Company: Stewart Haas

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Partnership with Novant Health Takes Flight with Zipline

by Mike
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Partnership with Novant Health Takes Flight with Zipline

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (May 27, 2020) – Working in extreme conditions where the clock is always ticking, Stewart-Haas Racing is well-versed in delivering under the most intense circumstances. The championship-winning NASCAR team has put its experience to good use during the COVID-19 pandemic, partnering with Novant Health to deliver 20 million face masks and produce 120 ICU webcam carts.

 

Today, its partnership takes flight. Literally.

 

Novant Health has launched an emergency drone logistics operation for hospital pandemic response through a partnership with Zipline, the world’s only national-scale, on-demand drone logistics service, which will provide drone flight services. Stewart-Haas Racing is providing 25,000-square-feet of property adjacent to its Kannapolis campus for Zipline to deliver medical supplies via its fleet of drones to Novant Health’s integrated system of physician practices, hospitals and outpatient centers.

 

 

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Novant Health a Part 107 waiver to begin operation, which is being initiated as part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program (IPP).

 

The operation provides contactless distribution of personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies to frontline healthcare workers in the Charlotte, North Carolina, metro area. The operation helps position Novant Health, which operates 15 hospitals and nearly 700 locations in the southeastern United States, to adapt quickly to the evolving pandemic and could lead to such innovative uses as testing, drug trials and vaccine distribution in the future.

 

The groundbreaking operation will provide ongoing drone logistics flights in Class-D controlled airspace, where all air traffic is actively managed by the FAA under a Part 107 waiver issued to a major U.S. healthcare system. True to its roots, North Carolina is once again “First in Flight.”

 

“This new part of our relationship with Stewart-Haas Racing has – quite literally – taken our logistics operations to new heights,” said Mark Welch, senior vice president of supply chain, Novant Health. “Once again, SHR stepped up when we had a need in response to this pandemic by providing us the critical space to create our distribution center. This operation is taking Novant Health logistics to the next level and we could not do it without the assistance of Stewart-Haas Racing.”

 

The operation uses battery-powered drones with autonomous navigation systems which launch from a distribution center near Stewart-Haas Racing. Novant Health is able to move its products efficiently from this hub to its frontline medical teams powered by Zipline’s long-range, fixed-wing drones. Since 2016, Zipline has used its fleet of drones to deliver 110,000 vaccines, units of blood and critical medications internationally.

 

“As soon as we heard about the initiative Novant Health had with Zipline, our only question was, ‘How can we help?’,” said Mike Verlander, vice president of sales and marketing, Stewart-Haas Racing. “Finding a tract of land that could be used for the distribution center was paramount, and Gene Haas, the co-owner of our race team, had the perfect spot right behind our race shop. He cut through all the red tape and dirt was quickly moved. We helped with logistical coordination during the build and have seen firsthand the work of the Zipline crew and the efficiency of the distribution center and the technology it houses. It’s all very impressive.”

 

In the span of a few minutes, a lightweight drone takes off from Novant Health’s distribution center, with the package placed inside a parachute in the belly of the Zipline drone. When the drone reaches its destination, it simply drops the parachute and the healthcare worker collects it. The drone then returns to the distribution center to get outfitted for its next flight.

 

“Zipline has been hard at work helping other countries respond to the pandemic,” said Keller Rinaudo, CEO, Zipline. “And we’re proud to partner with Novant Health, a true leader in healthcare innovation, to begin helping in the United States as well. We’re likely in for a long-term fight against COVID-19. Using contactless drone logistics will be an important tool in that effort. The work underway here in North Carolina will provide the rest of the country with a blueprint for how to build the most resilient and responsive healthcare system possible.”

 

Over the next two years, the partnership plans to expand beyond emergency operations in the Charlotte area to regular commercial operations, subject to approval under FAA Part 135 rules, to serve health facilities and, ultimately, patients’ homes across the state. Novant Health and Zipline’s partnership seeks to create a next-generation model for health system logistics leveraging contactless drone deliveries. To accomplish this, Zipline works hand-in-hand with national civil aviation authorities.

 

Safety is Zipline’s top priority at every stage of operation. Zipline drones are designed to automatically detect issues inflight and safely return to base for repair. Each drone is equipped with redundant flight computers, motors, communications systems, and flight control surfaces, as well as redundant navigation and power systems. In the event of emergencies like severe weather or unplanned flight operation issues, each drone is equipped with a parachute that allows it to make an immediate landing by slowly descending to the ground.

 

Zipline drones weigh approximately 40 pounds with payload, have a top speed of 80 mph, can service a 50-mile radius, and can carry packages close to four pounds, even in high winds and rain.

 

 

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/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter at @StewartHaasRcng, on Instagram at @StewartHaasRacing and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/StewartHaasRacing.

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NASCAR Racing Returns with Live Coverage of Upcoming Races at Darlington Raceway on SiriusXM

by Mike
NASCAR Racing Returns with Live Coverage of Upcoming Races at Darlington Raceway on SiriusXM

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the NASCAR Cup Series races on May 17 and 20, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on May 19

 

Driver Kevin Harvick will take calls from listeners on a LIVE episode of his SiriusXM show, “Happy Hours,” on Wednesday, May 13

 

Fans continue to get NASCAR news and talk daily on SiriusXM channel 90 and on the SiriusXM app

NEW YORK – May 11, 2020 – With the welcome return of NASCAR racing this weekend, SiriusXM will offer fans live coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series races being run at Darlington Raceway.

The SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel will carry the live broadcast of the NASCAR Cup Series race this Sunday, May 17 (pre-race starting at 2:30 pm ET).  This will be the first race run since the NASCAR schedule was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in early March.  In the days that follow, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will also provide live coverage of the other races at Darlington, the NASCAR Xfinity Series race (Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 pm ET) and a second NASCAR Cup Series race (Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 pm ET).

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio airs every NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race live throughout the season.  SiriusXM also offers additional Driver2Crew ChatterTM channels that carry the team communications for multiple drivers during NASCAR Cup Series races.  For Sunday’s race at Darlington, listeners can hear the in-car audio for Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and Ryan Newman. Channel assignments can be found here: https://blog.siriusxm.com/nascar-racing-returns-with-live-coverage-of-upcoming-races-on-siriusxm

In addition to live race coverage fans continue to get daily news, analysis and interviews with drivers, owners and crew members on the exclusive 24/7 SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel.

