Roush-Fenway Racing: iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | Richmond Advance

Roush-Fenway Racing:  iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | Richmond Advance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roush-Fenway Racing: iRacing #ProInvitationalSeries | Richmond Advance Read More

Drivers, Crew Members Leave Their Mark At Bill McAnally Racing

Drivers, Crew Members Leave Their Mark At Bill McAnally Racing

ROSEVILLE, Calif. – Bill McAnally Racing made its debut in what was then known as the NASCAR Winston West Series in 1992 at Shasta Speedway in Anderson, California, with car owner Bill McAnally behind the wheel.

In the 28 years since then, BMR has won nine series championships – a record for the series and for all of NASCAR Regional Touring. In addition, the team has scored a record 99 wins overall in what became the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.

See Bill McAnally Racing’s other Tweets

Although McAnally was initially an owner/driver, he eventually opted to turn over the driving duty and focus on his role as a team owner. Including McAnally, 80 drivers have wheeled a BMR entry in the series now branded as the ARCA Menards Series West. Some drove for BMR in multiple seasons, some for only one season, and some for a select race or races.

There’s also a long list of crew members who contributed to the success of the team based in Roseville, California. Some of them called the shots as crew chiefs, some honed their skills as specialists and some worked as general mechanics. Some moved on and worked their way up to a team at the national level in NASCAR and some chose to remain on the West Coast.

“We’ve been fortunate to have some very talented drivers at BMR and we’ve had some great crew members through the years, as well,” said McAnally. “Together, they deserve the credit for BMR’s record success.

“It’s been great to see drivers develop their skills with our team,” he said. “Some spent multiple seasons with the team, as they honed their talent in the series, and others passed through more quickly as they moved up the NASCAR ladder. Others took advantage of the opportunity with BMR to compete in a select event or get experience at a particular track.”

Many crewmembers have done likewise, according to McAnally.

“Some crewmembers chose to remain on the West Coast and some chose to move on after gaining experience,” he said. “When you walk through the garage at a Cup Series, XFINITY Series or Truck Series race, it’s remarkable to see the number of crew members there who worked at BMR.”

Drivers who have competed in the series in a BMR entry, meanwhile, include current NASCAR Cup Series regulars Christopher Bell, with three BMR starts; Clint Bowyer, two starts; Alex Bowman, one start; Cole Custer, with four starts and one win; and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., with one start. The list also features Chase Briscoe, three starts; Riley Herbst, 16 starts; Bryan Herta, one start; Trevor Bayne, one start; Travis Pastrana, two starts; Sarah Fisher, 13 starts; Kerry Earnhardt, eight starts; and Michael Waltrip, seven starts. Even legendary driver Hershel McGriff competed in 16 events for BMR.

Eric Holmes tops the list of drivers with starts and wins for BMR, competing for the team in 81 series events and scoring 15 of his 17 career series wins with BMR. A three-time series champion, he captured two of those titles with BMR, in 2008 and 2010. In addition to his victories, Holmes notched 44 top-five and 63 top-10 finishes in BMR’s iconic blue and gold NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry.

Austin Cameron and Todd Gilliland are tied for second on the team’s list of winners.

Cameron scored 13 of his 15 career series victories with BMR. His 44 starts in a BMR entry, meanwhile, ranks him fifth in that category. A major win for Cameron and BMR came in the inaugural NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, a prestigious post-season event that drew drivers and teams from across the country to California’s Irwindale Speedway.

Vl At Fontana 2001 W Gaughan And Bill
Brendan Gaughan in Victory Lane with Bill McAnally Racing at Fontana, California in 2001. (Courtesy BMR)

Gilliland also had 13 series wins with BMR. In addition, he captured two championships, with back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. In his two full seasons with BMR, Gilliland also scored five wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Derek Kraus is fourth on the list of BMR wins in the K&N West. He scored 10 wins in 42 starts during his three years racing in the series for BMR – capping things off with a championship in 2019.

