Screen to Speed: Racer to Commentator, Mike Nause!

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.

Crew Chief Eric: This episode [00:53:00] has been brought to you by Grand Touring Motorsports as part of our Motoring Podcast Network. 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.

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