How iRacing uses laser scanning to build sim racing’s most realistic tracks

iRacing scan of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

If you’ve ever wondered how iRacing delivers such a true-to-life racing experience, it all starts with one thing: laser scanning. This advanced technology is at the core of iRacing’s track-building process and plays a major role in making the sim the gold standard for realism in motorsports simulation.

Whether you’re a sim racing veteran or just starting out, understanding iRacing’s laser scanning technology will help you appreciate why the platform is trusted by real-world drivers and teams alike.

What Is Laser Scanning in iRacing?

iRacing uses LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) laser scanning to capture the real-world layout of every racetrack with millimeter-level accuracy. Specialized equipment emits laser pulses that bounce off surfaces around the circuit. These returns are then used to generate a 3D “point cloud” that maps every crack, bump, and elevation change with stunning precision.

This means the iRacing version of a track isn’t just “close” to real life—it is real life, down to the smallest detail.

The Full Process: From Real World to Virtual Track

  1. Track Surveying: iRacing physically visits each track to perform laser scans and gather detailed telemetry.
  2. Data Collection: Millions of laser data points are recorded along with thousands of high-resolution photographs of trackside objects, infrastructure, terrain, and environment.
  3. 3D Modeling: Engineers process the point cloud data into a 3D model and rebuild the track surface, ensuring elevation, banking, and camber are true to spec.
  4. Photorealism Through Photogrammetry: Using image data, iRacing recreates grandstands, pit boxes, barriers, trees, and even sponsor banners for a lifelike driving environment.

Why iRacing’s Laser Scanning Makes a Difference

  • Every Bump Matters: Tire behavior, ride height, and handling all change depending on tiny variations in track surface—captured only through high-resolution laser scanning.
  • Training Ground for Pros: Real-world drivers like Max Verstappen, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Kanaan have used and promote iRacing because its tracks behave exactly as they do in real life.
  • Track Evolution Simulation: With rubber build-up, dynamic grip levels, and temperature shifts, iRacing simulates changing track conditions better than any consumer platform.

The Most Authentic Racing Experience Available to the Public

If you’re looking for the most accurate sim racing tracks available, iRacing’s laser scanning process is unmatched. It provides a level of immersion that isn’t possible with hand-built tracks or lower-fidelity scanning techniques used in other games.

From short ovals to street circuits and world-famous road courses, what you drive in iRacing is what pros race in real life. That includes the PRI Hoosier 500, contested on the virtual Indianapolis Motor Speedway each December.

Want to learn more about iRacing’s track scanning technology? Check out this video from iRacing that breaks down the process, cutting edge technology, and end product.