Editor’s note: This story was originally reported and published on March 21, 2020, as Jordan Bianchi examined the origins of the first eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. “And knowing that a lot of our NASCAR stars are going to be running in this race Sunday, that to me just amps it up even more.” McReynolds’ race prep isn’t for an …
Two weeks in, NASCAR and iRacing have toppled even the most optimistic expectations with their nationally televised virtual races, which have averaged more than a million viewers. Actual NASCAR Cup Series drivers themselves, using iRacing “sim rigs” from their homes to compete against real-life counterparts on a virtual track. Last week’s race, at Texas Motor Speedway, drew more than 1.3 …
As he and his family were leaving an excursion to the Grand Canyon in March, the co-owner of NASCAR’s oldest race team was cussing that spotty coverage was preventing him from watching the end of a race on his phone. “At first he didn’t even understand esports,” said Wood, the director of business development for Wood Brothers Racing, the Cup …
