Crew Chief Brad: [00:00:00] Welcome to Screen to Speed powered by Ennit Esports. In this podcast, we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals, making waves in sim racing, and bridging the virtual with the real. From the thrill of digital circuits to the roar of real life racetracks, we explore the passion, Dedication and innovation that drives the world of motor sports.

We’ll hear from athletes, creators, and pioneers sharing their stories, insights, and the powerful ways sim racing is connecting communities and creating pathways into motor sports. So buckle up screen. The speed starts now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Welcome everyone to unique talks. Happy to see everybody here. Uh, tonight we got Luca Monroe with us. Uh, welcome in.

Luca Munro: Hello, thank you, Leoboff, and thank you to [00:01:00] everyone within Init who has asked me to come on the show.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, thank you so much for taking your time and be with us tonight. Uh, so let’s start with how you get into Simracing, how you get into this industry, and It’s actually how you start your way into it.

Luca Munro: Yeah, I’ll provide some background. So, uh, I have been a writer for the, uh, SimRacing publication website OvertakeGG since June 2021. Um, I’ve always been very big into, uh, racing and, and gaming. I’ve always been a firm believer in, in its brilliance. Um, and, uh, as far as PC SimRacing goes, I’ve been involved semi competitively within it for, since about 2023.

Uh, which would surprise some people considering what I’ve been doing for a living long before that. Um, but yeah, the, um, the, this industry is absolutely phenomenal. Uh, I’ve, I’m very, genuinely very privileged to be, to be a, a, a small cog in this very big machine. [00:02:00]

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s great. So how are you actually getting to OvertakeGG?

How you found each other?

Luca Munro: So it was actually, I was, uh, doing a three year degree at university. This might surprise some people, uh, about comic books, which I don’t think many people would, would believe, but it’s true. Um, and I had actually entered into it because I decided I wanted to work in some kind of like artistry, uh, industry specifically, I wanted to, uh, potentially create like designs for cars within Grand Theft Auto.

Which, um, because if you don’t play a Grand Theft Auto, basically all the cars are fictional, but they’re based on real cars very loosely. Um, and, uh, I was, I was about one, two years into it when I sort of realized that maybe Rockstar wouldn’t exactly be the best work environment for me. And, uh, but it was around about that time that I discovered Overtake.

I’d been writing for a, for a, uh, a publication, [00:03:00] a voluntary, voluntary publication. Called the pit crew online until then writing about the sim racing. Um, and I discovered overtake when they put on an event called, um, a clash of races. Uh, and in fact, I believe you were involved in one of those, if I’m not wrong.

I might be wrong point is, is that I discovered that I thought it was absolutely brilliant and I forged quite a good connection of overtake. And then I, uh, applied in the latter part of 2020 and, uh, got accepted and, uh. It’s been a very wild ride. We’ve gone through many phases of leadership, but I’ve always stayed and it’s a job I’m very privileged to have.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s really great that you, uh, found each other. And I, I’m pretty sure that you had some kind of passion in racing before that. So, uh, do you remember maybe you play some racing games in your childhood or something like this? So tell me more about this.

Luca Munro: Yeah, I’ve, uh, I was introduced to racing games relatively young, um, my [00:04:00] brother had a copy of the 2004 F1 game, and, uh, he had a very, like, very basic steering wheel, and he would, like, balance, I would balance his steering wheel, like, on my, on my knees, and press the pedals into the carpet, um, and we would, uh, We would spend quite a while just driving.

I was always Michael Schumacher because everyone loves the red car and, uh, uh, I would meet, I would beat him predominantly most of the time, but the only times I couldn’t beat him was whenever we were driving at Monaco and he would just wall ride everywhere and I would try and do it legitimately and he’d do it in less than a minute.

Always irritated me that, um, but, uh, yeah. Going on from then I, uh, got into, I was, I was mainly always a PlayStation guy so, uh, the F1 games, um, Gran Turismo, those sorts of games were, were my mainstays. I was very, not, I was not into like the arcadey stuff, not that there’s anything wrong with that of course, um, And, uh, for a long, for the longest time, I actually kind of stayed, I mentioned earlier [00:05:00] that I only got into PC sim racing for 2023, uh, because I was just so like overwhelmed by it.

Like all the, all the various things. And I thought with how expensive PCs are, you know, like most people pay an offer of 2000 pounds for, you know, just the processor or. Something. And, uh, I was just like, I don’t know if I could ever justify the expense of that. So, um, I, I just sort of told myself to be content with what I have and to not overreach.

Um, but then it, we’ll get to it later. I, my reason is for getting into PC sim racing. Um, and I’m very, I’m, I ended up with a United sim team who, a couple of the people behind the scenes of init, uh, are involved in the running off. And, uh, it’s been quite a wild journey, uh, since 2023, I’ve come a very long way and I’m very fulfilled by all the sim racing I’ve been able to do.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yes. You mentioned that you, uh, was a big fan of Michael Schumacher was, uh, as well, uh, during my childhood. So I raced in karting and also was really Passionate [00:06:00] about Ferrari and Michael Schumacher, uh, these days. And many people I think started from console. Actually, it’s really good way to start some racing because it’s not really expensive.

Uh, it’s a good way to just try some racing if you want to continue. So just like, uh, happened for you, for example. Yeah. So you just started with console, then you, uh, felt like, This is what I really want to do. And then you, uh, started to, uh, get funds for the PC and move to PC sim racing. And it’s a great, I think.

Luca Munro: Yeah. And, uh, the thing you said about that, like it’s always a good start. I think it’s, everyone needs that. Uh, initial foot in the door, metaphorically speaking, um, and, uh, consoles have always been a very relatively easy, uh, entry point for a lot of people, like, even with the, the more sort of arcade y style, right, uh, of driving, and, uh, for me, [00:07:00] getting, when I was mainly just F1 game, uh, and Gran Turismo for a while, Um, and I convinced myself I probably wouldn’t be that good on the hardcore simulations, like, you know, iRacing and ACC and, and R Factor and all that, because I didn’t think I was doing that good on the console.

So how, how could, you don’t want to fall into a trap of thinking, Oh, if I spend more, I’ll do better. Um, but, uh, thankfully I overcame that and, uh, been able to, uh, been do semi good in, uh, in a load of different, uh, events.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Um, so tell me please, how is your transition went from console to PC? So actually, uh, what was your first, uh, simulator on PC?

Uh, so when you jump into it.

Luca Munro: Well, I definitely tried to acclimatize myself, uh, by making the, uh, trying to identify the gaps between PC and PlayStation by going for a common title, and that [00:08:00] was Assetto Corsa Competizione. Um, uh, both of them being on PlayStation and PC. And so, uh, I think that was a good idea, because if I’d gone straight for something like R Factor or iRacing, I would have been too overwhelmed and just sort of like bailed out of panic.

Um, but the, uh, it was surprisingly quite familiar to me, uh, being able to, um, manage the, the, the, like, in game menus, and, and how, where everything is, and how to install everything. And, you know, there’s so many files when you, when you go to, like, for example, when you go, um, uh, I get setups from your setup provider, uh, you have to know where everything is, and then, and there’s so much involved, but, uh, thankfully for me, I had a lot of good people around me, uh, this was before I actually got involved with UnitedSim team, uh, I had a lot of people within the community who were helping me with, uh, with hardware specifications, and the biggest, uh, the biggest one that I [00:09:00] believe Um, a lot of people might take it for granted is, uh, you know, it’s the monitor.

Like I have a very traditional 16 by 9, uh, 48 inch, uh, monitor. Uh, I used to have a 58 inch flat screen TV and, uh, I didn’t realize at the time the amount of input lag I had. And I’d, I’d trained myself so much to just like turn the steering wheel in advance. And, uh, and, and it was like a really bad habit.

Uh, and then. Uh, it was actually Johan Half, who is an Apex Racing Team driver, who, uh, insisted that I needed to get a proper, uh, fast input, uh, rate monitor. And I, uh, it wasn’t until I actually had the monitor installed and I went to turn the wheel and I, I, I accidentally hit a wall on, on turning because I was just, I programmed myself to turn in too early.

And so it was quite alarming and eventually I got used to it. And I’m really glad that I, uh, I gave into Johan’s advice because it was kind of necessary.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, monitor. One [00:10:00] of the most important thing, uh, for some racing, I think because, uh, the responsive time and also, uh, for example, I got triple, it gives me more, um, angle view to the situation, which we got in race.

So that’s, uh, cool to have always. Um, so when people coming to my streams, I usually do. Telling them that you have to, like, think about your pedals first and then upgrade, uh, like, screen, which you got, and then think about wheel and the rest off on your rig.

Luca Munro: Yeah, definitely. And it’s absolutely necessary.

Do not dismiss that advice. I learned the hard way.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s definitely a thing. Um, so you said that you, you’ve been in ACC. Uh, did you do any leaks? Like, uh, when? Was the moment when you started to think like I would like to take sim racing more seriously and on higher level for yourself?

Luca Munro: So the very good one there.

It’s actually quite [00:11:00] intrinsically connected to United sim team. So basically United sim team and previous guys were involved in a championship called the eSports Racing League Which was by VCO And I was actually semi involved in the conceptualizing of this championship, where I envisioned, uh, the ultimate sim racing championship that would test drivers in, uh, a variety of different cars, tracks, and sims.

Because someone who is very good in an open wheel or on iRacing may not necessarily be that good in a GT car on ACC or any other potential combination. And, uh, I would like to think that I came up with that idea, but it was actually the idea, um, predominantly, uh, Florian Harsper, who, uh, heads up VCO, who came up with that incredible idea, and so I, uh, I, I watched and I idolized all these incredible, uh, high level esports sim racers, and, uh, and I just thought, well, I’m never gonna be like that, you know, I’m, I’m gonna, I’m just gonna be content with watching from my [00:12:00] PlayStation, and, uh, but then it was in the lead up to Good.

They had three seasons within 2022 and it was the last season when I decided I really want to be involved in this. I really want to just be in this championship just to say that I have been. And then I got in contact with Yvonne Huffler who very kindly allowed me to take up a spot within the team. And I couldn’t, I didn’t end up doing ERL for pure logistical reasons because I didn’t have my own dedicated PC at the time.

And it was like, all right, if I’m going to do this, I need to do it for real. And that’s when I started getting the hardware. Uh, unfortunately there hasn’t been any other esports racing league action since, and I’m just praying that Florian will finally bring it back. Um, but if he doesn’t, there was another event that, well, I know that you’ve also been involved with VCO Infinity.

Which was another event that I, I sort of came up with the idea of, um, basically both of these events. I, I’ve always thought of sim races as [00:13:00] being not necessarily better, but have a different level of quality to real life races because they can jump from, you know, a single seater at Silverstone and then be on, uh, be at Spa in a GT car in less than a few clicks.

And so. I’ve always believed in the, uh, the, the value of versatility. I’ve never, I consider myself a bit of a sim racing journeyman because I never want to just get too comfortable in one car or one sim. And I want to try and like branch out, uh, cause the value for me is getting, uh, being a jack of all trades.

If even if I’m not a master of any, basically.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Um, you said about VCO Infinity, Vanya, what was taking part in this? I remember I was driving the Xfinity cars, uh, road course. It was huge. Why terrible? It was great. I know that was the best experience for me because, uh, it was really hard to actually to control the gas on this car, so I [00:14:00] really, uh, tried to pay.

More attention than ever on like cars like GT3 or Porsche Cup, uh, which I’m driving most of the time in a racing Uh, and that was really interesting because you’re like, okay on the exit we’re going to be careful with throttle Uh, it was great experience. Definitely. And I also took a part in previous vco events, which been pro sim Uh, so we had like in real life drivers and sim racers alongside on the track um Great events, and I’m looking forward for the next VCO, definitely, uh, Florian doing an amazing job with this event, uh, getting involved a lot of, uh, different people, a lot of famous racing drivers, so, I raced on the same track with, uh, Ruben Barco, it was great.

So, yeah, and you can go. Yeah, I

Luca Munro: just wanna, I just wanna say that when I said I was referring to myself in that particular car, that was my second race in the event. I did five [00:15:00] and I got the Xfinity just for the Monza race and, oh man, I was like three seconds slower than the person directly ahead of me on the grid.

I know we started quite close and you passed me at one point and I was just like, no, don’t be the person that takes all of 46, I’m gonna let it go. Because if I wouldn’t have forgiven myself, if I’d have messed you up.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: All good. Yeah, that was really fun, especially at Monza, uh, Monza. That’s the track where everybody crashing in T1.

So with Xfinity it was a fun track to drive with, definitely. Uh, you mentioned, uh, Versatility is a key in sim racing. So, uh, can you explain why that’s so important to you? Because, you know, usually I’m trying, uh, to stick with the one car. Uh, like that was for me when I did the first champ, uh, first, uh, season in GT3s and I tried to stick with the one car for the whole season and try to not jump to like formulas or to other cars [00:16:00] because, um.

