5/21/2026 – Hot Swapping – Episode 0532
iRacers Lounge Podcast – Conversation Topics
Show Introduction
On today’s show: 2026 Season 2 Patch 4 release notes, new scan requests for iRacing, ever hot swapped a wheel mid-race?, we are a week away from the Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, we are spending Mike’s money again, an ambient lights tutorial, the boys from Red Bull have some fun and how much does iRacing actually cost?
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
Some Red Bull Fun
ChatGPT Roasts iRacers
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/95197/asked-chatgpt-to-make-jokes-about-us
Working On Better Event Server Connections
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/comment/802255#Comment_802255
Sim Racing PSA
Flaws In The Game
Carson “I’ve just I’ve just I mean I’ve been a fan of the sport ever since I was a kid.
I I kind of knew what race car driver I wanted to be and I kind of just saw flaws in the game of man like why is everybody letting everybody go? Like if
you know even like when I was late mall racing, everybody, you know, you’d have a 250 lap race, you knew everybody was just going to let everybody go in the first hundred and take care of each other even back then. And I was like,
man, well, if everybody’s just letting everybody go, I’m gonna be the one guy to just I’m gonna pass them all. It’s gonna be way easy. It’s way easier at the front. Yeah.
You know, at the start of the race, I was like, perfect. And so, I’m always just have thought about flaws in the game.“
Mike’s Take – “This is exactly what we have been wondering about what is happened to the racing in iracing… We have all felt a shift from what the racing was like a few years ago in the sim, versus now… I think Carson’s young person mindset on you never give an inch has resulted in the current racing we see. A lot of iracers have shifted to this style…”
More Respect For Our Hobby
Something Big Is Coming
iracersresource.com
Honeycutt Gets The Win!
Having Issues?
Time Attack Advocate
Good morning, long time-listener here, (and longer time sim-racer) enjoy the show and love the focus being on iracing! …
I started my sim racing adventures back with the original Papyrus Indy Car racing and been what could be called a “hardcare sim racer” ever since. Anyway, Time Attack (TA)… over the past two years I have come to believe that TA is one of the most powerful (and underused) tools available on the service.
My reasoning for this belief? Competition! Not the competition to “win” fast lap awards but rather the utility to improve my own competitive edge by implementing the data available to my advantage. Beyond the more obvious advantage of seeing the line of the fastest guys in a particular car/track combo, I credit TA directly for many improvements to my race performance directly to TA.
The most recent example of this was in the Audi 80, I selected found a couple corners where I was not sure about the gear I was using in a couple corners, rather than using my precious sim time to test and run enough laps to gather meaningful data on the options, I went to TA and set the TA “race against” option to ghost someone who only 3rd or 4th fastest on lap time, but had a notably lower incident count than the fastest lap drivers had. I felt this would better reflect true race pace laps over the “hail Mary” laps that are often required to set a fastest lap.
Not only did I answer my questions about gearing but I happened to notice that in a one of the corners this driver had a much earlier apex than I in one of the corners, while I found this odd, I decided try his line, I noticed that my delta went red… I was about to mentally pat myself on the back for “knowing better” – BUT… he was lined up much better for the following turn than my typical line; and carrying much more entry speed on the following corner than I was capable of – in summary, between verifying gear selection and the line change in the combination of two corner I set a new PB by over a half second! Great return in less than 10 minutes of work!
I use TA whenever possible as part of my race preparation when familiarizing for upcoming races – having the ghost car of a REAL driver (versus the AI) as a rabbit to chase makes the practice time replicate a more authentic competitive feel than just turning laps by myself or in the chaos of official sessions as they fill up.
The other thing TA is great for is when learning a new car and/or track combo – I find it gets me up to speed far faster than just watching track guides and lone practice sessions. In these situations, I recommend ghosting drivers with lap times around .5 to one second faster than what you run, when you beat their lap, simply select the next faster target and move on!
Just some food for thought, and, of course, your milage may vary… but I think there is a lot more to be gained in TA than just the bragging right to a fast lap.
That said, great show guys! Keep up the great work.
Michael Lathrop
Nurburgring 24HR By The Numbers
Time Stood Still
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/comment/803867#Comment_803867
2026 Season 2 Patch 4 Release Notes
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/95480/2026-season-2-patch-4-release-notes-2026-05-04-02
iracingliks.com
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/95580/iracinglinks-com-a-basic-website-for-iracing-links
Umm…Really?
Twice A Year…Tighten Em Up
Send The Scan Team
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DX5OfnDAm5u
Scan This Please
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/82299/should-iracing-bring-super-gt-gt500-gt300-to-the-sim
One Of The Best Explanations
A Photo Finish!
Is That Tow Mater?
Hot Swap
Flawed System?
