The fifth patch of iRacing‘s 2021 Season 3 is available as of Wednesday 11th August. The headlining feature included with the patch is the ability to purchase a pre-release version of the new Mt. Washington Auto Road that’s been teased for a few weeks now. The track costs $14.95 and is available to own and race at the time of this post.
The Auto Road will be defined in game as a RallyCross track, which means it will be in the rotation of Dirt Road licensed tracks. There will be the traditional Hillclimb configuration, but there will also be a Descent edition that will go backwards down the mountain. It’s in pre-release likely because there is still more work to be done to make it completed content.
The rest of the patch covers some more interesting tidbits. One of the ways that Mt. Washington can work and not completely melt a computer is the introduction of SpeedTree 3D vegetation modeling and rendering that is now integrated into the simulation. The system is able to generate objects with optimized level of detail management, and will be used in other iRacing tracks in the future.
To keep with the theme of the Hillclimb, The Subaru WRX STI has gotten a slight update in-game in this patch. Other improvements include reduced dirt stain at road courses such as Oulton Park and Laguna Seca. For the NASCAR crowd, specifically the Road To Pro drivers in the eNASCAR ladder, both Rockingham Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway received track grip parameter updates. Those are the next two tracks on the RTP schedule.
The full changelog can be found below, as well as a picture of all of the updates from an account with 100% content owned. Some other track updates came to Five Flags Speedway, Bathurst, Myrtle Beach Speedway, Nürburgring Nordschleife, Phillip Island, and The Bullring. Those updates weren’t posted in the patch notes.
SIMULATION:
Rendering
- We have integrated SpeedTree into our simulation/game engine. SpeedTree is a 3D vegetation modeling and rendering system designed for films and real-time games. It provides our artists with tools to build location-specific trees and then quickly place them at our racetracks. The system is engineered to render these trees efficiently and with built-in level-of-detail (LOD) management, and has received specific customization to make it work optimally for iRacing’s requirements. This feature is making its debut at Mount Washington and will be used more extensively in the future.
CARS:
Indy Pro 2000 PM-18
- iRacing setups have been updated.
Subaru WRX STI
- On-board engine and rev limiter sounds have been improved.
- Windshield reflections have been updated.
TRACKS:
Mount Washington Auto Road
- NEW TRACK!
- – Mount Washington Auto Road is now available as a pre-release track!
- – This Rallycross track includes two configurations, Hillclimb, and Descent.
- – Towering at 6,288 feet, Mount Washington is the highest peak in the northeastern United States and the sixth-highest mountain in all of North America. The Mount Washington Auto Road was completed in 1861, stretching 7.6 miles and climbing 4,618 feet from base to summit at an average gradient of 11.6%. The road is both open to private vehicles and guided tours, and “THIS CAR CLIMBED MOUNT WASHINGTON” bumper stickers are prevalent throughout New England. In 1904, the inaugural Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race was hosted. Held sporadically over the past century, the “Climb to the Clouds” is nonetheless the oldest auto race in the country. Its latest revival as a full-blown race came in 2011 as a tri-annual event, and each edition of the race since 1956 has seen a new record time set by the winner. The most recent record was set by Travis Pastrana in 2017. Mount Washington serves as iRacing’s first-ever point-to-point hillclimb race – do you have what it takes to make it to the top?
- – Add the Mount Washington Auto Road to your digital landscape by purchasing it from the iRacing store today! https://members.iracing.com/membersite/member/TrackDetail.do?trkid=398
Oulton Park Circuit
- The prevalence for dirt to stain the track surface has been reduced.
Red Bull Ring
- Collision parameters for pit wall sections have been updated.
- The floating cones at the pit exit have been grounded.
Rockingham Speedway
- (Oval) – Track grip parameters have been adjusted slightly.
Texas Motor Speedway
- (Oval) – Track grip parameters have been adjusted slightly.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
- The prevalence for dirt to stain the track surface has been reduced.
