iRacing

Roush-Fenway Racing: iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | Richmond Advance

by Mike
Roush-Fenway Racing: iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | Richmond Advance

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Advance
Track:                 Virtual Richmond Raceway (.75-mile)
Teams:               No. 6 Oscar Mayer/Nutrien Ag eFord, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank eFord
Drivers:              Ross Chastain (No. 6), Chris Buescher (No. 17)
Twitter:              @RoushFenway, @Roush6Team, @17RoushTeam
Hashtag:             #ProInvitationalSeries

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcast Network, FS1, FOX Sports App

ADVANCE NOTES
Event Details
·         After taking the traditional Easter weekend off, the #ProInvitationalSeries is back this weekend as the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series take to the ¾-mile virtual Richmond Raceway.
·         To date, the series has garnered just under 3.5-million viewers in three events, earning a top rating of 0.81 at virtual Texas, breaking its own record for the most viewed eSports event in U.S. TV history.
·         NASCAR and iRacing also made format changes to the series at Bristol two weeks ago, with a Saturday night event that featured drivers from the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, and other regional series. However, the main event – which features past and present stars of the NASCAR Cup Series – remained unchanged with the exception of a pair of qualifying heat races.
·         Heading into Richmond, NASCAR, iRacing and FOX have teamed up to make additional changes to this week’s format, with the field being limited to 26 cars to improve the overall product. With the change, the race will be 150 laps with one allowed reset and a standard qualifying session.

Buescher at Richmond Raceway
·         Buescher has eight Cup Series starts all-time at Richmond with a top finish of 17th (spring 2017). Most recently he finished 22nd and 31st in 2019.
·         Buescher also has five starts in the Xfinity Series at Richmond with three top-10s, including a best career finish of seventh in 2014.
·         Through three weeks in the #ProInvitationalSeries, Buescher has finished 28th, 18th and 23rd, after leading 30 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway just two weeks ago, before getting caught up in a late accident with a glitching car. 

Chastain at Richmond Raceway
·         Chastain has four Cup Series starts at Richmond Raceway with a best finish of 28th (spring 2018).
·         In Xfinity action, Chastain finished runner-up in the 2018 fall race after starting third in the No. 42 machine. He most-recently earned an 11th-place run last spring.
·         Chastain came out of the gate firing early in the #ProInvitationalSeries, putting his Oscar Mayer eMustang up front at Homestead before going on to finish 14th. He followed that with runs of 22nd (Texas) and 16th (Bristol).

On the eCars
The bright orange and yellow Oscar Mayer Bacon scheme – paired with Nutrien Ag Solutions from Chastain’s NASCAR Xfinity Series entry – will be aboard the No. 6 machine this weekend at Richmond. Fifth Third bank, longtime partner on Roush Fenway’s No. 17 entry, will be riding along with Buescher on the 17 machine.

NASCAR/iRacing History
NASCAR and iRacing have an unprecedented history in the esports space, currently in the 11th season of the longest-running officially sanctioned esports racing series, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. It features 40 of the best sim racers in the world competing for more than $300,000, one of the richest payouts in esports racing competition.

Roush Fenway’s 2020 lineup includes Nathan Lyon, driver of the No. 6 and a native of St. Louis Missouri, and Kollin Keister, driver of the No. 17, who hails from Frostburg, Maryland.

Views: 425
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Denny Hamlin FedEx Racing Express Facts – Virtual Richmond Raceway

by Mike
Denny Hamlin FedEx Racing Express Facts – Virtual Richmond Raceway

Denny Hamlin

#11 “Thank you FedEx team members” Toyota

Joe Gibbs Racing

Virtual Race Info:

Race: Toyota Owners Pro Invitational

Date/Time: Sunday, April 19/1 p.m. ET

Race Distance: 150 Laps

Track Length: 0.75 miles

Track Shape: Oval

Banking: 14 degrees

Express Notes:

eNASCAR Bristol Recap: Denny Hamlin clawed his way from the back of the pack to a fourth-place finish in the April 5 eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series event at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway, earning a top-five in the “Thank you FedEx team members” Toyota. The event was the third in the iRacing video simulation series and the first featuring heat races before the main event. Hamlin spun and incurred damage during his 50-lap heat race, relegating him to the back of the starting grid. Rolling off 26th for the 150-lap main event, he raced with the damage for much of the day, gradually making his way toward the front. Once he reached the top 10, Hamlin used a fast repair – one of two “resets” allowed – to fix his FedEx Camry and give him a chance to race the leaders. He gained six more positions in the remaining laps but never caught up with the dominant car of William Byron, who led most of the day and won the race.

eNASCAR Richmond Preview: After a top-five finish at virtual Bristol, Hamlin will climb back into his iRacing rig on Sunday at his simulated hometown track of Richmond Raceway. Hamlin will look to add another win to his Pro Invitational Series run, in which he has one win and two top-five finishes through three races.

