Life & Work with Jimi Kim of La Habra

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimi Kim

Hi Jimi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 1998, I bought my first sports car, a 1997 Acura Integra GSR, which sparked my passion for motorsports. What began as modifying my car with an intake system quickly grew into a deep love for customizing and racing. I’ve owned several Japanese sports cars over the years, both front- and rear-wheel drive, and as I advanced in my engineering career, I seriously considered transitioning to motorsports full-time.

In fact, I was accepted into Cranfield University’s prestigious Motorsports Engineering master’s program with the dream of working on an F1 team. However, the challenges of finding a job in the U.S. and the lower salaries in the field led me to rethink that path.

Fast forward to 2020, when the COVID lockdown accelerated the growth of sim racing. What started as a way for racing enthusiasts to stay connected while stuck at home evolved into a full-fledged eSport, complete with immersive simulation rigs and sponsorships from major brands like F1, NASCAR, and Hyundai. The technology behind sim racing became so advanced that it mirrored real-world racing, offering a high-level, accessible experience for everyone from beginners to pros.

In 2023, after finishing my first quarter of UCLA’s MBA program, I visited a sim center with my wife. As I walked out grinning ear to ear, she asked, “Why don’t we open our own sim center?” That night, I started building my first sim rig, and a few months later, I met Stanley and Shin, the owners of AT230 Cars and Coffee in La Habra, who were enthusiastic about my idea. We teamed up, and we (Diana and I) set up simulation rigs at their establishment, offering customers a new way to experience motorsports.

In business, entrepreneurs are often asked three questions: Why this? Why you? Why now? After years of research, education, and hands-on experience in motorsports and business, I’m confident that the answer to all three is motorsports. It’s my passion, it’s where my expertise lies, and with the rise of eSports and the continued popularity of racing, now is the perfect time to share that passion with others.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like many businesses, funding was one of the biggest hurdles. The timing was particularly challenging, as we were navigating a looming recession with rising loan rates. Additionally, sim racing was still a relatively new industry, making it difficult for banks to assess the risk of lending to a business like mine. As a result, we had to bootstrap the business, relying on our own savings to take it from concept to reality.

Another challenge was sourcing equipment. The explosion of interest in sim racing caused supply chain delays, with many equipment providers backlogged for months. A typical sim racing center requires anywhere from 6 to 20 rigs, each made up of dozens of components. Even a single missing part could mean an unusable unit, further complicating the setup process.

Finally, sim racing is still a new and unfamiliar concept for many people. About 70-80% of our customers are first-time users, so educating them on how sim racing can improve both their driving skills and their overall racing experience has been an ongoing challenge. Despite these obstacles, we’ve been able to overcome them through adding services such as “drivers clinics” where we teach people about the racing line and many other factors of racing.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We specialize in sim racing, blending my engineering background with a deep passion for motorsports to create a unique and immersive racing experience. What sets us apart is our commitment to offering the most advanced and realistic sim racing technology on the market, combined with an emphasis on accessibility for all skill levels. Whether you’re a first-time user looking to improve your driving or an experienced racer aiming to hone your skills, we provide a world-class setup and environment to elevate the experience.

We’re most proud of the community we’re helping to build and the way we’ve made motorsports more accessible. By creating a space where people can experience racing at the highest level, we’ve made it possible for individuals to learn, grow, and even compete professionally—without needing to own a race car or track time. We’ve also become a hub for enthusiasts and newcomers alike, fostering a welcoming environment that encourages both fun and skill-building.

What really sets us apart is our attention to detail and customer experience. We’re not just about providing equipment; we’re about creating an inclusive, comprehensive motorsport experience that’s as close to the real thing as possible. From the high-quality, custom-built rigs to the atmosphere we’ve cultivated, we ensure every customer walks away feeling like they’ve had an unforgettable experience. There isn’t any other place where a participants can grab a coffee, get their car serviced, and learn to hone their skills on our simulators!

We’re proud of the people we work with at AT230 Cars and Coffee (Shin & Stanley) along with their team (Peto, Kyla, Ryan, Olivia, Reagan). They have supported me and given me the opportunity to bring my goals from conception to market. Without any of them we wouldn’t have been given this opportunity.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
La Habra is a clean and safe city with amazing restaurants (Japanese, Mexican, etc) and friendly community. We’re glad to we could offer our premiere service in this wonderful community. Our business location is a bit tucked away from the freeway, but we’re worth the visit – come learn how to race with while grabbing a coffee and seeing the amazing work we’re doing on amazing cars!

Pricing:

• We charge $15 dollars for 10 min time attack races where we offer prizes
• Practice Session (10-30 min) ranges from 15-25$
• Coaching sessions for beginners is free
• Professional coaching sessions start at 80$ an hour.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tracksidesimracing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracksidesimracing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557376692593

Image Credits
N/A