NASCAR driver tries out UI driving simulator

The Iowa Speedway brought in NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan to test out the University of Iowa's National Advanced Driving Simulator on Thursday.

Gaughan said the simulator was very different from his racecar, but had natural motions and was extremely realistic.

"Just taking your eyes off the road to look down a street and you veered a little bit and all of a sudden there's on-coming traffic," Gaughan said. "In real life, that's going to hurt. In here, you can learn a lesson and not have to get hurt for it. It's amazing what you can learn inside this thing."

The NASCAR driver will participate in the Iowa Speedway's NASCAR XFINITY Series U.S. Cellular 250 race on Saturday, July 30 that has a STEM-principles theme.