iRacing
SimRacing Expo Charlotte proudly presents iRacing, the world’s leading online motorsport racing simulation that has revolutionized virtual racing since its establishment. As one of the most prestigious exhibitors at the expo, iRacing demonstrates why professional drivers and sim racing enthusiasts worldwide choose this platform for authentic racing experiences.
Company History and Foundation
Founded in 2003 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry, iRacing emerged from a passion for authentic motorsport simulation. Kaemmer previously co-founded the legendary Papyrus Design Group, developers of groundbreaking racing simulators including NASCAR Racing: 2003 Season and Grand Prix Legends. His expertise as both a developer and accomplished racer, having won 19 races in the Skip Barber Racing Championship and holding the series lap record at Lime Rock Park, ensures iRacing delivers unmatched realism.
John Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, brings championship-winning mentality from traditional sports to the virtual racing world. The combination of Kaemmer’s technical excellence and Henry’s competitive vision created a platform that officially launched in 2008, quickly becoming the gold standard in sim racing.
Based in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, iRacing assembled a dream team of developers, many from Papyrus, combining more than 100 years of real-world racing experience with over 50 years of racing simulation development expertise.
Revolutionary Laser-Scanning Technology
What distinguishes iRacing from competitors is its pioneering use of laser-scanning technology. The platform utilizes LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to capture real-world racetracks with millimeter-level accuracy. This advanced process creates three-dimensional databases that recreate every bump, crack, elevation change, and track nuance found on actual circuits.
The laser-scanning process captures approximately 250 million data points per track, depending on length and configurations. iRacing physically visits each circuit to perform comprehensive scans and gather detailed telemetry. Engineers then process this point cloud data into accurate 3D models, ensuring banking, camber, and surface characteristics match reality precisely.
Professional drivers including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Will Power, Justin Wilson, and Scott Speed use iRacing specifically because the laser-scanned tracks allow them to learn circuits before race weekends, focusing on competition rather than track familiarization.
Product Portfolio and Racing Experiences
iRacing offers an extensive catalog of officially licensed vehicles engineered from the ground up in cooperation with real-world race teams. The platform features accurate mechanical and dynamic models of NASCAR Cup cars, World of Outlaws Sprint cars, Australian Supercars, IMSA Prototypes and GT cars, IndyCars, and even Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 cars.
Members race on officially licensed, laser-scanned replicas of the world’s greatest racing circuits, from legendary venues like Daytona International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway to challenging road courses such as Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and Mount Panorama Circuit.
Platform Features and Functionality
The simulation platform provides comprehensive racing experiences through multiple formats. Members can participate in over 80 officially sanctioned racing series organized by iRacing, or choose from thousands of private leagues and hosted events. The platform supports open practice sessions, qualifying, testing, time trial competitions, endurance races lasting up to 24 hours, and heat racing formats.
iRacing’s advanced skill-based matchmaking and license progression system ensures competitive racing at all skill levels. The system matches drivers with similar abilities, creating fair competition while clean racing and strong finishes unlock opportunities to advance through license classes.
Team racing functionality enables driver swaps, crew chief positions, and spotter roles, allowing members to assemble teams for epic endurance events. The platform also features highly customizable AI drivers for single-player racing in individual races or full seasons.
Dynamic Weather System
iRacing incorporates the most advanced and realistic dynamic weather system in sim racing. Drivers must adapt their driving style and strategy to changing conditions, adding another layer of authenticity and challenge to the racing experience.
Official Esports Championships
eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series
The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series represents the premier sim racing championship, currently contesting its 17th season in 2026. As one of the longest-running esports series, 40 of the world’s best sim racers compete across a 13-race schedule for over $500,000 in prize money, with the champion earning an impressive $100,000.
Live broadcasts stream on iRacing’s Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook channels, as well as eNASCAR.com, with race coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The Countdown to Green pre-race show leads into the action 30 minutes prior. Recent champions include Steven Wilson (2025, 2023), Parker White (2024), and Casey Kirwan (2022), demonstrating the series’ competitive depth.
Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup
Launched in 2019 through a partnership between Porsche and iRacing, the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup serves as the premier road racing championship for sports cars. Now in its seventh season, 30 of the world’s elite sim racers battle across a seven-race global tour for their share of a $200,000 prize pool.
This single-make esports racing championship features the renowned Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, combining the legacy of an iconic sports car manufacturer with cutting-edge simulation technology. Champions include Cooper Webster (2025), Sebastian Job (2024, 2020), Jordan Caruso (2023), and Joshua Rogers (2021, 2019).
