Stock Car Spin Exclusive: Richard Towler, The Simulation Expert, and NASCAR iRacing World Champion
Richard Towler is one of the best NASCAR simulation racers in the world. I think we all know that. But, what was it like when he first started to race in iRacing? What was going through his mind when he won the NiRWC? In this exclusive interview, Towler explains how he started using iRacing, his experiences after being crowned the champion of the NiRWC, and his current role at Eutechnyx (the Britain-based racing game developer).
Brandon Butler: Richard, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. I want to get started by talking about your career in iRacing. When did you first start playing iRacing? What was the one thing about iRacing that interested you the most?
Richard Towler: Pleasure to talk to you, I got into iRacing back in June 2008 when they launched the first public invite beta stage, at that time it was the only option for people like me who had an interest in hardcore racing simulations who also wanted to race against the best drivers.
Brandon Butler: For those who wonder how to get into the NIRWC, how were you able to race in the World Championships?
Richard Towler: I was able to race in the series by qualifying up through the different racing series until I got into what they call the Pro Series, after a season of Pro the Top 50 drivers made it to the DWC. Things have changed a little now, the Pro series is still there but the way you qualify for it is slightly different but if you’re fast and work hard you’ll find yourself there sooner or later.
Brandon Butler: When you won the inaugural NIRWC, what was going through your mind now that you were being recognized nationally (in Homestead, Miami for the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale) as the best NASCAR simulation player in the world?
Richard Towler: Oh crap what am I doing in the media centre at a NASCAR race, who thought this was a good idea?’ To be honest the success side of things was and still is something I always shy away from (one of the few things I do shy away from you could say) as throughout most of my sim racing life I’ve considered it to be a hindrance to my enjoyment of driving more than anything but with the increased exposure of the hobby thanks to iRacing its something I’ve had to just accept as part of the deal.
Brandon Butler: A year after you won the NIRWC, you were on the JR Motorsports team for the second season of the World Championships. How do you feel about representing Dale Earnhardt Jr and JR Motorsports in iRacing?
Richard Towler: Last season it didn’t feel so great as I did terrible, but it’s an honour as I have a lot of respect for the work that Dale Jr has done both in NASCAR and in the virtual world. It’s also great to be able to tap into the knowledge he has of racing, in 2010 my season went through a couple of bad races that almost cost me the title but I was able to come to him for advice and through that I was able to turn the season around. He also watches the races on Tuesday nights so is always there to show his support, he even helps out with setups from time to time during the week.
Brandon Butler: Richard, lets talk about your latest job. As many people are aware, you are now working as the Vehicle Dynamics Setup Guy at Eutechnyx. How did this job come about for you?
Richard Towler: With I think 3 races to go in the 2010 season Nick Rend and Blake Davidson of NASCAR contacted me to tell me that they were over in the UK with the guys from Eutechnyx and asked if I would you like to join them for dinner? This was rather exciting to say the least, at the time I had no idea they were making a NASCAR game but I knew of the company and Ed Martin who was famous for his connection with the NASCAR licence. Of course I said yes and from that point I started to visit the Eutechnyx studio in Newcastle to consult on the handling and gameplay.
From that point onwards the visits I made started to become more frequent and in January of last year I took a full time position with the company. I have to admit I never thought what I did as a hobby would turn into a career, but it shows that companies like Eutechnyx have a great deal of respect for the racing community and have a strong desire to deliver the best products possible.
Brandon Butler: Do you think it’s a bit different for you working on setups for NASCAR The Game, than working on setups for iRacing?
Richard Towler: I’ve always setup games in different games so it just becomes a question of working to the different characteristics of each game. But the major difference was in iRacing I was setting up the car to go as fast as possible regardless how it handled, with NASCAR The Game I was setting up the car to be as accessible as possible while still having a setup that was based on a real life car.
Brandon Butler: One last question Richard. Do you plan to continue racing in the NASCAR iRacing.com World Championships?
Richard Towler: I’ll be there for sure hoping it goes better than last season did, myself and JRM are also sorting out a brand new sponsor as we speak which we’ll show off soon. It’s much tougher now to race with the responsibility of a full time job and the American race times, they don’t end until 5 or 6am here in the UK but thankfully I do get some time off the following morning to recover.
I would like to thank Richard Towler for talking with us and sharing some of his experiences also. If you would like to connect with Richard Towler, follow him on Twitter @apexboner. I also want to thank Neil Courtney, the NASCAR The Game Community Manager of Eutechnyx, for allowing us to conduct this interview with Richard.
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