How to stream iRacing to Kick, YouTube or Twitch with OBS

Build your race picture in OBS, add EDR Broadcast as transparent browser sources, then connect OBS to your chosen streaming platform: EDR Broadcast supplies the iRacing graphics and production controls, and OBS encodes the finished video and sends it to viewers. This guide covers a spectator or league broadcast of iRacing. If you are streaming your own driving, the platform connection is similar, but camera direction and replay controls need a different workflow.

Build the race scene in OBS

1. Install OBS Studio and EDR Broadcast on your Windows broadcast PC.
2. Join the iRacing session as a spectator or broadcaster and confirm you can see the race.
3. Create a live race scene in OBS. Add Game Capture for iRacing, then check that the picture fills your canvas.
4. Open EDR Broadcast, confirm it is receiving session data, choose a theme and copy the supplied overlay URLs.
5. Add an OBS Browser source for each overlay you want. Paste its URL, use the dimensions supplied for that overlay and place it above Game Capture in the source list.
6. Start with a leaderboard and flags. Add driver graphics, grids and results when the basic scene works.

Create a starting-soon scene and a standby scene as well. Keep the race scene focused on the cars: a timing tower that looks fine on your monitor can be too small on a phone. See the OBS browser source guide for sizing and troubleshooting.

Choose settings for your destination

For a first race broadcast, use H.264 and test 1920x1080 at 60 fps. Treat that as a starting point, not a requirement: reduce output resolution or frame rate if your PC or connection cannot sustain it. Keep the OBS canvas and browser-source layout consistent when changing the final output resolution.

Destination	1080p60 video bitrate	How to apply it
Kick	Up to 8,000 kbps	H.264, CBR, two-second keyframes; 1080p and 60 fps are the published maximums.
YouTube	12,000 kbps recommended for H.264	CBR and two-second keyframes. YouTube publishes different figures for AV1 and HEVC.
Twitch	Use the settings selected for your account by OBS, then test	Run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. Check Twitch’s current guidance and any Enhanced Broadcasting settings before overriding the result.

Platform settings checked 5 September 2026. Sources: Kick setup guide, YouTube encoder settings and OBS quick start. Check Twitch’s current broadcasting guidelines for your account; this guide does not assume one universal Twitch bitrate cap.

Use a hardware H.264 encoder if your machine supports it and it passes a full-load test. Leave upload capacity for iRacing, voice chat and normal network variation. A speed test alone does not prove that a connection will remain stable for a race.

Stream iRacing to Kick

In the Kick creator dashboard, open Channel → Stream URL and Key. In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose Custom, and paste the server URL and stream key into their matching fields. Keep the key private.

Apply the Kick settings above. In the Kick dashboard, set the race title and relevant category, then save. Put your starting-soon scene on screen and click Start Streaming in OBS. Open your channel on a second device to check the actual feed and commentary. Stop the OBS stream when the show is finished.

Follow the official Kick instructions if dashboard labels change.

Stream iRacing to YouTube

Enable live streaming well before race day: first-time activation can take up to 24 hours. In YouTube Studio, choose Create → Go live and set up or schedule your race. Use an unlisted event for rehearsal and check its visibility before sending a signal.

Connect OBS using its YouTube service option, or copy the event’s server URL and stream key into the matching OBS fields. For a scheduled event, start sending from OBS, wait for a healthy preview in Live Control Room, then select Go live when ready. Check auto-start settings, because these can change when the event becomes public.

At the end, end the event in YouTube and stop OBS. For long endurance broadcasts, make a local recording as well; do not rely on a platform archive as your only copy. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.

Stream iRacing to Twitch

In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose Twitch and use the available account connection flow. If you use a stream key instead, copy it from your Twitch creator dashboard and keep it out of screenshots and recordings.

Run Tools → Auto-Configuration Wizard for streaming, then review the result with the full race scene running. Set a clear event title and the iRacing category in your dashboard. Start on the holding scene, click Start Streaming, and check your channel from another device.

If your setup offers Enhanced Broadcasting, test it with iRacing and every overlay active before race night. Extra outputs can change the upload and encoding workload. Use Twitch Inspector alongside OBS statistics when investigating stream stability.

Make commentary clear

Add the microphone, commentary call and game sound as separately controllable audio sources. Avoid capturing the same call through both an application source and desktop audio, which can produce an echo.

In OBS Advanced Audio Properties, route every source the audience should hear to the audio track selected for streaming. Optional separate recording tracks are useful for editing later, but putting commentary only on a recording track will leave it out of the live mix.

Record a short test with cars at racing speed and a commentator speaking. Listen back on headphones, then check the platform feed. Balance engine noise under speech and check for clipping, delayed commentary and duplicated sound.

Add EDR Broadcast production tools as the show grows

EDR Broadcast Free includes the core leaderboard, lower thirds, ticker, flags, grid intro and podium graphics, with 2 looks. Pro adds Auto-Director, incident detection and replay. League adds the Theme Editor, cloud relay, remote stewards and remote browser control. Check the current plan details before designing a workflow around a paid feature.

For a first show, practise a clean manual camera change and a return from replay to live. Then add automation. Incident detection helps surface likely moments for review; it is not a guarantee that every crash will be identified.

Use the complete OBS race-production guide for cameras and replays, or the endurance broadcast guide for operator shifts and longer events.

Check the feed before the grid forms

• Correct event, channel, title, category and visibility.
• Race picture, timing, flags and driver names agree with the current session.
• Commentary reaches the stream mix and stays clear over engine noise.
• Starting-soon, live and standby scenes all work.
• A replay returns cleanly to live, with an obvious replay label.
• OBS statistics stay stable during a busy grid and camera changes.
• The actual platform feed looks and sounds right on a second device.
• Local recording has enough free space if you are using it.

In OBS statistics, network dropped frames point towards the connection or ingest path. Rendering lag points towards graphics and compositing load, while encoding lag points towards the encoder workload. Check the category before changing settings. For a black race picture, confirm the capture target. For a missing overlay, check that EDR Broadcast is running and the browser URL and source dimensions are correct.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send the same broadcast to all three platforms?

Yes, with a suitable multistream service or additional output setup. That is a separate distribution step from the EDR Broadcast overlays. Multiple direct uploads increase bandwidth demand; a relay service adds its own configuration and costs. Check each platform’s current simulcasting requirements and any agreement applying to your channel before enabling it.

Do I need a different EDR Broadcast theme for each platform?

No. You can use the same race layout for each destination. Check readability at the output resolution and on mobile devices.

Does EDR Broadcast send video straight to Kick, YouTube or Twitch?

No. In this workflow, OBS sends the video. EDR Broadcast provides the iRacing overlays and production tools used in that OBS scene.

Do I need two PCs?

Start by testing one PC with the full session, overlays, audio and stream running together. Move to a more complex setup only when testing shows a need. The one PC or two guide covers the trade-offs.