FLAG TO FLAG: DRIVING GUIDE
by
Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather
[email protected]



Initial Version Completed: October 30, 2002
FINAL VERSION Completed:   November 16, 2002

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ACCOLADES: The Flag to Flag: Driving Guide was deemed both
Best Full Circle FAQ of the Day AND Best FAQ of the Day on
the GameFAQs FAQ Contributors Board for October 31, 2002 :-)

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CONTENTS
Spacing and Length
Permissions
Introduction
Arcade Mode
Championship Mode
Game Tips
Braking
Cornering
Rumble Strips
Drafting/Slipstreaming
Wet-weather Racing/Driving
Tuning
Flags and Boards
Round 1: Miami
Round 2: Motegi
round 3: Long Beach
Round 4: Nazareth
Round 5: Rio de Janeiro
Round 6: Gateway International
Round 7: Milwaukee Mile
Round 8: Detroit
Round 9: Portland
Round 10: Cleveland (Burke Lakefront Airport)
Round 11: Toronto
Round 12: Michigan
Round 13: Mid-Ohio
Round 14: Road America
Round 15: Vancouver
Round 16: Laguna Seca
Round 17: Houston
Round 18: Gold Coast (Surfers' Paradise)
Round 19: Fontana
Diagrams
Contact Information

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SPACING AND LENGTH
For optimum readability, this driving guide should be
viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier.
Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters
below line up:

1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

This guide is more than 50 pages long in the Macintosh
version of Microsoft Word 98 using single-spaced Courier 12
font.  This means that it is likely NOT a good idea to print
this guide in its entirety.

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PERMISSIONS
Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or
print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use.
However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving
guide may not be such a good idea.

This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides,
GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com,
Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com,
GameReactors.com, RedCoupe, InsidePS2Games.com,
CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru,
CheatHeaven, IGN, cheatingplanet.com, RobsGaming.com,
neoseeker.com, ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com.  Please
contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet.

Should anyone wish to translate this game guide into other
languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me
with a copy when complete.

Remember:  Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!!

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INTRODUCTION
Flag to Flag is a DreamCast racing game based upon the 1998
CART season.  It is perhaps ironic that CART's title sponsor
in the 1998 season (and thus seen prominently in the game),
FedEx, has recently announced (as of the initial writing of
this driving guide) that it will no longer be the title
sponsor as of the 2003 CART season... and after this past
weekend's fiasco at Surfer's Paradise in Australia, I can
certainly understand why :-(

The main note that may scare away potential Flag to Flag
players is that car control is available ONLY by using the
analog stick above the D-pad >:-(   This makes car control
for aggressive drivers (such as myself) extremely difficult
at best, especially on road courses (such as Road America or
Burke Lakefront) or street courses (such as Toronto or
Detroit).  This issue is not quite as glaring when racing at
the oval-style circuits (such as Miami homestead).
Therefore, those unfamiliar with analog-stick driving who do
not have a good amount of time to spend perfecting this
driving skill should probably stay away from Flag to Flag.
This game does support a racing wheel; I do not own one, but
I suspect that car control will be MUCH easier for players
using a racing wheel.

Please note that some of the information contained within
this driving guide come from some of my other guides:

  General Racing/Driving Guide
  Newman-Haas Racing: Driving Guide
  World-famous Racing Circuits Guide

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ARCADE MODE
For those who simply want to start racing, this is the place
to begin.  Arcade Mode races are rather short, however -
generally only three or four laps in length - so those
looking for longer races should instead turn to Championship
Mode (see below).

Arcade Mode supports both single-player and two-player
capabilities.  Once the number of players, driver(s),
transmission(s), and race venue have all been selected, the
appropriate data is loaded from the Flag to Flag game disc.
There is a flyover of various areas of the chosen venue, then
the rolling start begins with the player(s) in the last
position(s).  Since these races are rather short, the
player(s) will have very little time to try to maneuver up
through the field, which makes the analog-stick car control
issue mentioned in the Introduction section all the more
crucial to success.  Interestingly, players are always kept
appraised of the driver of the next car ahead on the circuit
(regardless of whether there is a difference in consecutive
position and/or laps completed), which will help in learning
to recognize which drivers are in which cars (by colors,
logos, etc.).

After the race has ended and any new records displayed, the
option is given to Replay, Continue, or Exit.  Of these,
Continue is NOT self-explanatory; selecting Continue will
instead restart the race.

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CHAMPIONSHIP MODE
This is a single-player mode with the goal of winning the
CART Drivers Championship for the 1998 season using all of
the nineteen 1998 race venues in the actual calendar order
(note that Gold Coast is now more commonly known as Surfers'
Paradise).  For player reference, they are:

  Round   Race Venue                 Circuit Type
  -----   ------------------------   ----------------------
  1       Miami Homestead            Oval
  2       Twin Ring Motegi (Japan)   Oval
  3       Long Beach                 Street Circuit
  4       Nazareth                   Trioval
  5       Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)    Trapezoidal 'Oval'
  6       Gateway International      Oval
  7       Milwaukee Mile             Oval
  8       Detroit                    Street Circuit
  9       Portland International     Road Course
  10      Burke Lakefront            Airport (Road) Circuit
  11      Toronto (Canada)           Street Circuit
  12      Michigan                   Oval
  13      Mid-Ohio                   Road Course
  14      Road America               Road Course
  15      Vancouver (Canada)         Street Circuit
  16      Laguna Seca                Road Course
  17      Houston                    Street Circuit
  18      Gold Coast                 Street Circuit
  19      Fontana                    Oval

Some of the race venues in Flag to Flag are no longer used in
CART racing (such as Rio de Janeiro), and others (such as
Montreal, which makes use of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve,
which will be VERY familiar to diehard fans of F1 racing)
have been added in the years since the game was released.
Also, some circuits have seen some redesigning in the
intervening years; for example, the pylons have been removed
from Surfers' Paradise, which has inherently dropped lap
times as the Champ Cars go bounding over the edges of the
chicanes.

For the Drivers Championship, points are awarded to the top
twelve drivers at the end of each race; the driver with the
most points at the end of the season is the winner of the
Drivers Championship.  Points are distributed in this manner:

  Placing   Points
  -------   ------
  1         21
  2         16
  3         15
  4         12
  5         10
  6         8
  7         6
  8         5
  9         4
  10        3
  11        2
  12        1
  13-27     0

Obviously, consistency across all nineteen rounds of the
(1998) CART season is key to winning the Drivers
Championship.  Fortunately, there are three difficulty levels
for Championship Mode; selecting Easy at the beginning of the
Championship Mode season will give the player a far better
chance of attaining consistency (and wins) throughout the
season.

Once a Championship Mode difficulty, driver, and player name
(initials) have been selected, the season begins at Miami.
In each round of the Championship Mode season, the player is
first given the opportunity to Practice.  Before practicing,
the player can change the car's set-up in the garage area,
then select Practice to go to the track and (starting from
Pit Lane) test the set-up.  When done practicing, the player
returns to the Practice screen, then selects Start Qualify at
the bottom of the screen.

Qualifying is done across two laps, with the player's best
(fastest) lap counting in terms of where the player will
start in the final race grid.

At last, it is time to race.  The starting grid is shown, the
final warm-up lap is shown (with the pace car leading the
field), and the camera then changes to show where the player
is positioned on the grid.  The race then begins!!!
Interestingly, players are always kept appraised of the
driver of the next car ahead on the circuit (regardless of
whether there is a difference in consecutive position and/or
laps completed), which will help in learning to recognize
which drivers are in which cars (by colors, logos, etc.).

At the end of the race, results are shown, and the player is
given the opportunity to save game progress.  This should
always be done, in case some fool drives into a telephone
pole and cuts the electricity to the area.

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GAME TIPS
First and foremost, STAY ON THE APPROVED RACING SURFACES!!!
Dropping even ONE wheel onto grass or sand will INSTANTLY
slow the car to only 50MPH (80KPH), so it is imperative to
keep to the approved racing surfaces.

The best places to make passes are entering and exiting
corners.  Entering a corner is probably easier for making
passes, as this simply requires outbraking another car (i.e.,
braking later but harder, thus resulting in faster
deceleration).  Passing on corner exit requires horsepower,
which slower cars obviously do not have, but this may not
work when attempting to pass any of the cars in the Top Five.

Drafting tactics are also extremely beneficial for passing on
straightaways.  See the Drafting/Slipstreaming section (see
below) for more information.

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BRAKING
The first step in driving fast is knowing when, where, and
how much to slow down (braking).  In some games, a brake
controller can be acquired or purchased, allowing the player
to customize the brake strength by axle or by adjusting the
bias of the brakes toward the front or the rear of the car.

The use of a brake controller will affect the braking zone,
as will other factors.  Specifically, the car's speed on
approaching a corner, the amount of fuel in the car at a
given moment, the drivetrain of the car, the weight of the
car, and even the car's center of gravity can all affect the
braking zone.  Similarly, the driving conditions - sunny,
overcast, damp, wet, icy, snowy etc. - will affect the
braking zone for each corner (as well as the car's ability to
attain high speeds).

