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Assetto Corsa Rally's early development secrecy was “a leap of faith”

Assetto Corsa Rally’s early development secrecy was “a leap of faith” Assetto Corsa Rally Game Lead discusses how a tiny team worked and recruited in secrecy for four years, and how it plans to support the project for many more years to come. It’s the night before the 2025 SimRacing Expo on the Fanatec stand. Invited media are having the German peripheral manufacturer’s latest products showcased to them, including the long-anticipated Podium pedals, a first for the Landshut-based outfit. Then Marco Massarutto enters the stage. The erudite Italian, in a crisp white shirt (as ever), is buzzing with nervous energy. He starts talking about a new chapter in the Assetto Corsa franchise. But… isn’t Assetto Corsa EVO already that? Yes, it is. The circuit (and road)-based simulation, previously created under the codename Assetto Corsa 2, is created by the original Kunos Simulazioni team. This new title will use the known brand name, but be created by a new company, Supernova Games Studios, using the Kunos physics technology. Onto the aforementioned stage enters said team, and Assetto Corsa Rally is finally public knowledge. Well, not quite; the embargo lifted the next day. But nearly, following a four-year journey, and one that had to be conducted in near-secrecy. “We had to stay under the radar without revealing too much, making noise, or drawing attention to ourselves,” explains Assetto Corsa Rally’s Game Director, Irvin Zonca, to Traxion. “The Assetto Corsa brand was a tremendous asset. We approached racing drivers, teams, and manufacturers with little more than a vision we truly believed in and the Assetto Corsa name. “The strength of the brand, combined with our determination, opened many doors during that stage. “We also had to avoid relying on external partners for quite some time to minimise the risk of information leaking. “From

MICROPROSE BRINGS ITS BIGGEST GAMESCOM LINE-UP YET TO COLOGNE

COLOGNE, GERMANY - 14 AUGUST 2026 - MicroProse returns to Gamescom with an array of games, attending dev teams, and a flight simulation experience created in partnership with Next Level Racing. The 2026 MicroProse showcase invites attendees to experience the diversity of MicroProse’s catalogue, featuring a curated selection of titles spanning military simulation, tactical action, real-time strategy, naval warfare, survival, management, and more. Playable demos include: - Car Park Capital (car park tycoon) - Better than Dead (bodycam revenge FPS) - Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age (strategy/simulation) - Throttle Trace (slot-car/sim racing) - Dagger Directive (tactical FPS) - Drone Sector (futuristic gunship game) - Repterra (dinosaur RTS) - Liquidation (tactical fantasy RTS) - Knights of Frontier Valley (fantasy roguelike RPG) - Cleared Hot (nostalgic helicopter shooter) - Battleship Command (naval warfare) - Combat Air Patrol 2 (flight simulation) - Rise of Piracy (adventure RTS) - Dying Breed (post-apocalyptic RTS) - Darkenstein 3D (retro FPS) - Also: Death by Scrolling, GROUND BRANCH, and Gunship Origins. Meet the Developers The developers of Car Park Capital, Sea Power, Knights of Frontier Valley, Battleship Command, Throttle Trace and Dying Breed will be attending Gamescom in person alongside the MicroProse team. Journalists and content creators are encouraged to contact MicroProse in advance to arrange developer interviews, guided demonstrations, gameplay capture, booth tours, and discussions about upcoming projects: Spearhead 2, Battlespace Command, and Archrebel Tactics. Flight sim fans can take control of Combat Air Patrol 2 (CAP2) from the Next Level Racing Flight Seat Pro Boeing Military Edition, transforming the Gamescom demo into a physical cockpit-style experience. Developed in collaboration with Boeing, the dedicated flight seat will complement CAP2’s AV-8B Harrier II simulation, mission planning and naval combat, giving visitors and creators a distinctive hands-on experience, and a great Gamescom photo opportunity. “MicroProse

Paysafe Becomes Envision <b>Racing</b> Title Partner to Build the Future of Fan Engagement

