Racedepartment's 'interviews with top rankers' series starts with the current rankings leader Keith Barrick, thanks to Keith Barrick for accepting our interview and gave his time.
Q. Hello Keith, thanks for accepting our interview offer. First of all please tell us about yourself. Where do you live? What do you do? Family?
Well, I'm 25 years old living in Ontario, Canada. I run my own RV dealership which takes the majority of my time through the spring/summer/fall months, and I will be getting engaged in the next few weeks
Q. How and when did you start simracing?
I began "simracing" if you can call it with a game called "Motor City Online" created by EA of all companies. The game came out in Oct of 2001, and I literally spent every waking moment on that game until EA shut it down to free up servers for The sims online. Since then ive picked up any game that I can race in til now.
Q. How did you find RaceDepartment?
I was referred here by an old friend of mine who ran in a Nascar Heat (using the Vintage TransAm mod) league that I ran a few years back.
Q. You are one of the top rankers on our rankings. How did you improve your driving skills? Any advices to a newcomer to simracing?
Driving skills have been accumulating over the years since I started go-kart racing in 1995. But my online simracing skills have really come out since joining race department. My advice to newcomers is, ask questions to the guys you race with. Most people I have come across here at RD are very friendly and willing to help one another. If you cant find someone for your particular race, simply post the question in the race thread. Sometimes racers who arent even in that event will come along just to drop the answer. Knowledge is power when it comes to racing in general real or sim. The crazy thing is you never stop learning so there is always some new advice to take.
Q. Who are your nemesises here? Biggest rivals?
In my early days at RD when I had time to run the EU events I constantly did battle with Gary Lennon. Back then I was lacking in my focus/consistency and found myself "pulling a Barrick" as Gary put it. He was referring to me driving either off the track or into a wall while leading.
Recently ive found myself trading paint with some guys ive somewhat mentored along the way since joining RD, like Adam Vaughan and Yuri Braham. Jesper taulborg who is very new to the RD scene has really impressed me with his race etiquette and skills, and has schooled me on more then one occasion. One other big time rival for the upcoming ATCC season is Vincent Kan, a fellow canadian who took away my chance to defend my title by winning ATCC Season 3.
Q. Your greatest race in Racedepartment?
I would have to say this was a recent event with only 4 entries...Myself, Jesper Taulborg, Eric Nelson, and Yves Larose in minis at Edmonton city airport. This race can not be put into words, we had setup before the race that at halfway we stop at the S/F line and reverse the grid and carry on. I dont think we had more then 2 seconds between all 4 of us at any given time in BOTH races. Epic is an understatement.
Q. A funny or a nice memory to tell about your RD forum past?
A nice memory for me here in my past would be a birthday event that was put on for me by either Yves Larose I believe (not 100% sure my memory is hazey). But my friend Marcel vd Aa made a custom skin for me on my Bday for that event.
Q. Are you racing in public servers? What is the difference between a public server and a RD server?
I rarely race on the public servers unless I am really bored. The big difference between RD racing and publics is the familiarity with the drivers that you race with. You learn to know how and where you can drive around certain people which makes race decisions alot easier and all around more enjoyable racing.
Q. Which is your favorite sub-forum in RaceDepartment?
The American Racing Club. Big thanks to Eric Nelson and Stefan Werner for their efforts in the club, its truly appreciated by all racers.
Q. What do you think about the latest rankings feature and forum upgrades?
The rankings feature IMHO is a good way to size up opponents pre-race. You can check out the field and see if the guy you are racing with has a history of DNFs and it gives you early warning to steer clear especially if you have never raced with that person before. Also it allows hardcore simracers to compare themselves and their laptimes with others at RD.
Q. Your favorite game? Not only simracings, among all genres.
Seeing as I dont play anything else, I would have to say right now the Race series is my hands down favorite....although I own 2 copies of just about every simracing game made since Papyrus' Indy Car Racing, I dont play much else other then Race and rFactor right now.
Q. Are you addicted to simracing? For example if your PC breaks and you can't fix it for a month, would you be depressed and distressed?
I would have to say I am addicted, but if my PC breaks I wont sleep until I fix it. I would say the most downtime ive had since joining RD was about 8 hours waiting for a PC store to open to get a new PSU
Q. Favorite motorsports to watch? And who do you support there?
At the moment my favorite motorsport would have to be Nascar. I know there isnt much excitement there turning left for 4 hours, but I usually tune in for the last 50 laps. My #1 driver there is Jaun Pablo Montoya...they guy has proven himself in EVERY aspect of racing and deserves to break his oval win cherry
Q. Your biggest phobia?
Running out of beer during the Friday night club race.
Q. Your biggest dream?
Danica Patrick and a whole lot of whip cream
Q. A typical question, you are going to live on a deserted island, which 5 things would you bring there?
1) Racing wheel and pedals
2) PC
3) Satelite internet hookup
4) Beer
5) More beer
Q. Any last words, and a message to RaceDepartment members?
To anyone on the fence about joining, what are you waiting for?!?!?! If you are looking for a place to race cleanly and have some fun this is the place. What seperates RD from every other site is the community. Ive been all across the net and back simracing and there is NOTHING that compares to the comradery, friendliness, and community that RD has to offer.
Also anyone who is interest the American Touring Car Challenge season 3 (the league I run) is starting in November. Last season we had so many entries we needed to run a 2 server setup. The racing is fantastic and the group of people racing is even better. Details will be released about S3 in the coming weeks.