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, will host a special live edition of his SiriusXM show, Happy Hours, on Wednesday, May 13 (1:00-3:00 pm ET), alongside co-host Matt Yocum.  Harvick will be competing in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington.  He resumed hosting his SiriusXM show when racing was suspended in March and, on this episode, will be taking calls from NASCAR fans around the country, and sharing the excitement and preparation involved for drivers and teams who are headed back to the track.

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio is available to subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM radios (channel 90) and those subscribers with the SiriusXM All Access package can also tune in via the SiriusXM app and at home with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream in their house.  Go to SiriusXM.com/NASCARonSXM for more info.

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About SiriusXM

Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the leading audio entertainment company in the U.S., and the premier programmer and platform for subscription and digital advertising-supported audio products. Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. SiriusXM and Pandora together reach more than 100 million people each month with their audio products. SiriusXM, through Sirius XM Canada Holdings, Inc., also offers satellite radio and audio entertainment in Canada. In addition to its audio entertainment businesses, SiriusXM offers connected vehicle services to automakers and directly to consumers through aftermarket devices. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.

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eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Coverage Resources and News & Notes – Virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway

by Mike
eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Coverage Resources and News & Notes – Virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

Next Race: North Wilkesboro 160

The Place: Virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway

The Date: Saturday, May 9

The Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: FOX (where available and subject to change), FS1 and FOX Sports App

Distance: 160 laps

Wrapping up the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series at North Wilkesboro

With one more weekend until NASCAR returns to the real track, drivers and fans are continuing to turn to the virtual world of iRacing to see some of the best racing competition around.

This weekend’s race at the historic virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway wraps up the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to action on May 17 at Darlington Raceway.

NASCAR, iRacing and FOX Sports teamed up to deliver the first-ever eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event, the Dixie Vodka 150, at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway after all national pro sports were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic several weeks back. The event produced a wild finish that saw Denny Hamlin just barely beat Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the line. Fans responded with an overwhelming reaction setting records in eSports viewership, and as a result FOX Sports committed to covering the remainder of the eNASCAR iRacing season.

The second eNASCAR iRacing event took place at virtual Texas Motor Speedway and again was a success with the fans. Longtime iRacing veteran and rising NASCAR star Timmy Hill won the race with an aggressive move on William Byron to take the win.

The third race of the Pro Invitational Series was at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway, where iRacing veteran William Byron showed off his talents dominating the event and taking the checkered flag. Next, the series went to virtual Richmond Raceway, where Byron once again took the checkered flag and won back-to-back races. The virtual race at Talladega Superspeedway was won by Alex Bowman and last weekend’s race at virtual Dover International Speedway was won by Byron. In total Byron leads the series with three wins.

This Saturday, May 9, the series heads to virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway for the series finale the North Wilkesboro 160 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX (where available and subject to change), FS1 and the FOX Sports app.

History of North Wilkesboro Speedway

North Wilkesboro Speedway in Wilkes County, North Carolina, has a wide and renowned history in NASCAR dating back to 1949. The last time the venue hosted a NASCAR national series race was in 1996 when NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon won the NASCAR Cup Series event before the track closed.

The .625-mile short track was built in 1946 and became a North Carolina racing staple while hosting 93 NASCAR Cup Series races. The inaugural race, the 1949 Wilkes 200 on October 16, was won by Bob Flock. The track was known for being one of the fastest short-tracks in racing and in the 1950’s speeds reached up to 73 mph.

The track’s unique layout featured an uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch with 14 degrees of banking in the turns and three degrees of banking on the straightaways.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty led the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at North Wilkesboro Speedway with 15 victories. NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip led the series in poles at North Wilkesboro Speedway with nine.

Last December, Dale Earnhardt Jr. led a group of drivers and NASCAR broadcasters in an effort to clean the track surface at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The cleaning allowed iRacing to scan and map the historic venue.

Among those that helped Earnhardt clean the speedway were Speedway Motorsports Inc. president Marcus Smith, iRacing executive vice president and executive producer Steve Myers, NASCAR Cup Series driver Chris Buescher, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Myatt Snider, NBC Sports’ Rick Allen and Marty Snider, William Byron’s spotter Tab Boyd, and Austin Dillon’s spotter Andy Houston.

This weekend will mark the debut of North Wilkesboro Speedway virtually and will feature 28 drivers, including Earnhardt.

Aric Almirola’s Mother’s Day iRacing paint scheme

In honor of Mother’s Day weekend, Aric Almirola will run a paint scheme that his wife Janice colored using the Stewart-Haas Racing coloring sheets. Janice was coloring with their children a few weeks ago when she told Aric that her coloring page would be a cool paint scheme. So as a surprise, Aric requested that Smithfield and his team run her paint scheme on Mother’s Day weekend. When the No. 10 Ford hits the track on Saturday for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series North Wilkesboro 160 at virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway (3 p.m. ET on FOX, FS1, FOX Sports App), Janice’s blue and pink paint scheme with “Happy Mother’s Day” on the front will be seen by everyone watching. You can check out Aric’s video here.

Saturday’s run of show and race format

Saturday’s North Wilkesboro 160 will wrap up the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series as NASCAR is set to resume racing next weekend at Darlington Raceway. This weekend’s iRacing event will feature a two-lap, single-car qualifying session with the top 10 inverted to set the grid for the main feature event.

 

The main race will be a total of 160 laps with double-file restarts and lapped cars will go to the rear. There will be three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish, if necessary. The field will consist of a 28-driver entry list. The top-three finishers from Dover (William Byron, Christopher Bell and Timmy Hill) will be relegated to the back of the starting lineup and will not make a qualifying attempt.

 

Drivers will be allowed one reset this week at virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway with manual cautions. If a car is damaged, drivers must drive back to their pit stall and come to a complete stop. This will automatically apply the fast repair and give the driver a new car.