From my side, I think it’s really important to, uh, when you’re starting, just stick with the one car because, uh, this is how you’re building the good base. So without jumping around, uh, things,

Luca Munro: yeah, well, uh, a lot of, uh, sim racers that I have idolized have been ones who are never always firmly stuck in one car or one sim.

So, for example, Enzo Benito, uh, he is, to me, one of the best. Frederick Rasmussen, who has. Recently won the F1 sim racing championship, but it’s also a champion on iRacing and rFactor, which you can imagine how big the gaps that are there in terms of the quality and the abilities needed. Uh, and also, uh, Ulash Ojildirim, who, uh, is good on the F1 game, good on Rennsport, good on iRacing, good at ACC.

I’ve always been of the opinion that, um, you, it’s perfectly legitimate to be, uh, only. That good in, you know, [00:17:00] maybe a single seat on iris and, uh, for example, but, uh, for me, I, I like the idea of having, uh, the challenge to jump around on different cars and make sure that I don’t get too comfortable in in one.

So that I’m always kind of. I’m not relaxed, you know, which I guess is kind of, uh, a thing with me where I’m, I’m, I’m quite hectically jumping, like most weekends now, I’m always doing like as many solo endurance races as possible. Just, uh, the week, the week before last, I did three solo enduro races. Uh, across the weekend and I actually got some decent results.

I got a fourth, a fifth and 14th in a all GT3 race, the last one. Um, and, uh, having those experiences really feels very fulfilling. You know, I, I could just. Get myself comfortable in the one car and [00:18:00] I guess when it comes to iRacing enduro’s I’m kind of good in sports cars But I find that I’m quite I guess I ever since the road license split on iRacing I haven’t done that many formula car races because I’m petrified of losing safety rating because yeah They’re you know, the second you touch someone your car’s Bent suspension and you’re out.

Um, but yeah, if I could keep my safe through and I’ll probably do a lot more and try to, because, because right now, when it comes to, uh, like, for example, super formula, I’m definitely not that good in it. And I should be doing a lot more of it. Um, just making sure that you’re never too, uh, at ease, uh, in, in one car and relying solely on that to, to do well.

Uh, I think with, with how, You’re varied the experiences are within sim racing even just across the same titles like a Porsche cup on ACC behaves a lot differently to a Porsche cup on iRacing having those abilities, shared abilities across multiple platforms, multiple cars, it [00:19:00] makes things a lot more interesting and I think it really improves your abilities as a driver.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s a really interesting point, because I’m a little bit of a side point of this, because I personally think that you have to focus on one car and like work with the data, with telemetry, with your two And Correct your mistakes during the practice sessions. But it’s really interesting that you thinking that, you know, if you’re jumping from multiple platforms, multiple cars, so probably gaining more experience because of that, um, that kind of happened to me when I started to do ovals.

So that’s completely different discipline. And I learned a lot, which I didn’t learn and wrote a course because you know, um, Having that really close battles, unfortunately, in road course, uh, most of the time as you’re getting in this car. So, um, So it’s kind of working for me. Um, but I [00:20:00] prefer to be in a racing right now.

Real like I said, of course, the Evo, and I’m so excited for it. Uh, because I really like how car feels here, how it just feels on the track when you’re driving it and how the force of back feels and unfortunately, I’m not a big fan of the ACC. I just don’t understand how to drive GT3s here at all, uh, after racing.

So I need. A lot more time to get used to this.

Luca Munro: And you’re used to the oscillation on the back when you go around the corner, you’re just like, yeah, I don’t get why it does that either. Yeah.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: ACC feels a bit weird for me after a racing, especially with breaks, because you have to really smash breaks in ACC and.

It just feels weird, so I need more time to adapt, because when I switched from iRacing to R Factor 2, that was quite easy to adapt. Um, because R Factor 2, in my opinion, really close to what we got in iRacing, um, in terms of feelings and how the car feels on [00:21:00] track. But yeah, ACC is different for me, but, you know, if people enjoy ACC and, you know, that That’s great opportunity that you can start from console with ACC and then, uh, move to PC sim racing.

So probably ACC just opened a lot of doors for many, uh, new sim racers, uh, maybe some of them already in racing and other simulators also.

Luca Munro: Definitely. And also on the note of, uh, ovals. Yeah. You’re braver than me because I tried to do an oval race once. I do not have the guts for it. I admire people who do.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: You have to, because Oval’s just absolutely incredible. And we got this Draft Masters series, which is great, because people really like to drive Daytona, because that’s like a roulette. So, uh, you can guess what result you’re going to get, and every time you just, uh, focus on the race, then you I have to survive here and you’re trying to do everything to survive and you’re trying to, uh, predict [00:22:00] what people ahead of you going to do or maybe they started to move, uh, in a weird way and here’s a crash incoming.

So yeah, it’s, it’s a great, uh, experience definitely and give me a lot of practice with how to avoid crashes and how to be, uh, you know, focus on other points on track when crash happens. So you have to focus on the free space, which you see, uh, not be focused on the car, which crashed. Uh, so yeah, it’s definitely a good thing.

So you have to try if you’re going to have a free time, why not?

Luca Munro: Maybe.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Um, so speaking about cars, so maybe you got your favorite combo, like in a racing, maybe an ACC. Uh, so what’s the, will be the car and the track?

Luca Munro: Well, I can definitely tell you the car. Um, I, when I was starting out on, uh, iRacing, I didn’t try to like go head first into, [00:23:00] uh, very long races.

I wanted to try and ease myself into it. And, and, um, uh, the first two endurance races I ever did was actually with a mutual friend of ours, Elzendriani. We did a, um, a race at Road America, three hour one, and then we did the six hours of Watkins Glen, which I elected to do the Friday evening time slot, which meant that I was up until about 5 a.

m. Which was quite an experience. Um, but, uh, then when it came time to do an, uh, I wanted to drive prototypes and there was that, uh, in 2023, the event, um, the MS charity race and that year it was two GTP cars, the, at the time, the BMW and the Cadillac and then DBR nine and Corvette GT one and the GR 86. And, uh, I know that I wanted to do the, uh, uh, the prototype in that.

And I did it with one of my teammates, uh, called Patrick. Um, and, uh, I let him sort of like ease me into it. Uh, [00:24:00] and it was actually quite, uh, we ended up picking the Cadillac and it was quite an experience because, um, if anyone did that race, And you did it in the prototype. You would know that if you can dodge your way around GR86s, which are basically moving mobile cones, then you can be able to premeditate and go for the right gaps in with any car, because predominantly GT3s are the slowest cars that Cadillac would race against.

And that became, uh, for some reason, I just really gelled with the car. Um the cadillac and driving that no matter what track it is for the most part It was just an absolute dream. It really suited my style and obviously we all like loud noises the big the big v8 um as far as tracks go, I mean i’m a i’m a bit of a Um, you know, I’ll drive pretty much any track, you know, um, I’ve, I’ve enjoyed quite a few successes at Silverstone, um, Spa Francorchamps is another, [00:25:00] uh, we drove, um, my team, uh, we, we entered the, the 24 Global Endurance Tour race in August, and that was something I’d really wanted to do in, in the, in the Cadillac, and, and I’m also looking forward to driving the Hopefully the 12 hours of Sebring in a couple of weeks they’re all flowing the Cadillac and then I won’t pester anyone else to drive it again.

You know, I just need one teammate to do that with Yeah, basically any predominantly most tracks, you know, I’m not really fussed about that But as far as cars go quite easily the Cadillac and I’ve enjoyed quite a lot of successes in it I’ve even won a few championships in it

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: I really like also GTPs.

First time when I tried GTPs, there was at Daytona, we did 2023 Daytona with ETRS support. We had BMW GTP at this time. Uh, it was absolutely great experience because, uh, I used to drive a lot of prototypes, HPD, [00:26:00] LMP2, uh, but then I racing switch it to Dallara. I didn’t like Dallara a lot. And, uh, right now, to be honest, I really enjoy GTPs because, uh, they fast, they quite easy to adapt and, uh, quite easy to manage, uh, all in car stuff.

Uh, it was really complicated, for example, with LMP1, which we had, uh, before that. Um, So, yeah, I think the purple types just, uh, bring in like fresh air into our racing and, uh, into multi class racing as well. Um, because they, they’re just great. So I really like the scars and you mentioned, uh, that you won motorsport UK, eSport prototype challenge.

Uh, so can you tell me more about, uh, this leak and what did the championship, uh, mean for you?

Luca Munro: Well, um. A couple of the week before this series, I actually won my first ever league championship in another community, and that was quite a good, uh, [00:27:00] you know, a monkey off my back. I believe the phrases, uh, so I didn’t try to sort of go into this stage with the intention of winning the championship.

And for the first three rounds, I didn’t think I had the chance. I scored about 26 points across three races. Um, and, uh, it was. The, the, the, the pen round. Uh, just for some context, uh, I had actually, uh, suffered quite a, a humiliating defeat in the third race. I was second in class and I, and this was at Road America.

I was trying to navigate my way past the MP three, but that last sector is incredibly, you know, single file. And, uh, by the time I was able to get past. Not only did one of my teammates come past me, but another guy, and I ended up off the podium, and I was at, for a week, I was seething with myself. Um, and, uh, yeah, it wasn’t, it wasn’t the best moment.

Um, but then by some miracle, I, I, uh, managed to get myself into the lead of, in class of, um, the, the [00:28:00] penultimate round, which was at Suzuka. I’d actually, Been involved in a bit of an incident with my who would end up being my championship main championship rival. Um, uh, thankfully, I was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Um, but, uh, it was a huge point swing. And I said afterwards, you know, I’ve had a win. Now, if I don’t end up winning the championship, I don’t expect to. So be it thinking I had no chance, but then I saw the points afterwards and I was like only. Three or four behind and I thought, Oh, if I win the race, I could win the championship and I, for the, for the best part of a week, I was very nervous and anxious, but, uh, went into the final race didn’t qualify.

Well, I never, I never typically do. Um, and, uh, I just thought, okay, pressure off. I’m not going to win this. Let’s go for it. And, uh, first lap. Bit of a pileup, managed to dodge my way around that just, uh, got myself 4th in class, my main rival’s leading. Managed to muscle my way into 3rd, [00:29:00] settled there for a while, then the rain arrived.

2nd place spins off, and I’m easing in very closely on my main rival, but then we pit in. Uh, don’t fuel as much, uh, because I’m, I, I intend to only go like fill up just as much on the second stop, rather than a short one on the last, get out ahead. And then my main rival just starts spinning constantly. And I’m just sort of like looking, keep one eye on the, on the relative and it’s like, Oh, he’s moving in.

Oh, he’s gone. Oh, he’s opening. Oh, he’s gone again. And, uh, uh, from that last stop, I made the mistake of switching to new tires. Uh, when it was still raining, I could have. Kept my current pair and I wouldn’t have lost so much time. I lost quite a lot of time and he was only like a few seconds behind me. Uh, he kept me spun a few more times.

Um, which kept giving me like temporary moments to breathe. But then that last lap, oh my gosh, that was, that was an experience. I, uh, got stuck behind an LMP3, [00:30:00] a friend of mine, and my main rival is like more than a second a lap faster, and he’s within range. And then going through the first corner at Silverstone, did I say Silverstone?

I don’t think I did. First corner at Silverstone, and then navigate my way through there, got on the brakes, I look down again, and his, the gap is increased, and He spun again and it’s the last lap. And then I just was like, keep it steady, keep it steady. And I’m, I’m, I’m in the same channel as one of my teammates who’s in LMP3.

And it’s like, I’m coming up behind you. Don’t make it difficult. I’m about to win. And I get across the line and I am absolutely over the moon. It was Probably the highlight of my life and it’s also how I, uh, won this shirt, by the way, uh, because Abruzzi was a sponsor of the series and, uh, also, um, got these gloves as well, uh, and racing boots.

So, I got, uh, quite a good deal for winning that championship and, uh, I don’t think I’m ever going to, uh, I think I peaked there, you know, in, in this, in, uh, winning the LMDHM [00:31:00] championship in this, uh, series. It was something I’m very keen to look back on constantly whenever I’m feeling a bit down and I just remember.

I’ve won that championship and anything else now is a bonus.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s great experience which you had and congrats with the first position in this prototype challenge. Um, I hope you maybe going to get it once again, get a win in the more serious championships or maybe you’re going to take a part in this one once again.

Uh, you men, you mentioned some kind of overcoming negative self talk. So can you tell me more about this? Yes. So that happen after you win. Yes. And understand.

Luca Munro: Yeah, it kind of, I’m kind of in that first phase again now because I, we, we just had a really like gut wrenching defeat last week in the Bathurst 12 hours.

