eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is a series of iRacing sim racing events that was organized for NASCAR drivers to compete in after its 2020 seasons were put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.[1] Drivers from all of NASCAR's series competed in races each weekend on virtual versions of the racetracks the NASCAR Cup Series would have raced at that weekend had the real races not been postponed, except for the final race at North Wilkesboro, a former NASCAR track which was last hosted a NASCAR race in the 1990's. The series began at March 22 with a race at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway, and concluded with a race at the virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 9.

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series
CategorySim racing / eSports
CountryUnited States
Inaugural season2020

Originally supposed to be a one-time event, it quickly became a weekly series, and later included the Saturday Night Thunder series of races for drivers in all NASCAR series.

Races

Dixie Vodka 150 (Homestead-Miami)

This was the first race of the series. Garrett Smithley won the pole and was passed by William Byron on the first lap, who would go on to lead the most laps in the race. Denny Hamlin passed then-leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a photo finish on the final lap to win.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
111Denny HamlinToyota
28Dale Earnhardt Jr.Chevrolet
366Timmy HillToyota
498Chase BriscoeFord
551Garrett SmithleyChevrolet
688Alex BowmanChevrolet
743Bubba WallaceChevrolet
837Ryan PreeceChevrolet
945Ty MajeskiChevrolet
1020Erik JonesToyota
Official race results

O'Reilly Auto Parts 125 (Texas)

Qualifying race

The qualifying race was held earlier on Sunday, March 29, before the main event. The drivers that advanced to the main event were Alex Labbé, Anthony Alfredo, Ty Majeski, and Rubén García Jr., who finished first through fourth, respectively.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
190Alex LabbéChevrolet
233Anthony AlfredoChevrolet
345Ty MajeskiChevrolet
427Rubén García Jr.Ford
508Jeb BurtonChevrolet
65Derek KrausToyota
715Brennan PooleChevrolet
829Kaz GralaChevrolet
952Stewart FriesenToyota
1080Joe Graf Jr.Chevrolet

Note: Kaz Grala and Trevor Bayne both used the No. 29 in this race. On the official race results, Bayne was listed as the No. 29A to differentiate the two.

Main event

Timmy Hill won the race after executing a late bump-and-run maneuver on then-leader William Byron.[2]

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
166Timmy HillToyota
237Ryan PreeceChevrolet
351Garrett SmithleyChevrolet
489Landon CassillChevrolet
588Alex BowmanChevrolet
68Dale Earnhardt Jr.Chevrolet
724William ByronChevrolet
838John Hunter NemechekFord
942Kyle LarsonChevrolet
101Kurt BuschChevrolet
Official race results

Food City Showdown (Bristol)

Saturday Night Thunder

After heat races determined a 24 car starting field for the race, Logan Seavey (No. 67), in his first Pro Invitational Series start, won the race after passing Chase Cabre (No. 4) with thirteen laps to go.[3]

Heat Race results: Drivers listed advanced to the main event.

Last chance qualifying race results:

Top ten finishers (main event):

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
167Logan SeaveyToyota
24Chase CabreChevrolet
390Alex LabbéChevrolet
433Anthony AlfredoChevrolet
554Kyle WeathermanFord
645Ty MajeskiChevrolet
77Justin AllgaierChevrolet
857Blake KochChevrolet
953Joey GaseFord
1008Jeb BurtonChevrolet
Official race results

Note: Kaz Grala and Trevor Bayne both used the No. 29 in this race. On the official race results, Bayne was listed as the No. 29A to differentiate the two.

Main event

Two heat races determined the starting lineup for the main event. William Byron won heat race #1, while John Hunter Nemechek won heat race #2 in a photo finish over Ryan Preece, so they started 1-2 in the race, which they coincidentally also finished 1-2 in. This was Byron's first win in the Pro Invitational Series after having strong runs in the previous two races.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
124William ByronChevrolet
238John Hunter NemechekFord
366Timmy HillToyota
411Denny HamlinToyota
521Matt DiBenedettoFord
637Ryan PreeceChevrolet
777Parker KligermanToyota
831Tyler ReddickChevrolet
951Garrett SmithleyChevrolet
1034Michael McDowellFord
Official race results

Toyota Owners 150 (Richmond)

Saturday Night Thunder

Similar to the Bristol race, this was the undercard event of the weekend, with drivers from all NASCAR series racing in the event. After the three heat races were held, which in order were won by Landon Cassill (No. 89), Ty Majeski (No. 45), and Josh Berry (No. 88), and Justin Allgaier (No. 7) won the last-chance qualifier. In the race itself, Berry won again. This was his first iRacing Pro Invitational Series start.[4]

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
188Josh BerryChevrolet
245Ty MajeskiChevrolet
34Chase CabreToyota
418Ty GibbsToyota
589Landon CassillChevrolet
655Will RodgersFord
733Anthony AlfredoChevrolet
829Kaz GralaChevrolet
967Logan SeaveyFord
1074Bayley CurreyChevrolet
Official race results