Hamlin and FedEx Provide Food Bank Donation: Ahead of this weekend’s eNASCAR event in Richmond, Hamlin and FedEx will donate more than 60,000 meals to the Chesterfield, Va., Food Bank. The Chesterfield Food Bank has seen an increase in demand since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, and the donation to the community in Hamlin’s hometown will provide much needed support. The 60,000 meals donated will provide food to more than 4,400 Chesterfield families for a week.

FedEx “Thank You” Paint Scheme: For Sunday’s eNASCAR event at virtual Richmond, the #11 car will pay tribute to the 475,000 FedEx team members who are working to deliver shipments around the world safely and securely during the COVID-19 pandemic. A special “Thank You” FedEx paint scheme will recognize all the FedEx team members who are working hard to deliver critical medical supplies and equipment to the healthcare community as well as basic goods to people at home.

Hamlin Conversation – Virtual Richmond:

What led you to making the donation to the Richmond Food Bank?

“Chesterfield will always be my home, so during these unprecedented and difficult times, we wanted to provide assistance to people in the community. I am grateful to FedEx for supporting a community that is so close to my heart. The people of Chesterfield are in my thoughts, and I know we will come through this stronger than before.”

You’ve been to Victory Lane at the real Richmond Raceway. Do you think you can do it virtually?

“Obviously, iRacing isn’t exactly the same as being behind the wheel of our real FedEx Camry, but it’s about as close as you can get using simulations. We’ve got one win already in this iRacing series, so I definitely think we can do it again.”

DATEEVENTLOCATIONSTARTFINISHLAPSSTATUSLED
Mar. 22Dixie Vodka 150Homestead91100/100Running14
Mar. 29O’Reilly 125Texas1724125/125Running0
Apr. 5Food City ShowdownBristol264150/150Running0
Averages/Totals17.39.6100% 14
Views: 455
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Speedy Cash Joins John Hunter Nemechek for Pro Invitational Series Event at Virtual Richmond

by Mike
Speedy Cash Joins John Hunter Nemechek for Pro Invitational Series Event at Virtual Richmond
NEMECHEK ON VIRTUAL RICHMOND:
“I hope everyone is still staying safe. That’s always the most important thing. But, we can also have this distraction of the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series and it’s fun to be back this weekend. I came close at Bristol and the feeling is the same as it is in the real car- you want to win.
“We’re back this weekend with Speedy Cash, another great partner of FRM. It’s been fun to see the excitement our partners have when seeing their car in the iRacing platform and then see it on FOX. This is as realistic as we can make it without actually being at the track and in the car. It’s different, but it’s still exciting and I’m racing to win and represent all our partners.
“We are supporting the Ford Apollo project on the car this weekend, too. The Ford Motor Company has really taken a lead in making products for hospitals and those working on the front line of this pandemic. That’s been great to see. We’ll continue to keep doing what we need to do and until then, we’ll have some fun on iRacing.”
Views: 445
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William Byron dominates in eNASCAR iRacing race at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway (results)

by Mike
William Byron dominates in eNASCAR iRacing race at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway (results)

A week after a late-race bump-and-run pass ended William Byron’s hope of a win in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, the Hendrick Motorsports driver who cut his teeth in the virtual racing world dominated a crash-filled Food City Showdown at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway. (more…)

Views: 551
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Rita Wilson, Darrell and Stevie Waltrip Serve as Prerace Dignitaries for Sunday’s FOX NASCAR iRACING

by Mike
Rita Wilson, Darrell and Stevie Waltrip Serve as Prerace Dignitaries for Sunday’s FOX NASCAR iRACING

Singer/Songwriter, Actress and Producer Wilson Performs National Anthem for eNASCAR iRACING Pro Invitational Series Race from Virtual Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR Hall of Famer and Longtime FOX NASCAR Analyst Darrell Waltrip, Wife Stevie Give Invocation at 1:00 PM ET on FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports App

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Singer/songwriter, actress and producer Rita Wilson and NASCAR’s Darrell and Stevie Waltrip serve as prerace dignitaries for Sunday’s FOX NASCAR iRACING event from virtual Bristol Motor Speedway via video from their respective homes.

