Skip ahead if you must… Here’s the highlights from this episode you might be most interested in and their corresponding time stamps.

• 00:00 Introduction to Screen to Speed
• 00:55 Meet Emma Galasso: Sim Racer and Brand Partnership Coordinator
• 01:28 Emma’s Journey into Sim Racing
• 03:12 Sim Racing Setup and Evolution
• 05:46 Challenges and Learning in Sim Racing
• 08:16 Practice Routine and Coaching
• 10:32 Sim Racing Community and League Details
• 12:29 Highlights and Achievements in Sim Racing
• 14:31 Real-Life Racing Experiences
• 17:12 Professional Journey in the Automotive Industry
• 24:52 Comparing Motorsports in Europe and the US
• 31:30 The Appeal of IMSA and Daytona 500
• 32:18 Sim Racing vs. Real Life Racing
• 33:30 The Challenges and Rewards of Sim Racing
• 36:36 Balancing Aggression and Strategy in Racing
• 43:01 Encouraging Women in Sim Racing
• 53:05 Future Goals and Advice for New Sim Racers
• 01:00:02 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Crew Chief Brad: [00:00:00] Welcome to Screen to Speed powered by INIT eSports. In this podcast, we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals, making waves in sim racing and bridging the virtual with the real. From the thrill of digital circuits to the roar of real life racetracks, we explore the passion, Dedication and innovation that drives the world of motorsports.

We’ll hear from athletes, creators, and pioneers sharing their stories, insights, and the powerful ways sim racing is connecting communities and creating pathways into motorsports. So buckle up screen. The speed starts now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Hello everyone. Welcome to new talks. Uh, happy to see everybody here on the channel. Uh, today we got. Emma Galasso with us, uh, she is a brand partnership [00:01:00] coordinator in the automotive industry and also sim racer. And she took a part in the last, uh, screen to speed event, which we had, uh, this weekend. And also she’s going to share any talks in 2025 with me.

Welcome Emma.

Emma Galasso: Thank you so much for having me. It’s so exciting to be here and I can’t wait to, uh, embark in 2025 and do it some more. So thank you.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. Thank you for taking your time and, uh, have this show with us. Uh, so let’s start with, uh, how did you first get into some racing and, uh, what actually inspired you to start?

Emma Galasso: Yeah, so my journey started a little later than a lot of people in sim racing. I was 26. I’m dating myself here, but I was 26 and I really wanted to learn more about motorsport in a way that was not just watching it on TV because I love watching Formula One and I watched racing since I was a kid, but I didn’t understand it.

And for me, the best way to understand it is to actually do it. But you [00:02:00] know, I don’t have half a million dollars lying around to go By a Porsche 911 to go take around the track. So I got into sim racing instead. I started on my PlayStation actually on F1 2021 and had a grand old time on that. And then, uh, My brother is really good at building PCs, so I got his help to build a PC, and then I made the transition over to Assetto Corsa, have a really amazing league there, um, and that league helped me really get into sim racing, because it was fun to hot lap by myself, but, Having a lead really pushes you to be faster and better and actually race other people.

So since then, I’ve been racing on a set of Corsa and then recently making the switch toward iRacing, uh, to do more events like this and just joining new communities. I also am on TikTok, uh, talking about my racing journey. So if you ever want to really scroll back in the archives, you can see me being really proud of some really slow laps, but it’s all about documenting the journey.

So.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm hmm. Yeah, [00:03:00] that’s great. Yeah. So that’s cool that you started from console. So many people, you know, starting from really basic entry level things like console and really simple sim racing wheel. How’s your sim racing setup looks like right now? So how it’s involved? Yeah.

Emma Galasso: So right now, I would say I still have I mean, it’s definitely a pretty good setup.

I have a Fanatec wheel. I have a, um, DD Pro wheel with the boost kit. So I have eight new meters of force, you know, all that I have a boost, sorry, a load cell pedal. Um, but I don’t have an actual aluminum rig or anything. I’m still in a place seat challenge with my direct drive wheel. So, uh, I was just, we were talking before this call.

I just lugged my whole rig in the back of my car, 600 miles to come to my parents house, which is where I’m at now. Um, and that. The play state is really great because I just literally fold it up, put it in the back of my car and drive it up here and I have only one monitor. It’s not even a big huge monitor.

I used to just play with my, um, [00:04:00] TV. That used to be my TV for everything, but for sim racing, the lag time on that was pretty crazy. So switching to a monitor was helpful. Um, my next. Kind of upgrade will be probably better pedals a triple triples monitors, hopefully and then actually getting an aluminum rig But I started on a logitech g29 with my at the probably the worst possible Amazon buy of a Wheelbase thing that I could possibly have gotten and just because of my thing was, I didn’t even know if I was going to like sim racing.

I was doing it as a challenge for myself, but I didn’t want to, you know, spend a ton of money on a rig that I wasn’t going to use. And I figured, you know, I knew people that were really fast on a lot of G29. I said, well, I mean, they’re going to learn to be fast in a G29 or I’m going to. You know, not like it.

So thankfully, I end up liking it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Oh, that’s good. You know, when you can try something and start just [00:05:00] with entry level equipment because you’re not spending a lot of money and then the same time you give it a try and also think if you would like to continue or not. Uh, really funny thing that, uh, I started with G27, uh, back in the days also, uh, right now with, uh, Freshmaster, DD, T818, and, uh, low tail pedals, and then got triple screens.

So I started with single screen as well. Uh, yeah, that’s really cool. You know, um, I met a lot of people on the talks and they, Most of the people started like from really basic, like G27, G29. It’s really funny. Um, can you tell me what challenges you face, um, as a new sim racer in, uh, in Assetto Corsa?

Emma Galasso: Yeah, I think that my biggest challenge has just been mentally, honestly, because sim racing, I, I wanted to do as a challenge.

Um, and I equate it to learning a language. That’s what I always tell people. I think I said that I’m on [00:06:00] the last time I was in a talk. But it’s, you have to learn so much. There’s so much going on in your brain while you’re driving. You’re doing math. You’re not even thinking about, you know, you’re finding the apex of the corner.

You’re looking ahead. You have to remember all these things while you’re driving and coming from nothing, no racing experience, except for a couple laps in Gran Turismo with my dad on controller, like I had no idea. What racing was going to be like at all. So it was learning all of that. And then also in my league, learning race crafts and how to get out of the way of everybody.

Cause I was always in the very back. Um, and you know, honestly being used to being last because in my league, I was 100 percent of the time, like the slowest person didn’t always mean I took last place because I always say like you have to just finish the race because some people DNF and you get ahead of them.

And that’s a learning experience. But I’m someone who likes to succeed in things as soon as I start them. And so racing was definitely not that way. And I wouldn’t even call myself [00:07:00] successful now. I’m still very much in the learning process. And that’s what’s so cool about it is you don’t really feel like you’re improving.

And you go back and look at a lap you did with the you were so proud of before and like, there was a lap at spa, for example, and I said, of course, a competency on a, I don’t even remember what the time was, but it was so bad. And I worked so hard to get that time. And then I came back a couple of months ago and just did a lap just to see what it was like.

And my warm up lap was almost 4 seconds faster than that lap. You improve a lot, but you don’t feel like it, which is really cool.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s nice. Uh, also, um, how was your routine of, uh, the, the practice, uh, for, for the years, yeah, because, uh, you mentioned that you started, you know, like you, uh, finished last most of the races and that went not as you expected.

Uh, I think kind of the same thing happened to me when I moved from in real life racing to some racing, I felt that I’m going to pulling away from everybody, uh, but then you just meet all these people in some racing and they [00:08:00] Too competitive and they super cool and really consistent on the track So I had to like step back and learn all things.

So once again, so How is it for you? Like what is your routine of the practice for this years?

Emma Galasso: Yeah, so I started out, my goal was to learn as quickly as possible to be as good as I could be as fast as possible. And for me, that was finding a coach. Um, so I have been coached by Isaac Gilson, who is a Ferrari eSports driver, actually now, um, at the time he wasn’t, but he’s been my coach since pretty much day 1.

I, I drive with him almost every single Sunday we have an hour and I’ll think I’m doing really good and then he’ll just come in and be like, uh, you got to like adjust your right knee here or something, which is what I needed because if it was just up to me thinking my laps were really good, you know, I would have thought that I was the best sim racer out there and joined a league and get absolutely stomped like, and my league is also [00:09:00] extremely fast.

The people in my league are pretty top tier drivers and they’re also wonderful people. So. I purposely joined a league that was, uh, rookie friendly, but was way faster than me. I had to work really hard just to be six seconds behind the next slowest guy, and that was a good challenge for me. So, um, I practiced at least 30 minutes every day and I still try to hold to that.

I work full time job and have events to go to and stuff like that, but I always try to get my practice time in. And now I can practice a lot longer because I’ve done endurance races and stuff like that. But See, time is the most important, but also getting see time with a fresh brain, because if you’re in there and you’re just forcing yourself to drive 5 hours in a row.

That doesn’t work for me that well. And then I also, um, try to learn outside of actually driving. So you have to learn about setups and learn about all these things which comes through talking with people, attending real races, or taking courses online and stuff like that. So I’ve been [00:10:00] doing that as well.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, and

Emma Galasso: it’s been, it’s been a challenge, but it’s, um, it’s a good time. And it’s, it’s fun to learn new stuff and, and see, and honestly, the community is what’s so great about sim racing because I can bring a problem to somebody in my league and they can solve it immediately where it would take me two days to figure it out just because you have the experience.

And that’s what’s so cool. I can connect with people all over the world just through this.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s a really cool stuff. That’s community really friendly. They helpful. And, uh, I can tell about our racing community because most of the time I’m racing and racing. And, um, as I told you, the, I said, of course, it seems like also really friendly and you mentioned that you’re doing the leak and I know that you’re doing it every Monday.

Can you give more details about the leak? Because, because maybe some people, uh, I’m going to be interested to jump in to this leak.

Emma Galasso: Yeah, so my league is called SBR. It’s Shake and Bake Racing. They’ve been around, this is actually their 5th, I say our, like it’s my league, it’s not my [00:11:00] league. But it’s the 5 year anniversary of SBR, um, this upcoming season, or 2025.

And we do races every Monday night, um, And all different tracks all different cars. We have a different theme every season So that’s been great for me because i’ve gotten to drive a ton of different cars everything from club cars to Indy lights to gt3s So you have to learn a lot and I only had a week to practice for every track stuff like that So it’s been a great community for me and all the guys that are really awesome So huge shout out to them and actually I was able to meet a lot of them in real life because we’re all Based in the u.

s. Most of us. Sorry to the canadians and Um, our Australian friends, but most of us are in the US, so we meet up at real races and just get to talk about motorsport outside of racing. So it’s a really great community to be a part of. Um, yeah, and honestly, I don’t even have time for another league, really, because I, I, even my league right now, I’ve been kind of falling off the cliff there because I’ve been so [00:12:00] busy with work, but they’re just all great guys.

And I love them.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s great that you got this really friendly and nice leak. And also, uh, you mentioned that some people are competitive. I think it’s, uh, really help you to improve, uh, day by day. Because when you, you know, racing the leak where you’re first, uh, you’re like, you don’t have motivation to go forward and to improve your lap times.

And it’s really cool to find the leak where you, uh, always got the space for improvements. It’s really cool. Um, Can you tell me about the highlights in your sim racing career so far? Well,

Emma Galasso: um, I will say one of my favorite things doesn’t actually have to do with racing, but my league has a livery contest every single season.

And I think I’m an eight time livery contest winner. So that’s where all my wins come from is the liveries. Because for me, that’s I love drawing. So Doing, um, just coming up with new themes every season, and we just had Yu Gi Oh! [00:13:00] themed liveries for our IMSA season recently. And that’s been a really fun aspect for me in terms of actual racing highlights.

Um, it’s hard to say, just because for me there hasn’t been like a bunch of wins, because like I said, my league is so big. Super fast. So if I ever were to beat them, it would probably just be the highlight of my career. But I did the Ferrari eSports series this past year, and I totally did not think I was going to qualify period to the next round, but I made it through to the next round hot laps.

I didn’t know that I made it into a week before the race, so I didn’t have a lot of time to prep. So that would be my excuse, but I still managed P7, I think P7 in both of the qualifying races for that. So. That was a big moment for me, but honestly, e sports has really gotten me a lot of contacts, um, in motorsports in real life.

I’ve been able to meet a bunch of amazing people. I went to, um, the Ferrari Challenge race at Road Atlanta a couple years ago, and I was able to talk shop with people and [00:14:00] It really has been helpful in just building my professional career as well, just through this racing and being around people who are talking about it and, you know, having my own quote unquote experience behind the wheel, which does translate because I was lucky enough to track a few cars a couple of weeks ago and I just got to floor it in a Porsche 911 around track and it was easier to do that when you have some racing experience.

So it does translate.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s awesome. Can you tell me what cars did you drive and what track?

Emma Galasso: Yeah, so we’re at Apex Motor Club in Arizona. So it’s a private club and I got to drive the Taycan Turbo GT, the Porsche 911 Carrera, the 911 GTS, and the 911 Turbo S, um, and we just got to do, like, a We were on the line driving our own cars with an instructor out front.

So I think you just heard my doorbell, but there was a so we were just lead and follow with an [00:15:00] instructor and they were driving a 718 in front of us. So a little bit slower, but, um, they were, they were explaining the track to us through one way radios in the car. Um, so I would just give myself a little space with the person in front of me and then just kind of floor it down the track and there’s there’s nothing quite like Taking a 911 and just absolutely pedal to the metal flooring it on the track and I got the chance to do that Which was absolutely amazing Um, and also the taikon turbo gt is all electric So that was a completely different kind of quote unquote sports car drive And it’s that is an amazing car Um, and so that was a treat to drive, and of course, I have to say the 911 was, was my favorite, just because the, the braking is actually what made a difference for me.

And when you do sim driving, you’re used to, you have to like, pretty much stomp on the brakes in faster cars and stuff like that. So it wasn’t scary for me to hit ABS really hard and whatever. Um, because I did do that once and, but you just know what to [00:16:00] expect. So it’s, it’s really helpful to have the sim racing background.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, definitely. Sim racing experience can help you to improve in the real life. Uh, so also practice, uh, a lot of race room, uh, with Sepang because I raced at that time, uh, formal four in Malaysia, and that really helped me to fixed. Some mistakes, as you said, it’s, uh, it’s really cool to have a sim racing experience as a background.

Uh, and speaking about 911, that’s one, one of my favorite car, uh, in the world. And it’s really cool. So I drove it on the real track also, and I really like to drive it. And I racing, um, driving the Porsche cup 992, um, absolutely amazing car. One of the best in the world, really.

Emma Galasso: Yeah, it’s

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: a

Emma Galasso: pretty, it’s a pretty fun car.

Just getting in and starting the engine is pretty amazing. So I’m lucky enough that I got the chance to do that. And yeah, I get some, some work perks that let me drive those cars a lot. So it’s pretty fun.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: [00:17:00] Indeed. Uh, you also mentioned that you work in right now in automotive industry. Yes. And you like really close to some racing and some racing actually help you to reach some people in real life as well.

Uh, can you tell me more about your professional journey outside of the sim racing?

Emma Galasso: Yeah, so my professional journey is pretty interesting. I went to business school for college because I really wanted to get into the film industry and people said, well, don’t go to college for film go to college for business because film is a business.

And that’s probably the best advice that I got. So I did that. And then I immediately joined the film industry. So I worked for Marvel Disney netflix. Um, working on a bunch of movies and then ultimately went to work in stunts. So I handled the entire stunt team for several films and TV shows. And then, um, there was some big strikes the past two years ago.

I think it was now. And the film industry has kind of collapsed to be [00:18:00] quite honest. So I decided that I wanted to pivot and see what See if I could try my hand at getting into motor sports and automotive because I have such a passion for it and I wanted to learn more. And there’s nothing that makes you learn more than having to do it as your job.

So, um, I was lucky enough to, I mean, honestly, in film and in automotive, I had no contacts really. I just kind of cold called and cold contacted in my way. I literally went to races, um, like the Ferrari challenge, for example. I went to the race, and I was standing there, and they had a Puro Sengway there, just on display, it was one of the first ones to come to America, and I was like, oh my gosh, this has the V12, can I see it?

And the guy was like, what are you talking about? How do you know about the V12? And then we started talking, and he brought me over to all the other cars that they had, so, and then I got to meet the, like, the president of Ferrari North America, who just happened to be walking by. And just saying hi to people and, um, talking and then go, I actually went to, [00:19:00] for example, the Porsche experience center in Atlanta, Georgia has a sports competition kind of thing a couple years ago where you could just show up there, set a lap and see if you were the top qualifier, you could go to the next French sport.

