Mike Smith from SimRacing604 on everything from inclusivity to modding.
Photo credit: Overtake
In this week’s episode of Nitro Nights, Indiana chats to Mike Smith from the YouTube channel SimRacing604. With content ranging from games reviews to updates and mods, Mike can offer great insights into today’s sim racing scene.
“People from any walk of life can stand out as a sim racer”
Last week’s guest Max Spooner shone the spotlight on ‘inclusivity’ in sim racing, which is a topic that lies close to Mike’s heart too. He highlights that the accessibility of sim racing makes it the perfect platform to voice this message – it is inexpensive compared to traditional motorsports and therefore anyone can “stand out as a sim racer” regardless of their background.
For him, inclusivity is “not a political thing” though – he merely wants as many people as possible to have access to the hobby he loves. To ensure that this happens, Mike has set up a number of North American-based ‘fun leagues’. Whereas most leagues are European, Mike opens up sim racing to areas where possibilities are more limited and offers formats such as IndyCar, which he feels are “underrepresented” on the servers.
A passion for modding
For Mike, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the platform of choice thanks to its almost limitless choice of mods. The game itself may be old, but the mods keep it fresh and offer it a “flexibility” that is often lacking in other games. In our notorious Quick Fire Round, he reveals that his favorite ACC mod is the Lanzo V12 by RaceSimStudio – a GT racing monster, based on a Lamborghini Murcielago. However, for him it is not the top speed of the car that is important, but the “level of immersion” it offers. He often finds classic road car mods just as engaging as the latest racer, and aims to convey this to his subscribers.
Afterwards, Indiana and Mike discuss the top social media posts from the week. Then it’s time for the weekly Trackmania challenge! Can Mike conquer the leaderboard in a game he has never played before? Find out in episode 33 of Nitro Nights!
Follow our guest Mike ‘SimRacing604’ Smith on social media:
