About International DriverX Elite Academy

As the tires of a professional-grade stock car screech along a European-style track, the wheel trembles in the driver's hands. Danger lurks at every curve, and the driver has yet to master the vehicle. He's safe, though, his body firmly strapped into an unmoving chassis in Mesa, Arizona, even as he hurtles down the virtual track. Equipped with 55-inch monitors and active tactile feedback, DriverX Elite Academy’s racing simulators make high-speed maneuvers feel wholly authentic, bouncing over bumps and leaning into turns whenever the driver commands. The simulators so closely resemble the actual experience that junior and professional performance racers often use them for training or for honing their skills between races and emergency coffee runs.

DriverX Elite Academy uses the high-tech machines both to train aspiring speedsters and let amateurs feel an adrenaline rush in a safe environment. Groups of friends and coworkers can reserve the room for simulated tournaments, racing head-to-head for trophies or bragging rights. Other accommodations include overnight hotel-style getaways and a smoothie bar, where drivers can refill their belly buttons' fuel tanks between races.

The academy also sponsors advanced simulation therapy, designed to foster life-skills development for people with autism and other disabilities. The brainchild of general manager Sean Southland, the program has helped many participants improve not only their tactile and visual tracking abilities but also their social skills. Sean remembers fondly how one mother, astonished, watched as her son waited patiently for his next race; before that day, she had never seen him sit still for more than a few minutes.