I’ve never done sim racing. How do I start?

Our Intro to Sim sessions are the best way to see how things work. We’ll lead you through this experience consisting of a practice session and race in one car, then another practice session and race in a faster car. All of this will be on the same track allowing you to learn the track at the start, and keep building on those laps. We’ll take breaks in between the sessions where we can talk about your laps.

If you don’t have time to do a full intro session, you can always just come in for 30 minutes of hot laps. This is less structured, but we can help you pick a car and track that is good for your experience level.

After that, you can look into our other experiences like drop-in races, special events, and leagues.

How old do I need to be?

Our Advanced Rigs do have a minimum age of 16, due to the higher force-feedback of the wheel, however, we have no minimum age on our Standard Rigs. We just need to make sure you can reach the pedals, so we recommend that drivers are at least 48” tall. We’ve had plenty of 10 year olds, and even younger, have a great time driving!

Is there a height requirement?

We currently have a height requirement of 48 inches but recommend a minimum height of 60 inches. We’re working on enhancements to better accommodate drivers under 60 inches.

Is this a game?

Nope. Our simulators use the same software that professional drivers and race teams use for training. The high level of physics reproduction by the simulation allows it to replicate the real-life behavior of the tires, suspension, and engines of the real cars that are raced every weekend. The tracks are laser scanned, millimeter accurate reproductions of real-life tracks. The surface is realistic to the point of replicating patches in the track and curbing. The cars are also accurate to the real vehicles. From NASCAR Cup cars to GT3 cars, Indy cars to Formula 1, you can experience what it is like to pilot these amazing machines.

How much does it cost?

We have both standard and advanced race simulators as well as different experiences. The cost ranges from $20 for 30minutes in a standard rig to $60 for an intro session in an advanced rig. Sessions include orientation, practice races, and real races with two cars. There are also specialized experiences, such as the Formula 1 experience. Check out our experiences page.

Who will I race against?

These are local races, not online. When you book into one of our drop-in races or intro sessions, you’ll practice and race with the other people that have come to drive. You’re racing with people you can share a drink and a conversation with after. If you want some more competitive driving, check out our leagues and special events.

What should I wear/bring?

Comfortable clothing – We’re indoors, but it’s a large industrial building, so dress for the weather. Shoes should be comfortable as well. Thin soles are best, but anything will do.

Gloves – Some people are more comfortable wearing driving gloves.  Feel free to bring a pair.

Do the seats move?

No. We’ve found that motion rigs, while sometimes adding some immersion, can be a distraction and don’t help you to drive better. We’ve chosen to focus on those methods of immersion that help improve your driving, such as triple monitors and chassis vibration.

What happens if I wreck?

Apart from some league races and special events, we’re here just to have fun, so vehicle damage has been disabled.  Just get yourself back to the track and keep driving!

What if I can’t drive a manual transmission?

First, you don’t have to! We actually recommend using automatic shifting.  You’ll find you have a lot of new things to think about on track and this takes one of those off your plate.  Also, many of the cars we run are paddle-shifted in real life, and so, if you’re shifting, we recommend using the paddles.  This means you don’t have to use (or know how to use) the clutch pedal.  If you want to learn, though, this is the place to do it where you won’t actually damage the car!

What kind of rig should I book?

First of all, all the rigs are running the same software and can be on the same track together.  We recommend starting out in a standard rig if you have any questions. The advanced rigs provide a higher level of immersion and better controls. They do come with a minimum age limit (16). Aside from that, the standard hardware is a good place to start if you haven’t had much experience in driving simulation software. While the cars and tracks are identical, the wheel feedback is lighter and the pedals are lighter as well. If you feel like you want to take it to the next level, and you’re 16 or older, you can book your next experience on one of the advanced rigs.

What makes this experience immersive?

All of our rigs use force-feedback wheels. This means that what is happening in the sim is communicated to you through the forces in the wheel. You will feel things like bumps in the road surface, running over curbs, and when wheels lose traction. In addition, our advanced rigs use vibration units under the seat and pedals which are linked to the simulator’s telemetry to further communicate what’s going on including surface changes and traction loss. The advanced rigs also provide three monitors for a full panoramic view. For the ultimate immersive experience, you can add VR to your drive (coming soon). This lets you look around at the car, the track, and opponents and become part of the simulation.

What simulation software do you use?

The simulation software we run is called rFactor 2.  It was originally created by Image Space Incorporated whose physics engine is the basis for most sims out there and who also creates the software for auto manufacturer and Formula One team simulators.  rFactor 2 has an amazing physical model as a base, and an open, moddable platform on top.  This gives us access to a wide variety of cars and tracks.  It also gives us a great deal of freedom in creating experiences from silly to very challenging!

Can I drive my car?

Probably not exactly.  We have mostly race cars in our selection.  Street cars are really hard to drive on the track.  Even sporty street cars are heavy with soft suspension, bad brakes, and worse tires, compared to race cars.  That said, we have a lot of very different race cars and probably have something similar!

How can I improve my racing skills?

Improving your driving can take one of several paths. If you want to take your time, hot laps are the way to go. Our Pit Crew can assist in choosing the cars and tracks that will be fun and challenging without being overwhelming. Putting in seat time and building comfort in the car goes a long way to getting better.

Want to move a bit faster? Join our Rookie League! This is like immersion therapy. Competing with other drivers week after week on a variety of tracks creates great opportunities for growth!

Need to jump start the whole process? Talk to us about 1:1 training sessions with a driving coach.  Available for any driver experience level, this is the way to really accelerate your learning and move to the front of the pack! Learn more about Training & Coaching

Do you have virtual reality?

We will be introducing a VR option soon…

What hardware do your advanced rigs use?

Simlab P1-X chassis (several accessories including pedal plate + sliders, seat sliders, shifter mount bracket, etc)

Corbeau Forza wide seat

Aura sound shaker x2

2-channel amp for shakers

Custom PC (ryzen 5, amd 5700XT, 16gb mem)

Simlab 3x monitor stand

3x specter 32″ 1080p monitors

Fanatec DD1 wheelbase

Fanatec podium R300 wheel (including advanced paddle module)

Fanatec CS Shifter

Fanatec CSL v3 Pedals Brake Performance Kit

USB sound card (on board runs the shakers)

Headphones

Server rack tray as shelf for PC

What hardware do your standard rigs use?

Simlab P1-X chassis (several accessories including pedal plate + sliders, seat sliders, shifter mount bracket, etc)

Corbeau Forza wide seat

Thrustmaster T300 RS Wheel

Thrustmaster T-LCM pedals

Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter

Custom PC (ryzen 5, amd 5700XT, 16gb mem)

Simlab monitor stand

34″ monitor

Headphones

Server rack tray as shelf for PC

What accessibility options do you have?

Our advanced rigs can be configured with hand controls for the throttle and brake, eliminating the need to use pedals.

Do you allow outside connections to your network?

We do not.  Our vision is a place where folx can come together to share in the excitement of racing, learning, and socializing in person!