Fired up the sim rig last Tuesday after work, completely fried from coding all day. Figured some NASCAR action might chill me out. Scrolled through my iRacing library and boom – Atlanta Motor Speedway popped up. Instantly remembered that epic Carl Edwards vs Jimmie Johnson duel from 2005. Thought “Hell yeah, let’s recreate that mess.”
The Gear Nightmare
Dusted off my wheel base only to find the pedals acting janky. Throttle kept sticking like chewed gum under a diner table. Tore the whole setup apart:
- Used WD-40 on the throttle spring (don’t judge)
- Rewrapped frayed USB cables with electrical tape
- Stole my kid’s algebra textbook to prop the monitor higher
Took three beers and two hours before the damn pedals worked right. Should’ve just bought new gear.
AI Settings Debacle
Wanted those drivers authentic. Dug through forums finding old forum posts about their styles:
- Jimmie smooth as butter
- Carl aggressive like a honeybadger
- Set tire wear to 100% realism
- Turned damage modeling ON
Fired up practice laps. Got rear-ended by AI Johnson immediately. Carl AI spun me twice before Turn 3. Screamed at the monitor like an idiot.
The Big Showdown
Started mid-pack for the race replay. Let the AIs duke it out up front. By lap 30, Edwards and Johnson pulled away – just like the real 2005 run. Watching their bump drafts in my rearview gave actual goosebumps.
Tried sneaking inside Johnson on lap 78. Big mistake. Got pinned in the damn apron when Carl dove low. My spotter yelled “THREE WIDE THREE WIDE!” like a broken robot. Held my breath… tires screeched… then BAM! Johnson clipped my rear fender.
Spun across the infield grass like a runaway shopping cart. Finished 22nd while watching those legends battle for the W. Their AI versions even traded paint at the finish line. Johnson won by .003 seconds. Insane.
Reality Check
Totally forgot my real-world problems during those laps. Bills? Deadlines? Nonexistent while chasing Jimmie’s virtual rear bumper. But when the checkered flag flew, all the crap came rushing back.
Thought about how Edwards quit NASCAR cold turkey. How Johnson kept grinding until 50. Life’s full of hairpins and pit stops – just gotta choose when to push hard or park it. Might sound corny but screw it, racing’s my cheap therapy.
Shut down the rig at 2am. Left Cheetos dust on the wheel and beer rings on the desk. Worth every damn minute.
