Just when you thought rookie oval racing couldn’t get more fun, the Mini Stock Rookie Series is here to add another thrilling option. Coming as part of the 2024 iRacing Season 4 update, the series makes use of the brand-new Mini Stock Car, which sits at the start of the iRacing oval racing pyramid.
Great for those who are starting out in oval racing and for seasoned racers who want to blow off some steam, the Mini Stock is a very different machine than most oval iRacers will be used to.
This guide will run you through everything you need to know about the iRacing Mini Stock car and series.
The Mini Stock Car
The Mini Stock racer is one of the smallest and lightest vehicles in the iRacing oval racing space at 2,350 pounds, meaning it isn’t anywhere near as cumbersome as the Street Stock, which also runs at the Rookie level. Its light weight is also combined with low power, as its little 2.3-liter inline-four engine transmits just 200 hp to the rear wheels.
It’s designed to be the ideal starting point for drivers unfamiliar with the demands of oval racing. Pilots won’t need to worry about wrestling it about in quite the same way as its V8-powered cousins, so can spend more time focusing on nailing their racecraft. That said, it can still sprint to 60 mph in as little as 5.5 seconds.
It has little to no downforce, so dirty air won’t be an issue. There are two versions of the car, an asphalt one as well as a dirt-prepared example. The car is pretty much the same mechanically, with the main difference being the tires used. The asphalt car has Hoosier racing slicks, while the dirt machine has offroad rubber.
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Race Series Format
Mini Stock Rookie Road Fixed
A pair of series make their debut at Rookie-level, with each making use of the road and dirt version of the Mini Stock.
Each race takes place over a set number of laps rather than being time-dependent, and both are run with fixed setup rules enabled. Cautions, and therefore the lucky dog rule, are also disabled, so staying on the lead lap is crucial.
As the Mini Stock runs predominantly on short track ovals, rain is currently disabled for every race. Realistic weather is in play though, so the track will feature the same climactic conditions affecting it in real life.
Both the Road and Dirt series’ run to exactly the same rules, with the only differences being the tracks used.
- Races run for around 15 minutes
- Two qualifying laps allowed to set best time in qualifying
- Cautions and Lucky Dog are disabled
- Realistic weather on for all events, rain disabled
- Fixed setups are mandated
What License Is Needed To Race
Both Mini Stock fixtures are run at Rookie-level, so they are open to every iRacer, no matter the experience level. This means Mini Stock is ideal to start building up oval or dirt oval rating, allowing racers to graduate to faster vehicles as long as clean races are completed.
Series Costing
As the Dirt and Road Mini Stocks are Rookie series, it’s completely free to run the entire schedule. Every track used comes free with a basic iRacing subscription, as do the Road and Dirt versions of the Mini Stock car.
What’s So Special?
The Mini Stock car feels more like lower-powered vehicles used in Rookie Road fixtures, so it offers a more familiar feeling driving experience for drivers new to oval racing. This allows newbies to learn the basics of short oval battling without having to worry too much about learning the car from scratch.
Once a good foundation of racecraft has been achieved, racers can either move into the more traditional Street Stock or perhaps take a trip down the Legends path.
It also provides a pretty different experience for seasoned oval drivers who are looking to sharpen up their skills in something a little different. As higher fixtures like NASCAR Xfinity or Trucks don’t visit short tracks all the time, the Mini Stocks offer valuable short-track experience every day of the week.
It’s Surprisingly Easy To Burn Out Right Rear Tire
Despite the relatively low power output of the Mini Stock, it can be easier than you think to burn out the rear tire. Due to the lightness of the car and the perky power delivery, the rear can break out pretty easily under acceleration, even on slower short tracks.
It can be therefore easy to overheat the rear right tire, which will cause loss of grip and increased wear. Its lightweight construction and tune mean the Mini Stock turns in really sweetly, making it easy to paint the white line on the inside of each corner. Tending to the front right tire therefore is pretty simple, so just focus on opening out the exit of the corner and applying the throttle smoothly to help keep the rear in check.
Due to the shortness of the small ovals, slipstream doesn’t come into the racing. When used on larger tracks such as Charlotte Motor Speedway, as was the case in Week 13, the Mini Stock essentially turns into a drafting series.
- Focus on being careful on corner exit to avoid destroying right rear tire
- Mounting pressure is effective due to loose nature of handling, resulting loss of momentum for car ahead makes move more straightforward
- Due to lower power, backing up corner and carrying momentum on corner exit is crucial to achieving faster lap times
To Conclude
The Mini Stock is a unique addition to iRacing’s oval roster, and should provide entertainment for the most seasoned oval pilots and newbies alike. Plus, due to their low-powered and loose nature, they are a good learning ground for less experienced racers to get acquainted with oval racing at a slower pace.
Plus, with there being no open setup fixtures available, drivers can focus on learning how to get the most out of the car without worrying about getting lost while tweaking the setup.
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