And so I went to try my hand at it. I wasn’t very good at sim racing at the time, but I met one of the guys from my league there. I’d never met in person, um, found out he’s like a real life driving coach. Um, and he’s an amazing sim racer as well. And got to talk to him, got to talk to a bunch of people at Porsche.

And then, you know, just, just finding things to go to where car people are at that are actually involved in motorsport. Cars and coffee is really fun. We have those too. I go to those sometimes. But going to events where it’s more. You know, people are there to work at races. So, like, going to IMSA races, for example, if you have the opportunity and you’re in the U.

S. to go to an IMSA race, you get complete pit lane access, everything, just as a regular attendee, so it’s not like Formula 1 where you’re really limited. Um, I’ve met so many people just walking through [00:20:00] there, saying hi, you know, pointing something out about the cars, just being nice, always be nice to people, and don’t ask questions.

For things, um, just talking to people and it really helped me get a leg up into the industry and also honestly, sim racing, just meeting people and talking to people through sim racing has gotten me a lot of connections, um, including this one through any sports was just, I actually found Steffi through LinkedIn through somebody else.

That I was connected with and I saw this post about, I think it was, um, the fall cup. I was like, well, that’s pretty cool. And then ended up finding it at Eastwards through that. So just being open to connecting with everyone and talking with everyone can, can really help. And I would say that for any industry, but I’ve been lucky enough, sorry.

I’ve been lucky enough that it’s worked for me twice in two different industries. So there’s gotta be something there.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: It’s really nice that you’re going with the, with the flow of the life, yeah, and, uh, just, uh, connect people casually during, uh, visiting the events and everything. So I think that viewers can, [00:21:00] uh, definitely use this, uh, in, in their lives.

Um, for me, I also found a lot of people, um, as I’m streaming on Twitch, Streaming I racing and, uh, really just a lot of people come here and, uh, you know, met the Tony Cannan and I met a lot of other racing drivers like Daniel Morad and yeah, that’s pretty awesome that we got this opportunity and really some racing op open a lot of, uh, doors, uh, for yourself and it’s, uh, it’s nice.

Uh, can you tell me that, uh, about, um, do you have any like specific tracks and cars, uh, like your. your best combo and the combo which you like and dislike

Emma Galasso: also. I have to say that I don’t. Partially because my league, we race so many different tracks. I’m always trying to learn a new track, which I enjoy because I don’t really want to get, you know, kind of stuck.

I mean, [00:22:00] I gotta think. I don’t know if I have a favorite. I, I really, there’s so many things I like about different tracks and so many, for me, I think about the memories on, um, different tracks, like Watkins, for example, I think I talked about this in my last in a talk, but we had some amazing GT4 races at Watkins in my league.

And so Watkins is fun to me because of that. We also have, like, a running meme in my league about Watkins because all of us love it so much. Um, tracks I, I hate. Oh, I don’t know. I think there’s just certain parts of tracks that I hate. Like I’m thinking I love Monza as a track. I’ve actually been there in real life and it’s such a cool place to go to, but basically second, third sector of Monza is not my friend at all.

But I still love the track, so I can do really terrible on a track and still have fun there. And that’s what’s so cool is like you, to me, it’s like every corner is a different problem to solve and you got to solve them all the same time. So there’s a lot of. A lot of learning to be had and I would say [00:23:00] thankfully I don’t have a track that I completely hate though I’m sure if you went back in my like discord chat history on my league you’d see me hating a lot of tracks.

It’s not, I don’t actually, I can’t think of one off the top of my head so I guess it can’t be too bad.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, all the time. I noticed that, uh, you know, the most hated track, which you got in your list, that’s actually the track which you, uh, just can nail and you can race it properly. And you just dislike it.

Like, I hate this track. It’s so horrible or something like this. Um, that happened with Sebring for me. That’s really funny. Uh, so when I started to learn it, I was like, wow, it’s so complicated track to learn. I really dislike the flow of the track and everything. Uh, but when I learned it and I started to hit a really good pace on this track, I started to like, yes, I like Sebring.

Okay. Yeah,

Emma Galasso: I do have to say. Paul Ricard is not a track that I enjoy. I forgot about that one. But I did that one in [00:24:00] ACC and I was, I hated it. I didn’t think I got very good at it because I just think it was like one of the tracks I had to do and beat a certain time to get into LFM or something. And then I was.

The track changed before I qualified for it. So I was like, thank you. I can do something else now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. Like many people call the polycards as a big parking load or something like this. Yeah, definitely.

Emma Galasso: Yeah. And Sebring, we just did Sebring. I was actually at the Sebring race this year. I was at Sebring in the DPI for Rally League and it was awfully bumpy.

I didn’t do particularly well at Sebring, but it was, it was fun. You know, whatever. I still like it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Well, Sebring is a challenging track because it’s actually flat, uh, but some bumps, uh, make your life really hard. Yes, definitely. Yeah, uh, you mentioned that you’ve been in Monza. I guess that there was some kind of racing event and, um, I would like to know if, uh, Can you compare the [00:25:00] motorsport in Europe and in United States and what’s different between them?

And what do you like the most like in United States within racing? And what do you like the most in European motorsport?

Emma Galasso: Yeah, so I was actually at Monza, there wasn’t a race going on. I just have friends that live right by it. So I was like, well, I think we should go visit. So I was able to go visit when nobody was there, which is cool because they have the old banking and stuff like that.

Um, I would say. Even though I haven’t been to a motorsport event in Europe yet, I have a bunch of friends who have been to many races in Europe, including American friends who went, and I guess I got to experience it a lot through one of my friends went to, um, the Austrian GP in 2021. So this was like way back in kind of the first one of the first races back from COVID.

And it’s just, first of all, in Europe, racing is so much more common, I guess, like everyone, like I was just in Italy two years ago, and they had, um, Mika hiking in on a cardboard [00:26:00] cut out in front of a tire place in America. Nobody would know who that was. You can put Michael Schumacher outside of a gas station in America and probably no 1 would know who Michael Schumacher is.

And it’s just something that. We have, we have our NASCAR drivers and stuff like that, that you’d probably, you might know their name. I’m sure a lot of people would, a lot more people would know a NASCAR driver than like Formula One. But, um, like even karting, for example, I was just speaking with a couple of people from Europe who were here for the Las Vegas GP, which I attended.

And it was, They were talking about how carting tracks, there’s carting tracks all over in Europe, and they don’t take that long to get to. The closest carting track to me is an hour and a half drive away and there’s just not really a place to access it. So, when we go to races for formula 1, for example, it’s way more expensive in the US and a lot of people, you know, they’re going because it’s formula 1, not necessarily for the racing.

Um, I would say, since drive to survive is a lot more crowded, [00:27:00] but there’s just kind of a different ambiance because. In Europe, you can still go to a race for not that expensive, but in the US, everyone who’s there is paying probably 500 at least, just to get like a general admission ticket there. Um, so there’s a lot of differences, but I think that racing, like IMSA racing, for example, has definitely changed in the 2 or 3 years I’ve been going.

It’s become way more popular and way more fun, honestly, but also a lot more crowded. It used to just be the diehard fans that were there. My first year at the Daytona 24, we were on the grid, walking around, whatever. My friends who’d been there before said, this is the most packed it’s ever been. And I was like, whatever.

The next year, it was 25 percent more crowded than we, than it was when I was there. So it’s becoming more popular and it’s, it’s becoming more of a thing. But, um, yeah, I would just say that in Europe, it’s more accessible and it’s more, uh, like more people are, have been around it for a while. Whereas in the US, that’s not necessarily the case unless, [00:28:00] you know, Probably unless you’re at NASCAR and maybe IndyCar.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: I think that NASCAR is so popular and also in United States, you got a lot of, uh, dirt ovals. Uh, it’s really popular because like everybody can buy the street stock. It’s so, so cheap to buy and you just, uh, can jump into races and it’s really cool opportunity because I think in Europe, uh, overall, even karting, like in Italy, it’s so expensive.

Uh, and, uh, yeah. You know, um, it’s not open really for everybody. And this is the fact which I like about the United States and their racing. Uh, because, uh, they got really nice racing series where you can just have fun and have your own car and race, like, Some weekends. Yeah. And, uh, that’s really cool opportunity, which we don’t have in Europe.

Um, if we’re talking about formalists, I’ve been into formalists in real life, and it’s really expensive. Like the whole season in, uh, Spain, [00:29:00] formal free cause like 300, 000 euros. or something like this. So there was a price for 2015 when I race, uh, informal masters. Uh, so yeah, but, uh, overall, I think that even if we’re talking about road racing, um, I think in Europe, more races, uh, in, in that category.

Yeah, definitely. Uh, if we’re talking about all walls, all walls are great in the United States.

Emma Galasso: Yeah, I would agree. I’m, to be fair, I’m not very involved in the ovals of the US, even though I’m kind of surrounded by NASCAR. But yeah, it’s kind of amazing to kind of, I came into it backwards, kind of, I was into road racing and Formula One, and then kind of became aware, I’ve always been aware of NASCAR, but came into the, the NASCAR fandom, I would say.

And since then, it’s just been, it’s kind of, it’s pretty funny, actually, to see the differences between NASCAR fans and Formula One fans, and just how, you know, Honestly, how NASCAR as an organization handles things versus like the FIA, for example, [00:30:00] um, like with Formula 1. Uh, so there’s a lot of differences there and it’s just it’s that’s part is interesting to me It’s like how the operations can be different even though to most people racing is racing They don’t even think about there being a difference between oval and road racing Um, so seeing all the nuances makes it makes it interesting and cool

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s always great that we got, you know, different series, different categories, which we, uh, which we enjoy.

I would love to go to United States one day and visit NASCAR because I’m just in love with Opels after I jump into our racing. And, you know, if you’re jumping into our racing and got all this, uh, like four licenses, uh, it’s a bit more right now. Um, and you just want to get out of rookies in every category and you’re trying to do this and you’re like, wow.

I like ovals and maybe I would like to drive them, uh, from time to time. And yeah, I get into the street stalls, then start to, uh, drive ovals and we get into, uh, Ines car and, um, broadcasting their [00:31:00] races also together with them and it’s really fun. You know, I just get into the championship and I know all drivers and you like, uh, I know getting nervous because they are fighting on the track.

It’s really cool. I would love to try ovals one day. Uh, but if you enjoy the other category, I think it’s really cool that you got the opportunity to watch like IMSA and other series as well. Yeah, absolutely.

Emma Galasso: And I think that America is becoming more accessible for all of it, which is really cool. Um, I would say not so much as Formula 1.

Formula 1 gets more expensive every year, but, uh, technically so does IMSA, but IMSA is probably, if you really like road racing, And so it’s the way to start out where you can really, you can be up close and personal with the car. You can see the drivers running around. You can say hi to them. And it’s not like, you know, there’s not like 50M people all around them.

Um, but I haven’t been to a NASCAR race yet. Actually, I, I’ve been to Daytona just for, for the Rolex 24, but, um, I cannot imagine Daytona full of people for the Daytona 500, which it’s always sold out. [00:32:00] So it, it must be amazing.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: I think Daytona 500 alongside with, uh, Le Mans 24, uh, that’s a van, which you Have to visit and Daytona 24 as well.

It’s a great event, which What you got in the United States? Would you like to transfer your sim racing experience ever in real life racing? So do you see that you got opportunity maybe in the future to jump into some races in real life?

Emma Galasso: Um for me personally, I I well if I’m looking at my own future right now, I don’t think that’s a Something that’s going to happen.

Never say never, but it’s not something I’m actively pursuing at the moment. Mostly because I still feel like I have so much I can learn from sim racing and with the way my work is right now and all the different things I’m doing, it’s so nice to be able to literally, I could shut my laptop right now, go upstairs, get on my rig and be driving in 2 minutes [00:33:00] versus, you know, I would have to, again, drive an hour and a half to the nearest track to me.

You know, get the car there, do all this stuff. I know a lot of stunt guys that I used to work with, um, and still work with now. Actually, they do a lot of drifting and there’s a drift track near right across the street from road Atlanta. Those guys have to drive an hour to 2 hours to get to that track, unload their car, get it all ready to go.

You know, then you got to replace the tires after so many laps and stuff like that. And it’s just, it’s very time consuming. Like it’s so rewarding, like driving around a nine 11 on a track was amazing and I absolutely loved it. But at the same time for me with, you know, what my career is looking like and all of the different things I’m pursuing.

So like trying to be better in sim racing is the goal right now. I would never say no to driving a real race car, but. My, my goal here is just to be the best sim racer I can be, not necessarily getting into like a real life series, though. I wouldn’t be opposed to it. It’s not my goal.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: All right. Yeah, sounds good.

Uh, [00:34:00] because many people also ask me, uh, so I stopped the, the racing career because of the financial questions, of course. Uh, so my team just completely shut down, uh, the program, uh, which we’ve been running, uh, for, uh, And unfortunately we lost all budget and everything. Uh, so, and then during COVID, I started to stream.

I started to get into some racing and erasing, uh, specifically. And I realized that I really like, uh, so I, I had the same, uh, side with you in this, uh, real life streaming. I really like to make the content and, um, actually. Get more people into sim racing inspire them with my own journey. And that’s my goal.

So right now So just be focused on the content creation be focused on sim racing as well because I would like to encourage people to jump into sim racing to improve their skills to Uh, just have fun in right here and, uh, find maybe friends and community and find a good team [00:35:00] where they can do endurance races, for example.

So, yeah, I kind of agree with you so that you not really, uh, want to jump right now because you just got different goals and it’s okay, I think from my side. Uh, because for now I also got different goals, but, uh, yeah, in the future, if someone going to tell me, like, would you like to drive, I don’t know, 9 11 cop on the road Atlanta?

I would say, yes, yes, for sure. Let’s go.

Emma Galasso: Yeah. Right now I’d be questioning, if someone asked me that question, I’d be like, are you really sure you want me in that car? But hopefully in a little while it won’t be that way and it is cool like when you Like we were talking about you have triples. I have still have a single monitor There’s so many things that when you’re in a real car Like just you know, I don’t use vr vr makes me a little sick.

I’ve tried it before But being in a real 911, being able to actually turn my head and look at the apex of the corner was, oh, this is really cool. And then during the race, like, what I love about [00:36:00] Soto Corsa and ACC is that you have, like, the built in kind of radar to see where cars are versus iRacing. You literally just have to either listen to your crew chief or.

You have to just know where cars are and so I kind of like, like, right now, I, I drive by racing with no, um, like, third party overlays or anything. I haven’t downloaded, but I just can’t for the life of me. Remember to put them on and for me, that’s actually been a good challenge because I really have to be aware of what’s going on because that’s always my goal is like, okay, even if I’m last, you know, doing a multi class race last place.

I still want to be able to clock where other cars are, get out of the way for blue flags, like, whatever, and I think having that mentality in each race and taking it as like a learning experience has helped me now, so that when I’m actually fast enough to race with other people, I have kind of the built in race craft from, You know being passed so much like overtaken, but at the same time Um, there there is a downside to that in the sense that i’ve been [00:37:00] told by several of my Teammates and league mates that i’m too nice when cars are coming up to me because I mean, you know this too when you’re driving It’s it’s all like a game of chess Essentially, you have to anticipate the person in front of you anticipate the people behind you Are they going to try to overtake you?

What line are they going to take? How can you? kind of You Stop them from doing it. It’s like, well, I say chess, but to me, it’s kind of like a very complicated game of connect for like, they’re trying to get four in a row and you have to, you know, stop them also trying to get your win of four in a row. So that’s a very kind of crazy analogy for that.

But at the same time, um, But when I’m driving that way, I’ve I’ve been known to be a little too nice because cars are coming up. There’s so much faster than me that I’m like, whatever. I’m just going to let them pass because they’re 3 seconds faster than me in a lap. Whereas 1 of the guys who is in our league, I was shocked we were doing a reverse grid race.

And he was, um, like consistently one of the slower guys, but he held the entire field back because he just defended really [00:38:00] well. And after a couple of reasons like that, I was like, man, I should just be more aggressive with my defense because I really like, yes, I’m going to make them upset by holding them all up, but I’m in the lead of the race.

That’s the point. That’s what I’m supposed to do. So there’s a lot you can learn. And I just love that mental aspect. And there’s also the emotional aspect. If you’ve got a really aggressive driver who, you know, is going to go nuts. If you block them and take themselves out, then you’re You already won, you know, that kind of thing.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Well, I really, uh, dislike people who just, uh, holding the whole field, uh, because, you know, you got like top five and someone holding on P6 the, the, the rest of the field. And we just, uh, got the big gap then to the leaders. And you know that it got better gap, uh, better pace than this, uh, guy. And you just can’t overtake him because he’s defending crazy, like a lion.