Except for purely arcade-style games, the braking zone will
differ somewhat for each car depending upon its strengths and
weaknesses.  It certainly helps for the player to try a Free
Run or a Time Trial (if these modes exist in a given game) to
learn the circuit(s) - including the braking zones.

When looking for braking zones, try to find a particular
stationary object near the entry of each corner; it helps
tremendously if this object is far enough away from the
circuit that it will not be knocked over during a race.  To
begin, try using the brakes when the front of the car is
parallel with the chosen stationary object.  If this does not
slow the car enough before corner entry or if the car slows
too much before reaching the corner, pick another stationary
object on the following lap and try again.

Whenever changes are made to the car - whether to the brake
controller or to other aspects of tuning and/or parts - it
would be a good idea to go back into Free Run mode and check
that the braking zones still hold; if not, adjust as
necessary using the method in the paragraph above.

For those races which include fuel loads, the car will become
progressively lighter during a race.  The lesser weight can
often mean a slightly shorter braking zone; however, if tire
wear is excessive (especially if there have been numerous
off-course excursions), that might dictate a longer braking
zone.

Cars with a higher horsepower output will inherently attain
faster speeds, and will therefore require a longer braking
zone than cars with a lower horsepower output.  Try a
Volkswagon New Beetle, a Mini Cooper, a Dodge Viper, a Panoz
Esperante GT-1, a Corvette C5R, and an F-2002 (all in
stock/base configuration) along the same area of a circuit
and note how their braking zones differ.

A final note on braking: To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake
in a straight line.  If braking only occurs when cornering,
the car will likely be carrying too much speed for the
corner, resulting in the car sliding, spinning, and/or
flipping.  (Some games purposely do not permit the car to
flip, but a slide or spin can still mean the difference
between winning and ending up in last position at the end of
a race.)

If nothing else, players should strive to become of the
'breakers' they possibly can.  This will essentially force a
player to become a better racer/driver in general once the
player has overcome the urge to constantly run at top speed
at all times with no regard for damages to self or others.
Also, slowing the car appropriately will make other aspects
of racing/driving easier, especially in J-turns, hairpin
corners, and chicanes.

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CORNERING
Ideally, the best way to approach a corner is from the
outside of the turn, braking well before entering the corner.
At the apex (the midpoint of the corner), the car should be
right up against the edge of the pavement.  On corner exit,
the car drifts back to the outside of the pavement and speeds
off down the straightaway.  So, for a right-hand turn of
about ninety degrees, enter the corner from the left, come to
the right to hit the apex, and drift back to the left on
corner exit.  See the Diagrams section at the end of this
guide for a sample standard corner.

For corners that are less than ninety degrees, it may be
possible to just barely tap the brakes - if at all - and be
able to clear such corners successfully.  However, the same
principles of cornering apply: approach from the outside of
the turn, hit the apex, and drift back outside on corner
exit.

For corners more than ninety degrees but well less than 180
degrees, braking will certainly be required.  However, for
these 'J-turns,' the apex of the corner is not the midpoint,
but a point approximately two-thirds of the way around the
corner.  J-turns require great familiarity to know when to
begin diving toward the inside of the corner and when to
power to the outside on corner exit.  See the Diagrams
section at the end of this guide for a sample J-turn.

Hairpin corners are turns of approximately 180 degrees.
Braking is certainly required before corner entry, and the
cornering process is the same as for standard corners:
Approach from the outside, drift inside to hit the apex
(located at halfway around the corner, or after turning
ninety degrees), and drifting back to the outside on corner
exit.  See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for
a sample hairpin corner.

If there are two corners of approximately ninety degrees each
AND both corners turn in the same direction AND there is only
a VERY brief straightaway between the two corners, they may
be able to be treated like an extended hairpin corner.
Sometimes, however, these 'U-turns' have a straightaway
between the corners that is long enough to prohibit a
hairpin-like treatment; in this case, drifting to the outside
on exiting the first of the two corners will automatically
set up the approach to the next turn.  See the Diagrams
section at the end of this guide for a sample U-turn.

FIA (the governing body of F1 racing, World Rally
Championship, and other forms of international motorsport)
seems to love chicanes.  One common type of chicane is
essentially a 'quick-flick,' where the circuit quickly edges
off in one direction then realigns itself in a path parallel
to the original stretch of pavement, as in the examples in
the Diagrams section at the end of this guide.  Here, the
object is to approach the first corner from the outside, hit
BOTH apexes, and drift to the outside of the second turn.

FIA also seems to like the 'Bus Stop' chicane, which is
essentially just a pair of quick-flicks, with the second
forming the mirror image of the first, as shown in the
Diagrams section at the end of this guide.  Perhaps the most
famous Bus Stop chicane is the chicane (which is actually
called the 'Bus Stop Chicane') at Pit Entry at Spa-
Francorchamps, the home of the annual Grand Prix of Belgium
(F1 racing) and the host of The 24 Hours of Spa (for
endurance racing).

Virtually every other type of corner or corner combination
encountered in racing (primarily in road racing) combines
elements of the corners presented above.  These complex
corners and chicanes can be challenging, such as the Ascari
chicane at Monza.  See the Diagrams section for an idea of
the formation of Ascari.

However, in illegal street/highway racing, the positioning of
traffic can 'create' the various corners and corner
combinations mentioned here.  For example, weaving in and out
of traffic creates a virtual bus stop chicane (see the
Diagrams section at the end of this guide).  Slowing may be
necessary - it often is - depending on the distance between
the vehicles.  See the Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above
Corner Types Combines in the Diagrams section at the end of
this guide; note that this is a diagram for a very technical
circuit.

At some race venues, 'artificial chicanes' may be created by
placing cones and/or (concrete) barriers in the middle of a
straightaway.  One such game which used this type of chicane
is the original Formula1 by Psygnosis, an F1-based
PlayStation game from 1995, which used this at Circuit
Gilles-Villeneuve along Casino Straight (shortly after
passing the final grandstands at the exit of Casino Hairpin).

One thing which can change the approach to cornering is the
available vision.  Blind and semi-blind corners require
ABSOLUTE knowledge of such corners.  Here is where gamers
have an advantage over real-world drivers:  Gamers can
(usually) change their viewpoint (camera position), which can
sometimes provide a wider, clearer view of the circuit, which
can be especially important when approaching semi-blind
corners; real-world drivers are obviously inhibited by the
design of their cars and racing helmets.  Great examples of
real-world blind and semi-blind corners would be Mulsanne
Hump at Le Mans, Turns 14 and 15 at Albert Park, and each of
the first three corners at A1-Ring.

Also important to cornering - especially with long, extended
corners - is the corner's radius.  Most corners use an
identical radius throughout their length.  However, some are
increasing-radius corners or decreasing-radius corners.
These corners may require shifting the apex point of a
corner, and almost always result in a change of speed.
Decreasing-radius corners are perhaps the trickiest, because
the angle of the corner becomes sharper, thus generally
requiring more braking as well as more turning of the
steering wheel.  Increasing-radius corners are corners for
which the angle becomes more and more gentle as the corner
progresses; this means that drivers will generally accelerate
more, harder, or faster, but such an extra burst of speed can
backfire and require more braking.  See the Diagrams section
at the end of this guide for sample images of a decreasing-
radius corner and an increasing-radius corner.

For traditional road racing circuits, increasing-radius and
decreasing-radius corners may not be too much of a problem;
after several laps around one of these circuits, a driver
will know where the braking and acceleration points are as
well as the shifted apex point (should a shift be required).
However, for stage-based rally racing, where the roads are
virtually unknown and the driver knows what is ahead only
because of the navigator's instructions (which - based upon
notes - may or may not be absolutely correct), the unknown
can cause drivers to brake more often and/or more heavily.
For rally-based games, such as the Need for Speed: V-Rally
series (PlayStation/PSOne) or for World Rally Championship
(PlayStation2), there is often specialized vocabulary used:
'tightens' generally designates that a corner has a
decreasing radius, whereas 'widens' or 'opens' indicates that
a corner has an increasing radius.  This need for 'extra'
braking is also tempered by the fact that in much of rally
racing, corners are either blind or semi-blind, due to trees,
buildings, cliffs, embankments, and other obstacles to clear
vision all the way around a corner.

One particularly interesting aspect of cornering is one which
I honestly do not know if it works in reality (I am not a
real-world racer, although I would certainly LOVE the chance
to attend a racing school!!!), but which works in numerous
racing/driving games I have played over the years.  This
aspect is to use the accelerator to help with quickly and
safely navigating sharp corners.  This works by first BRAKING
AS USUAL IN ADVANCE OF THE CORNER, then - once in the corner
itself - rapidly pumping the brakes for the duration of the
corner (or at least until well past the apex of the corner).
The action of rapidly pumping the accelerator appears to
cause the drive wheels to catch the pavement just enough to
help stop or slow a sliding car, causing the non-drive wheels
to continue slipping and the entire car to turn just a little
faster.  Using this rapid-pumping technique with the
accelerator does take a little practice initially, and seems
to work best with FR cars; however, once perfected, this
technique can pay dividends, especially with REALLY sharp
hairpin corners, such as at Sebring International Raceway.

