2026-27 eNASCAR College iRacing Series tracks, format unveiled; IMSA included with two new Tournaments
May 24th, 2026 by Justin Melillo
Grab a pencil, take some notes, and strap in for another exciting season of collegiate iRacing this fall! The eNASCAR College iRacing Series powered by PlayVS College League returns for the 2026-27 academic year with $60,000 in scholarships on the line once again, and there are some exciting changes in store for the competition.
As mentioned last month, the season expands from six Tournaments to eight, but the headlining news is that those Tournaments will be backed by IMSA. The IMSA based tournaments bring two road courses and a new car to the series—the Ford Mustang GT4.
All Tournaments still consist of a Time Attack, followed by two weeks of racing. Four Tournaments will take place during the Fall Semester from September to November. The other four for the Spring semester are scheduled between January and March.
The points structure also gets an overhaul this upcoming season, as does the event format. Tournament sizes will change to 100 entries. Additional points will now be awarded in the semifinals. Week 2 Points will mirror the real-world NASCAR points system, having an emphasis on winning.
Everything was announced on Sunday at the Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, during the eNASCAR College iRacing Series Showdown. The action kicks off later this year, registration is officially open!
THE NEW SCHEDULE
Increasing from six to eight Tournaments, plus the addition of IMSA and return of road course racing, the 2026-27 eNASCAR College iRacing Series powered by PlayVS is set to be the biggest season of collegiate competition yet.
The six oval Tournaments will be run in the NASCAR Trucks, and the IMSA-backed events will showcase the Ford Mustang GT4.
The Queen City Crown (Charlotte), Great Lakes Gauntlet (Michigan), Clash on the Beach (Daytona), and the Sunset Splash (Homestead-Miami) all return to the schedule.
The new Tournaments—the Peachtree Pursuit (Echo Park/Atlanta), Big Apple Battle (Watkins Glen), Monster Mash (Dover), and the Ocean’s Roar (Daytona Road Course)—features three brand-new venues for the College Series schedule, and includes a return to The Glen.
On September 23rd, the season kicks off with the Peachtree Pursuit at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta.
Tournament |
Track |
Vehicle |
Time Attack Range |
Week 1 |
Week 2 |
|
Fall ‘26 Semester |
|||||
|
Peachtree Pursuit |
Echo Park | Trucks | 09/15/26 to 09/20/26 | 09/23/26 |
09/30/26 |
|
Queen City Crown |
Charlotte | Trucks | 09/29/26 to 10/04/26 | 10/07/26 |
10/14/26 |
|
Big Apple Battle |
Watkins Glen | IMSA | 10/20/26 to 10/25/26 | 10/28/26 |
11/04/26 |
|
Great Lakes Gauntlet |
Michigan | Trucks | 11/03/26 to 11/08/26 | 11/11/26 |
11/18/26 |
|
Spring ‘27 Semester |
|||||
|
Monster Mash |
Dover | Trucks | 01/19/27 to 01/24/27 | 01/27/27 |
02/03/27 |
|
Clash on the Beach |
Daytona (oval) | Trucks | 02/02/27 to 02/07/27 | 02/10/27 |
02/17/27 |
|
Ocean’s Roar |
Daytona (road) | IMSA | 02/16/27 to 02/21/27 | 02/24/27 | 03/03/27 |
| Sunset Splash | Homestead-Miami | Trucks | 03/16/27 to 03/21/27 | 03/24/27 |
03/31/27 |
THE NEW FORMAT
This season, the eNASCAR College iRacing Series bracket features a number of refinements.
Round 1 of each Tournament is the series’ official Time Attack. 100 students advance from the Time Attack to the Quarterfinals. Time Attacks condense from a 10-day window to just six, taking place from Tuesday to Sunday prior to the Quarterfinals.
The Quarterfinals split the 100 students into two Groups of 50. After qualifying, each Group is divided into two Heat races of 25. The top-13 advance to the Semifinals, the rest go to the Quarterfinal LCQs.
Both Quarterfinal LCQs consist of the remaining 24 students. The top-10 in each LCQ advance to their Group’s Semifinal. 28 students will head back to class as they are eliminated from the Tournament.
Each Group’s Semifinal contains 36 students, with only 20 advancing to the Final Round. This is where the first points of the Tournament are earned. While 20 advance, the top-10 in each Semifinal earn up to 10 points for winning, down to one point for finishing 10th. Should a student not attend the Final Round, those points will be voided.
40 students make up the Final Round, and the pressure will be on for this final exam. Just one race remains, around an hour to 75-minutes in length, and cautions will be in play.
All students score points in the Final Round. Just like in NASCAR, the winner will now receive 55 points instead of 40, while the rest of the field continues to receive the same amount of points as last season.
IMSA INCLUDED
NASCAR and IMSA live under the same roof, so their inclusion to the upcoming season was a no-brainer when the schedule was considered with some road course additions. IMSA, which stands for the International Motor Sports Association, is the premier sports car racing series in North America, host to many of the biggest races in the world, including the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
Daytona and Watkins Glen are two tracks that both series share throughout the season, as well as the OEM Ford. All of the collegiate students will take on these two tracks in the Ford Mustang GT4, sporting the same liveries that will be on their Craftsman Trucks throughout the season.
“IMSA and iRacing have had a successful relationship for several years already, but the inclusion of IMSA race cars and tracks into the eNASCAR College iRacing Series opens the door to a whole new audience,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “eNASCAR College iRacing Series participants will soon have the opportunity to sample our brand of road racing in the incredible Ford Mustang GT4 on two of our most iconic race tracks – Watkins Glen International and Daytona International Speedway. We believe this experience will entice them to learn more about IMSA and eventually create even more fans for our sport.”
IMSA’s first tournament, the Big Apple Battle at Watkins Glen International takes place from October 20th to November 4th in 2026. The Ocean’s Roar at Daytona International Speedway’s Road Course is slated for February 16th to March 3rd in 2027.
REGISTRATION TO 2026-27 SEASON:
To sign-up for the 2026-27 eNASCAR College iRacing Series, all eligible student drivers must complete the registration form HERE.
HOW TO COMPETE IN AN IRACING TIME ATTACK:
To participate in an in-game Time Attack event:
- Open iRacing
- On the left bar click “Go Racing”
- Click “Time Attack Competitions”
- Search for “Sim Racing Expo eNASCAR Collegiate Showcase”
- Click “Drive Now”
For more information on the eNASCAR College iRacing Series, visit pcl.gg/pages/enascar.
For more information about eNASCAR, visit eNASCAR.com.
For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit iRacing.com.
For more information about the first Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, visit simracingexpo.com.
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