Racing Prodigy Crowns Their First Champion

Last week, Racing Prodigy crowned their first champion in the inaugural Prodigy Week, an event that puts the winning sim racer in a real-life racing series. And this is just the beginning of what they have planned.

I also have news on William Esports new Student Racing League, video of Jimmy Broadbent challenging a DTM racer in a million-dollar sim and all the latest competitive sim racing news, tech reviews and sim racing tips and advice.

All this and more in this week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Its news for racers not gamers.

From Sim Racing to the Real Thing

2023 Prodigy Week Podium

Racing Prodigy’s first ever Prodigy week concluded with the crowning of Gustavo Ariel as the first-ever Racing Prodigy winner.

Prodigy Week wasn’t just about digital racing; it was an all-encompassing experience. The sim racers were put through a rigorous training regimen, covering a wide range of disciplines, including fitness, on-camera interviews, skid pad handling, autocross challenges, kart racing, data performance reviews, and, ultimately, competing in Radical SR1s on the main racetrack. Over the course of the event, they completed an astounding total of more than 850 laps, equivalent to more than 1,700 miles. These aspiring racers had the privilege of being coached and trained by a remarkable lineup of motorsport legends, including former F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR driver Max Papis, NASCAR and Indy 500 driver Boris Said, racing icon Randy Pobst, race car driver and engineer Andrew Carbonell, NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch, and pro driver champion Kenton Koch.

Gustavo Ariel, reflecting on his strategy for the final race, said, “My strategy going into the final race was to warm up my tires quickly and do a fantastic lap one to close that gap and consistently race throughout.” Ariel was not only a champion on the track but also the first Prodigy Pass winner on iRacing during the first part of Season 1. He added, “It’s been a great experience this week, so I would encourage sim racers to join Racing Prodigy as I wish when I was younger I had opportunities like this to compete on this level. I can’t wait for the draft.”

The event appears to be a success with coverage in mainstream publications such as Forbes and the announcement that there will be a second Prodigy Week in 2024 according to Winding Road Magazine.

“The exciting journey of these sim racers is far from over. Racing Prodigy has big plans for the future. They intend to host a second Prodigy Week in early 2024 to conclude Season 1 with a new class of Prodigy Pass winners, creating a pool of the world’s most talented drivers from which PRL teams will draft. These drafted racers will receive paid contracts to compete in PRL’s first real-world racing series in the United States, scheduled to launch in 2024.”

Deagen Fairclough

ROKiT Racing Stars winner Deagen Fairclough had one goal for the 2023 season: to finish in the top five. Feeder Series looks at how his 2023 real-life racing season shaped up. “After winning the ROKiT Racing Stars simulator competition in 2022, the expectation for the beginning of Fairclough’s single-seater career had been up in the air. This had not been done before, but his pace was quickly apparent, making his way to the podium in only his second race weekend.”

Sim 4 STEM Schools Competition

The Sim 4 STEM Schools Competition, presented in partnership with Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing Partnership and Active Cities, has concluded, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of participating students and showcasing the boundless potential of the next generation in motorsport.

Over the course of five weeks, 150 students from diverse backgrounds in disadvantaged areas came together to embark on an extraordinary journey of discovery, combining the thrill of sim racing with the power of STEM concepts. Their achievements are nothing short of remarkable, as they seamlessly blended education and excitement.

You can find out how the competition unfolded here.

Sim Racing Roundup

For 21-year-old Rajah Caruth, a lifelong dream became a reality at Phoenix Raceway. In last Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race, he made his debut driving the No. 17 for industry powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.

“I feel an immense amount of gratitude and excitement because this is an opportunity that you dream about as a kid,” Caruth told The Arizona Republic. “You know, when you play NASCAR games, you pick the Hendrick guys to race against or race as. To have that opportunity for the first time, and hopefully not the last, it’s really special. I’m just making sure every day I’m doing something that parlays into being more prepared for this.”

Competitive Sim Racing News

Sim Racing Roundup

Williams Esports, the esports division of the Williams Formula 1 Team, has announced the first official season of its student competition, the Student Racing League. The competition will begin in November and features the best student racers from 30 educational institutions in the UK.

Steven English, the Director of Williams Esports, commented: “We are thrilled to open up the Student Racing League to bring an ever-increasing number of schools, colleges and universities into competitive sim racing. It is our vision here at Williams Esports to offer opportunities for the younger generation to grow a passion for racing, and to elevate esports alongside more traditional sports in academic competition.

“The Student Racing League offers a new platform for students to not just engage their passion for racing, but also to develop crucial skills in performance and operational roles in a growing industry, providing valuable experience and development to students aspiring to careers in the field.”

The Williams Esports team was recently included in a large-scale partnership between its parent company Williams F1 and Gulf Oil International.

Here are more headlines from the world of competitive sim racing.

Sim Racing Tips & Techniques

Sim Racing Roundup

Sim Racing Tech Roundup

Here is a roundup of the latest sim racing tech news, reviews, and recommendations from around the world.

Sim Racing Roundup

General Sim Racing News

Sim Racing Roundup
Mark Boudreau
Author: Mark Boudreau

Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.