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NASCAR AMERICA AT HOME PROVIDES COVERAGE OF NASCAR’S RETURN AND POST-RACE ANALYSIS ACROSS NBC SPORTS’ DIGITAL PLATFORMS

by MikeMay 13, 2020

Weekday Episodes and Post-Race Analysis on NBCSports.com and Motorsports on NBC YouTube Page

Matt Kenseth Joins The Dale Jr. Download Today at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN

“It’s going to be a steep learning curve. I’m already a little anxious about that first lap at Darlington.” – Kenseth on The Dale Jr. Download

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 13, 2020 – NBC Sports covers the return of NASCAR and provides post-race analysis of upcoming races at Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway with new digital editions of NASCAR America At Home on NBCSports.com and the Motorsports on NBC YouTube page. (more…)

Ryan Newman on Darlington: I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car.

by MikeMay 13, 2020

Team: No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 400.2 miles, 293 laps, Stage Lengths: 90-95-108

Darlington 400 – Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

NASCAR makes its return to racing this weekend with a NASCAR Cup Series race that will serve as the first of seven national series races over an 11-day span at two different tracks throughout May.
The race at the historic South Carolina track will be held without fans in attendance and is slated to be NASCAR’s first on-track action in more than two months as the sport and world have been on pause during COVID-19.
Following the initial race back on Sunday, the NCS will again visit Darlington for a midweek race under the lights three days later. The May schedule also includes the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600 in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60^th consecutive season, plus other midweek races in prime time.
Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the outbreak before races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville were later postponed.

Newman at Darlington Raceway

Newman makes his return to the car this weekend following a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500 in which he was leading coming to the checkered flag. After recovering from the injuries sustained in the crash, Newman was cleared for racing activity on April 28 and granted a playoff waiver from NASCAR after missing three races (Las Vegas, Fontana, Phoenix).
Newman will make his 22^nd Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, a track he has 13 top-10s at with seven top-five finishes. He has an average finish of 12.6 – his second best of any track on the circuit behind only Richmond (12.3).
Newman has finished top-10 in 62 percent of the races at the 1.366-mile track, including a runner-up finish in is first ever-Southern 500 back in 2002. Dating back seven events, Newman has five finishes of 13^th or better including four top-10s.
Newman has one career pole at ‘The Lady in Black’, which came back in the 2003 Southern 500. Overall he has an average starting position of 10.6 with 13 top-10 starts, eight of which were inside the top five.
Newman also made five starts at Darlington in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race – his best career Xfinity result – with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.

Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway

Graves will call his fifth NCS race at Darlington atop the pit box. In four prior events, Graves has an average finish of 27^th (two starts with Daniel Suarez, one each with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Ryan Newman).
In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. A year prior, he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on return to racing:
“I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car. I am thankful for all the people and support that have prayed for me and given me a multitude of miracles. I cannot think of a better track to start back at than Darlington, my favorite track and one we feel confident in. I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of the Oscar Mayer Ford.”

The Real Heroes Project Debuts at Darlington
NASCAR is collaborating with other professional sports properties across the country to embark on The Real Heroes Project. The goal is to motivate and inspire healthcare workers as sports only can, by turning its greatest heroes (the athletes) into their greatest fans. To that end, the name of a COVID-19 frontline worker will be displayed above the driver’s side door on each entry this weekend at Darlington.

For the first race back on May 17, NASCAR worked in partnership with FOX and their tune-in priority market affiliate program to select the COVID-19 worker being recognized. FOX affiliates from around the country were asked to nominate a local hero from their community to be recognized during the return. Newman’s frontline worker will be Dr. Benjamin Petty, an Emergency Medicine Physician at IU Health West Hospital in Avon, selected by WXIN FOX 59 in the Indianapolis market.

On the Car
Oscar Mayer returns to the No. 6 Ford this weekend at Darlington. Oscar Mayer and Roush Fenway announced their continued partnership at the end of the 2019 season, as the company continues to highlight its quality meat offerings via its paint schemes throughout the season.