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RUMBLE STRIPS
Depending on car set-up and weather conditions, rumble strips
(sometimes also called 'alligators') can be either useful or
dangerous.  The purpose of rumble strips is to provide a few
extra centimeters of semi-racing surface to help keep cars
from dropping wheels off the pavement, which can slow cars
and throw grass and other debris onto the racing surface
(which makes racing a little more dangerous for all involved,
especially in corners).  Generally, rumble strips are found
on the outside of a corner at corner entry and corner exit,
and also at the apex of a corner - these locations provide a
slightly better racing line overall.

If a car is set with a very stiff suspension (i.e., there is
not much room for the suspension to move as the car passes
over bumps and other irregularities in the racing surface),
hitting rumble strips can cause the car to jump.  Even if
airborne for only a few milliseconds, at speed, it could be
just enough so that the driver loses control of the car.
Obviously, if one or more wheels are not in contact with the
ground, the car is losing speed, which could be just enough
of a mistake for other cars to pass by, and the lack of
contact with the ground could result in excessive wheelspin
which risks to flat-spot the tire(s) when contact is regained
with the ground.

When the racetrack is damp or wet, however, it is generally
best to avoid using the rumble strips.  Since rumble strips
are painted (usually red and white), ANY amount of moisture
will make the rumble strips extremely slick as the water
beads on the paint, so that hitting a rumble strip in the
process of cornering (especially at the apex of a corner)
will cause the tire(s) to lose traction and often send the
car spinning.

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DRAFTING/SLIPSTREAMING
One very useful racing technique is drafting, also known as
slipstreaming.  In some forms of motorsport, especially in
oval track racing such as NASCAR and IRL, drafting is
essential to making passes; NASCAR even raises drafting to an
art form at its restrictor plate races by forcing cars to
draft off each other simply to stay in contact with the
leaders.

Drafting works because of the aerodynamic vacuum which occurs
behind a vehicle moving at a high rate of speed.  As air
flows around Car A, there is an area around which the air is
forced as it flows off Car A's rear end.  If Car B can get
close enough to Car A, its front end can get into this vacuum
area.  Since vacuums prefer to fill their void with anything
possible, Car B is drawn closer and closer to Car A.  If the
driver of Car B does not do anything or does not react fast
enough, then Car B will eventually crash in to the back of
Car A.  However, once sufficient vacuum-assisted momentum has
been gained, Car B can pull out to the side, exiting the
vacuum with added momentum/speed, and rocket past Car A.

By using Car A's natural high-speed vacuum in this manner,
Car B will emerge from the draft with a major advantage in
terms of speed without ever pressing harder on the
accelerator.  Often, drafting results in an additional
5MPH/8KPH over Car A; while this may not seem like a lot of
extra speed, it is often enough to make a successful pass.

Drafting is a great tactic for oval and tri-oval courses.
However, its effectiveness at road racing venues is
essentially limited to just long straightaways.  In this
case, it is highly important that Car B safely make the
drafting pass well before the braking zone for the next
corner, as the added speed will require earlier and/or
stronger braking.  Also, cars with variable downforce -
especially cars with wings, such as CART and F1 cars - seem
better able to make use of the draft.

Specific to F1 2002, there is a draft/slipstream meter on the
right side of the screen during races and other events (such
as challenges) in the game.  This can be useful, with the
meter lighting up from bottom to top as Car B approaches the
rear end of Car A.  When the meter is fully lit, the player
should quickly pull out of the draft/slipstream or risk an
accident.

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WET-WEATHER RACING/DRIVING
Almost everything written to this point in the guide focuses
solely upon dry-weather racing/driving conditions.  In fact,
most racing/driving games deal ONLY with dry-weather
conditions.  However, simulation-based games will include at
least a few wet-conditions situations.  This can range from
Gran Turismo 3 - which uses two circuits (hosting a total of
eight races between Simulation Mode and Arcade Mode) where
the roadway has A LOT of standing water, as if the races take
place just following a major prolonged downpour - to F1 2002
- where in most situations, players can purposely select the
desired weather conditions for a given race.

In wet-weather racing/driving conditions, it is IMPERATIVE to
use tires designed for wet-conditions usage.  For example, in
F1 2002, in a full 53-lap race at Monza, I purposely tried
running as long as I could with Dry Tires, then switched to
Rain Tires when I could no longer handle the car's inherent
sliding about... and my lap times instantly dropped by more
than five seconds.

In games which offer Intermediate Tires, such as Le Mans 24
Hours, the period when the racing circuit is simply damp (at
the start of a period of rain, or when the circuit is drying
after a period of rain) can be tricky in terms of tires.
Intermediate Tires are certainly best for these racing
conditions, but the time in Pit Lane spent changing to
Intermediate Tires can mean losing numerous race positions,
especially if the weather conditions change again a short
time later and require another trip to Pit Lane to change
tires yet again.

Tires aside, simulation-style games simply will not allow a
player to drive a circuit the same way in wet-weather
conditions as in dry-weather conditions.  The braking zone
for all but the gentlest of corners will need to be extended,
or else the car risks to hydroplane itself off the pavement.

Throttle management is also key in wet-conditions racing.
Due to the water on the circuit, there is inherently less
tire grip, so strong acceleration is more likely to cause
undue wheelspin - which could in turn spin the car and create
a collision.  If a car has gone off the pavement, then the
sand and/or grass which collect on the tires provide
absolutely NO traction at all, so just the act of getting
back to the pavement will likely result in numerous spins.

In general, cornering is more difficult in wet conditions
than in dry conditions.  To help ease this difficulty in
cornering, simulation-style games will sometimes allow the
player to change the car's tuning during a race (if not, the
player will be forced to try to survive using the tuning set-
up chosen before the beginning of the race).  Tuning is
covered in more detail in another section below, but the main
aspect to change for wet-weather conditions is to raise the
downforce at the front and/or rear of the car; this will help
improve cornering ability, but will result in slower top-end
speed and slower acceleration.  If the car's brake strength
can be adjusted, it should be lowered, as strong braking will
raise the likelihood of hydroplaning off the pavement;
lowering brake strength will also mean an additional
lengthening of the braking zone for all but the gentlest
corners of a given circuit.

When the circuit is damp or wet, rumble strips and concrete
extensions (which are usually painted) should be avoided as
much as possible.  The water tends to bead on the paint used
for rumble strips and concrete extensions, making them
incredibly slippery, especially if a drive wheel is on a
rumble strip or concrete extension while the player is in the
process of turning the car; this will cause undue wheelspin
in that particular drive wheel, usually resulting in the car
spinning.

==============================================

TUNING
Many racing games (primarily arcade-heavy games such as CART
Fury, or arcade favorites such as Pole Position and Pole
Position II, and Outrun and Turbo Outrun) can be played with
absolutely no concerns about car set-ups; other racing games
(such as Le Mans 24 Hours or Sports Car GT) have so few set-
up options that changing anything really does not have much
effect, especially at lower levels of difficulty.  However,
games such as F1 2002 and Gran Turismo 3 present a number of
set-up options, and the novice can easily become lost in
trying to discern how to change the set-up options to induce
or correct certain handling characteristics of a given car.
While I am certainly NOT a car expert (in a real car, I can
just barely find the accelerator and the radio buttons), I
can present some of the basics of various parts to help
tuning novices.

Note that often, when one part's setting has been changed, at
least one other part's setting will also need to be changed
to maintain some semblance of handling.  For example, if the
gearbox is changed to use long gear ratios, the aerodynamics
settings will likely need to be lowered to make use of the
long gear ratios (otherwise, the car will have difficulty
climbing into its highest gear at the appropriate speed).
For another example, if the tire pressure is increased, the
car will likely require soft tires to help to keep the car on
the pavement when cornering (especially at high speeds).

Aerodynamics (Wings)   The wings are important for downforce,
                      the use of airflow over the front and
                      rear of the car to keep cars from
                      taking off like an airplane and doing
                      a backflip like the Mazda at Le Mans.
                      A low downforce/wing setting can
                      produce faster speeds but decreases
                      cornering ability, while a high
                      setting will help tremendously with
                      cornering at the sacrifice of
                      straight-line speed.

Brakes
  Brake Bias          Brake bias controls the percentage of
                      braking power going toward the front
                      and rear of the car.  A setting of 50
                      will provide equal braking power to
                      the front and rear of the vehicle.  A
                      setting lower than 50 will
                      progressively favor the front of the
                      car in braking ability; a setting
                      higher than 50 will progressively
                      favor the rear of the car in braking
                      ability.  In general, brake bias
                      should be kept within the range of
                      40-60.
  Brake Controller    Unlike brake bias, the brake
                      controller will allow for the
                      customization of brake strength by
                      axle.  If a brake controller is
                      available, then brake bias and brake
                      strength are not needed.
  Brake Strength      Independent of brake bias, brake
                      strength controls the response of the
                      brakes relative to the amount of
                      pressure applied to the brake button.
                      A low setting produces little (slow)
                      response, while a high setting
                      produces great (fast) response.
                      Therefore, assuming that equal
                      pressure is always applied to the
                      brake button, a low setting requires
                      that braking begin earlier than the
                      same car and corner using a high
                      setting in the exact same racing
                      conditions.

