2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series | Preview #5 | Richmond Raceway
July 2nd, 2026 by Justin Melillo
The 2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series enters a new discipline with the fifth event of the season on Thursday night. Another pair of 15-minute races are scheduled once more, but this time at Richmond Raceway, marking the first oval event in the virtual series’ history.
After Hot Lap Qualifying via Time Attack from June 26th to June 28th, 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 fifth round of the 2026 season at Richmond 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
Sonoma proved to be a wildcard in some fashion, making its debut in the series two weeks ago. For the first time, Martin Kadlečík wasn’t out front to start the night, instead with Ayden Young leading the field to the green in the first race. Young battled against Pintér Zsombi throughout the entire night, with Young claiming the first win, but Zsombi taking the second.
CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE BALANCE
After four events and eight points-paying races, the championship fight could not be any closer. At the top of the standings, there is a tie between Guglielmo Callegari and Brandon Hawkin, while two of last year’s finalists, Matt Caruana and Ayden Young, sit four points and six points back, respectively. The driver with the most wins on the season, Martin Kadlečík, sits in fifth within striking distance, knowing his two race DQ’s will eventually come off the board when drop races are applied. It is anyone’s guess as to how this title will pan out, especially with the series’ first oval race on Thursday night.
TRACK FACTS
Is Richmond Raceway America’s longest short-track, or its shortest superspeedway? Either way you look at it, Richmond embodies the characteristics of both and is a rocket-fast challenge to every driver who competes on the three-quarter-mile oval. Racers from NASCAR, IndyCar and USAC have found that Richmond requires both power and handling. To win here, you’ve got to have it all.
Auto Racing in Richmond launched in 1946 at the Atlantic Rural Expedition’s 1/2 mile dirt track as part of the AAA Championship Car season, which was the first car racing following World War II. Four track configurations later, today’s Richmond Raceway features 55,000 grandstand and premium seats, a new $30,000,000 infield which will open in Fall 2018, and the only NASCAR venue where all of the racing action is held under the lights.
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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