Sim Racing In The New York Times

iRacing.com continues to give sim racing high-profile media exposure, following TV appearances on NBC and a sponsorship deal in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the software and sim racing in general was now featured in the New York Times.

The “Gray Lady” is not just the United States’ biggest metropolitan newspaper but also operates the country’s most popular news website that is visited by 18 million readers each month. The article focuses on iRacing and some of its famous subscribers but also explains sim racing in general and does not fail to mention other titles such as rFactor, GTR and Grand Prix Legends.

Click Here to Read The New York Times Sim Racing Article


  • UncleChuckle

    Oh goodie. Now the business world at large will know the community is filled with gullible gamers with deep pockets.

  • http://www.racinglinedevelopments.com the.cosmic.pope

    UncleChuckle: Oh goodie. Now the business world at large will know the community is filled with gullible gamers with deep pockets.

    Bugger me, you really know how to piss on a good bonfire don’t you? Exposure for our relatively little community cannot be a bad thing.

  • kill4f00d

    Other sim devolopers need to get to work and start laser scanning things already.

  • Dave

    UncleChuckle: Oh goodie. Now the business world at large will know the community is filled with gullible gamers with deep pockets.

    yeah..to bad they didn’t interview you for the “angry, talentless” view point. How wouldn’t that be insightful?

  • Howie47

    You guys kill me, with laughter. Supposedly even “Codemasters” is going to laser scan tracks. So has moders. It’s no big deal already. I have NO respect for that Super Liberal, biased, rag. But like they say, “there is no bad publicity.”

  • orubasarot

    is it possible to be a sim racing leftist armed to the teeth with a deep hatred for authority and the system of corrections or am i just dreaming that i exist?

    like on 4th of July i actually teamkill marine roleplayers in Arma and in Race Evo i’m particularly rowdy with the corvette hickmobiles

    i also have a 100% unironic 2pac tshirt somewhere here, i really cant make friends in the sim community because i swear you’re all middle aged white texans

  • http://racingrenders.com F1Racer

    the.cosmic.pope:
    Bugger me, you really know how to piss on a good bonfire don’t you? Exposure for our relatively little community cannot be a bad thing.

    heh, nicely put. He’s such a bitter cynic I really dunno why he’s in sim-racing or even how he justifies giving himself that nickname.

  • orubasarot

    what’s your favorite sim racing snack? mine is genmaicha with some roti maida paratha

    death to america allahu akhbar

  • moppenheimer

    orubasarot: what’s your favorite sim racing snack? mine is genmaicha with some roti maida parathadeath to america allahu akhbar

    Epic troll is epic

  • orubasarot

    it’s not trolling if it’s honest

    Edit: Howie started it, but at this point I think it would be best to just ip ban me or something, I’m too lazy for proxies so that’ll take care of the problem.

  • ForzaBarca88

    Nice article and good publicity, clearly a little biased but pretty much sums up all thats good with iracing.

    orubasarot: what’s your favorite sim racing snack?mine is genmaicha with some roti maida parathadeath to america allahu akhbar

    Political incorrectness aside…….wtf??

  • Sensekhmet

    orubasarot: allahu akhbar

    If that is really the case, it would be amusing to see the punishment he metes out in the afterlife to you and all other people like you who are using his name as justification for your psychotic, evil actions and being scum and trash in general.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Hmmm.. So the New Your Times can be bought. Not like we didn’t already know that.

  • Jos

    if iracing wants to go bigger, they need to go cheaper.

  • Paul Kelly

    UncleChuckle: Oh goodie. Now the business world at large will know the community is filled with gullible gamers with deep pockets.

    Now, gee, why would anyone be upset at exposure for the great activity of sim racing?

    Are you really that petty that you’re going to decry publicity for sim racing if it doesn’t focus on your pet product? I guess so.

    iRacing is not the anti-Christ: It’s a game. Get over it, and get over yourself.

  • Paul Kelly

    ermax18: Hmmm.. So the New Your Times can be bought. Not like we didn’t already know that.

    Or is it possible that iRacing has a much better, more experienced marketing and PR staff than other sims?