Oscar Mayer’s Front Yard Cookout initiative inspired the No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford scheme for Darlington. To celebrate the return of NASCAR and Ryan Newman, the brand is encouraging fans to recreate their own at-home infield experience by firing up the grill and connecting with fellow race fans and neighbors on their front lawn from a safe distance.
Snap a pic of your pre-race cookout and share for a good cause! Each usage of #FrontYardCookout on Twitter donates one additional meal to Feeding America on top of the brand’s 1 million-meal commitment. Oscar Mayer’s Front Yard Cookout runs through May 31, 2020.

About The Kraft Heinz Company
For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Our Vision is To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World. We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2018 net sales of approximately $26 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Chris Buescher on Darlington: We’re definitely excited to get back to a real racetrack…

by MikeMay 13, 2020

Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert

Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 400.2 miles, 293 laps, Stage Lengths: 90-95-108

Darlington 400 – Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

NASCAR makes its return to racing this weekend with a NASCAR Cup Series race that will serve as the first of seven national series races over an 11-day span at two different tracks throughout May.
The race at the historic South Carolina track will be held without fans in attendance and is slated to be NASCAR’s first on-track action in more than two months as the sport and world have been on pause during COVID-19.
Following the initial race back on Sunday, the NCS will again visit Darlington for a midweek race under the lights three days later. The May schedule also includes the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600 in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60^th consecutive season, plus other midweek races in prime time.
Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the outbreak before races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville were later postponed.

Buescher at Darlington Raceway

Buescher makes his fifth Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, where he carries an average finish of 14.8 – his best of any track on the circuit.
Buescher finished 12^th last fall at ‘The Lady in Black,’ his best in four starts, and has finished no worse than 17^th dating back to 2016.
After qualifying 31^st and 27^th in his first two events at Darlington, Buescher followed that with qualifying efforts of 19^th and 12^th in the last two events.
Buescher earned a Xfinity career-best fifth-place run at Darlington back in 2015 in the No. 60 RFR entry. He also finished 12^th two years prior in the No. 16 for Jack Roush.

Luke Lambert at Darlington Raceway

Lambert will be atop the box for his eighth NCS race at Darlington on Sunday. In seven prior events, he has an average finish of 16.4 including three top-10 runs.
All three of those came with Newman in the No. 31, with a 10^th-place result in 2014, an eighth-place finish in 2016 followed by seventh a year later.
Lambert also has one Xfinity Series race under his belt at Darlington with Elliott Sadler in 2012, finishing 24^th.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Darlington:
“We’re definitely excited to get back to a real racetrack. Darlington is probably my second-favorite racetrack, so I’m stoked about kicking it off there. It’s going to be tough with no practice and no fans, the atmosphere is going to be a lot different, but it’ll be great to be back to a racing routine.”

For the first race back on May 17, NASCAR worked in partnership with FOX and their tune-in priority market affiliate program to select the COVID-19 worker being recognized. FOX affiliates from around the country were asked to nominate a local hero from their community to be recognized during the return. Buescher’s frontline worker will be Kimberly W. Ebb, MD, selected by WFXT Boston 25. Ebb is a Hospitalist, Medical Director, Division of Palliative Care, Home Health Hospice at the UMass Memorial Medical Center, hailing from Leominster, MA.

On the Car
Fastenal celebrates its 10^th season with Roush Fenway Racing in 2020. The Minnesota company spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping to the No. 17 Cup Series entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.

FOX NASCAR Resumes Live Action From Historic Darlington Raceway Sunday, May 17 on FOX

by MikeMay 12, 2020

FOX Sports Honors Health Care Workers Across the Country with Special Grand Marshal Initiative to Kick off Sunday’s Race

Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Larry McReynolds Call Race from Charlotte Studio; Regan Smith Reports Live from Darlington

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FOX NASCAR resumes its 20^th consecutive season of coverage at historic Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17 (3:30 PM ET on FOX), with a live broadcast of the first NASCAR CUP SERIES race in 10 weeks. Sunday’s 400-mile event marks the first of seven races at two tracks across three series in the span of 10 days, all airing on the FOX family of networks and the FOX Sports app. The NASCAR XFINITY SERIES returns to Darlington on Tuesday, May 19 (8:00 PM ET on FS1 and FOX Deportes), followed by a second NASCAR CUP SERIES race, a midweek 300-miler, on Wednesday, May 20 (7:30 PM ET on FS1 and FOX Deportes).

