The Motion Pro II wows drivers, teams and fans at Daytona Rolex 24

1/30/08

Motion Pro II stars at first 2008 race, the Rolex 24 at Daytona Speedway The racing community got its first look last week at CXC’s Motion Pro II simulator at the prestigious Rolex 24 endurance race. Over a four-day period, more than 200 race fans, drivers, team personnel and corporate sponsors strapped themselves into the full-motion MP II. Their virtual ride was 2007 Grand-Am champion Alex Gurney’s Gainsco Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype on the difficult road course that includes long stretches of Daytona’s high-bank 2 ½-mile oval – an experience made even more realistic thanks to five hours of testing and setup on the MP II by Gurney himself.

Sometimes waiting in line for up to an hour, participants ranged in age from nine to 77 years old and included rookies, those who had never driven a simulator (much less a race car), experienced sim racers and, of course, pro drivers who were taking part in the Rolex 24. Among the pros were two-time Indy 500 (and Dancing with the Stars) winner Helio Castro-Neves and his Penske teammate, Ryan Briscoe, three-time Rolex 24 winner (including this one) Scott Pruett, “Mad Max” Papis, Newman Haas Lanigan Champ Car teammates for ’08, Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal, and another former Champ Car standout, A.J. Almendinger, now racing fulltime in NASCAR.

No surprise, Wilson, Rahal and Almendinger were soon making setup changes to go after the lap time set by Alex Gurney testing the MP II the week before. Rahal was the first to do it, then Wilson, but after multiple attempts by all, Almendinger ended up with quick time, 1:41.68 - which was amazingly close to his front-row qualifying effort for the Rolex 24, 1:40.802.

“That is soooo cool!” said Rahal, climbing out after his first ride, “I gotta’ try to get Mike (Lanigan of Newman Haas Lanigan) to buy one of these.” Max Papis, who’d warned, “I suck at these things,” was blown away, as well, “The way the car responds, it’s very much like the real thing. Amazing!” No strangers to sim racing, Wilson and Almendinger both said they’d never driven anything like the Motion Pro II. Asked if he hoped his team would get one, A.J. just laughed, “No, I want one for myself.”

Fastest time among the amateurs (an impressive fifth overall) was 18-year old Courtenay Smith, whose online racing team happens to be sponsored by CXC Simulations. Another popular standout was 12-year old Natalie Fenaroli, a Kansas City-based kart racer who at seven won the Kid Kart Group II national championship. The CXC Simulations team was so taken with the youngster, they gave her the opportunity to drive an F1 BMW-Sauber – which she did with great enthusiasm and remarkable skill. Hey, Danica, better watch this one in a few years!