http://users.bart.nl/~jamin TOCA, Toring Car Championship Playing Guide CAR HANDLING TOCA cars behave quite differently from yer run-of-the-mill Formula One beastie. Thanks to their light but powerful build, coupled with a high centre of gravity and relatively narrow tyres, they are prone to instability when sudden changes of direction are attempted. So avoid 'sawing' at the controls. Don't make a lot of small corrections left and right. Run a smooth clean line wherever possible, otherwise you can get a side-to-side shimmy going in these light but fast cars that will literally rock them clean off the track. The game rewards smooth driving rather than Rage Racer-style powerslides. Plenty of practice and a good knowledge of the circuits is required. Work at corners that are giving you trouble. Try different lines and entry speeds. Pick a car you like and stick with it a while. The fastest car may not suit your driving style. Fast just isn't enough; you need smooth consistent laps to win. When braking, always brake gently, then harder if you need to. You cannot turn corners when the brakes are locked. Thus, brake before turning into a corner. The rule of thumb is: brake down to entry speed, turn in, hit the apex or the turning point of the corner then accelerate out. When you do spin, release the throttle and try to end up the right way round. If you keep the throttle down, going backwards, you slow down and lose momentum. Keep a bit of power on through the corners as the cars become unstable when they coast along. Set up braking points into hard corners and use them. Usually your own skid marks from previous laps. ROAD RAGING Bumper-shunting, door-slamming, side-swiping, fender-bashing and rear-ending all make the Touring Car championship what it is today. After playing the game for a while it becomes apparent that the other cars get away with blue murder. We recommend a response utilising controlled aggression, as an alternative to blind rage. When coming up inside an opponent on a corner, turn INTO him a little, not away, as the latter will turn you harder into the direction of the turn and will probably spin you off (i.e. you come up inside a car into a right-hander and hit him. Turn LEFT a little, pushing him out wide). Use the other car like a moving guard rail to avoid running wide, and stay on the power or feather the throttle to keep the car balanced. Get off the other car as soon as is feasible, pull away and, by keeping on the throttle, you should be able to pull clear. Be very wary of the car suddenly swiping at you out of spite; some drivers are more prone to do this than others. When passing other cars, take the initiative and put the squeeze on them. As you draw alongside, ease over gently until you are close to them or touching them, especially if there is a corner coming. The object is merely to squeeze him until he has to brake/back off. As always, do this gently. Don't try to swerve across hard and door-slam him - this usually backfires. If the car you're passing seems intent on running you off the track, hit the brakes and back off. Better to stay on the track than spin off; you can always try to take him again later as long as you stay in contact. Often, by braking and slowing suddenly, the other car can swerve right off the track, allowing you to get by while he recovers. If someone gets into your side in a corner, back off the power and turn away from the corner, disengage then hit the gas and turn back into the corner. If you try pushing back harder, there's every possibility you'll just spin off. THE TRACKS TAMED Donnington GP Cross the start/finish line keeping to the left. Lift off, brake gently and swing in for the uphill right-hander at Redgate. Try to get a clean run through - avoid running wide to the left and over the ripple strip. Get back on the gas as soon as the car is settled. The track winds gently uphill to the right at Hollywood, where it crests before descending through Craner. It is important to be smooth and fast through this section from Redgate to McLeans for fast laps. The track is bumpy through Craner so be ready to get off the power should the car become unsettled and shimmy about. Get a good clean run flat out, then run downhill to the dip just before the right-hander at Old Hairpin, where the track begins to climb again. Brake before the corner, striving for a balance between cornering and exit speed. Do not brake IN the corner. Exit here is crucial; coming out to the left with enough speed to make a good run uphill towards Starkey's Bridge. Swing gently right in order to cut the apex under the bridge, then stay to the left, still hard on the power, still climbing uphill towards Schwantz's curve. Ease off for the gentle left-hander at Schwantz, then tap the brakes and turn in to the tighter uphill right-hander at Mcleans. Strive for a late turn in and a tight line out to avoid drifting wide to the left. Hit the apex at Mcleans then hard on the power again for the run to the top of the hill at Coppice; which is actually a double apex right - two curves with a very short straight section between. Brake hard at the top of the hill and turn in, driving the two turns as one long