NASCAR and iRacing recently announced the formation of eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. It will be an exhibition esports series that features many of racing’s most well-known drivers. The competitors include drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and other NASCAR personalities.
It will consist of multi-week events and the first event is scheduled for Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Broadcast details and the remaining race schedule will be announced at a later date.
NASCAR and iRacing have been partners for over a decade and their eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series is the longest-running officially sanctioned esports racing series. The formation of of eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series came about as a way to keep sports fans engaged after NASCAR announced that all racing would be postponed through May 3 with the next at Martinsville Speedway.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps said that NASCAR intends to re-schedule all points-paying events that have been postponed and would consider various options including mid-week events and doubleheader weekends.
“At this particular point, we would like to finish the season at Phoenix and keep the playoff portion intact. With that said, that will require a lot of different opportunities for us to look at. We’re in the process of doing that. So no specifics around midweek races or you’ve heard about doubleheaders and different things, so at this particular point, a lot of things on the table for us to look at, working with our race teams, working with our race tracks to make sure that the things that we’re putting on the table are feasible for us to do.”
In the meantime, the formation of the new series is a perfect fit as NASCAR and iRacing have a partnership that is over a decade long with the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. They are currently in their 11th season and features 40 sim racers from all over the world who compete for more than $300,000 in winnings
Drivers who will participate in the iRacing Series include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell. NASCAR fans and fantasy sports fans can also take advantage of bonus offers as they pick their favorites.
“Until we have cars back on track, the entire NASCAR community has aligned to provide our passionate fans with a unique, fun and competitive experience on race day,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s vice president of racing development. “Our long-time partners at iRacing offer an incredible product, and we are excited to see how many of our best drivers will stack up in the virtual domain of competitive racing.”