Gearbox                Some games allow players to customize
                      gear settings, or they provide three
                      preset gear ratios: short, medium, and
                      long.  A short gear ratio provides
                      impressive acceleration while
                      sacrificing top-end speed.  A long
                      gear ratio provides excellent top-end
                      speed (especially in a straight line),
                      but far slower acceleration.  A medium
                      gear ratio provides the best of both
                      extremes.
                         Note that for racing games with a
                      standing start, a short gear ratio
                      will allow a car to get off the line
                      very quickly, allowing for the player
                      to immediately gain one or more race
                      positions.  Conversely, a high gear
                      ratio will almost certainly cause the
                      player to lose one or more positions
                      at the start of a race due to the slow
                      acceleration inherent to long gear
                      ratios.

Suspension
  Ride Height         Like aerodynamics, ride height can
                      help or hinder a car's performance
                      through airflow.  A low ride height
                      setting allows less air underneath the
                      vehicle, resulting in less aerodynamic
                      friction to slow the car.  Conversely,
                      a high ride height setting allows more
                      air to pass underneath the car,  thus
                      increasing air friction and slowing
                      the car (which assists in cornering).
                         However, car performance is NOT the
                      only consideration when setting ride
                      height.  If ride height is set too
                      low, the car may bottom out,
                      especially at the top or bottom of
                      hills or when rolling over rumble
                      strips.  For short races (4-8 laps),
                      bottoming out may not be a significant
                      concern.  However, in longer races
                      (especially at 32+ laps), bottoming
                      out the car could cause mechanical
                      problems.
  Bump Stop           The bump stop indicates the point at
                      which the suspension will stop its
                      vertical travel as the car speeds
                      around the circuit.  Rumble strips,
                      debris, and generally bumpy sections
                      of pavement will inherently cause the
                      car's suspension to move as the
                      vehicle passes across non-even
                      surfaces and obstructions.
                         If bump stop settings are
                      identical, the car will have no
                      vertical movement
                      of the suspension, meaning that any
                      required vertical movement for
                      different surfaces will cause the
                      entire car to rise as the tires pass
                      over the obstruction(s).
  Spring Rate         A high spring rate setting will make
                      the springs stiffer, assisting in
                      cornering; however, if set too high,
                      the car is likely to jump when running
                      over rumble strips.  A lower setting
                      will keep the car from jumping, but
                      the vehicle will have trouble when
                      cornering.
  Anti-roll Bar       The anti-roll bar can be stiffened to
                      keep the car from flipping, but this
                      will make cornering more difficult.
                      The setting can be lowered to
                      accommodate cornering ability, but
                      the car will then be easier to flip
                      in an accident.

Tires
  Type                See the Tires section above for
                      specific information on the types and
                      compounds of tires often seen in
                      racing/driving games.
  Pressure            High tire pressures result in more-
                      rounded tires, meaning that less tire
                      surface will actually be touching the
                      pavement, thus inherently reducing the
                      amount of available pavement grip
                      (regardless of the type or compound of
                      tire used) and producing a slightly
                      faster car due to less friction.  Low
                      tire pressures create 'flattened'
                      tires, putting more rubber on the
                      pavement and creating far more
                      friction to slow the car and assist in
                      cornering.

==============================================

FLAGS AND BOARDS
Auto racing presents a number of flags and boards to quickly
convey information to drivers as they speed around a circuit.
Many of these flags are shown by corner workers, track-side
personnel who display the various flags to warn drivers if
there is potential trouble ahead or behind them.  Boards are
generally shown only at the Start/Finish Line.

Boards
  Safety Car (SC): What is called the Safety Car in many
                   countries is better known as the Pace Car
                   in American motorsports.  When this board
                   is displayed at the Start/Finish Line
                   (the board is painted white with the
                   letters 'SC' painted in large black
                   font), there is a significant incident
                   somewhere on the circuit warranting that
                   all cars at all areas of the circuit must
                   slow down and follow the Safety Car.  The
                   main reason a Safety Car may be used is
                   to allow safety personnel to get to areas
                   of the track which are otherwise not
                   easily accessible when cars pass at full
                   speed; this situation usually means that
                   there has been a collision or mechanical
                   problem which has left one or more cars
                   sitting idle in a vulnerable situation.
                   The Safety Car board may also be
                   displayed in the event that the weather
                   does not permit full-speed racing.
Flags
  Black Flag:      Generally shown only at the Start/Finish
                   Line, a driver is shown this flag when
                   her or his car has suffered severe damage
                   which the race marshals deem MUST be
                   repaired immediately, or when a driver
                   has committed an infraction of the racing
                   rules.  Depending on the form of
                   motorsport, a Black Flag may also mean
                   automatic disqualification from the
                   event, especially if it is being
                   displayed due to an infraction of the
                   racing rules.
  Blue Flag:       The Blue Flag is generally displayed by
                   the corner workers to indicate that a
                   slower car must pull aside to allow a
                   faster car to pass.  This generally means
                   that the slower car is not on the lead
                   lap, as many forms of auto racing allow
                   for drivers to fight to remain on the
                   lead lap, especially in oval-track
                   racing.
  Checkered        This flag looks like a checker board in
     Flag:         small black and white squares.  This
                   signals the end of a race.
  Green Flag:      The Green Flag means that full racing
                   conditions are in effect.  If a driver
                   is coming out of a Yellow Flag area of
                   a track, this flag indicates that the car
                   can at least be brought back to full
                   racing speed.
  Mechanical       This is a black flag with a small orange
     Flag:         circle at its center.  Accompanied by a
                   car number, this flag indicates that the
                   race marshals are ordering the driver to
                   go to Pit Lane as quickly as possible to
                   repair one or more mechanical problems.
                   However, a smart driver will ALWAYS
                   recognize when there is a problem with
                   the car and return to Pit Lane without
                   any prompting from the race marshals.
  Oil Flag:        This flag is characterized by numerous
                   vertical red and yellow stripes.  While
                   this often is known as the 'Oil Flag,' it
                   really designates that the next section
                   of the circuit is slippery; oil is
                   usually the cause of slippery track
                   conditions, but other fluids (coolant,
                   gasoline/fuel, etc.) may also cause the
                   circuit to become slippery.
  Red Flag:        Generally shown only at the Start/Finish
                   Line, the Red Flag indicates that a race
                   has been suspended temporarily.  The
                   rules regarding what can take place
                   during a Red Flag period vary by the
                   form of motorsport in question.  For
                   example, NASCAR parks all cars behind the
                   Safety Car/Pace Car on the track and all
                   drivers must remain in their cars unless
                   NASCAR officials (usually at Race
                   Control) grant drivers permission to
                   leave the vehicles (this usually only
                   occurs in inclement weather).  In F1
                   racing, if a race is Red Flagged, the
                   race essentially begins again once the
                   condition creating the Red Flag situation
                   has passed or has been remedied.
  Unsportsman-     This is a flag bisected diagonally with
     like Flag:    the uppermost triangle black and the
                   lowermost triangle white.  A driver is
                   shown this flag for engaging in dangerous
                   or rule-breaking behavior, such as
                   purposely knocking a competitor into a
                   barrier or off the circuit (which will
                   usually result in accidents).
  White Flag:      Shown at the Start/Finish Line, the White
                   Flag indicates that there is only one
                   more lap remaining in a race.  Not all
                   forms of motorsport use the White Flag.
                   In some endurance races, the white flag
                   is displayed when it is calculated that
                   the official race duration (in terms of
                   time) will expire by the time the lead
                   car completes one more lap of the
                   circuit.
  Yellow Flag:     A Yellow Flag means that drivers must
                   slow due to a potentially-dangerous
                   situation.  On oval tracks, a Yellow Flag
                   covers the entire circuit, although some
                   forms of oval-track racing (such as
                   NASCAR) permit drivers to race back to
                   the Start/Finish Line to 'take' the
                   Yellow Flag there.  On road courses, the
                   Yellow Flag usually only applies to a
                   specific section of the circuit, which
                   allows for full-speed racing elsewhere;
                   should a full-course Yellow Flag
                   situation be warranted, a Safety Car or
                   Pace Car will be used to collect all the
                   competitors and lead them slowly around
                   the race venue.
                      One of the STRANGEST Yellow Flag
                   situations took place in 2000 at the F1
                   Grand Prix of Germany at the high-speed
                   Hockenheim circuit.  A local Yellow Flag
                   was issued for one of the long,
                   insanely-fast straightaways (where cars
                   can easily achieve 180MPH... or more)
                   because a spectator somehow made his way
                   out of the grandstands and onto the track
                   itself.  Fortunately, this EXTREMELY
                   dangerous situation did not result in any
                   injuries or accidents, and the imbecile
                   was quickly grabbed, hauled off the
                   track, and arrested.

==============================================

ROUND 1: MIAMI
This is a symmetrical oval circuit with six-degree banking.

==============================================

ROUND 2: MOTEGI
Set in Japan, the Twin Ring Motegi oval circuit has been used
in recent years (under the name Super Speedway) in the Gran
Turismo series on PlayStation/PSOne and PlayStation2.  This
is NOT a symmetrical circuit; the Turn 1/2 complex is longer
and wider than the Turn 3/4 complex.  Like the configuration
in Gran Turismo 2 (on PlayStation/PSOne), the Pit Entry and
Pit Exit are both along the Pit Straight; in Gran Turismo 3
(on PlayStation2), the Pit Entry and Pit Exit are both along
the back stretch.