Main event

Ryan Preece won the pole and led the race for 59 laps. William Byron dominated again, leading the most laps, and holding off Timmy Hill and Parker Kligerman on the last lap to win his second Pro Invitational race in a row.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
124William ByronChevrolet
266Timmy HillToyota
377Parker KligermanToyota
489Landon CassillChevrolet
518Kyle BuschToyota
611Denny HamlinToyota
720Erik JonesToyota
88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Chevrolet
943Bubba WallaceChevrolet
102Brad KeselowskiFord
Official race results

Geico 70 (Talladega)

Saturday Night Thunder

This race saw a 51 car entry list, with two heat races determining the starting lineup, and the top 20 finishers in each heat racing in the main event for a field of 40 cars. Kyle Weatherman (No. 54) won Heat #1, which gave him the pole in the main event, and Chase Briscoe (No. 98) won Heat #2.

After multiple big ones during the race, Landon Huffman was able to win after inheriting the lead from Logan Seavey (No. 67) on the last lap after Seavey and some other cars crashed in the frontstretch.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
175Landon HuffmanChevrolet
288Josh BerryChevrolet
380Joe Graf Jr.Chevrolet
444Tommy Joe MartinsChevrolet
502Spencer BoydChevrolet
623Brett MoffittChevrolet
722Austin CindricFord
863Scott StenzelChevrolet
939C. J. McLaughlinChevrolet
1026Tyler AnkrumChevrolet
Official race results

Main event

Alex Bowman won after Ty Dillon spun through the infield on the last lap from the lead. Polesitter Corey LaJoie finished second over third-place Ryan Preece in a photo finish.

Jeff Gordon competed in this race, and was involved in the big one, where his No. 24 flipped into the catchfence. After using his one reset, he was involved in another incident later in the race, which ended his chances of competing for the win as he finished nine laps down.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
188Alex BowmanChevrolet
232Corey LaJoieFord
337Ryan PreeceChevrolet
451Garrett SmithleyChevrolet
589Landon CassillChevrolet
624William ByronChevrolet
715Brennan PooleChevrolet
818Kyle BuschToyota
91Kurt BuschChevrolet
1096Daniel SuárezToyota
Official race results

Note: William Byron and Jeff Gordon both used the No. 24 in this race. On the official race results, Gordon was listed as the No. 024 to differentiate the two.

Finish Line 150 (Dover)

Saturday Night Thunder

Like with the previous race, there were four heat races, which in numerical order, were won by Josh Berry, Anthony Alfredo, Ty Majeski, and Kaz Grala. After that, two last-chance qualifying races were held, which were won by GMS Racing teammates Sam Mayer (the first LCQ) and Brett Moffitt (the second LCQ). However, unlike the previous weeks, only the winner of each last chance qualifier advanced to the race.

This week's Saturday Night Thunder was the first to feature Elliott Sadler,[5] who did not qualify his No. 99 into the field as he failed to finish high enough in his qualifying race and also the last chance qualifying race he was in.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
133Anthony AlfredoChevrolet
290Alex LabbéChevrolet
304Raphaël LessardToyota
44Chase CabreToyota
575Landon HuffmanChevrolet
623Brett MoffittChevrolet
727Rubén García Jr.Ford
840Ryan TruexChevrolet
929Kaz GralaChevrolet
1007Donny LiaChevrolet
Official race results

Note: Raphaël Lessard and Chase Cabre both used the No. 4 in this race. However, Lessard was listed as the No. 04 on the entry list, broadcast graphics, and official results despite how his paint scheme in the race used just the No. 4 (without the zero in front of it).

Main event

Byron won his third PIS race after passing Timmy Hill for the lead during the last ten laps. Hill would finish third after Christopher Bell passed him for second. This was Bell's first top-10 finish in the series.

Regan Smith, one of Fox NASCAR's pit reporters who also is a driver, participated in this race. He drove a No. 78 car which was a throwback to his time driving for the former Furniture Row Racing team from 2009 to 2012 in the Cup Series. He was involved in a crash during the race and finished 36 laps down in 31st.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
124William ByronChevrolet
295Christopher BellToyota
366Timmy HillToyota
420Erik JonesToyota
534Michael McDowellFord
611Denny HamlinToyota
712Ryan BlaneyFord
888Alex BowmanChevrolet
951Garrett SmithleyChevrolet
1010Aric AlmirolaFord
Official race results

Friday Night Thunder (Martinsville)

It was announced on the day of the Dover race that the season finale for the Pro Invitational Series would be at North Wilkesboro Speedway, a track which is currently abandoned, and which NASCAR last raced at in 1996. The race was held on Saturday instead of Sunday so that drivers would not race on Mother's Day as is tradition in the real Cup Series schedule. For that reason, Saturday Night Thunder became Friday Night Thunder for this week only. That race was held at Martinsville, the track that weekend's real race would have been at, instead of also at North Wilkesboro.

Ty Majeski, who statistically is one of the best drivers in all of iRacing, won this race after having many strong runs in the previous races of the series. Majeski crushed the competition, leading all but one lap in the race. (The lone lap he didn't lead was led by Justin Allgaier.)

