Family launches NASCAR arcade

By Dan Daly, Journal staff | Monday, December 17, 2007

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The Larson family of Rapid City has long been a business family. Kevin and Deb Larson, and their sons Jeff and Tyler Larson, owned and operated the Cellular Center in Rapid City. You might recall their television commercials.

When the family decided they needed a change, they got out of the retail cell phone business. Kevin asked his sons if they had any ideas for a new business venture.

“The boys said NASCAR,” Kevin recalled. 

They did their homework, crunched some numbers and came up with the idea for Heartland Entertainment, a new NASCAR-themed family arcade on Cambell Street in Rapid City. It’s scheduled to open Dec. 18.

It will have pool tables, 70 arcade games, a small food court and a shop where you can buy NASCAR memorabilia and NASCAR merchandise.

But the attraction that will likely get the most attention is along the back wall of the shop. Four shiny NASCAR race cars — on a scale that is 80 percent of the real thing — stand side by side.

They’re high-tech NASCAR simulators designed to give arcade drivers the sights, sound and sensation of actually being in a car race.

From behind the wheel, you have a 135-degree view of the racetrack projected onto three screens. You also have a gear shifter, gas pedal, brake pedal and a small monitor.

Each of the four cars is mounted on a hydraulic system, so when another virtual driver bumps your car, it shakes and shudders as if it were really hit.

“You feel like you’ve been in an accident,” Kevin Larson said.

The computers can generate a 40-car field and recreate four different racetracks. The four drivers can compete against virtual opponents or each other.

Eventually, they could even race head to head in real-time competition with NASCAR simulator drivers at the Mall of America and other venues that have the same cars.

The Larsons are promoting Heartland Entertainment as a family entertainment center.

There’s no smoking and no alcohol.

“This is something we feel there’s a need for in the community,” he said.

So which of the four Larsons will be the best drivers? “Without even getting into a car, I’d have to say Jeff. He’s a techno geek, and if he’s a fraction as good at driving as he is at flight simulators, he’ll be better than me,” Kevin Larson said.

For more information, call 791-7223.

  

Contact Dan Daly at 394-8421 or at dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com.