Competitors in Focus - Dominic Charles...

We've sat down with Trinidadian Dominic Charles before, but not in the context of Competitors in Focus where we let you get to know our competitors as they share a bit of insight into themselves. Stefan Gajie: Dominic, thank you for sitting down with us, again. We did speak to you before, but that was prior to our Competitors in Focus category which did not focus on your much. Please, introduce yourself to our Audience and tell us, how long have you been SIM-Racing and what made you get into it?

Domini Charles: Hi, thanks for having me. My name is Dominic Charles. I'm 21 years old and currently reside in my home country of Trinidad and Tobago. I guess you could say I've been sim-racing since I got my first wheel, an old Logitech GT Pro at the age of 5. I'm 21 now so that seems like forever now (haha). I've always been into cars but my interest in motorsport really took off when I got a copy of Gran Turismo 4 as a child. Being exposed to the rich history of racing and the car culture through that game has changed my life. Since then, I've done a bit of karting, -a LOT of- sim racing, and most recently, I have been coaching some drivers in real life thanks to the knowledge of setups and driving dynamics that came with my experience in my kart, in my sim-rig and through many, many hours of reading and studying the physics behind racing. After starting Calypso Racing Community with my friends, I've been doing my best to bring awareness to our region's sim racers. Luckily, that has also brought me here to CSRO, where I am happy to see the passion for racing going as strong as ever.

Stefan Gajie: GT has played such a major part in getting most of us interested in sim-racing, I see its the same with you as well. As per the Caribbean, where do you see sim racing within the next few years?

Dominic Charles: With the right guidance, and a lot of hard work, we can definitely make our presence known internationally. I'd like to see sanctioned events, online driving academies and an overall increase in the volume and quality of racers in our region.

Stefan Gajie: With that being said, what would you say are some of the benefits of sim-racing for the region in relation to motor racing?

Dominic Charles: I'll give a hot take and say that many drivers do not properly understand the racing line and their own platform's dynamics. I believe sim racing is the closest we'll get to "cheap" motorsport experience. Considering that F1 drivers use it to gain experience and familiarity with cars and tracks, it certainly has some similarity to real life. We can use sim racing as a level playing field to help drivers learn lines, defensive and overtaking maneuvers and most importantly, etiquette. Discipline and etiquette are the cornerstones of a proper racing driver, which we currently lack as a region. I say this as someone who frequently interacts with professional foreign racing drivers. Also, the fun aspect and inclusivity of sim racing is certainly a benefit to growing motor racing.

Stefan Gajie: It is indeed! We are happy to hear that response from you as we share similar sentiments. Let's now turn to your recent championship win in our Caribbean Single Make Championship. Walk us through that series and your thoughts on it.

Dominic Charles: Well, that series has been fun. I always love a spec series because it boils completely down to skill. The Porsche is certainly not a car that suits my driving style but I very much welcomed the challenge. After winning the first two races, I took time off of the game to handle my real-life racing and it certainly came back to bite me with the spin at Long Beach haha. I missed the final race to attend an important event but thankfully I had enough points to secure the championship regardless. Next time I plan to make it to every round. As always, a very well put together event by CSRO and I'm looking forward to the next championship. Stefan Gajie: Thank you for the kind words as we close off this interview just briefly touch on the competition you've faced from the guys here at CSRO and a word of confidence for them in the upcoming championships. Dominic Charles: For the most part, very good, clean racing from the drivers I've run with thus far. I hope to see all of the guys racing in the GT3 championship and the continued improvement of our driving as a region. Lastly, I encourage anyone who can to come race! At the end of the day, it's all about fun and competition. Stefan Gajie: Well, once again, thank you, Dominic we appreciate the time taken here with us today, see you on the track!

Photo of Trinidadian Dominic Charles

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