Virtual Roots, Real Builds: Pennzoil Explores JackUltraMotive’s Automotive Journey
JackUltraMotive is one of the most recognizable personalities in automotive gaming. His community spans digital roads and real-world garages. With millions of views and a passion rooted in both simulation and wrenching, he’s made a name for himself by blurring the lines between virtual and real-world car culture.
What started with a controller and a copy of Forza Horizon has evolved into an automotive lifestyle. Today, Jack builds high-performance machines in real life and continues to inspire his global audience to chase their automotive dreams on screen and on the road.
Pennzoil sat down with JackUltraMotive to talk about the evolution of his content, his connection to the brand, and how gaming continues to shape the next generation of car enthusiasts.
PENNZOIL: For many enthusiasts today, gaming is a gateway to car culture. How did online racing games become your entry point into real-world car culture?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: I’ve always been into cars and knew early on that I wanted to work toward owning the dream cars I loved. Gaming allowed me to role-play and simulate that journey when I was younger. I’d hop on games like Forza and even set budget restrictions to make it feel realistic, driving cars I thought might be my first “dream” build and modifying them in-game.
It taught me about different manufacturers, options, and the overall landscape of car culture. I think it’s important that the automotive industry recognizes this space. Gaming is where many young people form their first ideas about what’s cool and what they want in a car. It’s a powerful touchpoint.
PENNZOIL: This year marks Forza Motorsport’s 20th anniversary. Looking back, what role has Forza played in your career and shaping the wider car community?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: Forza essentially made my career. Horizon 3 was the turning point for me. I had been creating content across various gaming genres, but that game allowed me to combine my love for cars with my content creation. I dove headfirst into it and created ideas that hadn’t been done on YouTube then.
That game took me from about 75,000 subscribers to more than 800,000 in just a couple of years. It also helped mainstream audiences get into car culture. Forza was often bundled with Xbox consoles, so people who weren’t necessarily car enthusiasts tried it out, and many of them became car fans because of it. It’s done a lot to grow the community.
PENNZOIL: How did your online community react when you shifted from virtual to real-life car content?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: Like any other niche content creator, expanding into new areas can be risky. My close fans appreciated it. Any die-hard follower tends to love seeing more of your personal life, and real-life car content gave them that. Of course, not everyone crossed over, but as I was evolving, I knew my audience was growing up, too. I was passionate about this content, and it felt like the right time.
PENNZOIL: What role has Pennzoil played in helping you level up your builds and bring your vision to life?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: Pennzoil has been essential in keeping my builds healthy. Most of my cars have high-performance engines, and reliability is key. They’ve also supported some of my coolest opportunities, like helping me prep my Camaro for a rally across the western U.S.
That rally was a dream come true. I was out there with exotic cars, exploring incredible roads, and essentially living out what I used to simulate in Forza. Thanks to Pennzoil, the car ran flawlessly the entire way. It was surreal and something I’ll always be grateful for.
PENNZOIL: Pennzoil Ultra Platinum™ is designed to protect your engine for the lifetime of your vehicle. How important are quality products like these when you’re maintaining cars that fans expect to see performing flawlessly on and off camera?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: I really emphasize reliability to my audience. I found out early on that using lower-quality products just isn’t worth the risk, especially when your car plays a central role in your content. You want to give your vehicle the best opportunity to last long-term, starting with using the right products.
Pennzoil gives me confidence that my cars will perform the way they need to, whether I’m filming, road-tripping, or pushing them on the road. The protection it offers speaks for itself. It’s a no-brainer for me.
PENNZOIL: What’s one thing gaming taught you about cars that you wouldn’t have learned as quickly through real-world experience?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: Gaming helped me develop a sense of car control and driving intuition earlier than most. By the time I could legally drive, I felt more in tune behind the wheel because I had logged countless hours virtually.
Games, especially with a sim setup like a wheel and pedals, can teach fundamentals like easing onto the gas out of a corner or braking in a straight line. That foundation helped me feel more confident when I got behind the wheel in real life.
PENNZOIL: So many of your followers grew up gaming like you did. How do you inspire them to get their hands dirty and start wrenching for real?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: The coolest cars, especially the ones we drive in games, usually come with a catch: they require work. If a car doesn’t need any servicing, it’s either very new or expensive.
For someone chasing a Nissan Silvia or a JDM dream car, it’s doable, but you’ll need to wrench. I encourage my followers to take on those challenges. It’s part of the journey, and it can save you a ton if you’re willing to learn.
PENNZOIL: Have any of your virtual builds inspired real-world purchases or upgrades?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: Absolutely. I often use Forza as a virtual test drive. If I’m interested in a car, I’ll drive it in-game first, which usually solidifies my desire to own it in real life.
I’ve even used the game’s livery editor to design wraps that I later applied to my real cars. It’s wild to build something in-game and then see it sitting in your garage.
PENNZOIL: Which of your cars do you see as a lifelong keeper, and what adventure has had the most lasting impact on you?
JACKULTRAMOTIVE: I want to keep my 1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R forever. It was the car I drove on my last day of high school and one of the first dream cars I could buy because of my YouTube success.
The video of me driving it to school has almost 10 million views, and people still associate me with that car. I sold my very first car, so the GT-R is now the one I’ve owned the longest, so it holds a lot of sentimental value.
As for adventures, driving my Hennessey Exorcist Camaro across the western U.S. with the support of Pennzoil stands out. It was a wild, high-horsepower road trip from Houston to Arizona, LA, Palm Springs, Vegas, and back to Seattle. That Camaro has more than 27,000 miles now, which is rare for that build. The fact that it handled it all without a hiccup is a testament to the car and the Pennzoil Ultra Platinum™ 5W-30 protecting it.
JackUltraMotive is living proof that the love of driving doesn’t start in the driver’s seat. It begins with passion, creativity, and the drive to make dreams a reality. He continues to bridge the gap between gaming and car culture, inspiring the next generation of enthusiasts to get behind the wheel on-screen and off.
With Pennzoil under the hood and a vision that never idles, Jack is just getting started.
Long May We Drive.
