Xfinity joins series as presenting partner with Xfinity Series race cars hitting the virtual tracks
Daytona Beach, FL (July 20, 2022) – NASCAR continues to expand into the fast-growing world of college esports, announcing the fall season of its eNASCAR College iRacing Series. The four-race schedule kicks off at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Tuesday, September 20 with students eligible to qualify for the season-opener through a 10-day time attack window.
“Expanding our presence in the college esports arena is important as we continue to reach new demographics and introduce them to the sport of NASCAR,” said Ray Smith, Director of Gaming and Esports at NASCAR. “We’re looking forward to building on a successful spring semester and having more students explore the many opportunities NASCAR and our partners can offer them in their college years and beyond.”
Earlier this year, NASCAR and NACE Starleague, the largest collegiate esports league in North America, launched the eNASCAR College iRacing Series, bringing competitive sim racing to colleges and universities nationwide. Students representing more than 250 universities across the United States participated in this spring’s three-race schedule.
New this fall, Xfinity joins Coca-Cola, Logitech, Playseat and Southern Computer Warehouse as a presenting sponsor of the series. Competitors will now race NASCAR Xfinity Series cars, replicating the look and feel of the real-life series that’s produced stars like Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick.
“Our work with NASCAR has always been in the spirit of inspiring and giving back to communities,” said Matt Lederer, Comcast’s Vice President, Brand Partnerships and Amplification. “Joining the eNASCAR College iRacing Series as a presenting partner gives Xfinity the opportunity to reach a younger generation of NASCAR fans while providing new avenues to education for college students and encouraging them to explore new opportunities.”
Through the support of its partners, the eNASCAR Scholarship Fund also returns, awarding the highest finishers a combined $60,000 in scholarships.
More than 13,000 students are eligible to compete in the series through NACE Starleague, which was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership between the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and Playfly Esports. Each time attack is open to all eligible students with the top 40 students who post the fastest qualifying times advancing to the race.
Competition will once again be led via iRacing.com, the official simulation partner of NASCAR, which provides one of the top online racing simulation portals and features officially-sanctioned, laser-scanned replicas of race tracks around the world.
For more information or to register, visit https://www.enascar.com or http://playflyesports.com/.
2022 eNASCAR College iRacing Series Schedule*
Fall
· Homestead-Miami Speedway
Qualifying: September 6 – 15
Race (80 Laps): September 20 at 8 p.m. ET
· Auto Club Speedway
Qualifying: September 30 – October 13
Race (60 Laps): October 18 at 8 p.m. ET
· Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course
Qualifying: October 21 – November 3
Race (35 Laps): November 8 at 8 p.m. ET
· Nashville Superspeedway
Qualifying: November 11 – 25
Race (80 Laps): November 29 at 8 p.m. ET
*Tentative and subject to change
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About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series™, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour™), one local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series™) and three international series (NASCAR Pinty’s Series™, NASCAR Mexico Series™, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series™). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Playfly Esports
Playfly Esports connects brands to the gaming community with a focus on building industry-leading consumer activations and providing trusted go-to-market strategies for businesses looking to develop larger footprints in a rapidly evolving sector. Additionally, Playfly Esports oversees operations, marketing, and business development for NACE Starleague, North America’s largest collegiate league with nearly 700 colleges and over 13,000 students, as it advances the competitive experience for student-athletes and provides them with an ideal place to showcase their skills. Playfly Esports works with scholastic partners at all levels including colleges & universities, state and local high school districts, athletic and activities associations, departments of education, and parks & recreation in this new endeavor.