    Yes, it is. The people who handle marketing and PR for iRacing are veterans of the motor racing business, not the computer/gaming business. They know how to get stories placed with more than just Kotaku, EGM, Gamepro and IGN.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Paul Kelly, exactly, they bought NYT. I didn’t say it wasn’t a smart marketing move. I didn’t say I didn’t like iRacing or iRacing was inferior. I am an iRacing sub too. I just found it funny that it was like an infomercial for iRacing.. Not simracing.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Also, you do really think NYT would know about rFactor, SimBin or GPL if they were not spoon feed what to say by their “client”?

  • http://www.racinglinedevelopments.com the.cosmic.pope

    ermax18: Also, you do really think NYT would know about rFactor, SimBin or GPL if they were not spoon feed what to say by their “client”?

    They probably wouldn’t know them. However since they are journalists, I imagine they have mastered Googling. “Sim Racing” provides pretty much everything they need just from a handful of Wikipedia pages. Somebody with no previous knowledge of the community other than iRacing (or rFactor, or LFS, or anything else) could write an article based on Wikipedia alone.

  • Paul Kelly

    ermax18: Paul Kelly, exactly, they bought NYT. I didn’t say it wasn’t a smart marketing move. I didn’t say I didn’t like iRacing or iRacing was inferior. I am an iRacing sub too. I just found it funny that it was like an infomercial for iRacing.. Not simracing.

    Just how did iRacing “buy” the Times? I didn’t see any iRacing ads accompanying this story.

    I work in professional public relations, and while “buying” good ink through heavy ad buys may happen with specialist publications, it sure didn’t appear to happen in this case.

    If you’re inferring that iRacing made a direct payment to the Times to ensure a positive story, then I guess there were seven gunmen on the grassy knoll Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas, too. The Apollo program also was conducted on a sound stage in Hollywood, too.

  • Paul Kelly

    ermax18: Paul Kelly, exactly, they bought NYT. I didn’t say it wasn’t a smart marketing move. I didn’t say I didn’t like iRacing or iRacing was inferior. I am an iRacing sub too. I just found it funny that it was like an infomercial for iRacing.. Not simracing.

    The story was about iRacing. It wasn’t supposed to be a general sim racing overview that focused mainly on iRacing. iRacing’s PR and marketing staff is trying to promote its product, not those of competitors.

    The byproduct of this story is that sim racing in general is exposed to a greater audience through a specific story about iRacing. Because like it or not, iRacing — warts and all — does represent a significant portion of what’s good about this hobby.

    All sim racers should be celebrating this story and exposure for our great hobby.

    iRacing must be doing something right, because the level of vitriol from foes usually is proportionate to the level of success. Somehow I can’t see a thread flooded with complaints if ISI or Slightly Mad landed a story in the New York Times about rFactor 2 or Shift, respectively.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Somehow I can’t see a thread flooded with complaints if ISI or Slightly Mad landed a story in the New York Times about rFactor 2 or Shift, respectively.

    I wouldn’t bet on it. If it sounded like it was spoon feed, like this article did, then I am sure people would complain. It is good exposure though for the whole community. I wasn’t saying it wasn’t.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    the.cosmic.pope:
    They probably wouldn’t know them. However since they are journalists, I imagine they have mastered Googling. “Sim Racing” provides pretty much everything they need just from a handful of Wikipedia pages. Somebody with no previous knowledge of the community other than iRacing (or rFactor, or LFS, or anything else) could write an article based on Wikipedia alone.

    Perhaps they Googled sim racing and turned up a few other sims and then when interviewing iRacing, Dave told them they weren’t as high-fi. I doubt a simple Google search would have lead them to that conclusion. But who knows. iRacing is great with it’s high fidelity cars and tracks but there is only so many times you can run the same tracks and cars before your over it.

  • http://www.racinglinedevelopments.com the.cosmic.pope

    ermax18:
    Perhaps they Googled sim racing and turned up a few other sims and then when interviewing iRacing, Dave told them they weren’t as high-fi. I doubt a simple Google search would have lead them to that conclusion. But who knows. iRacing is great with it’s high fidelity cars and tracks but there is only so many times you can run the same tracks and cars before your over it.

    That is Daves job when it comes to marketing. What is he meant to say? That isn’t “buying” the NY Times. That is telling it like he sees it. He says his company produces the most accurate racing simulation and he said so. He didn’t say it was the best value for money, or the cheapest, or anything else that could be considered a lie.

    Some people need to stop picking apart every little iRacing post for something to have a go at. There are plenty of legitimate issues with iRacing. Marketing there product is not one of them.

