Russ Bond feature in Today's Toronto Star... must have furniture for the racing fanatic

You might need to register at TheStar.com to see this story, so I posted the body of the copy below.
Russ Bond took time away from mastering the new GT4 game to write a story for today's Wheels section about an affordable way to bring the racing experience into your own living room... if your better half will let you.

TheStar.com - A must-have if you're serious

A must-have if you're serious
Simulators add to game experience Spend $28,000, or make it for $60

RUSS BOND // SPECIAL TO THE STAR

The other day, I raced Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 41 of his closest friends the full race distance at the Daytona 500 — taking about four hours — in the comfort of my living room, in front of my television.

I was gaming, but not just using your standard computer or video game system. To be a serious video gamer, you need serious equipment — just like real racing.

Lifelike racing simulators are a fast-growing must-have for any serious gamer and they are essential to getting the most out of any racing game.

We've all seen the arcade versions, but what is available for home use? With the new, long-awaited Gran Turismo 4 released this week, this is the time to get hooked up with a realistic racing simulator.

The top-of-the-line in personal simulators is clearly the replica F1 car from SiMiS (http://www.f1 sim is.com), which is rightly billed as the ultimate entertainment package.

Starting at about $28,000, the full-sized Formula One replicas have a computer where the engine would be. SiMiS is based at Silverstone in England (it doesn't get more F1 than that) and the cars are adaptable to meet any gamer's needs. The simulators can be outfitted with a PC, Xbox or PS2.

The cars look amazingly real and can be outfitted with any graphics package you can come up with. They have real F1 wheels and tires, and just like a real F1, SiMiS tailors the seating position with seat inserts to fit any size driver. If you want the ultimate game room accessory, this is clearly it.

For those who don't have a spare $28,000, there is a less-expensive line of simulators from Australian company Hyperstimulator.com. The top of the line is the Extreme, which sells for $5,397. Other models include the Proto GP ($3,103) and the Clubman kit ($600 to $1,600). These personal simulators feature a leather wheel, stainless steel gear paddles, sequential shifter, programmable buttons, carbon fibre dash and drilled pedals.

My favourite option for the Extreme is the $92 drink bottle, complete with tube of course, for those really long races.

Another option for serious gamers is to build your very own simulator tub.

It is not as difficult as you may think. I have built several and it probably is the most economical way of doing things.

Most gamers already have the wheel and pedal assemblies, so all you need is a trip to the hardware store for about $60 worth of wood and screws, followed by a stop at the local junkyard for a car seat.

Three hours of cutting and screwing later and you're all set to go racing.

Whatever option you choose, there is no doubt a good driving simulator will enhance any gaming experience, no matter what your budget.

There is one warning you should take note of from the http://hyperstimcanada.com site: "We accept no responsibility for broken relationships, divorces, missed appointments and lost time due to the use of the Hyper Stimulator. We only accept responsibility if you are having fun."

Now all I need is a crew chief simulator who can advise me whether to swap two tires or four in the pits at Daytona.

Hey, I only need a half a second.


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r.bond@russbondagency.com