iRacing Finally Updating Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 2009

In what appears to be the first update to the track in almost 13 years, iRacing have announced they are updating the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a whole new laser scan. This new scan will obviously include the “new” roadcourse that IndyCar has been racing on since 2014 and NASCAR Xfinity since 2020, replacing the “old” infield that was last used for significant road racing by Formula One in 2007.

Why am I mentioning how long this track has been outdated? Because sadly I think the “new” roadcourse may only be coming to the service in updated form because of NASCAR now using it. The timing doesn’t make enormous sense otherwise. Why would they wait until now? This is really disappointing to me because, well… I love Indianapolis and IndyCar. That’s why I was there when I worked for Image Space Incorporated, surveying the track for rFactor 2’s 2014 release of the circuit, before they’d even painted the kerbing.

Deep down although I am glad to see the track getting an update and I am sure it will be stunning, it reminds me how long we’ve gone without one when many paid a premium rate for the track back then (membership was also annually $156? $199?). 13 years? Put that into context by remembering that iRacing released this track 20 years after 1989’s Indianapolis 500: The Simulation, and they (we – I worked there at the time) made a big deal about that being a whole new generation.

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