Rounding out the top five list among drivers with wins at BMR is Chris Eggleston, who notched nine victories. He captured the series title in 2015 and his 45 series starts with BMR ranks him fourth on that list.

Other drivers who captured a series championship with McAnally were Brendan Gaughan – who won back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001, while scoring eight wins – and Sean Woodside, who won BMR’s first series championship in 1999.

Ranked second in terms of series starts at BMR, is Moses Smith – who raced for the team in 64 events. Smith, a four-time Most Popular Driver in the series, accumulated 17 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes between 2007 and 2011.

McAnally’s 56 starts ranks him third on the list of races with BMR. He registered three top-five and 16 top-10 finishes while building the team from its infancy.

Seven crew chiefs, meanwhile, have won championships with the McAnally-led team. Shane Wilson and Chris Lawson lead the way, each with a pair of titles. Wilson teamed with Gaughan in winning championships in 2000 and 2001. Lawson was paired with Gilliland as he won titles in 2016 and 2017. Wilson went on to win races as a crew chief in all three of NASCAR’s national series, as well as winning a championship in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Lawson continued on as a key member at DGR-Crosley.

Other championship crew chiefs at BMR include John Camilleri, who won the title last year with Kraus behind the wheel, and Roger Bracken, who was the champion crew chief with Eggleston in 2015. Camilleri and Bracken serve as crew chiefs at BMR this season.

Also winning championships as crew chiefs at BMR were Matt Goslant, with Holmes in 2010; Ty Joiner, with Holmes in 2008; and Chris Diederich, with Woodside in 1999. Joiner also won a title with Holmes for car owner Allen Beebe in 2006.

Rookie drivers at BMR have also captured the series spotlight through the years, with six drivers winning the Rookie of the Year Award. They include Andrew Lewis in 2005, Peyton Sellers in 2006, Paulie Harraka in 2009, Todd Gilliland in 2016, Derek Kraus in 2017 and Hailie Deegan in 2018.

23 people are talking about this

Deegan set several major records while driving for BMR. In her rookie season, she became the first female driver to win a series race and the first woman to win a pole award in the series. She went on to also become the first woman to win the Rookie of the Year Award in the series.

In 2019, Deegan became the first woman to lead the championship standings of a series at the regional or national levels of NASCAR. In finishing third in points that year, she set a new mark for the highest ranking by a female driver in the final standings in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East or West.

NASCAR Roots@NASCARRoots

History.@HailieDeegan climbs out following her victory @meridianspeed, the first win for a female in series history.

Embedded video

Drivers, Crew Members Leave Their Mark At Bill McAnally Racing Read More

On This Date in NASCAR History…

On This Date in NASCAR History…

Sunday, April 14, 2002 – On this day in history, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte took the lead with 55 laps to go from fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway – an event that ended under caution. In 42 starts at Martinsville the victory was Labonte’s lone win on the historic short track. (more…)

On This Date in NASCAR History… Read More

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

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

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

On This Date in NASCAR History…

On This Date in NASCAR History…

Sunday, April 11, 2015 – On this day in history, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson started fifth and led 134 laps and beat runner-up Kevin Harvick to the finish by 1.107 seconds in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. It was his fifth of his career seven NASCAR Cup Series wins at Texas. Johnson swept the 2015 season at Texas.

Monday, April 11, 1966 – On this day in history, NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson battled with driver Tom Pistone in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Winston-Salem Speedway. Pearson started on the pole but Pistone jumped out front early leading six laps, then Pearson locked in and took the lead and led 194 laps and won. Pearson won 15 races in 1966 and his first of three NASCAR Cup Series championships (1966, ’68, ’69).

On This Date in NASCAR History… Read More

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

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…)

William Byron dominates in eNASCAR iRacing race at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway (results) Read More

Bristol Invitational Advance – Clint Bowyer Simultaneously Simracing and Broadcasting

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.

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