iRacing is regarded as having one of the best dirt sims out there, including oval, rally and stadium trucks. They’ve really mastered the realism of dirt physics and you get to drive on a track that can be completely different by the end of your race, making for some exciting driving.
In terms of the dirt cars and tracks you can drive, currently iRacing dirt tracks include Knoxville Raceway, Williams Grove Speedway, Eldora Speedway, The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Lanier Speedway, Limaland Motorsports Park, USA International Speedway, and Volusia Speedway Park.
You have the choice to race sprint cars, dirt late models, dirt midgets, dirt street legends, dirt street stock, and nascar camping world trucks. iRacing is always updating their track and car options, so check out the latest at iRacing.com.
Since the two main type of dirt racing are oval and rally, those are the types of wheels to look out for for iRacing dirt. Regardless of whether you’ll be driving rally or oval tracks, the two main things to keep in mind when shopping for a wheel are shape and size.
Shape
In terms of shape, you’ll want to steer clear (pardon the pun) of D-shaped or F1-style wheels and stick to classic circular wheels, because you’ll be doing a lot of drifting and turning. You want your grip on the wheel to be consistent, and you don’t want to suddenly be grasping through air because your hand has lost contact with your wheel. Plus, dirt racing cars and trucks in real life typically use classic circular wheels, so circular wheels provide realism as well.
You also have the choice between flat or dished wheels. This comes down to personal preferences for look and feel. Having a dish-shaped wheel will bring the rim closer to you, and can also keep your thumbs safe as your wheel spins during drifting (…or crashing).
Size
You’ll notice that there’s quite a large variation in wheel diameters featured in this article, and choosing whether you want a smaller or larger wheel is more of a matter of personal preference, with pros and cons on either side.
While smaller wheels often require more effort to turn, they are also usually lighter-weight which allows you to really feel the force feedback and respond more quickly. Larger wheels, on the other hand, are generally easier to steer with more leverage, but they may slow down your response time and some people find them less comfortable to drive with.
As long as you have a classic circular wheel, you should be good to go for iRacing dirt. You can easily use rally wheels for ovals and vice versa.
It’s also worth noting that, for the purposes of this article, we’ve focused on steering wheels made specifically for sim racing, however some wheelbases (for example, with the Fanatec Podium Hub) also allow you to use third-party rims created for real cars from companies like OMP, Sparco, and MOMO.
Our list of the best sim racing wheels for iRacing dirt includes:
Fanatec Podium NASCAR Steering Wheel Rim [Oval Replica]
Fanatec NASCAR Wheel with ClubSport Universal Hub
- Price: $150 USD on fanatec.com (subject to change)
- Shape: Circle, dish
- Material: Alcantara
- Diameter: 350mm
The Fanatec Podium NASCAR wheel is designed to replicate real-life oval racing wheels, through an official partnership with NASCAR. This wheel features a top marker to indicate wheel position, and a dish design.
It’s also coated in genuine Alcantara, which is a luxury suede material that provides excellent grip. Just make sure to use gloves, otherwise the Alcanatara will become dirty and wear very quickly.
Just keep in mind that if you want to use this rim, you’ll need either ClubsSport Steering Wheel Universal Hub or Podium Hub. The Universal Hub includes an LED display for tuning and telemetry, 16 action buttons, as well as a FunkySwitch with a 4-way directional pad, 2-way turning function and push button. It also comes with two size options for detachable paddle shifters and levers, and you have the option to add on a 5th button box. Plus, the Universal Hub is plug-and-play ready with XBox One and Series X|S.
You’ll also need a Fanatec wheelbase to use this wheel. If you don’t have a wheelbase yet, check out our article on the best wheels for iRacing to see a breakdown and comparison of a few of the best Fanatec wheelbases, among others.
If you’re looking for a wheel with a slightly smaller diameter, or if you prefer leather over alcantara, The Fanatec ClubSport Drift Wheel is another great choice for dirt racing at a slightly lower price point.
Fanatec ClubSport Drift Wheel
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Fanatec CSL Elite WRC Steering Wheel Rim [Rally Replica]
Fanatec CSL Elite WRC Wheel
- Price: $200 USD on fanatec.com (subject to change)
- Shape: Circle, flat
- Material: Alcantara
- Diameter: 300mm
The Fanatec CSL Elite WRC is the wheel for rally fanatics. It’s officially licensed by the World Rally Championship (WRC) and will be used in official WRC Esports competitions. It features detachable paddle shifters, a 4-way directional pad with push button, and it’s coated in Alcantara, a luxury suede material, so grip won’t be an issue (but you’ll want to wear gloves to maintain it).
