diff --git a/assets.h b/assets.h
index 1ead39e..29828f7 100644
--- a/assets.h
+++ b/assets.h
@@ -26,9 +26,19 @@ static const uint8_t map1[] =
     10,
     0,
     
-    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL_ACCEL,32,2,32,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_CONCRETE,0),
-    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,1,40,1,0,0),
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL_ACCEL,0,0,0,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_CONCRETE,0),
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,63,1,1,0,0),
 
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL_ACCEL,0,0,63,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_CONCRETE,0),
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,63,1,1,0,0),
+
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL_ACCEL,0,0,0,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_CONCRETE,0),
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,1,1,63,0,0),
+
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL_ACCEL,63,0,0,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_CONCRETE,0),
+    LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,1,1,63,0,0),
+
+/*
     LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL_ACCEL,32,32,32,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_CONCRETE,0),
     LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,4,4,4,0,0),
 
@@ -40,6 +50,7 @@ static const uint8_t map1[] =
 
     LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL,2,25,50,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_GRASS,0),
     LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_CUBOID_HOLLOW,3,3,3,0,0),
+*/
 
 /*
     LCR_MAP_BLOCK(LCR_BLOCK_FULL,0,0,0,LCR_BLOCK_MATERIAL_GRASS,0),
diff --git a/game.h b/game.h
index 8dd47ca..c3c6511 100644
--- a/game.h
+++ b/game.h
@@ -195,8 +195,6 @@ uint8_t LCR_gameStep(uint32_t time)
 
   if (time >= LCR_game.nextRenderFrameTime)
   {
-
-
 LCR_GameUnit physicsInterpolationParam = LCR_GAME_UNIT -
   ((LCR_game.nextRacingTickTime - time) * LCR_GAME_UNIT) /
     LCR_RACING_TICK_MS;
diff --git a/racing.h b/racing.h
index 90ea00c..87fe6fc 100644
--- a/racing.h
+++ b/racing.h
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ typedef int32_t LCR_GameUnit;  ///< abstract game unit
 #define LCR_CAR_FORWARD_FRICTION TPE_F / 14
 #define LCR_CAR_TURN_FRICTION (3 * TPE_F / 4)
 #define LCR_CAR_ELASTICITY (TPE_F / 100)
-#define LCR_CAR_ACCELERATION (LCR_PHYSICS_UNIT / 8)
+#define LCR_CAR_ACCELERATION (LCR_PHYSICS_UNIT / 20)
+#define LCR_CAR_TURN_SPEED (LCR_GAME_UNIT / 3)
+#define LCR_CAR_TURN_MAX (LCR_GAME_UNIT / 4)
 
 struct
 {
@@ -203,10 +205,12 @@ void _LCR_racingWheelAccelerate(unsigned int wheel, TPE_Vec3 dir)
     (dir.z * LCR_CAR_ACCELERATION) / TPE_F;
 }
 
+/**
+  Updates the racing physics world, call every LCR_RACING_TICK_MS milliseconds.
+*/
 void LCR_racingStep(unsigned int input)
 {
   TPE_Vec3 carForw, carRight, carUp;
-//  TPE_Vec3 vel = TPE_vec3(0,0,0);
 
   carForw = TPE_vec3Normalized(TPE_vec3Plus(
     TPE_vec3Minus(LCR_racing.carBody.joints[0].position,
@@ -224,26 +228,40 @@ void LCR_racingStep(unsigned int input)
 
   if (input)
   {
+    unsigned char steering = 0;
+
     // TODO: magic constants
-    if (input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_FORW)
-      LCR_racing.wheelRotation =
-        (LCR_racing.wheelRotation + 5) % LCR_GAME_UNIT;
 
-    if (input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_BACK)
-      LCR_racing.wheelRotation -= 4;
+    if (input & (LCR_RACING_INPUT_FORW | LCR_RACING_INPUT_BACK))
+    {
+      // TODO: in air always rotate wheels
 
-      while (LCR_racing.wheelRotation < 0)
+      LCR_racing.wheelRotation = LCR_racing.wheelRotation +
+        (LCR_racingGetCarSpeed() / 32)
+         % LCR_GAME_UNIT;
+
+      if (LCR_racing.wheelRotation < 0)
         LCR_racing.wheelRotation += LCR_GAME_UNIT;
 
+    }
+
     if (input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_RIGHT)
+    {
+      steering = 2;
       LCR_racing.wheelSteer = TPE_min(
-        LCR_racing.wheelSteer + 64,LCR_GAME_UNIT / 2);
+        LCR_racing.wheelSteer + LCR_CAR_TURN_SPEED,
+        LCR_CAR_TURN_MAX);
+    }
 
