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How to Do a Burnout in Iracing

Explains how to do a burnout in iRacing for iRacing drivers: step-by-step controls, settings and quick fixes to get reliable burnouts fast — no-fluff, practical help.

If you’re asking how to do a burnout in iRacing, the simple answer is: pick a rear‑wheel car, disable any traction aids, hold the brakes and rev the engine, then release the brake slightly to spin the rear wheels. You’re in the right place to fix the common problems that stop the wheels from spinning or producing smoke.

Quick Answer

To do a burnout in iRacing, use a RWD car without traction control, hold the brake (or handbrake), bring revs up in first gear, then ease off the brake so the rear wheels break traction while you keep throttle on. Turn off pit limiter and make sure particle effects are enabled if you want visible smoke.

What’s Really Going On

A burnout is just spinning the driven wheels while the car’s body is held nearly still. In iRacing the sim will prevent wheelspin if the car has traction control or if you’re in pit‑limiter mode. Also, some cars and gear choices don’t provide enough torque at low revs to break traction. Graphics settings can hide smoke even if the tires are spinning.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Choose the right car — pick a rear‑wheel drive car without traction control (stock cars, many GT and oval cars).
2. Disable assists — turn off traction control or stability aids in the car or session settings if the car allows it.
3. Find a safe spot — go to pit lane or a wide clear section on track and make sure pit limiter is off.
4. Hold brake and rev — press the brake firmly (left foot if you use two pedals). Put the gearbox in first and apply throttle to raise RPMs.
5. Release the brake slightly — ease the brake until the rear breaks traction and starts to spin while you keep steady throttle. Modulate throttle to keep the spin without launching forward.
6. Stop safely — release throttle and reapply brake fully to stop the wheels spinning, or use clutch/gear to prevent a stall.

Extra Tips / Checklist

• Use first gear for maximum torque; higher gears often won’t break traction.
• If you only have one pedal or a controller, use the handbrake (if mapped) or assign a separate brake axis.
• Check for pit limiter — it will prevent heavy revving and wheelspin in pit lane.
• No smoke visible? Increase particle/visual effects in graphics or test another car to confirm wheelspin.
• In multi-driver sessions avoid doing burnouts on the start grid — it can cause incidents and penalties.

FAQs

Q: Which iRacing cars make the easiest burnouts?
A: High‑torque RWD cars with no traction control. Oval stock cars and some GT cars are the most reliable choices.

Q: My wheels aren’t spinning — what’s the likely cause?
A: Traction control on, pit limiter on, wrong gear, or you’re not revving high enough. Check those first.

Q: Can I do this with a gamepad or keyboard?
A: Yes, but you need a way to hold brakes while applying throttle (separate axes or the handbrake). Keyboard-only is awkward.

Q: Will I be penalized for doing a burnout in a race?
A: You won’t be penalized for the burnout itself, but causing blocks or collisions can bring incidents and penalties.

Short Wrap-Up

Do the burnout with a RWD car, no traction aids, brake held, revs up, then ease brake to spin the rear wheels. If it’s not working, check pit limiter, assists, gear and graphics effects — fix those and try again in a quiet practice run.