SimCraft Racing Simulators Deliver Real Results on the World Stage
Between June 14 and June 22, 2025, SimCraft-supported drivers made headlines around the world, not in a virtual paddock, but on real tracks. With 14 victories and 14 additional podiums across disciplines like WEC, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Italian F4, Trans Am, and Pikes Peak, the data is clear: racing simulators are not just training tools, they’re difference makers.
Ryan Hardwick’s LMGT3 win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans stands tall. Competing with Manthey-Porsche, Hardwick captured SimCraft’s sixth class win at Le Mans, reinforcing the simulator’s role in preparing drivers for motorsport’s most grueling events. For Hardwick, who refined his racecraft through home-based simulator sessions, this wasn’t just a trophy, it was validation.
But it wasn’t just endurance specialists. From Italy to New York to Ohio, drivers sharpened their instincts using SimCraft systems, thanks to realistic force feedback, motion systems that replicate true vehicle dynamics, and training environments that reward precise inputs over flashy visuals.
“With my APEX6, I feel like I have the same opportunity to refine my skill and my preparation as my professional teammates.”
—Ben Keating, WEC & IMSA Champion
From Le Mans to Monza: A Week That Redefined Simulator-Based Driver Development
A single week. Multiple continents. One common thread—SimCraft.
At Watkins Glen, SimCraft-backed athletes swept both the PRO and PRO-AM podiums in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Championship, an unprecedented feat.
- PRO: Elias de la Torre, Jake Walker, and Wayne Taylor Racing’s Nick Pershing locked out the podium. De la Torre backed it up with a win in Race 2.
- PRO-AM: Jason Hart, Andy Lee, and Rafa Racing Club completed a dominant sweep.
- AM: Graham Doyle and Rafa Racing’s Lindsay Brewer and Jem Hepworth took 1st and 2nd, respectively. Doyle swept the weekend with back-to-back wins.
SimCraft’s approach to simulator realism, replicating yaw, pitch, and roll around the actual center of mass, lets drivers prepare for moments that would otherwise require expensive test laps or risky experimentation. And unlike many sim rigs or seat movers, the visuals move with the motion. No desync, no cue conflict.
A few days later, 15-year-old Sebastian Wheldon earned pole position and a win in Italian F4 at Monza. This wasn’t just about reaction speed, it was about familiarity. From braking points to weight transfer, Sebastian used his SimCraft simulator to internalize the feel of a Formula 4 car on one of the fastest tracks in the world.
At Mid-Ohio, Tristan McKee, at just 14 years old, became the second-youngest TA2 winner in Trans Am history after training at SimCraft’s North Carolina hub. Representing GM’s Driver Development Program, McKee drove a flag-to-flag masterpiece, honed through hours of deliberate practice on systems designed to deliver translational seat time.
This isn’t “just sim racing.” This is high-stakes preparation that translates into pace, poise, and podiums.
Young Talent, Serious Results: How Racing Simulators Shape the Next Generation
For many, racing is becoming less about raw talent and more about repetition, consistency, and cognitive performance. That’s where racing simulators shine, especially when motion fidelity is engineered to support real-world feedback loops.
SimCraft has long emphasized that training isn’t just about clocking laps; it’s about building the right habits. That’s what separates winners from midfielders. For young drivers like Wheldon and McKee, those habits are formed early, before the first test day, before the first crash.
Studies like the AHF IRB Protocol and UPMC RACE Study support this. Controlled simulator use improves cognitive control, visual processing, and even reaction time, metrics that have measurable impact in real-world motorsports settings .
As tracks become more data-driven and schedules tighter, teams increasingly rely on simulation not just for laps, but for mental rehearsal. When a rookie shows up already acclimated to the track, already aware of where grip drops or when weight shifts, that advantage compounds.
Analogy: It’s like a musician mastering a complex piece by practicing one bar at a time. Simulators let drivers isolate problem corners, refine entry points, and lock in performance—note by note, lap by lap.
