Club50 - Racing for over 50s

[Steve Worrell]

Over 50 and looking to race online? Well I am proud to introduce Club50 on simracing.gp

Here is founder Paul Valesco to take you through how it all came about.

If you would like to join Club50 please join the Discord server first - https://discord.gg/rtW3X6TDT9

More information:

Founder Paul Valesco:
Sim Racing as an esports has its roots in the late nineties, since then it has been a modest growth curve, until 2020. COVID-19 triggered the biggest boom in gaming acreoss the board, lockdwon means plenty time for the hobby or esport, depending on where you are on the fence.

Meanwhile a generation of sim racers from the ninties and earlier have aged, thos that were in their 20s, 30s and 40s in those days are now seniors pushing 50 and beyond. New bllod, means a lot more faster guys and an altered sporting ethos that may not align with the older generation.

Hence as esports matures, sim racing in particular, the creation of a seniors division of racing series provides a boost for older drivers wanting to drive against their peers just like in most other sports: tennis, running, soccer, golf etc. The time is now to establish seniors divisions in all sim racing platforms, with Club 50 set up to do so through simracing.gp hosting portal and Race Department's Club Racing gateway.Sim Racing as an esports has its roots in the late nineties, since then it has been a modest growth curve, until 2020. COVID-19 triggered the biggest boom in gaming acreoss the board, lockdwon means plenty time for the hobby or esport, depending on where you are on the fence.

Meanwhile a generation of sim racers from the ninties and earlier have aged, thos that were in their 20s, 30s and 40s in those days are now seniors pushing 50 and beyond. New bllod, means a lot more faster guys and an altered sporting ethos that may not align with the older generation.

Hence as esports matures, sim racing in particular, the creation of a seniors division of racing series provides a boost for older drivers wanting to drive against their peers just like in most other sports: tennis, running, soccer, golf etc. The time is now to establish seniors divisions in all sim racing platforms, with Club 50 set up to do so through simracing.gp hosting portal and Race Department's Club Racing gateway.

Co-Founder Steve Worrell:
I started my own simracing community around April and it has gone on to do quite well, but something I noticed was the drivers over the age of 50 weren't sticking around. This was because the level of competition was quite high and the atmosphere in the group was on the quite tense.

I recognised the need to provide a community specifically catering for the more mature racers. Thankfully I met Paul and we both shared the vision to provide such a community and thus, Club50 was born. I still have a few years to go before I can race in Club50 but I am absolutely committed to delivering a great experience for our drivers in the meantime.

 

[Peevee88]

First order of business is to ascertain how big the seniors community by showing interest in this forum where we can then plan to take the next steps.
Would be good to gauge driver interest in the comments below, as well as preferred platforms, cars and tracks etc. so as to establish a road=map to race events in the short term, to championship sin the long run.
Please feel free to register your interest and thoughts below.

 

[Darpa181]

Interested for sure

 

[Jim Carvalho]

I’m definitely interested. How about Club70?
Your first roadblock is discord. We’re too old to start learning yet one more communication medium that may not be around in five years. I agree: Let’s gauge the interest level first.
Thanks for suggesting this.

 

[racingmad]

Yes i agree with jim carvalho, really not interested in learning yet another "App" or Coms device or yet another batch of frustrating logs and passwords. Interested in Click n play. for mature Sensible classics Drivers.

 

[Steve Worrell]

Hi guys.

Thanks for the feedback. Ok so if discord is not preferable do you have any suggestions for an alternative communications tool?

currently we have 15 drivers in the discord chat so we could go racing pretty soon I think.

 

[Redvaliant]

I'd be interested.
I race with a bunch of guys in the rF2 Historics on Thursdays here at RD and they are largely an older cohort. The appeal, I think, is mainly because the cars are "cars" and have "proper" H pattern gearboxes - everytime I've fired up ACC I get to the 15 different ABS and TC settings and the Starship Enterprise cockpit and think....Nahhh! But that's just me and I recognise that modern racers have their appeal for many, so I'd not be adverse to the occasional race with them.

Oh, and we use Teamspeak for chat/banter etc.

 

[Flanker E]

I would be interested in joining and competing. Please let me know what is required to sign up.
The Sim platforms to be used would also be good to know.

My only question is I live in Australia, is this going to be problematic as far as time zones go.

Cheers,

 

[Peevee88]

I’m definitely interested. How about Club70?
Your first roadblock is discord. We’re too old to start learning yet one more communication medium that may not be around in five years. I agree: Let’s gauge the interest level first.
Thanks for suggesting this.

