Players start as amateurs, only to spend their weekends under a dimly lit garage light.

CONCORD—Leaping toward hyper-realism, iRacing has announced its latest DLC: GRASSROOTS DIY, an ultra-authentic experience where you’ll spend some of your time racing—but most of the time actually working on your virtual car.

“We’ve heard our community loud and clear,” said iRacing creative director Brian Wilkes. “They wanted realism. They wanted immersion. So now, instead of driving, you’ll mostly be underneath the car, covered in imaginary oil, waiting for your order from SimRockAuto to arrive with a SimMagnet. SimMagnets are NFTs.”

The DLC promises an unparalleled experience, complete with virtual seized bolts, mystery electrical issues, and the thrilling joy of spending 12 hours trying to fix your alignment with strings.

“You’ll finally get to feel what it’s really like to race cars at the grassroots level,” Wilkes continued. “We’ve even added a new anxiety meter that spikes when your car doesn’t pass tech because you forgot to torque your nuts. Just like real life.”

Players will be required to purchase digital tools, download fictional parts manuals in PDF format, and schedule imaginary shipping delays that affect race weekends. In multiplayer mode, users can watch their friends fix their cars while drinking a beer—and get into fights in the pit garage over borrowed jacks.

“This is a game-changer,” said sim racing enthusiast Kyle Navarro, who’s already pre-ordered the DLC. “I’ve spent thousands on my rig trying to feel like I’m really there. And now, I get to feel the crushing despair of a car that won’t start.”

Critics have voiced concern over the time commitment. “Some users are spending six to eight hours diagnosing ABS sensor failures,” said industry analyst Rachel Koh. “One guy is seeking couples counseling after the DLC added an AI spouse who didn’t believe in his project car.”

The DLC includes a new “Group Chat Distract” feature, where AI friends tell you to just trailer the car home—despite the season being on the line. Optional add-ons include arguing with tech inspectors, bribing marshals, and spending your extra time looking for a bag of ice since you forgot to buy it on the way in.

Even the career mode has been reworked. Players start as hopeful amateurs with dreams of racing, only to spend their weekends under a dimly lit garage light, refreshing forums for answers and muttering, “Why is this thing always broken?”

Despite the chaos, reception has been overwhelmingly positive.

“This is what sim racing was missing,” said Navarro, wiping digital grease from his headset. “It’s not about driving. It’s about earning the right to drive—for maybe 15 minutes before something else breaks.”

Welcome to realism. Welcome to iRacing.