iRacing lives! Wow, is it hard. It's not a video game is a realstic racing simulator and I cannot wait when I'm not a Rookie anymore. I have to wait to get Promoted (they promote 2 times per month). In rookie status there are lots of cheaters. They don't understand wrecks hurt your driver rating. Anyway we did our first events last night. Lime Rock Road Course, Miata MX-5 , Qualified 4th, got wrecked in the warm up lap (guy thought it was funny to do that) then he wrecked me during the 2nd lap of the race on purpose. I dropped to last, 10th, fought my way back and finished 6th after 20 laps. Since physically I can't wrench on cars due to my neck surgery, iRacing is the next best thing. I can race all I want without hurting myself in A/C and I'm home with the family. This set up you see it temporary (first day), I'm buying a stand for the steering wheel / pedals / shifter (we use the paddle shifter on the wheel) then hooking it up to my 50" Plasma. The 26" HDTV is getting us by right now. Been in about 6 events now and best finish is still 6th at Lime Rock. Holy Crap is this so realistic. Tires drop off considerably and you have to adjust your driving style to that.
EDIT- If anyone else is doing iRacing please let me know. We would like to set up a league for racing every weekend (Sunday afternoons) in either NASCAR Truck Series, F1 or Ford GT Series. Plus I'd like to do practice sessions with someone I know. Send me a PM.
For those interested in iRacing, head over to
www.iracing.com. You need a gaming computer (I got one for under $500 with 10G of RAM), Logitech G27 Steering Wheels / Pedal (NewEgg $234), a iRacing Membership $69 per year or you can do $7.50 per month (you get 6 Cars, 6 Tracks). You will need to buy the other series and tracks for $11.95 each, discounted 10% if buying more than 2. If you're really good at this the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship was won by a non professional driver and received a $10,000 check. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished I believe 11th in the standings. So if you're good, it pays. However you got to get through being a Rookie which is difficult.