And. I really dislike that because you can let go of me and, you know, other people behind me and we’re going to catch the train and we’re going to fight for the top three instead of [00:39:00] fighting for the, like, P6, P7 or, like, P10, uh, so, I don’t know, I’m kind of, you know, trying to balance with my, so if I can fight with, with person, I see that our pace are equal, uh, so then I’m going to fight, I’m going to defend.

Uh, but if I see that someone faster than, than I, by like four or three tens, I’m going to let go of this person and just go into race with him. And, uh, probably we’re going to catch, uh, next people and we got the opportunity to overtake them. So this is what I’m doing usually. And I think this racing is about balancing, especially in a race.

Uh, because sometimes you got to. People who Harry so bad, then you let go them, they crushing somewhere with someone in getting two positions. Yeah.

Emma Galasso: Like right now, my two most popular videos on my Tik TOK are my first two rookie races in the MX five. I just did like a commentary, um, overview of those races.

Like I shortened them down to like a minute and that was [00:40:00] basically what it was. I let everyone else, first of all, I didn’t even. Set a qualifying time because I wanted to start in last place to avoid the carnage of turn one and then both races. I ended up podium like on podium because these all these cars were just rushing to get ahead and they were crashing into each other.

They don’t have race craft, but they think they do. So they take each other out. And it’s just funny because during my commentary, like I was, I was just like kind of joking around. I was like, yeah, and this guy passed me, but he got karma later because he hit someone else. And all these people in the comments were like, what do you mean you got karma?

You overtook you clean. And I was like, yeah, I know that’s the joke. If you overtake me, it’s bad. Always. It’s just funny to see, like, you know, the community kind of, um, doing stuff like that. But I mean, that’s what rookie races are all about. I think they’re really entertaining. I say that as someone who hasn’t been kind of crashed into yet.

But. I’m actually going to do some, um, D license races tonight in the GR86. So we’ll see how those go. What?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s all the time happening with me that I’m [00:41:00] with community, I’m streaming and I’m like, okay guys, let’s let go this, this guy ahead of us. And then he just creating the huge crash ahead of me

So I’m getting like three, four positions. Uh, that’s. That’s a great moment and everybody laughing because you know when you cold blooded when you calm down, you just doing your pace, doing your laps. I think this is the best which you can do because you actually have to race your own race. So if someone wants to go ahead like, okay, they can go ahead and that’s it.

So Maybe something bad going to happen. Maybe this person going to catch other people and help me also. So yeah, I think you have to balance here with this. And, uh, of course we all get nervous, uh, before races and during races and some, uh, really, uh, exciting moments. Uh, but I think you should be, you should calm down and be cold blooded in racing.

This is, uh, the best which you can do for your results.

Emma Galasso: Yeah, I always tell [00:42:00] people, like, whenever I join a race, I see people that are way faster than me. I kind of, you know, give myself a little pep talk, because a lot of people are really fast at hot lapping, qualifying and stuff, and then their race, their race craft and their race pace just isn’t very good.

And one thing that, you know, when you’re in last place and you’re fighting for last place, you learn to be really consistent, because if you spin out and you’re in last place, now you’re in last place by like two minutes or three laps. Then, like, you know, 10 seconds. So it was always, I find myself being a really consistent driver, which is frustrating when I’m trying to, trying to set qualifying times, because I don’t really have the ability yet to really put in a blazing fast qualifying lap, but.

My qualifying lap is usually my race pace or pretty close to it, which has been way more helpful, honestly, because I’ll get into a race and maybe I qualified 5th or 6th, but my pace is well enough that I don’t spin out. I don’t go off track and I’m able to pick up the places because of that.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: [00:43:00] Yeah, that’s cool.

Um, so as we girls in some racing and from my side, I can tell that some racing for me more friendly place for me as a male, uh, racing driver than in real life races, which I did, uh, what do you think can be done to encourage more girls to jump into some racing into racing as well in the future?

Emma Galasso: Um. I think definitely having visibility for women in some racing is important because I remember part of the reason I started doing my content was because when I looked for creators who were female who were doing, you know, some racing, there was one or two girls that no longer made content.

I don’t even remember who they are. And I was like, okay, and then also, when I clicked on their content, they were way faster than I was. And I was like, well, can I watch any videos of people who aren’t just like. World record fast and so I was like well I guess I can be that person you guys can watch me take last and I was kind of shocked because I [00:44:00] really made my Videos just more for myself as a kind of a journal of like how I’m improving But a lot of people were like, thank you.

Like I love watching your journey Like I also just started like I didn’t know that everyone’s going through this so I think just having visibility on the struggles of sim racing not necessarily just like the You know top accolades which I think are important and I hope that more women are able to take those You know big time accolades and I hope to be one of them But it’s it’s something about visibility But also I think like you said the communities of sim racing was way more Correct Um, normal and accepting than, uh, other games.

Like, I used to play Call of Duty a lot, and I was like a top 10, 000 player in hardcore domination Call of Duty, and I had my team, and we were, like, very in sync with each other, um, But everyone else when I, when I played, it was like just constant abuse or whatever. And I’ve never had anything like that in sim racing.

No one has ever, [00:45:00] I’ve gotten, what I do get is people just assuming I don’t know anything because I’m a woman, which happens in real life too about cars, but that’s really it. I’ve never had anyone claim that I was, you know. Not a good driver or something, because I’m a woman, which surprised me, because I kind of thought that people would just love to, you know, kind of come after women.

But I think that’s why, um. When you’re starting out in sim racing it’d be really nice to have kind of a blueprint from other Experienced sim racers of like hey, you know don’t if you’re doing iRacing and you just jump into iRacing with your voice chat on and your chat on all this stuff and People are just like yelling at you and telling you don’t know how to overtake like you’re not gonna like sim racing You’re gonna hate it because you’re like what the heck I don’t know what i’m doing So and it’s so difficult because sim racing really is like Real driving, um, people like in America, at least we’re always driving our cars.

You think you can drive a car around track. It’s absolutely not the same. And then there’s no one saying like, hey, this is race [00:46:00] etiquette. You either have to watch racing or just like, kind of know intuitively from doing it yourself or something like that. So I think it’s really hard for new people. It’s not like Call of Duty where you can just jump into a game, have fun.

You know, you’re supposed to do similar things. It has a lot more nuance to it. So I think education is really important as well and introducing new sim racers in general, but also women in a way that’s productive and showing them what sim racing really involves and how, you know, it is a community effort, but also just, you know, making sure that people are in leagues that are fun and inclusive and stuff like my league.

I got really lucky. It’s the second week that I joined and they’re super organized, super on top of it. Everyone’s super nice. Um, and, um, And that changed my whole sim racing trajectory, because if I would have joined a league that was, you know, abusive or didn’t treat me as an equal or something, that could have totally changed my mindset on it.

Um, and I kind of go into things with a, I wouldn’t say cocky because I don’t consider myself someone as cocky, but in my head, I’m like, really [00:47:00] trying to like, be like, I could be the best though. I could I could be the best. So I have that mentality going into it. And it just kind of, um, it’s helpful to get humbled honestly.

So my league, you know, I’m, I’m team last. These guys are kicking my butt every single week, but at the end of it, it’s like, okay, we watch our race review after every single race. We go back through the race. We watch incidents. We talk about it. Who was at fault stuff like that. And all of that is learning that comes in such a unique way that other kind of.

Yeah. Esports don’t really have, which is good and bad for new racers. So I think I’ve, I’ve long since lost the plot on this question, but, um, I, that would be my, that would be my thought is like, we just need ways for people to, to engage in some racing. That’s actually going to be productive. Like people don’t even know that you can get coached in some racing.

A lot of people are like, why you have coach for that? And I’m like, yeah, and I would be way worse of a Sim driver. If I didn’t have my coach. Thank you. Um, but [00:48:00] people, you know, it’s like any e sports in general, it’s still a pretty new thing and people don’t understand how big it is. Like it’s, you know, it’s going to be in the Olympics.

That’s how big it is. And people are still kind of thinking it’s just video games running around. But so changing the mindset overall, which I think is already changing, but there’s a lot of work to be done.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, it’s changing already. I can see more. Girls in, uh, iRacing as well. And I see that more girls streaming also, because when I started in 2020, I saw like, you know, two girls with me streaming iRacing, now we can see more and it’s really cool.

Um, I kind of agree with you that sim racing is a complicated. Yeah. So you just can jump like in Call of Duty and just play and have fun. Uh, so at least you can, you have to get like controller maybe to try it and, or. The wheel and pedals and, uh, probably then started to learn the base and how to build your line on track and all the [00:49:00] stuff.

So it’s, it can be complicated for someone. Uh, but I think if, if you’re passionate about, uh, cars, about racing, um, I think you’ve got a good opportunities to like some racing and then, um, you know, just improving it and, uh, also grow up as a person. Um, I think it’s a good. It’s a good sport. It’s a good hobby to have.

And I just, uh, hope that with, uh, Inuit sports also, we will get more girls into this wonderful sport. Um, and, uh, going to see more content creators as well.

Emma Galasso: Yeah, I agree. I think, um, I mean, I’m super thankful to have found this community just because, you know, I like to have something to work toward when I’m driving, whether it’s an official race, or usually it’s just been my league races every week, but having, like, the holiday invitational, for example, that was involved a ton of practice on my part, and it was good to be able to have [00:50:00] the chance to, you know, You know, really?

Okay. This is this is a race. It’s going to be stream. There’s going to be people. I got to prove myself and then, you know, I shot myself in the foot for that race. But at the same time, I still worked really hard and it was still really good improvement because we actually raced. Okay, I’m going to Jerry 86, um, in the fall cup and my time, even though, you know, obviously, whether it’s different, I racing stuff like that.

My best time. From the fall cup to the invitation, which was like 6 weeks apart, or maybe 8 weeks apart. Um, I had dropped almost a 2nd in lap time and my personal best lap was 6 tenths better, um, in the holiday invitational, which, yeah, you can attribute that to weather, but I’m telling you right now. I could definitely not have gotten that time for the fall cup race.

So, um, yeah, there’s a, it’s great to see improvement. And I think that’s what. You know, league racing can also help you do is you’re racing against the same people. You’re always trying to improve. And when you’re a beginner, your [00:51:00] improvements are seconds at a time. Whereas when you’re a really advanced in racer, your improvements are tenths or hundredths.

Um, so when you’re, you’re making that, you’re catching up. I remember the 1st time, um, One of the guys in my league was like, yeah, you’re like solidly in the mid pack now. And I was like, yes, I got it. I’m in the mid pack. I’m fighting for 10th. Like, this is what it’s all about. Like, you know, and then you really realize that you’re formula one.

It’s kind of like, Oh yeah. So and so got points. Big deal. But when you’re the person who’s been fighting from P20 to get to that P10, it’s like respect, like now you understand what it’s like. So, um, yeah, it’s a, it’s a really cool. Cool thing to be part of and just, you know, seeing more women getting involved.

Um, like, I was just in it. Esports actually had me go out to Vegas a couple weeks ago. Um, and I got to work with, uh, Blake Upton, who is a F3 driver, um, and now works with Formula 1 and stuff, but we got to just be me being there as a female representative for. Simracing, so [00:52:00] many women, old women, little kids came up to me and were like, it’s so great to see you doing this.

Like I didn’t even think, I was too afraid to get in a simulator, but then I saw you were doing it and I could go do it. And I’m like, yeah, that’s what we need is we need people to see that this is something that, you know, women can do too. Is equestrian sports and motor sports are the two things they say that are, you know, Like truly equal, which there’s obviously little nuances there, but pretty much true.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I think that sim racing is, uh, uh, once again, I’m going to tell this, it’s more open and, uh, here is no difference in the physical aspect, uh, as well. So I think that, uh, you know, more girls not going to be afraid to jump into sim racing because, uh, real life racing can be really exhausting and, uh, it’s so.

Yeah. It’s so hard for body. Some races are so long and, uh, yeah, probably physically, uh, we can do some races, uh, in real life, uh, but you can have fun in sim [00:53:00] racing and the same time. Um, yeah, definitely. Can you tell me what’s your, uh, goals, uh, in the future for sim racing and for your professional career as well?

Emma Galasso: Yeah. Um, this year I’m really focusing on iRacing. Uh, it’s my first time really doing iRacing at all. Like I got. I guess I started, I got an iRacing account like in May or something, but never drove because it was really intimidating to me. Um, but now I’m really trying to get to iRacing, getting really focused on doing more actual events.

Um, even though I’m still trying to figure out kind of where my pace stacks up, I think now I’m no longer fighting for last. So, and just having that, um, confidence has helped me. To be able to think about pursuing these things, um, doing things like the Ferrari Esports series. Uh, Porsche doesn’t have it anymore, but they used to have like an Esports challenge.

Um, maybe it’ll come back, I don’t know, [00:54:00] doing stuff like that. And then just doing iRacing official races, um, 2025. Unfortunately, TikTok might be getting, uh, fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, TikTok might be kind of, Getting pushed away side in the US. So there goes my whole 2 years of work.

So I’m trying to focus more on like the content creation side of utilizing Instagram or Twitch, even though I, I’m not much of a live. I really like doing things live when it comes to racing, just because for me, so much of it is still so mentally involved in learning, but balancing a chat plus racing plus learning is difficult, but honestly, it’s it’s where everyone’s going.

So. That might be in the future for me. Um, and really my all inclusive goal would be for the Olympic team for the U. S. I want to be a SIM driver on that team. Um, I don’t, I don’t really want to just be like the girl SIM driver that has to be there. I want to be the best [00:55:00] 1 on that team and we got plenty of time to get there and a lot of work to be done to get there, but I’m hoping that I can do it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Great, uh, plans you got for 2025, definitely, uh, for Olympics. So I wish you good luck for this one. Uh, and speaking about, uh, racing, I think you would just, uh, you know, with some time going to learn tracks and, uh, step by step, you will get faster and faster. And also if you use the coach, uh, you know, the.

This process of how the practice working and how to be faster how to improve your lap times And I think that’s great. And what can you tell to new sim racers who starting like should they get the coach? Maybe they can find some guides on YouTube or something like this. So what’s what will be your advice for them?

Emma Galasso: So my advice would be to start small. So like kind of what we talked about earlier getting the Logitech G29 Starting out, you know, really simple. See if you actually [00:56:00] like it at first. I see so many people on Reddit who spend like 4, 000 on a rig. And then they’re like, yeah, I don’t really use it anymore.

So make sure you like it first, but also be ready to be frustrated. And that’s what’s so difficult for me. A lot of times I’m like, why am I not faster? What am I doing wrong that I’m not faster? And a lot of times there’s just so many things going on in your brain that you don’t realize. If we go back to the language analogy, if you’re trying to be fluent in a language, like as a native English speaker, I can usually tell when someone’s not a native English speaker because there’s little things that you do differently with your words.

You, you say something slightly off, whereas an English speaker, I 100 percent know what you’re talking about, but it’s still not 100 percent perfect. It’s kind of like racing. It’s like, you can have 90 percent of a trail break. Correct. But that 10 percent is going to put the difference between you being in 3rd and being in 1st.

Not only do you have to do it once time, like 1 time. Correct. You have to do it every single time. So there’s just [00:57:00] don’t be afraid to take last for a long time. Like, I’m telling you, I was in last place for 2 years, probably. And I. Never even cared because my, my community was awesome and I could see my own personal improvements.

Um, so being frustrated is okay. You’re really going to see if you’ve never done racing before, which I had, I had no racing experience going in my brain hurt after driving for like, 30 minutes. Like, I was like, this is like, taking a test. Like, I don’t know how I can do this. And, but eventually that goes away.

We had, um, the two. 0. 4 hours of data. I’m sorry of Lamar. So instead of 24 hours, since we’re all we all have jobs, we did like the 2 hours and 4 minutes or whatever. And I never, ever thought I could sit in a SIM rig for 2 hours at that time. And then, you know, by an hour 30, I’m like, oh, this isn’t too bad.

And you gradually start getting there. But it is a process here. It’s like, if you think about it, like a language, that’s like, [00:58:00] The best way to kind of think about it, your improvement, what it’s going to look like, you know, you can start stringing a sentence together pretty quickly, but you’re not going to be fluent for years.

And it’s the same with racing. You’re not going to be. You know, top tier until you have years and years of experience and which I heard that and I was like, yeah, but but I could be better, you know, I could do it better and faster. And it’s like, sorry, here we are, you know, but it’s good to have confidence and stuff.