IMSA Esports Global Championship
The IMSA Esports Global Championship represents a collaboration between the International Motor Sports Association, iRacing, the Virtual Competition Organisation (VCO), and Michelin. This partnership produces the world’s foremost sim racing sports car series, featuring multi-class racing with GTP, LMP2, and GT3 categories.
INDYCAR Thrustmaster Pro Series
The INDYCAR Thrustmaster Pro Series attracts the world’s top virtual INDYCAR drivers competing for a $50,000 prize pool. Broadcast Thursdays at 8 PM ET on iRacing.com/live, the championship features a mix of top INDYCAR ovals, road courses, and street circuits. The series includes an innovative qualifying format utilizing the Dallara IL-15, used in the real-world INDY NXT by Firestone development series.
Special Events Calendar
iRacing’s comprehensive 2026 Special Events Calendar offers prestigious races throughout the year, mirroring real-world motorsport’s biggest competitions:
Endurance Racing: The calendar features legendary endurance events including the Daytona 24 Hours (January 16-18), Bathurst 12 Hour (February 20-22), Sebring 12HR (March 27-29), Nürburgring 24h (May 1-3), Spa 24HR (July 10-12), and Petit Le Mans 10-hour race (September 25-27).
NASCAR iRacing Series: Full-length events include the Daytona 500 (February 11-18), World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 20-25), Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (July 22-27), Southern 500 at Darlington (September 2-7), and the Homestead Championship finale (November 4-9).
Iconic Single Events: Special competitions include the legendary INDY 500 (May 5-18), Bathurst 1000 for Supercars (October 2-4), Knoxville Nationals for Sprint Cars (August 4-9), and the SCCA National Championship Runoffs (November 17-21).
Historic Racing: Step back in time with the Road America 500 featuring Nissan GTP and Audi 90 GTO cars (April 10-11), and the Firecracker 400 with Historic 1987 NASCAR Cup Cars (June 30 to July 6).
Community and Accessibility
With a thriving global community of over 350,000 sim racers, iRacing connects motorsport enthusiasts worldwide. Members can host private sessions, create custom heat races, and establish their own racing leagues with limitless configuration options.
Unlike many racing titles, iRacing doesn’t demand top-tier computer specifications. The platform runs exclusively on Windows PCs meeting general gaming requirements. While iRacing recommends a steering wheel and pedals for optimal immersion, traditional gamepads work effectively. World-class peripheral and VR support elevates the experience to new heights for those seeking maximum immersion.
The subscription-based membership model grants full access to iRacing’s immersive world, with automatic updates and improvements delivered free to all members. This approach ensures the platform continuously evolves with new content, features, and refinements.
Official Partnerships
iRacing has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to create the most authentic racing simulation available. Official collaborations include NASCAR, INDYCAR, the FIA, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, IMSA, World of Outlaws, USAC, and the Sports Car Club of America.
Additional partnerships with leading automotive manufacturers including Audi, BMW, Aston Martin, Ford, GM, Volkswagen, and Porsche ensure vehicle models reflect real-world specifications and performance characteristics.
Track partnerships with International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports, and circuits worldwide provide access for laser-scanning, creating the most accurate virtual representations of legendary racing venues.
Beyond PC Simulation
Expanding its reach beyond PC simulation, iRacing owns two additional game studios producing the official console games of NASCAR (beginning in 2025) and the World of Outlaws. The company also develops ExoCross, a fantasy off-road racing game, demonstrating versatility across racing genres and platforms.
Professional Driver Training Tool
iRacing has transcended its origins as entertainment software to become a legitimate professional driver training tool. Real-world race teams utilize the platform for driver development, track familiarization, and setup testing. The millimeter-accurate laser-scanned tracks and precise physics modeling allow professional drivers to complete productive testing sessions from home, reducing costs while maximizing track knowledge.
Numerous professional racers have publicly stated that iRacing helps them learn tracks more effectively, enabling them to focus on racing immediately upon arrival at race weekends rather than spending practice sessions learning circuit layouts and braking points.
Visit iRacing at SimRacing Expo Charlotte
SimRacing Expo Charlotte provides the perfect opportunity to experience iRacing firsthand. The exhibitor showcase demonstrates why this platform has become the trusted choice for both professional drivers and passionate sim racing enthusiasts. Whether seeking competitive online racing, practicing for real-world events, or simply experiencing the thrill of authentic motorsport simulation, iRacing delivers unmatched quality and depth.
Discover how laser-scanning technology, official partnerships, world-class esports championships, and a global community combine to create the ultimate racing simulation. From NASCAR and IndyCar to Formula 1 and sports car racing, iRacing offers comprehensive motorsport experiences that blur the line between virtual and reality.
For more information about iRacing’s products, services, championships, and membership options, visit the official website at www.iracing.com.