==============================================

ROUND 3: LONG BEACH
The Long Beach circuit has seen a facelift since the time
that Newman-Haas Racing was released; specifically, the front
straightaway has been lengthened and cars make a large circle
(more or less) before returning to the 'old' part of the
circuit on the back side of the venue,  As a street circuit,
this is fairly wide, with three-wide racing quite possible on
the straightaways (but really not recommended).

Pit Straight: This is not straight at all.  Roughly halfway
along its length, there is a significant full-throttle bend
to the right, with the Start/Finish Line approximately
located well before the apex of the bend.

Turns 1-2: On approach, look for the small pull-off area on
the left side of the track, and use this to judge your
braking zone.  Turn 1 will require moderate or heavy braking
for this right-hand corner; this is followed immediately by
the left-hand Turn 2, which can be taken at full acceleration
if slowed enough from braking entering Turn 1.  This is a
tricky chicane nonetheless, especially in traffic.  The
inside of Turn 2 is grassy, so shortcutting the corner will
likely result in loss of car control.

Turn 3: Shortly after the initial chicane, this right-hand
perpendicular corner can be shortcut somewhat, as the
barriers are set back from the actual corner itself.  Light
or moderate braking is needed here to safely clear the
corner.  Swing wide to the outside on corner exit to prepare
for Turn 4.

Turn 4: This is similar to Turn 3, and shortcutting is again
possible (although the barriers are not set nearly as far
back here).  With an approach from the very far left side of
the course on corner entry, it is possible to speed through
Turn 4 without braking, but this should probably only be
attempted by experts.

Turn 5: Almost immediately after Turn 4, the circuit bends to
the left.  This can be taken at full acceleration, although
the barrier to the left makes this a semi-blind corner from
driver view.

Turn 6: Almost immediately after Turn 5, the circuit bends to
the right.  This can also be taken at full acceleration.

Straightaway: This is the other long straightaway of the
circuit, running down Seaside Way.  There are small pull-off
areas on the right and the left; use the one on the left to
judge the braking zone for Turn 7.

Turn 7 (Firestone Turn):  This hard right-hand corner is very
difficult to see on approach.  It can be shortcut somewhat,
but moderate braking will still be required.  Even after
clearing Firestone Turn, be prepared to brake even more.
There is extremely little recovery room for those who miss
the corner altogether, resulting in broken front wings.

Turn 8: This long 130-degree left-hand decreasing-radius J-
turn is very tricky, which can fool newcomers to the Long
Beach venue.  Carrying a lot of speed in this narrow section
of the circuit will result in the car sliding into a barrier
or the back end spinning; either scenario can quickly end any
chances of placing high on the final roster at the end of a
race here.

Turn 9 (Auto Club Hairpin): This tight right-hand hairpin
requires moderate braking in addition to the constant slowing
through the previous J-turn.  There is some swing-out room,
but not much, so expect traffic to bunch up here, especially
if there are cars off the lead lap.

Pit Entry: Almost immediately upon exiting Auto Club Hairpin,
Pit Entry is to the right.  Pit Entry itself is a tight
right-left chicane, so when exiting Turn 9, be especially
wary of VERY slow cars preparing to enter Pit Lane.

==============================================

ROUND 4: NAZARETH
This is a trioval circuit, although Pit Lane essentially
forms an oval with the back stretch (Pit Entry and Pit Exit
are both from/to the back stretch).

==============================================

ROUND 5: RIO DE JANEIRO
This is a trapezoidal circuit, with the back straight shorter
than the Pit Straight.  Strong braking is needed into Turn 1
because of the length of the Pit Straight.

==============================================

ROUND 6: GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL
This is an elongates oval circuit.

==============================================

ROUND 7: MILWAUKEE MILE
This famous racing venue, first used in 1933, is a very
popular, high-speed oval circuit.

==============================================

ROUND 8: DETROIT
The Pit Straight is of moderate length, with a dogleg to the
right at about its midpoint and the Start/Finish Line located
near its end.  It is important to begin braking for the first
corner WELL before the Start/Finish Line.  It is also
important to NOT focus on the beautiful scenery to either
side of the circuit.

Turns 1 and 2: This right-left complex comes at the very end
of Pit Straight... whose Start/Finish Line is practically at
its end.  There will be plenty of traffic jams here on the
opening laps until the traffic can space itself out.  Heavy
braking will be required for Turn 1, with barely any
acceleration for Turn 2 until its exit due to all the
anticipated traffic.  Turn 2, which is a longer-duration
corner than Turn 1, opens onto a long straightaway.

Turn 3 is a right-hand perpendicular corner.  Because of the
length of the preceding straightaway, this corner requires a
long braking zone.

Turns 4-6: Following a brief straightaway, Turn 4 is a
moderate right-hand corner.  The raceway snakes to the left
at Turn 5, then sharply to the right (nearly a J-turn) at
Turn 6.   Moderate braking is required for all corners.

Straightaway: This next straightaway is fairly long and
contains fades to the right and to the left.  The fade to the
left is more of a dogleg than a fade, so some minor tapping
of the brakes may be warranted here.  However, this dogleg is
a good marker for the braking zone for Turn 7.

Turns 7-10: This right-hand corner is nearly a double-apex
corner, making it somewhat lengthy; moderate braking is
needed here.  Turns 8 and 9 are moderate-braking left-hand
corners, with Turn 9 fairly lengthy in comparison with Turn
8.  Turn 10 is a tight, sharp right-hand J-turn requiring
heavy braking.

Turns 11-12: This is a pair of right-hand corners connected
by a very brief straightaway.  Moderate braking is needed for
both, but strong power is required out of Turn 12 to set up
passing opportunities along Pit Straight.

==============================================

ROUND 9: PORTLAND
A look at a track map reveals a few slow corners and two
high-speed runs at Portland Raceway.  However, a typical
track map will NOT show the elevation changes, which are what
make a given lap at Portland so tricky.  The elevation
changes create many blind corners, especially those corners
just beyond the crest of a hill.  Intimate knowledge of this
venue is a requirement for success... or else the corner
workers will be scraping the car off the barriers.

Pit Straight: Pit Straight is fairly long, and has somewhat
of an uphill climb, significant enough to make Turn 1
extremely dangerous and unexpected.  The Start/Finish Line is
approximately located at Pit Exit.

Turns 1-3 (Festival Curves): This nasty chicane is
practically unsighted on approach, with Turn 1 just beyond
the crest of Pit Straight.  The chicane itself is located in
a natural dip, which makes hard braking even more of a
requirement to keep from banging the barrier blocking a
shortcut of Festival Curves.  This right-left-right chicane
will require braking through Turns 1 and 2, but Turn 3 can be
taken at full throttle due to the slow speed required for the
first two corners.  The course returns uphill exiting Turn 2.

Turns 4-5: This is a long sweeping right-hand hairpin-plus
corner (at a little more than 180 degrees in total angle).
While really just one corner, this is given two corner
numbers in the same fashion as the banked turns of oval
tracks.  Light braking should be used for Turn 4, but a
little beyond the first ninety degrees of the corner, the
radius suddenly decreases, requiring moderate braking to keep
the car on the track and out of the kitty litter.

Turn 6: This left-hand 135-degree J-turn quickly follows Turn
5 and renews the circuit's uphill climb, making the corner a
little trickier than it appears.  The hill crests at the exit
of Turn 6, but those who begin braking for Turn 7 AT the
crest will likely overshoot the next corner.

Turn 7: This right-hand corner immediately follows the crest
at the exit of Turn 6.  As such, this corner is truly only
seen (especially from driver view) when it is too late to
brake properly for the turn.  Turn 7 is also the valley
between two hills.

Straightaway/Turns 8-9: Not straight at all, this long,
gentle uphill climb includes a fade to the left almost
immediately after Turn 7.  There are two other gentle fades,
this time to the right, and both of these are indicated as
official corners on the course map.  Along much of this
straightaway/Turns 8-9, the right-side barrier rests directly
or almost directly against the pavement, so it is important
to not get squeezed here on the right side while trying to
make passes, especially in the area of Turns 8 and 9.  This
high-speed section of the circuit crests around Turn 9 and
dips again, with another uphill segment beginning at the
left-hand fade before Turn 10.

Turn 10: The slope of the climb lessens in this right-hand
corner, making light or moderate braking very important.

Turn 11: Almost immediately upon exiting Turn 10, the course
returns downhill for the final time, making light or (more
likely) moderate braking key to staying on the track as the
pavement turns right again.

Turn 12: This is really non-existent, but the official course
map indicates that there IS a right-hand corner here.  It is
so slight that it is not even a fade.  Pit Entry is on the
right on corner exit, with both Pit Straight and Pit Lane
heading up the long hill climb toward the Start/Finish Line.

==============================================

ROUND 10: CLEVELAND (BURKE LAKEFRONT AIRPORT)
Burke Lakefront Airport, located on the southern shore of
Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, is one of the few world-
famous airport circuits.  While not quite as popular overall
as Silverstone in the United Kingdom, Burke Lakefront Airport
is actually more challenging, especially due to its
incredible bumpiness.  When not in use, this is an actual
working Airport servicing Cleveland and extreme northern
Ohio.