New alliance will turn Formula E fans into participants, connecting race weekends, gaming and rewards through Paysafe's global payments network, with the team entering the new Gen4 era as Paysafe Envision Racing LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 14, 2026-- Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE), a leading payments platform, today announced a title partnership with Envision Racing, one of Formula E's most successful and innovative teams, heralding a new era as Paysafe Envision Racing. Together, the two companies will power the future of connected fan experiences, uniting world-class motorsport, gaming and digital payments into the most engaging, rewarding and sustainable fan ecosystem in sport. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260814738341/en/ A new era begins in Formula E as Envision Racing becomes Paysafe Envision Racing. The partnership is built on a simple idea: fans shouldn't have to choose between watching the action and being a part of it. From the grid to gaming, esports arenas to exclusive rewards, Paysafe and Envision Racing will create one connected journey where every interaction brings fans closer to the team and unlocks something new. Formula E is one of the fastest-growing motorsport properties in the world, built around exactly the audience Paysafe serves: digitally native fans who move fluidly between live sport, gaming, creator content and digital commerce. With the Gen4 era set to redefine electric racing through faster cars, greater performance and an even more compelling spectacle, Formula E is entering its most transformative chapter yet. Through Formula E's global stage, Paysafe will put Skrill, PaysafeCard, PaysafeWallet, PagoEfectivo, and its full portfolio of consumer payment brands in front of over 560 million TV viewers across the globe; as the infrastructure powering how they play, compete and connect. That ambition is backed by three decades of experience built for exactly this moment. Paysafe brings expertise in

Nacon teases Test Drive, WRC and Endurance Motorsport Series updates in upcoming showcase

Nacon Racing will return with a new ‘News from the Pits’ racing game and equipment showcase next week, Friday 21st August 2026. A teaser trailer hints at key updates for at least five racing games, plus its Revosim sim racing equipment brand. For Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, the Season 7 update is set to be showcased; this trailer shows the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, which will arrive in that patch on 2nd September. There also appear to be further hints at the real-estate/house system, which is expected for the game next year. The upcoming MXGP 26 game will release in October, and we expect the final release date to be confirmed during this showcase, alongside a release date for the PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for Gear.Club Unlimited 3, which released on Switch 2 earlier this year. Nacon will also publish the rebooted official FIA World Rally Championship game in 2027, created in Unreal Engine 5 by Grit Games. This teaser trailer appears to show the development team at French rally team PH Sport, testing the Citroen C3 Rally2 and Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale machines. Discussion 0 Comments Join the discussion Join Traxion.gg to start discussing with members. Already a member? Sign in

iRacing subscription prices increase next week, but you can still renew at the old rate

iRacing subscription prices increase on 18th August, but existing members can still renew early at the current rate. Any additional subscription time is added to the end of the existing membership rather than replacing it. There are only four days left before iRacing increases its subscription prices. From 18th August 2026, a one-month membership will rise from $13 to $14.75, three months from $33 to $37.50, while a 12-month subscription increases from $110 to $124.50. It is only the second subscription price increase in almost 20 years of iRacing. Existing members can still avoid the higher rates for their next renewal by extending their subscription before the change takes effect. iRacing allows current subscribers to renew before 18th August at the existing prices, regardless of when their current membership expires. Renewing early doesn’t waste your existing subscription Buying more membership time does not replace the time already remaining on your account. According to iRacing’s support documentation, an early renewal is added to the end of the current subscription. If you have eight months remaining and buy another two years before the price increase, those two years will begin once the existing eight months have expired. That means members do not need to wait until their renewal date to lock in the current pricing. iRacing’s new subscription prices | Membership | Current price | From 18th August | |---|---|---| | 1 month | $13.00 | $14.75 | | 3 months | $33.00 | $37.50 | | 12 months | $110.00 | $124.50 | The increase was announced in July, so the pricing itself is not new. The deadline is now close. The new rates take effect on Tuesday, 18th August, giving existing members four more days to extend their subscription at the current price. Accounts purchased and managed through Steam use

Corsair (CRSR) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript | The Motley Fool

