City: Bristol
Brandon Jones – No. 19 Menards/Pelonis Toyota Supra Race Advance – Bristol Motor Speedway (NXS)
No. 19 Menards / PELONIS Toyota Supra News and Notes:
- NASCAR UPDATE: Due to travel and setup challenges, NASCAR announced that the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Cheddar’s 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway has been moved to Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
- IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Jones and the 19 Menards/Pelonis team head to the last great colosseum, Bristol Motor Speedway. This will be Jones’ 10th NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) career-start on the 0.533-mile high-banked concrete oval. Jones is locked into the playoffs. He is coming off a strong run at Charlotte and Bristol is one of his strongest tracks. The team has had a couple of tough finishes in the first two races after the 10 week hiatus, but they have had a very strong Toyota Supra and they are focused on getting back to their early season form and are very motivated, confident and are focused on getting back in victory lane. Bristol is the perfect track to make it happen.
- XFINITY TO SALUTE EMPLOYEE HEROS: On Monday, June 1 during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Xfinity will salute a variety of military veteran frontline employees for their efforts in response to the crisis, including 23 employees across the company that are actively serving on the frontlines in the National Guard and reserve to keep communities safe and connected. These employee names will replace the Xfinity logo that typically adorns the windshield headers of each race car and be featured in a special patriotic red, white and blue design that showcases the support Xfinity provides to military veteran employees that are holding true to the company’s core service values.
- “Our 19 team is honored to have Freddy Canales riding along with us at Bristol,” stated Brandon Jones. “He works for Xfinity and is actively serving in response to the pandemic through the Army National Guard.”
- JGR AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: JGR has 99 total starts at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NXS, earning 13 wins, 32 top-five finishes, 47 top-10 finishes and 10 pole-starting positions. The team has led 3,177 laps and earned an average start of 11.2 and an average finish of 14.5.
- RACE INFO: Cheddar’s 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway (.533-mile) begins at 7:00 p.m.ET on Monday, June 1, 2020. The race will be broadcast live on FS1, SiriusXM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.
Jones’ Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 136 | 10.1 | 14.8 |
Jones’ 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 97 | 5.7 | 14.7 |
Jones’ Career NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats:
| Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
| 143 | 2 | 11 | 53 | 3 | 437 | 12.6 | 15.8 |
From the Cockpit:
Brandon Jones: “We had a very strong Toyota at Charlotte Motor Speedway this past Monday. We certainly had a winning car but unfortunately were presented with a few challenges that prevented us from having the strong finish we were capable of having. Now it’s time to respond with a strong showing this weekend at Bristol. I am really looking forward to racing on one of my favorite tracks. It’s a unique short track with a concrete surface and very steep banking that can reach high speeds. Bristol is one of my best tracks where I have a lot of confidence and have led several laps there, with multiple close wins. I have had this race circled on my calendar all year. As drivers we are constantly weaving in and out to avoid lap traffic and competitors which I know makes for a good race to watch for fans. The track is constantly changing as rubber builds up. Lines will be alternating and trying to be the first to figure out which lane is the fastest will be a challenge; but a challenge we are highly capable of. Our team keeps bringing fast cars and everyone on the team is working extremely hard. There is no better track to be going to this weekend and our Menards team is very motivated.
TRD has done a great job recreating the track on their simulator all the way down to the traction compound that gets put down on the surface. This week I put in another great amount of work and effort between the simulator, training and getting myself prepared for Bristol. Our No. 19 team will have Menards and Pelonis back on our Supra. We are focused on giving it a fight and getting our team back in victory lane to give Menards the strong finish that they deserve.”
About Menards: A family owned company started in 1958, Menards is headquartered in Eau Claire, WI. Menards has more than 300 retail stores located throughout the Midwest in the states of IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI and WY. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader. It’s famous slogan “Save Big Money at Menards” is widely known and easy to remember. For more information, visit Menards.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.
On This Date in NASCAR History…
Sunday, April 7, 2019 – On this day in history, brothers Kyle and Kurt Busch finished 1-2, respectively, in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway – it was the second of just three times the brothers have finished first or second in the same NASCAR Cup Series event. Kyle has won two out of the three brotherly matchups, with wins at Sonoma (2015) and Bristol (2019) and Kurt’s win was at Kentucky (2019). (more…)
Is iRacing Doing It For You?
First of all, I hope that you all are healthy and staying home for the most part. I know we started self-isolating before we were warned to, so this has been nearly a month of being stuck at home. But anyway, it’s a small price to pay to keep loved ones from getting sick.
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…)
On This Date in NASCAR History…
Sunday, April 5, 1992 – On this day in history, NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki stretched his short track muscles leading 282 of 500 laps and winning from the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. One of just two wins during his famous championship 1992 season (Bristol-1, Michigan-1). (more…)
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.
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.
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.”
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION | START | FINISH | LAPS | STATUS | LED |
| Mar. 22 | Dixie Vodka 150 | Homestead | 9 | 1 | 100/100 | Running | 14 |
| Mar. 29 | O’Reilly 125 | Texas | 17 | 24 | 125/125 | Running | 0 |
| Averages/Totals | 13 | 12.5 | 100% | 14 | |||
Bristol Invitational Advance – Clint Bowyer Simultaneously Simracing and Broadcasting
| Details: |
| • 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.
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| 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 Racing for fans in Canada • Twitch.tv/StewartHaaseSports (Stream begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT)
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Clint Bowyer, Driver of the No. 14 Smithfield Ford Mustang: |
| “It’s as if iRacing had been started and built 15 years ago for this very moment, for this very situation. I’ve watched these races and, production-wise, I’ve known that it was good and it keeps getting better. The camera angles, everything, it’s pretty damn realistic and pretty damn good, and I think this weekend at Bristol will be even bigger.
“There are certain guys that when you get on the sim in any given week, whether it’s the day or the evening, that you look for because you know that they’ve got experience and track time and seat time in the sim and on iRacing. Parker Kligerman, Garrett Smithley, Timmy Hill, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. – these are all guys that have a ton of experience. When they get on the racetrack, trust me, you need to get out there with them and learn as much as you can, follow them and everything else. You’ll see my Smithfield Ford Mustang behind them so I can figure out how to eventually get in front of them.”
• Bowyer started 15th and finished 11th in last week’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Texas.
• Bowyer considers himself a hobby iRacer. Sunday’s race at Bristol will be just his third official iRacing start in a virtual NASCAR Cup Series race.
• Bowyer’s eponymous iRacing team competes in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series with drivers Brandon Kettelle and Brian Schoenberg, and Bowyer’s dirt late model team has been sponsored by iRacing for several years.
• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Bristol, Bowyer has seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes in 28 career starts.
• Bowyer’s best Bristol finish is second, earned in April 2017.
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| About Stewart-Haas eSports: |
| NASCAR is the ultimate test of driver acumen and mechanical know-how, where teams scrutinize every detail in a never-ending quest for speed. Stewart-Haas Racing has thrived in this environment, winning races and championships to firmly establish its presence in NASCAR. Stewart-Haas eSports emulates these efforts in the virtual world, where sim technology provides a visceral experience that amplifies the grit and determination of NASCAR drivers in the real world. Stewart-Haas eSports is a natural extension of Stewart-Haas Racing, where competition and simulation are one. For more information, please visit us online at www.StewartHaasRacing.com and follow on Twitter @SHR_eSports.
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| About Stewart-Haas Racing: |
| Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The Kannapolis, North Carolina-based organization has won two NASCAR Cup Series titles, one NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and more than 70 NASCAR races, including such crown-jewel events as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. For more information, please visit us online at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ |