How I became a Professional Simulation Driver … Part 1

Constructing the new BBQ area for which Dad rewarded us with a new set of racing carts. The area also became the start grid for our down hill garden circuit. Today the shed has gone and to the left is a driveway right to the back to agarage where once was the hen shed.

I now often get asked about how did I become a Professional Simulation Race Car Driver and manufacturer of race car simulators and more recently establishing the SimDeck Race Team….well I thought I would share a little of my story here .. so lets see what my fingers tell as I document this for you right now.

  When you are in the middle of what you do, it seems so obvious as to how you do it… Right! isn’t everyone a Simulation Race car Driver? I mean isn’t it a profession the Careers teacher might suggest…of course I am saying this a little tonque in the cheek.

Seriously though on reflection like Scott Dixon, Lewis Hamilton and many of the world famous and local race car drivers we started young. And like so many others we all have our own unique path.

The other significant activity that bought the motorsports interest alive in my childhood was as driver and team manager of my own Race Team by the age of Team. My father built one of the largest circuits in our town adjacent to our home …how cool was that to have our own race circuit without track fees!!! Dad never had a movie camera however this motorsports enthusiast captures that experience in a similar circuit.

If you haven’t checked it out already you’ll see what I mean on the Scott Dixon video clips I have listed on the posting – Kiwi’s can rise to the top of the US Motorsports

Recently the famous Scotsman Sir Jackie Stewart OBE came to speak New Zealand and I had the chance to learn indepth and first hand his amazing story of courage, disbility, the guiding influences he had as a young boy. What I found most interesting is the one point in his young life when Jackie took a turning step as a teenager to become a drop out of society and heading down the path of becoming one of society’s failures before he hit 20 yrs. If you want to hear the most fascinating story of how he became what he is today make sure you search out for his autobiography “Winning is not Enough”. Hardback version comes with a DVD. I would particularly recommed it to parents whose children have a learning disability / dyslexia or if your teenagers are about to take the wrong path in their life. It could save you $1,000’s and reduce a huge amount of worry, heart ache and frustration with your own children.
Click on this link for a Forbes Interview with Sir Jackie Stewart
Did you know that Jackie Stewart was a world class champion in two sporting fields…. Motorsports and [blank] …you’ll need to read the book 🙂

You certainly don’t need an interest in motorsports to find Jackie’s book interesting, just as you don’t need to be interested in aviation or Virgin to learn from Richard Branson.

Motorsports Simulation at the Olympics

Here is a thought worth pondering…should motorsports simulation racing be an Official Olympic Games Competitive Sport.

Here are some aspects to consider:-
– Motorsports is the world most watched sport.
– Computer gaming is the world’s largest entertainment industry
– I don’t have the stats on hand but car driving is one of the most favoured means of transport.
Just try and drive in Mumbai, Central London, Bangkok and you will know what I mean.
– The motorsports girls are some of the most delightful eye candy in any sport.
– Simulation racing is a green sport and the perfect hybrid activity and carbon friendly.
– Should A1GP, Indy 500 and Formula One officiating bodies be required to all sponsor the Motorsports Simulation Olympics?
– How should the simulator race systems for the Olympics be configured? Full featured cars, on 3 DOF platforms with life size daytime display systems.
– The online racing community now has a fully sanctioned and franchised motorsports developed by http://www.iracing.com.

About iRacing.com
iRacing.com was founded in September of 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer was co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, developers of award-winning racing simulations including NASCAR Racing: 2003 Season and Grand Prix Legends. Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group – the co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing – as well as an avid simracer. The iRacing.com team combines more than 100 years of real-world racing experience with more than 50 years of successful racing simulation development.

Add your comments as to whether this is a crazy idea.

Remember though that currently for the Olympics we have sports where adults dance around a green table hitting a tiny white ball, woman dancing in the water, fit young girls jumping around with long ribbons, metal tubes being thrown thru the air, balls being bounced, hit, thrown, tossed and passed on all manner of courts. Then we have nimble young ladies jumping and tossing around on planks (that looks so dangerous), men swing from hoops, people racing on one of the first human powered personal transport machines, athletes pretending to be like the fastest fish, others bouncing on tightened sheets (I use to do this as a kid bouncing on my bed), whilst others keep running around in circles and some in a straight line, some like to test their strength by lifting heavy things, others take to brawling that would have them arrested if it occured in a night club and others really lash out punching so hard it would be classified as assault on the street. Other sports would have a full armed Police response if you played them in the average school field or or backyard and another was the cause of 1,000’s of deaths over the centuries in deadly warfare…. hmmm I thought the Olympics were suppose to be the friendly games. Still others paddle sitting, kneeling on everso narrow boats, whilst others search for a breath of air whilst holding on for Olympic glory. Some jump high backwards and others jump forward whilst others jump over fences. …seems to be alot of jumping and bouncing around in the Olympics don’t you think! Oh and then of course some athletes pretend to be older than they are, others take illegal drugs to go faster, others deny ever taking performance boosting substances and I guess some might secretly wish they had. All in all high speed simulation would seem to fit in well with all this bouncing, running, lifting, jumping and dancing.

Add your comments and express your opinion by adding a comment.

Kid’s 2008 Xmas Party Virtual Grand Prix

 

Radio Network 2007 Xmas Party

Help! we are already talking about Christmas 08! Where is the time racing to.

We will be sponsoring a race car for the second year at the Kids Christmas Party at the ASB Show grounds. The event is designed for 1000’s of deprived, less fortunate, unwell children. For many it will be the Xmas Event of the year as many will have little to celebrate in their living conditions and personal circumstances. 

SimDeck Simulators is pleased to contribute something back to the community and allow these children to experience a unique activity at this time of the year

The event will be held on the 20 December. Children are invited through their associated organisations they are affiliated with.

This posting is also a timely reminder for corporate companies who are planning their Xmas activities that we expect increasing number of bookings to start to come in. So don’t leave your booking to late as there will be no positions left on the Grid Start