To honor those who selflessly have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle, NASCAR, FOX Sports and its local affiliates have selected 36 health care workers from various markets across the country to serve as special grand marshals for Sunday’s return race at Darlington. These local heroes appear in an on-air mosaic to simultaneously give the command to start engines. NASCAR drivers, who have been paired with these local heroes, will be posting videos to their social channels to honor these individuals on Thursday, May 14, around 7:00 PM ET.

Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Larry McReynolds call Sunday’s race from the FOX Sports studios in Charlotte. Reporter Regan Smith covers the action live from Darlington. Race producer Barry Landis is based in Charlotte with the broadcast team, while director Artie Kempner is positioned at the track. FOX Deportes broadcasters, play-by-play announcer Tony Rivera and analyst Jessi Losada, are live from the FOX Deportes studios in Los Angeles. A special edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airs on Sunday (3:00 PM ET on FOX) immediately prior to the race.

“We are thrilled for the return of FOX NASCAR this weekend and are incredibly honored to use this time to acknowledge health care workers across the country as they help us kick off Sunday’s race from Darlington,” said Mark Silverman, President, National Networks, FOX Sports. “The health and safety of our employees and all involved remains paramount, and we will continue working in lockstep with our partners at NASCAR and the racetracks to follow all national, state and local health guidelines.”

Adam Alexander, Michael Waltrip and NASCAR CUP SERIES driver Clint Bowyer call Tuesday’s NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Darlington race from the Charlotte studio with at-track reporting by Smith. NASCAR RACE HUB airs at 7:00 PM ET on FS1 immediately preceding the Xfinity race. For Wednesday’s NASCAR CUP SERIES encore at Darlington, Joy, Gordon and McReynolds return to the studio for the call with reporter Matt Yocum live from the track, with a 6:30 PM ET edition of NASCAR RACE HUB airing immediately before on FS1.

Following Darlington, NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a four-race run that kicks off with the 61^st running of the COCA-COLA 600 on Sunday, May 24 (6:00 PM ET on FOX and FOX Deportes), its customary Memorial Day Weekend spot.

Below is the FOX NASCAR broadcast schedule for the current slate of the next seven races:

DATE	TRACK	SERIES	NETWORKS	START (ET)
Sun., May 17	Darlington	Cup	FOX/FOX Deportes	3:30 PM
Tue., May 19	Darlington	Xfinity	FS1/FOX Deportes	8:00 PM
Wed., May 20	Darlington	Cup	FS1/FOX Deportes	7:30 PM
Sun., May 24	Charlotte	Cup (qualifying)	FS1	2:00 PM
Sun., May 24	Charlotte	Cup	FOX/FOX Deportes	6:00 PM
Mon., May 25	Charlotte	Xfinity	FS1/FOX Deportes	7:30 PM
Tue., May 26	Charlotte	Gander Trucks	FS1/FOX Deportes	8:00 PM
Wed., May 27	Charlotte	Cup	FS1/ FOX Deportes	8:00 PM

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing FOX Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform Caffeine jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture business Big Ten Network, a licensing and commercial relationship with The Stars Group that created the FOX Bet sports betting platform and the FOX Sports Super 6 free-to-play game, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.

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

by MikeMay 12, 2020

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 Chatter^TM 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.

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

by MikeMay 8, 2020

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 12^th
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 10^th 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

STEVE MCQUEEN’S “BULLITT” MUSTANG HIGHLIGHTS CARS FEATURED ON MECUM MAIN ATTRACTIONS WEEK MAY 11-17 ON NBCSN

by MikeMay 8, 2020

50+ Hours of Classic Mecum Auctions from Kissimmee, Monterey and Indianapolis; Plus Eddie Vannoy and John Atzbach Collections Specials

Classic Cars Include Mecum Auctions’ Record-Breaking Steve McQueen 1968 Ford Mustang GT in “Bullitt”; Alexander Rossi’s 2016 INDY 500-Winning Car; and the One and Only 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake

Content to Stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 7, 2020 – Beginning Monday, May 11, NBC Sports will present Mecum Main Attractions Week on NBCSN, featuring more than 50 hours of classic Mecum Auctions action across seven events from Kissimmee (2018, 2019, 2020), Monterey (2018, 2019) and Indianapolis (2018, 2019), as well as thirty-minute specials on the Eddie Vannoy and John Atzbach Collections that will cross the block in 2020. (more…)

RCR Event Preview – Virtual Talladega Superspeedway

by MikeApril 24, 2020

Richard Childress Racing at Talladega Superspeedway … Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and is in a tie for the most all-time car owner victories at the storied Alabama-based race track with 12 NASCAR Cup Series wins. He also owns two additional wins at the track as a car owner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the ARCA Racing Series. This weekend marks a new chapter for RCR at Talladega Superspeedway with the organization’s first attempt at the track in a virtual race.

The Format … NASCAR, iRacing and FOX Sports are teaming up to deliver the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, a selection of simulation-style esports races that include NASCAR Cup Series drivers Austin Dillon (No. 3 Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Chevrolet) and Tyler Reddick (No. 31 Cat Realtree Chevrolet). The series heads to the virtual Talladega Superspeedway for a fixed set-up race this Sunday, April 26. Drivers will compete in a qualifying session to set the starting field for the 70-lap race.

But Wait, There’s More … In addition to Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race, RCR will compete in a special Saturday night race at virtual Talladega Superspeedway with our roster of NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers, including Anthony Alfredo (No. 33 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet), Myatt Snider (No. 93 TaxSlayer Chevrolet) and Kaz Grala (No. 29 HotScream Chevrolet). The race features NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series and NASCAR Whelen Euro Series drivers competing within the iRacing platform, complete with qualifying times to set heat races and a last chance qualifier race to round out starting lineup. Fans can watch all the action at eNASCAR.com.

The Car Designs … Each RCR driver’s paint scheme was designed in-house by the RCR Graphics Center Powered by Roland, an in-house full-service design and production facility located on the Richard Childress Racing campus in Welcome, North Carolina. Local graphic artist John Dragonetti then rendered these designs for the iRacing platform. Learn more about Dragonetti’s designs at twitter.com/JohnRDragonetti.

COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in a recently launched auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale, including an original No. 3 Chevrolet once raced by Dale Earnhardt, complete with engine. To bid or purchase items from Childress’ personal collection, visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection. Bidders interested in the Dale Earnhardt racecar should contact RCR directly.

Did You Know … Talladega Superspeedway is the track where Richard Childress Racing claimed its 100th NASCAR Cup Series win when Clint Bowyer visited victory lane for the storied organization in October 2011.

Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR eSports Twitter page – @RCR_eSports, the RCR NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup and the RCR NASCAR Xfinity Series team Twitter page – @RCRNXS. Information about the 16-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and on Instagram at Instagram.com/rcrracing. Visit www.RCRracing.com.

Catch the Action … The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series at the virtual Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live Sunday, April 26 beginning at 1 p.m. ET on the FOX broadcast network (where available), FS1 and the FOX Sports app. Races will be available in Canada through FOX Sports Racing. Catch our Xfinity Series drivers Saturday night by visiting eNASCAR.com.

This Week’s Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the virtual Talladega Superspeedway … In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, Dillon’s best finish at the track is third (April 2016). He is also a former pole winner at the track (April 2019). This weekend marks the Welcome, North Carolina driver’s first virtual start at Talladega Superspeedway.

Welcome, Coca-Cola … The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola brands, our portfolio includes some of the world’s most valuable beverage brands, such as AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Costa coffee, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, innocent smoothies and juices, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO coconut water. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

A Commitment to eSports … Dillon is a long-time iRacing team owner. For the past two years, he has fielded two cars in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, which is a $300,000 eSport World Championship series officially sanctioned by NASCAR featuring the world’s most elite oval simracers. Dillon’s two drivers, Blake Reynolds (No. 30) and Michael Guest (No. 33) compete on simulated versions of the actual real-world NASCAR tracks and Gen6 cars available on iRacing. The rounds run every other Tuesday night and is broadcast live on Twitch, Facebook and YouTube.