One of the coolest features with the wheel is the “RevStripe”, a top marker with an LED screen built into the wheel, so you can tweak your settings while racing and view useful data. Plus, Fanatec has made this wheel as light as possible for the high fidelity and quick inputs required in rally driving.
The nice thing about this wheel compared to the Fanatec Podium NASCAR wheel is that you do not need to buy an additional hub in order to connect the wheel. In fact, the CSL Elite WRC actually has quick release funtionality, so you can easily switch it out for a different steering wheel.
If you have a Fanatec Podium wheelbase, just keep in mind that High Torque Mode is not accessible if you get this wheel. If you don’t have a Fanatec wheelbase and are looking for some recommendations, check out our article on the best wheels for iRacing.
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Thrustmaster Sparco Rally Steering Wheel Rim [Rally Replica]
Thrustmaster Sparco Rally Wheel
- Price: £190 on thrustmaster.com (subject to change)
- Shape: Circle, flat
- Material: Suede Leather
- Diameter: 330mm
The Thrustmaster Sparco Rally Wheel is a 1:1 replica of the Sparco R383 racing wheel. It includes adjustable wheel-mounted sequential paddle shifters, as well as 9 action buttons and a 4-way directional pad with push button. It also has a quick-release system and is compatible with all the Thrustmaster T-series wheel bases, so you have some flexibility there. One of the only key features this wheel is missing is a top marker.
Because this wheel is coated in suede, it will have great grip, but make sure to wear gloves while racing. Just like with Alcantara, suede can wear very quickly (especially if your hands get clammy while racing), so wearing gloves will keep it in much better condition.
If you’re looking for a bundle deal, check out the Thrustmaster Sparco Rally Mod package, which includes a progressive handbrake and sequential gearbox in addition to the Sparco Rally wheel.
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MPI Dirt Steering Wheel Rim [Large Diameter]
MPI Dirt Wheel
- Price: $289 USD on richmotech.com (subject to change)
- Shape: Circle, dish
- Material: Polyurethane
- Diameter: 380mm
MPI is a racing gear company, founded by professional racer Max Papis, that recently branched into creating sim racing wheels.
The MPI Dirt Steering Wheel (with direct drive adapter) is a dished wheel specifically designed for dirt track racing. It includes a ‘push-to-talk’ radio button and direct drive wheel adapter for Logitech and Thrustmaster wheelbases.
It’s covered in a washable polyurethane material, so you don’t necessarily need to wear gloves, and there are finger bumps on the back side for extra grip.
The dish shape is great if you want to protect your thumbs while drifting, or you want your wheel to sit closer to you. If you prefer flat wheels, check out MPI Sprint Car wheel.
Keep in mind that you may need a special adapter to connect this to your wheelbase. For example, for a Fanatec wheelbase you would need the Fanatec Podium Hub or ClubsSport Universal Hub, or for a Logitech G29/G920 you would need the MPI Logitech G27/G29/G920 adapter.
MPI Logitech G920 G29 Adapter
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Logitech G29/G920 Wheel & Pedal Set [Low-Budget Multi-Purpose]
Logitech G920 G29 Wheel and Pedal Sets
- Price: $249 USD on logitech.com (subject to change)
- Shape: Slight d-shape, flat
- Material: Leather
- Diameter: 270mm height, 260mm width
The Logitech G29/G920 wheel and pedal set is our favourite multi-purpose “beginner-friendly” wheel that offers great value for money. It’s a great plug-and-play option that includes a force feedback wheel and a full 3-pedal set (made of metal).
Although it has a relatively small diameter and slight d-shape, it should still offer a great dirt racing experience. It’s a leather-covered wheel with a top marker, LED RPM lights, built-in paddle shifters, and action buttons.
Recap
There are lots of great wheel options for iRacing dirt. Regardless of what type of dirt tracks or cars you plan on driving, just make sure your wheel is a classic circle shape and other than that it really comes down to personal preferences.
For example, if you want a very realistic oval wheel, go for the Fanatec Podium NASCAR wheel, if you want a realistic rally wheel, consider the Fanatec CSL Elite WRC wheel and Thrustmaster Sparco Rally wheel, or if you’re a fan of large-diameter wheels, check out the MPI Dirt Steering wheel.
If you don’t have a wheelbase yet, or are interested in exploring more multi-purpose wheels, make sure to check out our article on the 10 best wheels for iRacing. Or if you need help getting your wheel set up for the first time, check out our articles on where to find iRacing setups and how to install iRacing setups. Otherwise, we hope you found this article to be a helpful starting point in your wheel research.
Happy dirt racing!
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