Nascar Silicon Motor Speedway

Large video screens in the lobby of SMS alternate between real NASCAR racing footage and the cyber-racing taking place inside.

We wanted to take a few virtual laps in the Year One '69 Trans Am that was on display out front, but, alas, there was no time to digitize the car. To draw the attention of mall crowds, the Mall of Georgia SMS location often has a cool car on display, and during our visit the honored vehicle was none other than Year One founder Len Athanasiades' '69 TA clone. This is the car that started Year One, by the way.

Before you can jump in a car and trade some digital paint with your competitors, you have to sign up for a license. What you get is actually like a credit card in that the magnetic strip on the license contains all your driver information. To get in a car, you simply swipe the card through a reader and the car door opens.

Helpful displays are located throughout SMS that cover the basics of driving. Going quickly is actually quite difficult, so pay attention to these helpful tips.

Here's a bunch of us awaiting our chance to do some racing. It's a good thing a place like SMS exists, because no car owner in their right mind would allow a crew like this anywhere near a real race car!

The SMS cars are scale replicas of real NASCAR racers, authentic right down to the sponsor logos and paint schemes.

The cockpit of the SMS Cup cars feature racing seats (yes, seats, you can take a passenger if you like), a huge working tachometer, ignition switch, pedals, and a Hurst shifter sticking through the floor. It doesn't get more real than this.