Courtney Force will run new TRAXXAS livery for Western Swing

By Jul 22, 2016, 1:31 PM EDT
Photo: John Force Racing
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Courtney Force’s Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car will take on a new livery for the upcoming three-race NHRA Western Swing at Denver, Sonoma and Seattle.

You can see the new livery above. Courtney was at husband Graham Rahal’s IndyCar race in Toronto last weekend, while Rahal has jetted to Denver this weekend to be with her for this weekend’s NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series action.

“What a season it has been for the Fastest Name in Radio Control,” she said. “We’ve had probably the most consistent race car to date and that excites me as a driver. We’ve already picked up a win and looking for at least one more along the Western Swing.

“After the excitement we had over the new body and color scheme we ran in Chicago only, I am so thrilled to unveil yet another new paint scheme for Denver! I love being able to have something different and unique on the track that really represents the Traxxas brand. I hope the fans love this one as much as I do.”

This weekend’s action will be on network FOX coverage, live, Sunday at 3 p.m. ET – a first for NHRA. My colleague Jerry Bonkowski caught up with NHRA president Peter Clifford to discuss the season to date.

IndyCar disappointed by delay of video game but aiming to launch at start of 2024

By Mar 27, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT
IndyCar video game 2024
IndyCar
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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”