Full "Race Day" Experience

[Cjr1843]

There are some older games out there that really immerse the player to get pumped for a race, before they even hit the pavement.
My actual suggestion is pre-race commentary, preferably in the language coinciding with the track location. Not every race needs to have commentary, but championships and higher-licensed races would be a must.
Other than that, having your own garage and race team (or mechanics for shorter races), and the obvious practice & qualifying sessions would be a great touch.

I love the GT series. But I've always hoped for that immersive race experience.

 

[GBO Possum]

You might like to try Forza Horizon which builds something of a story around the driving and racing experiences.

For me, it's a partially acquired taste, but an interesting experience in gaming. The target is a younger demographic. Or certainly younger than I am!