(more…)

Views: 485
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iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | RFR Bristol Advance

by Mike
iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | RFR Bristol Advance

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Advance
Track:                 Virtual Bristol Motor Speedway (.5-mile)
Teams:               No. 6 Coca-Cola/Nutrien Ag eFord, No. 17 SunnyD eFord
Drivers:              Ross Chastain (No. 6), Chris Buescher (No. 17)
Twitter:              @RoushFenway, @Roush6Team, @17RoushTeam
Hashtag:             #ProInvitationalSeries

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Sunday, April 5 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcast Network, FS1, FOX Sports App

ADVANCE NOTES
Event Details
·         With two weeks of the #ProInvitationalSeries in the books, NASCAR and iRacing are making changes to the format beginning this weekend at the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway. NASCAR’s Cup stars, both past and present, will continue to participate in Sunday’s main event.
·         However, the series now features a Saturday night event, which will include drivers from the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, and other regional series.
·        The lineup for Sunday’s main event – the Food City Showdown (1 p.m. ET, FOX, FS1, FOX Sports App) – will be set after two heat races, and everyone in the heat races will transfer. None of Saturday’s drivers will advance to Sunday’s event.
·         Last weekend’s eNASCAR Pro Invitational iRacing Series event from the virtual Texas Motor Speedway drew over 1.3 million viewers, breaking the record for eSports TV viewership set by the previous week’s race.

Buescher at Bristol Motor Speedway
·         Buescher has nine Cup Series starts all-time at Bristol, with a best finish of fifth (2016). Most recently he finished 17th last summer.
·         Buescher also has five starts in the Xfinity Series at ‘The Last Great Colosseum’ with a third-place run (2015) and a seventh-place finish in his first-ever start there in 2013.

Chastain at Bristol Motor Speedway
·         Chastain has four Cup Series starts at Bristol dating back two years, with a best finish of 26th last August and in 2018.
·         In Xfinity action, Chastain has a top finish of ninth (2018). He also has four Truck starts at the half-mile track with two third-place runs (2012, 2019).

On the eCars
Iconic brand and thirst-quenching favorite SunnyD will be riding along with Chris Buescher and the No. 17 eFord this Sunday at the virtual Bristol. On the No. 6, Roush Fenway partner Coca-Cola, along with Nurtrien Ag Solutions – a partner of Ross Chastain in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – will be aboard the car this weekend.

NASCAR/iRacing History
NASCAR and iRacing have an unprecedented history in the esports space, currently in the 11th season of the longest-running officially sanctioned esports racing series, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. It features 40 of the best sim racers in the world competing for more than $300,000, one of the richest payouts in esports racing competition.

Roush Fenway’s 2020 lineup includes Nathan Lyon, driver of the No. 6 and a native of St. Louis Missouri, and Kollin Keister, driver of the No. 17, who hails from Frostburg, Maryland.

Views: 547
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FedEx Racing Express Facts – Virtual Bristol Motor Speedway

by Mike
FedEx Racing Express Facts – Virtual Bristol Motor Speedway

Virtual Race Info:

Race: Food City Showdown

Date/Time: Sunday, April 5/1 p.m. ET

Race Distance: 150 Laps

Track Length: 0.533 miles

Track Shape: Oval

Banking: 24-28 degrees

eNASCAR Texas Recap: Denny Hamlin finished 24th in Sunday’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series virtual NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway, after a late-race speeding penalty put him back in the running order followed by an on-track incident in the closing laps. Timmy Hill was the race winner. Hamlin qualified 17th and decided to fall to the back of the field at the start to avoid wrecks near the front. With only one “reset” in the race, meaning a new car with no damage, Hamlin felt it was imperative to keep his nose clean early on. He moved up in the order following a pit strategy to stay out during a caution mid-race to take the lead for a restart, but the older tires proved disadvantageous, as he slid back near 20th position. From there, he worked back up near the top 10 before a round of green-flag pit stops. However, Hamlin sped entering pit road and incurred a 40-second penalty, dropping him two laps down.

eNASCAR Bristol Preview: Three weeks into the iRacing series, the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series is virtually traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway for its first event at a short track. Hamlin will look to get the FedEx Freight Toyota to Victory Lane again like he did two weeks ago in virtual Homestead.