We just missed out on a podium and I, uh, not, not the fault of anyone, by the way, you know, like, but basically I, um, I, I keep getting into a bit [00:32:00] of a vicious cycle because I really want to succeed. I want to enjoy what I do. Um, but you know, yeah. If, if you can get an amazing result, you’re not gonna be like, oh no, I don’t need that amazing result.

I’m just gonna let the other person win. I don’t need, no, you wanna do it. Um, and, uh, not only in the Motorsport UK eSports series, but in the series that I’d won the, the, in the week leading up to that, um, I, uh, came very close to my first win. Uh, or at least a first really good result, first podium in both those series and then I keep losing them right at the end and I just convince myself, you know, I’ve, I messed up, uh, you know, you’re an idiot, that sort of thing.

And it’s, uh, it’s, it’s very all consuming in a way. Well, letting these things get to me and, uh, I know I shouldn’t let it, it’s just what we do for fun after all, but, uh, you, you want to care, um, and that’s, uh, in particular the, uh, the, after the Suzuka race, oh, I’ll [00:33:00] never lift this down, um, when I won, I was being interviewed afterwards, I was, I was weeping, I was crying.

And, uh, and, uh, the commentators were quite taken aback by my response, but they said it was great to see that you, that I cared so much. Um, I also come in a lot of like, you know, hindsight is obviously so 2020 thinking that, uh, you could have done things so much better, uh, in that moment, but you’re, you’re acting in real time and you can really.

overwhelmed with emotion and, uh, the best thing you can do for yourself is take the positive that you definitely care about what you do. Um, just. And, and, and try and keep going, try and learn from it, you know, like again, the Bathurst 12 hours last week, we were in third place and then this team, you’re like three seconds a lot quicker than us ended up passing us right at the end.

And yeah, [00:34:00] it was gutting. And I want to think that. we’ll look back on that in the future after having like a race win perhaps in another special event and then we’re like oh well that was just the look the temporary low before the great high and but right now we’re still in that phase where we we’re still having to wait potentially for that and if it’s ever going to happen so it’s a It’s the reality of what we do.

Uh, we, we, we really care. We want to get the best results possible. And sometimes it can just, uh, result in negative feelings, sometimes, uh, self doubt and you can overcome it. I know I have multiple times. I know I will again.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, definitely. We all get this moments in some racing and racing. I get a lot of this, uh, this moments.

And I remember I was leading the Pascal stars race with GD for it was King Glenn. Uh, and then, uh, I think there was mad Malone and Casey Kirwan. Uh, they’ve been incoming and we just had like, uh, I know, [00:35:00] maybe to go for this race and unfortunately crash happened and I get involved into this crash. I was really upset, uh, because it was leading literally like the whole race, uh, most of the parts of the race and, uh, that was really upset moment for me.

But what I understand, uh, right now that. Um, you know, I just I did my best and crash happened not because of my fault, and I actually understand that that kind of things can happen because we got people around us and people can make mistakes, something can go wrong, like your connection can be lost or something like this.

So that’s Just a part of some racing and not every time all things go smooth as we want to. And you know, I just, uh, always telling to myself that here’s always another one race, uh, which you can win probably, or you can, uh, get a really good result and, and you just, uh, have to get. [00:36:00] The most experience from, uh, the race, which you did even here is a crash happen.

You still can go watch replay. Um, maybe you could do something differently like to avoid this crash or, um, like you’re going to see on replay that nothing you can do and you’re going to feel relief because of that. Um, so, yeah, my advice to everybody, uh, will be just, uh, calm down, watch replay and just get, um.

All information which you can get from this incident, which happened to, uh, take this experience with you to the future. And, um, so yeah, I wanted to ask you, so what, what, uh, what’s your advice will be for some racers who struggle with, you know, some anger, some bad emotions after races or like during races.

Uh, so what do you think from your side?

Luca Munro: Well, uh, relying back to, uh, our Bathurst results, again, gutting, but, uh, the fact is, is that the team that ended [00:37:00] up beating us had actually started on Paul, and so they lost three positions. We gained What, 22? We started 33rd and I did the first two and a half hours and I was really happy with my performance.

I ended, we were like 10th and throughout the race I was just like, Hey, look, if we could just get a solid top 10 result, I’ll be happy. And then we got so close to the podium and it was just like, Oh, I don’t know. Should, should we be happy with that? We should, we should. Um, but yeah, I, I, I know that it’s probably not great.

Coming from me, because I know that I still suffer sometimes with a lot of the negativity and letting things get to me, but all I can say is, is that the pain is temporary, but the fulfillment, the glory is permanent. You know, we will always have an amazing result that you can look back on no matter how.

close you were to an even better result, you’ll still have performances out there, uh, in races that you will be very fulfilled by and you’ll [00:38:00] know that you tried your best and whether or not you get the result or not, you, that’s all you can do.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yes, so you started butters. Yeah, not from the first like top five position And I think it’s really important to then when you see you getting the podium.

I completely understand you that you like I want to get it and after this you just Kind of reset your expectations of the race and you got the next goal for yourself I mean when you’re not reaching it, so probably you can feel upset but You need to get through this emotions and I think it will be great to look back at the race and see like, Oh, we started like, uh, from P 30.

Yeah, we gain a lot of positions. We get to five and that’s definitely great result. And we can work on our pace for the next race. So I think it, uh, It, it should be like this, at least from my side, it’s, it’s always helping me because I got [00:39:00] the same stuff as you, you know, when you’re getting the podium, you’re like, yes, I’m going to get it.

And then you lose it in the last moment. And you’re like, oh, oh, no, that happened again. Yeah, you know.

Luca Munro: Yeah, and, uh, I do just want to point out, like, uh, my teammates, uh, their names are Patrick and Julianne, and they were absolutely phenomenal, uh, I, uh, I, I’ve got to put my, I was definitely the weakest link in that race, I’d started quite early, I woke up after not much sleep, uh, we did the Saturday morning time slot, and we When it came round to do our second round of stints, I was completely out of it.

And so I just had to try and survive and then let Julien and Patrick do it. If, if I, if I had ran to my scheduled stint time, we probably wouldn’t have even been in the conversation for the podium. So, uh, yeah, I just, again, you, you want to have these positive experiences with your teammates. And in this race, none of us made mistakes, you know, like we, uh, we’re so like, as a team was so, uh.

We’re focused on just making no mistakes, and if we [00:40:00] do, we just have to rebound from there. You know, like, but in that instance, we got so close and we may never get as close again. But the fact is, we’re doing it as a team. This is meant to be a hobby. It’s an enjoyable experience for us. And, uh, I believe in the importance of surrounding yourself with like minded, good people who will accept you for who you are.

And that’s also why I’m so. Proud to be a staunch supporter of the Screen to Speed initiative because it allows people from backgrounds that perhaps wouldn’t be incentivized into such an environment and giving them the opportunity to learn at their pace without any, you know, pushback or discrimination of any kind.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, you know, some racing overall, I, uh, found out through the four or five years of streaming and being in a racing and being a part of the community. Um, it’s really friendly and, uh, people just welcome you. Uh, I’ve got some parts of [00:41:00] the great Olympus sport team and, uh, we actually started this. Team from like three people.

Now we got just a lot of people. So some of the drivers, I don’t know, and never race with them. Uh, and it’s really cool to see that some racing growing and, uh, definitely endurance racing is a part, um, which make some racing great, uh, because this teamwork, which you’re getting and you communicate with people, it’s absolutely priceless.

Uh, no matter what results you’re getting, you just, uh. Having fun with the team, you improving for the week, you practice together, you can, um, compare your data. You can definitely find, uh, some moments on track, which you can correct because, uh, someone in your team doing this, uh, sector faster than you, uh, and that’s definitely a good opportunity for you to grow, especially if you got, uh, people in the team who faster than you.

Um, And I really miss this, uh, when I was doing the in real life races, [00:42:00] so I was doing karting, um, and I was doing formulas, open wheelers, and I’m being alone on my own in track, and definitely the endurances and team racing, that’s, uh, the thing which, uh, bring a lot of people into racing, and I hope we’re going to see even more people in the future here, uh, and as you screen to speed doing the great stuff, and, you know, overall.

I would say that sim racing environment is really friendly, really welcome. Um, and, uh, even compared to in real life racing, because I had some toxic moments, uh, like on the track and outside of the track. Uh, so yes, sim racing is definitely more friendly place to be in.

Luca Munro: Yeah, and on the note where you just say they’re like, uh, I’ve, I’ve not been involved in, uh, in real life racing at all, but, uh, I’ve been studying it a lot because I’ve been wanting to write a series of books about like a, a, a kid who goes on to become a, you know, an F1 world champion, um, and, uh, [00:43:00] one of his, uh, best friends in, uh, in my story is, is a woman, is a girl and, uh, I, you see a lot, I saw a lot when I was, uh, going to karting tracks all over the country, that sort of like the, it’s a bit of a boys club, it’s a father and son living vicariously thing, and girls are often discouraged from, uh, being involved.

And that’s what I feel like is so brilliant about what Screen to Speed do, and all the other major communities out there where there are, you know, inclusive environments, you know, for people who are, uh, You know, of different sex, different gender identities, different, um, like sexualities, races, religions.

If it’s a safe space for these people to be able to come in and feel like they’re not being, uh, you know, not want to be hostile towards them. It’s, uh, it’s genuinely brilliant because then they feel like they’re in a, an environment where they, they can, they can flourish. And, uh, and seeing so many people growing [00:44:00] up, um, who are.

Actively discouraged from doing whatever it is that brings them fulfillment. Uh, that’s something that I’ve always really appreciated about all these various community teams, like United Sim Team, for example, we are, uh, open to anyone who wants to join and who wants to learn, who wants to, uh, have. Um, fun with this, with this incredible hobby that we have, uh, it’s, uh, it just sucks that we live in a world where so many of these people both in like occupations and also in hobbies are unfairly treated and, uh, and, and Screen to Speed is doing a lot to, to, uh, uh, correct the course for a lot of, uh, girls who never got that encouragement growing up.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I think I agree with you with this, uh, that, you know, just no one should, uh, discourage you to, to do what you want to do and what you love to do. So no matter if you, uh, women or men, you, if you want to do some racing, like feel free to do this. If you want to, [00:45:00] I know running, if you want to go racing, uh, just do this and no matter what people go on to say to you and, uh, I find out that here is always people who’s going to support you.

So I had little incident in a racing. Uh, some people just, uh, bully me in races. They’ve been following me in every race, uh, and just, uh, Thanks to iRacing, iRacing just, uh, submit my, um, reports to these guys, and, uh, this thing’s completely stopped, and I also met a lot of support at this time, uh, from community, from Twitch, from iRacing as well, uh, many drivers, uh, who also race in this time, there was, uh, IndyPro, uh, with me, they also started to, like, protect me, so that was great, and, uh, definitely Screen2Speed give, uh, The place where, uh, we can feel safe and, uh, we can also find other female [00:46:00] drivers.

Who’s, you know, who’s doing some racing and you’re like, Oh, they doing some racing. I can do this too. So it’s really cool, uh, to see more, uh, girls into this. And we got, for example, the Porsche sports all stars this year, and we got three girls in it. This is me. This is a store Malina Emery, and I hope we’re going to get even more, uh, girls into, uh, e sport events and, uh, So we’ll, we’ll have a, you know, like more equal sim racing with a lot of girls and then a lot of, uh, guys also in it.

Luca Munro: Yeah, on the note that you mentioned there about, uh, those people that were being horrible towards you, um, as a team, United Sinti, we run, uh, pride flags on our car and I’m very proud to, uh, to, to don those flags, even though I’m not LGBT myself, but I have had instances of people seeing that, like, for example, this point last year, I think the week before the first 12 hours, uh, uh, there was a community, uh, call, uh, I won’t say their name because it’s not a fair reflection on them, but [00:47:00] one of their members had actually, uh, seen a car that me and one of my other teammates, Bill, had been driving with a pride flag on the spoiler and went to try and take us out.

Um, and, uh, I, they didn’t know that I was in their discord because I was going to do a net four series with them. And I saw that and, uh, reported them and they, well, They got disciplined, but, uh, unfortunately that is just a rare case of people, uh, being punished for what they do. And recently I had someone try and take me out in a, in a sport car challenge race after being in voice chat saying, why have you got a pride flag on your car?

It’s disgusting that the, the people, uh, who feel comfortable. treating others in such a, such a way. And, um, we have a long way to go, but starting off by having inclusive community teams like ours and, and organizers for events like Screen2Speed go a long way into helping correct a lot of these, uh, issues.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Oh, yeah, I think, you know, just, uh, when you [00:48:00] meet one negative person, uh, you got like, uh, I know, 10 good races and you meet this one person and just completely ruin your mood, uh, just because we, we people and we can be really, uh, you know, sensitive in some moments, uh, and, uh, it’s absolutely fine. Um, right now, just, uh, trying to do.