 

The below times are approximate and subject to change:

2 p.m. – Practice session goes live

2:50 p.m. – Qualifying (Two laps, single-car with top 10 inverted)

3:00 p.m. – FOX, FS1, FOX Sports App broadcast begins

3:13 p.m. – Green flag (160 laps)

 

 

Statistical Notes

A wide range of drivers with various experience at North Wilkesboro Speedway and in iRacing will be contending in this Saturday’s North Wilkesboro 160 in the seventh race of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series (3 p.m. ET on FOX – where available and subject to change, FS1 and the FOX Sports app).

 

Below is a list of anticipated participants (listed numerically), their statistics, and career highlights. Please note, the participant list is subject to change.

 

Note on iRacing stats below:

The stats are cumulative lifetime stats for each driver in public oval events in stock car disciplines (ranging from top-level Cup cars to Legends) on iRacing. It doesn’t include stats from private leagues. Statistics for drivers who have starts in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series include those races run.

 

Entered Drivers (Listed in numerical order):

Austin Dillon – iRacing #3

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Won the 2018 Daytona 500
  • 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion
  • 2012 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year
  • 2011 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion
  • 2010 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 6 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 27th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 29th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 15th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 28th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 24th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 23rd at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Kevin Harvick – iRacing #4

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and 2007 Daytona 500 winner
  • Qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 five-times in the last six seasons.
  • Has made 13 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff appearances, tied for second-most all-time
  • 2001 and 2006 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion
  • 2007, 2009 and 2011 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion owner with wife DeLana Harvick
  • 2001 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year
  • 1998 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 3 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 29th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 12th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 18th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Ross Chastain – iRacing #6

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Xfinity Series – No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • This year, he has filled in for Ryan Newman in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford in the NASCAR Cup Series for three races
  • In 2019, he completed 19 races in the Xfinity Series and posted a win at Daytona with Kaulig Racing
  • In 2018, he made the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs and won his first career race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; driving for Chip Ganassi Racing
  • In 2011, he made his NASCAR national series debut in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut at Lucas Oil Raceway

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 543 starts, 67 wins, 196 top fives and 64 poles
  • Finished 14th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 22nd at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 16th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 13th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 29th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 17th at virtual Dover International Speedway

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – iRacing #8

Current Series/Occupation: Retired NASCAR Cup Series driver, NBC Sports Analyst
Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Made his debut as an NBC broadcaster in 2018
  • Retired from full-time racing at the end of 2017
  • Won the NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver Award for 15 straight years (2003-2017)
  • Won the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship
  • 1999 NASCAR Xfinity Series Most Popular Driver of the Year
  • Team owner of Xfinity Series team JR Motorsports, collecting 47 wins since 2005

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 420 starts, 194 wins, 334 top fives, 188 poles
  • Finished 2nd at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 6th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 22nd at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 8th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 30th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 26th at virtual Dover International Speedway

Aric Almirola – iRacing #10

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Had a career best fifth place finish in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series championship
  • In 2014, won first career NASCAR Cup Series race (Daytona-2) on the 30th anniversary weekend of team owner Richard Petty’s 200th career win.
  • Made first career NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2014, ultimately finishing 16th in the standings.
  • Has won at least one race in all three NASCAR national series.

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 18th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 10th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Denny Hamlin – iRacing #11

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Won the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Three-time Daytona 500 champion (2016, 2019, 2020)
  • 2006 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year
  • Has 38 NASCAR Cup Series career wins
  • Finished runner-up in the 2010 NASCAR Cup Series championship standings
  • Has 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series career wins

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 169 starts, 31 wins, 76 top fives, 31 poles
  • Won the race at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 24th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 4th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 6th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 39th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 6th at Dover International Speedway

 

 

Ty Dillon – iRacing #13

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Has made 130 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series posting one top five and five top 10s
  • Finished runner-up in 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings
  • Won the 2013 Most Popular Driver Award for the Gander Trucks
  • 2012 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 6 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 19th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 16th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 25th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 15th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 23rd at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 32nd at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Clint Bowyer – iRacing #14

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • In 2019, he qualified for the Playoffs on points and finished ninth in the series standings
  • Finished a career-best runner-up in the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series championship
  • 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion
  • Multiple winner in all three NASCAR national series

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 5 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 16th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 11th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 11th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 30th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 33rd at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Did not compete at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

Brennan Poole – iRacing #15

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 15 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Made his Xfinity Series track debut in 2015 and finished 12th
  • Best finish of fifth at the track in 2017 in the Xfinity Series
  • 2020 marked his first full season in the Cup Series, making his debut at the Daytona 500
  • He finished runner-up at Charlotte Motor Speedway last season in the Gander Trucks, a career-best finish

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 poles
  • Finished 7th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 11th at virtual Dover International Speedway

Chris Buescher – iRacing #17

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Buescher joined Roush-Fenway Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season
  • In 2016, he won first NASCAR Cup Series race (Pocono-2) in his rookie season; first driver since Joey Logano (2009) to accomplish the feat
  • One of three drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history to make the Playoffs in their rookie season, joining Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin
  • Won the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2015
  • Was the 2012 ARCA Menards Series champion

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 6 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 28th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 18th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 23rd at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 21st at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 27th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 25th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Kyle Busch – iRacing #18

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion also won championship in 2015. One of two (Jimmie Johnson) active drivers with multiple Cup championships
  • Has made the Championship 4 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs the last five consecutive seasons
  • Won the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2009
  • In 2010, set all-time single-season record with 24 victories across NASCAR’s three national series
  • Currently has most all-time NASCAR national series wins with 208 (56 Cup, 96 Xfinity, 57 Gander Trucks)
  • Record seven-time NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series owner champion (2010, ’13, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17 and ‘19) and one driver championship (2015)

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 6 starts, 0 wins, 1 top five and 0 poles
  • Finished 29th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 17th at Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 18th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 5th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 8th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 15th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Bobby Labonte – iRacing #18

Current Series/Occupation: 2020 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee

 

Highlights:

  • Has eight starts at North Wilkesboro Speedway with a best finish of 10th in 1996
  • Labonte was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020. He joins his brother, Terry, with the prestigious honor
  • He won the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series championship
  • Labonte has 21 NASCAR Cup Series wins, 10 Xfinity Series and one Gander Trucks win
  • He is one of 27 drivers to have a win in all three of NASCAR’s national series