one, accelerating out and downhill under the bridge towards the esses. Braking is very important for the esses; brake sooner rather than later, trying to avoid locking the brakes. Repeated applications may be preferable to just Ôstomping' the brake pedal. Get a good clean turn in and then accelerate out hard, keeping to the left approaching the Melbourne Hairpin. Brake hard and turn in when off the brakes, trying to get a good constant radius of turn rather than taking 'bites' at the corner. Accelerate as soon as possible going out, moving over to the right for the following straight run up to Goddards. This turn can get 'lost' in the roadside 'clutter' so watch for it closely. It has more than one line - I prefer to brake late and hard, turning in late to cut across the apex while accelerating out, which sets me up on the left of the track for the run down to the start/finish line, and the next lap. Silverstone Touring cars use a shorter circuit at Silverstone than Formula One cars do. After crossing the start/finish line, keep to the left. Copse is approached flat out, 6th gear, 145mph (if your car goes that fast). It is one of the most exhilarating corners in motor racing anywhere. If lined up right, it can be taken almost flat out in a Touring car - just a lift off the throttle on the turn in, then hammer the gas pedal flat again on the way out, using all the road. If taken right, it's magic;if you miscalculate, it's disaster. Aim to run wide rather than turn in too sharp and smack the inside barrier. The latter tends to ruin a good lap. After Copse move over to the right of the track. It's a flat-out run towards Maggotts, which is a left then right kink. It too can be taken by lifting off and turning in - although the line-up must be right as a mistake can send you off - before flicking the throttle again then braking hard for Becketts. Accelerate hard out of Becketts and keep the throttle open wide for the run through the esses that follow; a left/right/left before another left kink onto the straight that leads to Farm corner. Drive these esses flat out, using all the road and the rumble strips. Farm corner is a make-or-break corner for fast laps. Keep left on entry and as soon as you pass the slight kink to the left on the entry, brake hard but try to avoid locking up the brakes. It is often better to Ôpump' the brakes rather than just press hard once. Turn in to the corner hard, keeping a constant radius of turn if possible. The exit is very bumpy to the left of the track so a late turn in/tight line out towards the right works best. This sets the car up well for the following left then right corners at Abbey, which, if taken properly, can be driven through while hard on the accelerator. Keep left after Abbey then turn in under the bridge for the gentle right-hander. The track here is bumpy off the racing line, so a smooth steady line is needed or a spin-off is likely. Line the car up for Priory by keeping to the right of the track, braking hard then turning in smartly, aiming to come out of the corner hard on the gas and up against the right-hand side rumble strips. Accelerate hard up towards Brooklands then cut the throttle, stab the brakes then turn in late but sharply, cutting across the apex of the corner to exit on the left side of the track. The run into Luffield can be taken while accelerating continuously out of the corner and through the sweeping but bumpy Woodcote then back onto the front straight for another lap. Thruxton Thruxton is open and very fast. It requires a smooth touch on the controls, for both the fast-flowing sections as well as the two series of tight turns where most overtaking will occur. After crossing the start/finish line the track curves to the right through Allard, tightening somewhat before turning to the left and running slightly downhill. Keep to the right through Allard then ease over to the left. This leads to Campbell corner. Getting braking right here is critical for fast laps. Brake, turn in, and accelerate out all the way, turning left through Cobb to clip the apex then into the right at Seagrave which opens out and climbs uphill very slightly. The track curves gently right, crests then dips very slightly, before the easy left-hander at Noble, which comes up very suddenly. It can be taken flat out, but be sure to keep a smooth line through these fast turns; do not Ôjink' the car about or Ôsaw' left and right at the controls. Keep a smooth line, for the track can be bumpy and often off-camber. If you put a wheel off the track, back off the throttle and recover as gently as possible before getting back on the power. After Noble the track begins a very long gentle curve right through Goodwood turn, which tightens up a bit into the right-hander at Village before opening out into a gentle, although bumpy in places, long right curve that suddenly tightens in radius at Church, which comes up suddenly and off-camber as well. Look for the ripple strips in the distance for visual clues to these corners as the high speed means they appear very suddenly. After Church there's the long curve left, through Brooklands into Woodham Hill. Since leaving Seagrave corner the throttle has been wide