Turn 1: This is by far the most difficult corner of the
circuit.  This is a right-hand J-turn of MORE THAN 135
DEGREES!!!   This requires severe braking and a wide approach
from the far-left of the Pit Straight.  This also means that
cars exiting Pit Lane have a FAR better approach angle or
racing line for Turn 1, since the angle of the corner for
them is only approximately fifty degrees (which inherently
means that the potential for collisions with cars exiting Pit
Lane is rather great here).

Turn 2: This is really a dogleg to the right onto one of the
wider runways at Burke Lakefront Airport.

Turns 3 and 4: This is a glorified right-left chicane onto
another runway.  These are perpendicular corners requiring
moderate or heavy braking.  Turn 3 especially will require
heavy braking, since a lot of speed can be gained on the run
from Turn 1.

Turns 5 and 6: after a moderate straightaway, this is a
glorified left-right chicane back onto the previous widened
runway.  These are perpendicular corners requiring moderate
or heavy braking.  Turn 5 especially will require heavy
braking, since a lot of speed can be gained on the run from
Turn 4.

Turn 7: After a short straightaway, this is a perpendicular
turn to the right.

Turn 8: After a short straightaway, this is a perpendicular
turn to the right leading onto the single longest
straightaway of this race venue.

Turns 9 and 10: The final two corners of the Burke Lakefront
circuit form a tight right-left chicane.  Due to the intense
speeds gained coming down the long straightaway from Turn 8,
VERY HEAVY braking is required for Turn 9.  However, it is
important to not overcommit at Turn 9, as Turn 10 follows
immediately.  Adding to the difficulty of Turn 9 is that Pit
Entry continues running straight ahead beyond the actual
chicane, so there may well be VERY slow cars on the left side
of the straightaway on approach clogging the optimal racing
line.

==============================================

ROUND 11: TORONTO
Toronto is a narrow street circuit - narrow enough that two-
wide racing is difficult, thus passing is generally quite
difficult.  Granted, passing here is far easier than at
Monaco, but it is still very important to qualify at the
front of the grid here and then have patience in passing cars
(especially slow backmarkers).  The circuit is generally
three lanes wide, but the high speeds and tight corners make
passing tough nonetheless.

Pit Straight: A moderate straightaway, those able to carry
good speed out of the final corner and NOT hit the outside
barrier protecting Pit Lane can create good passing
opportunities.  Pit Exit is just beyond the Start/Finish
Line.

Turn 1: This right-hand right-angle corner requires moderate
braking on entry, then powerful acceleration on exit, as the
brakes should not be used again until Dodge Corner.

Turn 2: Shortly after Turn 1, the course makes a wide right-
hand sweep onto the back straightaway.  Braking is not needed
here unless an accident occurs ahead.  This makes the area
between Turn 1 and Turn 3 (Dodge Corner) the fastest and
longest sustained acceleration zone of the Toronto venue.

Straightaway: There is a quick fade to the right about
halfway along the straightaway.  Cars can reach close to
200MPH before braking for Dodge Corner.

Turn 3 (Dodge Corner): This nasty right-hand 135-degree J-
turn requires moderate or even heavy braking after such a
long sustained acceleration zone.

Turn 4: Shortly after Dodge Corner, the circuit curves gently
to the left.  No braking should be needed here.

Turn 5: Moderate braking is needed for this tight left-hand
corner.  The ensuing straightaway is just long enough to pass
ONE car if it is going really slow.

Turn 6: Only experts completely clear of traffic can power
through the double-apex right-hand Turn 6 at full speed.
Otherwise, light braking will be needed to keep off the
barriers, as the turns here are just sharp enough to render
full-throttle driving quite dangerous.

Turn 7: This is really a high-speed right-hand kink; no
braking is needed.

Turn 8: Entering the trickiest section of the circuit, this
right-hand corner requires moderate braking and single-file
driving.

Turn 9: Almost immediately following Turn 8, the course makes
a left-hand right-angle turn which again requires single-file
driving.

Turn 10: This is almost a mirror image of Turn 8, with Pit
Entry to the right at the entry of Turn 10.

Turn 11: This is almost a mirror image of Turn 9, but
slightly higher speeds can be carried here with little
trouble.  Powerful acceleration out of Turn 11 can pay
dividends in terms of passing opportunities along Pit
Straight.

==============================================

ROUND 12: MICHIGAN
This is another oval circuit, with the Pit Straight bending
slightly in trioval-style fashion.

==============================================

ROUND 13: MID-OHIO
This world-famous racing venue hosts numerous forms of
motorsport, from CART to Speed World Challenge to various
motorcycle events.  The track design is somewhat weird,
especially since Pit Straight is one of the shortest
straightaways at Mid-Ohio.  Many corners have off-color
strips of pavement, so these can help to mark corners on
approach.

Pit Straight: Pit Straight is actually rather brief; however,
strong acceleration out of the final corner and drafting
along Pit Straight can create great passing opportunities
entering and exiting Turn 1, especially if no braking is
needed.

Turn 1: This semi-gentle left-hand corner can possibly be
taken at full speed, especially if making use of the Pit Exit
pavement as Pit Lane rejoins the main circuit.  If at all
possible, remain heavy on the throttle throughout Turn 1, as
this will create great speed (especially if combined with
drafting tactics) along the ensuing straightaway.

Straightaway: This is the second-longest straightaway at Mid-
Ohio.  If no braking was required in Turn 1, then slower cars
can be passed with ease along this straightaway.  Near its
end, look for the chicane pavement on the right; while it is
not used, this comes directly at the end of the straightaway,
so this is an excellent means to mark the braking zone for
Turn 2.

Turn 2: This second-gear right-hand hairpin can be trickier
than the standard hairpin in part due to the tremendous
speeds coming off the previous straightaway.  Similarly, it
is also a very important corner because it empties out onto
the single longest straightaway at Mid-Ohio; therefore, it is
necessary to carry as much speed as possible in the hairpin
without sliding or spinning the car (and this is a difficult
feat to accomplish) combined with powerful acceleration
exiting the hairpin.

Straightaway: This is the single longest straightaway at Mid-
Ohio, so powerful acceleration out of Turn 2 is required to
set up the best passing opportunities.  This straightaway is
about 1-2/5 times as long as the previous straightaway, with
a very gentle fade to the right roughly halfway along its
length.

Turn 3: After the high speeds attained on the prior
straightaway, this right-hand heavy-braking corner will be
even trickier due to the excessive speeds (upward of 200MPH)
on the previous straightaway.

Turn 4: Almost immediately after Turn 3, the left-hand Turn 4
will require at least light braking to keep off the too-near
barrier.  There is a brief straightaway between Turns 4 and 5
which can afford some passing opportunities, so powerful
acceleration out of Turn 4 is needed.

Turn 5: This right-hand corner needs moderate braking to keep
to the pavement.

Turn 6: Almost immediately after Turn 5, this left-hand
corner requires at least light braking to keep out of the
kitty litter.

Turns 7-8: This fast right-hand double-apex complex requires
light braking to stay on the pavement.

Straightaway: Not really straight at all, the course takes an
uphill climb on a long right-hand fade.

Turn 9: Continuing the uphill climb, this left-hand corner
requires moderate braking to keep to the pavement.  The
course crests on corner exit, making Turn 10 even trickier.

Turn 10: Just beyond the crest of the circuit, this moderate
right-hand hairpin requires moderate braking to keep on the
pavement.  Pit Entry is a straight run after the first ninety
degrees of the corner; the main course makes a full 180-
degree turn.

Turn 11: Just beyond Turn 10, this final left-hand corner can
be taken at full speed with enough slowing through the
previous hairpin.  Powerful acceleration is required coming
out of Turn 11, as experts will not need to brake again until
Turn 2 (the tight hairpin).

==============================================

ROUND 14: ROAD AMERICA
This popular racing venue is both insanely fast and insanely
tricky, making car set-ups rather difficult to achieve the
right balance between speed and cornering.

Pit Straight: This is by far the longest straightaway of the
circuit, leading down into a TIGHT Turn 1.  Drafting tactics
are extremely beneficial here to achieving low lap times and
gaining valuable race positions.  Pit Straight crests about
halfway alongside Pit Lane, with the Start/Finish Line near
the end of Pit Lane.

Turn 1: This right-hand near-perpendicular corner will
require moderate or (most likely) heavy braking after
reaching close to 200MPH on Pit Straight.

Turn 2: There really is not even a corner here, but more of a
VERY slight bend to the right, but this is listed in Road
America's official brochure as a corner.  This actually runs
over Briggs & Stratton Tunnel, which allows teams to get to
and from the Paddock areas.

Turn 3: After a short straightaway, this right-hand J-turn
leads onto another significant straightaway.  Moderate
braking will likely be required for Turn 3, but powerful
acceleration on exit provides for good drafting/passing
opportunities along the ensuing straightaway.

Straightaway (Turns 3A and 4): At approximately 85% of the
length of Pit Straight, this straightaway provides invaluable
opportunities for drafting and passing numerous cars.  There
are extremely gentle fades to the right and the left,
officially marked as Turn 3A and Turn 4, respectively.