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 81 starts, 7 wins, 31 top fives, 5 poles
  • Finished 18th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 13th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 13th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 14th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 31st at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 13th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Martin Truex Jr.  – iRacing #19

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion
  • Won the Xfinity Series championship in 2004 and 2005
  • Named Most Popular Driver in the Xfinity Series in 2004 and 2005
  • Got his first Cup Series win at Dover International Speedway in 2007

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 10 starts, 5 wins, 7 top fives, 5 poles
  • Making eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series debut this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway

 

 

Erik Jones – iRacing #20

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Won his first NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona in July of 2018
  • 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year – becoming the first driver to earn the award in all three of NASCAR’s national series
  • 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year
  • 2015 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Champion and Sunoco Rookie of the Year – the youngest champion in series history

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 6 starts, 0 wins, 1 top five, 0 poles
  • Finished 10th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 21st at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 31st at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 7th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 37th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 4th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Jon Wood – iRacing #21

Current Series/Occupation: Senior Vice President, Co-Owner of Wood Brothers Racing
Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Made four NASCAR Cup Series career starts in 2007 and 2008
  • Has made 85 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts with a best finish of runner-up in 2005 at Talladega
  • Has two Gander Trucks wins from 2003 at Kansas Speedway and Martinsville Speedway

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 22 starts, 3 wins, 11 top fives, 5 poles
  • Making eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series debut this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway

 

 

Jeff Gordon – iRacing #24

Current Series/Occupation: 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee; FOX Sports NASCAR analyst

Highlights:

  • Has made eight NASCAR Cup Series starts at North Wilkesboro Speedway posting one win (1996), one pole (1995), four top fives and five top 10s
  • Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (1995, 1997-1998, 2001)
  • Three-time Daytona 500 winner (1997, ’99, 2005)
  • Five-time Brickyard 400 winner (1994, ’98, 2001, ’04, ’14)
  • Third on all-time NASCAR Cup Series win list with 92

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 1 start, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 38th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway

 

 

Tyler Reddick – iRacing #31

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (2018-2019), and first driver to do it with two different organizations (JR Motorsports 2018, Richard Childress Racing 2019).
  • 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year; just third driver in series history to win the title in his rookie season joining Chase Elliott (2014) and William Byron (2017).
  • In 2017, captured his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, at Kentucky, while running a partial schedule.
  • In 2015, he competed full-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, winning his first race and finishing runner-up in the championship standings.

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 5 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 poles
  • Finished 28th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 8th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 12th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 22nd at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 25th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Corey LaJoie – iRacing #32

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 32 GoFas Racing Ford

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • In 2019, LaJoie posted career-bests in starting position (16th, Kansas), finishing position (sixth, Daytona) and final points position (29th in points).
  • In 2014, he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at New Hampshire Motorsports Speedway.

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 1 start, 0 wins, 1 top five, 1 pole
  • Started from the pole at virtual Talladega Superspeedway in his eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series debut and finished second
  • Finished 20th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Michael McDowell – iRacing #34

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Xfinity Series debut was in 2009, finishing 11th for JTG Daugherty Racing
  • McDowell is currently in his 13th season in the NASCAR Cup Series
  • Finished a career-best 26th in the 2017 and 2018 NASCAR Cup Series standings
  • Earned his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series win in 2016 at Road America

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 105 starts, 25 wins, 46 top fives and 25 poles
  • Finished 23rd at virtual Homestead Miami Speedway
  • Finished 12th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 10th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 34th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 5th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Ryan Preece – iRacing #37

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Finished runner-up in 2019 Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle in the NASCAR Cup Series
  • Won first career NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Iowa in 2017
  • In 2013, he was the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, youngest champion in series history

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 257 starts, 42 wins, 104 top fives and 15 poles
  • Finished 33rd at virtual Homestead Miami Speedway
  • Finished 2nd at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 6th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 19th at virtual Richmond Raceway and won the pole award
  • Finished 3rd at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 29th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

John Hunter Nemechek – iRacing #38

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • 2020 is Nemechek’s first fulltime season in the NASCAR Cup Series
  • Earned his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win in 2018 at Kansas while driving for Chip Ganassi Racing
  • Won his first NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway in 2015, driving for NEMCO Motorsports
  • Has tallied six career Gander Trucks wins

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 294 starts, 29 wins, 98 top fives and 37 poles
  • Finished 30th at virtual Homestead Miami Speedway
  • Finished 8th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 2nd at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 16th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 25th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 27th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Cole Custer – iRacing #41

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Currently in his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing
  • In 2018, he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut for Rick Ware Racing. He made three starts for the team posting a best finish of 25th at Las Vegas
  • Has made 104 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts posting nine career wins
  • In 2014, he became the youngest driver in NASCAR national series history to win a race at the age of 16 years, seven months, 28 days (NGROTS, New Hampshire)
  • In 2014, he became the youngest driver in NASCAR national series history to win a pole at the age of 16 years, four months, 22 days (NGROTS, Gateway)

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 26th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 12th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Chad Finchum – iRacing #49

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Xfinity Series – No. 13 Motorsports Business Management Toyota

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • In 2019, competed in his second full season for MBM finishing the year a career-best 26th in the standings

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles.
  • Finished 21st at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 22nd at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Garrett Smithley – iRacing #51

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Finished a career-best 18th in the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series standings
  • Has a NASCAR national series career-best finish of fifth at Daytona in the NASCAR Xfinity Series

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 1,231 starts, 146 wins, 538 top fives and 131 poles
  • Finished 5th at virtual Homestead Miami Speedway
  • Finished 3rd at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 9th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 16th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 4th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 9th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

JJ Yeley – iRacing #52

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Yeley has competed for various teams throughout the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series
  • 2003 United States Auto Club (USAC) Triple Crown (Silver Crown, sprint, midget) champion
  • Won 2001 USAC sprint car championship, 2002 USAC Silver Crown championship
  • In 1995 became youngest driver to win Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) feature

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 15th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 19th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

Joey Gase – iRacing #53

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 53 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway in 2014 for GO FAS Racing
  • Has over 200 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives and 0 poles
  • Finished 20th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 24th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Timmy Hill – iRacing #66

