iRacing sure likes to tease us, don’t they?
Over the past weekend iRacing slid in another screen shot of their upcoming dirt release on their twitter feed.
The dirt cushion is now implemented for our
#DIRT testers, which moves up the track over the course of a race.
Pictured are the massively popular Late Models racing around one of the most notoriously difficult dirt tracks in the world, Williams Grove. In the post, iRacing mentions something about a “cushion”. For those that are unfamiliar with dirt, no the cushion is not something you sit on.
In the photo, the darker colored red clay towards the top of the track has been unused so far. The edge between that and the lighter color of dirt is called the “cushion” or “curb” in dirt speak.
The cushion is formed on a dirt track because of a hand full of reasons. Those that prep a dirt track might leave the top of the track “ripped” up and purposely not allow the cars to “wheel pack” into that ripped part. Packing the track before the racing begins for the night helps push down and stick the clay together. This method also helps to squeeze the excess water out of that top layer. Track workers typically have the cars work from just under the ripped part down to the bottom of the track to help pack and squeeze the water out and to the bottom.
The idea is to make the bottom of the track a little more slippery so it can survive to the main event. Likewise, ripping the top is done to help create a cushion for the drivers to lean on with their car throughout the night. The holy grail per say for every promoter in dirt track racing is to have two grooves in the feature event at the end of the night.
I’ve already highlighted the reason for a cushion, but what does it really do? As “hot laps” (dirt track speak for practice/warm-ups) start with a group of cars on the track at speed, they slide all over because of how wet that top layer is. Cars usually get four or so laps before the next group rolls out. As hot laps progress, they are slowly digging down into the track to get to the next layer. This is typically the “tacky” part of the track. Hot laps, depending on the track can be run from half way up to about two thirds the way up the track. Remember, down low is very sloppy and wet from wheel pack and that causes problems, so in most instances the drivers will not go all the way to the bottom in hot laps.
Throughout hot laps, that digging down causes a lip to form. That lip becomes the cushion and drivers will put their right rear tire against it. That cushion helps hold the car from continuing to slide up the track and gives more surface area for the tire to get a hold of. As the night goes on, the cushion will continue to get bigger and slowly get pushed up the race track.
Those of us that race on dirt also know the perils of running the “high, scary side” of the track. Sometimes the cushion is small and can be broken off if abused. Other times it can act like a concrete curb; it’s really like hitting a wall with your right rear tire. The cushion takes a lot of bravery, aggression and car control to make it work to your advantage. One small mistake and you can be over that cushion line and in the loose stuff where there is minimal traction if any.
All that time that was gained…gone.
At worst, making a mistake on the cushion can cause huge problems like flipping the car over and destroying your night.
Here’s to hoping that iRacing can get this crucial part of dirt racing right.
iRacing’s Twitter