P5 on pace and was running 5th when I pit. P11 after pits and half spun the car in the hairpin. Between that, apparently botching the pit strat in new league, and some awful traffic luck I cycled to 9th once all pit stops were done. Was able to chase down 8th and pass him on last lap for finish.
Hosted-
- Ellis – ran carburetor cup finished 7 at Monza oval
Final Thoughts
Words Spoken in Closing Audio Clip -“”Thank you for listening to the iRacers Lounge podcast make sure to go subscribe to us on iTunes, SoundCloud, or Google Play, Facebook & Twitter, See You On The Track .”
TITLE
- Bigger and Thicker
Description
On today’s show we find out which four drivers are competing for the Dale Earnhardt Jr Cup, share more experiences from the Sim Gaming Expo, see what was fixed in the first patch of the 2025 Season 4 build, check out some new wheel rims, does Simucube have something new planned and has Logitech released the Fanatec killer?
So sit back, relax and join us on the iRacers Lounge Podcast.
iRacers Lounge Podcast is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, Podbean, Spreaker, Podbay, PodFanatic, Overcast, Amazon, and other podcast players.
Sponsors:
Hosts:
Mike Ellis – https://x.com/mikedeanellis
David Hall – https://x.com/dmixmage
Greg Hecktus – twitter.com/froozenkaktus
Donnie Spiker – https://www.instagram.com/spikerman19/
Brad Wrenn – https://x.com/bradwrenn
John Kerley – https://x.com/KerleyJohnE
Justin Pearson – https://www.facebook.com/justin.pearson.5811
Bobby Jonas – https://x.com/bjonas71
William Westbrook – https://www.facebook.com/william.westbrook.35
Links:
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Web (Show Notes) – iracerslounge.com/