Not sure where I should post this, is virtual racing still racing?
(To me it is in a way, and the folks at iRacing would agree, they take it very seriously.)

I was just wondering how many other fellow MINI drivers were members as it seems to me a very good place to get seat time without breaking the bank in these difficult times.
I have been doing autocross and HPDE events on my R53 for a little over two years now in South Florida and was a virtual racer long before that, so I am thrilled that this company is making it happen at this level.
If you are a member let me know, and if you are interested check them out, if you decide to join or know of someone who would love it, It would be really cool if you put me as a referral (I will get credits for more tracks or cars).

INFO:
www.iracing.com
My info: Daniel Castillo dacarch@yahoo.com

 

I tried it out and decided since I work from home I'd never get any work done, it's that good.

 

I think iRacing is very good, but I don't care for the price and the fact that when your subscription is up you have nothing to show for it. Maybe that model will catch on some day (I hope not), but for now it is competing with "buy once, drive for ever" sims and that is very dificult to compete against.

What they need is a front drive car like ... oh I don't know ... an MCS?

 

I see your point and to an extent I agree. I have many "buy once, drive forever" games that I enjoy, which also have some online support, but this is not the same. There is a reality factor on iRacing that is different. I get nervous at the start of a race, there are safety ratings you preciously protect because they move you up to more advanced racing. Because of this, your experience is more intense. In a normal game, you can be as rough and careless as you want, and sometimes win because you cut someone off, but is that a real simulation?. In iRacing you simply can't. It is as real as it can get, without all the downsides, (like your death, or a busted up MINI.)
I am not trying to change anyones mind here, I am just saying that I want a simulation that is as accurate as possible, and this is the best platform I have seen so far. Is $4 or less a week a lot of money for that experience?, (when you can buy software for $10 that is excelent?) maybe, but for me and my real racing aspirations it is definetly worth it.
What will I have in the end? A better grasp of what it is like to be in a field of cars that all want to get to the finish line first and live to do it again.

I would say if you can try it out for a month for $20 bucks (or 3 months for $50 like me) and if you don't like it simply cancel it. I know I have been guilty of signing up to a health club at $50/mo and never going after the first week again , but if you are a fellow MINI driver, and enjoy driving your car, this may be your cup of tea, (or coffee in my case).

By the way, I totally agree that they should have a MINI in their fleet!

 

Or try rFactor. Can be as real as you want.
This looks like a very developed game, but most subscription games don't last much past the initial offering.

 

I'll resurrect this thread. I'm thoroughly hooked on iRacing and agree it's well-worth the cost. I'm really impressed. And they just added a front-drive car: the VW Jetta TDi Cup car. There have been requests in the iRacing forum for a MINI.

 

its not the same

on that note..
I love iracing and its an amazing sim and its a great competitive online game. you just dont get the feelings you do as in real life

 

No, of course you don't feel the forces that you do in a real car, but it's a remarkably accurate sim, down to reproducing the bumps and imperfections in the track.

The Jetta is newly available and people were complaining that it has a tendency to bounce around a lot. Someone who races in the actual TDI Cup said the cars have rather inexpensive shocks, to reduce costs, and the real car pogos exactly like the sim car.

 

the accuracy in the courses still amazes me. exp if you turn all the graphics up but even my built comp can't handle that game very well with everything turned on haha

 

you have some fantastic motorsport photography mark :tu:

 

I started iracing. It is pretty awsome. Problem for me is driving too fast into the turns cause it never feels that fast. While it lacks that real world g-force rush, it really forces you learn some technique (i haven't played much other games to compare). Also, using a gamepad sucks. Definitely need a wheel. It's fun to race with others and hear their comments and tips on dissecting the track turns. Generally a supportive crowd as long as you don't cause accidents. Now that I have the means to afford some real-world track time, I definitely don't have the time. I'll have to wait until my kids become independent teens and want nothing to do with me. I have mixed feeling about letting them get into autocross/track with me when they're older if they're interested. For now I can mess with iracing when the kids go to sleep.

 

Dont laugh, but here's my new setup. Driving Force GT wheel ($99) and wheelstandpro ($124). My table was too thick to directly clamp the wheel. Glad I got the stand, though. Heavy, solid, and adjustable with nicely secured pedals. Pricey, but heck, kids these days spend so much more on video gaming. I think I deserve some fun.