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Iracing Freezes at Track Loading Screen

Stuck when iracing freezes at track loading screen? This guide for iRacing drivers explains why it happens and gives quick, proven steps to fix the issue fast. Today.

If you’re dealing with iracing freezes at track loading screen, it’s usually a corrupt cache/content file or an overlay hooking into the sim. You’re in the right place—follow these simple steps to get back on track fast.

Quick Answer: iracing freezes at track loading screen

Most freezes here come from bad shader/cache files, a broken track install, or third‑party overlays (MSI Afterburner/RTSS, Discord, Steam, GeForce Experience) injecting at launch. Close overlays, verify/repair iRacing, clear the shader/cache folders, and reset graphics settings. Reinstall the specific track if needed.

What’s Really Going On

When iRacing loads a session, it compiles shaders, loads track/car assets, and initializes graphics. If those files are corrupt—or another app tries to overlay the game—the sim can hang at the loading screen. VR layers and aggressive GPU drivers can do the same. Fixing it is about removing bad files, stopping hooks, and letting iRacing rebuild clean settings.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Close overlays and restart
    Quit MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner, Discord overlay, Steam overlay, GeForce Experience/ShadowPlay, AMD ReLive, Overwolf, and OBS Game Capture. Reboot the PC.

  2. Verify/repair your iRacing install
    In the iRacing UI, open Settings (gear icon) and check for updates/repairs. Let it verify and download any missing or corrupt files.

  3. Clear shaders and cache, then reset iRacing settings
    Exit iRacing. Go to Documents\iRacing. Delete the “shadercache” and “cache” folders. Rename app.ini and rendererDX11.ini to .old (iRacing will rebuild them). Relaunch and run the graphics auto-config.

  4. Reinstall the stuck content
    In the iRacing UI > My Content (or the track page), uninstall the problem track and reinstall it. This fixes broken downloads.

  5. Update your GPU driver with a clean install
    Install the latest NVIDIA/AMD driver and choose Clean Install/Factory Reset if offered. Reboot, then test iRacing.

  6. Test without VR or special display modes
    If you use VR, launch once on the monitor (disable “Start in VR”) to confirm the sim loads. Try Windowed/Borderless mode and default iRacing settings before turning features back on.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Ensure your iRacing folder isn’t syncing to OneDrive; Documents\iRacing should be local and writable.
  • Right‑click iRacingSim64DX11.exe > Properties > Disable fullscreen optimizations; run once as Administrator to rebuild files.
  • Leave 10+ GB free on the drive where iRacing is installed; slow or full drives can stall asset loading.
  • Don’t alt‑tab during the first load after clearing cache—let shaders compile fully.
  • Exclude the iRacing install and Documents\iRacing from antivirus “controlled folder access” if enabled.

FAQs

Q: It only freezes on one track. Why?
A: That track’s files are likely corrupt. Uninstall and reinstall just that track from the iRacing UI.

Q: Do I need to reinstall all of iRacing?
A: Usually no. Repair the install, clear shader/cache, and reinstall the specific track. Full reinstalls are a last resort.

Q: How do I delete shader/cache safely?
A: Close the sim, go to Documents\iRacing, delete “shadercache” and “cache,” and relaunch. iRacing will rebuild them automatically.

Q: Can VR be the cause?
A: Yes. VR layers and runtimes can hang loading. Test without VR, then re-enable once the base game loads fine.

Short Wrap-Up

Freezes at the track loading screen almost always come down to bad cache/content or overlay conflicts. Clean the caches, repair the install, kill overlays, and test without VR. Once it loads, re-enable your iRacing settings one at a time to confirm the fix.