Not really paying attention to this, uh, people because I always, you know, got like iRacing support next to me. I got the community support next to me and, uh, whatever they going to do, the bad things, uh, they going to be like reported and iRacing going to deal with them, uh, anyway, because, uh, so usually I just see that, uh, um, I’m going to speak about erasing because I’m most of the time in this simulator, and, uh, I see that, uh, you know, I’m like, not meeting this people anymore.

So maybe they got some kind of break from erasing or something. Uh, so yeah, that’s a good thing that we got a community of [00:49:00] holes, uh, trying to, uh, Keep our hobby safe from this negative toxic people who just, uh, you know, coming and trying to destroy someone’s fun, uh, instead of having fun with, uh, everybody.

Um, so yeah, just don’t understand these people really, because like, You got hobby. You can have fun with it. You can have fun with people around you. Why care about like if that’s a girl Run next to you or car with a pride flag. So yeah, I just don’t understand these people but they are part of this world unfortunately or fortunately and We got everything in our hands to you know, make more safe environment for ourselves

Luca Munro: Um,

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: you mentioned that you’ve been critical about, uh, I racing, um, pricing structure.

So can you tell me more about this? Because I’m really curious. Uh, you said that, um, you know, uh, like some [00:50:00] content not using in a racing, um, going to tell that. I really don’t care about this, because, uh, you know, people just, uh, race what they want to race, like, GT3s, I know Formula 4, Formula 3, uh, and, uh, yeah, we got some cars, uh, we got some content, which, not using a lot, like, I know Formula 1, maybe, or, um, Mission R, Porsche, uh,

Luca Munro: no one uses that.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: So I just, I’m just really curious about this. So why you care a lot about this?

Luca Munro: Right. How long have we got? No. Okay. Um, so specifically for me, it’s more about the tracks. So for example, I picked up Frookstern and, and, uh, Cadwell Park and Knock Hill, for example. Um, let’s just use one particular series, um, Formula Ford, uh, 1600 Set up which Motorsport UK eSports have recently just entered into a partnership with and subsequently I’ve mandated a majority British tracks.

And I honestly as as much as I get people’s [00:51:00] grievances with Removing the community inputs from that. I I think that it can still work But unfortunately for me the issue becomes that I racing are as much as I like them They are completely disconnected from the community. They think they can price a very, like, take Cardwell Park, for example.

Not, it would not be compatible with GT3 cars. You know, I wouldn’t, and subsequently not prototypes either. It wouldn’t be compatible with even, maybe GT4s is like the fastest car that can really race there. Um, and it’s going for 14. 95 as is the traditional iRacing track cost. Um, but then you’ve got tracks.

Like Alton Park and Snetterton which are higher in profile because I think most sim racers know them because they’re in ACC uh in the British GT Championship and uh They they are base content in iRacing. I’m not as much as I would love to say Everything in iRacing should be base content. We’re not in an ideal world However, they need to [00:52:00] realize that not every track is worth 14.

95. Like, there’s a reason why I saw a meme recently from Apex Racing Team. I races when they’re told to race something other than Spa, Monza, Daytona, Road Atlanta, Road America. Why should I? Why should I? Because no one’s, no, as a result, no one is really Parting with the cash to race a lot of these more obscure lower level, um, tracks that aren’t compatible with a lot of higher powered cars.

And as a result, Motorsport UK Esports Formula 1600 Open Trophy, bit of a mouthful I know, uh, is very rarely going official now. And they even went off their way to pick tracks that are not in the UK, but are also Very low in terms of participation, like Zolder and Saxon Ring, and it’s just like, it’s like you want the series to fail, it’s like you want people to see all of this content that is rarely ever used elsewhere, and to then not bother, because you’ve got a fixed set up, uh, formula [00:53:00] 1600 series.

Uh, with a lot of old base content, so why should you then bother trying to buy this track for a series that won’t have more than four signups, you know, because then the races won’t go official. So then what’s the point in doing them? Um, in my opinion, iRacing need to take, uh, their heads out of their, I won’t say where, and, uh, then realize that not every piece of content It should be priced the same, you know, if you, I mean, look, if you had the idea to go either spa or Cadwell Park for 14.

95 and you had neither, what would you go for? You don’t have to answer that. It’s spa. You would go for spa, wouldn’t you? Because it’s more compatible with more cars and it’s one that. So many people will love to drive and so that leaves Cadwell Park out to dry Like there’s a reason why the, you know, that French track, Leatherman It was added and then the season after it became base content So anyone who bought it then to feeling [00:54:00] a bit rightfully annoyed that the track is they’re not getting their money back for it And so Yeah, it’s just, it’s just frustrating because I love iRacing, I love driving it, but when certain pieces of content never end up getting used after you’ve already paid for it, and in officials anyway, you might go out of your way to coordinate with other communities and leagues that use the content, but the majority of people in iRacing are racing officials.

And if they can’t get into a race with a certain piece of content, then they’re not going to buy it because it was never used. And then subsequently the tracks are never used because no one buys them. And, uh, so yeah, it’s, it’s a source of frustration for me. And I just hope one day iRacing will start tiering the cost of their content, um, depending on what they think is going to be successful or not.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Well, um, I think in my opinion, uh, we, we got the same prices for tracks, uh, just because, uh, racing doing the same job for, for any track, like, doesn’t matter if it’s [00:55:00] Spa or Cadwell Park, uh, they’re going to, like, get the laser scan, get all objects and everything, so, uh, in terms of, uh, simulator, uh, they’re doing the same job, uh, for each track, and I think it’s kind of, I know not fair, but it’s okay.

Like if it’s cost like 15 for each track, it’s okay. Uh, like, uh, for example, if we’re talking about ovals and ovals, uh, we got some tracks, uh, which costs like 11, I think, and, uh, some other tracks, uh, cost a bit more, uh, so they, uh, got different prices for short tracks. They usually cost, uh, less than, uh, big speedways.

Um, and. Yeah, for Road Chorus, speaking about, uh, tracks, uh, which people don’t use, uh, often, yeah, so, we, we see a lot of people, like, in GT3s, running the Monza, Spa, I don’t know, Road America, Road Atlanta, but not a lot of people, people running, uh, like, Saxon [00:56:00] Ring, as you said, um, the reason in it, I think, because people just limited with, uh, practice time, probably, and they probably don’t have, uh, a lot of time to, Home Learn new tracks, which we got in a racing and they just, uh, you know, jumping tracks with the know pretty well, because many people started a racing many, many years ago, um, like in 2012 or even in 20 something like this.

So they just, uh, kind of don’t want to. Um, you know, spend time to learn new tracks. Uh, we’re learning new tracks as a content creators, uh, because we want to show new tracks to communities. So maybe they’re going to run them in some events in leagues, uh, whatever. Um, but yeah, the reason why people not using content in officials, um, especially new content and some complicated tracks, uh.

Like Saxon ring, uh, for example, I think that’s, uh, just because people, uh, [00:57:00] get used to race road, Atlanta road, America, because they familiar with this tracks and, uh, that that’s definitely not about the price. And I don’t think the price going to change anything because, uh, you mentioned also letting on circuit.

Um, so it was. for the price and then they made this free and for the free track also no one raised this. Oh yeah, you’re right. You know, that’s not changing really anything. Just because people get used to these tracks, they really like this. favorites, uh, favorites and, uh, tracks which we, we all like, and people like to see you racing, like, Road Atlanta, Road America.

If it’s, if it’s going to be, you know, all 13 weeks with Road America, people going to race it, and then people going to watch streams, you know?

Luca Munro: Yeah, yeah. I don’t know, I just wish that a lot of people would get, maybe if they did, like, package deals you know like a few other sims do where they [00:58:00] create packs of the maybe like a a british track pack for example for iris and you could have like brands donington uh and then maybe like these obscure ones like uh fruxton and cadwell you know just just to like have it on on there so that people would give it more of a chance you know because otherwise you just see a load of dead series and maybe the the community is just spread way too thin across different tracks and different disciplines and I don’t know I just I just want to be able to know that I don’t won’t have to go off my way to to find.

Uh people to then do race these tracks with because there are some amazing, um, tracks out there that just aren’t getting the love like, uh, Barber is another one. I’m going to be picking that up ahead of next season for the IndyCar race, but I just feel like for the regularly scheduled series. that Barbara won’t get a lot of signups, maybe.

I don’t know, I’ve checked what signups they get in other series. And Saxon Ring as well, I’ve specifically asked the [00:59:00] guy who’s heading up the sports car challenge series, like the, you know, the forum leader, I don’t know, community manager, there we go, to make sure that Saxon Ring gets included on the season three schedule, or at least have the option.

There, uh, because I do want to get it. I do like the track, but yeah, it’s just about if I’m going to get my money’s worth and at the moment I’m definitely won’t be, I have to be careful with, and meticulous with what content you pick up for iRacing because, you know, with how expensive it is and I limit myself to six pieces of content every season.

So that roughly comes up to about 300 before a subscription. So yeah, it’s, it’s, it can get exhausting, but I want to make sure that whatever I buy, I’m going to be able to use.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I understand you that, uh, for some people, everything definitely can be expensive because you have to pay for a subscription.

You have to pay also, uh, for tracks and, and cars, uh, which you want to drive. Uh, what I suggest to people that if they want to try it, Here’s always a good discount. [01:00:00] Uh, if you starting the new account in a racing, uh, you can stick, uh, with a free contents, we got them to, uh, with all three tracks and we got to mix five, four more, one 600.

So when I started our racing, we had only mixed. License. Uh, right now we got a lot of more options for that. And that’s a really good thing, which I racing doing, in my opinion. Um, because it just opening different categories for people. So you didn’t have to raise MX five if you want to jump into formulas and you just.

Can raise formal, uh, V or formal one 600 and then jump forward into the formal license, which is great. And if you’re getting like five items, you get 20 percent discounts usually. And if you got If you own 40, uh, items on your account, uh, you’re getting forever 20 percent discount. So I got this on my account, uh, because I bought a lot of stuff and everything.

Uh, so it’s really [01:01:00] cool, uh, because it, it just, uh, really nice to see discounts. And, uh, you can buy one car with a 20 percent discount as you used to, um, you know, put the kind of bundle with the five items to get this. Um, it’s really good. So I hope they’re going to improve this and, uh, more people will come to iRacing and race in this, uh, great simulator and, uh, have fun in officials.

So I’m with you in this, uh, definitely it should be, you know, more open for everybody. And I think iRacing, uh, recently, like, Last two or three years, they did good job with, uh, um, rookie series and, uh, involve some, all free content into this, uh, because it’s great. You can just jump, try it. If you don’t like it, you just don’t have to buy tracks.

Don’t have to buy, uh, cars because you got an opportunity to try it.

Luca Munro: And another, another car that I’d like on the notes of cars, uh, Renault Clio. Uh, don’t ever see that [01:02:00] going official for the most part and I’ve, and I got it for, you remember the, uh, in 2024 season one or 2023 season four, they, uh, did the weekly challenge, which going back to what I was saying earlier about versatility, different car and different track for every, every week.

And I got it for that. And then I rarely ever use it now. And I just, yeah, I, I understand iRacing’s model of trying to like maximize profits, but maybe if they lowered the price of certain content that. isn’t getting as much love, they might be able to guarantee a bit more people get it and hopefully then it will be more worth it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, we’ll see what will be in the future and definitely we, we can’t do anything with their, uh, you know, pricing, uh, because we were not working in our racing. So hopefully we just, uh, being as a sim racers and part of community, uh, going to hope that our racing going to grow and, uh, going to hear community also, uh, and maybe get involved more free content also, um, [01:03:00] maybe, you know, I think it will be a great idea to make our racing free for weekends, like, uh, some, uh, games in steam usually, uh, doing this, uh, free weekends.

It’s really cool to try for some people, uh, without paying even for three months a subscription. Um, so yeah, we’ll see how future will be for sim racing. Um, let’s talk about your future. So what’s your plans for, uh, sim racing for this year and, uh, for upcoming years?

Luca Munro: Uh, well, I’m definitely at a point now that I’m very satisfied with all that I do.

I, uh, have, um, a lot of, I’ve, I’ve seen the, uh, the announcement for a lot of the, uh, the annual series. That’s going to be like, for example. Tomorrow I’m going to be doing the IndyCar iRacing series around Sebring, um, which, uh, I didn’t do last year. Um, I did do like the Road America, Laguna Seca, Long Beach races, [01:04:00] but I didn’t do Sebring because I didn’t have a good idea as to what all that was.

Um, And then there’s also like the, the creventic series. Uh, we did the spa race at the end of last year, which, in which we’ve got, uh, I think we finished eighth, um, which I’m really happy about. I want to try and do a lot more of those. Um, and, uh, I do a lot of the, well, GT endurance, IMSA endurance, IMSA sports car endurance challenge races on the weekends, obviously all the special events.