Behind Every Victory: The Pro-Grade Experience of SimCraft Motion Systems
Driver development is only as good as the tools behind it. SimCraft’s full motion racing simulators provide what most other systems can’t: physical realism grounded in rigid body vehicle dynamics. That means each axis of motion—yaw, pitch, roll, surge, sway, heave—moves independently, replicating how real race cars behave at their center of mass.
More importantly, SimCraft systems are built to keep the driver in the loop—visually, physically, and cognitively. Unlike many sim rigs that isolate motion cues or present disconnected visuals, SimCraft cockpits rotate and translate with the display system attached. This ensures that what drivers feel aligns with what they see, maintaining immersion and reinforcing muscle memory.
This integration reduces cognitive dissonance, a phenomenon explored in the MSU and UPMC studies on motion perception and attention fatigue. In those studies, SimCraft’s simulators consistently outperformed conventional seat movers, especially in maintaining driver focus, concentration, and reaction timing under load.
For Steve Wetterau, that clarity mattered. On debut at the 103rd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, he piloted a GT4-spec Aston Martin to a class win on one of the world’s most dangerous mountain courses. It’s not a forgiving event, you can’t afford a mistake. Steve prepared extensively at home on his SimCraft system, simulating every corner and every grip change until it felt instinctual.
Wetterau’s win wasn’t just about talent. It was about preparation.
Pedals, Profiles, and Performance: The Hardware That Supports the Wins
No system is complete without tactile precision, and SimCraft’s pedals are at the heart of the driving experience.
Based on a real racing Tilton pedal set, SimCraft pedals were developed with input from professional drivers to offer the same feel, geometry, and feedback as a race car cockpit. They’re not just mechanical, they’re intelligent. Integrated haptics deliver precise sensations for wheel spin, ABS engagement, and lockup. This makes them not only training tools, but diagnostic instruments.
When you feel a slight pulse under braking, it’s not a gimmick, it’s data. When wheel slip cues come through the brake or throttle, it reinforces the car’s attitude in real-time. That kind of immediate sensory loop is why pros like Tristan McKee, Ben and Christine Sloss, and Sebastian Wheldon use SimCraft pedals as part of their daily training routine.
For users looking for more turnkey setups, SimCraft’s BUILDER, STANDARD, and ELITE editions offer integrated options. Each system allows for precise tuning, from wheel feedback to motion profile customization. Whether you’re running iRacing, Assetto Corsa, or rFactor Pro, the system adapts, not just to your sim, but to your driving style.
FAQ
What makes SimCraft racing simulators different from other motion platforms?
SimCraft uses independently controlled axes of motion at the cockpit’s center of mass, this matches real vehicle behavior governed by rigid body dynamics. Other platforms often use mechanically linked movement (like Stewart platforms), which introduces motion confusion and latency.
Can SimCraft racing simulators help new drivers?
Yes. SimCraft products are widely used by developmental drivers, from karting graduates to Trans Am winners. The immersive and believable motion environment accelerates learning, especially in spatial awareness, car control, and response under pressure. Read more: How Realistic Is Sim Racing Compared to Real Racing? What the Science—and the Pros—Say
Are SimCraft pedals compatible with other rigs?
Yes. While SimCraft pedals are primarily included with full simulator systems, they are also products separately available for integration into other high-end rigs. Featuring real Tilton geometry and integrated haptics for wheel spin, ABS, and lockup feedback, they deliver one of the most advanced pedal experiences in racing simulation.
Final Lap: A Week That Validated a Philosophy
SimCraft’s success stories aren’t coincidences. They’re the byproduct of an uncompromising approach to believability, motion physics, and the nuanced feedback that defines real driving. Whether it’s Hardwick at Le Mans, Wheldon at Monza, or Wetterau scaling Pikes Peak, one thing is clear:
Training in an accurate motion racing simulator translates to winning races.
As more teams, young drivers, and manufacturers lean into high-fidelity simulator training, the gap between “sim racing” and “racing” is no longer just closing, it’s collapsing.
