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A question I'm often asked is, "how do car driving games compare to driving a real race car?"

Its a very good question, and one that I'm uniquely qualified to answer because I have had the good fortune to accumulate a number of hours behind the wheel of both PC racing games and my real race car.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, allow me to share with you a few of the obvious and not so obvious differences.

1. Playing car games on the computer is significantly less expensive than driving for real (obvious), however, what most people don't think about is the massive time commitment that real racing demands. For example, prior to the race weekend, I would typically need to spend at least 2 nights in the shop preparing the car for the weekend's racing. This would include checking the toe, alignment, and weight distribution. I'd also have to check all the fluids, do a nut and bolt check, and (possibly) change the tires or brake pads. If I had damage from the previous race, ad at least two more days. If you have a life outside of racing, this can be quite a problem, let me tell you! With a NASCAR game on your computer, you have none of this hassle.

2. Playing a NASCAR game on your PC will allow you to drive a wide variety of cars on a wide variety of tracks. In real life, I could barely afford the one race car that I had and if I was lucky, I might get to go to two different tracks with any regularity.

3. Playing PC racing games poses no threat to your health. You can be seriously injured, or die, in a real race car (ok, this was obvious, but worth remembering!)

So, with these few thoughts out of the way, lets dive into the actual difference in the "on track" experience!

I have to admit, there is nothing quite like strapping yourself into a real race car to head out on the track. Its is one of the greatest thrills that I've ever had in my life! From the smells, to the feel of the racing seat, to the rumble of the motor, there is just nothing like it. Moreover, the feeling of acceleration is pure crack to a speed junky like me.

Sadly, the PC racing game doesn't do much in the way of matching this first few (and important) attributes. That is of course, unless you've invested a TON of money in a motion simulator.

Obviously getting a motion simulator like this one is beyond the budget most every sim racer. If it wasn't, why not just buy a real race car?

So why play a racing game then? Ah....because there are some very good parts of it!!

For one, the advanced physics models in today's games to a very good job of giving you the feedback you need to actually improve your skills...not to mention provide you with a great deal of satisfaction when you execute a corner just right.

The key to speed in a race car, be it online or off, is to most effectively manage the transfer of the car's weight around its four wheels as you maneuver the car around the track. If you are thrashing about, cranking the wheel and slamming on the brakes, you will be slow - simple as that. Why? Simple, improper weight transfer leads to a loss of mechanical grip, and when you lose grip, you slow down.

Another area of significant similarity is in the tuning of the suspension. Whether you are tweaking your virtual car, or your real one, ensuring you have the right springs, sway bars, shocks, etc... is absolutely critical to a well handling race car capable of competitive lap times. The principles that apply in the real world, apply equally so in the virtual world. A tip of the hat to the programmers in this regard!

And finally (at least for this post), the remaining key element of racing cars is the psychological aspect. The whole purpose of racing is to compete with other human beings - and in particular, to whip their butts! Back in the 'ol days of online racing, the experience was not nearly as good as it is today. Thanks to improvements in technology and connection speeds, the warping (arbitrary bouncing around of the competitor cars on your screen) is pretty much a thing of the past. This allows for close racing - and close racing is what provides the driver with the psychological thrill that so many of us crave!

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