-    if (input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_LEFT)
+    else if (input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_LEFT)
+    {
+      steering = 1;
       LCR_racing.wheelSteer = TPE_max(
-        LCR_racing.wheelSteer - 64,-1 * LCR_GAME_UNIT / 2);
+        LCR_racing.wheelSteer - LCR_CAR_TURN_SPEED,
+        -1 * LCR_CAR_TURN_MAX);
+    }
 
-    if ((LCR_racing.wheelCollisions & 0x03) == 0x03) // back wheels on gr.?
+    if ((LCR_racing.wheelCollisions & 0x0c)) // back wheel on ground?
     {
       if (input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_FORW)
       {
@@ -256,13 +274,45 @@ void LCR_racingStep(unsigned int input)
         _LCR_racingWheelAccelerate(1,TPE_vec3TimesPlain(carForw,-1));
       }
     }
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < 4; ++i)
+      if (LCR_racing.wheelCollisions & (0x01 << i)) // wheel on ground?
+      {
+        TPE_Vec3 jv = TPE_vec3( // joint velocity 
+          LCR_racing.carBody.joints[i].velocity[0],   
+          LCR_racing.carBody.joints[i].velocity[1],   
+          LCR_racing.carBody.joints[i].velocity[2]);   
+
+        TPE_Vec3 ja = carRight; // wheel axis of rotation
+
+        if (i >= 2 && steering)
+        {
+          // for front wheels with turning we tilt the wheel axis 45 degrees
+
+          TPE_Unit steer =
+            (LCR_racing.wheelSteer * TPE_F) / LCR_GAME_UNIT;
+           
+          ja = TPE_vec3Normalized(
+            TPE_vec3Plus(TPE_vec3Times(carForw,steer),carRight));
+        }
+
+        /* friction is in the direction if the axis and its magnitude is
+          determined by the dot product (angle) of the axis and velocity */
+        TPE_Vec3 fric = TPE_vec3Times(ja,(TPE_vec3Dot(ja,jv) *
+          LCR_CAR_TURN_FRICTION) / TPE_F);
+
+        jv = TPE_vec3Minus(jv,fric); // subtract the friction
+
+        LCR_racing.carBody.joints[i].velocity[0] = jv.x;
+        LCR_racing.carBody.joints[i].velocity[1] = jv.y;
+        LCR_racing.carBody.joints[i].velocity[2] = jv.z;
+      }
   }
 
   if ((!(input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_LEFT)) &&
     (!(input & LCR_RACING_INPUT_RIGHT)))
     LCR_racing.wheelSteer /= 2;
 
-
   if ((LCR_racing.wheelCollisions & 0x0f) != 0x0f) // EXPERIMENTAL: don't apply gravity with all wheels on ground
     TPE_bodyApplyGravity(&(LCR_racing.carBody),LCR_GRAVITY);
 
diff --git a/renderer.h b/renderer.h
index fca8474..9b6e876 100644
--- a/renderer.h
+++ b/renderer.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ struct
 #if LCR_ANIMATE_CAR
   S3L_Unit wheelRotation;
   S3L_Unit wheelSteer;
-  S3L_Unit wheelRotationCenters[4];
+  S3L_Unit wheelRotationCenters[4]; /**< back and front wheel XY centers */
   S3L_Unit animatedCarVerts[LCR_CAR_VERTEX_COUNT * 3];
 #endif
 
diff --git a/settings.h b/settings.h
index 8d8fbe0..d6c2ac2 100644
--- a/settings.h
+++ b/settings.h
@@ -102,18 +102,18 @@
 
 #ifndef LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_HEIGHT
   /** Base height of the car follow camera, in 4ths of map block height. */
-  #define LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_HEIGHT 4
+  #define LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_HEIGHT 7
 #endif
 
 #ifndef LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_HEIGHT_BAND
   /** Size of height band of the follow camera, in same units as base height. */
-  #define LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_HEIGHT_BAND 2
+  #define LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_HEIGHT_BAND 1
 #endif
 
 #ifndef LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_MAX_DISTANCE
   /** Maximum horizontal distance of the car follow camera, in 4ths of map block
     width. */
-  #define LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_MAX_DISTANCE 6
+  #define LCR_SETTING_CAMERA_MAX_DISTANCE 5
 #endif
 
 #ifndef LCR_SETTING_GHOST_COLOR