Um, and, uh, I also plan on doing, uh, last year I did. Four solo, uh, five solo races in the Nürburgring Endurance Championship. One in each car class. Um, And with varied results, and I’m looking forward, especially this year. Now that the BMW M2 has been added because that that car is absolutely brilliant. And I know you were in a race with me recently in the M2 at Laguna Seca held by Ells again, and it was, uh, very enjoyable, even if it was quite tricky to [01:05:00] drive.

So, when we can put an open set up on that, it’s going to be, I’m really looking forward to seeing how that goes. Um, And as far as everything, I, I, I do, I wouldn’t mind trying to branch out a bit more to other sims. Um, I, uh, I, I’m getting very comfortable in iRacing and I know I shouldn’t be through my own philosophy doing that.

Um, and I’ve got, uh, well, my teammate Patrick. And wants me to do more LMU stuff. Um, he’s only just recently succeeded in bullying me into his, uh, community where he’s doing a, a 100 minute race around the secure outer layout. ’cause they’ve just added all the alternate layouts into LMU. Um, and, uh, and I would love to do Sophie’s in chat now, and I’m, I’m really worried that this is gonna seem like I’m calling her out.

Would I really want to try and get the, the whole a CC. Based Notch life for 24 hour race off our back because I’ve been I’m hoping that Luffield Motorsport will be [01:06:00] Starting, we’ll be doing that again. Um, and, uh, I’m just praying that we will have the team for it because, you know, we don’t know. We did the Nurburgring 24 on iRacing last year.

We’re going to do it again this year. And we’re, um, I’m looking forward to it, but ACC. You know, people have been wanting Nordschleife on there for years, and then they finally get it right when ACC is kind of dying off. I just want to do one, and uh, you know, any, any endurance event, and also plan, uh, plan on doing a lot of long haul sport, uh, formula car races, like I said there with IndyCar.

Also, the um, vintage Grand Prix Tour that’s starting up with the Lotus 79, that’s, I’m picking up the car, look, I’ve already test driven it in demo drive. It’s very, very fun. I would, I would recommend it to anyone. Just want to do as many long haul races as possible, be as successful as possible. It’s something I need to do.

It’s just, I’ve, I’ve rested on my laurels for so long with regards to [01:07:00] these high level sim racing events. I’m just really, really keen on, on doing as much as I can in this little time.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: You got really good plans, uh, for this 2025. Wish you good luck with all your races, uh, hope you’re going to get podium, uh, and good result.

Um, main thing just, uh, I think be focused on your own pace and, uh, trying to, uh, like. Getting experience step by step, uh, and the last one, uh, I would like, uh, you to give advice to new sim racers, uh, like new girls, uh, boys who’s coming into sim racing. So what will be your advice for them?

Luca Munro: Uh, definitely get surrounded by a lot of, uh, people that you can trust and that have your best interests at, uh, at heart, make sure you don’t.

Just surround yourself with people who will not be afraid to, uh, criticize because that’s how you improve. [01:08:00] Um, so, yeah, very much, uh, it’s important to have the right people around you, uh, ones who can be quite tactful, but also that will be able to make you as great as you can, basically. Um, uh, just before we end off, I assume that was the last thing going to ask.

I just want to get this in before we finish. Leibov, um, you may recall an event we did together called race Chella also by El Zindriani. Um, that event, I actually went into voice chat after, after we finished to say that it was very starstruck to have been racing with you, um, because I’d become such a fan of yours after Porsche e sports all stars and, uh, to now know that I’ve just been interviewed by you.

It’s kind of like a weird subversion in a way, like you would think, you would think that I’d be the one interviewing you for Overtale, but you’re interviewing me. Um, yeah, I’ve, I’ve been a big fan of yours for a long time and it’s a privilege to have been interviewed by you.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Thank you so much. It was [01:09:00] nice to meet you.

Definitely. I had a lot of fun to talk with you and, uh, it was fun. Thank you so much for being here. Yeah. So wish you good luck. Yeah. Wish you good luck. Thank you so much for being with us and, uh, see you guys. Thank you so much for watching another one. Innate Talks.

Crew Chief Brad: Innate Esports focuses on sim racing events and digital tournaments. They bring Esports content to fans and sponsorship opportunities to brands while maximizing audience reach across multiple sports, industries, and platforms. eSports is a woman-led company where diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is in their DNA and their platform aims to combat bullying and cheating to help make the eSports world as safe and fair as possible.

To learn more, be sure to log onto www.initesports.gg or [01:10:00] follow them on social media at init eSports. Join their discord, check out their YouTube channel, or follow their live content via switch.

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For more episodes like this, tune in each week for more exciting and educational content from organizations like The Exotic Car Marketplace, The Motoring Historian, Brake Fix, and many others. If you’d like to support Grand Touring Motorsports and the Motoring Podcast Network, sign up for one of our many sponsorship tiers at www.

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Crew Chief Brad: [00:00:00] Welcome to Screen to Speed powered by INIT Esports. In this podcast, we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals, making waves in sim racing, and bridging the virtual with the real. From the thrill of digital circuits to the roar of real life racetracks, we explore the passion, Dedication and innovation that drives the world of motor sports.

We’ll hear from athletes, creators, and pioneers sharing their stories, insights, and the powerful ways sim racing is connecting communities and creating pathways into motorsports. So buckle up. Screen to speed starts now.

Mike Nause: Hello and welcome everybody back once again to the in it talks. It’s episode 42 and it is interviewee tonight. Me myself, Mike Nas interviewed by none [00:01:00] other than the Steffi Baus. Steffi, how are you doing tonight?

Stefy Bau: I’m doing fantastic. Mike, tonight we’ve been putting on the spot to think it didn’t work out that we were planned.

You were supposed to be the interviewer. We don’t have the also so I jumped in and we’re going to make it all work. It’s going to be very easy, you know, fireside chat. And we’re going to just tell all of you a few information and hopefully get you to know Mike a little more.

Mike Nause: Yes, indeed. Get to know myself, the new in it admin, of course, such a happy pleasure to be, of course, representing that, representing women in e sports and representing all of the new and upcoming events that we have.

Speaking of upcoming events, Stephie, I don’t know. Might as well bring it up at the beginning here. Why don’t we talk a little bit about the calendar that we have coming up? The screen to speed calendar, the 2025 International Women’s Day, March 8th event is going to be coming up and it’s going to be stock cars at Charlotte.

Signups are available. I’ll be posting the link here in chat as we speak. And if that is something that interests you, do head. On over. Of course, [00:02:00] we also have our team USA talent scout events. So this is going to be open to everybody, both males and females alike and everyone in between, of course, open on March 29th.

That’s going to be round one at sea. Bring the team at USA qualifiers in the GT threes for iRacing. All of these events are going to be iRacing and Steffi. They are going to be absolutely awesome.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, this is so fun. Like it’s the 2025 season is started. We’re just into February, you know, releasing all our calendar.

We have very good events, um, um, for the year for the screen to speed serious. So this year we are changing things up a little bit. It’s going to be more like. So instead of doing a complete the full on championship style, we’re just doing single special event and high racing is promoting them. We’re gonna we are very happy and proud to be partners with them and we look forward to have a lot of girls, you know, to show up.

You know, and compete in those events. And then we have, as you [00:03:00] said, the Team USA events. So this is something actually new for some of you. Um, maybe you don’t know this yet, but, uh, you need to kind of like being awarded to be able to create and find the roster for it. America, so to be able to, um, put up front that people to compete in international event, including the Esports Olympics.

So we this year is a year of scouting. So if you want to get have a chance to be able to be selected to represent the United States at the Esports Olympics and international event. You better get busy because those are the events that we’re going to look for you. So those are all based on the iRacing and, um, as you said, Mike, there are going to be two categories, like an open category and a women’s category, just because it’s the spirit of the Olympics, right?

You know, it wants to be inclusive. We wanted to have, you know, both, um, opportunities on the table and everybody can participate. [00:04:00] So links are up. They’re going to be on the chat to sign up, have fun and. Go team USA.

Mike Nause: Yes, indeed. Go team USA. And of course, Albert there in chat saying you wish you could have made the qualifiers.

Well, this is your chance. Albert, get on in, get signed up. And a big thank you as well to everyone joining us in the chat. I see we have Mr rolling on the ropes, David Christie, one of my idols to be completely honest, David, I know putting you on the spot for this one, but, uh, somebody that in the motorsport community, I can truly call one of my friends as well as a coworker, colleague, whatever you want to call it, uh, a truly amazing person and a big motivator all the way throughout both the David and Paul Jeffrey alike are two, uh, two of the powerhouses that kind of push me along behind the scenes and David, maybe take it a little seriously in chat.

Stefy Bau: Well, you know what, you know, like it’s important you guys make the show, you know, like, so I know David, you know, you, Mike, you know, now being more and more involved with winning it. I mean. Without you, it would be boring. You know, we just see cars go around, but you make it fun and interesting. So without you, it [00:05:00] would not be the same for sure.

So thank you. Thank you, David. Thank you. Everybody that does this to continue to promote sim racing globally and having fun doing it.

Mike Nause: Yeah, absolutely. And it’s truly an incredible passion to get in sim race. I know we’re going to talk a little bit about it here. Uh, how I got into sim racing myself and just how I got into racing as a whole.

And maybe we could just, I guess, segue, uh, over to that now, Stephanie, I suppose.

Stefy Bau: Yes, that sounds perfect. I want to know a little bit more about you. Well, I know, but you know, the public out there wants to know. So, and there are a couple, um, information there that they’re really, really are dear to me. So go Mike.

Yes, of

Mike Nause: course. Steffi, a three time motocross champion or a moto moto. Sorry, not motocross. What is the, uh, the series? I want to make sure I get it right. It was motocross.

Stefy Bau: Motocross, motocross. It was motocross. Okay,

Mike Nause: I want to make sure I got it right. So, okay, perfect. Uh, three time champion. And I started off my career in motocross as well at the age of three years old.

I used to, uh, ride quads and then eventually got into motorcycles. I have some pictures here from when I was younger. [00:06:00] This is young mini Mike, uh, or Mikey, as I used to go by down then, uh, you could see. Flying around on my little 50 scrambler that we modified into an 80 and I raced against the big kids and in 2006 when I was six years old.

Yeah, I’m a 2000s baby. So whatever year it is is how old I am So six years old in that actually five years old in that photo because my birthday is in March So actually not even six yet for the little motorcycle one. That’s my 50 my Honda Uh, and then those were some trophies that I had won from quadding and motorcycling.

And one of those was bigger than me at the time. So that was always fun to have a comparison, especially when I won that and having a trophy that was larger than myself.

Stefy Bau: That is so cool. That happens though. Like I have compete, it happens in the U S I have to say in Europe and like in racing, the trophy are a little bit smaller.

They tend to be by here, you know, I had the same experience, you know, when I came and here in the United States. States. A couple of times I got trophy and I was [00:07:00] already an adult and they were bigger than me. So it’s crazy, crazy, crazy, but I make you feel good for sure. But congratulations on all your background in motorcycle.

That’s why we like each other so much, right? You know, we live the same type of life and experiences.

Mike Nause: Yep. And uh, eventually I got into a crash on my motorcycle and that’s when I decided that enough was enough. I think Steffi had a, a similar, although she didn’t decide enough was enough. Unfortunately she was rather.

Forced into the matter, but uh, yeah, I decided that after face planting into the dirt I remember every single second of my crash up until my face hit the ground and then I only remember waking up and you know What that was good for me. That was enough I uh, I found out that was enough for the the four wheels was better than two and then eventually I got into carting Which you know was Because then you get to sit down in a seat rather than have to worry about being thrown off a machine.

But even to this day, I don’t actually, I didn’t include any photos of my current quad, which is. Whoops. I should have probably done that, but, uh, I can pull one up. Maybe my phone will have one, but, uh, yeah, I [00:08:00] currently, I still ride quads to this day. We go down to the Oregon sand dunes every year. And, uh, I make little videos on my drone and with the GoPro.

So it’s my little side,

Stefy Bau: super fun, super fun. And, but you know, like there is a lesson there, you know, like meaning that you crash and you can crash one under time, but the important thing is that you get it back up at one under. And. One.

Mike Nause: Yes.

Stefy Bau: So you’re done that, you know, everybody has been in sport that knows that and they do that.

And then you keep going. So happy to see you continue to have fun with the quads. Although I do prefer the two wheels than the four, you know, in the dirt, but, um, it’s all good. It’s all motorsport. We love it. We are passionate about it. So, um, it’s very good, but Mike, tell us a little bit more how you got involved in sim racing.

So from real four wheels. Though it was motorcycle four with a car, uh, quad and then go karting, you know, like So what about sim?