FedEx “Thank You” Paint Scheme: For Sunday’s eNASCAR event at virtual Bristol, the #11 car will pay tribute to the 475,000 FedEx team members who are working to deliver shipments around the world safely and securely during the COVID-19 pandemic. A special “Thank You” FedEx paint scheme will recognize all the FedEx team members who are working hard to deliver critical medical supplies and equipment to the healthcare community as well as basic goods to people at home.

Hamlin Conversation – Virtual Bristol:

Will you change your strategy for Bristol, knowing it didn’t pan out for Texas?

“Bristol is a completely different kind of racetrack, so the strategy we used at Texas probably wouldn’t work for a short track like Bristol. I’ll definitely be getting my practice laps in to make sure we get a good finish. The last time we were at the real Bristol Motor Speedway, we went to Victory Lane. So, we’d love to do that virtually, too, for sure. We have a special paint scheme again to thank all the FedEx team members for their hard work during challenging times. We didn’t really get a great finish for them last week, so we want to make it up to them.”

Have you been encouraged by the number of fans who are watching the virtual races on TV?

“It’s been great to see how many fans are watching on TV, following on my Twitch stream and keeping up on social media. Sports fans don’t have a lot to watch right now, so the fact that we can put on a show for them, keep them interested and get them cheering, that’s great for our sport.”

DATEEVENTLOCATIONSTARTFINISHLAPSSTATUSLED
Mar. 22Dixie Vodka 150Homestead91100/100Running14
Mar. 29O’Reilly 125Texas1724125/125Running0
Averages/Totals1312.5100% 14
Views: 487
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KYLE BUSCH – eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Bristol Advance

by Mike
KYLE BUSCH – eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Bristol Advance
Race:  Food City Showdown (Round 3)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Time/Date:  1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 5

• Location:  Bristol Motor Speedway (.533-mile oval)

• Format:  Two 50-lap heat races followed by a 150-lap main event

• Note:  Finish of each heat race determines starting order of main event.

 

Where to Watch:
 

• FOX network

•  Announcers: Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds, with in-race commentary from Clint Bowyer.

• FS1 (DIRECTV Channel 219 and Dish Channel 150)

• FOX Sports Go app

• FOX Sports Racing for fans in Canada

 

DYK?:
 

• Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at the virtual Texas Motor Speedway was the most-watched esports event on TV in United States history. Simulcast on FOX and FS1, 1.34 million viewers tuned in, breaking the previous record set by the first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race March 22 at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway by 47 percent. That broadcast earned 903,000 viewers on FS1 alone, which bested the previous record of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.

 

Overview:
 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of past and present racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series.

 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is a multi-week series emulating the original 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

 

• With the sports world on a necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series exists in place of actual NASCAR events.

 

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Messages Toyota Camry:
 
 

What was the difference between Texas and Homestead, and what have you learned about iRacing over the first two races?

“I’ve learned a little bit about it but, overall, I felt like we were pretty good at Homestead coming from the back and picking off a few guys and passing some cars. Then the crashes would happen and I would never be able to slow up or check up quick enough. These cars online here, they bounce off the wall way faster than they do in real life, so trying to judge how they ricochet and what is going to happen is hard to do. Last week at Texas, we got caught up in that first wreck. I think being able to qualify up front and get some track position – that would be nice to start with and seems important. I’m sure it’s even more important at a place like Bristol, so we’ll see if we can get a good finish this weekend with our M&M’S Messages Camry.”

 

 

• This will be Busch’s third iRacing start in a virtual NASCAR Cup Series race.

 

• Busch’s virtual M&M’S Toyota features the new M&M’S Messages program, in stores now. These new packages display 36 different messages consumers can share with their friends and family, including expressions like, “Thanks for being as awesome as I am,” which will adorn the hood of the car, along with others like “You Make Mama Proud” and “Emotional Support Candy.” M&M’S Messages come in all of the favorite M&M’S flavors – Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Peanut Butter and Caramel.

 

• For the first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race two weeks ago, ARCA Menards Series driver Ty Gibbs helped Busch get up to speed in his iRacing rig as Busch had never tried iRacing until practice the day prior to the March 22 race at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Prior to last week’s race at Texas, Busch had a rig brought to his house and has been busy practicing each week. William Hartman, Busch’s engineer on his regular No. 18 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Cup Series, has been serving as crew chief for Busch each week. In addition to Hartman, Busch’s real-life spotter Tony Hirschman is spotting for the second consecutive race this weekend from his home in Pennsylvania.

 

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Bristol, Busch is the winningest active driver with eight wins, 12 top-fives, 17 top-10s and an astounding 2,334 laps led in 29 career starts.

Views: 465
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