Getting Your Hands Dirty With Sim Racing – Driving on The Port Royal Speedway

Racing games like DiRT managed to capture the essence of dirt racing, but the sport still remained relatively under-appreciated until racing sims started adopting them. iRacing is a racing sim that has particularly been focusing on dirt tracks, and in Q2 of 2022, it announced that the Port Royal Speedway is also coming to the sim.

This new addition has been a very welcome one – not just in the US but across the globe as well. The discipline has gotten more exposure than ever before, thanks to the iRacing platform. Along with Port Royal Speedway, the announcement also confirmed that two more dirt tracks are currently under development, particularly Wheatland and Lucas Oil Speedway.

There have been several virtual dirt racing tournaments, with the World of Outlaws being one of the ones with the most attention. It invites dirt racers and specialists from around the globe, pitching 410 Sprint Car racers against each other for ten weeks for a prize of $25,000.

In this article, we will review the history of one of the most popular dirt racing tracks in 2022, the Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, and why its introduction to iRacing has been such a big deal for sim racers.

An Overview of The Port Royal Speedway In The Sim Racing World

The request to introduce Port Royal Speedway arose from the US, naturally, but was quickly picked up all around the world as well. Think of it as Daytona, but slightly smaller and with a dirt road instead of concrete. While this means that you won’t be seeing your traditional Corvette GT, McLaren P1, or the Porsche 911, the track hosts its own set of monsters.

It is a half-mile dirt track that attracts 410, 360, or 305 sprint cars. These are open-wheeled and high-powered cars designed to run on short circular tracks. Handling isn’t their strong suit as they are designed to hold a specific line throughout the race, only allowing enough maneuverability to overtake other cars.

The 410, 360, or 305 cars can achieve speeds of up to 257.2 km/h (160 mph), at which point the open-wheel design makes them very tricky to handle and turn. It requires a lot of courage and experience to be able to handle yourself at such speeds and on such an overcrowded track.

iRacing brought the experience to sim racers across the world a few years ago in 2017, with Eldora Speedway, Volusia Raceway Park, and Williams Grove Speedway being the first tracks to grace the sim racing world.

However, sim racing has evolved considerably within just a few years, with iRacing, and RealFactor 2 actively bringing new tracks with more details about the track, its ground, elevations, turn degrees, weather systems, and other intricate details to your screens. iRacing has actively been focusing on dirt tracks recently because of the general appeal and increase in demand.

The Port Royal Speedway is a dirt racetrack spanning half a mile (0.8 km) that hosts numerous national series every year. The track opened in 1938 and has been upgraded several times since then to improve road grip, driver and viewer safety, limit the impact of weather on the track, and more.

It is situated in Port Royal, Juniata County, Pennsylvania (US), and is considered home to the most thrilling races out there. While it is used more commonly for sprints, the speedway can also be retrofitted to hold Wreckfests and other similar races. However, these Wreckfests and drifting events aren’t a part of the sim racing experience (it doesn’t mean you can’t go crashing into each other for fun, though!)

History of The Port Royal Speedway

On September 10th, 1938, the Port Royal Speedway was inaugurated and made ready for its first race. The half-mile track has always hosted a clay surface with four turns and a 5-lap record of just over 2 minutes (2:03:615s.

Initially, the track hosted speeds of up to 204 km/h (126 mph) and sound levels of well over 150 decibels. This was a major concern for many as they wanted the speeds to go higher and reduce sound level. While the top speed of the sprinters on the track was much higher, they weren’t able to achieve these speeds quickly enough to beat the 5-lap record of roughly 4 minutes.

The track remained closed during World War II, much like most other tracks. The track managed to remain operable for only one year before it had to close down – which introduced a growing adverse concern for the track. There was a degree of uncertainty about its future. There were several other racetracks in different zones, and the owners did not think that Royal Speedway would be able to become as popular as the Charlotte Speedway. And while it didn’t get to host NASCAR, it managed to host the World of Outlaws sprinters.

The track reopened in 1946 and, to its surprise, was still a massive attraction for dirt racers, fans, and news crews. It started hosting weekly races there, ranging from Sprint Car races for three different vehicle classes, Late Model races, Pro Stock dirt racing, and private races from time to time.

Because of the relatively short and thrilling experience of getting on one of these rides is reason enough for the nickname this speedway got; “The Speed Palace.” It is important to note, though, that in reality, this name began as an unofficial term between races. It wasn’t until the commentators started bringing the nomenclature to speakers that it became so widespread and semi-official.

There are many races held on the track today, with two of the most popular ones being the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the All-Star Circuit of Champions. The speedway is rather versatile, though, hosting the Juniata County Fair every year. It also hosts Sprintcars, Late Model Sedans, and Pro Stock dirt track racing from time to time under different hats.

Since the day it reopened, the track has been operational non-stop, hosting races on a weekly basis and inviting thousands of spectators from across the nation.

Upgrades To The Speedway

While the racetrack has seen consistent upgrades over the years, there is no doubt that there is more room for weather sustainability as well. However, that has not stopped events from making their way to the speedway in PA. For example, anticipated rain and snow meant that the Short Track Super Series would have to be canceled in New York (Fonda Speedway) – and that too on very short notice! The canceled race was its season-ending event, which meant that the cancellation ended up stepping on many toes at once. Brett Deyo, the series’ promoter, moved the race to Port Royal Speedway. This move was very successful, following up with future events being hosted at the Pennsylvanian Speedway as well.

Over the years, the speedway has upgraded almost everything, from its raceway and lights all the way to the seats, viewing galleries, and amenities. Despite being a dirt track, the guest area remains very clean and has modernistic amenities. The fans get a good view of the cars throughout the track while maintaining hygiene – even during slightly wet races. Fan comfort has always been a priority for the Port Royal Speedway.

What Led Port Royal Speedway Into Sim Racing

The roots of dirt racing can be traced farther back than street or road racing. In fact, the first official dirt rally was from Paris to Rouen in 1894. It was a Horseless Carriage Competition – similar to the ones that Sherlock Holmes had. It was won by a 3hp Peugeot, and the sport slowly became extremely famous.

Modern rally soon found roots as a result of this, and there were bets coming in from all over Europe. This was also the birth of motorsports, and the concept of official race tracks followed soon after, i.e., 1901. The focus on motors and speed started increasing, and iconic features started getting developed to increase the speed of these cars. People across Europe started asking about the next rally and a chance to bet on the drivers and cars.

The manufacturers started timing ‘laps’ and top speeds at this point. There were no official races between manufacturers. Instead, the race was against time. It wasn’t until ten years later that a full-scale “official rally” was held; the Monte Carlo Rallye Automobile International.

In 1973, the FIA World Rally Championship was held and televised internationally, introducing a much larger assortment of manufacturers and brands than ever before. Amid the growing fanbase, Atari saw an opportunity. Within the same year, Atari’s Space Race was introduced. Racing games became the next big thing for the world after this marvel. The first dirt rally game was introduced almost 15 years later by Red Rat and Mandarin Software in 1988, the Lombard RAC Rally.

Today’s rally racing has come a long way from Lombard RAC Rally and has evolved with time quite a lot despite the relatively lower demand. Dirt Rally 2.0 and WRC 9, for instance, have a lower demand compared to the Need for Speed or Forza series.

However, the niche audience for dirt racing is very determined and consistent. The modern racing sims took shape in 2017 and became popularized in 2020, offering impeccable physics and graphics.

Impact of COVID-19

The Port Royal Speedway has suffered quite a bit due to Covid-19 financially; being unable to invite fans or races. However, their marketing team managed to procure over 25 events and sponsors during the lockdowns, meaning that within a few weeks, they would be able to cover their losses.

Fans were given live telecast opportunities as well as a chance to attend the race in person while maintaining social distance from each other. This meant a reduced capacity from 6,000 people to 2,500 to 3,000. However, the speedway is currently working on expanding its seating capacity, and more food vendors are being introduced therein. Best of all, Port Royal Speedway doesn’t overcharge for food, unlike many!

COVID-19 is what really drew attention towards sim racing – especially when it comes to dirt racing and rallies. It is a true representation of what grit and determination can help drivers accomplish and involves the true mastery of over and understeer, among other things. Although the demand started rising in March 2020, it wasn’t until 2022 that someone decided to take action on the request.

iRacing’s scanning equipment takes into consideration every minute detail about the track – from little troughs and crests in the road to rock collections, incline, slippage, and more. These details aren’t just limited to the track itself, though, but also extend to the sky, audience, weather impacts, and other crucial elements that can impact the car’s handling or performance.

Port Royal Racing is almost completely flat (relatively, considering it is a dirt track), except for a few minor bumps in the northern turn and the slight sharpness of turn four. These have been calculated precisely down to the last detail or inclusion in iRacing, giving users a chance to feel what it would truly feel to make history!

This is how the next generation of rally racing is taking form. The track truly has quite a lot to its name, and although it isn’t the first dirt track to reach the sim racing audience, it is definitely among the more demanded ones. There have been historical races held here where there have quite literally been photo finishes, professional rivalries that take competitor drama to the next level, and unexpected track issues that keep spectators at bay. The cars are identical, and the track is the same. The only difference is who is behind the wheel – which makes up for very small distances between groupings and exciting races throughout the year!

Hardware Requirements for Port Royal Speedway on iRacing

Now that we know more about the history of Port Royal Racing and how its arrival into the sim racing world is set to satiate many appetites, a very basic consideration to make is whether or not you will be able to run iRacing on your computer or not – and if so, what sort of performance can you expect?

If you are looking for a life-like experience, you need to have a cockpit with a gearbox, shifts, steering, and a motion simulator that can accurately reflect the g-forces you are likely to experience within the vehicle.

But before you go ahead and buy all this equipment, you need to see whether your PC will support iRacing or not and whether it has the hardware bandwidth to give you valuable feedback from within the game.

Remember, Port Royal Speedway is a dirt track, which means more g-forces, a higher chance of over and understeer, and more importantly, the ground feedback will be a determining factor in helping you avoid slippage. Your PC should be able to handle the hardware on top of iRacing. For example, iRacing requires 16GB of RAM, but if you buy a heavier motion simulator with more features and input, you will need more RAM and more ports to plugin! Force feedback is essential to truly make the most out of your sim racing experience on Port Royal Speedway. VR capability is an option for iRacing but can make a huge difference when it comes to giving you an immersive experience.

Here is a table showing the minimum, recommended, and high-end requirements to run Port Royal Speedway on iRacing. It is important to note that these are the bare minimum requirements and will run the game on low settings at 24 fps.

Feature

Minimum

Recommended

High-End

Operating System

Windows 8.1 64-Bit

Windows 10

Windows 10 64-Bit

Processor (CPU)

4-Core CPU

Intel Core i5-4430m, AMD Ryzen 3 1200, or other similar CPU.

6-Core CPU

Intel Core i7-8700K @3.70 GHz, AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or other similar CPU.

8+ Core CPU

Intel i9-9900KS @ 4.00 GHz, AMD Ryzen 9 3900X or other similar CPU.

RAM

16GB

More than 16 GB

32+ GB

Graphics (GPU)

2GB dedicated vRAM

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, AMD RX 550 or better

6GB dedicated vRAM
GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), AMD RX 580 or better

8+ GB dedicated vRAM

Nvidia 2080 TI or better

Storage

25GB

50GB

50GB

Direct X

DX11

DX11

DX11

Controller

Gamepad, Mouse

Steering Wheel + Pedals

Force-Feedback Steering and Pedals, Motion Simulator, VR Headset

Internet Connectivity

128 KB or faster

128 KB or faster, <100 ping

256 KB or faster, <100 ping

iRacing Realism For Port Royal Speedway

Realism is one of the most important things for sim racing now. BeamNG and its popularity is a prime example of how physics is now more important than for a racing sim to be attractive. This realism can manifest itself in a number of ways, ranging from collision physics, drive physics, the impact of different road and weather types on the vehicles’ performance, and more.

In many instances, the game is very realistic, but the tracks may not give off the same feeling in-game as one would get when driving on the road physically. This is something that iRacing has managed to eliminate for Port Royal Speedway – proof of which is how a number of people saw iRacing’s truck scanning the land at different times and weather conditions of the track throughout March and April.

The goal is to address one of the most critical factors towards realism, i.e., rendering in-game physics as the driver would feel. Drivers can feel the dirt beneath their car in most instances. For Port Royal Speedway, After 30-35 laps, the clay beneath starts heating up because of the heated tires. This leads to the road getting harder for a few laps before the moisture within evaporates, hence leaving behind a relatively brittle surface.

