Sam Schmidt to Compete in 2016 iRacing Pro Race of Champions

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Sam Schmidt to Compete in 2016 iRacing Pro Race of Champions
The 2016 event marks Schmidt’s second year of participation

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Dec. 12, 2016) – Former IndyCar driver Sam Schmidt will once again compete in the iRacing Pro Race of Champions this Wednesday, December 14. The sixth annual online event will be Schmidt’s second year of participation and will take place on the one-mile oval of Phoenix International Raceway (PIR), pitting himself against some of motorsports’ greatest talents in this virtual showdown.

The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team owner will be the only driver in the field of 24 competing to utilize driving aids provided by Arrow Electronics. The simulator, located at CXC Simulations in Los Angeles, Calif., will be equipped with advanced technology, similar to that seen in the Arrow Chevrolet Corvette #SAMcar (semi-autonomous car). Schmidt and this particular simulator will be outfitted with reflective infrared sensors and cameras to control the steering, as well as a pressure sensor located inside the driver’s mouth that detects acceleration and braking with the use of his breath.

The 2015 iRacing Pro Race of Champions, which took place on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn Watkins Glen track, saw Schmidt qualify 25th and finish 17th, an impressive feat considering the additional challenges involved with Sam being a quadriplegic.

“I’m very much looking forward to this event,” the IndyCar Series race winner commented. “Last year I had no idea what to expect given I have very little simulator experience, but I was pleased to not qualify dead last (I left that honor to Ron Capps) and ran the entire event in spite of getting punted on the first lap. Now, we are going to one of my all-time favorite circuits in PIR and racing on the oval, which should level the playing ground somewhat. I still wish they would do an event with everyone utilizing the Arrow head controls, but maybe down the road. I’m just ecstatic to be in the same event with this list of incredible talent.”

This year’s sixth annual race will also feature motorsports stars Rubens Barrichello, Oriol Servia, Alex Gurney, Patrick Long and Will Power amongst 20 others. Drivers will take to their iRacing accounts and compete at Phoenix International Raceway for a 50-lap event. iRacing Pro Race of Champions goes green at 6:00 p.m. PST on December 14 and fans can watch live at iRacing.com.

Source: Schmidt Peterson Motorsports press release