But at the same time, just acknowledge the process and know how long it’s going to actually take for you to be good. And you also have to focus on being better. A lot of people just get in their rig, do a couple official races on iRacing with no practice. Like, maybe they practiced the track a year ago, and they’re just going back, like, you have to consciously make an effort to learn and be better if you actually want to learn and be better.

Some people don’t want it. They don’t care. They’re just there to race, which is totally fine. You can do that. But if you really want to be the top, you have to treat it, you know, like any other sport. You got to do your practice. You got to do your theory. You got to learn [00:59:00] from the best and go about it that way.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s true. So you just have to trust the process and go ahead. And also for frustration, we’re learning really good, um, most of the time. And I think the, from my side that I just, uh, saying everybody try to finish every race, like even you got some damage, but if you can keep the car on track, it’s really important to finish the race because you just registered to this race to finish it and you have to go.

Uh, doesn’t matter what position you got in the end. You just have to see this checker. Yeah. I

Emma Galasso: mean, I’m definitely improving that my team, my team never came in last for any series that I did when I was taking last because I showed up to every race and I completed every single race, just showing up and doing it and completing your 20 laps will put you ahead of a lot of people who think that they’re getting better.

So racing, but then don’t show up or don’t finish the race. [01:00:00] So I would definitely agree.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s true. So thank you so much for your time. That was nice to talk with you and I wish a happy holidays to everybody. And we’re going to see you in 2025. so much for being with us in 2024. That was a great time.

We’ll see you. Thank you so much, Emma.

Emma Galasso: Thank you so much. I really appreciate the time and I’m looking forward to next year. Happy holidays to you guys as well.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: See you.

Crew Chief Brad: Innate Esports focuses on sim racing events and digital tournaments. They bring Esports content to fans and sponsorship opportunities to brands while maximizing audience reach across multiple sports, industries, and platforms. eSports is a woman-led company where diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is in their DNA and their platform aims to combat bullying and cheating to help make the eSports world [01:01:00] as safe and fair as possible.

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Skip ahead if you must… Here’s the highlights from this episode you might be most interested in and their corresponding time stamps.

• 00:00 Introduction to Screen to Speed
• 00:49 Meet the Guest: Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya
• 01:48 Lyubov’s Early Karting Days
• 07:13 Transition to Formula Racing
• 09:50 Challenges and Achievements in Formula Racing
• 13:27 W Series Selection Event
• 24:01 Sim Racing and Streaming Journey
• 30:59 Technical Challenges in Virtual Le Mans
• 32:51 Experiences with Air Factor 2
• 35:07 Joining the Virtual Le Mans with Graf by TRS Sports
• 37:52 Porsche eSports Super Cup All Star Series
• 41:17 Favorite Tracks and Cars in iRacing
• 45:46 Olympus Esports Journey
• 52:27 Sim4STEM Program and Scholastic Esports Awards
• 54:54 Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts

Crew Chief Brad: [00:00:00] Welcome to Screen to Speed powered by INIT eSports. In this podcast, we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals making waves in sim racing and bridging the virtual with the real. From the thrill of digital circuits to the roar of real life racetracks, we explore the passion, Dedication and innovation that drives the world of motorsports.

We’ll hear from athletes, creators, and pioneers sharing their stories, insights, and the powerful ways sim racing is connecting communities and creating pathways into motorsports. So buckle up. Screen the speed starts now.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Hello everyone. Welcome to the inner talks episode 34. And do you think, oh, this is different than I used to? Yes, it’s different. Today I’m both. [00:01:00] And Lubov, uh, aka Love46, well known by everyone, is the guest. Welcome.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Welcome, everyone. Hello, hello. Uh, a bit different in the talks today, so I’m not a host. So happy to be here.

Yes,

Yvonne Houffelaar: that’s great to hear. I’m happy to have you here. And, uh, how is it for you to be the guest now instead of the host?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Oh, great experience, you know, to be on the other side. So not to be a host for one in a talk. It’s great. So feels a bit different for me, definitely.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Yeah, a bit more relaxed, I think.

You’re sitting now. Yes, yes. Well, let’s start by the beginning. I know you started very young, around nine years old. How did you get introduced by the cartoon world? Because you started in real [00:02:00] life first and then went over to the sim. How did you start with cartoon? Where did you find it in

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: the beginning?

Yeah, so I started from karting when I was nine years old. I still remember we went to rent karting with my dad and He just let me try it for once and i’m like, okay. Yeah, I really like it and he just suggests me that We can start to do championship of Kazakhstan. So I remember he built the first car for myself.

Uh, there was, you know, really old chassis, uh, with, uh, uh, engine from, uh, Honda Dio, that’s a scooter. Um, and I remember the, the frame, uh, it was the bright yellow. And I started to take a part in championship of Kazakhstan, um, in class And I had my 46 number with me. It was a great experience. Uh, so I really like karting.[00:03:00]

I really like this excitement and adrenaline, which I get from it. And, um, so yeah, then we move forward and I just, uh, won four times championship of Kazakhstan. Of course, I started not, you know, all races from the first, uh, places, uh, been to like, uh, Top six, top, top seven, uh, for several races. Uh, and then the last race, which we had in like, that was 2008, 2009.

Um, I remember that I won it and I was so happy. I still remember the guy who, uh, been fighting with me for the first position. Uh, he was crying after I won it. Oh yeah, he was so upset. So, yeah, it was really fun, uh, days and I, you know, that was great. My dad also raced at this time a little bit, uh, in different class and, uh, we’ve been into this, uh, together, um, that was awesome.[00:04:00]

Yvonne Houffelaar: It’s great to hear that you did this with your dad and also at such a young age, that’s great. So, I see that with me too. I started also very young, a bit younger than you when I was seven. And, uh, yeah, my dad was there to support. He didn’t do anything with cars. He didn’t drive in any cars. He was there for the support, but it’s still great to hear.

And how did you feel? Because back then you were young, and you probably was one of the only women in the field, I think.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm hmm. So, you know, I felt, uh, sometimes I was afraid of the speed, so that took some time to Uh, get used to everything, and, uh, then, you know, I felt great, uh, to be honest, like, uh, everybody tried to respect me, of course, uh, we had some people who’ve been, like, against, uh, girls in karting, and something like this, uh, that’s been, uh, Taking a place here.

[00:05:00] That was like, you know, 2008, 2009, a long time ago. So definitely right now situation is more friendly for everybody. Uh, and, uh, you know, of course the cursing is, uh, you know, that’s a lot of swearing and a lot of men in this. And, uh, uh, yeah, that was, uh, A little bit weird experience for me, uh, but I think that, uh, bring me, uh, the character which I got right now, so I’m really like a, a high motivated person, and I’m trying to push, uh, like, my goals, and, uh, I’m doing everything, like, if I got a goal, I’m just going for it till the end, and, uh, yeah, that’s really, uh, give me, um, you know, Great, uh, things, uh, bring great things to my life, definitely.

Um, we’ve been lucky enough to found a sponsor for our karting team, uh, here in Kazakhstan, because just, uh, investors which we [00:06:00] have here, they’ve been really interested into karting, they did karting, By themselves also. Um, and, uh, after all this stuff, so we started like the, the carting team. Um, so we did like, you know, a few seasons with our own money and, uh, the rest of the seasons and the rest career, which I did in real life racing, I did buy sponsor money, so we didn’t bring any, anything from our side, from the family, because my family is not really rich and, uh, motorsport carting and, uh, racing is, uh, really expensive.

Um, So yeah, and then they started to build the guard circuit here and we got the the big circuit right now I hope hopefully it’s going to work this summer. So they Tried to bring the MotoGP here Maybe it’s going to happen in the upcoming years here in Almaty So yeah, that’s the first big circuit which we got [00:07:00] here and it’s really long with the high speed corners really cool You Um, so yeah, will be awesome to see some MotoGP racing here one day.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Yes, that will be great. And, um, I think you also participated in the Formula Masters events. I think with Astana Motorsports, if I’m correct?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s correct.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Can you tell more about that?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, so after I did really good results in karting, uh, won four times championship of Kazakhstan, uh, we decided that we have to move somewhere and, um, We had a special event in Moscow with rent karting.

Uh, they’ve been doing the, you know, kind of like endurance, uh, karts, uh, event. Uh, there’s been like two hours race or something like this. Uh, we had, uh, four drivers in our team. Um, and. The price for the [00:08:00] first position, uh, the, being the testing days, uh, uh, informal masters. And so, yeah, we just, uh, we did this, uh, event, did this race, uh, won it.

So we did a really good strategy with the team. We also had, uh, really fast driver, uh, with us in a team and, uh, you know, I, everybody just, uh, bring. Their own side, their own time and consistency, uh, into the team results. And, uh, we won the test day, uh, at Kazan ring. Uh, and, um, we decided to find some, uh, like sponsors to go for this testing and maybe try, uh, the full season and formal masters, um, And yeah, then it just turns out that, uh, we found money, we, uh, bring ourselves to the circuit, did the test day, uh, I still remember it was really crazy to switch [00:09:00] from karting to formulas because in formulas you literally, uh, see nothing compared to karting because in karting you, uh, like, Just, uh, sitting on the outside, you can see everything, you can see Apex League, you can see everything.

Uh, in Formal, it was different, so when I first time, um, went to the track, I was like, Wow, I can see a thing, you know? It was, it was really funny. Um, after some time, I get used to it. So when you’re sitting in Formal, you actually see just, uh, top of the tires a little bit. It’s funny. Uh, and, and they’re pretty much it.

You don’t see anything on the sides and, uh, you, you can see a little bit, the rear view, the little mirrors, uh, mirrors, and that’s, that’s, that’s it. So it was a really fun experience. Definitely. Um, and then after this testing days, after the first season, we did like a thing, three, four races, we found some [00:10:00] investments, uh, from also Kazakhstan government, uh, support me.

Uh, and then just, uh, Astana Motorsports, uh, team, they found me, uh, they contact me and they decided like, okay, we can, uh, take you with us. Uh, at this time they had already. Uh, team in the car, they had, uh, like this big track in the car, uh, also I think SUV and, uh, motorcycle. So they had a quite big team, uh, which took a part in, uh, in racing around the world.

And yeah, and then, uh, they introduced me that I’m going to, uh, be in the formal program, our program we had, uh, which we had, uh, it’s been, uh, Uh, for the formal one, step by step, the program, uh, included also, uh, formal free in Spain and, uh, you know, all the stuff, but unfortunately, uh, we did formal masters in [00:11:00] 2015.

Uh, then at the same time, I also been, uh, taking part in the Asia Cup series, which is a formal BMW. Uh, it’s a punk, uh, so finish before informal masters and P six and Asia cup series. Uh, and then unfortunately they decided to completely shut down the team, uh, because, uh, just maybe some financial problems, maybe something else.

But what they told me that was like, uh, none of the races taking a part on the territory of Kazakhstan. And they not really interested in this. Um, so yeah, and still they’re not running any racing team anymore. So they’ll, they’ll only got the cycling team, uh, and then pretty much it. So it’s really sad, uh, because we had a really strong team in the car.

They finished, uh, in tracks, I think P10 or P11, which is, uh, great because, you know, the, the car is a really high level and [00:12:00] it’s, it’s really, uh, exhausting. Um, conditions in this race. Also, it’s really hard marathon, which, uh, running and racing. Um, so yeah, it’s, it’s really sad, but it was a great experience and I’m so grateful and happy that I, um, you know, been in this team because that like the highest level in Kazakhstan, uh, and I was the first, uh, uh, woman who took a part in, uh, formulas, uh, for, from Kazakhstan.

So no one. Right now doing any formal series, uh, who racing here in Kazakhstan.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Nice. Well done and congrats because it’s, uh, it’s, um, how do you say it in English? I’m not sure, but it’s, uh, it’s something you did very well and you can be very proud of yourself. Uh, I never heard about Astana Motorsports, but I knew about the cycling team, because yeah, I also [00:13:00] like cycling.

So, um, yeah, that’s how I. Uh, knew the name, but I never thought they had also a motorsports teams. This is interesting to hear as well, but a shame they stopped because I think if it reached far, from what I hear also from the results, you were getting better and better, getting more the groove, uh, in the Formula car.

And, uh, it’s a shame that it ended like this. Um, you also did a selection event for the W Series. Can you tell more about that? Yeah.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yes, I can tell you about this. I want to add a little bit about Formal Masters also and Asia Cup Series. Um, I had this result. I think the results could be better. Just because we’ve been really limited with the budget, which we had.

So we had budget only for events, for racing events. But only for like one day practice. That’s like three, [00:14:00] four sessions to be exact. By 20 minutes maximum on track. So, and, uh, as I had all tracks new for me, it was really hard, you know, to adapt. Also, we had a, um, quite fast car compared to karting where I’ve been before.

So yeah, it’s, uh, definitely was a really hard challenge for me. And, you know, if someone would suggest me once again, try something like this, I would just, uh, uh, decline this because, you know, I understand now, uh, that. It’s really hard to go through all this racing events without any experience, without any practice.

It’s really hard. And of course, if I, uh, would take a part in any racing right now, I would love to have more testing days, more practice, uh, to then show better results, uh, in series. Uh, so yeah, unfortunately we’ve been really limited with financials and we’ve been limited, uh, in, um, like, uh, I would try. [00:15:00] Uh, to save the car because we’ve been limited, uh, in, in crashes, uh, also, uh, with the financials as, you know, Formula is real expensive, like, four tires cost, like, more than 1, 000 euros.

Um, one tire set cost that money and, uh, for example, the, the front wing cost, uh, like, uh, 1, 500 euros or something like this. So, yeah, if you’re going to get into a crash and also, uh, formal car made, uh, Made of paper. It’s it’s really fragile. And yeah, it was really hard in financial way to just push the limits and also, you know, put all everything I’ve got into the results.

So actually, I did my best about W series events. It was really fun. I remember so, uh, Had a really funny story about this, uh, because, uh, it was my husband. We decided [00:16:00] that we going to get married. And at the same time, I just, uh, send a application to W series that, Hey, I probably would like to take a part in the selection event.

So we didn’t, uh, think that it’s going to. And we just get married and I changed my surname and I had to go to Kazakhstan to change. Uh, so been living in Moscow at this time and I had to go to Kazakhstan to change all my documents, my passport and all the stuff. Um, and we’ve been really limited because we get married on the 11th of December and, um, We just, uh, you know, uh, face, uh, the reality that we got all this, uh, Christmas days and new year and all this stuff.

And we’ve been, you know, running out of time, uh, was making the visa to go to Austria. Um, hopefully we, we did everything in time and I’m so grateful [00:17:00] to. Uh, Austria Embassy, they did everything fast, uh, I remember Konso called me like, Oh, that’s uh, yeah, really, um, important event where you’re going, yeah, so I understand you’re doing racing and all this stuff.

I said yes, and they like, uh, called me. I know in two hours or so, they’re like, Oh, you, you got your visa and passports. I’m like, yes, let’s go. And then we went to WSeries event. Um, in a way how events went for me, it was great experience. That was my first time ever, uh, taking part, uh, in such events. And so we’ve been driving the Porsche.

Cayman, uh, GTS with winter tires, uh, on the mixed conditions. So we had, uh, like rain, snow, all the stuff. So there’ll be in, uh, in January, uh, really fun. You know, we did some drifting, some fun exercises, some team working, [00:18:00] um, some stuff like this. So I met a lot of girls and that was a great to be a part of this event.

Definitely. So I didn’t get into, uh, the series. I think because my Uh, maybe communication wasn’t that great as it is right now, and, uh, probably I was not really good at working in a team, uh, because I was, uh, really shy and maybe a little bit close to myself at this time. Uh, but anyway, I was really, uh, happy to take a part in this and be a part of, of that.

It’s really sad that W Series, uh, stopped to do their seasons. It’s, Uh, because I think it was a great, uh, series and, uh, I would love to see more girls into this. And, uh, just, you know, for example, for Jimmy Chadwick, uh, that turned out, uh, really in a really good way. So she get into IndyCar series and, uh, That’s, that’s awesome.

And, uh, yeah, I raced against her. So we, we had, [00:19:00] uh, some kind of like a rallycross, uh, on this Caymans in the end. Yeah, I raced with her. So she beat me, but just a little bit. So it was fun.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Ah, that’s good to hear. Yeah, they have nowadays, they have one academia, which is also very good to watch. I watch most of the races.

I try to watch them or watch them back later on. With every pooling, uh, absolutely dominate the season, apart from a few races. A Dutch lady, Maya Voogd, that won as well. I mentioned that because I’m not living in the Netherlands anymore, but still proud to be a part of it. So we were all excited about that.

