Raceworld USA, an interactive NASCAR race shop using immersive A/V technologies to attract visitors, has opened in North Carolina.
A partnership of the ARK Group and Michael Waltrip Racing, Raceworld USA is being billed as “a revolutionary stock car experience.” The attraction encompasses more than 140,000sq ft of indoor space on 11.5 acres in Cornelius, NC.
The facility houses three NASCAR Nextel Cup teams and one NASCAR Busch Series team. The significant distinction of this race team shop, however, is that unlike most such shops, fans are invited to tour the facility and see operations that are normally kept behind closed doors.
XOS Technologies, a provider of advanced digital video, ticketing and online media technologies to professional and collegiate athletic organizations, along with creative partner Downstream, outfitted the attraction with its One Up technology, a custom facilities design and integration service.
The One Up service package combines environmental design, video display technology and visual storytelling to create an immersive experience.
Fans are welcome to take an all access tour of the garage and fabrication shops and to check out the inner workings of an actual operating multicar NASCAR race team. Visitors can look into the engineering room, machine room, gear and transmissions bay and the main assembly area.
Interactive exhibits show how to build a Nextel Cup Series car using advanced computer design technology, offer race track by track analysis and demonstrate the evolution of racing safety gear.
Visitors can walk through a team transporter and a motor coach similar to the ones that house NASCAR drivers and team owners on race weekends. They can view the film “Race Day” in an HD movie theater and watch actual pit stop practice in the pit arena.
In addition to the live features, fans can view more than 20 short films of Waltrip’s race teams on plasma and interactive 3-D graphic displays throughout the facility.
Raceworld USA’s future exhibits will include the chassis dyno room, shock room, the Car of Today and Car of Tomorrow display, a retail store and a restaurant.