    “Same tracks and cars”

    There are currently 15 cars (13 if you discount the Rookies), 2 more in 2 weeks.
    There are currently 36 circuits, providing 89 layouts. 1 more circuit with 1 more layout next season.

    If you get bored by that amount of high quality content then I guess that is your own issue more than iRacings.

  • spliff

    @the article:
    nice exposure for “virtual racing” and iRacing in particular. it has begun. ;)

    @obruarot the monkey:
    we all pity you and your kind. hopefully in your next life you may be a happy person. obviously not in this one..

  • Paul Kelly

    ermax18:
    I wouldn’t bet on it. If it sounded like it was spoon feed, like this article did, then I am sure people would complain. It is good exposure though for the whole community. I wasn’t saying it wasn’t.

    We’ll agree to disagree on this one. :) ISI often is treated like a deity here and at other forums, while iRacing often is treated like the anti-Christ.

    It’s odd, because there’s more participation in here from iRacing officials in one week than nearly all other sim companies in a few months. I think the level of transparency and communication from iRacing officials in this and other sim racing forums has been pretty damn good, yet the management — which has been subscription-based from the start — is pilloried as ruthless, greedy, etc., etc.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    I am not faulting iRacing’s marketing. I found it funny that is had an infomercial feel to it. I was just stating I felt there was probably some money involved which makes me wonder how ofter NYT runs articles that are biased toward the guy paying the bill. I guess that is biz. But my original comment had absolutely nothing to do with iRacing. No need to come to their rescue.

    As for tracks. 36 tracks will get boring I am sorry. I enjoy the challenge of learning a new track every week. 36 isn’t enough for me. Maybe it is just my problem. I doubt I am alone though. Well, maybe I am judging by the dominance of Mid-Ohio on the rFactor server lists. Hahaha. And about the car list. I am a tin top fan, GT to be specific. So until the release the C6.R and Ford GTR I am a little bored. I can have my opinion right? I still pay my bill every month without complaining about the cost.

  • Howie47

    I’m thinking that Dave K. may run in some of the same circles as the NYT’s staff. No money had to change hands. Just who you know and who. Any way a little strange the NYT didn’t pick up on the RTR story. I would think technology wise that would be a much more interesting and worthy of a story to polish those NY humanist egos. :shock:

  • Howie47

    Paul Kelly: We’ll agree to disagree on this one. :) ISI often is treated like a deity here and at other forums, while iRacing often is treated like the anti-Christ.

    Probably the most outlandish statement yet. Any way, I think it will be a very good sign if we see Alkida sponsored Vettes. With explosions painted all over them and the words “Allah Akbar” flying out. It will mean they learned that the Pen is mightier then the sword, and that the only way to stop the A.C. is through the public forum. God knows they won’t get a word in edge wise at the NYT. I love iRacing. Soon as they get a full line up of sports cars, let you buy just the car you want to race in that series. With out having to buy all the other junk. Make the tracks more reasonably priced. I’ll have a go at it. Unless some one else has already beat them to the punch. :cool:

  • Paul Kelly

    ermax18: I am not faulting iRacing’s marketing. I found it funny that is had an infomercial feel to it. I was just stating I felt there was probably some money involved which makes me wonder how ofter NYT runs articles that are biased toward the guy paying the bill. I guess that is biz. But my original comment had absolutely nothing to do with iRacing. No need to come to their rescue.

    No, no, I’m not coming to their rescue. But I am trying to clarify for you the way the PR business works.

    Money does not change hands. A PR person pitches an editor or reporter, and if that editor or reporter “bites,” the story is done. It really is that simple.

    This clearly was a good pitch done by a proficient PR professional. Yes, the story didn’t point out some of the cons of iRacing, but that doesn’t mean it was “paid for.”

    What it does mean is that the story was written for one of the most lifestyle-oriented, “featurey” sections of the paper, the Automobiles section. It’s not like this was to be the second Pentagon Papers report or a Watergate follow-up. It’s a feature for a lifestyle section of the paper — not exactly heavyweight journalism.

    And you’re naive if you expected anything different and also misguided if you think “money changed hands.”

  • Paul Kelly

    Howie47:
    Probably the most outlandish statement yet.Any way, I think it will be a very good sign if we see Alkida sponsored Vettes. With explosions painted all over them and the words “Allah Akbar” flying out.It will mean they learned that the Pen is mightier then the sword, and that the only way to stop the A.C. is through the public forum. God knows they won’t get a word in edge wise at the NYT. I love iRacing. Soon as they get a full line up of sports cars, let you buy just the car you want to race in that series. With out having to buy all the other junk. Make the tracks more reasonably priced. I’ll have a go at it. Unless some one else has already beat them to the punch.