Um, uh, yeah, you know, For, for, I think Abby goes now for the TB three. Mm-hmm . The British, uh, formula three.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm-hmm .

Yvonne Houffelaar: Uh, championship, I think it is. Uh, they were saying on the TV because she won the championship there and [00:20:00] she get that offered, uh, as, as a prize. So I think that’s also a good way to confirm. Uh, but yeah, I hope there is coming a lot more, uh, from those kind of events to, to not only give them the opportunity, but also to kind of, uh, showcase them in a way, uh, like they can present themselves.

They can show what they, what they can on track and then teams can see, Oh, look at that lady. She’s going fast. I would like to have her involved and then go further that way. So not only in price, but I think that’s, this could be a very good opportunity for the ladies who are participating now. And, uh, and by the way.

Happy anniversary, your anniversary from yesterday. Thank you. You’re welcome. Well, we have now a lot of talking about the racing, but I want to ask one more question [00:21:00] about that before we go into the sim racing part. What was your greatest moment in your motorsport career?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, well, that’s definitely was, uh, that first win in karting, which and, uh, which I mentioned before, uh, and, uh, second greatest moment, which I had in racing, uh, there was, uh, that I finished, uh, P3 at Sochi Autodrome, uh, we had the, the full circuit, which formal one, uh, race, uh, Uh, this days and I, uh, get the P3 here.

Uh, funny thing that, uh, you know, at Sochi, they got this, uh, so the curbs and inside of the curbs here is the sausages. And, uh, so because I cut curbs, uh, quite a lot, so I had really good lap times, uh, here, uh, that kind of damaged the, the front wing. on the formula. And so I remember I was going through the DRS zone.

That’s a long [00:22:00] back straight at Sochi Autodrom. And when I started to turn into the corner, I’m like, Oh my God, car just not steering at all. So like, uh, the front wing started to fall down. At the last moment, that was the last, uh, last lap of the race. Yeah. Uh, at the last moment, uh, some grip just returned back to tires and I’m like, okay, we’re steering into the corner.

All good. So, uh, when I finished, uh, the race right on the finish, just the front wing fall down like this and it was, uh, look like a scoop, so, yeah, it was really fun race, you know, I finished like this. Didn’t notice that anything is wrong because I started to lose the downforce on the last lap only and it was pretty scary because we didn’t go on for this DRS zone.

Um, what do you got, uh, that the wall on, [00:23:00] on like, you know, after this, uh, the break in, uh, it’s the hardest break, break in, uh, point which you got on track. Uh, If I wouldn’t feed into the corner, I would end in the wall, so yeah, it was really fun anyway. Because I was like, oh my god, we’re not steering, what am I supposed to do?

And I can’t do anything, just, uh, you know, kind of, uh, I know front wing may be returned back or something, so I get the grape back, and I was like, whew. Finally,

Yvonne Houffelaar: Nice. And you had you had the, uh, front ringers or souvenir fire at home? Or , the damage from ?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: No, they, uh, they suggest me to maybe you can, uh, you know, bring this, uh, front wing with you. I’m like, you know, no, not going to feed to airplane . Oh no. Yeah, I just can take it

Yvonne Houffelaar: Well, now we’re [00:24:00] taking a little bridge. Uh, did you use sim racing also to practice fully in real life racing?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, yes. In, uh, 2019, uh, when I, uh, was doing the Formal Four Southeast Asia, um, in Malaysia, I, um, I practiced in race rooms, the bonk circuit, and I remember that I fixed, uh, Uh, T5, T6, uh, at the simulator that also helped me, uh, to improve my lap times at Spunk in real life.

Um, so yeah, I was using the simulators and, uh, before Informal Masters, I remember that I, uh, did some Race07 to learn, uh, the track, uh, the Sochi Octodrome and, uh, other track which you had in the calendar. of the series. Um, so yeah, but you know, I wasn’t really into sim racing, so I just, uh, use it like occasionally when I really need it.

Uh, so if I would jump to real life racing right now, I [00:25:00] would use sim racing a lot, definitely.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Yes, it’s definitely recommended even. It’s just to learn the track and so forth, because I did some racing too. And, uh, I was lucky if I had a track slap in before the race weekends or race day started because we didn’t have the testing.

And, uh, then I drove a silverstone, I drove the, I believe it’s national layout or something, never drove that before. Only did some left in the sink to, to know at least where the track is and which part you’re not taking. Basically from the Grand Prix. Uh. Circus and yeah, I was happy that I did it in the same because otherwise I went into the official practice on the Sunday For for 40 minutes, which I needed to share with my teammates But no knowledge of the track at all.

So, for me, the sim was really needed to get an idea of how the track goes. [00:26:00] They didn’t have a car in the sim, which was a bit of a shame. I used mostly around the GT4 cars, because it was a bit around the same speed, but didn’t have the same grip. So, uh, yeah, it’s both a bit different approach to a race day than I prefer and I wouldn’t recommend it either because it’s a lot less enjoyment when you’re not sure if everything goes right and if you’re not sure how the car will feel on the track and so forth.

It can always be different on race day, but at least you have an idea or a feeling by it. And when you have muffin, it’s, it’s a challenge.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, definitely. I agree with you.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Uh, you started simracing, uh, well, streaming, in 2019, offered by your husband.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, for sure. Uh, so as I [00:27:00] moved to Moscow in 2017, uh, I started to search for a job in, you know, motorsport related, uh, stuff. Uh, I found a job in a motorsport simulator that goes like this. They had, uh, Um, like some racing center with motion platforms, uh, DD wheels and, uh, Holsenfeld pedals. So work here as a coach and as a, uh, manager of this, uh, some racing center.

So I started like this. Uh, then I met my husband’s on my next work. I worked as a sale manager, uh, in air seats. So we’ve been selling the rigs and all this stuff. We met each other here and then we’ve been working in different sim racing companies. Also had a sim racing center with a race room. And, uh, Then, uh, during lockdown, uh, unfortunately we couldn’t work, uh, where we worked before because all [00:28:00] malls just shut down completely.

Uh, and yeah, we decided to try streaming, to try also racing at this time. Uh, and yeah, it just, uh, turns out, so we tried to bring, um, As many people as we can, uh, first time to the stream, like, uh, there’s been like 10, 15 viewers, something like this. Uh, and then it just, uh, started to grow, um, by Twitch recommendations, by also greater racing, uh, community, which helped me with some rates.

I, I remember Quaker ties rate me and, uh, uh, some other big streamers as well. So. It was, uh, it was a great time and, uh, I’m so grateful that, uh, the community and iRacing and Twitch, um, you know, they’re so friendly, they’re really helpful, and, uh, I was really shy on the camera, I was really, uh, closed, and, you know, just started to open up, I started to, [00:29:00] uh, improve my English, improve, uh, my driving at the same time as well, and, yeah.

Yeah, you know, we had some challenges, uh, definitely. Uh, so when we started, I had, uh, just a steel rig. Uh, we had, uh, just a bulb with, with a pocket on it as a soft light on the stream. Um, And I had a really old G27, uh, which then with community together, we, uh, switched to T300 with TLCM pedals and we switched single screen to triple, uh, and all things started.

So I just, uh, I remember that I messaged, uh, Fressmaster about, uh, a partnership and they like, Yeah, we can talk about this. And, uh, we with them for three years already. I’m so happy, uh, that I’m, I’m part of a first master rockets team. And, uh, that’s a great to be a part of this. Uh, and we got also a fractal design right now as a partner on our channel and, [00:30:00] uh, next level racing as well.

So just, uh, you know, everything started from a really, uh, small studio, which we build with, with our hands and, uh, turns out to like bigger, uh, channel and, uh, uh, good, uh, partnership and good community overall.

Yvonne Houffelaar: That’s great to hear and well done because, uh, you seem like you grow a lot because you’re now very confident.

Um, uh, Not shy at all. So it’s good to see you. Well done. Yeah. so much. You’re welcome. And you also took part in the virtual Lamar. I think everyone loves to watch the Lamar in real life 24 hour. For a lot of drivers, it will be the dream to race, but for some sim racers, it’s also a dream to race the virtual Lamar.

Can you tell more about that?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, we did a virtual Le Mans. Uh, I did it twice. Uh, [00:31:00] first time we did it with, uh, W Series. Uh, we had, uh, Betzke Wieser, um, I think another girl from W Series with us, me and, um, Emery, uh, she’s also a streamer in our racing. Um, so we’ve been preparing, uh, so hard for this one. Uh, we wanted to race GTE car in this event.

Uh, but unfortunately we didn’t take part in the race, uh, because for our teammate, uh, the Air Factor two just, uh, decided that shut down and, uh, we couldn’t re yeah, we couldn’t rejoin the server, uh, organizers didn’t, uh, give me, uh, give us this opportunity. Um, so unfortunately the, the first original laman, uh, end up like this.

Uh, then the next year, uh, Grav by TRS Sports, uh, suggests me to jump into LMP2 car with them, uh, for Virtua LeMans. Uh, we also had some technical [00:32:00] issues, um, during this race, but we finished it. Uh, we had quite good lap times, so we could finish easily, um, somewhere in the middle of the field of LMP2s. Uh, but unfortunately, due to some technical issues, once again, uh, we finished like P10 or P12, uh, something like this.

But it was a great experience with me, uh, for me, uh, because I’ve been into the team with, uh, in real life LMP2 driver. And we worked a lot with the data. We walked, uh, worked a lot with, uh, how to improve on track and, uh, they’re really, so this virtual man, uh, pushed me as a driver, um, to the next step. Uh, and, um, I’m so happy for this experience and it’s here as a sport is amazing, um, a sport team, uh, which is doing their job pretty well, so I’m just.

So, happy to have, uh, this experience with me and, uh, yeah, unfortunately, you know, Air Factor 2, it’s a great simulator. [00:33:00] Uh, I really like to race in it. It feels great when you race in Air Factor 2. Uh, but unfortunately, as, uh, maybe the studio which making the Air Factor 2 is small, uh, they just don’t have enough resources.

Uh, to run it properly. Uh, it just, uh, got some bugs and, uh, uh, a lot of server issues. So we experienced the previous, uh, virtual demand, uh, also make marks first up and disconnect, uh, I think few times from this race. Uh, which is kind of shame, but you know, it is where it is. I. Fully understand like, you know, the software and all the stuff.

It’s really complicated and When you got a small team, it’s really hard to run so I fully understand this and I really hope they’re factor to going to grow and going to be bigger and just Will be better for such a big event.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Yes, yeah, I would [00:34:00] like to see that too. I don’t drive often on Alpha 2. I do only one series, the Xbox series.

And, uh, I really enjoy doing that. And it’s more Like, uh, a community race than, um, than a competition because it’s all about networking and then we are on a Zoom call and then someone else comes in and tell more about what they are doing in racing, sim racing. So it’s a great community and it’s, it’s fun.

The only time that I’m racing on Airfactor 2, mostly on a ride and drive, because I have no time to practice, but that’s great to do so. I didn’t do it for months, because I haven’t driven for months, but, oh yeah, hopefully I’m back, uh, next year and then do some races with them again because I really enjoyed how it felt as well with this base and with my final tech base.

I struggled a lot to get the settings right without breaking, almost breaking [00:35:00] my wrist. But when you have it right, it’s, it’s a good game. It’s really enjoyable to do. How did you, how did the team got into the Virtual Le Mans? Because I know for a lot of teams, this was really the highlight. Uh, the race was the highlight to do, uh, for their team.

How is this working?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, well, I’m not sure about W Series, how they get into Virtual Le Mans. Uh, probably they had some connections with the organizers. Uh, but, uh, speaking of the graph, uh, by tier eSports, eSports, they got, uh, really good, uh, eSports team in iRacing. They taken part in many special events and all this stuff.

Um, speaking about Virtua LeMans, they get into that because of Graf. Graf, uh, that’s a team, uh, which, uh, taken part in a real life, uh, LeMans event with LMP2 cars. So that’s in real life team. Uh, and they [00:36:00] just, uh, had collaboration, uh, together and to get into this. And, um, you know, they just invited me, uh, because they wanted to have a fast driver and also girl in their team.

Uh, and also as I was streaming, uh, this event on my Twitch, uh, We just found each other and yeah, once again, I’m going to tell you that it was a great experience and I would love to race in virtual Le Mans next time if someone going to suggest me this event. I spent a lot of time for practice. Uh, we did a lot of, uh, like team sessions and all this stuff.

Um, but yeah, it was, uh, it was awesome. I really like Le Mans. That’s one of my favorite circuits. Uh, I still remember when I first time tried to learn it in iRacing was like, Oh my God, this lap is so long, you know, it’s, uh, over three minutes and it just, uh, taken a [00:37:00] lot of time. But when you just. Learn this track, then every time you get into, uh, races on it, you’re like, wow, it’s just going with a really cool flow, especially with LMP2 car and it’s just great to race.

I really like this track. So, um, not a big fan of Nordschleife. Uh, so from long tracks, I would, uh, would pick the Le Mans.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Not a fan of the North China. I think I never heard that before.

Yeah, you bring me on some ideas for next year’s future Olympics. Maybe we can bring the different team in and maybe you can also be part of it. Getting some ideas of how we’ll have some networking around to see, uh, what we can do and we can drive it. Uh, you also took part in the Porsche eSports Super Cup All Star Series.

It’s a long name, so I needed to [00:38:00] double check on the, on the list. Uh, how, how was that?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: It was great, uh, I’ve been taking part in the All Star Porsche Sports Super Cup for two years already. Uh, hopefully going to get into the next one, uh, which we will start I think in February or something like this. Um, that was a great experience, so we, uh, got like supportive, uh, races.

For the main championship, which, uh, going in our racing, uh, that’s the main, like, eSports, uh, sim racing championship, which we got alongside with, uh, Inascar in our racing, and it was, uh, great because, you know, streamers are really fast. Uh, we had really fun races. Uh, they got this format that, uh, first race you starting by qualifying, uh, second race, you starting with a fully reversed grid.

So, and then bring some, uh, you know, crashes, some fun moments. And I remember the previous [00:39:00] year I was leading in GT4, the whole race, the whole second race, uh, at that time. Uh, but unfortunately then, uh, they started bowling, uh, the, there was like a really close to the end of the race and I get into the crash.

Unfortunately, didn’t get a few one, uh, but I finished like top five or something like this. Uh, it was so fun. You know, I, I was upset a little bit because I was like, yes, I get through the crashes and everything. I’m leading the whole race because they just, uh. Fighting behind with each other and I was pretty sure that I can win.

I had a really good pace Was really surprised because I’m not the pro in GT forces So usually in cars like MX 5, GR86 and GT4 I’m not the best but this time I just get into G4 and, you know, did some, uh, good practice with the Porsche Cayman and this track. And also that’s one of my favorite tracks, uh, the Watkins Glen, I [00:40:00] really like it.

Um, so yeah, I get so lucky for, uh, get the, for the crashes and everything, but yeah, then we end up in the crash. I was upset, of course. But it was a great experience for me. So, uh, this Porsche championships, they always really. The organizers are so friendly and, uh, remember the funny thing we, we had, um, in race interviews, like you’re racing, you’re fighting with someone and they like, okay, we’re going to take interview from them.

And then we’re like, Oh no, but you know, it’s a, like, that’s a part of the, like support for the main championship. Uh, we always trying to bring some fun here and some content as well. Uh, so yeah, that’s a pleasure for me to take part in this championship alongside with Crux of Ties, Emre, Matt Malone, and other big streamers from my racing.

It’s always fun. [00:41:00]

Yvonne Houffelaar: Yeah, it’s cool. And, uh, well, you said already, Wolfgang’s Glen is a very good track. I agree with you. I like it too. It just flows very well. Uh, for some reason. Is it also your favorite track from Iron Racing?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, well, I got few favorite tracks in Iron Racing. Uh, there’ll be definitely Watkins Glen.

I like it in every configuration. Like, we got boot, we got cup, one which is short, it’s really close to some kind of oval. I really like it, um, and I’m a big fan of Road Atlanta, so if you would ask my community, they’re going to tell me, tell you like, yeah, Road Atlanta, that’s her favorite track. Like every time we got Road Atlanta, I’m like, yes, I’m going to race it.

I really like it because it has, um, So, uphills, downhills, and uh, that S is after the T1, absolutely great, uh, so, this track [00:42:00] got really good flow, and also, it’s a little bit scary to race it every time, even if you, say, like, take part in a lot of races on this track, you still, like, you know, you get used to it.

