Back in 2022, when the final lap at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 wrapped up, it was a sight to see at Atlanta Motor Speedway – something totally out of the ordinary. That race ended in a way that made history, giving us a moment to remember, but in a style all its own, compared to the nail-biters that saw Kevin Harvick or Carl Edwards snag their first wins, or that epic showdown when Alan Kulwicki outsmarted Bill Elliott for the NASCAR Cup Series crown back in ’92.

And this year again, we got treated to another edge-of-your-seat moment with a three-wide dash to the finish line. Dale Earnhardt Jr spilled the beans on his podcast that this kind of excitement was all thanks to some tweaks they’ve made to the track over the last few years.

Atlanta Motor Speedway has upped its game, and it’s all thanks to iRacing

In the past, revamping a track was pretty much a shot in the dark, based on gut feelings and past experiences. But this time around, the folks at Speedway Motorsports Inc., the brains behind the track, decided to shake things up by teaming up with iRacing. They took the whole makeover digital, running the track through its paces in a simulator long before any dirt was actually moved. This experiment turned out to be a game-changer, hinting at a whole new way of doing things in track development for years to come.

Dale Earnhardt Jr couldn’t help but rave about it on his podcast. He talked about how Marcus Smith, the big boss, didn’t just throw a ton of money at the track’s redo out of the blue. Dale Jr said, “He [Marcus Smith] invested millions of dollars in the reconfiguration. And 20 years ago it would’ve been a massive gamble. Not knowing really whether it’s gonna work or not. It was gonna spend millions of dollars, moving a lot of dirt, putting down a lot of payment, hoping for the best.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr shared how Marcus Smith hit it with iRacing. Instead of just winging it, Marcus took the whole project to a whole new level by diving into the digital world up in Boston. He apparently wanted the real data from the folks who know racing best – the drivers and top sim racers. Smith was all about getting the scoop on what would work and what would flop on the virtual track to probably work with the same data on the real track. And it wasn’t just about saving a few bucks; it was about dodging the massive financial bullet that comes with revamping a race track without a clue if it’ll work.

Luckily, iRacing.com played it right with their tech, making virtual laps feel just like the real thing. They have this cutting-edge gear, like 3D laser scanning and super dynamic track conditions, that indeed brings each race to life.

Diving into its technical aspects: If we take servers as the brains of the operation, soaking up all sorts of info from the race – like how the cars are handling, how the drivers are taking those turns, the changing weather, and even the tire choices, they take all that data and mix it up on the fly, making the track evolve as the race goes on. It makes digital drivers think on their feet. A little tweak in the weather – be it a drop in temperature or a bump in humidity – can mean it’s time to rethink the game plan, from the rubber on the wheels to how hard the drivers hit the brakes.

Apparently, Dale Earnhardt Jr is all over this new tech, seeing how this tech is a game-changer for track owners, giving them the confidence to make big moves without sweating it. It could be the magic formula that shapes the future for iconic tracks like Fontana and Texas, making sure they stay at the top of their game.

The old tracks meet the future

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So, after the checkered flag dropped at Fontana track last February, about 50 miles out from LA, they started tearing down the 2-mile oval. Now, only a few stands and luxury boxes are left standing. There’s still no word from NASCAR on when they plan to bring racing back to this spot, which first saw action back in ’95 on what used to be a steel mill.

But here’s Dale Earnhardt Jr’s take: “I think Auto Club Fontana’s future success will depend on how much they have, and we will lean on iRacing. Chicago, the street course was vetted and improved through months of simulation on iRacing before becoming reality.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr Claims Historic NASCAR Track Is “Predestined” to Make an Iconic Return

And as for Texas? Dale Jr mentioned that any changes in the pipeline for the Texas track would get the iRacing treatment too. Marcus Smith, the guy calling the shots, is all about putting potential changes through their paces in iRacing first, kind of like a test drive in the digital domain before making any real-world tweaks.

Dale Jr is hopeful that this iRacing magic could be the key to preserving and enhancing some of the historic tracks out there, giving them a new lease on life in the modern racing scene.