Sim Racing Expo 2025

In one word? Amazing!

This was my second Sim Racing Expo, and just like last year, I was hosted at the Ascher Racing booth. I had my own little corner to show off, demonstrate, and discuss the current state of the Lovely Ecosystem, as well as its future evolution.

It was—by every measure—the most successful event. The hosts, Danny & Luke, were amazing and incredibly hospitable, all while maintaining a friendly demeanor. Friday was packed, but Saturday was the true proof of success; for the first time ever, the event was sold out.

Thursday, Oct. 16th

I arrived on Thursday and immediately started setting up my stand. Marcel from Ascher had taken care of everything and provided all the required hardware. I brought my personal Ascher Racing Artura Ultimate, a one-of-a-kind unit spec'd to my needs and brand—it made sense to have it on display. In hindsight, not such a good idea.

It took a few hours to install all the required software, set up the PC, and configure all the hardware to run the Lovely Dashboard, Lovely Flags, Lovely Dashboard Companion, and the Lovely Pit Wall. All LEDs were powered by the outstanding ASTR Hub Evo.

Fun fact: on my stand, I also had the yet-to-be-released/unannounced Ascher Racing 8" DDU. A stunning piece of equipment, indeed! I had previously created a version of the Lovely Dashboard for this screen size (Lovely Dashboard MXL), but we didn't have any LED profiles for it. ASTR Hub Evo to the rescue—with just a few clicks, we had our custom LED profile up and running.

Friday, Oct. 17th

The first day of the expo felt like a whole week. Unlike last year, the foot traffic was unbelievable. As always, I got to meet so many of you and take in all the feedback. By midday, my feet were killing me... I'd forgotten about that ;P

The day flew by, and I didn't have any time to walk the floor, so I focused on talking to all of you in person. The day ended with the exhibitors' event, where we all gathered at a nearby venue to meet and greet at a slower pace.

Saturday, Oct. 18th

This is the day that will remain the most memorable. Not because it was—for the first time ever—sold out. Not because I got to see and speak with almost everyone who crossed my stand... but because my wheel was stolen.

No one really knows how it happened, but when we arrived in the morning, my wheel, which had been left on the stand the previous night, was missing. I actually have a timelapse of me entering the building, walking up to the stand, and realizing the item was gone. Usually, security is pretty tight at events like these, with thousands of euros in equipment just laying around.

The wheel was a one-of-a-kind Ascher Racing Artura Ultimate, made specifically for me. It featured a laser-engraved LR logo, blue anodized dials and knobs, along with Lovely Button Caps and stickers. This was truly a masterpiece by Ascher.

The one thing on everyone's mind was: why this wheel? With so many other wheels on display and literally within arm's reach, why did someone take mine? It's a wheel that cannot be mistaken for anyone else's, nor can it be replicated, much less sold or trafficked.

Hey you, reading this article right now, if you are the one who took my wheel, be very careful when you use it—we have all the serial numbers. If you only wanted it as a trophy, I'm honoured—and you're a dick.

It is Definitely Not Recommended to steal one-of-a-kind unique items. If anything, they are far easier to track down when they surface, leaving you exposed and proving how dense you may be. If stealing is how you get by, your lifestyle is truly sad.

Nevertheless, Ascher Racing was amazing enough to provide me with a spare wheel, so no real harm was done. I moved on immediately and enjoyed the best Sim Racing Expo.

That night, all booths stood empty as everyone collected and stored their equipment. It was a sad sight that was brought on by a deceitful, nefarious and ruthless person.

I implore anyone who may know anything about the whereabouts of my wheel to contact me in any way possible. When we left on Friday night, there were still people hanging around. Someone must have seen something. Any hints or tips that lead to the discovery of my wheel are greatly appreciated.

Sunday, Oct. 19th

The last day of the expo was again packed, but this time I took to the floor on multiple occasions. This is when I got to meet and chat with most of the companies and discussed quite a few interesting ideas. A lot was discussed and even more will be announced when ready.

In conclusion, these events in our little niche market are the de-facto place to meet, greet, and interact with both the community and stakeholders of Sim Racing. If you're not there, you're probably not as passionate as you think 😉.

Thank you!

To all vendors, partners, community members, and friends who were there—I thank you for all the great talks, ideas, and feedback you shared. It is all truly appreciated and will find its place in the ecosystem in the future.

Till next year, auf wiedersehen!