What if I’m going to lose the car in Assis or somewhere, uh, like on the track? And it’s, it’s always so exciting to, to race it. And yeah, someone in chat just saying about Laguna Seca, I know that this is not favorite track for everybody, uh, in a racing and not the simulators. I, I love it. You know, Laguna Seca, great track and I really like it.

It’s, uh, just amazing with all this corners and especially Corkscrew, uh, the legendary corner on this track. Yeah, I love it. So that, that will be my top list of the, of the tracks like Road Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen. Um, speaking about European tracks, I think there’ll be Liman and, uh, Spa and Monza, something like this.

Yes, [00:43:00]

Yvonne Houffelaar: sounds good. It’s a nice list. And what about the cars? What is your favorite car to drive?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: My favorite car to drive? Everybody knows that. That’s a Porsche Cup. I really like it. I really like the fact that this car without traction control, without ABS system, and you know, It’s always so rewarding to raise this car.

So when you nail the track, when you got really fast lap times, it’s more rewarding than driving the GT free car, for example, on the same track. Uh, just, just because when you’re getting into the rhythm, when you’re not making mistakes, you’re not locked up, uh, tires and, uh, you’re just like, you’re feeling great, uh, about this.

And, uh, it’s really cool car. I love it. Um, on the car, which I really like and I racing and which I raise, uh, On daily basis that, uh, formal 1 600. I really like it because it’s a simple car. Uh, it’s a good base. If you would like to go forward to formulas, [00:44:00] uh, and because here is not a lot of downforce on this car.

And, uh, Uh, you always get in really close battles in Formula 1 600. You get in, um, really cool side by side, two wide, you know, whole lap with someone, uh, in the race. It’s, it’s great. And I really like to race it in rain, uh, as well. Uh, recently we had a race at Tsukuba, uh, with Formula 1 600 and, you know, a lot of people, they just, uh, on the rain.

They rushing, they jumping, diving into the corner and then they missing. And you’re like, yes, that’s great. So, yeah, I think that’ll be my, uh, two favorite cars. And, uh, speaking about ovals, because I started, uh, to do a lot of ovals as well. Uh, that’s definitely will be Xfinity series as it’s, um, you know, community here is really friendly.

Uh, and, uh, [00:45:00] car is great. Uh, so usually when I’m getting into Xfinity races, uh, you get a really good points to our rating and you gaining safety rating as well because just people racing in a good way. Um, and especially I really like Xfinity Open, uh, so longer races. People think more, uh, about what to do with the strategy, with everything.

And, uh, a lot of, uh, less crashes we get in here and yeah, really like the series. And, uh, the second, uh, favorites from Ovals, there will be Arca. Arca is crazy, a lot of crashes, but I just really like this car.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Nice. Sounds good. Are you also part of the sim racing team?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, yes. I’m a part of the Olympus sports. Uh, we started to be with Olympus when we had just three people in the team. Uh, and [00:46:00] actually funny thing that I met, uh, our boss from Olympus team, Charles Bushell in Instagram. So, uh, he’s been following me, um, You know, for years following my racing career, uh, then he was, uh, one of the first, uh, people who came to my stream, uh, we met each other here once again.

And he just like, I’m starting the sport team. Are you like interested to be a part of it? And I’m like, Yeah, sure. I’m going to be a part of it. Why not? So, as I didn’t have a team, I decided to join the Olympus Sport to support it, of course. And we started to do some special events, some VRS Endurances from time to time, and Olympus Esports is big right now, you know, I, I just, I don’t know how many people we got in the team.

So, uh, always when I coming to the discord, I’m like, wow, here is [00:47:00] so many people and it’s great to see. And we. Uh, one of the greatest championship where we’ve taken apart, that’s, uh, Evereight Club Sports, uh, Evereight Endurance, uh, that’s, uh, one of the biggest leagues, uh, which we got in racing, uh, one of the most competitive, I think, and, uh, the previous year we finished P5, P6 in Porsche Cup, uh, in the club series, that was great result, uh, for us and, uh, You know, I’m so, so happy that I’ve been one of the first drivers in Olympus Esports and it’s great to see the team is growing and they’ve taken part in cool championships, cool leagues, and also we’ve been a part of VCO Infinity event together.

So yeah, I’m just wishing all the best to Olympus Esports. I think that’s a great team and we got one of the most beautiful liveries.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Oh, yes, the delivery looks absolutely stunning. Nina also drives for [00:48:00] the team. She sometimes drives it also in the screen speed series and it looks so good. It really stands out from the rest.

It’s

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: good. Yeah, that’s what I really like because, you know, all the eSport teams, I don’t know why, but they really like, oh, we’re going to drive black cars or something like this. And here’s Olympus, like, bright blue with yellow with pink. It’s, it’s great. I know, just we need more cars with bright colors in eSports.

You know, you didn’t have to be really serious, like, I’m driving the black car. So I think it’s going to be great to see more colorful cars in the, on the field.

Yvonne Houffelaar: I like it too, but for us, I’m a co founder of Etoffe from the United Sim Team. And they have an orange going over to red livery. Why? Because I’m originally from the Netherlands and we are loving orange.

With every sporting event or when it’s King’s Day. [00:49:00] Everyone is wearing orange, you see it also with the F1, you see all the orange, all the Dutch fans with the orange shirt and then a Dutch flag and, uh, you even have it nowadays with the skiing, with Bosje Heese coming from the Netherlands, uh, skiing for the Netherlands now instead of Austria.

So even you saw it there, orange fireworks, so yeah, I’m very proud to have orange on the car. But, uh, Sophie and her favourite colour is red. So if we get this first, what are we going to do with livery? And I have to be honest, I’m a pain in the ass with livery because I want to have a perfect, so I can say a thousand times, uh, maybe change it for that, for that, for that.

And then I say to every cast, I like it, but can you change that? So, so that’s how it goes. And then she came up with this idea and it’s great to, to show also a bit of personality. Um, behind the team, so we’ll, we’ll, uh, [00:50:00] we’ll where the founders, for example, to see it back in a delivery. And, uh, it’s the same with the racing helmets.

I made mine, uh, bit a meaningful thing about myself mm-hmm. And about my family. And I think you can really make something special for it. And that’s what I like about live or designs. I can’t do it myself, but I really like to see what others are. Uh.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm hmm. Yeah. My husband’s making liveries for me. Uh, the last one which we had, uh, that was for Porsche all star series.

And, uh, we had it like, uh, you know, the comments going for the space. So it’s really a bright sound color with a deep purple, uh, black and something like this. So it was really cool. Uh, but, uh, For my daily streams I usually using the one which is a gray and purple on the back with my emotes from the channel.

It’s [00:51:00] really cute delivery. I really like it. Yeah. And, um, funny thing that, uh, we got a suit and the helmet, uh, in our racing and one of my, uh, viewers on channel, uh, he made the suit and helmet for me. That was, uh, at the time when we started streaming, uh, in 2020. And I’m still using it.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Nice. Uh, that’s cool.

Yeah. I’m very proud of my iRacing helmet because it’s exactly in my, in real life, racing helmet is in the game. So this, I think it was for Christmas or one of the holidays and she let it made by a official designer. We specialized in it and I know it’s a hard job to to get my house also on there because I have mountains on it and, um, uh, some special things on the top as well.

So it’s very fiddling to get it all right and, uh, yeah, it looks absolutely stunning [00:52:00] in the game. Same on Grand Theft Auto I have it as well and I’m very proud about that.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s great.

Yvonne Houffelaar: Yes. Well, thank you for your time. It was a pleasure. You did well. As not being a host, but I guess this time. I have a few news things, uh, before we end, uh, the, the inner talks for today.

Uh, Steffi Bau is in the final for the Scholastic Esports Awards. I hope I say this right, uh, with the Sim4STEM program. Sim4STEM is a great program, uh, where we teach, uh, Yeah, high school Children around that age, uh, the engineering parts, but also in the same. So I’ve been last year to Detroit for two weeks.

Yeah, we saw many students coming and trying and we gave them the [00:53:00] experience and they were learning what is possible to do with the engineering side of it. Also in the same. I had the best part because I was by the seams and they all loved to see all those rigs standing there. And, uh, yeah, it’s a great way for them to, to test if they like it.

And some even didn’t know about this at all. So, but it’s all possible. So we tried to show possibilities at the schools. And yeah, it’s amazing to, to see what’s, uh, what the children learn from a day. Because most of them are a day. Uh, for the school. And they learn a lot, they get excited from it. So it’s really great to, to see this program grow even more in America.

And hopefully it comes to Europe as well. So everyone, please vote for Stephanie. I’m putting the link in now. Because it’s well deserved for all the hard work she’s doing. [00:54:00] And, uh, the voting ends on the 15th of December, so, this Sunday. Then, I have another thing. The InnerTalks is now also open. On Spotify.

So every Monday after the inner talks, there will be, uh, the episodes you can listen to it in the car or at home, wherever you want to. And then you can listen to us back on Spotify, which is amazing. Uh, many thanks to Eric, uh, because he is organizing all of this with us and, uh, the GT Motorsport. Or, or slash spring to speed.

You can find everything about it. Also articles. So some amazing work. Thank you for the vote. Tasha. Great. And, uh, yeah, 2024 is almost coming to an end. It’s [00:55:00] almost the holidays and, um, it was a great year. I’m throwing back already a little bit, but some highlights and, uh, because for me, it’s the last time that you can hear me now for this year.

And, uh, yeah, we have some great events at the A of Sim Racing Expo. Uh, there are some great events coming up for next year. We will organize six races on our racing, uh, for the screen to speeds. We’re also gonna organize six races for the USF gg. Uh. And that will be, the winner will go and do some events with Team USA, which is absolutely amazing.

So, next year there will be more coming up, which are also for Gran Turismo and everyone else. And I’m looking forward to that. So, thank you today, Lou, and you’ll be back next week as the host. And then we have another guest [00:56:00] and, uh, for me, everyone, thank you for watching and also happy holidays because I’m in the background next week and you won’t see me and I’ll see you all in 2025.

Bye. Yeah,

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: guys. Thank you so much for watching. Thank you so much for being here. And don’t forget about invitational events, which we’re going to have, uh, yeah, on 15th. And I’m going to race here with Olympus Livery and Nina will be with Olympus Livery as well. So we’re going to see beautiful cars, beautiful girls in this event.

I will see you guys. Thank you so much. And thank you, Yuan, to be a host today. See you.

Yvonne Houffelaar: You’re welcome. I enjoyed it. Thank you.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: See you.

Crew Chief Brad: Innate eSports focuses on sim racing events and digital tournaments. They [00:57:00] bring eSports content to fans and sponsorship opportunities to brands while maximizing audience reach across multiple sports, industries, and platforms. eSports is a woman-led company where diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is in their DNA and their platform aims to combat bullying and cheating to help make the eSports world as safe and fair as possible To learn more, be sure to log on to www.initesports.gg or follow them on social media at init eSports.

Join their discord, check out their YouTube channel, or follow their live content via switch.

Crew Chief Eric: This episode has been brought to you by Grand Touring Motorsports as part of our Motoring Podcast Network. For more episodes like this, tune in each week for more exciting and educational content from organizations like The Exotic Car Marketplace, The Motoring Historian, Brake Fix, and many others.

If you’d like to support Grand Touring Motorsports and the Motoring Podcast Network, sign up for one of our many sponsorship tiers at www. patreon. com forward [00:58:00] slash GT Motorsports. Please note that the content, opinions, and materials presented and expressed in this episode are those of its creator, and this episode has been published with their consent.

If you have any inquiries about this program, please contact the creators of this episode via email or social media as mentioned in the episode.

Skip ahead if you must… Here’s the highlights from this episode you might be most interested in and their corresponding time stamps.

• 00:00 Introduction to Screen to Speed
• 00:49 Meet Meike Ploeg
• 01:29 Meike’s Early Racing Days
• 07:03 Transition to Sim Racing
• 12:02 Challenges and Community in Sim Racing
• 29:04 Equipment Upgrades and Experiences
• 32:36 From Basic Equipment to Advanced Sim Racing
• 33:47 Building a Custom Sim Rig
• 35:48 Choosing the Right Monitor Setup
• 38:43 VR and Sim Racing Preferences
• 39:36 Favorite Car and Track Combos
• 42:44 Future Plans in Real and Sim Racing
• 47:06 Consistency in Racing
• 49:18 Streaming and Community Engagement
• 54:55 Encouraging Women in Sim Racing
• 58:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Crew Chief Brad: [00:00:00] Welcome to Screen to Speed powered by INIT eSports. In this podcast, we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals making waves in sim racing and bridging the virtual with the real. From the thrill of digital circuits to the roar of real life racetracks, we explore the passion, Dedication and innovation that drives the world of motor sports.

We’ll hear from athletes, creators, and pioneers sharing their stories, insights, and the powerful ways sim racing is connecting communities and creating pathways into motor sports. So buckle up screen. The speed starts now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Welcome everyone to talks episode number three, three, Mikey got three, three, as her racing number. Also, So welcome, uh, Mikey blue tower. Any talks [00:01:00] welcome in,

Meike Ploeg: uh, hello there. Uh, yeah, it’s, uh, it’s a first for me, uh, life on, uh, on the, in the webs. But, uh, yeah, here we are. And indeed, uh, 33 is my start, uh, a racing number for quite some years.

I believe. From 2011, 2012 or so, yeah. Mm-hmm .

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s great. Uh, we, so happy to have you here. And let’s start with, uh, how did you get into racing? Uh, I know that you started in carting, so let’s start with this. Yeah. Uh,

Meike Ploeg: well, the racing. Um, addiction or the racing, uh, virus started on a very early age. Uh, I caught a scuttler.

I had an, uh, herby, uh, bedroom. I had herby bedding. Herbie toys, and [00:02:00] I believe, I don’t, I’m not sure, but I believe my, uh, grandma also made Herbie curtains. Something in my mind says I had Herbie curtains, not sure. And then on an, uh, uh, around eight or ten, uh, we had a Atari, uh, game computer, uh, at home. The Atari 26, uh, uh, 2600.

And, uh, we had a game, uh, N’Zero. N’Zero was, uh, an arcade game with, uh, all kinds of, uh, um, situations. Uh, night, fog, winter. Yeah, that was my first, uh, game. Um, um, connection with racing and also the Herbie movie. Uh, yeah. From Herbie, uh, it was going, [00:03:00] uh, to carting in I believe 94. I was 14. I was 14, 15, uh, uh, 14, 15.

And uh, yeah, I was. Go into the cart, carting track, uh, on a, uh, on a bicycle, uh, two times, three times a month, sometimes, and just setting, uh, uh, the fastest, uh, time of the week, sometimes at the fastest time of the month and, uh, Around, uh, it was, uh, at the end of 1996, uh, Williams, the Williams FF one team, together with Sonars had a, um, uh, a challenge.

You had to set a, a fast, uh, the fastest time on some of the, uh, indoor tracks and when you were fast enough. I believe the fo fast is four [00:04:00] something and. You were invited to come to the speech and design, uh, uh, exhibition in, um, in Utrecht. Uh, that was at the end of the year. Speech and design was something, uh, That was, uh, organized every year around December, around this time.

And, uh, we had a final, the fastest hundreds of, I believe, plus 5, 000, 6, 000, uh, Um, attendees, uh, were invited the fastest and that, yeah, I was one of them. And one thing I still remember is like Joshua Stappan did, uh, a day, a demo on the, uh, on the cartoon track was just a concrete floor. Uh, on the first, uh, on the first level of the yardless, uh, [00:05:00] um, building and, uh, he showed it like he was going on rails.

And then we were able to do the practices and the concrete was like ice. And so my, my, um, adoration for your stuff came from that. Uh, experience like he drove on ice like it was on rails and we were, uh, um, skidding around, uh, making doughnuts, not intended, but yeah, that was really fun. But, uh, I think I became.

Uh, somewhere in the top 30, top 40, not, not as my true self. So when I saw my name again, uh, on the, uh, leaderboards, [00:06:00] uh, it, it does, it didn’t felt good, uh, in that way. Uh, I couldn’t, uh, uh, find, uh, uh, um. I didn’t feel comfortable to know I was quick enough to become, uh, uh, better in karting in, in most sports, but not with this name.

And that is why I stopped, uh, go karting on, uh, uh, on levels like the challenges. Um, uh, how do we say that? Uh, uh, events like events, like one hour races or so. I stopped with that, and I was just go karting, uh, in indoor karting tracks, and that was enough. So, yeah, they’re, they’re my, uh, uh, racing ambitions [00:07:00] stopped somewhere.

And, uh, it was at the end of the nineties, I believe, end of the ninth weekend zeros, I had my first racing wheel, uh, for the computer, uh, Microsoft, Microsoft side window. And then, uh, I started in, uh, pro, uh, rally 2000.