Image source: The Motley Fool. DATE Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS - Chief Executive Officer - Thi La - Chief Financial Officer - Gordon Mattingly - Investor Relations - David Pasquale TAKEAWAYS - Net Revenue -- **Corsair Gaming, Inc.** (CRSR +4.10%) reported revenue of $314.3 million, a 2% decline year over year reflecting market-wide pressure from elevated memory pricing on do-it-yourself personal computer builds. - GAAP Gross Margin -- 33.2%, a company record that expanded 640 basis points year over year due to a favorable mix shift toward higher-margin products and a one-time tariff refund. - Gamer and Creator Peripherals Revenue -- $115.9 million, growing 13% year over year driven by strong demand for gaming peripherals, streaming components, and Sim Racing solutions. - Gamer and Creator Peripherals Gross Margin -- 44.9%, an expansion from 40% in the prior year quarter supported by growth in higher-margin categories like Fanatec. - Gaming Components and Systems Revenue -- $198.5 million, declining 9% year over year as high memory pricing continues to delay do-it-yourself system builds. - Gaming Components and Systems Gross Margin -- 26.3%, an expansion of 570 basis points year over year despite lower segment revenue, reflecting supply chain management and refund benefits. - Memory Revenue Growth -- 17% year over year, supported by market share gains in North America and effective supply chain execution. - Operating Expenses -- $96.7 million, a decrease of $6.1 million year over year due to disciplined cost management across the organization. - GAAP Net Income -- $9.1 million, an improvement from a net loss of $20.3 million in the prior year quarter. - Non-GAAP Diluted EPS -- $0.23, an increase from $0.01 in the prior year period. - Adjusted EBITDA -- $30.8 million, representing a 9.8% margin compared to 2.5% in

Gran Turismo 7's New Online Time Trial Raises Eyebrows Ahead of Update

This week’s new Online Time Trial isn’t sticking around. Gran Turismo 7 pairs the Toyota MR2 GT-S ’97 with the East End layout of Autodrome Lago Maggiore on Sports Hard tires, and instead of the usual two-week run, it’s gone in seven days. Polyphony Digital boss Kazunori Yamauchi has already confirmed a new update is on the way, and its set to add four cars: the Toyota Chaser and Mark II Tourer V, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, and the Caterham Seven Superlight R500. Trimming a Time Trial down to a single week to reset the schedule is exactly what Polyphony did the last time a physics-altering update landed mid-cycle. That was July 2024 (has it really been that long ago?!), when Update 1.49 arrived with a reworked physics model. Running a Time Trial across a physics change would have made a week of laps pointless, so Polyphony closed both active events early and brought back a single event capped at one week to reset the stagger. History repeating itself isn’t guaranteed, but the playbook matches closely enough to suggest this update could bring a little more than IV cars to the table… Two Continuing Events This Week Last week’s post carried a World Series tie-in alongside the regular new event, so there are two events carrying over instead of the usual one. The Red Bull X2019 special tied to Round 2 of the 2026 Gran Turismo World Series in Tokyo this Saturday, August 15, is still live at Deep Forest Raceway and still paying double the standard bronze rate. The Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe ’64 at Daytona Road Course carries over as well. Both close August 20, when a single new event takes their place. GT7 Lap Time Challenge August 13 - Track: Autodrome Lago Maggiore – East End

Verstappen vows to keep <b>racing</b> at Zandvoort after F1 exit | GPToday.net

Max Verstappen says he will continue racing at Circuit Zandvoort long after the Dutch Grand Prix exits Formula 1 following the 2026 edition. The Red Bull driver confirmed he expects to remain a regular presence at his home circuit, signalling that his relationship with the track will outlast its tenure on the world championship calendar. Verstappen's comments carry weight beyond nostalgia; they hint at a post-F1 racing career already taking shape in his mind, with Zandvoort remaining central to his plans. The Dutch Grand Prix will not return after next weekend's race, with organisers announcing in 2024 that rising costs and the European circuit rotation system made the event financially unsustainable beyond 2026. Zandvoort's brief modern F1 run, which began in 2021, was driven largely by Verstappen's rise to global prominence and delivered some of the most atmospheric race weekends of recent seasons. Verstappen acknowledged the significance of the moment but framed his final home grand prix as a beginning rather than an ending. "We've known for a while now that this will be the last Dutch Grand Prix. It's my home race, so I want to enjoy it enormously. Hopefully it goes a bit better on track than it did in Hungary," he said, referencing his difficult weekend at the Hungaroring. Circuit remains active beyond F1 Verstappen was quick to emphasise that Zandvoort's future extends well beyond Formula 1. "There will still be plenty of other racing classes running there. And if you want to go and drive yourself for a day, the circuit will obviously still exist. So I'll still get enjoyment out of it after Formula 1," he said. The remarks suggest Verstappen sees Zandvoort not just as a venue for nostalgia but as an active part of his racing life, whether through testing, sim racing validation,

