MERIDIAN, Idaho β When most people hit the gym, they're thinking of lifting weights or doing some laps. But at Meridian's newest offering, there are different types of laps being set.
Race Club Boise, the valley's first racing simulator studio, is bringing high-speed thrills to racing enthusiasts without leaving the Treasure Valley.
"The passion behind it was that we're here in Boise and there's really, it's really inaccessible to race cars," said Adam LaBarbera, founder and owner of Race Club Boise. "And you can do some go-karting, but at the end of the day, it's just go-karting and one track."
Race Club Boise opens as the valley's first racing simulator studio, offering immersive virtual racing in Meridian.
WATCH neighborhood reporter Keith Burrell get behind the wheel of a racing simulator
From Grand Tourers to Formula One cars, racing fanatics can now choose their favorite track and go for a spin from a virtual cockpit in Meridian.
Entering Race Club Boise transports you out of the Gem State to anywhere in the world, immersing you in the action.
"When we did it, we wanted to focus on immersion. So we have the monitor as safely close to you as possible so that your periphery is completely covered," LaBarbera said.
Boise State student and Wayne Taylor Racing driver Nick Persing uses the club for training during the season. While driving at the studio doesn't simulate G-forces, the haptic rigs provide precise and exact feedback from the car and track.
"You need to be able to feel exactly where the bumps are in certain corners in order to essentially pick the right line through the corner because the right line is not always necessarily just the textbook correct line," Persing said. "It depends on the track surface and the bumps."
If it's not the speed that could injure anyone in real racing, it's the suddenly becoming stationary. LaBarbera said simulated racing makes the sport accessible and safe.
"Coming here and saying, okay, you can get something like 85, 90% of the experience. And oh, by the way, as soon as you're about to crash, you just hit this one button, you're going to be safe. It gives people like a chance to really live it, and I think it grows motorsport as a whole," LaBarbera said.
LaBarbera said there are plans to open more studios in other states with competitions spanning across the country.