Another rally game and a NASCAR 98, I believe. NASCAR 98, uh, and such. So that was my first, uh, uh, idea of, yeah, it wasn’t really sim racing. Like, uh, uh, Yvonne also talks for, uh, uh, a week ago. It wasn’t really sim racing, but it was. Like for the first time, uh, doing races offline, uh, to. Mm-hmm . And yeah, [00:08:00] it was steering wheel.

Uh, it, it had four feedback or so, so,

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: yeah. Uh, so about cars, it can be really competitive, especially in Europe. I know that many people doing it. Mm-hmm. It can be really hard, uh, especially I think in nineties when you did it. Uh, so fully understand that you. Yeah. Like, uh, then go to only go karting and, uh, then switch to sim racing as understand.

Um, how was it, uh, for you to change from actually the, the karting into sim racing? Uh, do you have enough skills to like reproduce in sim racing or, uh, do you learn something new in sim racing as well?

Meike Ploeg: Oh, funny enough, uh, the, um, the most, uh, I learned from, uh, from racing lines, I caught from the BMX, uh, together with my brother, I did a BMX, uh, in the late eighties, uh, early nineties.

Uh, so in a BMX, [00:09:00] we also did, uh, the apex, the clipping point. So, uh, out in out and I wasn’t the quickest. I was, uh, The, the opposite of a daredevil, because I, I, I didn’t dare to jump, I didn’t dare to, uh, cycle on my back wheel, uh, I was just too afraid to break a bone. But the, uh, idea of cornering, uh, and, uh, like BMX, you can cycle through the whole corner.

You don’t have to break. You don’t have, you can go through all the, uh, banking and, uh, go on. And with, uh, Go karting, it was something new and you spent all around, uh, in some corners, uh, especially in go in the pro cars with two engines in the back. Uh, yeah, you go go around then uh with [00:10:00] uh from Go karting to sim racing, then it was also, uh, again with the, uh, with the rating lines out in out, but I never, uh, understood, uh, or never got, uh, the, uh, The focus, right?

To look through corners. And to be fair, uh, I never saw myself as a, as a true sim racer, uh, as fast as Yvonne or as fast as the aliens, because I always, uh, till a few weeks ago, I always, um, had the issue with the focus. I find it really difficult to find focus to look in the corners digitally. And when I did, uh, my first, uh, test drives in the film club two years [00:11:00] ago, then it was immediately looking, looking into corners and you, you can point your car to where you, where you watch.

And like, like the course two weeks ago. On Salesforce. I have my focus right now with simul racing. In the past two weeks, I, I feel I, not now more focus where. I had so much, uh, difficulty with finding the focus and now it’s easy.

That’s great. So yeah, I feel, I think I feel, uh, well, a few 10s, maybe a half second faster than I was before, before I started the, uh, racing course for the racing license stuff.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: It’s really interesting that, uh, BMX experience actually help you in some [00:12:00] racing, uh, That’s awesome. Um, so can you tell me, you just mentioned that you’ve been into Nascar and some other games, uh, racing games, and how, uh, do you actually move from racing games into the sim racing and, uh, start to take it serious?

Meike Ploeg: Uh, I took it serious. I believe Uh, about, uh, well, uh, 11, uh, 12 years ago, uh, I started with the Crunchyroll 5. Uh, uh, I got connected with a small Dutch community, GTRacing. nl. And they are just community races, uh, every week or twice a week. And, uh, racing on a low level, just a community race of maybe five to 10, uh, drivers, [00:13:00] it’s, uh, got the feeling for me online with racing against real people, not racing against bots or AI.

And then it was really, uh, fun to raise, uh, door handle. To door handle a mirror to mirror, and, uh, with also with G Grant , uh, you can, uh, um, approach it on a really, uh, professional level, but you can’t, uh, approach it on, uh, on that level. Like in I racing. In Gran Turismo, I always find it difficult to find the right breaking spots, the right clipping points, the right visual markers you use.[00:14:00]

But yeah, throughout the Gran Turismo 5, 6, and 7, um, and then I hopped back, uh, to the, uh, PC with, uh, I said, of course, competition four years ago, and now, uh, with iRacing. Yeah, now I see it more, uh, uh, as a digital motorsport.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm hmm. That’s cool. Um, what do you think about, uh, so you jump into Gran Turismo 5 years, like, some time ago, and, uh, community definitely help you, and, uh, what do you think about, uh, Some racing community overall.

Do you think that people are trying to help newcomers and like, oh, yeah Yeah,

Meike Ploeg: yeah, most definitely it’s like I think When you take soccer, for example, or hockey, I, I’ve did, [00:15:00] I’ve did some, uh, uh, uh, field hockey on a very low, uh, uh, basis, uh, in Utrecht, but there was already, uh, like, um, um, how do you say that?

Um, uh, leveling. What kind of left wing they were looking to each other, but they didn’t really help or support, uh, each other. It was, uh, on your own in most, in, uh, uh, community races in Crown Trismo, later in Assetto Corsa and, uh, I Racing, they, uh, I find it very welcoming is like, It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter what you are, is as much or as, um, [00:16:00] they should try to do it on a professional level and not do it on an a arcade level.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm-hmm .

Meike Ploeg: So you try to. You try to to find your raising lines, you try to break on a, uh, on, on a certain point, you don’t pun. Uh, others, uh uh, often track all the time. Then they see if, okay, that person wants to learn, that person wants to be quicker, we can help. Or you can help him and that that’s what I see in, uh, in the same rating community.

Very helpful. Very welcoming. Um, um, very welcoming, uh,

I can’t find, find the word now.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. Uh, some racing community [00:17:00] indeed, really welcoming. So when I jump into a racing, uh, that was during the pandemic, uh, in 2020, um, found that, you know, everybody’s trying to support you. Everybody’s trying to help you. If you got bad moments on track, uh, people trying to cheer you up and, um, Um, you know, just really, they’re really friendly and, uh, welcoming, indeed, as you said.

Um, Can you tell me what challenges did you face when you moved from Gran Turismo to a racing in ACC? What what was the main change for you in driving and in your skills?

Meike Ploeg: It was a whole different level. Okay Uh, start, uh, by the beginning, uh, it was, it was 2020 indeed, uh, with the Corona. Um, I was helping someone, um, um, he was, [00:18:00] uh, launching a new website and he had a web, uh, a website, a webpage about, um, um, movies with the trans, uh, theme.

Involved. So I came to the movie, just Charlie. I was searching on a movie, just Charlie interviews and such. Then I, uh, came to, uh, Charlie Martin interview, Charlie Martin. And then I thought, Oh my, there is someone like me racing. And it was, it was a week or so before she did the, uh, math, uh, nerveracking 24 hours.

Uh, it, it was, I believe, uh, at the end of August began September. Uh, it was darkest at 24 hours on nerveracking ever. Uh, then, uh, at the end of, [00:19:00] uh, 2020, then the diamond drive, uh, cup, uh, launched. So I got, uh, motivated. To buy a new gaming PC and be in that diamond drive cup. With as for the competition, with Johnny Martin, with other drivers, it opened so much, it opened not only the community.

It opened also my, uh, uh, uh, perspective of sim racing. Uh, I saw, I, I needed to find seconds, uh, to be seconds far faster than my basic speed loss, uh, uh, to make it worse. The first race in the Diamond Drive Cup was on the Alton Park. I think there are no tracks other than Alton Park. I kind of hate it.[00:20:00]

So that was, that was an eye opener. It was really an eye opener from, from Gran Turismo. I took it seriously. I took it seriously as a, uh, as virtual motorsports. But the, the, the The level of professionalism in, uh, from, from too. I said the course wa was a huge step for me.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm-hmm .

Meike Ploeg: So, yeah.

uh, I, I had to learn, uh, new, uh, tactics, new, uh, a new, a new way of, uh, of breaking. I, I, I did a racing with my. Uh, Logitech, um, G29 on the, uh, on Gran Turismo, it was the same set. [00:21:00] I did, uh, um, the first, the first races in, uh, Yeah. Yeah. Totally, totally different world of, uh, sim racing.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Awesome. So you also get into ACC, uh, during pandemic time.

That’s really funny because, uh, you know, many guests, which we had on any talks, they started from pandemic also, and actually, uh, many people just, uh, discover sim racing during this time and that that’s definitely awesome. And yeah, as you mentioned that you change your break in and. A lot of challenges you face, uh, during switching Gran Turismo to Data

Meike Ploeg: markers.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah.

Meike Ploeg: Like, like, in, in, uh, in, in Gran Turismo times, if I call it that, in Gran Turismo times, I always I did, uh, restart, [00:22:00] restart a new lap, restart a new lap, restart a new lap with, uh, I said the Corsa Competizione and with the Diamond Drive Cup and later also another, uh, um, uh, uh, female racers. I don’t know what that, uh, challenge was, uh, competition was, with more female racers.

More female

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: racers. Yeah.

Meike Ploeg: Yeah. I did, uh, I did some qualifications in that, really. And, uh, then I stopped to restart my lips and just keep on, uh, doing my lips. Uh, I stopped using my racing lines, uh, on and on and on. I. I turn it off and try to find my racing lines myself. So yeah, in, in real racing, you don’t have a racing line either.

I just try to challenge myself to, okay, I don’t have, uh, that in, in real life. So we [00:23:00] don’t have in sim racing either.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: And

Meike Ploeg: that’s also with sim racing. I try to, uh, Yeah, I challenge myself in driving with less traction control, driving with less ABS or driving with less downforce. Yeah, sometimes you have to try new things.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s definitely right. When you try new things. You’re learning, uh, something and, uh, you go with new experience, uh, to races and you’re doing that better than better, uh, you getting better results and also more satisfied, having more fun, definitely. Uh, so when I jumped to our racing, I also came to some racing from in real life racing.

So, I have really high expectations about myself that are like, going to win every race or something like this. Um, and, uh, Astim Racing is really competitive. [00:24:00] That, uh, kind of calms me down, uh, when I jump into, uh, racing because I can, you know, You know, win every race. It was really hard. It was a big challenge for me.

Um, so yeah, I learned something new. Like I started to be more calm, uh, during races, not rush. And sometimes just, uh, you know, plan the race, uh, better, uh, because we got Yeah, the

Meike Ploeg: work on the, uh, what I also did in as far as the competition, that’s why I also fell in love with the Gina at us. Uh, doing offline races in the Ginettas or one hour to two hour races, uh, uh, starting from the back, uh, turned, uh, uh, AI level a bit lower, and then, uh, try to, uh, be, uh, uh, to become first in one hour, two hour races, and then, uh, turn the AI level up and up and up and up.

So, [00:25:00] yeah, then you can challenge yourself and become quicker, quicker, quicker.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s the great thing about simracing, that you got the opportunity to jump anytime to the practice session. And we got great AI in iRacing, for example, so you can set it to any level. Um, can practice side by side fighting.

Meike Ploeg: And also, don’t forget Raceroom. I have to say Raceroom also, uh, In the time I did Gran Turismo, uh, and I had to unplug my, uh, uh, Logitech out of the PlayStation, move it to the, uh, old PC and Raceroom was the only, uh, sim, uh, sim I could run on that PC and, and, uh, Raceroom, I could run, uh, leaderboard, uh, leaderboard challenges.

So it was also, uh, a [00:26:00] bit, uh, mix between, uh, Arcade and sim racing. I didn’t do any, uh, real racing or racing to against AI or against real people. But, uh, yeah, race from also, I have to call them, uh, uh, for their, uh, Also for the sound engine, they’re creating a sound. Mm-hmm . Uh, uh, of cars, uh, but also, uh, with the feeling of, uh, certain cars like the bm BBMW, uh, M1 Pro Car and a suit tt uh, yeah.

Sound cars. I, I, I, I love racing very room for. Especially for the leaderboards.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. Race room is great. Uh, I raised some time and it’s also, uh, that happened. So I started from a set of Corsa, uh, not competizione, just a simple one. Um, then I raised my racing and then at the same time we [00:27:00] had, uh, like offline sim racing, um, point in the mall.

And so we had race room on this, uh, on our equipment here. And I remember I was racing here and also prepared in race room for, uh, one of the stages in Formula 4, uh, because race room got, uh, Sepang circuit. It’s a absolutely amazing circuit. I love it. Um, yeah. Um, many people said that, wow. Sound engine is, is great and Raceroom and people just in love with it.

And, uh, that’s great that we got, uh, all kinds of different, uh, simulators right now, and you can just, uh, jump to whatever, uh, comfortable for you, or you got like equipment, uh, for exactly like you just said, yeah, you choose Raceroom because you could run it on your PC.

Meike Ploeg: Yeah. Now, uh, uh, since, uh, Corona times, I do have a better PC, so I can run every, uh, sim, uh, I, I [00:28:00] like.

But, uh, yeah, it’s, uh, back in those days, uh, like between 2012, 2013, when they launched and yeah, uh, just, uh, yeah, Raytheon is free and sometimes I buy a car or buy a track or, uh, yeah, in, in all those years, I have, uh, quite, uh, an amount of cars, uh, collected.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, Raceroom got great tracks, also sometimes really cool leaderboard challenges and competitions.

So yeah, I think that people can have a look at Raceroom. It’s free to play also. That will be our recommendation. So maybe start some racing. And

Meike Ploeg: you can, and you can test drive every car you like before you buy it. Also, I, I will say, uh, every sim has to implement that. Uh, that idea so you can test drive every car [00:29:00] before you buy I racing do it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. Uh, you mentioned before that you’ve been, uh, racing on sidewinder, then you changed to, to G29. Uh, did you upgrade your wheel or in pedals? So were you?

Meike Ploeg: You upgrade it. Yes. Uh, I got an upgrade, uh, not by myself, uh, it was, uh, last year, uh, December, uh, 23. Or was it 22? Oh, I don’t know.

It doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. Um, I got an upgrade by, uh, by my husband. Uh, he gave me, seriously.

Oh!

A Merusa, um, I believe V2 RS, uh, wheel. With an [00:30:00] RAR nine, uh, base. And, uh, this year, uh, in the spring, I bought myself, uh, the, sorry, uh, Mozart, SRP, uh, pedals. Mm-hmm . And, uh, I do it now. Uh, I’ve raised for years in my, uh. Uh, uh, wouldn’t do it yourself, uh, Rick, but this year, uh, a few months ago, I built myself, uh, I built, uh, a sim labs, uh, Rick, uh, I got from Yvonne and, uh, Sophie.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s nice. So you, you really upgrade your equipment. That’s awesome. Um, How do you like it compared to what you had in 90s and, uh, how was it, can you compare this experience like you right now on high end equipment and you start on low end, uh, so how was it for you?

Meike Ploeg: Well,[00:31:00]

I’ve always said, uh, it’s not the, uh, Equipment is the driver. Uh, I have to come back to that. Uh, especially when I’m now in the sim labs, uh, everything is 30. I don’t have any, um, how do you say that? Um, uh, tolerances. Like a moving, everything is sturdy. Um, when I started with Quanturismo with a, uh, with a little community, I, uh, I have built myself a little case.

Like, uh, it was almost a coffin and it was, uh, foldable. So it was a little flight case, something like that. In a weird shape in, uh, kind of we shape, uh, wet, uh, shape. And then I folded open, um, uh, clicked my, uh, steering wheel in it. And then I had my, um, yeah, [00:32:00] ric, uh, in, in the bedroom. Uh, uh, pfi, uh, above me a little bit too high.

I have neck drains, uh, observation. Uh, uh, yeah, that was for me at that time was enough for, uh, for the fun of racing. Not, um, um, how to say it, approaching it on a professional level, but just my racing wheel was in a secure spot. My pedals were in a secure spot. I used an old, uh, go karting seat that I could move with, uh, little.

Pins and holes in a, in a case, in a fight case. So I had a, I had a seating position so I could race, but compared to that and what I do have now, yeah, totally different [00:33:00] world, totally different world of sim racing and racing. Uh, yeah, I truly can say now I race for virtually and, uh, thing I did back then was like arcade gaming.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s great. You know, I really like that you started from really base equipment and you step by step improve it for the years. It’s, uh, it’s really great. Um, when people come to me and ask me like, uh, what should I get as a first equipment? I just telling them, uh, like you can, you should get the one in which you can efforts actually.

So you can start from basic one and then move to more expensive if you got an opportunity for this.

Meike Ploeg: Maybe you can, uh, show, uh, something, uh, what I have, uh, previous on this, uh, SimRig. Uh, I had a rig built from scaffolding pipes. Mm. Um, just [00:34:00] scaffolding pipes, uh, with a, um, not the torques, but a bu, um, keys.

