Racing, as we have proven, can be done on a budget. You can buy a cheap project, turn it into a race weapon and have some serious fun racing it. Without spending an absolute fortune, we (mostly Nico) have been able to take a humble barn find JDM coupe, from dusty bucket to a racecar competing in one of the most prestigious motorsports events in the country, nay the World! (watch his run HERE!)
However, proud as we are of Nico and our channel for that achievement (and others since), “not a fortune” is still a not entirely insignificant amount of money. We have also come to learn that racecars sometimes need extra maintenance. Or at times… a complete bottom end engine rebuild. All these things come with costs.
Given how much our budget racing endeavours cost, I can only imagine how much money is spent by teams running at the front of the grid. Some drivers in the Sports and GT class spend more on tyres in a year than what Andre spent buying the Nardini in the first place.
you are going to take extra care
So why my obsession with how much money is whizzing around the track on a Sunday? Well, when you are driving around in car that has cost you the best part of your children’s university savings fund, even under red-mist conditions, you are going to take extra care not to bin it. This doesn’t mean the racing gets boring by any stretch, but it does mean that sometimes there might be a gap that exists, but on that day, you don’t take it.
drivers still have to behave themselves
Sim Racing seems to fix a lot of these problems. You have a reasonable investment to make in equipment initially, but thereafter, your costs are minimal. Crash a car, hit reset. What makes iRacing better is that deliberately taking out your opponent with a well-timed pit manoeuvre damages your safety ratings. So drivers still have to behave themselves, but with reduced consequences, taking that gap is far more palatable. This makes for seriously tight racing. Genuinely exciting battles between drivers all driving at 100% of their abilities 100% of the time. Very few real-world racing disciplines can claim that accolade.
From a spectator’s point of view, this actually sounds extremely promising. So why don’t we watch sim racing as spectators? Well recently, I started watching the iRacing Masters League stream. Our own tall, semi-tame sim racer, Niel, Is competing at the hot end of the field in this series. Induction Noise is also proudly a sponsor of the series, so obviously I wanted to support this.
scorned drivers on a charge
But here’s the surprise, I’m really getting into it. No it’s not real. But watching this stream has showcased some of the best racing action I have seen this year. Brilliant overtaking manoeuvres, scorned drivers on a charge to make their way through the field after going off in the first corner, alien-level talent running away from the field. Different tracks and cars every week to show how adaptable drivers are to different styles of cars and racing. All on the iRacing platform, which in terms of Sim-Racing, is amongst the very best in the world. It looks real. It feels real! By the end of Lap 2, you are so hooked on the action, it is very easy forget that this is all simulated.
The racing is fantastically close and impressive to watch. But, even the production and stream is brilliant. Going out live on Wednesday nights, you can tune in and comment or chat in real time, making the experience very interactive. The cameras follow the action beautifully; great onboard footage, multiple exterior angles and even shots that would be impossible to get in the real world. Oh and did I mention the stream has live commentary by Gary Fleming?
blown away with how real the racing is
I’ll admit, I’ve always been someone who would get bored to tears watching someone else playing a video game. But, I have been absolutely blown away with how real the racing is in the Masters Series. If you haven’t been watching and following – you are missing out. And now that my PC is fixed… I may need to make a commitment to join the next season… I think I’ve found my new addiction.
Do yourselves a favour and go check out previous races on the 2nd Gear Channel to see for yourself. All images above are taken from their YouTube stream.
And don’t forget to tune in on Wednesday night to watch the racing LIVE!