The Crew … Dillon will be competing in a rig provided by Sim Seats and will have a talented support system on Sunday, including his eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series driver, Blake Reynolds (@breynolds_66). Reynolds was a Champ 4 contender in 2019.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

Do you look forward to superspeedway races like Talladega Superspeedway?

“Yeah, I really enjoy superspeedway races like Talladega. I feel like as a whole at Richard Childress Racing, we’ve been really close to winning. It’s a very cool track so it will be interesting to experience it virtually. The key is going to be avoiding the melee. I’m looking forward to representing Coca-Cola Zero Sugar on the virtual track.”

This Week’s Realtree Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the virtual Talladega Superspeedway … Tyler Reddick is a former race winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway. The two-time Xfinity Series champion will make his first virtual start at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series on Sunday.

Realtree … Realtree is the world’s leading camouflage designer, marketer, and licensor with over 2,000 licensees utilizing the Realtree camouflage brand. Thousands of outdoor and lifestyle products are available in Realtree camouflage patterns. In addition, Realtree is committed to supporting individuals and groups that work to ensure our outdoor heritage, the conservation of natural places, and the wildlife that resides there. Realtree promotes its products and relationships widely on television, as well as through Realtree.com and many other outlets.

The Crew … From his home in North Carolina, Reddick will be competing in Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro invitational Series race in a rig provided by Sim Seats. His spotter, Derek Kneeland, will be assisting Reddick during the race. Joey Stone, who competes under the RCR eSports banner in the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, will also be assisting Reddick during the race.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on virtual racing at Talladega Superspeedway?

“Talladega Superspeedway is wild, both in real life and virtually. It’s a big, wide track that lends itself to being a little bit more aggressive than you can be at Daytona International Speedway. I’m excited to race there for Realtree.”

This Week’s DUDE Wipes Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the virtual Talladega Superspeedway … Anthony Alfredo has one real-world start at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Truck Series and is an experienced competitor at the track competing in virtual conditions.

Welcome, DUDE Wipes …The DUDE Wipes revolution was born one fateful day in our Chicago apartment, when we switched from toilet paper to baby wipes and were forever changed. Today we make self-care products for DUDES that get the job done and leave you feeling refreshed, from our original flushable DUDE Wipes to face & shower wipes, and deodorant body powders & body sprays to DUDE performance underwear.

The Crew … From his home in North Carolina, Alfredo will be competing in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder race in a rig provided by Sim Seats. Alfredo has a talented support system on Sunday, including Zack Novak and his teammate Jimmy Mullis, who will serve as crew chief and spotter, respectively. The duo race for Richmond Raceway eSports in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and won the championship last year. Alfredo’s spotter, Derek Kneeland, will also be assisting this weekend.

ANTHONY ALFREDO QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on virtual racing at Talladega Superspeedway?

“I love superspeedway racing on iRacing so I am very excited for this weekend. That being said, it should be interesting since there are a lot of drivers still new to iRacing, which could make it eventful since it is some of the most difficult type of racing on the sim, much like it is in real life. I will have Zack Novak and Jimmy Mullis helping me on the pit box again, but this time I will have my real life spotter, Derek Kneeland, on the spotter stand. That will definitely give me some extra confidence! I have been practicing in online races this week and am looking forward to focusing on parking my No. 33 DUDE Wipes Camaro in Victory Lane!”

This Week’s TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the virtual Talladega Superspeedway … Snider has never finished worse than third in two career starts at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Truck Series. This weekend marks his first attempt at the virtual version of the track.

About TaxSlayer … TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million state and federal e-filed tax returns in 2019 and processed $12 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.6/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 85% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com.

Tax Day … The IRS has extended the federal tax filing deadline for 2020. Tax Day is now July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and applies to all taxpayers. For up-to-date information and advice, check out TaxSlayer.com/blog.

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MYATT SNIDER QUOTE:

You’ve been very successful at Talladega Superspeedway in the past. How do you feel about transferring that success to the virtual version of the track?

“Talladega Superspeedway is so much of a wildcard. You never truly know what’s going to happen one minute to the next. But that chaos is what makes it so much fun. I’ve always enjoyed Talladega and have run really well there so I’m hoping to continue that streak of slaying it in my TaxSlayer Chevy Camaro this weekend.”

