MONSTER's N3 PASSING PAGE

Here I am going to try to explain a little about passing. Most of this will be common sense. But some (especially people not familiar with NASCAR Racing in true life) may not have a good understanding of the "code of ethics" involved with NASCAR.

It seems that many drivers come out onto the track with the impression that the key to winning a NASCAR race is to"pass whenever and however you can." Nothing could be further from the truth. NASCAR racing requires patience and strategy. You must plan your pass before you make it, looking for a clean opportunity to slide around the other car. By recklessly running around other racers, you run the risk of causing a major pileup out on the track, not to mention that you tend to wear out your tires a lot faster (juking and deking all over the track) and can end up falling back in the long run.

There are typically "sweet spots" on each course where passing is a lot more feasible than other places. Against computer opponents, it is quite easy to see where this is. They generally run a slightly different line from yours, and a few laps run in practice can determine where this line gives you a distinct advantage. This usually occurs coming off of a particular turn. Once you find it, you should be able to pass the computer AI relatively unscathed.

Human opponents require a bit more study and patience. This sweet spot mentioned above is not necessarily a constant, because you are now dealing with the chaotic mind of another human racer. Here it becomes a battle of setups and driving styles. When you are behind a slower human opponent, you are waiting for them to slip up and miss their line a little. Unless your gear ratios give you a distinct advantage on the straight-aways, you are going to find that you will more often pass your friends and opponents due to their lack of concentration. It is here where the patience really pay off, because normally you will not have to adjust anything in your line to pass them, they simply slide high, or ride the apron on the bottom, and you can cruise past.

Remember to watch them operate a few laps, unless a major mistake gives you the upper hand quickly. They will show you how their line is performing versus yours (in the turns, especially.) You will soon see a pattern, and can adjust and improvise to make a bid for their position on the track soon after.

More often than not the patient racer will end up placing better than the insane risk-takers, because they are in control and this makes their position one of the upper hand. Another benefit is that you get to know different drivers, and how they react to pass attempts. Some will let you go, conceding the fact that you won the battle (saving it for when they catch back up to you.) Others will see your attempt, and use all means available to "shut the door" on your line. The latter can make races extremely interesting, and it is these drivers that also cause a lot of the hairy situations on the track. Not that there is anything wrong with that kind of aggressive driving. You just must be aware of it when you go to pass them in particular...