Jim
The options are there I think for Club40 and up tbh, but for now the half-century mark is a good start...
I am 60 and Discord took awhile... and our group Steve has made very simple. But again it must not be a game stopper. And if you don't want to join its fine
But open to suggestions eg. Facebook or (thinking aloud) why not here in this forum as the HQ?
From what I see it works well with RD Clubs, we can use that as a template.
Let's not reinvent the wheel
Priority as Jim says: Let's gauge interest with this as the central point, Discord optional but seriously you won't miss out not being on it as this will be the portal for info on Club50.

 

[Peevee88]

Yes i agree with jim carvalho, really not interested in learning yet another "App" or Coms device or yet another batch of frustrating logs and passwords. Interested in Click n play. for mature Sensible classics Drivers.

Thats the point so we in the same boat. Arrive & Drive!

 

[Peevee88]

I'd be interested.
I race with a bunch of guys in the rF2 Historics on Thursdays here at RD and they are largely an older cohort. The appeal, I think, is mainly because the cars are "cars" and have "proper" H pattern gearboxes - everytime I've fired up ACC I get to the 15 different ABS and TC settings and the Starship Enterprise cockpit and think....Nahhh! But that's just me and I recognise that modern racers have their appeal for many, so I'd not be adverse to the occasional race with them.

Oh, and we use Teamspeak for chat/banter etc.

Agreed the modern sims its information overload!

But Assettofor now on simracing.gp is the first option. Also SIMRACE247 server on AC lobbies is hosted by my website, so that can be a place to have 247, for guys to test, run hotlaps, try mods etc

 

[Peevee88]

I would be interested in joining and competing. Please let me know what is required to sign up.
The Sim platforms to be used would also be good to know.

My only question is I live in Australia, is this going to be problematic as far as time zones go.

Cheers,

I would imagine there are old blokes in Aus who sim, its about spreading the word. If we all tap up two or three guys our age and get them interested it goes 'viral' as they say these days. Also strick it on forums or wherever the message may get more eyeballs.

 

[Peevee88]

Let's try this poll.
You can pick more than one.

What is your favoured Sim

Vote Now! [Assetto Corsa] [Assetto Corsa Competizione] [RaceRoom] [rFactor 2] [iRacing] [Automobilista 2] [F1 2020]

www.strawpoll.me

 

[Jim Carvalho]

So I voted for rF2 because I have it and am familiar with most of the vintage mods. I have AC and have a few vintage mods for it, but never use it online. ACC looks like mostly modern cars, but I haven’t honestly given it a good look. I’m not as impressed with the physics of AC compared to rF2; so haven’t pursued it for online. Did I mention I like vintage mods? Let’s hear it for bias-ply tires and no aero!

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Turned 45 last Saturday so I'll be joining you in 2025 @Peevee88, good luck with this great concept!

 

[Peevee88]

Thanks Bram, might be place for a Club40...
Just remembered, I actually thought about this concept when I turned 40! Now 19 years later!
People say I am impatient!

 

[Peevee88]

So I voted for rF2 because I have it and am familiar with most of the vintage mods. I have AC and have a few vintage mods for it, but never use it online. ACC looks like mostly modern cars, but I haven’t honestly given it a good look. I’m not as impressed with the physics of AC compared to rF2; so haven’t pursued it for online. Did I mention I like vintage mods? Let’s hear it for bias-ply tires and no aero!

AC online is very good, the netcode etc superb but physics not rF2 standard, but honestly getting better all the time with a healthy and prolific modding community

ACC I am like you on the fence. One sim too many maybe?

rF2 its the sim that I 'feel' the most and my go-to sim but the whole UI is disgraceful.
I think you will find you are not alone with the retro stuff...

Having said that, I envisage enough interest in the long term (a guy emailed me and is firing up his rig after ten years but wants to practice first before he joins online) for AC, ACC, RF2 etc will have Club50 communities within their eco-system

 

[Peevee88]

We have an AC server. Let's Play.
BMW v Ferrari GT2 original Kunos Car & Track

 

[Peevee88]

So I voted for rF2 because I have it and am familiar with most of the vintage mods.

Jim, rFactor 2 is my preferred sim however I am clueless about servers etc for it and no desire to learn.
However we can get a rF2 dedicated 247 server but we would need someone to manage, setup and admin it. Anysuggestions?

 

[brc19]

I am interested. Fairly new to sim racing, a bit over a year. Almost all of my sim time is on R3E, with a bit on iRacing.
That said, I have rF2, AMS2, AC and ACC. Time to learn another sim.