Turn 5: This nasty left-hand J-turn requires moderate or
(most likely) heavy braking after achieving close to 200MPH
on the previous straightaway.  This is the entrance to the
technical portion of the circuit, where cars with high-
downforce set-ups will likely benefit greatly.

Turn 6: After a brief straightaway, this left-hand
perpendicular corner immediately follows Toyota Bridge.
Moderate braking is needed to keep to the pavement here.

Turn 7 (Hurry Downs): After another brief straightaway, the
course makes about a fifty-degree right-hand turn here.
Light braking - if any - is used here; the key is to keep up
as much speed as possible to pass slower cars on exit.

Turn 8: After a slightly longer straightaway, this left-hand
perpendicular corner requires moderate braking.  This is a
prime place to pass on braking, especially if using a high-
downforce set-up.

Turns 9-10 (The Carousel): This is essentially one long
seemingly-neverending hairpin corner.  Light braking is
almost certainly required on entry, and likely throughout The
Carousel; however, a good amount of speed can usually be
carried here.  Take care in passing slower cars on the racing
line, as such passes require using the outside line, and The
Carousel is just long enough to trick drivers into believing
that they can carry more speed here than the laws of physics
are willing to allow.  Carrying strong speed out of The
Carousel is key, as it is possible to power down to Canada
Corner without ever tapping the brakes.  Especially here in
The Carousel, it is very important to remember that if the
tires start squealing and producing whitish-grey smoke, the
car is cornering too quickly and loss of control is quite
likely if speed is not quickly reduced.

Turn 11 (The Kink): This obtuse-angle right-hand corner can
generally be carried at full throttle, unless there are
several slower cars blocking the pavement as they race each
other for position.  Mind the racing line here, however, so
as to not drop a wheel off the circuit.

Straightaway (Kettle Bottoms, Turns 11A and 11B): This
straightaway contains a few gentle fades, officially labeled
as Turn 11A and Turn 11B, respectively.  This is a good
section of the course for drafting as the course slowly rises
in elevation.

Turn 12 (Canada Corner): This right-hand near-perpendicular
turn requires moderate braking on entry.  After the long
high-speed run from The Carousel through The Kink and Kettle
Bottoms, Canada Corner can be a great place to pass on
braking on corner entry.

Turn 13: Just beyond Canada Corner, the circuit fades to the
right.  While braking is not required here, the official Road
America brochure lists this as a corner.

Turn 13A: This IS a corner, a left-hand turn requiring light
braking to keep to the optimum racing line.

Turn 14: The final corner of the circuit, this right-hand J-
turn leads onto the super-long Pit Straight.  Strong
acceleration out of Turn 14 is required as cars climb the
hill toward the Start/Finish Line to pass and keep from being
passed.
==============================================

ROUND 15: VANCOUVER
This is a highly-challenging street circuit in Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada.  The corners are tight and
difficult, and the straightaways are generally fairly long
and fast.

Turns 1-3: Following the Pit Straight, Turn 1 is a nasty
right-hand perpendicular corner requiring heavy braking.
After virtually no straightaway at all (in which Pit Exit
rejoins the main circuit), the tight right-hand Turn 2
follows, followed instantly by the left-hand Turn 3.  The
opening laps will see A LOT of blocked traffic here until the
cars can spread out.

Turn 4: This is a nasty right-hand 135-degree J-turn.  The
corner itself fortunately is a bit wider than the
straightaways leading up to and away from it, but that can
trick drivers into overcommitting and then banging the
outside barrier on corner exit.  The corner itself is
instantly followed by a quick fade to the left.

Straightaway: Turn 4 leads onto a long straightaway which
actually curves gently to the right.

Turns 5 and 6: This is a nasty right-left triangle-shaped
chicane designed to slow the cars.  Moderate braking is
needed on entry, and perhaps heavy braking will be needed for
Turn 6 depending on the amount of speed carried through Turn
5.  The exit of the chicane instantly fades to the right,
completing the triangular nature of the chicane.  This opens
onto the single longest straightaway at Vancouver... and it
really is not very long in the overall scheme of things :-(

Turn 7: This is a nasty right-hand perpendicular corner
requiring moderate or heavy braking.

Turns 8 and 9: This is a pair of right-angle right-hand
corners requiring moderate braking.  By using a VERY wide
racing line and coming just millimeters from the outside
barriers, these two corners can essentially be treated as one
wide, extended hairpin corner.

Turn 10: Here, the circuit turns to the left.  Moderate
braking is still needed here, although it is not nearly as
tight as the preceding corners.

Turns 11 and 12: This is another triangular chicane, this
time left-right.  A dogleg to the left instantly follows the
chicane.  Moderate braking will be needed throughout.

Turns 13 and 14: Finally, the circuit heads back to the left
to rejoin Pit Straight.  This is a pair of left-hand doglegs
which essentially form a single double-apex corner.  Slight
braking may be warranted in either or each of these doglegs.

==============================================

ROUND 16: LAGUNA SECA
Located in Monterey, California, USA, Laguna Seca Raceway
hosts many events every year, including the Grand Prix of
Monterey featuring the Shell 300 (part of the CART/FedEx
Championship Series), the International Superbike Classic
(SBK/AMA Superbike Series), Rolex Monterey Historic Races,
and Monterey Sports Car Championships (the American Le Mans
Series).  In terms of aesthetics, Laguna Seca is itself not a
really beautiful circuit.  There is generally ample recovery
room along both sides of the pavement.  However, there is a
lot of sand just along the pavement around much of the
circuit, so dropping the right-side or left-side wheels off
the pavement can both slow the car, and kick up a lot of dust
to obscure the vision of trailing vehicles.  Without
question, the most famous and most difficult section of the
circuit is the Corkscrew, a moderate left-right chicane on a
nasty downhill mini-mountain just meters beyond the crest of
the circuit.  Also difficult is the final corner, a tight
left-hand perpendicular corner with a concrete barrier almost
flush up against the pavement to block any attempts at
shortcutting the corner.

Turn 1: This is actually just a slight 'kink' to the left
just underneath the pedestrian bridge at the Start/Finish
Line.  On exiting this 'corner,' Pit Exit rejoins the main
circuit from the left.  From here, the circuit slopes gently
downhill to Andretti Hairpin.

Turn 2 (Andretti Hairpin): This hairpin is actually a little
more than the standard 180 degrees.  Moderate or heavy
braking will be required on approach, especially for cars
with an extremely high horsepower output (700+ HP).  The best
racing line is to approach from far-right, roll the left-side
tires on the rumble strip at the apex, then drift back to the
right on exit.  The cones here block the old Pit Exit, which
used to rejoin the main circuit at the exit of Andretti
Hairpin.  Cars which overshoot Andretti Hairpin will find
themselves beached in the vast expanse of kitty litter to the
outside of the hairpin.

Turn 3: This right-hand corner will require moderate braking
for most vehicles in the game.  Beware of sliding outward on
exit, as the barrier is not very far off the pavement.

Turn 4: Another right-hand corner, this turn can be taken
with either slight braking for high-power vehicles, or flat-
out by all other cars; both alternatives depend upon a solid
racing line.  Again, beware of drifting off the pavement on
exit, as the barrier is not very far off the pavement.

Straightaway: About two-thirds of the way along this
straightaway (just past the end of the grandstands), the
circuit bends very gently to the right.  This can be a good
place to judge the braking zone for Turn 5.

Turn 5: Moderate braking will definitely be required here for
this left-hand corner, unless you really want to slide out
into the sand on the outside of the corner and into the
nearby concrete and tires.

Turn 6: A bridge marks the entry of Turn 6, which is a good
reference point in case the distance-to-corner markers are
knocked down or out of position during a race.  Except for
the highest-power vehicles, the left-hand Turn 6 can be taken
flat out by experts by using the rumble strips at the apex
and exit, IF a pristine racing line can be held at full
throttle.  On both sides of the pavement on exit, sand awaits
those who slide off the circuit or misjudge this corner.  A
long uphill climb begins here.

Turn 7: Literally a few meters from the highest point of the
circuit, this extremely gentle right-hand 'kink' could be
taken flat-out if not for the upcoming Corkscrew.  For most
cars, braking must begin no later than Turn 7 to avoid
colliding with the barrier entering the Corkscrew.

Turns 8 and 8A (Corkscrew): This is the world-famous
Corkscrew, one of the trickiest sections of racetrack on the
planet.  There is little run-off room through the Corkscrew,
which is a moderate left-right chicane on a steep downhill
mini-mountain which takes cars from the highest to the lowest
point on the circuit.  Cars with moderate or high horsepower
output are likely to have plenty of trouble here, whereas
low-power cars will not have the speed to cheat gravity
(without even trying).  If the tires are worn, expect plenty
of trouble here.

Turn 9 (Rainey Curve): This left-hand corner at first appears
to be only a perpendicular corner, but continues on beyond
the pedestrian bridge, making this corner trickier than one
might assume.  A solid racing line is key here, but may be
hard to set up at high speeds coming off the Corkscrew.
Those who overrun Rainey Curve will be in the grass, but the
barrier is not very far away.