2026 Sim Gaming Expo
September 18 – 20, 2026
Sim Racing Expo – Charlotte, NC
May 22 – May 24, 2026
Indy 500
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/95240/2026-indy-500s
This Week In iRacing
https://www.iracing.com/this-week-in-iracing-may-12th-to-may-18th-2026/
Podcast Housekeeping
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We are in the regular rotation… (Mike)
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Fantasy
Hardware/Software
Chad McNeese’s Ultimate Hardware Spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i08zKjBSmSn5G_mCc9cHx07w7XLo03sfoytpVJkqbYk/edit?usp=sharing
Choose Your Color
Ambient Lighting Tutorial
Unbeatable?
Too Slow
BB2.2 Cup
Spend Mike’s Money
https://alphacoolproducts.com/products/alphacool-12v-motorcycle-circulatory-cooling-vest-system
Act Now And Save $10,000
Mission Sim By VPG
Is That Cheap, That Good?
Crank It Up!
Jon 🏳 [MOZA], :
Here you go @1.) Mike Ellis https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Amk5mPJxC/ Topic for your next pod. Cool seat idea’s!!! Also check the comments for others i think you will like the in built fan idea 
RevoSim And Aston Martin
F1 Style Dashboard
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4498798623/f1-sim-racing-dashboard-display-pcu-8d
VThrotl Simulators
https://www.vthrotl.com/simulators
Mike Is Happy Again
Results
NASCAR iRacing Series
Friday Open – NiS – Texas
- David – P5, finally got a top 5. We had a long run near the end, I was terrible beginning of race, but car came to me. On the long run moved from about 24th to somewhere in the top 10. I saved the last of the adjustments in the PRS notes for the short run at the end and was able to make a couple of passes and hold on to 5th.
- Brad- P8 Started p4 and ran at the front all the race. Drove up as high as p2 but failed to make the necessary changes to the car to keep up with the leaders. We had a very long green flag run and I over drove early in that run and really started to fall till a late caution saved me. Was able to throw some tires on and make it back to p8. Had only one chance for a start at Texas.
Sunday Open- NiS – Texas
- David – P10, had 16x for the last 40 laps. Lap 1 got 4x from a blinker appearing in my hood. Then 3 wrecks wright in front of me. Again was slow at the beginning of the race but was able to really go on the last run with the final adjustments.
- Kyle – P10 Started P6 and ran top 5 for 80% of the race and even led some laps. About 100 laps in we had back to back cautions and I screwed myself by not pitting the first time and pitting on the second caution, getting trapped in mid pack. Drove up towards the front and was set for a top5 finish with 8 to go we get a caution and I get caught speeding in the pits. Luckily a quick caution came and I drove up to the top 20. GWC and on the final lap a big wreck right in front of me and I dive down next to the inside wall to avoid the wreck coming out with a P10 finish. Thank you to David for coming in and spotting the end of the race for me.
Sunday Fixed- NiS – Texas
- Mike- Pdnf. There were a lot of early cautions missed all those was running pretty clean. We eventually got in a fuel window. I thought I needed to get fuel in case it went green from here and that put me in the back with the garbage and then there was a big wreck and I couldn’t miss it and I had seven minute damage and decided to park it
- Kyle – P20 Started P18 and survived lap1 turn1 But got collected by a spun car who wouldn’t hold their brake and slow rolled backwards into the carousel giving me wheel damage of 6 minutes. Spent the next 42 laps just trying to survive and pick up spots. Not how I wanted to spend my only race of the week just to ride around. Had Top 5 speed and consistency but stuck 6 laps down.
Wednesday Open -NiS – Watkins
- David – P pimax logs out at beginning of race, so I come back 2 laps down only to get intentionally wrecked by p24 cause he didn’t like that I passed him clean in the carousel.
Thursday Open- NiS – Watkins
- Chris – P 5. Wrecked it early and speeding on pit road. Cost myself the race!
Sunday Open- NiS – Watkin
- David – Car blows up entering turn one with the normal down shift!
Official Series
Ring Meister
- Mike – P1 dallara il 15. Indy next. Start at 13th worked my way forward and eventually got the lead right at the end winner winner chicken dinner get it done in the first attempt of the week. Win number 143.
- Then tried two in a row started Paul position, but wrecked out, trying too hard at the carousel stuffed it in the wall DNF
- Then started on Pole. Kept the lead the whole race had a guy behind me between 4 and six seconds back. Was able to hold the gap racing real hard and take the win again number 145.
- Started first and let every lap one guy got to the back of me and net coated into the wall once he hit me and after that I went on to win again this is win number three out of four tries tonight
- Then again started second this time got to the lead at the end vinyl app. Some guy tried to dive it in there and took a pulled out enough.
- Then on Tuesday, I run again and start from the pool and end up winning the race. That’s four out of six.