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 66 Motorsports Business Management Toyota

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Won the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished third in the 2020 Xfinity Series season-opener at Daytona, his career-best NASCAR national series finish
  • Owner of Hill Motorsports, fielding the No. 56 Chevrolet in the Gander Trucks

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 1,681 starts, 674 wins, 1,208 top fives, 456 poles
  • Finished 3rd at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Won the race at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 3rd at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 2nd at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 11th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 3rd at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Parker Kligerman – iRacing #77

Current Series/Occupation: NBC Sports TV Analyst and part-time NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Has made 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts since 2012
  • Finished a career-best ninth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings in 2013
  • Finished a career-best fifth in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series championship points in 2012

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 420 starts, 57 wins, 190 top fives and 11 poles
  • Finished 13th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 12th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 7th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 3rd at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 16th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 34th at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Landon Cassill – iRacing #89

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Xfinity Series – No. 89 Shepherd Racing Chevrolet

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • In 2014, he scored a NASCAR Cup Series career-best fourth-place finish at Talladega
  • In 2010, he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Michigan
  • In 2008, he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 48 starts, 4 wins, 28 top fives and 2 poles
  • Finished 12th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 4th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 20th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 4th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 5th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 21st at virtual Dover International Speedway

 

 

Christopher Bell – iRacing #95

Current Series/Occupation: NASCAR Cup Series – No. 96 Leavine Family Racing Toyota

 

Highlights:

  • Has never competed at North Wilkesboro Speedway
  • Has posted a total of 16 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins
  • Set the rookie single season Xfinity Series wins record with seven victories in 2018
  • 2017 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion
  • Has a total of seven career Gander Truck wins

 

Overall iRacing Stats

  • 1,032 starts, 237 wins, 557 top fives and 132 poles
  • Finished 27th at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • Finished 34th at virtual Texas Motor Speedway
  • Finished 12th at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway
  • Finished 24th at virtual Richmond Raceway
  • Finished 13th at virtual Talladega Superspeedway
  • Finished 2nd at virtual Dover International Speedway
Views: 629
eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Coverage Resources and News & Notes – Virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway Read More

Richmond Preview: Harvick and Bowyer Similarly Locked In for Sunday’s Invitational

by Mike
Richmond Preview: Harvick and Bowyer Similarly Locked In for Sunday’s Invitational
Details:
 

• Race:  Toyota Owners 150 (Round 4)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Time/Date:  1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 19

• Location:  Virtual Richmond Raceway (.75-mile oval)

• Distance:  150 laps (112.5 miles)

 

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 app

• FOX Sports Racing for fans in Canada

• Twitch.tv/StewartHaaseSports

 

DYK?:
 

• Trivia Question: What are the three most-watched esports events on TV in United States history? Answer: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series and the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The March 29 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.

 

• But Wait, There’s More!: The last eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race April 5 at the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway averaged 1.179 million viewers across FOX and FS1, making it the second most-watched sports telecast of the weekend and the No. 1 sport among adults age 18-49.

 

• Bet On It: The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has been cleared and approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board for wagering. Two types of bets are allowed for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series: winner of the race and head-to-head winner between drivers. Provisions for licensing the event includes a posting of the official rules for the tournament organizer and that all bets must cease once a race has started. Additionally, each bookmaker is allowed to create its own odds.

 

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.

 

• The iRacing undercard event the day prior to Sunday’s headlining eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race is the Saturday Night Thunder race where 43 drivers will compete in virtual NASCAR Xfinity Series cars. The Thunder event complements the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, and NASCAR Cup Series drivers not competing in Sunday’s race are eligible for this race. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer and Chase Briscoe will compete in Saturday Night Thunder.

 

• The livestream of Saturday Night Thunder begins at 8 p.m. EDT on eNASCAR.com/live. Single-car qualifying begins at 8:05 p.m., which sets the lineup for the four, 10-lap heat races, with each heat race including as many as 15 drivers. Six cars advance from each heat to the feature, with the final two spots in the 26-car field coming from the top-two finishers of a 15-lap consolation race, which takes place after the heat races and is comprised of drivers who have not yet qualified. The 125-lap feature race then follows.

 

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang:          
 

“I’ve been trying to practice one hour a day. I’ve got Busch Light on my Ford Mustang and I’m going to have fun with it. I did win a street stock race this week (on iRacing)…after I wrecked in the first four. I won a Legends race by default because the whole field crashed. But those are really my only two iRacing wins. They’re not pretty. I did wreck the whole field in a Legends race the other day after starting on the front row on lap one. So, that was high entertainment. I figure the whole iRacing thing is really something that’s supposed to be fun for everybody, supposed to be filler for a gap in time during this crazy pandemic. The whole iRacing thing has introduced me to a whole new network of people and it’s opened my eyes to a whole new group of racers. It’s a different culture, but it’s still a racing culture.”

 

 

• This is Harvick’s first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.

 

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Richmond, Harvick has three wins, 15 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes in 38 career starts.

 

• Harvick’s three wins came in September 2006, September 2011 and April 2013.

 

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang:
 

“iRacing is extremely realistic. You’re using the same mechanics, the same forces, and the same movements you use in real life to make your car go fast, and that includes your hand-eye coordination and your feet. You drive these things so much with the pedals, with the gas, the brake, the steering input. All of those inputs in your mind are the exact same thing we use to put our car to the front of the field on any given Sunday. That being said, the only sense that you don’ t have in a simulator is the feel from the seat of your pants. We kind of call it the ‘butt dyno’. You balance a racecar kind of like if you put a plate on the end of an ink pen. That’s how you balance a racecar. That thing wants to go on all four different axis’, whether it’s the right-front, left-front, right-rear, left-rear, you can feel all those things, and that’s how you balance a car is through the seat of your pants. In iRacing, you don’t have that. All you have is your visuals, so once you have the hang of that and your mind finally catches on, it’s kind of like riding a bike. It’s a struggle for a little while, but once you catch on to that and realize what’s going on with the movements of your car and the movements of the track and things like that – when to pick up the gas, your timing – once you get all that set, it’s exactly like what we do in real life with our PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang.”

 

 

• Bowyer started 32nd and finished 11th in the previous eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Bristol.

