In Westport, Virtual GT East has brought the tire-screaming, engine-roaring thrill of Lime Rock and Talladega to corporate events, parties and even into the enthusiast”™s home.
“It”™s for anyone who loves racing,” said John Fontane, owner of Virtual GT East.
After seeing the units, which are made by California-based Virtual GT, at a trade show, Fontane recognized their potential. He has recently launched the venture.
“There”™s nothing like them,” said Fontane. “Kid or adult, who wouldn”™t have fun with a pair of these for a few hours? I saw the systems and I was just blown away.”
Fontane said the true-to-race cockpits that house the driving units link to one another, enabling friends or colleagues to go head-to-head and include hydraulics and motion systems that give the racers feedback even when they crash.
“We have tremendous success at the dealerships,” said Fontane. “We”™ve done events for Mini of Fairfield County and offer it for corporate and social events. For the corporate events, we have individuals blindfolded while their corporate team members can talk them through a track. It”™s a great trust exercise, and of course it”™s fun.”
Fontane said because the units are mobile and can set up anywhere as long as there”™s a power outlet, it enables those offices that can”™t afford to take the office on an outward-bound program to have an entertaining bonding experience come to them. The web site is virtualgteast.com.
“For the dealerships it”™s great, we set up for a couple days and the sales staff can encourage customers to go for a ride in the car they”™re interested in buying, said Fontane. “One of these units should be in all the dealerships. It”™s amazing how exact you can be with the software. We”™ve wowed a lot of motor hungry guys in the dealership.”
Fontane said a bus company approached him to buy a unit and build a digital version of its buses into the game.
“It was no problem,” said Fontane. “The applications are limitless and the simulators are obsessively engineered to provide an experience so realistic you feel like you”™re behind the wheel of a world class racecar.”
Fontane, who is also a partner at Penfield Marketing on Post Road East in Westport, is in the process of adding a room with a four-unit setup there. Those interested in the product can come test drive it, or even rent the room for small parties.
Said Fontane, “It”™s as close as you can get to racing without being on the track. For those guys who love racing, but can”™t get to the track as much as they”™d like, this is a great addition.”
Fontane said the units allow racing on nearly every racetrack on the professional circuit.
“You can even come to Lime Rock,” said Fontane. “People don”™t realize there”™s such a strong racing culture right here in Connecticut.”