Mike Nause: Yeah, so carting sort of rolled into simulation. So I was, uh, around [00:09:00] the age of like 15 is when I started getting into carting and sort of when I started getting out of, uh, motocross because all the tracks around me closed down, so I couldn’t really race anymore.

That’s the unfortunate. Nature of living in the Pacific Northwest is, motorsport, especially that type, is not the most popular around where I live, and so all the tracks became miles away, and I couldn’t go anymore, uh, so I ended up going to karting instead, and, cause, you know, you can’t take the race out of the dude that wants to be a professional racing driver for his entire life, uh, So I went over to karting and then started working at a go kart track around 18, 19, uh, and teaching a racing school for eight to 16 year olds, which was one of the most fun jobs, even to this day that I’ve ever had, even compared to commentary, uh, started teaching that for a while, got, uh, Not enough pay.

So eventually moved on to construction, but that around that time was 2020. So that’s about when I was, uh, like I say, around 2020 when COVID hit and the world shut down, uh, around 2018, 19, I started getting into just racing on a [00:10:00] controller with F1 2018. I got it on sale one day and so started on the Sim Katie EA title and then eventually was like, ah, I’m getting pretty good at this.

Why not get a wheel? Because I can’t race at my local track anymore because now it’s closed down as well. So, uh, because thanks COVID. And then, of course, uh, ended up getting a sim wheel, got a 920, Logitech G920. Uh, started racing for a while. Eventually upgraded to a Fanatec CSL Elite. The old one with a belt, not the new one.

Uh, and a. Fanatec CS, or uh, duh, what is it? Fanatec V2 pedals and V2 wheel as well. So that’s my current setup of the Playseat 3, even though I don’t race anymore, but, um, Yeah, that’s kind of how I got into sim racing, and then eventually, obviously, went on to the commentary side at a certain point. But I was league racing for a long time, and still was trying to pursue the dream of becoming a professional racing driver.

Stefy Bau: It’s so fun. You know, like the beauty versus saying that you discovered by your experience is that it is a true pathway, right? You know, like [00:11:00] with sim racing, you can get involved a little bit at a time, you know, like with some equipment and better equipment and then you get better and then you can be then really grind it.

You know, like and be behind the wheel and have a lot of fun. Um, the difference, I guess, you know, me to coming from a real motorsport is that, uh, you know, real motorsport, you get the potential that track closes or the weather impact your training or your racing and, uh, you know, finance it because it costs a little bit more, you know, like then sim racing.

But, you know, Yet again, you know, now, you know, with the scene racing and all of the evolution that we have in the industry, it is a complete pathway and you are showing it that you took that, you know, after the, in real life experience and just started to get involved more and more. But in this note, I wanted to show how cool was the, um, um, what is the, the name of the guy that won the 500, there is a sim racer, and then he won the.

And I don’t have 500 [00:12:00] last year and they wanted again this year. That is so good. You know, like from our world to be able to show days. It is a complete pathway, you know, to participation. And yeah, I know there are a lot of you there listening that they feel the same. And screen to speed does exactly that, right?

You know, like we do that for women, like be able to try to find talent and potentially put them into the real. A real team on a real race car. So it’s so good to see a validated over and over and over and with the wind and the 500, you know,

Mike Nause: Yeah. Byron that was will Byron is, yeah, that’s so, uh, I honestly, I forgot about that completely that we’ll buy.

He’s such a good driver at this point that I honestly forgot that he had gone from the simulator to real life. And then, of course, as well as for, um, into GT racing with, um, why are the names slipping? As soon as we go live, of course, that’s when everything slips the brain. But, um, everyone in chat knows who I’m talking about and we’re about to get it lit up.

David Christie will [00:13:00] definitely point us out. But, uh, Oh, it’s on the tip of my tongue. Anyways, it’ll someone here is knows exactly what I’m talking about with GT3 racing, getting out on a track, but no, absolutely creating that pathway. And of course, Stephie, you being involved as well with the, uh, Simfers STEM for STEM movement as well, which.

Personally, like I say, I taught a racing school for eight to 16 year olds. I think that the, what that program is trying to do, getting involved with the younger children and younger, especially, you know, being, uh, with the Indiana girl scouts or central Indiana girl scouts society, I think currently, uh, but also branching out into more and more is getting.

People to drive at younger ages and getting them to learn how to drive, which is the most important in America. I know, barring, you know, in Europe, in other countries, public transportation is a little bit more popular, but in, uh, in America, We’re a really big country and the car is the most important form of transport.

And if you’ve driven on the roads in America, You know that there are some people that maybe need some time behind a simulator. I’ll put that, uh, that’s the nicest way I think to put it. So getting them [00:14:00] involved as early as possible. I mean, that’s one of the reasons I pride myself on being a good driver is it’s just in my blood.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. I mean, like, again, it’s all about creating this pathway and this touch points, you know, like within a people’s life and by entering schools, you know, with the. Sim for STEM program. Not only we get the kids to be behind the wheel of a simulator, so enjoying that, but we use STEM. So we are able to teach mathematics during it.

So now we keep having, you know, principal and teacher say, Oh my God, you know, I can’t believe it. We get it. The kids are to come at school and wanted to do math and racing. If you’re here and listen is because you have a passion for it, you know, there’s all based about mathematics. So like to be able to transform that and get to the kids to understand it.

It’s, it’s a way to create an open doors, you know, create a pathway, open doors and show them what real life really is in racing and using SIM. You know, it gets them to do practice more and more. [00:15:00] And like you were saying, Mike, you know, if they can spend two, three, four years before getting behind a real car with a driving license, they’re going to be way better off than just trying it right off the bat in a real car.

Mike Nause: Yeah. And it’s just, it’s all about muscle memory at the end of the day. David Christie also bringing up a couple other, uh, drivers that went from sim to real life and real life to sim because we’re also seeing that now as well too nowadays, which is just awesome to see, uh, but Ash Sutton from British touring cars, uh, Max Verstappen, obviously driving in the, uh, the formula or from formula one driving in the, uh, various iRacing Endurance races, the 24 hours of Daytona, which I even got to commentate on myself, which was super awesome, big shout out there, RaceSpotTV, of course, for putting me on for that one.

Uh, Daniel Morad is not who I was talking about, but that’s a great example, but it’s the British, uh, the British dude. Who’s the British sim racer that went from sim to real life? Still, there’s even more, like I said, there’s so many these days that we can’t even name them all. Uh, which is absolutely awesome to see Dave Perel as well.

James Baldwin. Thank you. [00:16:00] James Baldwin. It was on the tip of my tongue

Stefy Bau: But I do I do have to bring in the girls though, you know, we always talk about the boys And sometimes we forget about the girls and you know In it e sport is all about that to create a safe space and opportunities for women and minority So on that note, you know, like I wanted to bring out the name of She’s part of our dream team.

She’s a Formula Formula one Academy racer, and now she does all of this, um, competition in Sims, and it’s part of our dream team. So I’ll just take a second to talk about the dream team because it’s another very great initiative. Uh, what we do with the dream team is the fact that we pick from the screen to speed roster.

We pick the best driver and we are putting them together. To be the only female team in, uh, endurance racing at digital, of course, and I racing and they participated in participate at the Daytona 24 hour and they go forth. [00:17:00] So once stop off the podium. So it is continuing proving, you know, the even women belongs here, you know, and we continue to push for it.

So that’s why. When we are talking about athlete, I always have to bring out the girls.

Mike Nause: Yeah, absolutely. Alongside, of course, Nina Han as Merelda, as well as, um, Emma, Emma. Yes. It was the final Sarah, Sarah. Yes. Excuse me. Sorry. Yes, Sarah, Sarah Dove being the final driver. They’re the four drivers for the screen to speed dream team.

And yeah, finishing fourth in the Daytona, despite having a couple misfortunes. Of course, if you do want to go back on the previous edit talks, they, uh, they talked all about their race after that. I think that was episode, uh, 40, if I’m not mistaken, episode 39 or 40. I do go back. In the playlist, of course, and check out those episodes for, uh, for a little more insight if that is something that interests you for sure, because it was a absolute hoot of a time and hearing them talk about it and watching them live as well was, uh, was quite the experience.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, it’s, it’s always good. And, uh, Um, I just want to touch base on [00:18:00] another thing that we have going on that this year that we didn’t put it out in the chat here in the video, but it would be released very soon, which we are creating one event to start by school day in it open. So what we do with that one is the same model of extreme E.

So we wanted to have a male and a female create a team and compete in this competition. This is all attached to the idea to continue to feed in the requirement for the Olympics because they wanted to have countries that bring, you know, like, um, different representation to the, um, To to the to the Olympics, but it’s also like a very cool way to continue to create that equity and equality, you know, to be able to have that team dynamic going on so we can wait for that one too.

It’s going to be released very soon. We’re going to try. Hopefully a lot of you are going to sign up. I wanted to if you had a guy, you know, to bring a girl, girlfriend, your mom, your daughter. Let’s do [00:19:00] it. It’s all for him. You know, like it’s all about, you know, tight Creating and grow the c the community and, and show like where sim racing is and that we belong here.

So I just wanted to, to toss this one in there also, .

Mike Nause: Yeah, absolutely. It was Lindsay James as well that said, uh, Lindsay James being the IndyCar or youngest IndyCar or female, VIP or the, uh, driver of the year. I’m going off of memory on this one, so I can’t remember all of our awards, but the quote is the most important factor, of course, the point that I’m getting to, uh, but it’s not, the car does not care whether you’re male or female of.

It only cares whether you hit your breaking points. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters in racing. So again, whether you’re male or female do head on over to the signups and get involved because we have so much going on for absolutely everybody here in it, screen to speed and various other platforms as well.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. And Mike is gonna be on the spot. He’s gonna be the one telling the stories, be on around, uh, behind the microphone and try to, uh, get everybody excited to, [00:20:00] to compete. And I can’t wait for, to see whatever is gonna come up with, because we were talking offline earlier and we were just like, oh, some ideas are gonna be super fun.

So I can wait for all of you to tune in, watch and support the, the services.

Mike Nause: Absolutely. It’s gonna be an absolute hoot of a time and, uh. Absolutely, just all the way around. Again, a massive thank you to Steffi in general for taking me under the wing here at Innit in general and, uh, just throughout everything here.

Uh, but it’s just been a pleasure. Like I say, going back to the commentary sphere in general is, I never, myself being kind of a more socially awkward kid growing up, I never would have Pictured myself in this sort of platform. So even going from, like you had mentioned, being a real life or going from sim to real life and driving is there’s other ways in the world as well.

Going from sim to real life and commentary. That’s, of course, my goal at the end of the day from. What I never thought would be a thing, again, being the socially awkward kid and eventually trying out commentary because I was a driver in a league at Trackalicious, big shout out there to Eric, and of [00:21:00] course, eventually got, uh, just kind of people liked me, I liked it, and I just kept doing it.

I can’t even listen to my commentary from over six months ago, really, to be completely honest, but, uh, but, you know, it’s been a heck of a trip all the way throughout. I

Stefy Bau: have a question. I’m going to put you on the spot. Do you remember your first time?

Mike Nause: Uh, my first time? No, but I remember the first time that I thought that this is what I wanted to do.

So my first time I have, it’s jumbled in with all of the other, there’s a couple of clips from some old commentary that I did and I had no idea what I was doing. I basically just got into ACC as a spectator, so had no clue what I was looking at, but it was not great. Um, but with the moment that like really caught my, What made me think this is what I want to do as a voice, as a commentator, is working with Trackalicious for about five months, six months as a commentator.

Eventually, Eric kind of reached out to the SRO guys and along with the AK [00:22:00] team, so Steve Proudly, Mike Yao, and them, and introduced me over to them, which I still work with them today, so shout out to them as well. But of course, they put me on for the SRO community Cup, I think it was at the time when I was commentating with Joe peak and we were on the front page of twitch and we Had 12, 000 viewers at the time and that was it wasn’t a nervous experience I didn’t feel like the pressure But I just felt this is what I want to do when I looked over at that number It was it was scary, but I was like nah, this is it.

This is home

Stefy Bau: It’s so good Like when you have the chance to follow your passion is the best thing ever and I always say A lot of time, you know, I ended up doing a, um, speaking engagement and whatnot. And this is one of the things I always say at the end of it, like, just follow your passion. If you follow what you really like, you know, like, uh, you’re just going to continue to get up every day and just don’t even feel it, you know, like you just want to do it and then continue to improve [00:23:00] the word.

And it seems like, Micah, you are falling into that rut. And, uh, It’s good, you know, and I can’t wait to, to build a good future for single racing with you and everybody out there that, um, believe in this and have the passion for it.

Mike Nause: Indeed. No. And for North America as well, because this is a, a scene that is still in the works, right?

Where the European scene is pretty set in stone. The vents that are over there have been there for. 10 plus years at this point in North America, really starting to dip its toe in the water in 2025 and being, uh, I think going to be the year. This is going to be the year that sim racing sort of takes off in America.