Turn 10: After a brief straightaway, this right-hand turn is
bounded by a barrier, obscuring a clear view of traffic
around the corner and blocking any shortcutting.  Moderate
braking is required here for most cars, although plenty of
sand-infested recovery room is available to the outside of
the pavement.  If heading to Pit Lane, it is possible to keep
up a rather fast speed to Pit Entry by purposely swinging out
into the sand and passing slower cars keeping to the
pavement.

Turn 11: This 125-degree left-hand corner is bounded on the
inside by a concrete barrier.  Those who overshoot this tight
turn will be in the sand to the outside of the corner, then
banging the barrier beyond.  Strong acceleration out of Turn
11 will allow for good passing opportunities along Pit
Straight and down to the entry of Andretti Hairpin.

Pit Entry: This begins to the left just before the entry to
Turn 11.  However, there is virtually no deceleration room
before Pit Entry has its own nasty tight left-hand corner, so
adequate deceleration is a MUST while still on the main
circuit or else the vehicle WILL ram the barrier in Pit Lane.

==============================================

ROUND 17: HOUSTON
Set in Houston, Texas, this venue features mostly
perpendicular corners - not surprising for a circuit set
within a city.  The back straight is the longest straightaway
of the circuit, lasting for a full seven city blocks.  Most
corners have rumble strips and paved mini-recovery areas, but
some apexes have only unforgiving barriers, so make sure the
first laps at this venue are nice and slow to become familiar
with where one can and cannot clip the inside rumble strips.

Turn 1: This is a left-hand perpendicular corner, with
shortcutting possibilities by crossing the rumble strips.
Immediately after the corner itself, the road fades to the
left.

Turn 2: Immediately after the fade, the course turns sharply
to the right in a J-turn.  Moderate braking is needed here,
although light braking can be used if shortcutting the
corner.

Turn 3: This left-hand perpendicular corner does not have
shortcutting possibilities, so moderate or heavy braking AND
a solid racing line are required to safely clear this corner.

Turn 4: Two city blocks beyond Turn 3, Turn 4 is a
shortcuttable left-hand perpendicular corner.  Light or
moderate braking can be used here.

Straightaway: This is the longest straightaway of the Houston
circuit, covering a total of seven city blocks.  Speeds
approaching 200MPH are quite possible here, even without
drafting.

Turn 5: After the long back straightaway, moderate or even
heavy braking will be required here to keep from banging the
barriers on this left-hand perpendicular corner.
Shortcutting is possible here.

Turn 6: Very quickly after Turn 5, this left-hand right-angle
turn requires light braking.  Shortcutting is possible.

Turn 7: Moderate braking is needed for this right-angle
right-hand corner; shortcutting is possible.

Turn 8: Immediately after Turn 7, the course makes a right-
hand bend.  Braking should not be needed here.

Turn 9: This left-hand perpendicular corner required moderate
braking and does not have the possibility of shortcutting.

Turn 10: Light braking should be used for this final left-
hand corner, also a right-angle corner with shortcutting
possibilities.

==============================================

ROUND 18: GOLD COAST (SURFERS' PARADISE)
This Australian race venue is very scenic, located very near
the Pacific Ocean; television coverage always includes plenty
of shots of people swimming, surfing, or tanning on the
beach.  However, the circuit itself is by far the trickiest
on the CART circuit.  A very interesting arcade-style version
of Surfers Paradise appears in the PlayStation2 game CART
Fury; however, the real venue and most other game renditions
are far less fun to drive.

Pit Straight: Like the Long Beach venue, Pit Straight is a
long gentle curve to the right, this time running along Gold
Coast Highway (which does not actually run along the coast).
Powerful acceleration out of Turn 11 is important to set up
passing opportunities along Pit Straight.  Pit Straight twice
passes over Nerang River, with the actual Paddock and Main
Grandstands located on Macintosh Island.

Turn 1 (Honda Chicane): This tight moderate-braking left-
right-left chicane is literally created in the middle of Gold
Coast Highway by rumble strips surrounding patches of grass.
In other words, the width of the available pavement narrows
significantly from three lanes to one here; single-file is
the ONLY way cars can pass through this area, so extremely
care must be taken here at the start of a race and on
restarts.  Smart drivers WILL NOT attempt to pass on braking
entering Honda Chicane.

Turn 2: This is another chicane, similar to Honda Chicane,
but only light braking is required.  Also, the chicane itself
is two lanes wide, although two-wide racing through this
chicane will almost certainly result in an accident.

Straightaway: The circuit continues its long gentle right-
hand fade.  This is a great passing zone for cars able to
keep up good speed through the Turn 2 chicane.

Turn 3 (Cellular One): This tight left-hand J-turn leads the
cars toward the Pacific Ocean and Surfers Paradise Beach.
Moderate braking is key here.

Turn 4: This left-hand perpendicular corner can likely be
taken with light braking only.  It is important to carry as
much speed as possible through Turn 4 and onto the back
straightaway to set up the best possible passing
opportunities.

Straightaway: To the right is Surfers Paradise Beach and the
Pacific Ocean... but the barriers block any views of bikini-
clad sunbathers :-(   The straightaway is three lanes wide,
allowing for ample racing room.

Turns 5-6 (Worldcom Beach Esses): This left-right chicane
narrows to two lanes, and is more or less constructed within
the straightaway with imported grass and rumble strips.
Generally, only light braking should be needed here, unless
encumbered by traffic.

Straightaway: The circuit eases gently back to the right (at
an angle) toward Surfers Paradise Beach again.  Those able to
keep good speed through the Worldcom Beach Esses can benefit
in terms of passing opportunities.

Turn 7 (Fosters Chicane): This is a NASTY one-lane set of
consecutive chicanes built within the confines of the
straightaway with imported grass and rumble strips.  Moderate
or heavy braking will be required to enter this segment, and
only precision technical driving will allow drivers to safely
clear Fosters Chicane.  It may be best to treat Fosters
Chicane like a slalom, such as the slalom license tests in
Gran Turismo 2; in fact, the slalom tests from GT2 can
provide great benefits here for those able to keep up enough
speed to score a Gold Medal in one or both of those slalom
tests.

Straightaway: The course returns to three lanes here, so
faster cars exiting Fosters Chicane should be able to quickly
move around cars unable to keep up much speed in the tricky
slalom-like section.  Prepare for Turn 8 (Falken Tyres) when
entering the area with the skyscrapers at the end of the
straightaway.

Turn 8 (Falken Tyres): This left-hand corner can be tricky,
requiring moderate braking.  It is easy to miss seeing this
corner until it is too late to avoid the barriers due to the
color of the barriers all seemingly running together, so take
care on approach.  The exit of Turn 8 enters a section of
two-lane racetrack, so passing will be more difficult from
here to Pit Straight.

Turn 9: This left-hand turn onto Serisier Avenue requires
moderate braking.  Use the pedestrian bridge on approach to
judge the braking zone.

Turn 10: Turning right onto Hill Pde, moderate braking will
be needed.  The circuit is still just two lanes wide here,
yet high speeds can be attained, so take extreme care in
passing.

Turn 11 (Honda Hairpin and Hill): There is a nasty kink to
the right immediately before entering this left-hand double-
apex 'hairpin' corner.  Moderate braking will be needed
before the nasty kink, and full acceleration is best delayed
until at the second apex.  Powerful acceleration is required
to rocket out of Turn 11 and attain excellent passing
opportunities all the way along Pit Straight to Turn 1 (Honda
Chicane).

==============================================

ROUND 19: FONTANA
The 1998 CART season ends at an oval circuit specifically
designed to somewhat mimic Michigan.

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DIAGRAMS
This section contains the diagrams referred to earlier in the
guide.

Ascari Chicane (at Monza):
  *
   *
    *
     *
      *
       ***
          *
           *****************

Bus Stop Chicane (Variant I - Wide Chicane):
  *******************           *******************
                     *         *
                      *********

Bus Stop Chicane (Variant II - Narrow Chicane):
  *******************           *******************
                     ***********

Decreasing-radius Corner:
  ->*******************
                         *
                            *
                              *
                               *
                               *
                              *
  <-*************************

Hairpin Corner:
  ->*****************
                     *
  <-*****************

Increasing-radius Corner:
  ->**********************
                           *
                            *
                            *
                           *
                         *
  <-*******************

J-turn
  *******************
                     *
                    *
                   *
                  *

Quick-flicks (Variant I - Wide Chicane):
  *************
               *
                *************

Quick-flicks (Variant II - Narrow Chicane):
  *************
               **************

Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above Corner Types Combined:
   ******|******       *****
  *      |->    *     *     *
   *          **   ***     *
    *        *   **        *
   *         *  *    *     *
  *         *  *    * *     ****
  *          **    *   *        *
  *               *     ********
   *******       *
          *******

Standard Corner:
  *******************
                     *
                     *
                     *
                     *
                     *
                     *
                     *
                     *

U-turn:
  ->*****************
                     *
                     *
                     *
  <-*****************

Virtual Bus Stop Chicane:
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                    Car #1   ->->->->->->   Car #3
  Player Path: ->->->->->->->   Car #2   ->->->->->->->
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc.,
or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving
guide, please contact me at: [email protected]; also, if
you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful
to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via
PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail
address.

To find the latest version of this and all my other
PSX/PS2/DC/Mac game guides, visit FeatherGuides at
http://feathersites.angelcities.com/

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