"...Now that I think I’ve nailed that, I think I'm ready."

CORONA—After two long years of building, tweaking, and adjusting his sim racing rig, local enthusiast Felipe Navarro has declared himself ready to make his virtual debut. Navarro’s rig, a Frankenstein-esque setup featuring triple monitors, custom pedals, an FIA-rated racing seat, and enough RGB lighting to rival a gaming convention, is finally complete—at least for now.

“It’s all about realism,” said Navarro, proudly showing off his hydraulic handbrake and a motion platform that simulates the g-forces of a supermassive black hole. “Every detail has to be perfect. I haven’t actually raced yet because, well, what’s the point if the throttle doesn’t have the exact resistance of a BMW M4 GTS? Now that I think I’ve nailed that, I think I'm ready.”

Friends and family remain skeptical about his commitment to actually racing. “Felipe has been telling us this for two years,” said his roommate, Carlos Ramirez. “He once spent three weeks calibrating his force feedback because it didn’t ‘feel like a car he doesn’t even own.’ At this rate, the guy’s gonna set up a weather station to simulate track conditions before he actually clicks ‘Race.’”

Navarro is undeterred. “You can’t rush greatness,” he explained. “Sure, I missed a couple of tournaments and league invites while setting up the sequential shifter, and I’ve been paying for an iRacing subscription I never use, but the moment I take to the track, people will understand.”

Local sim racing league organizer Sofia Castillo, however, offered a sobering perspective. “Felipe’s rig is a marvel, no doubt,” she said. “But sim racing isn’t just about the equipment—it’s about seat time. If he spent half as much time racing as he did installing LED strips, he might actually get out of the back of the pack.”

As Navarro prepares for his long-overdue debut, his rig is already becoming obsolete, with rumors swirling about a new generation of VR systems. For now, though, he’s ready to prove himself—once he finishes adjusting the seat angle.