Unique social hub opens in Encinitas: All about Turn Zero <b>Sim Racing</b>

A local Encinitas family is behind a first of its kind attraction in the heart of downtown Encinitas. Turn Zero, opened by John Reikes and Sarah Masterson in June, is a premium sim racing experience designed for racing fans, families, groups and anyone looking for a different type of entertainment. Reikes has always been a fan of racing and, most specifically, sim racing, but noticed a gap in opportunities for everyday folks to test it out, especially in Encinitas. From there, the idea to create Turn Zero was planted in his mind. “When I moved down to the San Diego area, I noticed there aren’t many accessible racetracks. The closest one is about three hours away, and even then you need an entire weekend trip to race for a couple hours. Also, racing in person is very expensive and dangerous, and creates barriers to entry for most people. Post Covid, the technology behind sim racing ramped up and we were hit with more opportunities for authentic and advanced racing experiences,” said Reikes. Another area he wanted to improve on when it came to adding in this style of entertainment to the Encinitas community was the ability to connect people through an in-person space. “It can feel very solitary for people who have a sim rig at home. They are into it and they are having fun, but they are alone at home. So many people have said that this turns that concept into a community and a social event,” said Reikes. The idea behind Turn Zero is a truly authentic feeling. When participants hop behind the wheel, it is anything but a video game. With a seatbelt, huge monitors, jolts and movement with every turn and a full headset with surround sound, participants are placed right on the track. “It

Porsche Carwow Sprint Challenge GB: Rounds 7, 8 &amp; 9, Knockhill – Report

Joshua Rogers wins milestone 100th championship race Joshua Rogers (Team Parker Racing) took the maiden victory of his Porsche racing career in the landmark 100th race in championship history. The Porsche Esports Team star mastered the challenging Knockhill circuit in both dry and wet conditions, taking victory in all three races during a breakthrough weekend in Scotland. The result brought the dominance of Joe Marshall (Team Parker Racing) from Cheshire to an end – Marshall won the opening six races of 2026, but followed Rogers home on three occasions in Fife. Meanwhile, there was one win in the RS Am category for Daniel Lewis (Race Car Consultants) from Essex, and two for Dean Burden (Toro Verde GT) from Lincolnshire. While in the Clubsport category, Gabe Fairbrother (Graves Motorsport) from Chester proved unbeatable as he drove to three category wins, further extending his championship advantage at the midpoint of the season. Rogers wins for the first time in RS Pro Rogers drove to his maiden pole position for Round Seven, and the Australian driver would start Round Eight from the front too, with Marshall alongside him on both occasions. The two Team Parker Racing drivers got away well at the start of the weekend’s opening race, conducted in dry conditions, with Rogers leading Marshall, while Samuel Harvey (Xentek Motorsport) from Sutton Coldfield maintained third. Felix Livesey (Xentek Motorsport) from Preston in Lancashire entered the pit lane early on with a puncture, before rejoining the race. Dan Zelos (Graves Motorsport) from Norfolk mounted an attack on Ethan Hammerton (Graves Motorsport) from North Yorkshire for fifth overall, but the former would soon receive a five second time penalty for track limits, relegating him down the order on corrected time. In the closing stages of the race, Matthew Kyle-Henney (Clean Racing) from Hampshire got

Two Major Takeovers and the Surprise Hit of 2026?

When Corsair announced it was acquiring Trak Racer’s assets as part of a $50 million buyout, you would be forgiven for thinking it was the biggest gaming purchase of the week. Now, multiply that figure by 1000. Nope, you still haven’t reached the figures involved in another buyout this week. We already knew EA was being taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, but the $55 billion deal is finally done. Join new double-barrel buddies Tom Harrison-Lord and John Danvers-Munro as they discuss these two seismic takeovers, and ponder both Hyundai’s virtual “e-shifts”, and an indie driving game that could well be the surprise success of the year. Discussion 0 Comments Join the discussion Join Traxion.gg to start discussing with members. Already a member? Sign in

