Earlier today, iRacing announced to open a new base of race-hosting servers in Australia and a new partnership with NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose to promote the simulation down-under.
It seems like that iRacing’s Australia efforts won’t end with a special promo rate for new members as AustralianIT reports that iRacing is currently looking to accquire the Australian V8 Supercar license. That would bring the country’s most important touring car series to the simulation, a perfect match for the deal with Marcos Ambrose who managed to win the series championship in 2003 & 2004.
The V8 Supercar series uses race cars from Ford & Holden, it races on spectacular Australian tracks like Bathurst, Adelaide and Surfers Paradise. A virtual version of the stunning Mount Panorama raceway Bathurst is specifically mentioned as a possibility in the article, alongside other “local tracks”.
Looks like iRacing is working hard on expanding their content portfolio way beyond the United States. Pair that up with the floating IRL rumors and iRacers may be looking into an rather exciting future.
Via AustralianIT
2point8
May 12th, 2009 at 04:42
Seriously? Damn you iRacing, you are so cool but I just refuse to pay a monthly fee when I can only play on the weekends.
AeroMechanical
May 12th, 2009 at 05:29
If true, that’s some pretty cool news right there. I’m excited to see what iRacing looks like one and two years from now.
Peter
May 12th, 2009 at 05:31
Wow hoping this really happens, if it does I’m definitely getting iracing.
Piddy
May 12th, 2009 at 06:14
Bathurst is a great place to visit … here’s one of my holiday snaps … http://www.imageno.com/sgvgxmznnrpzpic.html
GeraArg
May 12th, 2009 at 06:24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2W0tN30rQY
Jdz
May 12th, 2009 at 06:30
Are you able to use the promotion if you already have an account but not subscribed anymore?
eddiespag
May 12th, 2009 at 06:30
I have just gotten my iRacing license/content activated in the last week. I am impressed with the ‘feel’ of the cars and tracks. My experienced observation is this. The fracturing of sim racing (not political or negative)like with rFactor, GTR2 etc. with their many, many wonderful mods is due to this immensity. Since we are a niche and still small community, it’s often difficult to find full servers running events. Yes, many empty ones. iRacing is better at this, but what they must be careful at is that even though the content is top notch, they have to be careful at not releasing too much or pointless content just to ‘impress’. It could possibly lead to the beginning of this fracturing (spreading drivers all over the place). For example, iRacing is going to release soon the 1978 Lotus F1 car. It will be thrilling to drive, but so what (after a while). Will many of us be joining servers where there will be a bunch of Lotus’ running with different skins? What is needed is something like this. This being a race series and a recognized one at that. The IndyCar series is seriously being looked at as well along with other sanctioned SCCA events. Do this and instead of fracturing, they will be polarizing the community. By the way, thank you iRacing for my adrenaline filled days!
gregerson888
May 12th, 2009 at 06:41
I would buy all the tracks and cars guranteed
this would be absolutely amazing!!!!!
Marcos Ambrose you bloody legend!!!
gregerson888
May 12th, 2009 at 11:02
from Marcos Ambrose official site
The push into the Australian and New Zealand markets will involve:
• Introductory discounts for new players
• The future introduction of Australian tracks
• Regular participation by several V8 Supercar drivers and other high-profile racers
• An on-going range of incentives and competitions
• The activation of an Australian-based server to ensure ultimate performance
OMG future Australian tracks, O M F G !!!!
unklepepper
May 12th, 2009 at 14:21
When I did the 1 months free iRacing I was in a road race in the solstice with Marcos Ambrose, I got passed him on lap 1 with a great if I say so myself dummy move. I span a few laps later & he passed me but I forced myself right up the inside of him in turn 1. He quit the race soon after & someone said after the race “was that the Marcos Ambrose?” “Yes” was the reply & I was like “who is he?” “LOL” was the response! I then googled him & discovered who I beat, twice!
His road stats weren’t that great if I remember correctly, perhaps going left all the time has lost the road racer in him.
Or he just might not be much of a simmer.
I imagine for aussie V8 fans It would be great to race against a guy like him on home tracks.
Kinda like arcade racers against Nelson Piquet jr in need for speed tokyo drift, coz thats clearly where his talents lie
Chaz
May 12th, 2009 at 15:18
ZOMFG!11!!11!!
Tim Wheatley (iRacing)
May 12th, 2009 at 16:39
From conversations, he doesn’t like the Solstice much. I’m assuming it was that car?
He spends a lot of time in iRacing, “not much of a simmer” might not be right. :)
unklepepper
May 12th, 2009 at 17:59
Does anyone like the solstice?
Kidding, its a good car to learn the sim for a rookie, which is its job.
I guess he uses the ovals mainly, as a training tool. Bet he got a shock doing the legends
Tim Wheatley (iRacing)
May 12th, 2009 at 18:04
I’m one of the few who like the Solstice I think. :)
the.cosmic.pope
May 12th, 2009 at 18:19
I like the Solstice at Laguna Seca. But at Lime Rock I hate it with passion.
Tim Wheatley (iRacing)
May 12th, 2009 at 19:25
I like it at LRP and I’m so-so at Laguna. :D
ermax18
May 12th, 2009 at 21:21
I also like the Solstice. A car doesn’t have to be fast to be fun. As long as everyone is racing in the same class it will be a “race”. I would have thought people would find a connection with the Solstice because it is a showroom stock car that would be comparable to their own daily drivers but I guess not. :)
yokelhama
May 13th, 2009 at 01:44
For rfactor piddy? Please say yes
r8response
May 13th, 2009 at 03:40
I like the Solstice alot more than the SRF
bab0oN
May 13th, 2009 at 12:25
Well, this is something very important to consider.. but as of now I can’t see iRacing miss this point. At least they limited the amount of races for each series this season to provide more official races. They’re very much paying attention to the topic of not spreading racers too much and I guess when some new cars are released others will have to ’suffer’.
It might be not to ones liking if the favourite series gets cut but after all it might help – I for one like this aproach and I assume they are deciding such steps according to statistics.
Looking forward to V8 Supercars and the Lotus!
ermax18
May 13th, 2009 at 14:16
I would love to see some more pics. Preferably some with fluffy “clouds”. Hehe
Raikku
May 13th, 2009 at 14:41
There’s maintenance going on, something coming?
(…Vette, maybe?)
ermax18
May 13th, 2009 at 15:39
Raikku, Oh man that would be awesome.