- Then wrecked out on my own
- Now first race of the new week where a different car, the Audi GTO 90 and guess what started second and lead from turn one lap on every lap and won the race winner winner chicken dinner also had the best laugh of the race with a 654 and a 20.4 second gap at the end over the entire field very satisfying wind to get it on the first attempt number 148
- Started first got away from people, but ended up making a mistake and going straight into the wall DNF
- Then started second first place shoved it in the wall on the first corner. I took the lead and never looked back 22 second gap win number 149.
- Then started first drove away from the field pretty much this time a 32nd gap to win number 150
- Tuesday night start on First and had a guy stay with me for most of the race. I was slowly get gapping him. Eventually he wrecked and I went on the wind by a 31 second gap over the field win number 151.
- Try it again finally top split started third got damaged before the start of the race when fourth wanted to be raced me to the line and put me in the wall. I continued on but wrecked at some point during lap two DNF.
Lotus 79 Grand Prix series
- Ellis- P DNF had a great start went from 13th up to eighth go back to 10th was making little mistakes. I spun by myself a couple times and that slow speed came, but then I could tell I lost mental focus around lap 12 I was missing a couple quarters and next thing you know I was in the wall.
- Then started 13th got the 10th on the first lap. I was letting people go though after that and gradually worked my way up to P5 from attrition until about 30 or 45 where I went over a curb a little too much and it snapped sideways and dumped me in the wall DNF. P-11 out of 16
- Then I’m in top split near the back two or three rows in the back of a 32 car field standing start the Guy one row back but on the inside and I’m on the outside basically jumps to start tries to go up the middle but instead, he just drives over the top of me instead I’m not even halfway through first gear. I don’t even see it coming and I’m in the wall with no left front wheel DNF.
League / Hosted Races
IRLP All-Star Race
- Chris W – P11. Just had a blast with the old school The Winston all star race shootout. Wrecked in the last 10 lap shootout but that’s racing. Thanks to everyone who came out!
Grass Roots Racing
GTP/GT3 League – Spa Sprint Race
- William W – P1!! Quali P1 and fell to second. Rode there until the pits stops. Exiting the pits the top 4 cars literally came out phased into each other. Cycled to 3rd, leader had an oops with about 3 to go and moved to second. New leader had some awful luck with traffic on the last lap and was able to get a run at the end of the straight. Some contact in the chicane which was unfortunate but everyone agreed was a racing incident. Kept it together for the rest of the lap to take it home.
- Road Atlanta – P1!!! My home track and one of the best on the service, but typically don’t have great luck here. Qualified 2nd and was able to get the lead around like 15 with a fantastic pass in the last turn with a little help from traffic. Little tangle between 2nd and 3rd behind me in turn 1 gave me some breathing room. Stretched the lead out to 3 seconds. They started to catch a bit but traffic helped spread things out again. Held on until the end to go back to back in the league. Feels good because the season had been mostly a disa
Elbows Out Racing League (LMP2 and GT3 Wednesday Nights)
- William- Spa P4 – Qualified 2nd and rode there until the pit. 1st was fast and not sure I had anything for him. Less than optimal pit stop dropped me to 4th and that’s where I stayed. Good race, but could have a been a better result.
- Road Atlanta – P2. Qualified pole by half a second. I love this place. Led the whole first stint, got out to a 4 second lead, but with traffic went into the pit with a 2 second lead. Little slow into the pits, but not bad. However on exit I got on the gas too fast and almost lost it. Between that and the guy in 2nd going into the pits a lap after he came out right in front of me. I normally would have been able to get around him on cold tires, but LMP2 backmarker traffic was in the way for the first 2 of his out laps and he was able to get heat into the tires. Spent the rest of the race absolutely on his bumper, but traffic seemed to appear everytime I got a chance at a run. He had a really bad move under braking with about 15 min left when I got a run into turn 10. He apologized after the race, but that was really the last serious chance I got. With 2 laps to go we both went off track trying to pass 2 lapped GT3 that were fighting for position. We both made contact with one of them, but that ended any chance I had pretty much. Good result, and was happy with it in the moment, but now feel like I let one get away.
Major Series – INDY 500
- David – P3, Tyler Beaman had the fast car all race. He was going to loose and me finish 3rd on fuel milages, but a late caution came out. I still held on for 3rd
Hosted-
- Ellis – P Chris McGuire hosted supercars at Homestead
- Then a random hosted truck race at Talladega with about 50 people worked my way forward a few times ended up at the end P3 almost
- Pick up cop at Charlotte absolutely destroyed in the first lap. DNF.
- Pick up cup at Charlotte started fifth and finish T3
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
- Hot Swapping
Description
On today’s show: 2026 Season 2 Patch 4 release notes, new scan requests for iRacing, ever hot swapped a wheel mid-race?, we are a week away from the Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, we are spending Mike’s money again, an ambient lights tutorial, the boys from Red Bull have some fun and how much does iRacing actually cost?
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.
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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
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