Gran Turismo 7 players can win free cars and up to two million credits this week

While we wait for this month’s update, Gran Turismo 7 has launched a campaign where players can win up to two million credits and two ‘Stealth Model’ race cars to celebrate Round 2 of the World Series championship this weekend. To win up to two million in-game credits, all you have to do is correctly predict the winners of the Manufacturers Cup and Nations Cup, with one million credits awarded for each correct guess. Those who correctly guess both winners will win the full two million credits. To enter, simply select the Winners Campaign at the top right corner of the home screen and make your predictions before the final races. Additionally, two free race cars are up for grabs: the Toyota FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo Gr.3 Stealth Model and Mazda 787B ’91 Stealth Model. Both cars are exclusive to the campaign and can be won by streaming the Manufacturers Cup and Nations Cup in the Viewers Campaign until 31st August. The free cars will be gifted on 1st September, while the credits can be claimed on 17th August in the Gifts tab. Taking place at Polyphony’s Tokyo studio, Round 2 of the World Series championship kicks off on Saturday 15th August. The Manufacturers Cup can be streamed at 2:00 pm BST / 9am EST / 6am PST, while the Nations Cup can be streamed at 4:00 pm BST / 11am EST / 8am PST. Gran Turismo 7’s next update is also expected this week after series creator Kazunori Yamauchi teased four niche cars set to join the roster. While their identities have yet to be announced, the four cars are expected to be the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, Caterham Seven, Toyota Mark II Tourer V and Toyota Chaser Tourer V. Polyphony Digital has yet to announce a release update

Lucra Partners with Shift Arcade to Power Network-Wide Prize Competition Across ShiftOS ...

NEW YORK, NY, August 13, 2026 (EZ Newswire) — Lucra, the leading social competition platform, today announced a partnership with Shift Arcade, the first dedicated sim racing franchise in the United States, to bring skill-based prize competition to racers across its entire network. Shift Arcade is adding the capability into ShiftOS, the software platform that runs every one of its locations, and putting it to work in Apex Club, its competitive racing membership. Apex Club members will compete in free-to-play challenges for prizes and, where eligible, paid-entry challenges with real prize pools, ranked against every other Shift Arcade in the country. Shift Arcade delivers two products to a franchise. ShiftOS runs the whole venue on one system, covering bookings, kiosk check-in, memberships, race control, and leaderboards. Apex Club is the competitive programming that runs on top of it, with monthly Hot Lap and Formula Challenges, leagues, standings, and the Shift Championship shared across every location. The Lucra integration is a capability inside ShiftOS and new content for Apex Club members. A monthly Hot Lap Challenge runs the same car on the same track at every Shift Arcade simultaneously, so a single leaderboard covers every simulator on the network. Racers enter free-to-play for prizes or, where eligible, pay to enter a challenge with a prize pool behind it. Lucra handles identity verification, payments, compliance, fraud prevention, and settlement automatically through its plug-and-play SDK, so no individual location administers any of it and new franchise locations can immediately tap into Lucra’s competitive loyalty engine. “A lap time is a lap time. Same car, same track, same conditions, so it doesn’t matter which building you set it in,” said Dylan Robbins, Founder and CEO of Lucra. “Racers already compare times obsessively. That’s the beauty of the sport. Because Shift Arcade runs every location

Rajah inspires youth, embraces family roots in Bagga

Professional NASCAR driver Rajah Caruth received a hero’s welcome in his mother’s hometown of Barrouallie, where he shared personal reflections on his career, the importance of education, and his excitement to reconnect with his Vincentian heritage. Addressing a crowd of “new and old family,” Caruth expressed his joy at returning to the island for the first time since he was a toddler. “It’s great to be back. I’ve heard a lot of stories from my mom… the last time I was here, I really don’t remember. I was four or five years old,” Caruth shared. He noted that his maternal roots are in Barrouallie and his paternal roots are in Stubbs, and he is eager to “create some new memories as an adult”,. Beyond family time, Caruth aims to use his visit to promote the island, stating, “hopefully i’ll get more people from the States to come down here and have a great trip like we’re about to have”. Drawing on his background as a middle and high school track athlete who ran the 400m and 800m, Caruth offered advice to the local youth involved in sports. He emphasized that success is determined by what happens outside of formal practice. “The real difference that you make is what you do on your personal time, whether it’s eating right, getting your sleep, or just putting in extra practice,” Caruth explained. He noted that this same discipline translates to the racetrack: “Everybody does team practices. It’s how you sell yourself apart and do the extra little things to be excellent”. He encouraged youngsters not to focus on accolades but on the “process and the craft,” asserting that the journey should be the primary driver of success. Caruth, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management from Winston-Salem State University, spoke passionately