    Howie: Can you translate that post into English, please?

  • Paul Kelly

    Howie47: I’m thinking that Dave K. may run in some of the same circles as the NYT’s staff. No money had to change hands. Just who you know and who. Any way a little strange the NYT didn’t pick up on the RTR story. I would think technology wise that would be a much more interesting and worthy of a story to polish those NY humanist egos.

    Maybe RTR didn’t pitch the Times. Or if it did, maybe it needs a more well-connected PR agency or executive.

    PR is no different than sales. It’s about product AND relationships. And the guy who runs PR for iRacing, Steve Potter, is a consummate professional with longtime relationships with both auto racing and automotive journalists across North America.

    That kind of experience and connections pay dividends, and there’s nothing illicit or unethical about it.

  • Howie47

    Paul Kelly: Howie: Can you translate that post into English, please?

    It’s the continued break down of communication because of Babel. You probable speak old world (New York) Babel; while I’ve moved on to New World Babel. You don’t want to be left behind do you Paul? After all communication is just about every thing, and “failure to cumuon-iCate” will leave you at the bottom of the heap, playing with yesterdays toys.

  • Paul Kelly

    Howie47: It’s the continued break down of communication because of Babel. You probable speak old world (New York) Babel; while I’ve moved on to New World Babel.You don’t want to be left behind do you Paul? After all communication is just about every thing, and “failure to cumuon-iCate” will leave you at the bottom of the heap, playing with yesterdays toys.

    Howie, you must tell me the brand of scotch you drink. Seems like it’s killer stuff. :)

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Paul Kelly:
    We’ll agree to disagree on this one. :) ISI often is treated like a deity here and at other forums, while iRacing often is treated like the anti-Christ.It’s odd, because there’s more participation in here from iRacing officials in one week than nearly all other sim companies in a few months. I think the level of transparency and communication from iRacing officials in this and other sim racing forums has been pretty damn good, yet the management — which has been subscription-based from the start — is pilloried as ruthless, greedy, etc., etc.

    No question iRacing gets bashed entirely to much. They continue to improve month after month. It is a “service” after all. I bought into it when they started allowing invites and have continued to paid since then. I am happy they are making a move to allow leagues. I just don’t think I could get my entire league to convert. Some of our guys are on a very tight budget.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Paul Kelly:
    No, no, I’m not coming to their rescue. But I am trying to clarify for you the way the PR business works.
    Money does not change hands. A PR person pitches an editor or reporter, and if that editor or reporter “bites,” the story is done. It really is that simple.This clearly was a good pitch done by a proficient PR professional. Yes, the story didn’t point out some of the cons of iRacing, but that doesn’t mean it was “paid for.”What it does mean is that the story was written for one of the most lifestyle-oriented, “featurey” sections of the paper, the Automobiles section. It’s not like this was to be the second Pentagon Papers report or a Watergate follow-up. It’s a feature for a lifestyle section of the paper — not exactly heavyweight journalism.And you’re naive if you expected anything different and also misguided if you think “money changed hands.”

    Fair enough. Call me naive and misguided. :)

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Paul Kelly:
    Howie, you must tell me the brand of scotch you drink. Seems like it’s killer stuff. :)

    Could be the pipe. Just a thought. Hahaha

  • Howie47

    ermax18: Could be the pipe. Just a thought. Hahaha

    I’m betting it’s a better reality then you guys got. I’m so selfish!

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Howie47:
    I’m betting it’s a better reality then you guys got. I’m so selfish!

    Hahaha. :)

  • Sensekhmet

    Simbin and ISI PR blows. iRacing’s doesn’t. Face it. Without good PR, both ISI and Simbin (the latter probably moreso) will continue to fall deeper into the ‘nerd gamer’ hole and we (simracers) will be filed together with brain damaged addicts beating off to Warcraft.
    Change your point of view. Do you realise how idiotic a guy pretending to race a car, complete with a funny little toy steering wheel and a hilarious car cockpit imitation looks to the average adult? Very. Only more PR and media presence can change that.