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
145Ty MajeskiChevrolet
290Alex LabbéChevrolet
383Stefan ParsonsChevrolet
407Donny LiaToyota
588Josh BerryChevrolet
64Chase CabreToyota
719Derek KrausToyota
833Anthony AlfredoChevrolet
99Noah GragsonChevrolet
103Drew HerringToyota
Official race results

North Wilkesboro 160 (North Wilkesboro)

It was announced on the day of the Dover race that the season finale for the Pro Invitational Series would be at North Wilkesboro Speedway, a track which is currently abandoned, and which NASCAR last raced at in 1996. The race was held on Saturday instead of Sunday so that drivers would not race on Mother's Day, a longstanding tradition with the real Cup Series schedule. For that reason, Saturday Night Thunder became Friday Night Thunder for this week only.

Denny Hamlin bookended the series by winning this race. He inherited the lead from Ross Chastain after spinning him in the last few laps. Coming off a second place finish at Dover the previous week, Christopher Bell led the most laps in this race.

This was also the first and only PIS race for Martin Truex Jr. In an interview with him during the pre-race show, Truex stated that he was not home over the long break (where his simulator was), and that was why he didn't participate in any races until this one. Bobby Labonte, who drove Truex's normal No. 19 for the whole series until this weekend, still participated in this race, driving a throwback paint scheme, his old No. 18 Interstate Batteries car.

Both RCR cars, the No. 52 and No. 53 Rick Ware cars, Dale Jr.'s No. 8, the Wood Brothers No. 21, as well as Timmy Hill's No. 66 also all ran throwback paint schemes to go with the throwback racetrack. The other throwback scheme was Jeff Gordon's famous Rainbow paint scheme, which was on his No. 24 from the start of his Cup career until 2000. This was Gordon's second race in the PIS after his first one at Talladega. He finished 18th.

Another noteworthy participant in this race was Jon Wood, who last drove in NASCAR in 2008. He raced for his family Wood Brothers Racing team, substituting for Matt DiBenedetto in the No. 21, who took off for this race.

In addition to DiBenedetto, Daniel Suárez, and Kurt Busch, all Hendrick Motorsports and Penske drivers did not participate in this race, opting to take a week off to prepare for regular racing to resume the following week.

Top ten finishers:

Pos No Driver Manufacturer
111Denny HamlinToyota
266Timmy HillToyota
331Tyler ReddickChevrolet
46Ross ChastainFord
53Austin DillonChevrolet
651Garrett SmithleyChevrolet
715Brennan PooleChevrolet
877Parker KligermanToyota
94Kevin HarvickFord
1089Landon CassillChevrolet
Official race results

Note: Kyle Busch and Bobby Labonte both used the No. 18 in this race. On the official race results, Labonte was listed as the No. 018 to differentiate the two.

Rule changes

After cars were allowed two resets if they became damaged during the race at Homestead, it was decreased to only one reset allowed for the Texas race.

Not all Cup Series drivers were locked into the main event at Texas, as Joey Gase, Brennan Poole, and J. J. Yeley were placed in the qualifying race and had to attempt to race their way in.[6]

The Saturday Night Thunder race from Bristol used gen-4 (old style) ARCA cars. This changed for the next one of those races at Richmond, where Xfinity Series cars were used.[7]

Media

It was announced that Fox NASCAR, which normally carries this part of the NASCAR's racing season, would broadcast all iRacing Pro Invitational Series events,[8] which fall in a portion of the timeslots where the actual races would have been at. Fox's booth announcers Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon broadcast from Fox NASCAR's studio in Charlotte[9] with other FOX NASCAR personalities serving in various roles on the broadcasts.

Lower-division races were not televised on FOX.

Television viewership

903,000 viewers watched the first race at Homestead, while 1,339,000 watched the second race at Texas. These races became the most-watched eSports broadcasts ever.[10]

References

  1. Srigley, Joseph (March 17, 2020). "NASCAR, iRacing Expand Partnership to Include eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  2. "Hill bumps past Byron, holds on late to win Pro Invitational race at Texas". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 29, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  3. "Logan Seavey captures Saturday Night Thunder iRacing Series victory". Yahoo Sports. Verizon Media. April 4, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  4. Utter, Jim (April 18, 2020). "Josh Berry cruises to Saturday Night Thunder eNASCAR win". Motorsport.com.
  5. Walters, Shane (May 2, 2020). "NASCAR iRacing Results: May 2, 2020 – Dover Speedway – SNT (LIVE Video)". Racing News.
  6. Andrejev, Alexandra (April 4, 2020). "Not everyone is happy about NASCAR's new iRacing format. Some Cup drivers are left out". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  7. "Saturday Night Thunder entry list". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  8. "FOX Sports to Air Complete eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series". Fox Sports. March 24, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  9. Weaver, Matt (April 3, 2020). "Behind the Scenes of iRacing on FOX". Autoweek. Hearst Digital Media. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  10. Weaver, Matt (March 31, 2020). "Texas eNASCAR iRacing Event Breaks TV Record for Esports Broadcast". Autoweek. Hearst Digital Media. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
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