A new racing simulator center in Portland, Oregon is giving everyday drivers access to the same equipment professional racers use to train. Northwest Sim Racing offers professional-grade simulators to the public, complete with real track layouts and car details like tires and brakes. Drivers can even compete online against racers at sim centers across the country.
The appeal is simple: racing is one of the most expensive sports to get into, and sim racing can save thousands of dollars compared to real-world track time. Co-owner Callum Read puts it plainly, saying racing “is not really available to most people.” Simulators change that math, and the skills can carry over. Cameron Root, who won the 2023 Ferrari Challenge, came up through sim racing.
Sim racing has also grown into a legitimate e-sports career path, with major brands like NASCAR, McLaren and Red Bull involved, and the technology keeps getting more affordable. Here on the Suncoast, where racing fans and spring training crowds already fill the calendar, a local sim center would be a natural fit. Would you give sim racing a try if one opened nearby? Let us know.
