Racing simulator

Jason Owens is a race car builder & driving coach (DASH Autosports). He’s used a racing simulator for the last 15 years to learn new tracks & train for faster, more consistent lap times. And just like a real car, his racing simulator was always evolving through multiple variations, modifications, & improvements over the years. Well one day, the topic/discussion of racing simulators came up with a friend at the track, and Jason started scrolling through photos of his custom simulator setup. The guy was like, “Dang, could you build me something like that?” And Jason said, “I don’t see why not.” His buddy gave him a budget, and Jason created a kick-ass racing simulator out of it. Another friend caught word & wanted one too. Word of mouth kicked in amongst the drivers, and next thing you know, Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP) commissioned Jason to build 10 racing simulators for the track. It was at that point, Jason realized, “Hmmm there might actually be something to this.” DASH SimSports was formed. 

What is DASH SimSports?

In a nutshell, DASH SimSports makes custom racing simulators. Now I get it – when you hear the word custom, you probably think expensive… and they certainly can be. But they don’t have to be, and that’s crucial. Because what ‘custom’ really means here is: DASH racing simulators are built around your specific needs & budget. Jason goes deep on this stuff. He’s tested all levels of components at length. And he’s dialed-in packages & components that work seamlessly well together. Whether you’re on a tighter budget, or sparing no expense – you can have an awesome setup regardless. DASH SimSports also builds simulators with the future in mind, giving you options to upgrade and/or trade-in components at a later date without having to recreate your whole system.

Racing Simulator cost…

DASH SimSports racing simulators start around $5,500, and that gets you a basic setup with good-quality components. Usually, $7,500 is where the price realistically falls with some common upgrades to monitor size, pedal quality, and/or a higher-quality wheelbase. The wheelbase, for reference, is what the steering wheel attaches to. And different model wheelbases give you more refined nuances, feedback, reactions, etc. Now with any hobby or tool – prices can go up exponentially when you start getting into high-end features. In the case of racing simulators, this includes motion systems… with heave, pitch, roll, etc. These motion systems will even mimic rumble strips, and affect each corner of the car/sim effectively. And that’s just one example –  to explain how these things get incredibly detailed & precise. You can spend over 40k if you start checking every box. But rule of thumb for DASH SimSports is: You can get in a very high-quality sweet-spot (with motion & triple screens) for about $20,000. 

 

Rutledge Wood & his new Racing Simulator…

So this is where my friends cross paths. I’ve known Rut since college – before NASCAR, Top Gear USA, and The Floor is Lava. Yep, even on the giant campus of University of Georgia, we knew each other because of our cars lol. That’s just how it goes with gearheads. Who knew we’d both make careers out of our passion (“arguably” in my case lol). And then of course Jason Owens, the infamous Honda guru, helped us build and drive our Motivicity Civic Type-R in 2019. Rutledge Wood ordered a racing simulator from DASH so he could get extra seat/track time in his GR-Cup Toyota GR86. Jason knew I knew Rut, so he let me to tag along… and here we are.

Justin Parcher used ‘Trading Paints’ to design Rut’s exact GR Cup GR86 livery

JDm exhaust

This is a fairly base racing simulator from DASH SimSports…

And again, base doesn’t mean cheap-out. Think of it more like the base model of a sports car or 4×4. Meaning it has good/solid components & driver-connection… without all the bells & whistles. The guys at Magnaflow supplied Rut with the Magnaflow xFrame chassis/cockpit (that’s the black metal ‘rollcage’ in this case). DASH then took the Magnaflow xFrame chassis, and outfitted it with a 45” LG curved screen, custom gaming PC, Asetek LaPrima wheelbase & steering wheel, 3Drap NGASA GT pro pedals, and Turtle Beach shifter. All-in, (if you substituted the Magnaflow chassis for a DASH chassis), this would be around a $6,500 setup. And lemme tell ya, as someone who’d rather be outside than behind a screen, this was friggin awesome! Awesome AND super-addicting. I was instantly consumed with improving my times. Every lap I logged (at Road America) was getting just a little faster. And all I wanted was one… more… shot. If you’re a driver, even just recreational, this is an invaluable tool. And if you’re ‘just a dude’ who loves cars & driving (like me)… this is one of the ultimate adult toys. Errr wait that didn’t sound right; you know what I mean. 

Other DASH SimSports Racing Simulators

E3 Spark Plugs