 

• Bowyer considers himself a hobby iRacer. Sunday’s race at Richmond will be just his fourth 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 Richmond, Bowyer has two wins, five top-five and 16 top-10 finishes in 28 career starts.

 

• Bowyer’s two wins came in May 2008 and September 2012.

 

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Ford Project Apollo Ford Mustang:
 

“My goal is to just finish the race clean in my Haas Automation/Ford Project Apollo Ford Mustang. I haven’t done much iRacing before, so it’s definitely a little hard to get used to, but hopefully I can get some laps under my belt and get better as I go. I’ll look at the format and figure out what type of strategy I want, and see how I’m running and go from there. There’s going to be some learning because I’ve never done it. I’m definitely going to have someone around me helping through the race. It will be hard keeping track of everything because it is new to me and there’s a lot to handle. I’ve been talking with Chase Briscoe a little about it. He’s had iRacing for a little while now and is pretty good at it, so just getting a general idea of what to look for is important. I’ve also asked Justin Bolton, SHR’s iRacing driver, some questions. I’ve worked with him in the past because he was an engineer on my Xfinity team last year and he obviously knows a lot about it.”

 

 

• This is Custer’s first Saturday Night Thunder race.

 

• In actual racing, Custer has made a total of eight starts at Richmond – one in the NASCAR Cup Series and seven in the Xfinity Series.

 

• Custer is a winner at Richmond, as he earned an Xfinity Series victory at the track in April 2019.

 

• Custer also has the opportunity to race his way into Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race. After the Saturday Night Thunder event, Custer will compete in a 25-lap race at 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday. Should he finish first or second in that race, he will earn a starting spot in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.

 

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 HighPoint.com/Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang:  
 

“I’m ready to get back in my No. 98 HighPoint.com/Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang at Richmond. In the real world, Richmond is a track that I struggled at my first time there, but like anywhere else, I was able to improve with experience. The same things apply to sim racing. The more you do it, the more comfortable you get. Richmond is a tough track, so if you haven’t put in the time to test it out, it’s probably going to be a struggle. I enjoy short-track racing. It’s always exciting and I think we’ll see a lot of those same short-track racing characteristics in the iRacing event Saturday night. Hopefully, I’ll qualify well and have a good run in the heat race to lock into the main so we can put on a show.”

 

 

• This is Briscoe’s first Saturday Night Thunder race, but he is a regular iRacer, with most of his races coming in the Xfinity Series.

 

• In actual racing, Briscoe has never competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is currently in his second full season of Xfinity Series racing.

 

• Briscoe has three Xfinity Series starts at Richmond. He has two top-10s, with a best finish of fifth in September 2019.

 

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/esports and follow on Twitter @SHR_eSports.

 

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/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

Views: 490
Richmond Preview: Harvick and Bowyer Similarly Locked In for Sunday’s Invitational Read More

Quarantine & Chill – Binge Watch Aric Almirola’s YouTube Docuseries ‘Beyond the 10’

by Mike
Quarantine & Chill – Binge Watch Aric Almirola’s YouTube Docuseries ‘Beyond the 10’

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (April 11, 2020) – It’s been four weeks since NASCAR and other sports were forced to postpone their respective events amid the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s made binge watching the new pastime of this brave new world.

 

While iRacing has done an impressive job of simulating NASCAR action with the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, the ability to go beyond the racing and behind the scenes of the NASCAR Cup Series has seemingly been halted.

 

Or has it? Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, has a solution.

 

His free YouTube docuseries, Beyond the 10, began nearly a year ago and has since grown to include 17 episodes, five of which were created before the 2020 season was forced into hiatus. Fans have already watched more than 5,400 hours of Beyond the 10 and have given it a 97.8 percent approval rating.

 

“We started this docuseries because we felt like there was much more for fans to see than just drivers in firesuits racing cars,” Almirola said. “It’s been fun to show fans that I’m really no different from them. I’m a dad and a husband with a great family. I have flaws and I make mistakes, but I enjoy life. I have to get up every day and work hard for what I have, just like everyone else. At the end of the day, I want to be recognized for the human I am outside of the racecar.”

 

Early episodes showcase his 2019 season, beginning with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Episodes progress into previewing his workout regimen, his routine at the track while awaiting practice, visiting LEGOLAND Resort and the beach with his family, dancing like a dad with his son Alex and daughter Abby, performing burnouts on the Las Vegas strip to help kick off the NASCAR Playoffs, and even throwing a bowling ball out of his No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang at 140 mph with the No. 1 bowler in the world, Jason Belmonte, to secure the record for the World’s Fastest Strike.

 

For the second season of Beyond the 10, fans get behind-the-scenes access of how Almirola prepares physically and mentally for the start of the year. Viewers can also tag along with Almirola to Miami where in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, he spent time on radio row doing countless interviews to promote the Daytona 500, all while mingling with NFL legends. Cameras followed Almirola throughout Daytona Speedweeks, with Beyond the 10 featuring exclusive content in the moments leading up to the Great American Race. The latest and most popular episode is an MTV Cribs-style tour of the No. 10 Smithfield hauler.

 

If you have one hour, 54 minutes and 24 seconds in your day, which you likely do with the government’s mandate to stay at home, binge-watching Beyond the 10 can help fill the void of our silenced sports scene.

 

“This is the perfect way to kill some time, whether you’re working from home, studying from home, or are an essential employee who has had a long day and needs a way to unwind,” Almirola said.

 

Future Beyond the 10 episodes will feature how Almirola balances his kid’s school, competition obligations and staying fit, and also how he came to marry his former crew chief’s daughter.

 

“It took a lot for me to put myself out there,” Almirola added. “So, I hope everyone enjoys and subscribes.”

 

For high-resolution imagery from Beyond the 10, contact Dakota.Hunter@TrueSpeedCommunication.com.

