Race fans heading to Daytona this weekend will get a chance to satisfy their need for virtual speed thanks to the U.S. Navy.
The Navy Recruiting Command will showcase “Strike Group,” a multi-scenario, mixed-reality experience that showcases the Navy’s STEM career options. These include nuclear engineering, aviation and medicine.
The virtual experience has allowed the Navy to showcase its offerings to 450,000 potential recruits per year.
The Daytona 500 is just the latest event to feature the VR experience, which has been shown off at high schools, universities, Navy Fleet Weeks and other events across the country.
“Connecting with future recruits requires the Navy to be in the same spaces where they reside, and mixed reality and gaming are appealing to 17-24-year-olds, and highly effective tools to provide an inside, authentic view of what a STEM career in the Navy looks like,” officials said in a press release. “The Navy is committed to using the latest technology to educate and inspire the next generation of exceptional sailors.”
Officials also said the showcase at the Daytona 500 is intended to take advantage of the race’s popularity. It also aligns with the reliance of motorsports on emerging technologies.