Thank you very much Keith, good luck in your future races
Q. Hello Keith, thanks for accepting our interview offer. First of all please tell us about yourself. Where do you live? What do you do? Family?
Well, I'm 25 years old living in Ontario, Canada. I run my own RV dealership which takes the majority of my time through the spring/summer/fall months, and I will be getting engaged in the next few weeks
Q. How and when did you start simracing?
I began "simracing" if you can call it with a game called "Motor City Online" created by EA of all companies. The game came out in Oct of 2001, and I literally spent every waking moment on that game until EA shut it down to free up servers for The sims online. Since then ive picked up any game that I can race in til now.Q. How did you find RaceDepartment?
I was referred here by an old friend of mine who ran in a Nascar Heat (using the Vintage TransAm mod) league that I ran a few years back.
Q. You are one of the top rankers on our rankings. How did you improve your driving skills? Any advices to a newcomer to simracing?
Driving skills have been accumulating over the years since I started go-kart racing in 1995. But my online simracing skills have really come out since joining race department. My advice to newcomers is, ask questions to the guys you race with. Most people I have come across here at RD are very friendly and willing to help one another. If you cant find someone for your particular race, simply post the question in the race thread. Sometimes racers who arent even in that event will come along just to drop the answer. Knowledge is power when it comes to racing in general real or sim. The crazy thing is you never stop learning so there is always some new advice to take.
Q. Who are your nemesises here? Biggest rivals?
In my early days at RD when I had time to run the EU events I constantly did battle with Gary Lennon. Back then I was lacking in my focus/consistency and found myself "pulling a Barrick" as Gary put it. He was referring to me driving either off the track or into a wall while leading.
Recently ive found myself trading paint with some guys ive somewhat mentored along the way since joining RD, like Adam Vaughan and Yuri Braham. Jesper taulborg who is very new to the RD scene has really impressed me with his race etiquette and skills, and has schooled me on more then one occasion. One other big time rival for the upcoming ATCC season is Vincent Kan, a fellow canadian who took away my chance to defend my title by winning ATCC Season 3.
Q. Your greatest race in Racedepartment?
I would have to say this was a recent event with only 4 entries...Myself, Jesper Taulborg, Eric Nelson, and Yves Larose in minis at Edmonton city airport. This race can not be put into words, we had setup before the race that at halfway we stop at the S/F line and reverse the grid and carry on. I dont think we had more then 2 seconds between all 4 of us at any given time in BOTH races. Epic is an understatement.
Q. A funny or a nice memory to tell about your RD forum past?
A nice memory for me here in my past would be a birthday event that was put on for me by either Yves Larose I believe (not 100% sure my memory is hazey). But my friend Marcel vd Aa made a custom skin for me on my Bday for that event.
Q. Are you racing in public servers? What is the difference between a public server and a RD server?
I rarely race on the public servers unless I am really bored. The big difference between RD racing and publics is the familiarity with the drivers that you race with. You learn to know how and where you can drive around certain people which makes race decisions alot easier and all around more enjoyable racing.
Q. Which is your favorite sub-forum in RaceDepartment?
The American Racing Club. Big thanks to Eric Nelson and Stefan Werner for their efforts in the club, its truly appreciated by all racers.
Q. What do you think about the latest rankings feature and forum upgrades?
The rankings feature IMHO is a good way to size up opponents pre-race. You can check out the field and see if the guy you are racing with has a history of DNFs and it gives you early warning to steer clear especially if you have never raced with that person before. Also it allows hardcore simracers to compare themselves and their laptimes with others at RD.
Q. Your favorite game? Not only simracings, among all genres.
Seeing as I dont play anything else, I would have to say right now the Race series is my hands down favorite....although I own 2 copies of just about every simracing game made since Papyrus' Indy Car Racing, I dont play much else other then Race and rFactor right now.
Q. Are you addicted to simracing? For example if your PC breaks and you can't fix it for a month, would you be depressed and distressed?
I would have to say I am addicted, but if my PC breaks I wont sleep until I fix it. I would say the most downtime ive had since joining RD was about 8 hours waiting for a PC store to open to get a new PSU
Q. Favorite motorsports to watch? And who do you support there?
At the moment my favorite motorsport would have to be Nascar. I know there isnt much excitement there turning left for 4 hours, but I usually tune in for the last 50 laps. My #1 driver there is Jaun Pablo Montoya...they guy has proven himself in EVERY aspect of racing and deserves to break his oval win cherry
Q. Your biggest phobia?
Running out of beer during the Friday night club race.
Q. Your biggest dream?
Danica Patrick and a whole lot of whip cream
Q. A typical question, you are going to live on a deserted island, which 5 things would you bring there?
1) Racing wheel and pedals
2) PC
3) Satelite internet hookup
4) Beer
5) More beer
Q. Any last words, and a message to RaceDepartment members?
To anyone on the fence about joining, what are you waiting for?!?!?! If you are looking for a place to race cleanly and have some fun this is the place. What seperates RD from every other site is the community. Ive been all across the net and back simracing and there is NOTHING that compares to the comradery, friendliness, and community that RD has to offer.
Also anyone who is interest the American Touring Car Challenge season 3 (the league I run) is starting in November. Last season we had so many entries we needed to run a 2 server setup. The racing is fantastic and the group of people racing is even better. Details will be released about S3 in the coming weeks.
Thank you very much Keith, good luck in your future races