 

How to binge watch Beyond the 10:

·       Go to https://www.youtube.com/aricalmirola

·       Click subscribe

·       Go to the “playlist” tab

·       Click “Beyond the 10” and press play

·       Watch on TV or screen mirror your device for a theater-styled experience

 

Follow Aric Almirola:

·       Instagram: @Aric_Almirola

·       Twitter: @Aric_Almirola

·       Facebook: @AricAlmirola

·       TikTok: @AricAlmirola

·       YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/aricalmirola

Views: 492
Quarantine & Chill – Binge Watch Aric Almirola’s YouTube Docuseries ‘Beyond the 10’ Read More

Bristol Invitational Advance – Clint Bowyer Simultaneously Simracing and Broadcasting

by Mike
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.

 

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

• Twitch.tv/StewartHaaseSports (Stream begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT)

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

Views: 474
Bristol Invitational Advance – Clint Bowyer Simultaneously Simracing and Broadcasting Read More

Drivers Justin Bolton and Dylan Duval Ready for First Short Track of 2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Season

by Mike
Drivers Justin Bolton and Dylan Duval Ready for First Short Track of 2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Season
Details:
 

• Event:  eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series (Round 4 of 20)

• Time/Date:  9 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 31 (TONIGHT)

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

• Distance:  250 laps (133.25 miles)

 

Where to Watch:
Overview:
 

• This is the first time in 2020 that the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series will compete on a short track. All of the series’ previous races have come at tracks 1.5 miles in length or longer.

 

• This is the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series’ fourth visit to the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway, but only its second since 2011.

 

• Last year’s eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series race at Bristol was run under the lights. This year’s edition is a daytime affair.

 

• Stewart-Haas eSports drivers Justin Bolton and Dylan Duval come into Bristol after each earned their season-best result in the series’ last race at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Duval finished 15th and Bolton was 17th.

 

• Duval finished 25th in last year’s race at Bristol, while Bolton makes his Bristol debut tonight.

 

Justin Bolton, driver of the No. 10 Get Busch Delivered! Ford Mustang:          
 

“We’ve run well, but we don’t have the finishes to show for it. We were up toward the top-five at the end of the first run in our last two speedway races, but haven’t been able to get it done when it mattered. We’re going into Bristol optimistic that we can turn our season around. I’ll be driving the No. 10 Get Busch Delivered! Ford Mustang, and we’ve been spending a lot of time working on this setup. We feel confident that we’ll have something to compete with. And for those of you who are 21 or older, go to Busch.com/delivery and then enter your zip code to see what options are available in your area. From there, you can get Busch delivered right to your doorstep. While we’re racing, you can relax and unwind with an ice-cold Busch.”

 

Bolton is a 25-year-old engineer on Stewart-Haas Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team who helped Cole Custer to a career-high seven victories in 2019. Bolton has raced in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series off and on since 2014, accumulating 49 starts with nine top-five finishes and a career-best points result of ninth in 2015. The Latrobe, Pennsylvania, native also has real-world racing experience, as Bolton has raced Legends cars and Late Model stock cars, winning the 2013 Fall Classic at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway in the Limited Late Model division.

 

Dylan Duval, driver of the No. 41 PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang:
 

“Coming into the season, Bristol is the track I had circled as being the one I was most concerned about. Last season at Bristol, I really struggled and wasn’t happy with how we performed. The racing at Bristol is so close quarters – having an ill-handling car can lead to a very long night of racing. We’ve turned a lot of laps and have explored many setup options to get our PEAK Coolant & Antifreeze Ford Mustang dialed in for tonight’s race. There are a lot of unknowns going into it. It’s our first race on the low-downforce package, and this race will be in the daytime as opposed to last year’s race, which was at night. We’ve done our homework, though, and I think we’re prepared. This season has started off pretty rough for us – having an issue on pit road at Daytona and struggling with dirty air and passing at California. Going into Homestead last week, we needed to start turning our season around and we did exactly that with running inside of the top-10 and, ultimately, finishing 15th. Coming into Bristol, I’m hoping to build off of what we did at Homestead and continue to make up some points.”

 

 

Duval is a 24-year-old from Halifax, Nova Scotia. The graphic designer debuted in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series in 2012 and is the first Canadian iRacing winner in series history, taking the checkered flag at the virtual Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2016. Duval has made 76 starts in his seven-year career, scoring eight top-fives and earning a best points finish of fifth in 2016.

 

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.

 

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/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

Views: 481
Drivers Justin Bolton and Dylan Duval Ready for First Short Track of 2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Season Read More

Clint Bowyer Finishes 11th in O’Reilly Auto Parts 125; Chase Briscoe Gets Spun in Qualifying Race, Doesn’t Advance to Feature

by Mike
Clint Bowyer Finishes 11th in O’Reilly Auto Parts 125; Chase Briscoe Gets Spun in Qualifying Race, Doesn’t Advance to Feature
Details:
 

• Race:  O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 (Round 2)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Date:  Sunday, March 29

• Location:  Virtual Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

• Distance: 125 laps (187.5 miles)

• Winner: Timmy Hill of MBM Motorsports

• Note:  Race extended five laps past its scheduled 125-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.

 

Stewart-Haas eSports Results:
 

• O’Reilly Auto Parts 125

• Clint Bowyer (Started 15th, Finished 11th / Running, completed 130 of 130 laps)

 

• Qualifying race

• Chase Briscoe (Started 7th, Finished 15th / Running, completed 30 of 30 laps)

 

Clint Bowyer, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang:            
 

“Today was all about survival, guys. I needed a redo for my Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang because I got together with (Greg) Biffle, ‘The Biff’, off of (turn) two. I guess we were three-wide. I didn’t realize we were three-wide. My spotter Jeff Gordon, I had to fire him halfway through the race and moved to Larry McReynolds. Larry said nothing when we were three-wide and I wrecked and collected a bunch of them. But again, a great time was had by all. Timmy Hill, big win for him and his brand. It’s going to be a lot of fun to compete in this over the next few weeks. But, man we are all in this together! Looking forward to next week.”

 

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School/HighPoint.com Ford Mustang:  
 

“Unfortunately, we didn’t make it through the qualifying race this week, so we’ll have to wait and give it another shot next weekend at Bristol. We had a really fast Ford Performance Racing School/HighPoint.com Mustang and it would’ve been interesting to see how we stacked up against the Cup drivers.”

 

Notes:
 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of actual racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.

 

• Xfinity and Truck Series drivers have to race their way into the feature event, and only four open spots were available for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125. Alex Labbe won the 30-lap qualifying race, followed by Anthony Alfredo, Ty Majeski and Ruben Garcia, Jr.

