2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series | Preview #3 | VIRginia International Raceway
June 4th, 2026 by Justin Melillo
The 2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series continues with the third event of the season on Thursday night, as another pair of 15-minute races are scheduled at VIRginia International Raceway’s Full Course.
After Hot Lap Qualifying via Time Attack from May 29th to May 31st, 20 drivers have qualified for their shot to contend for more than $500,000 in prizes and the opportunity to run in the real-world Skip Barber Formula Race Series.
Race Coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET at iRacing.com/live and across iRacing Social Media Channels.
DRIVER ROSTER
The following 20 drivers are entered into the third round of the 2026 season at VIRginia International Raceway:
RACE NIGHT FORMAT
Every one of the six races this season will feature two races, each set for a timed amount of 15 minutes, and all competitors utilizing fixed setups.
While all 20 drivers needed to set their fastest times in the official Time Attack leading up to tonight, these pair of races will still be set by one more lone qualifying lap for the opening event. To set the second race grid of the night, the results from the first race will be how that is determined.
Every race offers up to 35 points to the winner, with that making a perfect night a 70 point day in winning both races. The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Champion will be determined by the total number of points earned during the season, excluding the lowest two individual race scores which will be deducted to determine the final points. The lowest individual race scores include zeros, disqualifications, and non-participated-in races.
LAST RACE
Martin Kadlečík was once again a force to be reckoned with in the dueling events at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. After scoring yet another pole position, Kadlečík only had one man in his way in the opening race—last year’s points champion, Matt Caruana. Caruana led for a number of laps, but Kadlečík managed to get back by and win another one. In the second race of the day, there were more players involved this time, including another finalist from last year, Ayden Young, but this time Caruana managed to win the event.
Following the event, however, both wins were awarded to Caruana as Kadlečík was once again penalized post-race, this time in the form of a disqualification in both races for “unrealistic driving/tire warming”. With the shakeup, Brandon Hawkin takes control of the points lead over Lime Rock winner Guglielmo Callegari by three points entering VIR. Caruana now sits in third, and Kadlečík falls to 15th with no points to show from Laguna Seca.
LAST TIME AT VIR
There were four races across two different layouts at VIRginia International Raceway in the 2025 season, and they were all won by one driver—Matt Caruana. In many cases, those races were won in dramatic fashion, often by a nose at the line thanks in part to the long straightaway leading to the checkers. After taking two at Laguna Seca, will Caruana be able to keep his hot streak going with another pair of wins at VIR?
TRACK FACTS
Virginia International Raceway originally opened in 1957, but the track was closed from 1974 to 2000 until new ownership reopened it with membership options for local racers. The track hosts numerous top American road racing series, most notably a GT-only round for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and has often been used by NASCAR teams to test road course setups. The Full Course measures in at 3.27 miles. The facility offers six total configurations (North Course – 2.25-miles; South Course – 1.65 miles; Patriot Course – 1.1 miles; Grand West – 3.97 miles; and Grand East – 4.07 miles) of which two can always be run simultaneously.
ABOUT THE SERIES
The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series is where future stars of real-world motorsport prove themselves in the virtual one. Using the iRacing Formula 4 machine, drivers take part in an open qualifier each week, and the top racers registered in the program are selected to compete on Thursday nights.
The top three point scorers at season’s end will receive a 3 Day Racing School and compete in a shootout later this year for a 2027 Skip Barber Race Series seat. 1 Day Racing School certificates will be awarded to fourth and fifth in points, as well as the Hard Charger Award winner from each race, and all of the qualifiers for each race will earn a one-time $200 credit towards an SBRS course.
To learn more about the Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series, visit https://www.skipbarber.com/iracing-series/.
For more information about iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.
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