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BEDFORD, MA (17 November 2006) iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations and Skip Barber Racing School today announced a strategic alliance blending the latest in simulation technology with the real-world training expertise of the world's most well-known racing school. The two companies will collaborate on an online racing school and entry-level, open-wheel series to be offered as part of iRacing.com's simulation, and Skip Barber students will have a new way to acquire and hone their racing skills, even when away from the track.
"iRacing.com and Skip Barber are both in the business of teaching aspiring drivers how to race and giving them the opportunity to compete," said Brett Roubinek, Chief Operating Officer for iRacing.com. "With their history and accumulated knowledge of driver education, there's no question that they are experts. The fact that they see the value of our simulation as a training tool for racers and the potential of our online racing service to advance not only driver education but motorsport as a whole is a huge vote of confidence for our technology and our vision. We look forward to working with the SBRS staff and tapping into their expertise."
With a curriculum adapted from the proven-effective lessons of Skip Barber's famous three-day racing school, iRacing.com members will learn many of the same terms, techniques and secrets of speed that have launched the careers of stars like A.J. Almendinger, Marco Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya. And through a special online version of Skip Barber's entry-level, open-wheel road racing series, iRacing.com drivers will have the opportunity to practice those skills as they compete wheel-to-wheel with drivers from all over the world.
"Skip Barber Racing School is the world's most recognized and most experienced professional organization dedicated to training race drivers," said George Ayres, President of Skip Barber Racing School. "Dave Kaemmer and the rest of the team behind iRacing.com are just as accomplished in their field. Their simulation technology and our instructional expertise are a perfect fit."
In addition to the lesson plans, iRacing.com drivers will also experience the same machinery as Skip Barber drivers. The online driving school and the first rung on iRacing.com's open-wheel road racing ladder will feature the 150-horsepower R/T 2000 formula car currently used for all six Skip Barber Race Series championships.
"As every racer knows, whether they are just starting out or have been at it for years, seat-time is the key," said Roubinek. "Now, though, that seat can be the cockpit of an R/T 2000 or the desk chair in your home office."
The multi-year alliance provides for extensive co-branding and co-promotional opportunities. Top finishers in the Skip Barber National Race Series and each of the Skip Barber Regional Race Series will receive annual iRacing.com memberships, and all Skip Barber Three-day Racing School graduates will receive trial memberships to sample the online simulation. iRacing.com, meanwhile, will award Skip Barber Racing School certificates to certain champions and other outstanding simracers amongst the iRacing.com membership.
"We're reaching out to the same audiences," said Ayres. "Whether an aspiring racer starts out in an Intro to Racing course on track with us or in iRacing.com's online driving school, they all want the same thing, to learn how to race and do it as well and as often as they can. Through this partnership, they'll have more opportunities to do so than ever before."
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