How Simulators Are a Game-Changer for NASCAR Drivers in the Cup Series

In a world where NASCAR Cup Series drivers don’t get a lot of time to practice before crucial races, simulators are what help them put their best foot forward. But teams don’t quite talk about the benefits of these machines often with good reason. Spire Motorsports rookie, Carson Hocevar, was recently interviewed by The Athletic when he explained just how advantageous simulators are.

He was asked about the one thing fans don’t realize about what he does for a living when he chose to speak on SIMs. He said, “What’s overlooked because the teams aren’t ever going to show it, is how beneficial the simulator is. We hear it, but you never physically know unless you drive it how valuable it is — at least on the Cup side. On the Xfinity and Truck side, it’s not as good.”

The reason for the disparity is the range of SMT data that is available to the Cup Series. From the level of throttle to brake tracing, the premier tier SIMs can pull up every data and the drivers can sit in the machines until they’re able to match things perfectly. Hocevar believes that it is the one biggest factor that no one talks about and doesn’t even want to talk about.

He added, “If I sneeze in there, they’ll probably have it on my data just because there are sensors on everything. They’re trying to make it match identically, and they just let you drive and keep tuning the tire and everything to make it match.” The best racing SIMS go as far as recreating track surface dynamics. They can thus help teams come up with more detailed strategies.

Why do team owners still push for more practice despite the advantages of simulators?

All these benefits that racing simulators provide don’t come free. In an interview earlier this year, RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski revealed that the cost for simulators can sometimes exceed that of real-world practice sessions. He contended that such heavy investments would not be required if actual practice was just lengthened.

Legacy Motor Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson was on the same boat as Keselowski on the matter. He said that the data and the results that they get from the simulators are not beneficial without having adequate practice time on the race track. Adding that the promotion’s intention to save cost by cutting practice just ends up wasting the investment on simulators.