Mm-hmm . So I, I just ordered, I, I, I, I just ordered a load of, uh, pipes. I just ordered a lot load of, uh, those, uh, couplings, uh, built myself, uh, first, uh, uh, desk with a small triangle. I, uh, mounted a, a steering wheel on it. When I used my desk for home things and like, uh, uh, creating or, uh, drawing, then I just had a, uh, a desk with a L shape.

And when I was going to race, my pedals were, uh, just in the corner, uh, 45 degrees, then I. Put the triangle in its position, uh, uh, uh, turns the, uh, the couplings, uh, uh, tighten the couplings. Uh, with triangle where my steering wheel was [00:35:00] on it, and then I was able to race. So my desk was, uh, multifunctional, uh, then I, uh, then I changed that desk to a rig with the same pipes, same scaffolding pipes.

Didn’t, uh, any, uh, uh, additions to it. And like now for, I think the past year, uh, doing, uh, uh, I’m going to race. No, not going to go to it. I’m racing in this, uh, sim labs, uh, still scaffolding pipes for my money. My monitor stand is, uh, mounted to the, uh, SimLabs rig for my monitor.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s awesome. Uh, you know, also when I started in 2020, I had, uh, like custom made, uh, steel rig and when we switch from single screen, so single screen, I had [00:36:00] it on desk actually, and when we changed to triple, uh, we just, uh, built with my husband out of the plain woods, uh, the table.

So it was made for the triple it’s, you know, it’s really comfortable and it’s, uh, really solid as it’s, uh, that’s a playbook. It’s, um, you know, just like solid, solid, yeah. And you know, it’s still working. He’s still using, uh, this, uh, the stand for triple. It’s also, so we move a couple of times, uh, bring it with us and it’s still in one piece and working.

Meike Ploeg: I, I know I, I’ve been to, uh, Yon, uh, a few times, and I know Yon had that, uh, Samsung, uh, uh, uh, quiet war mm-hmm. Uh, screen. Yeah. That’s, that’s one thing I, I want to buy, uh, for myself. Mm-hmm . For, yeah. [00:37:00] Just instead of the triple screen, just one monitor, uh, with a, uh, yeah. Uh, how do you say it? math curve, uh, in it and then, yeah, this one, uh, one addition I could use for this rig.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I think this, uh, monitor can be good also for PC performance because triple definitely ate a lot of, uh, resources from PC, from GPU and from CPU as well as all simulators. They, you know, pretty hard on single core, uh, from CPU. So yeah, I think that that’s a good, uh, I’m, I’m,

Meike Ploeg: Not into that. I’m just not into that digital technical stuff.

It’s just, it has to work.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, you know, you just have to take what’s comfortable for you. So I know that some people are really comfortable with a single screen, so they just get used to, they got their own reference points on their monitors, and they just [00:38:00] race with single screen. But for myself, I choose triple.

Just because it gives you more angle, so when you race side by side in road races, it’s really comfortable to use.

Meike Ploeg: Yeah, it’s like, uh, with, uh, with single screen, uh, I try now to use, uh, sometimes the, uh, one of those picks. I try to use for, uh, for looking to left or right. So that’s what I try, uh, in

Assetto Corsa, it works a bit better than in IAC. But, uh, yeah, something I, yeah, and VR is also not. Something I, uh, I do want because I am afraid I, uh, I, I will hurt my eyes with the VR. [00:39:00] I don’t know. I don’t like it.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, VR is just, uh, you know, not for everyone because someone gets sick from it. Someone just dies.

doesn’t, uh, don’t like that, uh, you know, getting a worm and, uh, around your eyes and, uh, you can sweat also. So for long races, I think VR is a not, not really good option. Um, yeah, once again, um, you have to go with whatever you’ll be comfortable with.

Meike Ploeg: No, I prefer the real racing, a little bridge.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Uh, can you tell me, you mentioned that you, uh, didn’t like Alton Park in a racing, um, can you tell me what is your favorite combo in a racing and in a set of Corsa Compensione, like favorite car and favorite track also?

Meike Ploeg: Um, well, lately, uh, the past two years, I, uh, really liked, uh, solar [00:40:00] also because I, uh, raised, uh, uh, with the fun cup in real life, uh, uh, that’s why, um, I think the unit, the genetic GT four on solar, that’s, that’s for me, uh, uh, uh, Yeah, perfect combo, um, like in iRacing, uh, for example, I’m, I’m not, I’m not really into, uh, Formula cars, but, uh, the, the Formula, uh, the FF1600.

On Lime Rock, uh, I also really like.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, F Formula race, amazing. I like it. Um, my favorite one is, uh, Summit Point with this car. Um, but I think Lime Rock Park is, uh, you know, for the first time you Yeah, Summit,

Meike Ploeg: Summit, Summit and Lime Rock are really interchangeable.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: I

Meike Ploeg: think Lime Rock and Cemetery are really close to each other.[00:41:00]

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, they’re really close to each other. I agree with you. And I think that Lime Rock Park, for some people, when you’re first time looking in the track, you’re like, Oh, it’s like pretty easy to to race here. Yeah. But when you get on the track, you’re like, wow, it’s it’s really complicated in some places.

And, you know, all the time you you say, Steering to the right many times on this track and, uh, it can be really challenging to keep a consistent lap times for like 20 laps.

Meike Ploeg: Yeah, I’ve did so many laps to, to get, uh, uh, the last part of the track, uh, to me, just the, the, the, the, uh, The long right hander.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Mm-hmm .

Meike Ploeg: Uh, lime Rock. It’s just, yeah. It took me so long to get it right. Um, yeah. With, with Summit, it, it is the final corner, uh, long time. I, uh, drove from Summit, but, uh, [00:42:00] uh, uh, gear, uh, gearing down to mm-hmm . Third, uh, to third care in, in a ff six unit, but now I. Do it more in fourth gear and just, uh, yeah, how does it throw it into the corner?

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I, I got it. Like you, um, bringing more speed into the, the last, uh, one. Yeah, that’s definitely working. You know, that last corners on summit point and Lime Rock Park, I think they really familiar. So it can, if you nail the, the one on Lime Rock Park, you’ll be, uh, okay with summit point as well, I think.

All right. Um, so we’re moving to near to the end of our show and, uh, let’s talk about your plans and, uh, about your dreams. What are you planning for your future? Um, are you going to jump into real life racing? [00:43:00] Um, and what are you planning to do in sim racing as well?

Meike Ploeg: Uh, no, my plans are really focused on real racing.

Um, beginning of this year, uh, I said to myself, I want to get my racing license this year. Uh, and I, uh, ordered myself and, uh, uh, my personal logo. I don’t. Oh, it’s cute. Nope. This also with the Beatle with a film cup, Beatle and from Herbie. And uh, yeah. Um, I said to myself, I had to get my racing license this year and at the summer I didn’t knew really if it was going to succeed or not.

Uh, in September I was watched and, uh, visited, uh, max five. With, [00:44:00] uh, Miaras, uh, for example, I visited Germany, then I saw, yeah, okay, motorsports is expensive. Okay. I know it. And then, uh, I came back from holiday, uh, mid October and I had some, um, uh, email contact with someone from Sanford. He has his own, uh, racing school, uh, booting up his, uh, company with that.

And, uh, I thought I have to do it. I have to do it. It’s still this year I have to do it. So, yeah. Um, some, some people know. And I have my racing license, EU EU racing license. Awesome. Congrats to you. So my, my goal, uh, with a, a racing license is to, uh, get into, [00:45:00] uh, the film cup. Uh, starting, uh, my, uh, story with the Herbie and, uh, ending my ambitions to get in the funk of Beatles, like racing in Herbie.

Yeah, it’s, uh, if it’s only one stint, if it’s only one stint, uh, As Sanford or as far, but now I, I believe there’s more, uh, more than that for me. And, uh, I, I have to do some networking. I have to do some stuff, but I really believe, uh, there’s something to do in the most spots for me.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I hope all your dreams are going to come true.

I also noticed that you got pretty, uh, earrings. Yeah. With beetles. Yeah, that’s,

Meike Ploeg: uh, This, uh, also, uh, some [00:46:00] DI, uh, DU crafting, I did myself. Oh, uh, based on the logo, based on the logo of the film cup. So, uh, that’s awesome. Uh, so I have, uh, since a few, uh, since a year or two, I have a legend, graver and laser Kurt.

In my, uh, shed, so I do, uh, some, uh, sometimes, uh, stuff like this.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: That’s really cool. I love it.

Meike Ploeg: And I also, uh, what, what I also want to mention is like, uh, uh, sure. I want to, uh, stay in, uh, sim racing, uh. This year, uh, of no or no? Uh, last year, uh, with, uh, the Rachel for Mental Health, 2023, I raced with, uh, ASRA Racing. Mm-hmm . And this, this year in, uh, spring, I raced with, [00:47:00] with, um, in the, I don’t know, it was or

And, uh, working with sim racing and real racing to work on consistency. Uh, even also, uh, learned me just consist, consistency. Now consistency is key. It’s like, I, I’m not always the fastest, uh, like mostly I’m three to five seconds slower than the aliens.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: And

Meike Ploeg: that’s, that’s okay for me. But I, when. I drove with Astra in the race for mental health on solar or on Le Mans this year and I only made four or five mistakes in the whole event.

Yeah, then I think my consistency is okay. [00:48:00] And when I, when I can turn that into the real racing to be consistent there to, yeah, what I always said. That is like a drive round like a Jensen butternut and also that round that like a smooth driving style. Yeah, and I tried to Convert it to the real racing

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I think as you said consistency is a key and I think with consistency also Speed will come to you because if you’re consistent, you can actually analyze your laps and it’s better to see mistakes which you’re doing and overall it will help you to improve in the future. So yeah, I think this is the main thing in simracing and racing as well.

Meike Ploeg: Yeah, and now the focus is, uh, more on point for me, like I, I can look into the corners more in [00:49:00] virtual, uh, in virtual racing. Uh, yeah, I think I found there are some, some tense, maybe half a second. So yeah, I think, I think, uh, I, I will have to try some new events this or next year. So we’ll see.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, and, uh, speaking about your racing career and, uh, that you’re planning to do some networking, um, I think you can use SimRacing as well for this as, uh, you know, so many racing drivers in SimRacing, and, uh, maybe you can think to start streaming, start, uh, some socials as well, and, uh,

Meike Ploeg: you streaming.

Streaming is something I don’t like.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Um,

Meike Ploeg: no, it’s not, not like, but it’s not in my, um, first, uh, um, um, first problems map I had when I called that [00:50:00] it’s like, when I go to race, yeah, I want to stream, but I’m not that aware or that. Uh, fonts to, uh, make it a streaming, uh, business, uh, it’s, I want to race. Yes. I want to, uh, share my passion.

I want to share my, uh, uh, goals. Yeah. But, uh, streaming with all the editing and, and, uh, Social media around. I, I, I think I’m or do all for it or not that into it. I don’t know.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: So maybe you just, uh, don’t have experience. Yeah. Um, I think if you’re going to meet people, uh, who can help you, uh, even with streaming.

So maybe one day, uh, you, you can jump into it. Yeah. And even, you know, if you go on to do any races and some racing, I think it will be really good to stream them. Uh, because you’re going to find mm-hmm . Uh, your [00:51:00] people who’s going to support you. They’re going to come to every Yeah, yeah, that’s right. Every race.

Yeah. To cheer for you. Mm-hmm . And that’s great. Yeah. I have to ask,

Meike Ploeg: so maybe

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. And also you one, uh, said that I can help you . Yeah. God, you know, we guys, uh, really, uh, friendly and a welcome community and like everybody Yeah.

Meike Ploeg: That, that, that, and, uh. It, it doesn’t have to be free, of course. Mm-hmm . And, uh, if people, uh, like to make, uh, digital photographs of the flu racing or indeed, uh, editing of videos, yeah.

Who knows? But, uh, at this point I’m not into that. Mm-hmm . Yeah, I remember. I, I don’t know. I, I don’t also, uh, what my, uh, goal is with [00:52:00] simulating. If I go to, uh, overriding, even if I go to, More, uh, tooling class, like in a race room now, or maybe more like Formula and IndyCar, I don’t know.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: All right, so you’re going to decide for your future, I’m pretty sure.

And, you know, I remember when I started streaming and started to get into sim racing, I was, uh, You know, absolutely had no clue about streaming and how to do this. And, uh, you know, how to be, how to race at the same time and communicate with the community. Yeah. Um, it was a big challenge for me, definitely.

And, um, for this years, I can tell you that, uh, you know, I just became more confident and, uh, feeling more comfortable with community. And, uh, it’s actually a little bit weird when you’re racing. Uh, and you’re not streaming in the same time because I just get used to this. I get used to that. [00:53:00] I got all the time, my people who support me in every races.

Um, but sometimes, you know, I’m like, I’m practicing, uh, offline, not on stream. And it feels a bit weird.

Meike Ploeg: Yeah. Yeah. Well, like, uh, talk now, uh, uh, for an hour or so with, which you in a calm camera. I’m not used to cameras that much and, uh, getting comfortable by the minute with the camera. Yeah, who knows? Uh, yeah, I don’t call it totally off.

Uh, I don’t, I won’t do it, but, uh, it’s not in my, uh, yeah, yeah. I don’t know how to say it. It’s not in my streets to, uh, to focus on that streaming stuff more. I’m more eager to focus on the sim racing and, uh, become quicker and more, [00:54:00] um, uh, reliable, uh, as a team member for Astra racing or. Or another team, but, uh, and then, uh, and then go streaming instead of go streaming and still, uh, hopping around.

And I first have to find my, um, my point of racing. Uh, hopefully with the, hopefully with the Jinekas, I really, uh, like to, uh, race them. But yeah, maybe GT3, maybe IndyCar, I don’t know.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, I fully understand you, um, and you’re great on camera today. You’re doing amazing.

Meike Ploeg: Thank you. The lights, uh, turned off, uh, almost.

Half hour ago. All right.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah. Um, what would you say to women, uh, who are interested [00:55:00] in join, uh, sim racing? What would you suggest to them? Uh, maybe like jump into any of the sports, uh, and what they, um, can do to get involved into sim racing?

Meike Ploeg: First of all, try it. Uh, yeah. Like, compared to 10 years ago, and now, uh, the community I found with the Diamond Drive Club.

With a head, uh, discord and, uh, also with, uh, you know, it’s in team and, uh, SR racing, um, there, there was so much to find, uh, as a female register, also as an LGBT racer. Um, there was so much to, uh, Uh, to discover, uh, what kind of, um, race you like, what kind of, um, of not, not what kind of, [00:56:00] what, what amount of, uh, uh, sim racing you want in your life.

Uh, what, what time you have for it? What, what, uh, um, what do you want to put into it, in your new hobby? And to get out of it, uh, is it just gaming and just have fun for an hour a week, or do you want to make it more, uh, more your hobby? Uh, then I say, yeah, uh, try it. And there are so many, so many clubs, so many events, uh, so many, uh, companies you, you can, uh, attend, visit, uh, like, uh, formula one, uh, GT3, uh, GT3, uh, clubs, uh, if even on, on racing tracks, uh, itself like Nürburgring and Sandsport, you can.

You can visit them, and they have a sim rig. So, uh, there is much to explore [00:57:00] for everyone.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, definitely. A lot of opportunities to jump into different simulators. Also, uh, if you don’t have a rig, as you said, yeah, we got some sim racing centers, uh, where you can come and just try sim racing. That’s awesome, yeah.

Many ways to start, uh, to get, to be involved into sim racing, as you said.

Meike Ploeg: And also like, um, uh, try to, uh, ask, uh, people in your neighborhood, uh, maybe colleagues, uh, maybe, uh, uh, friends of friends, uh, who are into a sim racing, yeah, you can ask, uh, Hey, uh, I heard you, you, you did sim racing, you have a steering wheel.

Uh, yeah, you, you can ask and. Like, like we have said, uh, it’s a very welcoming community and, uh, someone who wants to share [00:58:00] his patient too.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: So he

Meike Ploeg: said, maybe he says like, uh, Oh yeah, come on over, uh, have a drink, uh, come over this weekend and you can try it. So it’s also, uh, lots of, lots of opportunities.

Lyubov Ozeretskovskaya: Yeah, that’s true. I absolutely agree with you. Um, and now we’re just, uh, flew really fast with you. Uh, so thank you so much for taking your time and, uh, speaking with us. It was awesome. Yeah. You’re great on camera. I’m going to say this once again. Thank you so much. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you guys for watching and till the next time with the neat talks.

Bye. Bye.

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