Kokomo Speedway

Learn about Kokomo Speedway

1. Track Overview

Real-world background

Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Indiana, is a classic American dirt bullring known for elbows-up racing. The real track hosts USAC Sprint Cars and Midgets, along with Late Models and Modifieds. It’s short, fast, and rewards drivers who can hustle the car and adapt as the surface changes. The iRacing version faithfully captures the aggressive cushion, quick groove migration, and tight spacing that make Kokomo a fan favorite.

Size, layout, and characteristics

• Length: Quarter-mile dirt oval (tight bullring)
• Shape: Fairly symmetrical with short straights and compact, high-speed corners
• Banking: Not extreme but “high-banked” by bullring standards, with progressive bite up the track
• Walls: Outside wall is never far away, and it tightens quickly on corner exit
• Inside line: Shallow berm/edge can be exploited when it’s tacky, but it gets risky as it slicks

Typical racing lines and how they change

• Tacky/early-session: Bottom or slider line is strong. You can enter low, diamond off, and carry exit speed. The top starts to come in early as the cushion builds.
• Mid-session: Middle starts to glaze; the cushion up top becomes fast and technical. The bottom can still work if you hit the moisture on entry and straight-line the exit.
• Late-session/feature: Top cushion or a clean half-car-width under it usually dominates. A disciplined bottom feeder can still make time if you stay in the last bits of moisture, but you’ll need perfect throttle control.

Track surface evolution

• Cushion: Forms quickly and can get thick; it offers big speed but bites hard if you miss it.
• Slick zones: Mid-corner and exits of 2 and 4 glaze first, then entries into 1 and 3. The middle lane gets polished early.
• Moisture: Early moisture hides near the bottom entry and at the very top against the wall. As laps build, moisture bands get narrow and inconsistent; you’ll drive by feel and visual cues (color change, dust, and shine).
• Ruts: Expect small ruts or chop near the cushion and sometimes on the bottom in 1/2. Manage the car over them to avoid upsetting the chassis.

2. Key Things to Know About This Track

1) Short chutes, early decisions

You don’t have much time to set up your entry. Lift early, get the car set quickly, and commit to your line.

2) Exits punish mistakes

The outside wall closes fast off 2 and 4. Don’t pinch the exit; let the car float out under throttle to maintain drive.

3) Where it slicks first

The middle of both corners, then exits. The bottom entry gets shiny soon after as the field runs low early on.

4) Cushion location and behavior

A fast cushion builds along the top in both ends. It’s grippy but volatile—catch it with the right-rear and throttle up; climb over it and you’ll lose time or find the fence.

5) Bottom berm timing

When there’s still moisture, you can “hook” a thin strip at the bottom and launch off. But once it’s dusty/slick, touching the berm can bounce you and cause wheelspin on exit.

6) Slider line is an overtaking staple

The classic Kokomo pass is a slider from low entry to high exit. Good drivers will anticipate and cross back under, so plan the second move.

7) Setup tendencies

Cars often like a little extra rear drive here. As it slicks, aim for more stability/sidebite; early on, a freer car rotates better on the short corners.

8) Gearing

Short gearing is common to maximize drive out of slow, tight corners. Avoid hitting the limiter too long on straights when the track is tacky.

9) Don’t over-drive the entry

Big stabs of throttle or late braking will skate the front and overload the rear. Smooth and early rotation wins.

10) Rookies’ common mistakes

Driving over the cushion, turning in too late, pinching exits, and mashing throttle on slick exits. Patience equals pace.

3. Best Strategies for Fast Laps

Optimal entry points

• Turns 1–2: On a tacky/neutral surface, lift a car length before the flagstand, set the nose low-to-middle, and aim to drive off to mid-high exit. On a top-dominant track, commit earlier to a high entry to meet the cushion before the apex.
• Turns 3–4: Similar approach, but the entry can feel slightly more open. If you’re sliding someone, enter low and plan to intersect the cushion at exit.

Brake and throttle control

• Use minimal brakes—just a brush to set the nose on entry if needed.
• Roll onto the throttle early but progressively. The car should pick up drive without spinning the rear tires. If the steering wheel goes light or you hear the tires zing, you’re too aggressive.

How to read grip levels

• Color and texture: Dark, glassy areas are slick; brown/tacky or rougher dirt has bite.
• Sound: A sharp “zing” from the rears under throttle is wheelspin; a duller scrub indicates you’re planting the tire well.
• Feel: If the car lazily pushes on entry, you need either more trail brake, a slightly lower line, or to move up to the cushion for rotation.

Adjusting your line as it slicks off

• Bottom to middle: Start lower to hook remaining moisture, then straighten the wheel and exit closer to the wall.
• Middle to top: Follow the grip up; run a half-car under the cushion as it forms, then commit to riding the lip if you’re confident.
• Diamonding: On a slick track, a soft diamond (low entry, middle exit) can clean up the exit and reduce wheelspin.

Mid-corner rotation tips

• Trail-brake lightly to set the nose; release before apex.
• Use throttle to “plant” the right-rear. Think of throttle as a traction control you modulate—not an on/off switch.
• If the front pushes: enter a touch lower or earlier, increase your patience with initial throttle, and consider a small line adjustment up to the cushion for extra rotation grip.

Exit strategies for straight-line speed

• Let it breathe out to the wall; don’t pinch the car.
• Try to exit on a vector that lets you get to near-straight steering before you ask for full throttle.
• If you’re on the cushion, “lean” on it with the right-rear and feed throttle as the car straightens.

