Summary:
Thinking about coming to visit us to get some racing done? Let us tell you what to expect as a first-time racer at TracksVR. The excitement of stepping onto the virtual track for the very first time, the nerves, and the anticipation leading up to the moment when the race gets going. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time racer, this post gives an idea of what it's like to race at TracksVR for the first time.
Coming in through the door
Stepping in through the door of our facility is an exciting moment, your journey as a virtual race car driver is about to commence, somebody will meet you at the front, greet you and get you ready to race by doing the following:
- Help you find the perfect piece of racing memorabilia: Our pit crew will help you find the perfect item, whether it is a shirt, sweater, die cast, or a piece of racing equipment! We have a vast inventory of racing related items, look around and let us know which you like best!
- You will be asked to sign in: Once you have found your perfect piece of memorabilia to remember your first visit to TracksVR, if you have not provided your name previously, one of our staff will get you to write down your name and email address to register you to our system so that you can get access to all your telemetry online!
Get ready to race: Once you have signed in, we take you to our racing lounge and get you ready to race!
The Speech
We know that at this point in time you are ready to go, but before you take a seat on our racing simulators, there are some things we would like you to know:
Using VR
At TracksVR, we are big fans of using VR; the level of immersion that you get from it is unparalleled and really makes you feel like you are inside your virtual race car. However, we understand that some people can experience motion sickness while using VR, which is why we offer an alternative. At each station, we have a screen available for those who would prefer to race without the VR headset. This way, everyone can still enjoy the thrill of racing, whether they choose the full immersive experience or the more traditional screen setup.
Our Headsets
- DPVR
- Pimax Crystal
Steering Wheel and pedals
Here at the shop we race with a Formula style steering wheel and we have a three pedal setup, while there are some buttons in the steering wheel that will be taught while you are at our venue, we can let you know some general tips and tricks of our wheels and pedals.
Steering Wheel
- Smooth is fast: In racing, precision and control are key. The smoother you are with the steering wheel, the more consistent your lap times will be. Abrupt or jerky movements will cause the car to lose grip, making it harder to maintain speed through corners.
- No hand over hand steering: To maintain control and stay quick in turns, avoid the hand-over-hand method, where your hands cross over each other on the wheel. Keep both hands on the wheel at all times, doing this will help you improve stability and control, especially in high-speed corners.
- Don't let go of the steering wheel: Always keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel and opposite to each other, even during straight sections. This ensures you maintain proper control of the car, especially if you need to make sudden adjustments or react quickly to track conditions. A firm grip will give you more confidence when approaching challenging corners and high-speed sections. And keep your thumbs inside of the holes in the steering wheel!
Pedals
- Ignore the clutch: Even though we have a three pedal setup at each racing pod in the venue, the kind of racing that you will be doing here you won't be needing to use the clutch, so ignore it while you are racing here.
- Please remove outer footwear: We like to take care of our equipment here, to avoid small rocks, dirt, snow to get into our pedals, we ask that everyone races with their outer footwear removed. If you would like to race with indoor footwear or with only socks works for us!
Once in the seat
Once you have removed your outer footwear and are seated and ready to go, you can expect our pit crew to do the following:
Adjust your steering wheel and pedals
We want to make sure that you are comfortable racing while also being in the best position to go as fast as possible. Here are some of the things we will be doing:
- Adjusting your pedals: We want your pedals to be at a distance where there is a slight bend in your knees, but not too much or too little!
- Adjusting your steering wheel: We want your steering wheel to be at a distance where there is a slight bend in your elbows, same as your knees.
- Providing your VR headset: If you have decided to use VR for your first race, this is the moment that we will walk you through your headset.
On your marks, get set, go!
Once we have gone through all of these steps, we are ready to get you going! Let us know which is your ideal track and car combination and we can get you racing!