This means that on Port Royal Speedway, after lap 40, not only does the circuit’s center star get slipperier (because of the dry and brittle top layer), the outer layers have little clumps of clay forming. These clumps may be sharp and damage the tire if there is little to no humidity in the air.

During humid climates, though, the clump may become small bumps that may end up damaging the suspension and disrupt speed over long distances. The driver can often feel these clumps – which should be reflected in the game.

Driving in rally races is much harder than on the road. Similarly, sim racing on Port Royal Speedway should reflect the difference between the dirt track and road-based races. IRacing manages to accomplish that fairly well, making the race hectic enough to make you rage quit but still pleasant enough to tell you that you can do it.

The realism felt within the car has been digitized to make sure that the driver feels right by actually driving with the sensors and analyzing long-standing race data. If you are going to race at the Port Royal Speedway, you should make sure you are aware of all the basic and advanced rally techniques.

While the Port Royal Speedway is relatively simple (basically a shorter and slightly dirtier version of Daytona Beach), other dirt rally racing sims are much harder. This is yet another reason why sim racers have actively been looking to include the speedway into the iRacing roster; better dirt practice.

Damage Simulation

Damage simulation is yet another characteristic that defines how good a sim is. At Port Royal Speedway, you can expect to trade paint with at least two or three of your opponents. The realism here can include visual aesthetics or care performance – or both of them at the same time. Realistic car damage can give a much more authentic driving experience.

It may be slightly hard to get used to in the beginning, but once you understand the damage mechanics, the drive is likely to become much more rewarding. It is important to note that on Port Royal Speedway, you are most likely going to crash hard into the driver in front in turn four or those on your sides in turn one.

The extent of damage (visual and performance) will give you a better idea of how hard you hit the other car – or the other car just hit you.

Rally Techniques For Port Royal Speedway

Port Royal Speedway on iRacing is expected to host numerous virtual championships because of the relatively straightforward yet dramatic drive that the track offers. It is not just a test of skill and concentration but also of the driver’s endurance and stamina.

There are several basic and advanced techniques that are likely to get highlighted on the speedway that you should vary. These include:

The Start

The manual start will need some getting used to as the goal is to get ahead of the pack as quickly as possible. You should aim for about 6,000 rpm at the start and lift the foot off the clutch immediately. Modulate the throttle, not the clutch, to get more traction.

Watching Out For the Racing Line

Finding the racing line on Port Royal Speedway with so many other cars around you can be quite difficult. You should try to hold the line as quickly as possible, as drafting on dirt tracks isn’t really such a good idea.

Listen to The Pace Notes

This may not really be the case for Port Royal Speedway, depending on the session configuration, but usually, there is a co-driver that gives you instructions in great detail about what is coming up. You only need to focus on listening and keeping your wheels on the ground while the co-driver tells you where to turn and how much.

Handbrake turns

Using the handbrake is a great way to get around tight corners on dirt roads as well as on pavements. However, if you find yourself using the handbrake on Port Royal Speedway, you are most likely doing something you really shouldn’t. You should only save it for emergencies or to avoid accidents.

Overseeing & Understeering

Understeers are when the car does not turn enough while oversteering is when the car turns too much and slips. You may not think it, but you will need to be particularly careful about over and understeering on Port Royal Speedway. You may have noticed that even expert drivers often spin out on the track if they aren’t paying enough attention.

Other considerations you will need to make include:

  • Throttle control
  • Left foot braking
  • Pendulum turn (perfect for initiating a slide, but not very useful for the Port Royal Speedway).

Getting Into The Port Royal Speedway Spirit

Topically, general admission costs $15 for the speedway. Students can get a discounted price of $7, while children under 11 have free admission. However, if you are looking to get into the pit area, you need to pay $30 for a pass.

The iRacing crew has been very forthcoming with their scans of the track and has accurately introduced the little bump on the pit road down to its last detail. You will feel a very soft bump whenever you are leaving the pits, which shows just how detailed their scans have been. The pit area has been scanned down to its minute detail as well – so why buy the ticket when you can go via VR, right?

In the World of Outlaws forum, Port Royal Speedway was a much-demanded sim racing track, and now that it is here (June 2020), you can expect more championships and sponsors for sim racing very soon!