4. Race Strategy and Situational Tips

How to race other cars here

• Respect the slider/crossover rhythm. At Kokomo, you’ll see sliders every few laps. Leave yourself margin to cross back under or protect on corner exit.
• Keep vision up-track. The top can stack up fast if someone misses the cushion.

Passing zones and risks

• Best zones: Sliders into 1 or 3; bottom-to-middle diamond to beat someone off 2 or 4; cushion run to out-drag down the straights.
• Risks: Half-committed sliders end in contact. If you can’t clear by exit, be ready to lift and cross back.

Defensive lines

• Against a slider: Slightly later apex and tight exit let you cross under on the straight. Take away their launch.
• Against a bottom feeder: Arc in a touch higher and get the car rotated earlier to drive off with superior momentum.

Heat race vs feature race

• Heats: Track is tackier, bottom is alive, and aggression pays. Short gearing and a freer balance are OK.
• Feature: Expect big slick in the middle and exits; top cushion becomes king. Manage tires and temperature in your hands with smooth inputs.

Adapting during long races

• Keep creeping up the track as the slick widens.
• If the cushion gets choppy, try the lane just under it—often the fastest, safest ribbon of grip.
• Adjust brake bias slightly rearward if the nose starts to skate; bring it forward if you’re too loose on entry.

5. Car-Specific Tips

360/410 Sprint Cars

• Lines: Early, you can hammer the bottom or rip the top. As it slicks, the cushion or the lane just under it is usually the play.
• Technique: Keep the car free enough to rotate quickly. Use small brake taps to set the nose, then let the top wing and throttle plant the RR.
• Wing: Early—less angle and a touch forward helps turn-in. Slick—more angle and move the wing rearward for sidebite and exit drive.

Pro Late Models / Super Late Models

• Lines: The bottom can be potent early due to the torque and front weight; later, a patient half-lane under the cushion works well.
• Technique: Focus on straight exits. Over-rotating kills drive. Use light throttle roll-in and keep the car calm over bumps.
• Setup feel: Slightly tighter than sprints; you want stability to put power down. Manage rear drive through shocks and rear percentage.

Street Stocks

• Lines: Often bottom-dominant early; move up a lane as it slicks.
• Technique: Keep momentum—avoid stabbing the throttle. Diamonding the corner helps keep revs in the usable range.
• Setup feel: Neutral to slightly tight. Too free equals lots of wheelspin on exit.

Dirt Modifieds

• Lines: Middle-bottom early; top becomes viable as cushion builds, but precision matters.
• Technique: Trail brake to get the nose down; commit to throttle only when you can straighten the wheel.
• Setup feel: You’ll value platform control—don’t let the car pitch/bounce over the cushion or berm.

6. Setup Suggestions (General)

Note: Keep setups legal to the series; these are general tendencies to steer your tuning.

Stagger

• Tacky/heat: A bit more stagger can help rotation in Kokomo’s tight corners.
• Slick/feature: Reduce stagger to keep the car from getting too free on entry and mid; prioritize drive off.

Wing angle and position (Sprint Cars)

• Tacky: Slightly lower angle and move the wing a touch forward for better turn-in and speed on straights.
• Slick: Increase angle and move the wing rearward to add rear grip/sidebite and stability over the cushion.

Shocks and springs (general behavior)

• More RR compression or LR rebound can steady the car on cushion entries; don’t go so stiff that it skips over ruts.
• On slick: Bias toward compliance—let the tires stay in contact. Prioritize traction over razor-sharp transitions.

Gear selection

• Target strong launch off 2 and 4. Kokomo favors punchy gearing.
• Tacky: You might flirt with the limiter briefly; that’s acceptable if it improves corner-exit drive.
• Slick: Consider a tick taller gear to reduce wheelspin if you’re lighting up the rears off exit.

Balance adjustments

• If you’re tight on entry: Add a touch of rear brake bias, move wing forward (sprint), or free up the car mechanically a notch.
• If you’re loose on exit: Add rear grip—move wing rearward (sprint), reduce stagger slightly, or soften the rear to improve sidebite.
• If the cushion is punishing: Avoid overly stiff RR; let the car absorb the lip without bouncing.

Tires and pressures (principles)

• Slightly lower pressures can increase the footprint and compliance in slick conditions; don’t go so low that you lose response or stability over the cushion.

7. Final Thoughts

Kokomo Speedway is iRacing’s quintessential bullring: short straights, fast corners, a hungry cushion, and constant line evolution. The fastest drivers here aren’t just brave—they’re disciplined. They lift early, set the car quickly, and choose lines that maximize exit drive without pinching the car. They also read the track minute by minute, moving from bottom to middle to top, or finding that magic half-lane under the cushion when the top gets gnarly.

To improve:

• Run focused practice: 10–15 laps on the bottom, then 10–15 on the middle, then 10–15 on the top. Learn each lane before the race demands it.
• Practice slider/crossover sequences with AI or friends to perfect timing and exit positioning.
• Watch the surface: chase moisture bands, avoid polished patches, and understand when the cushion is worth the risk.

Master Kokomo and you’ll gain skills that translate to every dirt oval in iRacing: car control at the limit, line adaptation, and racecraft under pressure. It’s a track that rewards commitment—and punishes hesitation. Put in the laps, learn the cues, and the bullring will pay you back with some of the most satisfying wins in sim racing.