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[Ed. note: More and more people are staying home as a result of quarantines and social distancing. Car customization was the high-tech platform for many years. Then came computers where nerds had a different target for things to tweak and optimize. Car racing has perhaps even more followers today than ever before. Given the technical background and underpinnings, and realizing people may be looking for something to do this weekend, I thought to give this story a try. Are there any Soylentils who have any racing experience? --martyb]
Shortly after the US entry into World War 2, President Roosevelt requested that professional baseball continue to be played during the war because of its importance to maintain the morale of the nation. NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed similar sentiment after the almost complete shutdown of professional sports due to the coronavirus outbreak. Formula 1 and NASCAR are already taking steps to resume, though with virtual races instead of cars physically on track.
Last weekend, iRacing and Podium organized the Replacements 100, which was streamed on multiple platforms including YouTube. The drivers included William Byron, whose success in iRacing helped him find the opportunity to drive real race cars, retired fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., and current cup series drivers Bubba Wallace and Alex Bowman. The race was 100 laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which was set to host all three of NASCAR's national series last weekend before being postponed.
This weekend, NASCAR's national series were scheduled to race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but these races have also been postponed. Instead, NASCAR has started the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, a series of virtual races using iRacing that will include current drivers from all three of the national series. This weekend, the race will be at Homestead and will be televised by FOX Sports 1. The race will include 35 drivers including current Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and many other drivers from NASCAR's top series. The race commentators will be Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon, and Larry McReynolds, all of whom are commentators for Fox's regular NASCAR Cup Series broadcasts.
Formula 1 will also be live streaming a virtual Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend with two drivers representing each of F1's ten teams. This race will be run using the F1 2019 game and the level of difficulty for each driver will be adjusted based on their skill in virtual racing in order to produce a competitive race. This is in lieu of the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix, originally scheduled for this weekend. Although many of the regular F1 drivers will not be competing in this race, Nicholas Latifi will drive for Williams and Nico Hulkenberg will be returning to F1.
None of these races are points races in their respective series. And professional esports races are not new at all. However, it is novel that they are being used as stand-in events in the absence of being able to have teams physically present at the tracks. However, the use of commentators from the regular broadcasts, the number of drivers from NASCAR's top series, and the expectation that each of F1's teams will select two drivers will certainly draw the interest of fans who might not otherwise want to watch esports. In particular, Dale Jr. has a large following among NASCAR fans and his participation will likely increase fan interest in these virtual races.
As a fan, if NASCAR races continue to be postponed for an extended period of time, I'd like to see North Wilkesboro Speedway return in virtual races. The North Carolina short track last hosted a Cup Series race in 1996 and is now in deteriorating condition, much to the chagrin of many of NASCAR's older fans. It was one of NASCAR's oldest tracks and a part of the schedule for many decades, with the unique feature of the track being on a small incline. With the backing of Dale Jr., the track was cleaned and scanned for its addition to iRacing. Hopefully this historic track will return to NASCAR's schedule, even if only virtually.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Sunday March 22 2020, @11:03AM (7 children)
They use the rFactor *simulator*, unlike this copycat e-F1 which is using a bloody *game* instead. rFactor is the base for the simulators actually used by F1 teams. So the FIA are slower off the mark, and delivering a shittier product, sounds about par for the course.
They even had wunderkind Max Verstappen in the first race, yet he was suspiciously absent from yesterday's. (Not suspicious at all, I'm 100% sure he's been slapped with a literal no-compete order by the FIA, so I don't expect to see him again.)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Sunday March 22 2020, @11:52AM (5 children)
Max said that he didn't want to compete using a system that he's unfamiliar with. He didn't want to step right in without any training because he knew he'd be beaten by lesser drivers that are familiar with that system. He is one of the best in virtual racing when using his well-known system, he usually wins those by a large margin. He said that he won't compete in anything unless he has a fair chance of winning.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 22 2020, @06:12PM (2 children)
So ego then. They're not "lesser drivers" if he can't beat them, they are "better drivers." Perhaps he is a "better driver" on the system he is familiar with, but it is supreme arrogance to claim you are the best at everything, but you'll only prove it on the things you are good at.
I kick ass on my local miniature golf course, having won shotgun tournaments, but I don't play on the PGA Tour because I don't want to be beat by a lesser golfer simply because I am not familiar with those really big courses where you have to use clubs other than the putter.
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Sunday March 22 2020, @07:21PM (1 child)
Sure, he has a big ego, but one probably couldn't get where he is without a big ego.
(Score: 2) by gawdonblue on Sunday March 22 2020, @09:06PM
Max certainly has the biggest, bestest ego of all the current F1 drivers. And it's kept exceedingly well-fed by his father.
And it never allow him to make mistakes - it's all those other drivers he keeps crashing into that are at fault.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday March 24 2020, @10:21AM (1 child)
Rosenqvist certainly seems to be picking up the consumer sim pretty quickly, there's no reason Max shouldn't.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Tuesday March 24 2020, @01:11PM
It's this video [youtube.com], but it's in Dutch. It may have auto translated subtitles.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 22 2020, @12:01PM
Max Verstappen refuses to participate in the official series because he doesn't actually play the official games, since he finds them too arcade-y. He, like quite a few other racing drivers from various series, do run rFactor 2 and iRacing.