Just like real motorsport, sim racing's various disciplines and very different in nature. Circuit racing has been accepted as the standard form, but even there, considerable differences can be found - like on ovals: Despite them being run on closed courses and on tarmac surfaces (for the most part, that is), many racing sims tend to struggle when trying to portray this discipline in addition to racing on road circuits. But why is that?
Oval racing has a bit of a reputation for being easy, especially among racing fans from regions where it is not very present. European fans, for example, tend to dismiss the discipline as "just turning left", doubting the entertainment value and that there is much skill involved.
The opposite is true, in fact - especially on superspeedways (read: the big ovals), drivers need to be very precise, smooth and aware of their surroundings at all times as they reach enormous top speeds in excess of 380 kph/240 mph in competitions like the IndyCar series. The slightest mistake could mean a race ending and potentially highly dangerous crash involving multiple cars, so the stakes are high when racing in close quarters to other cars.
And yet, the underlying principle is the same as in road racing: The car to complete the set race distance the fastest wins. It is the way there that differs considerably, however, and this is where many sims tend to struggle.
Implementing this into a sim that is not built with oval racing in mind from the ground up can be difficult, as Automobilista 2's case shows: A FCY system has been implemented in 2022, and while it works, it can be hit or miss when it is actually going to get triggered. Caution periods are also very short, so they do not present much of a tactical opportunity. There are no options to choose whether or not the pits should be closed once a yellow flag waves, either. However, the system could be imrpoved soon in combination with the introduction of an actually visible pace car being part of an upcoming update.
Racing at over 240 mph on a Superspeedway has to be one of the most exciting things possible in sim racing - if it is pulled off correctly.
They also need to drive in a predictable and fair manner in order for players to be able to race them well, even more so than in road racing. Small lifts in unexpected places or an erratic steering movement can cause other cars to overreact, triggering unnecessary incidents. AI lines and their overall behavior are under a magnifying glass on ovals, especially the faster ones.
When the AI works, it can lead to spectacular oval races including exciting back-and-forth battles using the draft, but it can all fall apart quickly once it is time to pit under green due to weird AI behavior when trying to leave the track to get service.
This can also be the result of the different nature of oval setups: They are asymmetrical by default, meaning the usual methods of setting up a race car do not necessarily apply. And setups are essential to be fast on ovals - meaning many drivers will rely on the default setup. If this is not up to par, oval racing may not be enjoyable to them unless fixed setups are enabled.
As a result, developers may find it hard to justify putting in more effort into a discipline that is hardly used in their title.
iRacing pulls of featuring in-depth oval races as well as circuit racing both on tarmac and dirt. Image credit: iRacing
The only modern simulation that manages to pull this dance off fine is iRacing, which even throws in dirt ovals. Of course, iRacing is rooted in the old NASCAR games by Papyrus, so the oval base was already very solid for the US-based sim. Participation is high due to this reputation and the official cooperation with NASCAR, and until the IndyCar license deal expired, open-wheel oval racing was very popular as well.
rFactor 2 also offers oval racing, but it can be hit or miss - it can be tweaked via config files, however, so the experience is highly customizable. The sim even features an official rendition of the Dallara IR-18 IndyCar, as well as a fictional NASCAR-style stock car
Oval racing has a bit of a reputation for being easy, especially among racing fans from regions where it is not very present. European fans, for example, tend to dismiss the discipline as "just turning left", doubting the entertainment value and that there is much skill involved.
The opposite is true, in fact - especially on superspeedways (read: the big ovals), drivers need to be very precise, smooth and aware of their surroundings at all times as they reach enormous top speeds in excess of 380 kph/240 mph in competitions like the IndyCar series. The slightest mistake could mean a race ending and potentially highly dangerous crash involving multiple cars, so the stakes are high when racing in close quarters to other cars.
And yet, the underlying principle is the same as in road racing: The car to complete the set race distance the fastest wins. It is the way there that differs considerably, however, and this is where many sims tend to struggle.
The Rules
Despite the principle being the same, the rules of oval racing are usually rather different compared to circuit racing, most notably for full-course yellows. It is the exception rather than the norm for a yellow not to be thrown when something goes wrong during an oval race - even spins that do not result in contact with a wall are often the cause for a caution for safety reasons.Implementing this into a sim that is not built with oval racing in mind from the ground up can be difficult, as Automobilista 2's case shows: A FCY system has been implemented in 2022, and while it works, it can be hit or miss when it is actually going to get triggered. Caution periods are also very short, so they do not present much of a tactical opportunity. There are no options to choose whether or not the pits should be closed once a yellow flag waves, either. However, the system could be imrpoved soon in combination with the introduction of an actually visible pace car being part of an upcoming update.
Racing at over 240 mph on a Superspeedway has to be one of the most exciting things possible in sim racing - if it is pulled off correctly.
AI
Getting the AI right when it is not built for ovals from the beginning can be a tricky task as well as the same principles at work in road racing do not necessarily apply on speedways. Do you gamble and stay out during a yellow to potentially gain positions should another caution fly soon, or do you use the opportunity to pit? These calls are highly subjective and not always rational, so getting AI drivers to act in a realistic manner in these instances proves to be challenging.They also need to drive in a predictable and fair manner in order for players to be able to race them well, even more so than in road racing. Small lifts in unexpected places or an erratic steering movement can cause other cars to overreact, triggering unnecessary incidents. AI lines and their overall behavior are under a magnifying glass on ovals, especially the faster ones.
When the AI works, it can lead to spectacular oval races including exciting back-and-forth battles using the draft, but it can all fall apart quickly once it is time to pit under green due to weird AI behavior when trying to leave the track to get service.
Participation
The issues listed above are all irrelevant for multiplayer racing, of course. Therein lies another problem, though: Ovals are often regarded as a novelty feature, which quickly loses its allure once drivers who find out how hard it can be to be fast around an oval lose interest - oval racing is an acquired taste in most of the world, after all.This can also be the result of the different nature of oval setups: They are asymmetrical by default, meaning the usual methods of setting up a race car do not necessarily apply. And setups are essential to be fast on ovals - meaning many drivers will rely on the default setup. If this is not up to par, oval racing may not be enjoyable to them unless fixed setups are enabled.
As a result, developers may find it hard to justify putting in more effort into a discipline that is hardly used in their title.
iRacing pulls of featuring in-depth oval races as well as circuit racing both on tarmac and dirt. Image credit: iRacing
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a few elements that make oval racing tough to implement into a circuit-racing-based sim. The biggest factor is how different the discipline is compared to "normal" tracks, meaning any sim that is not built with it in mind from the get-go could struggle adding them later on.The only modern simulation that manages to pull this dance off fine is iRacing, which even throws in dirt ovals. Of course, iRacing is rooted in the old NASCAR games by Papyrus, so the oval base was already very solid for the US-based sim. Participation is high due to this reputation and the official cooperation with NASCAR, and until the IndyCar license deal expired, open-wheel oval racing was very popular as well.
rFactor 2 also offers oval racing, but it can be hit or miss - it can be tweaked via config files, however, so the experience is highly customizable. The sim even features an official rendition of the Dallara IR-18 IndyCar, as well as a fictional NASCAR-style stock car
