
2024-25 eNASCAR College iRacing Series | Race Preview: Watkins Glen International
January 21st, 2025 by Justin Melillo
The eNASCAR College iRacing Series presented by Playfly College Esports returns with the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on Tuesday night. This week, 40 collegiate drivers qualified into the A-Main race through the official Time Attack, and will compete for their share of scholarship money and championship points at Watkins Glen International.
The students will take on the latest challenge in the NASCAR Xfinity Series cars in the only road race on the calendar. The fifth race of the season will stream live on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET at eNASCAR.com/live and across all of iRacing’s social media channels.
About the Series: The eNASCAR College iRacing Series presented by Playfly College Esports gives college students from the United States and Canada the opportunity to compete for their share of $60,000 in scholarships. Using machines from the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 40 drivers qualify for the event by registering here and posting their fastest lap times in a two-week Time Attack through the iRacing UI. With hundreds of colleges and universities represented in each Time Attack and a limitation on the amount of qualified drivers per school, drivers are competing not only against the greater iRacing community, but also their own classmates, for a spot on the prestigious grid.
Last Race: Back in November, the fourth race of the 2024-25 eNASCAR College iRacing Series presented by Playfly College Esports came down to the wire at Michigan International Speedway. With the Hawkeye, Steven Wilson, the Titan, Logan Clampitt, the Patriot, Zach Sprouse, and the Clipper, Daniel Faulkingham going toe-to-toe for the lead, it would ultimately be the hometown Wolverine, the University of Michigan’s Matthew Zwack who got the job done. In the closing laps, Zwack took control and held off the snarling pack behind, winning in a multi-truck wide finish at the line.
Last Season: Considered one of the best eSports races in 2023, the eNASCAR College iRacing Series race at Watkins Glen last season was one to remember. Two top names in the series, Steven Wilson and Garrett Lowe, went brawling for the entirety of the event. The 49er from UNC at Charlotte, Lowe, was fierce, taking control at one point before the University of Iowa’s Wilson got back to his bumper. In the closing laps, the two traded paint at various points, including while navigating the inner loop. Wilson came out on top for the victory when the dust settled.
Track Info:Located in upstate New York, Watkins Glen International opened in 1956. The current iterations of the track, both long and short, have been in play since 1992, with both layouts including the “Inner Loop”, or bus-stop chicane. The short course is the one used on the NASCAR calendar, while the long course features “The Boot” and adds on another mile and four corners to navigate. The eNASCAR College students will contest the standard NASCAR layout.
Entry List: The following 40 drivers have qualified for tonight’s eNASCAR College iRacing Series race at Watkins Glen International:
Driver Name |
School |
Hometown |
Year & Major |
Abraham E Vela | San Jacinto | Pasadena, Texas | Junior | Chemical Engineering |
Adam Garza | Triton College | Chicago, Illinois | Freshman | Mass Communications/Multi-Media |
AJ Heider | St. Johns River | St. Augustine, Florida | Sophomore | Computer Science |
Andy Trupiano | Detroit Mercy | Flat Rock, MI | Junior | Mechanical Engineering |
Arron Brown | Eastern Shore CC | Nelsonia, VA | Sophomore | Computer Science |
Charles-Étienne Boucher | Cégep Limoilou | Saint-Martin de Beauce, Québec | Freshman | Mechanical Engineering |
Christian Charbonneau | Dallas Baptist | Chesterfield, Virginia | Senior | Communications |
Connor Trifari | USC Beaufort | Bluffton, South Carolina | Freshman | Undecided |
Connor Yeroschak | Calgary | Calgary , Alberta | Freshman | Architecture, Planning + Landscape |
Daniel Faulkingham | University of Maine | Jonesport, Maine | Graduate Students | Business |
Daniel Nanney | Ball State | Clinton Twp, MI | Sophomore | Applied Cybersecurity |
Daniel Silvestri | Virginia Tech | Great Falls, VA | Senior | Finance & Business Info. Technology |
Drew Jewah | Chattahoochee TC | Woodstock, GA | Sophomore | Computer Science |
Dylan Ault | Cal State Sacramento | Sacramento, CA | Junior | Mechanical Engineering |
Elliot White | Maryland | Santa Barbara, California | Junior | Japanese |
Isaac Shelley | Northwestern Ohio | Knousetown, Pennsylvania | Freshman | Motorsports Marketing |
Jacob Bradley | Purdue Indianapolis | Mooresville, IN | Junior | Mechanical/Motorsports Engineering |
Jake Cummings | Converse | Pfafftown, North Carolina | Graduate | Management in Prof. Leadership |
Jake Innes | Belmont Abbey | Farmingdale, New York | Freshman | Motorsports Management |
James Scioly | Eastern Washington | Spokane, Washington | Graduate Students | Business Management |
Jeremy O. Burns | Longwood | Clarke County , Virginia | Junior | Business Administration |
Joe M Armstrong | Reyolds CC | Glen Allen, Virginia | Sophomore | Social Science |
John Forbes Jr | Saddleback | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | Junior | Real Estate |
Jonathan W Evans | Western CT State | New Fairfield, Connecticut | Junior | Justice & Law Administration |
Jose Solis Jr | Connecticut | East Hartford, Connecticut | Junior | Economics |
Kaleb Bryan | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Missouri | Graduate Students | Technical Communications |
Logan Clampitt | Cal State Fullerton | Trabuco Canyon, California | Junior | Computer Science |
Mario Merenda | Oklahoma | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Junior | Sports Business |
Matt Spalding | Connecticut State CC | Fairfield, Connecticut | Sophomore | Communications, Journalism |
Matthew L Morton | Ohio State | Pickerington, Ohio | Junior | Finance |
Matthew Zwack | Michigan – Ann Arbor | Monroe, Michigan | Junior | Industrial and Operations Engineering |
Nathan Koester | Grand Valley State | Middleville, Michigan | Freshman | Mechanical Engineering |
Nathan M Scott | Nevada Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | Junior | Mechanical Engineering |
Nick Luetje | Purdue Indianapolis | Topeka, Kansas | Junior | Mechanical & Motorsports Engineering |
Parker White | Maine | Norridgewock, Maine | Freshman | Aviation |
Peter Irons | Winona State | Rochester, Minnesota | Freshman | Police Sciences |
Steven Wilson | Iowa | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Senior | Finance |
Thomas Coonan | Missouri – Columbia | Huntsville , Missouri | Junior | Civil Engineer |
Wyatt Tinsley | Virginia Peninsula | Hampton, VA | Freshman | Science |
Zach Sprouse | George Mason | Stafford, Virginia | Sophomore | Mechanical Engineering |
The eNASCAR College iRacing Series is supported by Playfly College Esports and Logitech G. For more information on the series and how to compete, visit eNASCAR.com. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.