This Week’s HotScream Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at the virtual Richmond Raceway … Grala has two starts at Talladega Superspeedway spread out among the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series. He will add the virtual version of the track to his resume this Saturday.

HotScream … HotScream takes two concepts, dessert and spicy food, and combines them to form a product that can only be described as ‘HotScream The Spicy Ice Cream’. By taking ice cream with its cool creaminess and incorporating a spicy swirl, HotScream has created a new taste sensation, one that almost defies one’s own senses. At first, you taste the pureness of the vanilla, followed quickly by the sweetness of one of seven flavor swirls. As you continue to enjoy HotScream, things change: You feel a warming sensation that starts in the back of your mouth, creating a rush that only can come from spicy foods. The warming continues to linger but doesn’t engulf your mouth with fire. Taking another bite, you again taste the cool, creamy vanilla and the respective flavor profile while the heat dissipates, only to come back time and time again. HotScream is currently available at ACME Markets, Big Y, select ShopRites, Stop & Shop and 400 Walmart locations from Maine to Texas. For more information, visit HotScream.com.

KAZ GRALA QUOTE:

What are your thoughts on virtual racing at Talladega Superspeedway this Saturday?

“Virtual Talladega this weekend should be a lot of fun. I have absolutely no idea what a plate race will be like on iRacing. I’ve never done one! But I know I love real plate races so I’m ready for it and looking forward to the opportunity. Some of my career highlights have come on superspeedway in the past, and I’m hoping some of my luck and experience will carry over into the virtual world. Let’s park the No. 29 HotScream Camaro ZL1 in Victory Lane on Saturday!”

Talladega Invitational Advance – Daniel Suárez Taking CommScope Toyota to ‘Dega

by MikeApril 24, 2020

Details:

• Race: GEICO 70 (Round 5)

• Series: eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Time/Date: 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 26

• Location: Virtual Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)

• Distance: 70 laps (186.2 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

DYK?:

• We Need a Bigger Podium: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Richmond Raceway had 971,000 viewers tune in to the simulcast on FOX and FS1, making it the third-most watched esports event in U.S. television history. The March 29 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Texas Motor Speedway remains on the podium’s top step with 1.34 million viewers. The April 5 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from virtual Bristol Motor Speedway takes the second step with 1.179 million viewers. The first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race March 22 at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway earned 903,000 viewers on FS1 alone. And while the Texas race dwarfed that number by 47 percent, the Homestead race was, for at least one week, the most watched esports event in U.S. television history, having bested the previous record of 770,000 viewers when Mortal Kombat aired on The CW in 2016.

• iRacing’s Real-World Context: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from Richmond was the second-most watched sports event of the weekend. The most-watched sports event? Michael Jordan ‘The Last Dance’ documentary on ESPN.

• New Viewers Assimilate to Sim Racing: According to Nielsen, one million unique viewers who did not watch any of the four real-life NASCAR Cup Series races prior to the sports industry’s necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus did tune in to one of the four eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series races held thus far.

• Kind of a Big Deal: A total of 5.4 million unique viewers have watched at least one eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race via FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports app.

• 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.

Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 96 CommScope Toyota Camry:

“It’s our first race on a superspeedway after racing on the short tracks the last two weeks. I have no idea what to expect, to be honest. I don’t know if there’s anything different we can do to prepare for this one. The real races on the superspeedways are already unpredictable. I think you can say, for sure, that this one will be even more unpredictable after some of the crazy things we have seen happen on the short tracks the last few weeks. The key to winning on the superspeedway is always about being smart and patient, so that will need to happen this week, for sure. It would be great to have a really good finish with our CommScope Toyota.”

• This is Suárez’s fourth eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.

• Suárez started sixth and finished 18th in the previous eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race – the Toyota Owners 150 at Richmond.

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Talladega, Suárez has six career starts with a best finish of 10th (April 2018).

• Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega, Suárez has three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts (best finish is seventh in April 2016) and one NASCAR Gander Outdoors & RV Truck Series start (finished 15th in October 2014).

Background:

• 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 hiatus due to the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series exists in place of actual NASCAR events.