And I want to be, like I said, I want to be there for it. This is absolutely what I love to do. And in any way possible, of course, we’re going to be doing that to push that forward.

Stefy Bau: That is so good. Like we are trying to put in it in the front for the front from this, you know, thanks to all of the connection that we have within, you know, the different verticals.

So can’t wait. Can’t wait. You know, like to make it all happen. I do have another question. I know that you live in the Pacific Northwest [00:24:00] and there is a very good friend of mine, Jodi, that has a question. Dirt fish up there. So for the one of you that they don’t know what dirt fish is, it’s like one of the best school, if not the best school for rally, you know, in the world.

So have you gotten a chance to go and do some rally?

Mike Nause: I’ve never had a chance to go there. So I know exactly where they’re at. I went to high school, literally down the road from them, believe it or not. So I know I’m very familiar with the area, uh, Snoqualmie in general. This is, that’s where I just love to hike in that whole, that area is beautiful.

Uh, I take my drone and fly out there and like to watch the cars sometimes, but no, I’ve never actually, uh, taken, I’ve never driven any of the cars before from Dirt Fish. I saw them when I was down in Sonoma and I was talking with, I can’t remember who it was, uh, but we, uh, just, you know, I guess I was just chatting with them casually, but no, I’ve never actually had the experience of driving a, uh, a real life dirt car.

So I’ve been on four wheels on dirt, but no. Never in a car.

Stefy Bau: Well, maybe we can make that, uh, that different now and then give you a chance [00:25:00] to do that.

Mike Nause: I would love nothing more than, again, you’re talking to a guy who wanted to be a professional racing driver his whole life until eventually becoming a commentator.

And then I was like, ah, I’m better at this than driving. So might as well just dedicate myself to the commentary instead. And that’s kind of what I ended up doing.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, fantastic. But, um, yeah, you know, like I love every kind of racing, you know, of course, my heart is in the two wheels because that’s how I grew up.

But, you know, like I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in this industry and therefore knowing. So many good people, you know, like I’m working together and a lot of the names that you put out there, our friends at AK, you know, it’s a family. We are all working together, you know, try to, to make, you know, sim racing more and more popular and everybody has their own kind of like vertical.

And if there is a way to help each other, we’re always there for each other. So it’s a very, very good industry to be involved with for sure. And I’m knowing fantastic people. So [00:26:00] yeah.

Mike Nause: Very small family at the top too, which is what I’ve come to learn from, uh, from the years is you start talking with one person and then you were talking with this person and say, Oh, I’ll put you in touch with the, wait, what are you?

I already know. Huh? Everyone just, everybody knows everybody. It seems like, and it’s, uh, it’s really cool to see at the end of the day. And it’s very small, like you say, kind of a tight knit family at the top, uh, in terms of, especially, I mean, the e sports in general, but like you say, always willing to help out

Stefy Bau: for sure.

For sure. Do we have any questions that comes in, in the chat?

Mike Nause: I haven’t seen too many yet. I don’t think we have, we haven’t posted, uh, but yeah, if you guys do have any, uh, any questions, do let us know. I know Albert here chatting along saying that he wanted to go to Dirtfish as well at some point in time.

He’s a WRC fan. I absolutely love our competing for WRC. Yes, for Dirt Rally, my apologies. Uh, yes, Dirt Rally 2. 0 is a super fun game. That was one of the first, uh, simulators that I got on with a wheel. So, just, yeah, I, like I say, if I could get out there on Dirt Fish and actually go throw a little sedan around a dirt track, that’s [00:27:00] just, what else would you want to do on a, any day?

I don’t care when, do it right now, I’ll go. Right,

Stefy Bau: let’s go now, but you brought up a good point about like a day, um, uh, Dirt Rally 2 or the WRC game. So we have not done anything with that yet, but you know, maybe in the future, you know, we’re going to have to put out on our discord and maybe a little bit of a call to action and see who wants to do rally.

And maybe we can just to get involved with that. And maybe, maybe just maybe, you know, with the spirit of screen to speed, we can do an event and then have the winner to go Dirt Fish. You know,

Mike Nause: so we do have a question here, uh, from David Christie. I’m sorry to cut you off there, Stephanie, but, uh, we, uh, David Christie is, so what can we do obviously with the, uh, along with the screen to speed movement and everything like that.

Uh, but what can you guys do to foster and encourage more females into sim racing?

Stefy Bau: Well, I answer and then you can answer Mike from my side. It’s like we we are creating the [00:28:00] movement, you know, and we have a quite a bit of people now sign up, you know, and be part of our community. The community live on our discord.

We really need to pay attention to make it a safe space. So like when the girls is in, actually, we have a safe area where it’s just girls only. You know, like where they can communicate and and be in touch and and and and share their experiences. So we just have to continue to do events. You know, like I put the word out now.

The fact that we are bringing the same for stem program in schools. You know, hopefully we stimulate, you know, the young kids because when they’re younger, they don’t. Think about anything different, right? Like they see the school like, Oh, I want to do it. And also, you know, for us, what we really see that is very effective is that they will lead with women.

So, you know, like every time we do events is for women by women and it makes a tons of a difference. So we are open, you know, to help anybody, you know, that I wanted to. Get involved or to, to [00:29:00] create, create events. We did that as a movement because that’s what we wanna try to, to do, you know, like to really continue to grow, you know, this community and, and get them the opportunity to enter the motorsport world as a whole.

You know, like, uh, last year we put a couple girls into an interesting program in Cora. For instance, you know, like it just because I come from the motorsport world, you know, uh, part of my team come from the motorsport world. So we have all of this kind of connection, right? And then we have actually with a simple stem program.

We got a couple of girls. They ended up with to go university like in Indiana. For motorsport motorsport engineering, so they work. We just have to continue to tell people, you know, like and say, hey, if you want to try to get your feet wet into this industry, there is a space for you, which is called screen to speed, you know, seen for stem, you know, they are all under the unit umbrella and just sign up and have fun.

Mike Nause: And I think [00:30:00] you really hit it on the head there. And along with the community element, we’re trying to build, I put up quotes. I don’t know why I put quotes. The community is community. There’s no quotes around that. But around the community element here, of course, that we’re trying to build is, you know, harboring a very solid roster of female drivers that we already have.

And of course, Of course, branching out from there, using them. I don’t want to say use, I can’t, you got to pick the words carefully, of course. Uh, but having them sort of be more role models at the end of the day, right? Kind of like Nina Han, for example, is a great driver to look up to Victoria Thomas, other drivers, you know, as Merelda, um, all the way throughout.

These are some very, very nice people to look up. to as for younger drivers. But on top of that, of course, building a community in which that we can have them have their friends reach out, right? And they can message their friends and say, Hey, you’re a great driver. Why don’t we get involved here as well?

Uh, and sort of develop a little bit more along those lines. And that of course comes along with building a more. In depth community, which is part of me coming on to in it what I’ve been trying to do here is make that discord a little bit more [00:31:00] community like make it a little more friendly and Bringing on some moderators as well with that and trying to just keep everything like I say more in Wraps more in tunes and also just better information spread and some updated rules coming soon as well of course, I know that was one of the The, the complaints that some of the drivers have had, but we are, of course, addressing that for all the various different championships that we have coming up, some new rules as well.

Stefy Bau: Well, you know, like it takes a village, you know, and we’ll take it all the help that we can get, but the foundation is there, you know, and, uh, it’s good that we see the growth. You know, like, and with all of these other, as I say, early touch point, you know, from the people that they never heard about sim racing, that they might get disposed of with sim for STEM in schools, to who is fan of the sport that they say, Hey, I want to try this.

It might be good. We have the screen to speed movement. Then we have the opportunity to open the doors, you know, for, uh, for the industry as a whole. But [00:32:00] also this, what we are doing today, the init talk. So that was an idea that came up to continue to show You know, like faces of the industry and give a space to be seen because the key is really if you can see her, you can be her.

So for us is incredibly important to put out individual that can be a role model because you never know who you’re going to inspire. And we run this with positivity and inclusivity. So it’s very important to us to continue to do this. Any talk and don’t be shy if you want to be on one of them. Just reach out, you know, like we always have, you know, opportunity to do it.

Yeah. And we’re going to find the right spot for you to come and tell your story. Um, one last thing about the talks today is very cool. We, um, gather their attention also to, uh, from Motoring Podcast, I think is the name. Uh, our, our friend Eric. So, every talks now becomes a podcast. So, you don’t have to watch it live, you know, when it happens.

You don’t have to watch it necessarily just [00:33:00] on YouTube. You can even listen. To it when you’re driving your car and going to work. So it’s all like a little things that we are continuing to put in place. So to be able to show that, you know, the reality is here, you know, women in same race in easier and but not just women to, you know, like we were saying early because we took on the project for I’m Foster, you know, talent for the team USA.

Now it’s going to be also the guys, you know, like to come in and be involved. So altogether it takes a village, but we can do this.

Mike Nause: Yeah. And that’s even, I mean, sort of why I’ve, you know, come onto the podcast as the first male guest as well, right. As being an honor, that a nice honor, a privilege for that to be the case, of course, more to come in the future.

So again, if you are looking to get involved, reach out to either myself, Sophie, Steffi, anyone here, of course, we’ll be able to, uh, to point you in the right direction for that. That, uh, getting onto the talks and yeah, it’s, it’s absolutely awesome what we’re going to be building here in the future. And I, again, I’m so honored to be a part of it and I [00:34:00] genuinely cannot wait to see what the next three months, four months, five months is going to hold because it’s going to be, I think, a, a nice boom year.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. It’s, uh, it’s exciting and it’s, uh, it’s nicer to have had a vision, you know, like, and then I surround myself with incredible people and continue to build something that is very meaningful. And, uh, so far, you know, like, seems like we are right in doing it in this way, because even with the same first time program, we got picked up by NBC news.

Oh my God. I mean, Same racing event going on NBC News. I think that’s a pretty good market that we can put, you know, like on our, on our, uh, um, um, belt, I would say. So, you know, like little by little again, you know, we are all a family. It’s all about building and all dividing. So, you know, like all together, we can definitely make a big change and.

You know, have fun doing it.

Mike Nause: Indeed. And, you know, and down to it as well. I keep wanting to bring this up and it keeps slipping my mind, but [00:35:00] you mentioned it just briefly or not briefly, but the fact that of course we have more than just driver spots available, right? Just because you are a woman trying to get involved in motorsports doesn’t mean that you need to become a driver, right?

You can become engineers. You can become a commentator as well. Of course, there are other routes available, broadcasting behind the scenes, organization, you name it. There are so many crucial women in motorsports. Already. I mean, go look at Susie Wolf and what she’s doing, managing everything with F1 Academy and everything along those lines as well, of course.

Uh, just incre some incredible figures out there to look up to.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, but not only that, actually, we, through any talk in our community, we are able to really create even job opportunities and that’s another thing. You know, it’s not just like, Oh yes, this is cool. You know, like actually we can create job.

Opportunity for women to get involved. So that’s another very cool thing. You know, like they all of this together, you know, like we can come up and never and never ways to show how beautiful [00:36:00] this industry is in real life and digitally and give a chance to everybody to be part of it.

Mike Nause: Absolutely, it is a truly incredible world, and as often people say, the bug of motorsports, it exists, it’s real, once you catch it, it’s really hard to get rid of it, and I know, Steffi, you’ve been involved your whole life, which honestly, speaking of, have you ever been on an In It talk before?

That’s one thing I actually don’t know if I’ve ever seen.

Stefy Bau: You know, I don’t even remember, I think I did maybe the very first one just because of course, you know, I wear different hats in the company because we are still a startup. So like we just said, let’s do one and like, OK, I mean, you know, kind of like it tonight.

You know that took over for the little me shop that we had, but we are here. We are having a blast and I was happy to help the team you know that we are creating. So this has been super fun and I love it.

Mike Nause: And did they know so I wanted to ask you that if that’s the case, then we got to get a little bit more about Steffi, right?

We got a little bit and learn a more about you. Obviously, I know that you [00:37:00] had your motocrosser, but how did you get involved? I know you got it involved at a very very young age with motorcycles But why don’t you tell everybody else a little bit more about that?

Stefy Bau: Yes. So just like you, you know, I started racing very young.

So I was four years old when I asked my mom and dad to buy me a dirt bike. And probably you have heard that I have an accent. So I was born in Italy. I was born in Italy and, uh, you know, at my time, you know, a little girl wanted to race motorcycle. It was a big no no for everybody. So the entire family was against my mom and dad, but they always, you know, let me do whatever I wanted to do, you know, and they always support it.

Again, it goes back to the concept of the passion that we were saying, and they bought me the motorcycle. And then, you know, two years later, when I was. So, uh, my dad, and it’s a very fun story because my dad, at that time, had bought a dirt bike for himself, and then he decided to go and do a, um, trail riding.

