Students apply virtual engineering lessons toward reality via racing simulator

Engineering know-how plays a major role the design of everyday auto mechanics–and is measured by performance on the racetrack. Twenty-two Auburn Engineering students are taking the opportunity to learn, and test, a variety of automobile setups–and applying them to performance-based activities–via iRacing, the world’s most popular virtual racing simulator.

Dubbed Auburn iRacing, the team is a regular in the eNASCAR College iRacing Series, where $60,000 in scholarships are at stake during the fall 2022/spring 2023 season, where virtual NASCAR Truck Series and Xfinity Series cars have been used.

"As technology advances, we see real-life race car teams use simulators to prepare for race weekends,” said Reece Baham, a junior in mechanical engineering, who serves as the team’s director of competition and lead driver. “iRacing accurately replicates the cars and physics…this allows us to get hands-on experience and gain an understanding of how the car works without being involved with a real-life team.”

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