Great Machines: Entertainment: Virtual Racing

Paul Meyers

06/01/2008

The speedometer reads 160 mph as I lift my foot from the throttle and step hard on the brakes in a vain attempt to slow for the hairpin corner looming just ahead. The white Porsche GT3 Cup car spins off the tarmac, enveloping the windshield in a cloud of dust. Although I have never driven down the straightaway at the Montreal Grand Prix, I can honestly say that I know what it feels like.

"I bet you won’t do that again," Chris Considine, owner and founder of CXC Simulations, snickers over my shoulder. A retired racecar driver with an IT background, Considine combined his passion with his technical skills to create the Motion Pro II racing simulator: a machine developed to help drivers of any skill level learn tracks, experience different weather situations, or simply try various cars.

The way it works is fairly straightforward. Motors attached to the back of the seat—which Considine calls "tactile transducers"—move and vibrate in conjunction with a computer program he refers to as "the physics engine."

"It’s all about driver feedback," Considine says. "Real racecar drivers use the driver’s seat to feel what the car is doing way before they use vision, sound, or any other sense to react. So it’s easy to trick the brain into thinking the body is
operating a real car. Each car feels different, and every simulated scenario is a
representation of what it would feel like to be on that particular track."

A single-screen model is priced at just under $26,000, but I highly recommend paying the additional $12,995 on the triple-screen option for its panoramic realism. The price includes in-home setup and demonstration to familiarize the owner with the myriad of menu options, including how to download new tracks and cars.

"This is a giant leap in technology and a great training tool for anyone who wants to experience the rush of racing," says Considine.

With virtually thousands of selections available online, driving the Nürburgring, Laguna Seca, and Virginia International Raceway in succession no longer requires a private jet and an on-site garage. Instead, you can run the simulator solo and work on hitting the fastest line, race against the computer, or play through connected simulator units. CXC Simulations also allows you to compete with other racers via the Internet by using software programs that are compatible with most online racing games.

CXC Simulations, www.cxcsimulations.com