CONSPIT joins <b>SimRacing</b> Expo Frankfurt exhibitor list

Based in Shanghai, the company is renowned for its direct-drive wheelbases, steering wheels, load cell pedal sets and sophisticated sim rigs. Visitors at the Expo can try out its latest sim racing gear. CONSPIT will soon expand its product range with its first-ever shifter. Called the CHS Shifter, it can be switched between sequential and H-pattern modes and is expected to retail for around $400. SimRacing Expo Frankfurt takes place between the 16th and 18th October 2026 in Hall 2 of the Frankfurt Messe, with tickets on sale now. If you’re heading to the expo, you can also check out our ticket pricing and travel guides. Discussion 0 Comments Join the discussion Join Traxion.gg to start discussing with members. Already a member? Sign in

NASCAR star Rajah Caruth gets hero's welcome in Barrouallie

The community of Barrouallie erupted in celebration as they welcomed home professional NASCAR driver Rajah Caruth. The event, organized by the Ministry of Tourism and the SVG Tourism Authority, honored Caruth’s international success and his deep ancestral roots in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Area Representative Honorable Conroy Huggins described the homecoming as an “exciting time” and a landmark moment for the constituency. He noted that Caruth’s mother, Samantha Kirby, hails from Barrouallie, while his father, Rajah, is from Stubs. Huggins emphasized that Caruth, who began racing at age four inspired by a movie, serves as a beacon of hope for local youth. “He is an inspiration… he’s breaking barriers because he is, I think, the third black person to have done what he is doing now,” Huggins stated. He further explained that this collaboration aligns with the administration’s focus on the “orange economy,” which leverages youth, sports, and creative industries to inspire future generations. Dr. Kishore Shallow, Minister of Tourism, highlighted the strategic importance of Caruth’s visit, noting that the NASCAR platform reaches over 28.3 million viewers in the United States alone. Shallow referred to Caruth as a premier ambassador, using his platform to showcase St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the world. “We are driving what we’re doing is showcasing St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the rest of the world using different vehicles,” Shallow explained, citing recent successes with events like Vincy Mas and CPL cricket. He expressed a commitment to sports tourism, aiming to host world-class athletes and events to stimulate the local economy. Shallow also shared a personal note, revealing that even his eight-year-old son insisted on attending to celebrate with the racing star. Shafia London, CEO of the SVG Tourism Authority, officially welcomed the “son of the soil” and encouraged him to immerse himself

Fraser to co-drive with PremiAir boss in enduro event

The duo are set to share a Hyundai Excel in a budget endurance event titled the Great Sandown Showdown. Trans Am racer Elliot Barbour and Xiberras’ son Christopher are also among the line-up in what is styled as a social and fun-filled affair. It’s all part of Xiberras’ desire to experience another side of the sport after parking his championship winning Top Fuel drag racing team. Xiberras contested a similar enduro at Sydney Motorsport Park last month, departing the Townsville 500 mid-weekend to do so. “I had an absolute ball,” Xiberras told Speedcafe of the Sydney outing. “You keep hearing stories that Sandown won’t be around forever, so it’ll be a great opportunity to experience that circuit.” While swapping an 11,000 horsepower drag car for an Excel might seem an unusual move, it’s a low-key way to gain more circuit experience. Xiberras has one of the biggest collections of Australian touring car and V8 Supercars machinery, which he occasionally drives at historic events. “It’s got nothing to do with the speed, it’s about having some fun and the camaraderie between mates,” he said of racing the Excel. “One thing I’ve learnt with circuit racing is sometimes you do more learning in the slow cars than you do the fast ones. “My ultimate goal is just to be confident enough where I can take some of my more expensive cars out and enjoy them. “This is all part of enjoying the sport.” Xiberras noted Sandown is also a chance to bond with Fraser, whose future at the team has been the subject of great speculation in recent months. Fraser said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to share a car with his boss before the Supercars Championship resumes at Queensland Raceway. “I’m excited to be teaming up with Pete, Chris and

Lucra Partners with Shift Arcade to Power Network-Wide Prize Competition Across ShiftOS ...

