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NASCAR America: William Byron, Alex Bowman on how simulators help them at the track

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William Byron, Alex Bowman explain how NASCAR simulators help them prepare for races.

One of the most popular tools NASCAR teams use today to help prepare drivers for races are simulators, which can recreate racing without anyone having to actually visit a track.

NBCSN’s Ato Boldon recently spent time with Alex Bowman to find out more about simulators. Bowman has worked on the team’s simulator this season as he prepares to take over the No. 88 Chevrolet from Dale Earnhardt Jr. next season.

After the feature, which you can watch above, NASCAR America analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett spoke with Bowman and William Byron about how simulator work helps them prepare for a race weekend.

“So you have your first lap of you’re not really sure how far you can get it in the corner,” Bowman said. "(The simulator) takes that away. You show up at the track, you’re ready to go right off the truck. The more real we make that, the better it’s going to be.”

Said Byron: “Your lift points and everything, where you pick up on the throttle, is the same. The feeling when you go into the corner for the first time, you don’t have that shock of what it’s going to feel like. It’s a good to to get yourself acclimated for the weekend.”

Watch the above video for more, including the drivers talking about their relationships with teammates Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson.