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How Do I Use Black Boxes in Iracing

how do i use black boxes in iRacing? This short guide shows drivers how to view and export black box replay telemetry to analyze incidents and fix problems fast.

If you’re asking “how do i use black boxes in iracing” the short answer is: black boxes are replay/telemetry markers that record the seconds around incidents — open the replay, jump to the marker, then export or inspect the telemetry to see throttle, brake, steering and speed. You’re in the right place to get it working quickly.

Quick Answer

Black boxes in iRacing are the saved replay segments and their telemetry around incidents. To use them: open the session replay, find the incident marker on the timeline (the “black box”), scrub to that time, then export or view the telemetry with a viewer (VRS, MoTeC, spreadsheet) to analyze what happened.

What’s Really Going On

iRacing automatically records replays of sessions and marks incidents (collisions, spins, big offs). Those markers are the “black boxes” — short chunks of recorded data that include speed, throttle, brake, steering, gears and car state. They let you see exactly what inputs and car behavior led to the problem so you can fix setup, driving, or replay disputes. If you can’t access telemetry, either the replay wasn’t saved or the export setting wasn’t enabled.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Finish the session and save the replay: from the Results screen pick your replay and click Open or Save to local replay files.
  2. Open the replay: in iRacing go to Replays (or Documents\iRacing\replay) and load the session you need.
  3. Find the black box/incident marker: use the timeline — incident markers (small icons) show where a crash or spin was logged; click the marker to jump to that moment.
  4. Inspect on-screen: switch to in-car or chase camera, play slow motion, and watch throttle, brake and steering inputs to get the obvious clues.
  5. Export telemetry: use the replay’s Export/Save Telemetry option (CSV or compatible format). If you don’t see an export, use a telemetry tool that reads iRacing shared memory (VRS or MoTeC) during the next run to capture data live.
  6. Load the file in a viewer: open the CSV in Excel for a quick look or in VRS/MoTeC to plot traces and compare laps. Look at throttle/brake overlap, steering angle, and speed through the incident window.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Always save replays after a session — iRacing won’t keep every replay forever.
  • If export isn’t available, enable telemetry apps before driving next time (VRS, MotecLink) so data is recorded live.
  • Check Documents\iRacing\telemetry or \replay for saved files; keep a naming habit to find critical sessions fast.
  • Use 2–3 seconds before and after the incident to understand cause vs effect.
  • When comparing laps, align the time markers (or use distance) to compare inputs at the same point on track.

FAQs

Q: Where do iRacing black box files live?
A: Replays are normally in Documents\iRacing\replay; exported telemetry (CSV) goes where you choose when exporting. Keep backups if you need them for stewarding.

Q: Can I export telemetry after the replay is closed?
A: Only if you saved the replay. If you didn’t save it, you can’t export later — enable live telemetry capture for future sessions.

Q: What program should I use to read black box telemetry?
A: VRS and MoTeC are standard for plotting traces; a quick CSV open in Excel will show raw values. Use VRS for easy lap comparison.

Q: Why don’t I see an export option in the replay?
A: Some UI versions or replay files don’t present a direct export. If that happens, install a telemetry tool and record next session, or check for replay updates in iRacing.

Short Wrap-Up

Black boxes are simply replay markers + telemetry. Save the replay, jump to the incident marker, export or capture telemetry, and inspect throttle/brake/steer traces to find the cause. Next session, enable a telemetry app (VRS/MoTeC) so you never miss another black box.