On Saturday, November 19, 2011, the MidCal MINIs group kicked off the start of the busy holiday season with an informal club meeting consisting of an extreme driving adventure at RaceRoom located at River Park. Eleven drivers “suited up” and took their simulated MINIs for a spin beginning with the course “Road America”. The actual circuit which is located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin not only provided its share of curves but some really great straight-aways. Each race session consisted of a practice lap and then a timed race of approximately 15 minutes. The MidCal folks raced each other in three separate sessions, each on a different track and in three different types of cars.
RaceRoom Fresno consists of 29 PC-based simulators which allow drivers to race on their choice of international racetracks in their choice of car. Racing enthusiasts say t
he course conditions and the correlating reactions from car suspensions are spot on. The simulators let players pick their own race route, and also provides dozens of options when it comes to the color and model of race car picked. A small dining area offers drinks, chips and other snacks, when race car drivers need to take a little break from all the fun.
The “RaceRoom” opened August 29, 2011 at River Park and is considered the next best thing to real race car driving. The simulators are popular throughout Europe and the owner, who is from Germany, says the Fresno location is the first one in the United States. “It feels like a real race car,” said Klaus Wohlfargh. “And the real attraction is that we’re connecting up to 24 simulators in a network and offer an opportunity so that people are racing against each other.”
The located in the River Park shopping area is the first North American RaceRoom, as well as the largest in the 13 store international chain. Featuring 29 racing simulators with 5.1 surround sound, Butt Kicker seat mounted bass shakers and wrap around monitors. The racing seats and force feedback steering wheels will make the driver feel as if they are actually racing one of the 50 international racing circuits and one of 72 real world race cars.
RaceRoom is part of the KW automotive family. Founded by Klaus Wohlfarth, KW Suspensions are world renowned for their incredible suspension performance for both the track and street. KW Suspensions are proud partners on cars like the Viper ACR that holds the fastest production car title on the punishing Nurburgring circuit as well as the Mercedes-Benz Black Series vehicles. It is the data acquisition equipment and testing on their own 7 post chassis dyno that has allowed KW to produce the worlds most accurate, exciting and entertaining real world racing simulation.
The MidCal group kicked off the event at 11:00 a.m. with each driver receiving a RaceRoom Cap, lanyard and unlimited refillable beverage. At the end of the three race event, trophys were presented to the top three driver
s, Josh, Tom and DJ.
Those in attendance at this great event (organized by Tina in her usual exceptional manner) all agree that this is certainly a group function worth repeating. Some of the driving techniques exhibited however were quite unique and should only be done in simulators! The beauty of simulator driving is that the group all left with their real fenders in tact and their insurance premiums unaffected! Until the next time MINI racers, keep it safe out there.
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