On January 26th NASCAR and iRacing announced a new season of the all-stars virtual race. The iRacing Pro Invitational Series will sport a new look and a 10-race schedule where NASCAR stars will compete virtually. The first five races of the series will go live in primetime on FS1, thanks to the renewed support by FOX Sports.
The tv network helped NASCAR and iRacing set viewership records with the inaugural Pro Invitational last season. The final five races of the series will be aired by NBC Sports, with a schedule and details to be announced later.
You fans of NASCAR out there will get a sort of preview of the upcoming weekend’s “real life” race, a very useful feature if you think of putting some money on wagers. You can also use this Bet365 Review to learn the rules of the game and get ready to try your luck ahead of the actual races. The NASCAR Cup Series is set to visit new tracks and new markets in 2021, so the Pro Invitational will be particularly beneficial to give you an idea of what to expect as the real-life drivers take on challenging new circuits throughout the season.
The first five mid-week events will air on FS1 on select Wednesday nights beginning March 24th, featuring an exciting mix of races that include Bristol Motor Speedway’s new dirt configuration and fan-favorites Talladega Superspeedway and Darlington Raceway, and Austin, Texas’ famed Circuit of the Americas’ facility. NBC Sports will pick up the second half of the 10-race season once the network’s broadcast window begins in June.
“FOX Sports embraced the eNASCAR iRacing Invitational Series in the spring as a way to keep race fans entertained, but we quickly realized it was a product and collaboration that we would continue to explore,” said FOX Sports Executive Producer, EVP/Head of Operations and Production Brad Zager. “The product is best-in-class, it delivers NASCAR to an even broader audience and, let’s face it, it’s a heckuva lot of fun.”
In 2020 the iRacing Pro Invitational Series had its baptism of fire and a very successful debut season. The initiative’s goal was obviously to counteract the disruption of the season caused by the unexpected lockdown measures. “The success of our eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series was underscored by an industry-wide effort to entertain fans during the early months of the global pandemic,” said Tim Clark, NASCAR’s senior vice president and chief digital officer. “This year, the Pro Invitational will return with a schedule of midweek races that will bridge the gap between our real-world races each weekend.”Steve Myers, the iRacing executive producer, expressed his satisfaction for the positive reaction of the whole sector: “It’s even more fulfilling that the industry has rallied around our platform not only as the most authentic re-creation of the sport, but also a terrific tool to help grow NASCAR’s audience and generate revenue to strengthen the entire ecosystem.” Myers is convinced that the virtual series is now quickly setting a standard: “After last year’s Pro Invitational success, we’re proud that our partners at NASCAR, FOX, and the race teams view the series as an integral part of their marketing and fan engagement strategies for 2021,”