 

• As an Xfinity Series driver, Briscoe was one of 32 drivers in the qualifying race attempting to finish in the top-four to earn a place in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125. Briscoe was spun on lap 14 while running sixth, effectively ending his opportunity for a top-four finish.

 

• 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.

 

• Each race in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series consists of 35 drivers and all races are broadcast by FOX Sports.

 

Next Up:
 

• Stewart-Haas eSports returns to action on Tuesday, March 31 in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series race at the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway with drivers Justin Bolton and Dylan Duval.

 

• The race starts at 9 p.m. EDT with live coverage via:

• eNASCAR.com/live

• Facebook.com/NASCAR

• YouTube.com/NASCAR

• Twitch.tv/iRacing

 

• Duval and Bolton come into Bristol after each earned their season-best result in the series’ last race at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Duval finished 15th and Bolton was 17th.

 

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.

 

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/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

Views: 572
Clint Bowyer Finishes 11th in O’Reilly Auto Parts 125; Chase Briscoe Gets Spun in Qualifying Race, Doesn’t Advance to Feature Read More

Clint Bowyer and Chase Briscoe Continue Sim Racing Assimilation

by Mike
Clint Bowyer and Chase Briscoe Continue Sim Racing Assimilation
Details:
 

• Race:  O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 (Round 2)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Time/Date:  1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 29

• Location:  Virtual Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

• Distance:  125 laps (187.5 miles)

 

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 Homestead-Miami Speedway was the single most-watched esports event in U.S. history. The race drew 903,000 viewers on FS1, besting the previous high of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.

 

• The race was the highest-rated broadcast on FS1 since mass postponements of sporting events began on March 15.

 

• During the race, the #ProInvitationalSeries was the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter in the United States.

 

Overview:
 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of actual racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.

 

• The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series kicked off last Sunday at Homestead and it 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.

 

• Each race in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series consists of 35 drivers and all races are broadcast by FOX Sports.

 

Clint Bowyer, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang:
 

“We’ve had a partnership with iRacing on our dirt late model team for several years and we’ve run an iRacing team since last year. I’ve always jumped on it from time to time even though a lot of people don’t know that. My favorite thing to do on iRacing is not my day job. I came from dirt racing, so I love to get on there and burn laps on a dirt late model, a sprint car or midget. Heck, I’ve even done off-road truck racing. Those are my favorite things to do. A lot of my fans and peers get on and run Cup races and tracks we race on every week. For me, iRacing gives me a chance to drive something I’ve always wanted to drive, but never had the chance. That’s why I love iRacing, and I love the fact that this Pro Invitational Series has made more people aware of iRacing. Now, that means more eyeballs on us this Sunday, so I need to step up my game and put my Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang up front.”

 

 

 

• Bowyer started 11th and finished 16th in last week’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Homestead.

 

• Bowyer considers himself a hobby iRacer. Last Sunday’s race at Homestead was his first 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 Texas, Bowyer has four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 28 career starts.

 

• Bowyer’s best Texas finish is second, earned twice (April 2011 and March 2019).

 

• Anheuser-Busch, the country’s largest sponsor of live sports and entertainment, is redirecting it sports and entertainment investments to its non-profit partners to respond to the coronavirus public health crisis. As part of a $5 million donation to the American Red Cross, Anheuser-Busch, alongside its sports partners, will identify available arenas and stadiums to be used for temporary blood drive centers. As part of the donation, Anheuser-Busch is donating media air time to the Red Cross in support of its public service announcements. To learn more about how to attend a blood drive, visit RedCross.org. Additionally, Anheuser-Busch is using its supply and logistics network to produce and distribute bottles of hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer will be utilized at Red Cross blood donation centers and to support emergency shelters for future relief efforts.

 

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School/HighPoint.com Ford Mustang:
 

“It obviously hasn’t been the greatest time for anybody right now, so it’s cool to have a way to keep your mind off of it. There isn’t really anything on TV and there are no other sporting events going on, so to be the only sport that can still continue, it’s been really cool to see everybody embrace it. When the idea first came out to run iRacing on FOX, I think people were curious to see how it was going to go and concerned that it wouldn’t be like ‘real life’, but it’s as close as we can get to it. It fills that void for the racing we don’t have right now, and it’s an awesome way to keep us occupied, keep the fans involved, and the sponsors as well. And maybe we’re opening the sport up to people that normally wouldn’t pay attention. It’s been really cool to see how many fans have gotten behind it.

 

“It’s been quite a bit different going from the Xfinity car to the Cup car, even though it’s iRacing. It’s realistic enough that even in simulation the cars don’t drive similarly at all. In the Cup Series car, there’s a lot more on throttle time and a lot less brake, so Texas will be a lot of the same. We’ll be on the gas a lot and drafting down the straightaway. They’re different, but it still takes the same characteristics to go fast and win, and I got that part figured out last weekend at Homestead. Texas is kind of an unknown to me. iRacing just updated the track a few weeks ago with the repaved surface and changes to the banking, so I don’t even have any laps around there. It’ll be a learning curve for sure, and it isn’t the best feeling to know I have to race my way into the main event. We saw last weekend that anything can happen to keep some of the better guys from being in the race. That being said, I feel good about our chances to run up front again with the Ford Performance Racing School/HighPoint.com Mustang.”

 

 

• Briscoe started sixth and finished fourth in last week’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Homestead.

 

• Briscoe is a regular iRacer, but mainly in the Xfinity Series. Prior to Homestead, The Replacements 100 March 17 at the virtual Atlanta Motor Speedway was Briscoe’s most recent iRacing start in a virtual NASCAR Cup Series race.

 

• In actual racing, Briscoe has never competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is currently in his second full season of Xfinity Series racing.

 

• Briscoe has three Xfinity Series starts at Texas with a best finish of fourth, earned last March.

 

• Briscoe also has two Truck Series starts at Texas with a best finish of second, earned in June 2017. And when the Truck Series returned to Texas that November, Briscoe finished fourth.

 

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.

 

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/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

Views: 499
Clint Bowyer and Chase Briscoe Continue Sim Racing Assimilation Read More