open, with the car flat out in 6th gear. Then comes the right/left/right chicane at Club corner. The road pitches uphill slightly as you brake hard and turn into the first right- hander. It is possible to give the throttle a squirt as we climb slightly out of the first right, then tap the brakes for the tight left/right combination that needs to be taken as hard and fast as possible to get a good run back onto the front straight - which in fact is a gentle curve to the right before Allard starts again. Brands Hatch The track is short, narrow, twisty, dangerously fast, uphill and down dale, and tends to be either banked, or off-camber. Expect to rub fenders here a lot. Often the best tactic is to keep out of everyone else's way while they bang door handles and take each other off. After crossing the start/finish line on the gently curved and banked to the right Brabham 'straight', the track drops away, turning right and downhill at Paddock Hill bend. It is vital to get this corner sorted out perfectly, and the fast line through it is narrow. Lift off the throttle at the second braking marker, stab the brakes at the third marker and turn in aiming for the apex which is right on the crest where the track dips. Hit the throttle again as soon as you clip the apex and try to keep the car in the centre of the road. To run wide to the left means getting bogged down in the sand trap. Keeping to the right too much risks hitting the track bumps that can spit the car off the circuit. Try to get a straight line down the hill into the dip just before the overbridge, moving gently left to set up the next corner. After the dip, the track rises sharply towards the 180 degree hairpin turn at Druids. Getting this corner right is the key to getting a fast time down the whole 'back' section of the track. Don't brake late or you'll be in the sand trap at the top of the corner. Brake sharply, turn in smoothly and 'drive' the corner, balancing the car on the throttle. Avoid running wide to the left if possible, and strive to come out on the right side of the track for a fast run downhill through the left-hand sweeper at Graham Hill bend. This corner is - depending on how well Druids was taken - either flat out or just a lift off and turn/drift in then accelerate out. Back off the power and/or tap the brakes rather than put a wheel off the track through this section of the course. Many cars run wide out of Graham Hill, allowing for passing opportunities. From here accelerate hard through the gently left-curved section known as the Cooper 'straight', while climbing ever so slightly towards Surtees bend. This left-hander tightens up appreciably and needs to be entered just right - once again, either flat out or by lifting off the throttle. Through Surtees, then stab the brakes for the sudden right kink that comes into McLaren, which climbs uphill sharply, tightening as it does so that it changes radius at the crest. Another stab at the brakes may be needed if it seems the car will run wide here. The throttle needs to be feathered through McLaren sometimes, to keep the car balanced, but after that it's a foot-flat-down sprint as the turn opens into Clearways then continues into the Clark Curve, the right-hander that leads back onto the curved and banked front 'straight' again. Oulton Park Oulton Park's concrete-like surface can be slick and offers reduced grip over asphalt tracks. Speeds are high, which means fast-flowing corners must be taken just right or frightful high-speed spin-offs occur. From the start/finish line it's a sprint down the front straight to the right- hander at Old Hall. Here, you have the option of braking or lifting off the throttle then taking the corner while accelerating hard - or if you are feeling plucky - keeping the throttle hard on and scooting through to clip the apex then run out wide to the left. This works well, if you get that elusive perfect line through the corner. If you don't... well, you were warned. The corner also tightens rather than opens on the way out, which doesn't help. The track runs straight after Old Hall before dropping off slightly just before the gentle right kink at Dentons, which leads to the tighter-than-it-first- appears left at Cascade and the short run to the Fosters right-hander. Speeding down the hill, it is easy to get the car unsettled, so an Ôon-off' approach with the throttle can help here: lift off for the kink at Dentons, hard on it again, lift at Cascade, a short squirt before getting hard on the brakes for the Fosters right-hander at the bottom of the hill. The run out of Fosters opens up then kinks right a little. It is fairly wide, allowing some latitude with exit lines, but the car needs to be set up by the time you reach Knickerbrook, as there is a bad bump on the left of the track that can all but spin the car off. Aim for the rumble strips at the apex of Knickerbrook, staying hard on the power all the way from Fosters exit. The track begins a shallow climb and curves gently left up Clay Hill towards Druids. At first, Druids looks like it can be taken flat out. It is also a double apex right rather than a single radius curve. Lift off the throttle on entry, perhaps tapping the brakes lightly to settle the car, then get back on the power as soon as you clip the first apex, and drive the corner out like it was a single curve, aiming to come out on the left side of the track for the fast run down to Lodge. Be careful of the bumps along this straight. After passing through the gentle left kink, start braking early and gently for Lodge. You'll need to brake hard, right down to around 3rd gear and 70-80mph. This corner is deceptive because the exit is not seen from the entry as it is over a crest, and the corner also tightens on the way out so entry speed and line is critical. Better to brake hard and drive out under power than try to modify a line while in the turn. If you're going to royally stuff up any corner at Oulton, it will be this one. If you get through Lodge cleanly, it's a matter of accelerating downhill through the dip then up into the left kink at Deer Leap then back across the line for another lap of this fast, challenging circuit. Croft Croft is a good circuit. It's flat, has fast straights, flowing turns and some challenging tighter corners. Cross the start/finish line keeping to the left. The first corner series is a right/left kink then a full 180 degree turn that actually has two different radiuses. At the 50-metre board lift off the accelerator and tap the brakes then turn into the right-hand kink but aiming for the apex of the second or left-hand kink. Hitting this will put you up high in the corner, able to turn in sharply for the first part of the 180 degree turn then stomp the gas pedal and accelerate all the way out of the turn, which opens out. It is possible to give the accelerator a squirt between the two entry kinks to get your corner speed just right, which is important. The sequence is brake; drift, squirt the gas; drift, accelerate. Speed away down the following straight, keeping to the right-hand side of the track. Don't lift or brake for the chicane; just cut clean across the rumble strips and continue on towards Tower bend. Brake down to about 4th gear and around 75mph for Tower. Get a clean line through and back on the power, keeping the foot flat down for the next series of bends. The Jim Clark esses can be taken out in 5th gear. Enter from the right, clip both rumble strips through this gentle left/right combination. The right kink at Barcroft can also be taken without lifting off the gas.Then comes the double apex right-hander at Sunny. At the most, you will have to brake for this a little; at the least, lift off the accelerator. The fast line through is narrow so be careful, as to run wide here will botch a hot lap. Turn in then get back on the power, clip the apex, run out wide to the left (do NOT put a wheel off the circuit here; ease off the gas and correct if it looks like you might) turn in again for the second right apex once again clipping the rumble strip. Keep the power on down to the left-hand sweeper. This corner has several lines depending on driving style. We suggest you brake gently and turn in about mid track, not hitting the apex until late in the turn, if at all. Then, squirt the throttle coming out until on the short straight before the first of the two infield hairpins. Brake hard for this, right down to 2nd gear. Turn in tight then start to 'turn out' as you get the power on, for the radius isn't consistent but opens up on the exit. There is time to get back up to about 3rd gear before braking for the second and left-handed hairpin. Get this lined up and take it as fast as possible before piling on the power as soon as the car starts to straighten out. After that it's a straight run to the start/finish line for another lap. Knockhill Keep to the left as you thunder down the pit straight, as the first corner is crucial. Ease off and turn in, maybe drop a gear for maximum control, keep the power on. Try not to cut too much of the inner rumble strip, as it can throw you over to the left and off as the corner tightens slightly before Duffus Dip. Aim to drift on to the outside rumble strip and stick to the inside as the road turns to the left before McIntyre. Watch for the grass in the gap between the two strips. Brake slightly for McIntyre (this part is tricky) and make sure you have straightened up from the exit of the last corner before applying the brakes. Accelerate hard as you pass the apex. Keep to the inside through Butcher's, as you need to be well over to the left for the chicane. Cut across the first rumble strip, and as you go over the blind crest, steer right. Clip the second, though, and get the power down for the short run to Clark. Clark is a dodgy corner; sometimes it is kind to you, other times it's not. Go round flat out in 5th. Turn about 15-20m after the 50m marker board. Keep power on and take a lot of the inside strip. Run wide on to the outer strip for maximum speed through the corner. Clark, along with the first corner, is Knockhill's trickiest. Put your foot down in the fairly long straight; you should just about hit maximum speed before braking hard around the 100m marker board for the Taylors hairpin. Mind the gravel trap! Go round smoothly in 2nd/3rd without wandering around too much and get the power down for the long straight