So he was in the [00:38:00] woods, you know, he went to trail riding, and then all of a sudden he saw that there was a small racetrack where kids were, um, uh, uh, riding in there, not racing, riding in there with the supervision of the parents. So he immediately comes home and he’s like, Oh, you have no idea what I just discovered.

Get ready, get dressed and let’s go. And here I am. I still remember like it was yesterday, you know, following my father, you know, through this trail just to go to this small little track. There was about like five, six miles away from the house. And my dad say, going there you see is a track, you know, like just follow it and have fun.

In about one hour time. I was the fastest one in the track, so all of the parents of these other kiddos, you know, they came to my father and said, what, what are you guys coming from? And my dad said, well, we live five miles down the field over that way. And then they, my parents didn’t know about racing, you know, the only concept that they had, there was like, um, Go watch the World [00:39:00] Championship when it was coming to Italy.

World Championship has rounds, you know, around the world, and the time they were coming to Italy, they were going watching, they were just fan of the sport. So they had no idea that they were racing for kids. But, you know, through that experience, you know, of course, we go back home, we ask mom, Hey, you know, can we go racing?

And mom like, Oh, I don’t know. Well, okay, let’s try. Moral of the story, the first race I did in my life, I finished third with all the little boys. I was the only little girl. And then that year I won every races we entered. So then it was like bringing on trophy upon trophy. So that’s what I wanted to do in life.

And I have to say though, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have two parents that help me, you know, and support me to do this. So, um, That’s kind of like my story on the two wheels and then you probably if you ever did any kind of racing, you know, once you’re in it, you can get out. That’s how I’m doing it with my life.

You know, I’m being involved since when I was very [00:40:00] little and I consider myself very fortunate and lucky to be able to do what I want in life and meet wonderful people around the way.

Mike Nause: That is, that is such an incredible story to hear. What was it at the point that, uh, obviously there had to be a point that you started, you thought that you were going to become professional, but there was going to be a point that you started to become professional.

What was that like? What was that feeling? And, uh, and sort of how did that come into a culmination?

Stefy Bau: So we go down a very slippery slope here that if it is over here as somebody that has been a professional athlete at a young age, they will relate to what I’m about to say. So what happened, the big turning point was actually when the team I was racing for, you know, Wanted to have more control on what I was going to be doing for the team than my parents, and that’s the time, you know, the switch so that everybody may include and consider.

Wait a second. I can really be professional at this. So that’s kind of [00:41:00] like was the turning point. It was not happy time at the moment when they all think started to happen simply because when you have your parents, you know, do all the sacrifices to be able it. You To push their kids to do whatever they want in life and then kind of like needed to take a step back.

It’s not easy, you know, like, but every bird out of the nest

Mike Nause: sort of,

Stefy Bau: yes, at a very young age, people that being athletes, a professional at a young age has to go through this, you know, like, but that was the moment really the turning point to me. It happened when I was 17 years old, you know, that I started to get very good attention, you know, from my, my skills and my results.

And then was the time that does need to happen that kind of separation. So it’s not more like a fun, fun thing that you go and do with your family. Now it’s more like you’re going to do this for a living and you’re going to make money out of it.

Mike Nause: Yeah. And that was the, did that take away the fun or did that add to the fun?

Stefy Bau: [00:42:00] Um, I think it, I mean, again, for me, it was a young age. So, you know, like 17, you’re a teenager, you know, like, so there is a lot of things happening at that time in your life. So a lot of time was fun. A lot of time was. It’s not simple because sometimes, you know, I saw my schoolmate go and have fun during the weekend and I was going racing, not that I did not want to go race racing, but it was always like, oh, you know, like, but my friends are having fun, you know, like doing this and I gotta go racing.

But like, again, the racing always won over. You know, as my result proven and I would not do anything different, you know, if I had to do it once again,

Mike Nause: yeah, for me, I was fortunate enough. I mean, obviously, I never went into the professional sphere myself when it comes to the motor sport. I kind of had to bow out a certain point.

But yeah, having that. Your parents push you along and for me, it was not just my parents still very fortunate, of course, to have them even supporting me to this day, both my mom and my dad, but my uncle Jim as well. Of course, he’s the [00:43:00] one that bought me my first quad at the age of three and just showed up one day in my driveway with it.

They didn’t tell me about it. They surprised me and I got on it for the first time and then cried my eyes out when they told me that I had to get off. So, I mean, it’s just a, uh, yeah. It’s a crazy world and especially when you get into the like you say the professional scene and now for myself, I guess relating more to the professional commentary side of things is it’s a surreal feeling when you have, uh, start to kind of make your way into it and you start making money doing the thing that you actually enjoy doing, which is awesome.

Yeah. It feels good, right?

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. But also, you know, I want to say that, uh, no, everybody is as lucky as us to have parents, you know, that can support, you know, like, and, and push, you know, like that. So what I would like to say is like, don’t give up because even though like there is a lot of thinking that could be potentially stack up.

Uh, against you, don’t give up and follow your passion because there is other people out there that have your same passion. So even if you might not have a family supporting you, just keep [00:44:00] going, find your people and you’re going to find a way through it, you know, because in racing, it’s all a big family.

So don’t be scared. Don’t be shy, you know, just keep going and push for what you love. And, uh, you know, it’s, it’s a good thing. It’s a good family. It is.

Mike Nause: It’s, we’re a bunch of crazy people and we love what we do. So, you know, that’s at the end of the day, uh, none of us are really, I think, sane, like I say, at the end.

We’re, uh, we’re, we’re speed demons, we’re all enjoying, uh, an absolute crazy sport and we’re all having a great time doing it. So why not have it, like I say, have fun with each other and not take it as seriously as a lot of people do because that can be it. But yeah, don’t give up. That’s the biggest thing, of course.

Do not give up for your dreams. If you have a dream, Stick with it, get through it and try to find any way that you can push through. As long as you work hard enough, you can really make anything happen. And especially with the outlets that we have today, with the internet developing and with the amount of resources that are out there now, uh, screen to speed, for example, stem for stem, they’re two [00:45:00] perfect examples of ways forward in the, in this sort of sphere, this little micro sphere of the world.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. And then back on on the comment on try to continue to involve as many category of racing as possible. We forgot to say, so I’m going to say here, we’re going to be doing a drifting event, a drifting event. So we had never done this before. We’re going to work with our Very good friend at the, um, yes, the a and I I can’t wait to see what is going to come out of that.

You know, like we have put this in our discord that we’re going to have a bunch of like the girls to try it out again for the sense of the community. We’re saying we already find coaches. They wanted to teach the girls, you know, how to do drifting. So that is going to be a fun one. I can’t wait to see that one.

Mike Nause: Yeah, that one’s going to be incredible for myself. Even, uh, just went to the formula drift event that happened here in Seattle. So that was super cool. The tire [00:46:00] smoke, the sound, the noise, the, the racing, which is such a different form of motorsport from what you or I, Steph, you’re used to for the most part, obviously, you know, from two wheels, especially, you cannot really even compare it even on four wheels.

It is a, yeah. Uh, noisy, uh, uh, it’s very flashy, uh, and a pretty awesome sport all the way around.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. And I have a, my very good friend Z, she is one of the best at this and I can’t wait to tell her like, uh, and, and see if she can come in in the digital version and maybe teach a thing. So too. So I mean, it’s.

It’s just exciting, but I get to show you once more that everything is together, you know, it doesn’t matter if you like Formula One or you like NASCAR or you like GT cars or drifting cars, you know, like the beauty of it is like it’s transferable in a way that we are all together here and try to have a passion and.

Absolutely. [00:47:00]

Mike Nause: At the end of the day, it’s all just hitting a pedal and a break and turning a wheel. It’s just a matter of what type of wheel you’re turning, what type of break you’re hitting, how hard you’re hitting it, and how quickly you’re getting on the throttle, uh, all the way around the basics they transfer.

And that’s again, why we go looping all the way background to getting people involved very early, which I am so passionate with. Get your kids driving, get them into karting, get them into sim racing. That’s why I always tell parents, especially at events when they’re thinking, Oh, do I want to let my kid try the simulator?

Yes. Yes. The reason you don’t is because they’re going to like it. That’s why you don’t want to spend the money on it. No, get them involved. It is such a fun and, uh, and just all the way around a way of life now, especially again, in this modern world and how big racing is getting with formula one, with GT, with motors cross with.

Every single sport growing and growing and growing. It is such a amazing world that we live in. And to be in this small little world, as it is again, get involved.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, for sure. And also another thing I wanted to touch base on is [00:48:00] like, if you ever need any equipment, reach out to, because we are reseller to all the measure brands, you know, in the, in the world.

So if you need equipment, just ask. And if we can pass along savings to you, we will do it. So, you know, like, um, It’s it’s again it’s every little thing help so like if you need product you know just come over and we can help you on that

Mike Nause: and some other potential set up chances steffi that are in the wings as well i don’t know if we can talk about that.

Stefy Bau: Well, we do have one thing that I can kind of like a mention right now. It is the fact that we are working very hard with this very good friend of mine that his name is Nicole, you know, that has made is in the way of processing the most It’s a game. It’s a game. It’s a simulation. Super fun. Motocross game and to me that comes like right here is called Motocross the game and, uh, is working through it is so cool.

[00:49:00] It’s going to be ready for the public on at this fall and then watch this space because we’re going to start to make a very

Mike Nause: I cannot wait to see that again, back to my grass roots for that or my dirt roots. I guess I should say at the end of the day, uh, but Steffi, it looks like we’re getting kind of close here on the time.

I mean, is there anything else that we would like to, uh, to bring up here at the end to wrap up any questions in chat here before we do kind of get down to the conclusion? It’s been a very nice chat.

Stefy Bau: Yeah, I love it. I think we need to talk a little bit more about you. You are supposed to be the interviewed

Mike Nause: fair.

That’s fair. I think everybody

Stefy Bau: can shoot, shoot some, a question for Mike in the, please do.

Mike Nause: I covered all of the talking points that I had in my notes here. So, uh, for anything else that you guys would like to know for, I guess, uh, I didn’t cover any hobbies or anything, I guess. So, like I said, I briefly did them into some, uh, some filmography and some other stuff when it comes to drones.

I love flying drones. getting an FPV drone soon. So that’ll be sick. Um, got a couple of [00:50:00] GoPros. I like to film some, like I say, POV shots with my quad, with, uh, with cars and just all the way around. Like I said, I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to that sort of thing. I love hiking, like long, I like long walks in the woods, my guess would be the way to look at that.

And I like the snow growing up in the Pacific Northwest. We get a lot of that in the mountains, so it’s nice. Um, yeah, I enjoy hiking. I just hiked up Mt. Sai not too long ago and fed some birds up at the summit. That was awesome. Flew the drone up there. And, uh, all the way around, like I say, just kind of, uh Oh, here we go, we do have a question.

How do you engage? This is, um No comments. Thank you, I guess. Not sure that’s much of a question. But, uh, no, honestly, like I say, I’m just, uh I’m just kind of a guy, you know? I’m just a guy that likes motorsports, at the end of the day, when it comes down to it. I just love racing, I love watching racing. Uh, my buddy’s been getting me into [00:51:00] anime recently, so that’s a thing that’s happened, you know, uh, when it comes down, I’m still not, like, into it, so calm down, chat, calm down before anybody starts bringing that stuff up, uh, we’re, we’re definitely, we’re definitely not quite deep into it just yet, uh, but yeah, I don’t know, that’s, um, I’m trying to think if there’s anything else very deep.

Interesting, I guess, about myself.

Nothing that comes to mind. No, I don’t know. Chat, not either. No, no questions in chat either. So I think, uh, I don’t know. Anything else, Steffi?

Stefy Bau: No, I think we’re ready to wrap it up. Thank you everybody for being, you know, in this, uh, in this in e talk. You know, it’s always a pleasure if I get the chance, you know, like, to show my face and talk with everybody.

So, but again, take away, you know, for me, it’s always like, follow your passion, you know, just reach out if you need anything, you know, like, uh, and, um, let’s keep doing this is fun.

Mike Nause: Yes, absolutely. This is, uh, we’re going to be here for a long time folks, so we’re not going to be [00:52:00] going anywhere. And on that note, I hope everybody has a lovely evening, afternoon, or morning wherever you are in this fine world.

Thank you. And good night.

Crew Chief Brad: Innate eSports focuses on sim racing events and digital tournaments. They bring eSports content to fans and sponsorship opportunities to brands while maximizing audience reach across multiple sports, industries, and platforms. eSports is a woman-led company where diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is in their DNA and their platform aims to combat bullying and cheating to help make the eSports world as safe and fair as possible To learn more, be sure to log on to www.initesports.gg or follow them on social media at init eSports.

Join their discord, check out their YouTube channel, or follow their live content via switch.

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