About Gaunt Brothers Racing:

Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) fields the No. 96 Toyota Camry for driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Mooresville, North Carolina-based team is owned by Marty Gaunt, the CEO of Triad Racing Technologies. Gaunt founded GBR in 2010, with his eponymous team starting out in the Canada-based NASCAR Pinty’s Series and the U.S.-based NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Its first driver, Jason Bowles, scored GBR’s maiden victory in the 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway in California, with the precursor to that win being the pole position in track-record time at the 2011 Streets of Toronto 100. After seven years competing in NASCAR’s development divisions, Gaunt stepped up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017, entering the Daytona 500 with driver D.J. Kennington. After running a part-time NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2018 and 2019 where GBR made a total of 37 starts with a handful of drivers, GBR committed to a full schedule in 2020. For more information, please visit us online at www.GauntBrothersRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GauntBrothersRacing, on Twitter at @GauntBrosRacing and on Instagram at @GauntBrothersRacing.

KYLE BUSCH eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Talladega Advance

by MikeApril 24, 2020

Details:

• Event: GEICO 70 (Round 5)

• Series: eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series
• Time/Date: 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 29
• Location: Virtual Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
• Distance: 70 laps (186.2 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?:

• iRacing’s Real-World Context: Last Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race from Richmond was the second-most watched sports event of the weekend. The most-watched sports event? Michael Jordan ‘The Last Dance’ documentary on ESPN.

• New Viewers Assimilate to Sim Racing: According to Nielsen, one million unique viewers who did not watch any of the four real-life NASCAR Cup Series races prior to the sports industry’s necessary hiatus to combat the spread of the coronavirus did tune in to one of the four eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series races held thus far.

• Kind of a Big Deal: A total of 5.4 million unique viewers have watched at least one eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race via FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports app.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry:

What are you expecting at virtual Talladega this weekend?

“I got a chance to run in the Replacements race on Tuesday night, so that was my first taste of Talladega in iRacing. It had a lot of the same factors that you deal with running the real thing. You just have to try and stay out of trouble and put yourself in a position to have a shot toward the end of the race. The biggest difference is, obviously, there’s a lot less consequences and no torn-up equipment like the real thing. Looking forward to running our green Lightning Interstate Batteries scheme this weekend. Also want to give a shout out to everyone in the Interstate Batteries family who are keeping vehicles moving with everything going on right now in the world.”

Is there anything you’ve picked up on that may help you when you get back to the track for the regular races?

“Anything is a tool. You can use a tool any way you want. It’s no different than running in the sim rig that Toyota and TRD and the other manufacturers have to simulate the real thing. This can be used in the same respect. You just have to know how to use it and how that tool can work for you. Trying to figure out and remember what I am used to doing on the real racetrack and then coming to the iRacing sim and vice versa. It’s all about reps and doing something repetitive to get better. Someone told me recently that one of the racers for the Pro League for NASCAR spent 2,000 laps of practice at a particular track and getting better lap by lap and figuring it out. That’s unheard of. Even when we go do a test in our real life racecar – let’s use Bristol as an example as a short track: I might have run 300 to 350 laps – that’s all you do in real life. So when you hear someone talk about 2,000, that’s just an astronomical number in real life.”

Busch Talladega Notes:

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

• This is not Interstate Batteries first foray into the world of eNASCAR, as the company was the founding partner of Gibbs Gaming, in addition to being a founding partner of Joe Gibbs Racing back in 1992. For 2020, Interstate Batteries is a weekly sponsor on the No. 18 Toyota driven by Graham Bolin in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.

• In addition to Interstate’s extensive involvement in iRacing, Busch’s Rowdy Energy Drink is a sponsor on the No. 51 Toyota driven by Malik Ray in the weekly eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series for JGR.

• William Hartman, Busch’s engineer on his regular No. 18 Toyota Camry Cup Series car, has been serving as crew chief for Busch each week. In addition to Hartman, Busch’s real-life spotter, Tony Hirschman, is spotting from his from his home in Pennsylvania.

• In actual NASCAR Cup Series racing at Talladega, Busch has one win, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 29 career starts.

Pro Invitational Background

• 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.