  • ForzaBarca88

    Sensekhmet:
    Change your point of view. Do you realise how idiotic a guy pretending to race a car, complete with a funny little toy steering wheel and a hilarious car cockpit imitation looks to the average adult? Very. Only more PR and media presence can change that.

    LOL straight up.
    Sim boots and trackIR dont help the look either :sd:

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Sensekhmet: Simbin and ISI PR blows. iRacing’s doesn’t. Face it. Without good PR, both ISI and Simbin (the latter probably moreso) will continue to fall deeper into the ‘nerd gamer’ hole and we (simracers) will be filed together with brain damaged addicts beating off to Warcraft.
    Change your point of view. Do you realise how idiotic a guy pretending to race a car, complete with a funny little toy steering wheel and a hilarious car cockpit imitation looks to the average adult? Very. Only more PR and media presence can change that.

    Very true. I have a fairly elaborate cockpit so it isn’t as easily brushed off as a silly game. They at least ask what the hell it is and often want a test drive only to find they can’t even may it through the first turn. Unless it is one of my racing friends. They can normally come up to speed in 5 laps or so.

    iRacing has definitely brought a lot of attention to sim racing with all the NASCAR and SCCA exposure. An now the main stream media. Very cool.

    It will be interesting to see if ISI can learn from iRacings marketing when they release rF2 but I seriously doubt it. They seem very content with a small market. I guess they do enough custom jobs to stay afloat.

  • SergeantBoner

    I cant belive how this is of any relevance?

    Iracing and all of its content is mainly from the USA, all the tracks and cars and series its trying to simulate, even the logo.
    I cant see why the rest of the world would be interested in a game that only include cars that dont exist on any other continent or country or whatever, its like hollywood when they make a disastermovie and the world is going under, it is set in washington and only filmed in america and everybody speaks american its like YOU(people in USA) doesent understand WE(the rest of the world) exist, people in other countries with OTHER interest than cars running around in an oval none has ever been to.

    Saying that Im feed up with stars ‘n stripes, and give us F1, ETCC, WRC, Le Mans, V8 Supercars.. etc Then I might get some interest of this game and all of its publicity.

  • Sensekhmet

    SergeantBoner: I cant belive how this is of any relevance?

    Exactly. And USA can’t see how the rest of the world is of any relevance. Just like you.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    SergeantBoner. iRacing is an American company. What do you expect them to make? Also, so you know, they are working on content from other countries.

    Did you see US (people in USA) bitching about SimBin lacking American content? Nope. Your lucky ISI (American Company) is around or you wouldn’t even have a SimBin to make your content. Get over yourself.

  • http://www.srrs-racing.net/ ermax18

    Also how is an American company making American content not relevant to an American newspaper?

  • Paul Kelly

    Also realize that it’s cheaper and more efficient for an American-based startup company to scan American tracks and forge licensing alliances with American sanctioning bodies.

    It’s a hell of a lot easier and cheaper to make licensing deals with consumer- and marketing-oriented sanctioning bodies like NASCAR, SCCA and IndyCar than the FIA and FOM, which charge exorbitant prices for limited rights.

    Plus, as ermax said, iRacing already is working on Zandvoort, Brands Hatch and the Australian V8 Supercars. I’m sure more non-North American content is in the pipeline.

    Take care,
    PK

  • moppenheimer

    SergeantBoner: I cant belive how this is of any relevance?Iracing and all of its content is mainly from the USA, all the tracks and cars and series its trying to simulate, even the logo.I cant see why the rest of the world would be interested in a game that only include cars that dont exist on any other continent or country or whatever, its like hollywood when they make a disastermovie and the world is going under, it is set in washington and only filmed in america and everybody speaks american its like YOU(people in USA) doesent understand WE(the rest of the world) exist, people in other countries with OTHER interest than cars running around in an oval none has ever been to.Saying that Im feed up with stars ‘n stripes, and give us F1, ETCC, WRC, Le Mans, V8 Supercars.. etc Then I might get some interest of this game and all of its publicity.

    You have no idea how the world works outside of your little head do you?

  • NombreyApellido

    Wow

    I’ve been trying to keep away from iRacing posts in this blog… And when I get back to check if things are now civilized I find the same hateful and bitter comments again.

    Howie, you should lighten up man. You gave it go, it wasn’t for you. Let it go.

    It’s a shame you didn’t join any online session at all during your free trial. It would have been interesting to see what kind of player is such a strong opinionated guy.

    /Chris

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