and another lap. An alternative line for Taylors is to go in deep, cut back across the apex to straighten the corner out. Use this line for time trials rather than races. A time of around 46-47 seconds is a good time at Knockhill. During a race the best passing places are out-braking into Taylors and out- running down Brabhams after a good drive through the chicane. Donnington Short Cross the start/finish line keeping to the left. Lift off, brake gently and swing in for the uphill right-hander at Redgate. Try to get a clean run through, avoid running wide to the left and over the ripple strip. Get back on the gas soon as the car is settled. The track winds gently uphill to the right at Hollywood, where it crests before descending through Craner. It is important to be smooth and fast through this section from Redgate to McLeans for fast laps. The track is bumpy through Craner so be ready to get off the power should the car begin to get unsettled and shimmy about. Get a good clean run flat out, then run downhill to the dip just before the right-hander at Old Hairpin, where the track begins to climb again. Brake before the corner, striving for a balance between cornering and exit speed. Do not brake IN the corner. Exit here is crucial; coming out to the left with enough speed to make a good run uphill towards Starkey's Bridge. Swing gently right in order to cut the apex under the bridge then stay to the left, still hard on the power, still climbing uphill towards Schwantz's curve. Ease off for the gentle left-hander at Schwantz, then tap the brakes and turn in to the tighter uphill right-hander at Mcleans. Strive for a late turn in and a tight line out to avoid drifting wide to the left. Hit the apex at Mcleans then hard on the power again for the run to the top of the hill at Coppice, which is actually a double apex right - two curves with a very short straight section between. Brake hard at the top of the hill and turn in, driving the two turns as one long one, accelerating out and downhill under the bridge towards the esses. Braking is very important for the esses; brake sooner rather than later, trying to avoid locking the brakes. Repeated applications may be preferable to just 'stomping' the brake pedal. Get a good clean turn in and then accelerate out hard, drifting over to the right on the following Start/Finish straight. Snetterton This is a tortoise and hare track. Long straights and sweeping corners mean high speeds. Sudden tight, hard chicanes and esses mean that as you bomb it round for most of the lap, you'll suddenly come a cropper if you don't rein in your wilder impulses. From the start/finish line, keep to the left of the track as you race down the Senna straight towards Riches corner. Lift off the throttle and turn in, but DO NOT aim to hit the first apex! Riches has a trick - it's actually a double apex right. Aim to hit the SECOND apex rumble strip on the way out as you accelerate hard, after passing the first apex by. If you were clean and fast through Riches, Sear corner comes up fast. If you aren't on the brakes hard as you pass the 50 metre board, then expect a tour of the outfield. It's about a 4th gear, 75mph corner. Avoid running wide and clipping the barrier that lurks on the left on the exit to the turn. A fast run down the Revett straight brings us to the first of Snetterton's challenges - the esses. You need to start braking for these BEFORE the left-hand kink, and then stay on the brakes right up to the right hander. This presents a problem because for most cars in TOCA, braking AND turning leads to spinning and sliding. The exception is the Nissan Primera, in which it is almost impossible to lock the brakes. But... suppose you have the temerity to want to drive something that goes fast and accelerates? Well... brake for the left-hander, turn in, brake again for the right-hander. Use 2nd or possibly 3rd gear; 50-60 mph which, after the fast sprint down Revett, will seem slow. But get used to it as pushing the car too hard here will mean 'Goodbye track position, hello gravel trap.' Accelerate hard out of the esses and keep your foot down for the run up to, and through, Bomb Hole corner. You can stay on the throttle through the right-hander at Cobham curve, using all the road and driving smooth sweeping lines. Then, it's time to try the brakes out again, for the chicane at Russel. At the 100- metre board start braking hard, and keep it up until 2nd gear and 55mph show as you turn in right, then hard left, then 'stomp' the throttle and get away as fast as possible onto the Senna straight and another lap. The pack really bunches up at the Russel chicane, so it's a good place to stay clean or hang back a little and let them run each other off, before driving a tighter faster line through and picking up some places. Watch out for friendly assisted shunts and barges sending you off the track. If running in traffic, I find it better to overtake up the inside into Riches or Sears rather than mix it up at the esses or Russel, but then, if you see a gap, who can resist? Lavaland The secret circuit. This is surely the purest test of any TOCA driver, so we won't insult your integrity with our meddlesome tips.