NEW YORK, NY, August 13, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Lucra, the leading social competition platform, today announced a partnership with Shift Arcade, the first dedicated sim racing franchise in the United States, to bring skill-based prize competition to racers across its entire network. Shift Arcade is adding the capability into ShiftOS, the software platform that runs every one of its locations, and putting it to work in Apex Club, its competitive racing membership. Apex Club members will compete in free-to-play challenges for prizes and, where eligible, paid-entry challenges with real prize pools, ranked against every other Shift Arcade in the country. Shift Arcade delivers two products to a franchise. ShiftOS runs the whole venue on one system, covering bookings, kiosk check-in, memberships, race control, and leaderboards. Apex Club is the competitive programming that runs on top of it, with monthly Hot Lap and Formula Challenges, leagues, standings, and the Shift Championship shared across every location. The Lucra integration is a capability inside ShiftOS and new content for Apex Club members. A monthly Hot Lap Challenge runs the same car on the same track at every Shift Arcade simultaneously, so a single leaderboard covers every simulator on the network. Racers enter free-to-play for prizes or, where eligible, pay to enter a challenge with a prize pool behind it. Lucra handles identity verification, payments, compliance, fraud prevention, and settlement automatically through its plug-and-play SDK, so no individual location administers any of it and new franchise locations can immediately tap into Lucra’s competitive loyalty engine. "A lap time is a lap time. Same car, same track, same conditions, so it doesn't matter which building you set it in," said Dylan Robbins, Founder and CEO of Lucra. "Racers already compare times obsessively. That's the beauty of the sport. Because Shift Arcade runs every location

SCS Software Confirms North Dakota for American Truck <b>Simulator</b>

- Primary Subject: American Truck Simulator (North Dakota Downloadable Content Expansion) - Key Update: SCS Software has officially announced the North Dakota downloadable content expansion, bringing major cities, agricultural and energy industries, and iconic roadside landmarks to the simulation. - Status: Confirmed - Last Verified: August 13, 2026 - Quick Answer: SCS Software officially announced the North Dakota expansion for American Truck Simulator with a dedicated Steam store page, though no release date is set. SCS Software has officially announced North Dakota as an upcoming map expansion for American Truck Simulator, revealing the state through a blog post, a trailer, and a live Steam store page on August 2, 2026. The reveal followed a teaser posted on July 22, in which the studio dangled a deliberately vague clue about wide open spaces and prairie winds, along with an image of a catfish. That catfish turned out to be Wahpper, the 40-foot sculpture in Wahpeton billed as the world's largest catfish, and the community solved it well before the confirmation landed. The announcement is a full reveal rather than a passing roadmap mention. There is a named DLC, work-in-progress screenshots, a trailer on the SCS YouTube channel, and a Steam page already open for wishlisting under app ID 4400790. What there isn't is a release date. What the North Dakota DLC Includes SCS has been unusually forthcoming about locations for a first look. The blog and Steam listing include Fargo, capital city Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, and Williston, alongside smaller communities such as Pembina, Wahpeton, Medora, and the Devils Lake region. Medora sits at the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which suggests the western Badlands will get real attention rather than serving as background terrain. Interstate 94 and Interstate 29 form the backbone of the road network, running east to

Does <b>Sim Racing</b> Teach You to Drive Differently? Sim-to-Real Explained

Sim racing can transfer useful skills to a real racing car. Max Verstappen and Chris Lulham provide recent examples, while motorsport simulator research shows that drivers adapt their control strategies to the cues available in a virtual environment. What public evidence cannot yet tell us is whether the fastest technique in iRacing, Le Mans Ultimate, Assetto Corsa Competizione or Assetto Corsa EVO matches the technique used in the corresponding real car. There is good support for the transfer of circuit knowledge, setup understanding and aspects of driving technique. There is also strong reason to expect differences. A static home simulator removes much of the physical information available inside a racing car, particularly sustained acceleration and G-forces. The unanswered question is more specific: When a driver becomes fast in a simulator, what control strategy has that simulator taught them to use? Driving behaviour can be measured, not just described A 2020 study from Graz University of Technology examined behavioural validity in motorsport Driver-in-the-Loop simulation by comparing professional racing drivers on a real circuit and in a simulator. The researchers used metrics derived from track and simulator data to quantify the distance between the driver’s behaviour in both environments. Absolute behavioural validity ranged from 40.47% to 59.29% across the drivers and simulator configurations tested. Activating the simulator’s motion system shifted behaviour by between 1.29% and 3.31% towards the characteristics measured on track. Those percentages are measures produced by that specific methodology. They are not a percentage score for how “realistic” the simulator was. The useful finding is that driver behaviour changed with simulator configuration and that change could be quantified. A 2026 study shows how drivers adapt to simulator cues Further research published in Automotive Innovation in February 2026 examined motion cueing using amateur participants and two professional racing drivers in a