First SimRacing Expo in USA Huge Success, Confirmed to Return in 2027

Over Memorial Day Weekend, DualShockers was invited to attend the SimRacing Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina. This was a big moment for the team behind the event, as it also marked the first ever time they'd taken the show from its original home in Germany and brought it over stateside.

I must say, as the first voyage into having the expo in the USA, the event was an absolutely incredible experience during all three days that it ran. The show floor was jam-packed with tons of exhibitors, all eager and ready to show visitors what they've been working on, and why their products are worth investing in if you're someone that's into sim racing yourself, or are considering joining the action.

For me, a fan of both real-life racing and video games, this was a very eye-opening experience as someone who has yet to make the jump into the world of sim racing itself. After spending time testing out dozens of rigs, chatting with numerous teams, and taking everything in, I get it, and I want to be a part of it. Here's more info about the show itself in case you'd like to come to the next event, which is already confirmed for 2027.

Hands Down the Best Way to Test Out Sim Racing Equipment

The world of sim racing can feel like a tricky one to get started with. There are so many options, rigs, ways to customize, and various tiers of entry/upgrade points that can all feel a little overwhelming for someone starting from scratch. On the flipside, if you're someone already well-invested in the medium and are ready to continue building out your setup, it's not always feasible to be able to compare/contrast new gear without blindly ordering online.

This is where something like the SimRacing Expo thrives, as so many products of various tiers are housed together under one roof over one weekend for you to gather as much intel as you can, as well as go hands-on to see what speaks most to you. Going into the event, I did not expect just how easy it would be to test out so much equipment, but the SimRacing Expo made this a breeze.

Sure, there were a whopping near-9,000 sim racing fans that populated the show floor over the course of the entire three days, but it was still incredibly simple and straightforward despite this to find my own opportunities and windows of time to sit down and demo out sim rigs, ranging from budget-friendly options under $1,000 to get you going, all the way up to rigs well into the six-figure range for those that are really looking to take sim racing as seriously as humanly possible.

From full rigs, to desk wheels, VR headsets for extra immersion, cutting-edge haptic feedback seats, new takes on handheld controllers, ways to get kids involved, and genuinely everything in between, the SimRacing Expo boasted such an incredible collection of gear to try out and experience, and I'd honestly challenge someone interested in this specific world of gaming to leave the show without feeling fired up about sim racing.

For reference, as this event has now wrapped up, and we're looking towards the next one, here's everyone that was on the show floor, just so you can get an idea of everything you'll be able to try in 2027:

• Asetek
• Bavarian Simtech
• BDH Racing Sim
• Conspit
• D-Box
• DOF Reality
• Driven Dynamics
• E-PXN
• eNASCAR
• Fanatec/Corsair
• Fastlap Sims
• Flatout Sims
• Giants Software
• Gomez Industries
• GT Omega
• Heusinkveld
• ImSim Racing
• iRacing
• Kunos Simulazioni
• Logitech
• NASCAR
• Operation Motorsport
• Podium 1 Racing
• Raceroom
• Rafa Racing Club
• Sabelt
• Sensit
• Sim Lab
• Simagic
• Simcraft
• Simgear
• Simpatico Sim Shop
• Simracing Pro
• Simucube
• Simufy
• SimXPro
• Skip Barber
• Soelpec
• Straight4 Studios
• Thrustmaster
• Trak Racer
• VPG Sim
• VRS Racing
• VRX
• Wantex VR
• ZustAI

As you can imagine from the length of the list above, there truly was no shortage of gear to try out at the SimRacing Expo, both from brands you already know and love, as well as so many newcomers that have come onto the scene ready to show the world what they have to offer as well. Obviously, if you're someone shopping around for new products or just want to see what's coming on the horizon, this is the show for you.

Insider Information From the Big Names

In addition to the sheer whopping number of vendors and products to take a look at on the show floor itself, the SimRacing Expo was also loaded with interesting and entertaining stage shows for those looking to get a little further into the details of it all. On stage was a hodgepodge of conversations with developers, real-life racers, sim racing streamers, as well as a Sunday showcase full of live sim racing competitions from multiple classes of racing.

Whatever you're interested in, there was something intriguing for you on stage. The FIA gave a presentation on upcoming, FIA-official sim racing tournaments. The team at Podium 1, one of the biggest names in sim racing rigs, spoke at length about their work and what's coming in the future. Popular content creators Daniel Kilian, Stormalina, and Thomb got into detail about their setups and experiences in the world of sim racing streaming.

Perhaps most interesting to me, however, were the conversations with real-life racers who started on a sim rig, then made the jump to the actual track. Take Parker Retzlaff, for example, who climbed the iRacing ranks before becoming a full-fledged NASCAR driver. These were incredible stories, and just served to get me more interested and invested in the world of sim racing itself.

Still, the access to insider information didn't stop there. As someone who was at the show as media, sure, I had perhaps a bit more opportunities to have some in-depth conversations with the teams on the show floor. Even so, I was also impressed by how, after I'd completed a scheduled interview with a team, they'd also just be right out on the show floor themselves, circulating with all the attendees, ready to speak with anyone and everyone.

It all points to a sort of passion from those in the world of sim racing that, honestly, might be unparalleled from my experience at other sorts of expos. Everyone here seemed so fired up about their work, and genuinely excited to talk to everyone about what they'd been cooking up.

Suffice to say, if you're someone interested in getting to learn all the inside scoops, the finer details, and the nitty-gritty of how different types of handbrakes function, the SimRacing Expo will not disappoint.

Looking Forward to 2027

If you weren't able to be a part of the 9,000 patrons at the 2026 SimRacing Expo in Charlotte last weekend but were interested, I can tell you with full confidence... You missed out. Of course, I don't say this to rub it in, but more so, to let you know that the show really was everything I could've hoped it would be going into it, and in many cases, surpassed my expectations in terms of the overall experience.

If you weren't able to make it this time, or did get to attend but simply can't wait for the next one, there's good news. With the success and clear interest shown in the 2026 event, the SimRacing Expo has already confirmed that it will return to Charlotte once again on May 21-23, 2027.

For me, I'm hoping to make the SimRacing Expo a new, yearly adventure as I'm now fully interested in the world of sim racing and can't wait to get my own rig up and running ASAP. See you on the track, and hopefully, back in Charlotte in 2027.