Racing Simulator Insights by
Scott Pruett

Champion driver Scott Pruett shares insights on driver development and the essentials of an accurate racing simulator.

Why choose SimCraft?

About Scott Pruett

Scott Pruett is one of the most successful and versatile American racing drivers, celebrated for his achievements across NASCAR, CART, IMSA, and Grand-Am. A champion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with five IMSA championships and ten class wins at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (including five overall victories), Pruett’s precision, consistency, and resilience have earned him a prominent place in motorsport history with eighty-eight career wins.

Beyond the track, he is known for his role in developing SimCraft’s high-performance racing simulators, as well as his contributions to the sport as a driver coach and mentor.

In retirement, Scott serves as an ambassador for Lexus and Rolex and has channeled his passion for excellence into winemaking, establishing Pruett Vineyard in California’s Sierra Foothills. Today, he crafts award-winning wines with the same dedication and precision that defined his racing career. Discover more about his journey into winemaking at Pruett Vineyard.

1988-1999

1974-2012

2001

2012-2018

1985-2018

2000-2008

Evolution of Racing Simulators

It's critical that ALL inputs are correct

The evolution of simulation technology is akin to stringing beads on a necklace, where individual components like pedal, steering, motion, and vibration technology come together to create an immersive experience.

The key element is immersion, making the driver’s brain believe in the reality of the simulation by accurately replicating the feel of driving a car, track inputs, and movements.

Simulation technology is constantly evolving with the goal of achieving a higher level of realism, improving aspects like movement, visuals, and vibration to enhance the overall experience.

Unlimited seat time...and adrenaline

Ability to tune and re-create reality - huge payoff

Testing in racing is limited for everyone, whether by sanctioning body, money, or time constraints.

Racing simulators are used by both individuals and manufacturers in racing.

There are benefits to fine-tuning motion racing simulators, such as SimCraft, to closely mimic reality, including replicating the adrenaline rush and physical sensations of driving.

An effective tool

SimCraft is your unfair advantage

An arcade game has a lot of unrealistic movement, targeting fun in short bursts.
An effective tool like a SimCraft racing cockpit provides an immersive and realistic experience used to keep drivers razor-sharp.
The SimCraft tuning process, starting from a baseline, aims to enhance the driver’s immersion by aligning the physics of the chassis with the driver’s needs.
Manufacturers and racing teams are increasingly utilizing simulation as a tool for development and gaining a competitive advantage.

Unmatched versatility

Nothing matches SimCraft

Scott Pruett has driven many different simulators around the world, each with its own approach to achieving realism.
Some manufacturers invest heavily in developing their simulation technology in-house, while others rely on external suppliers.
Certain simulators require extensive support and a large team to operate, making them complex and cumbersome to use.
Not even manufacturer simulators match the effectiveness of a SimCraft full motion racing simulator.

Scott's home SimCraft Apex CT

Small footprint compact trainer

Setting aside the APEX6, Scott Pruett considers the SimCraft APEX CT, a small footprint compact trainer, the best in terms of fidelity and accuracy versus anything else he has run (including manufacturer simulators).
iRacing, while a great platform, currently has engineering limitations, though it’s fidelity is getting better continuously.
As iRacing and other software gets better, SimCraft can in turn continue to fine tune the chassis software to re-create the most realistic environment.
The SimCraft Apex CT compact motion racing simulator creates a realistic driving experience comparable to being on tracks like Daytona or Watkins Glen.

The importance of Yaw and Pitch

The two most important motion cues for a driver are yaw and pitch.
Yaw and pitch help drivers work on counter steering skills and understand how the car rotates.
The SimCraft APEX CT model provides an effective way to experience yaw and pitch, even with limited space at home.

Driver development requirement

Yaw and Pitch is critical for immersion

Yaw and pitch provide a sufficient level of motion for a racing simulator used in driver development.
Drivers have responded positively to the realism of the SimCraft APEX CT simulator, noting its accurate representation of car handling and adjustments.
Achieving a sense of immersion is crucial, as it enhances training effectiveness and reduces frustration.

No Motion/Bad motion - I'm out!

Pro drivers use feel to connect with the car

Scott Pruett coached seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson during his time in the INDYCAR series. Although Johnson had non-motion simulation equipment at home, he struggled to complete laps due to its lack of feel. After experiencing the intuitive connection offered by a SimCraft 6DOF full motion racing simulator, Johnson decided to invest in one.
A professional race car driver emphasizes the importance of realism in simulation, highlighting the need for accurate cues to replicate real-world racing experiences.
Scott Pruett emphasizes the significance of immersion in simulation, anything to enhance the sense of realism and mental engagement.
Scott says, if a simulator isn’t behaving realistically, it’s incredibly frustrating – “I’m out!”

Professional level racing simulator

Everything else is no more than an arcade game

Scott believes that the SimCraft APEX racing simulator is a serious tool that can help drivers improve their skills and get to the next level.
The modular design of the SimCraft APEX models allow users to start with a basic APEX CT setup and upgrade it over time all the way to the APEX6 6DOF racing simulator.
Scott uses his SimCraft APEX CT simulator to practice for races, learn new tracks, and stay sharp during the off-season.

