Georgia's Jimmy Thompson spends at least 20 hours a week behind the wheel of his SIM racer. Credit: Tom McCarthy/NASCAR.COM

Computers offer SIM-ple way to go racing

All around the country, thousands of drivers sat quietly in their seats, clearing their minds and focusing on their strategies moments before the start of their Nextel Cup race at Pocono.

That's right, their race.

They've either prepared their own cars or had them prepared by others. They've gotten their practice and qualifying laps in. Race officials have the race ready to go, and the drivers are champing at the bit to get started. It's just another typical race day for the fans of simulated racing, or SIM racing, for short.

Jimmy Thompson

Calling it a game does not do it justice. It's a genuine simulation of the real thing -- minus the G-forces, the smell of burning rubber and the safety concerns. So true-to-life is the experience that many of NASCAR's top drivers find it a fun way to feed their competitive urges in their spare time.

Martin Truex Jr. has been a SIM racer for about a decade. In that time, he's made the transition from aspiring racer to Nextel Cup driver. Yet he still has a genuine appreciation for the accuracy of SIM racing.

"The way the tracks look, the transitions in the corners, the characteristics of your setup, and the way the car drives is really, really close to the things you face in real racing," Truex said.

The vast majority of SIM racing is based on the NASCAR Racing 2003 software published by Papyrus and developed by Sierra. Though out of production, copies of NASCAR Racing 2003 are still available for about $100 on eBay and other online outlets.

Just like those who race on four wheels, SIM racers take it all very seriously.

"Between testing, qualifying and races for the two leagues I race in, I spend 20-plus hours behind the wheel each week," said SIM racer Jimmy Thompson of Loganville, Ga.

"With all my family and work obligations, I'd never be able to afford the time and money it would take to race an actual car. SIM racing satisfies my desire to race just enough to keep me out of the poorhouse and the doghouse."

To get started, you'll need a PC or a Mac with a strong graphics card, a good quality steering wheel, a broadband Internet connection and membership in one of hundreds of the open- and invitation-only racing leagues around the world.

Practically every aspect of SIM racing is, more or less, an accurate portrayal of a real NASCAR racing experience. Tires lose their grip over time. If your car spins, you'll flat-spot your tires. Hit the wall hard and your race may well be over. Even speeding on pit road earns you the requisite drive-through penalty.

Racing luck is another aspect of SIM racing which drivers must come to grips. You can lose gears, blow motors and be taken out by other drivers. But just like at racetracks across America, rough driving will eventually bring the wrath of fellow competitors.

For drivers who don't have the time or expertise to prepare their SIM racers for each track, there are leagues that require all cars to run with the same fixed setup.

Those drivers with a crew chief's mentality, and more time to prepare, can also race in leagues that allow open setups.

Though not an absolutely exact duplication of the setups on real Craftsman Truck, Busch or Nextel Cup cars, all the modes of adjusting a racecar are available to you.

"I'm all about car setups," Thompson said. "It's a critical part of success in every form of racing, including SIMs. Besides, winning in a car that I've set up is all the more satisfying."

Like the rubber-and-asphalt form of racing, SIM racing is not easy to master. In fact, it's hard. But for SIM racers, the struggle to improve is its own reward.

Actual race wins are just icing on the cake.