Static vs Motion simulators

Do what you can, at the level you can

A foundation in racing is important, and static simulators can provide that foundation, especially for drivers who do not have prior racing experience or financial resources.
Drivers should utilize the resources available to them, even if it means starting with non-moving simulators.
At a professional level, you are driven to perform – which means taking the next step – or being replaced.
Chip Ganassi, a team owner, emphasized the importance of winning races and championships to secure sponsorships and maintain a competitive edge. He believed in investing in resources, including racing simulators, to enhance driver training and gain an advantage.

Train with realism

Scott remains a student of the sport

Athletic skill is essential for handling a race car in a demanding and challenging environment.
Training with a realistic racing simulator is crucial for race car drivers, as it allows them to hone their skills and improve their performance.
Despite retiring in 2018, Scott continues training, including using his SimCraft APEX CT racing simulator and practicing hot yoga, to maintain his racing edge even in his 50s.

Driver development limitations with manufacturer simulators

Big teams take priority, the rest get the leftovers

The big teams get priority on the manufacturer simulators, but the smaller teams have drivers that have a greater need for more frequent simulator use.
Manufacturers have excellent engineering software, but drivers and engineers have limited time allocations for using it.
Manufacturer simulators, like those used by Toyota, Ford, Chevy, are in high demand and likely run twenty-four hours a day, especially with testing restrictions like those in place for the first road course race of the year.
A professional driver’s home racing simulator offers valuable, extended practice time and a competitive edge, particularly for young drivers and teams with limited access to manufacturer simulators. Rather than relying on limited, one- to two-hour time slots on a manufacturer simulator, drivers can use their personal simulators for hours at a time, optimizing their preparation and performance.

Team training

Accelerated learning with concurrent feedback

Teams can use multiple simulators simultaneously, allowing drivers and engineers to quickly test car setup changes and provide rapid, collective feedback. A team of multiple drivers in this setup offers significantly more input than a traditional one-to-one driver-engineer approach and in a much shorter time-frame.
Smaller, more affordable systems could be deployed to every race team, allowing drivers to enhance their reality and preparation before using a full simulator.
Drivers could use these systems for development and driver development when the main simulators are occupied by higher priority teams.

Evaluating simulation

Every moment on a proper sim is valuable

Racing has long been a sport where practicing the craft itself was challenging. Today’s advanced simulated environments offer drivers new opportunities to develop their skills.
Though initially met with resistance, racing technology—like traction control—eventually gained acceptance, suggesting that simulation tech will also become a critical part of the sport.
However, many simulators today are poorly built, producing unnatural movements, frustrating drivers and discouraging their use.
“Racing the game” is significantly different than driver development and “perfect practice.”
“Every moment you can spend on a proper sim, the better you are going to be. And what we have, is a proper sim.” –Scott Pruett

Seasoned pros know, others don't

Dangers of training on an inaccurate simulator

When simulators don’t accurately re-create real-world environments, they introduce unnatural motion cues to the brain, potentially leading to sickness and negatively impacting athletic performance.
Accurate data in racing relies on accurate simulation components, including aerodynamics, movement, steering, visuals, and monitors.
Professional drivers can immediately identify inaccuracies in simulators, highlighting the importance of realistic simulation for effective training and preparation. Unfortunately, development drivers may not, which leads to bad practice, bad muscle memory, and bad mental programming.

Motion simulators

Look to professionals, not Influencers

Drivers use motion racing simulators to practice and refine their racing skills, with each driver potentially preferring unique adjustments to the simulator settings.
Scott believes it is crucial to use a simulator that accurately replicates real-world driving sensations, even if it is not the most expensive or popular model.
The development of racing simulators has been a gradual process, starting with basic features like racing seats and curved monitors, and progressing to more advanced technologies like force feedback and motion feedback.
“You need to look at products out there that are endorsed by seasoned professionals.” — Scott Pruett

Driver development needs

Not all racing simulators are equal

A SimCraft motion simulator is essential for those seeking true-to-life training and mastery of race car driving, while enthusiasts content with an arcade-like experience can opt for inexpensive/simpler setups. For a professional-level experience, only a SimCraft will do.
“They are two very different things.” — Scott Pruett
Simulators can be particularly helpful for driver development when paired with an experienced driver who can provide guidance and instruction, similar to how drivers train on a real track with a mentor.
A mentor can prepare a car, set a time, and provide a ghost lap in identical conditions for a driver to compare and contrast, drastically speeding up learning.
Both young, inexperienced drivers and seasoned professionals like Jimmie Johnson can benefit from using simulators to prepare for races.

Investing in equipment

Arcade game vs effective tool

People of all ages can learn how to use simulation technology for racing in historic racing like HSR and SVRA.
Experienced racers use simulation to safely practice on accurately recreated tracks like Daytona and learn from professional drivers.
iRacing is considered the gold standard in racing simulation due to its highly accurate track mapping and re-creation, including details like bumps and seams.

Scott Pruett at Nürburgring

SimCraft APEX6 GT full motion racing simulator

Ride along with Scott Pruett, as he puts the APEX6 through its paces.
All SimCraft customers have access to professionally developed motion profiles, like the one Scott tuned for this video.

Racing Simulator Insights by Scott Pruett