eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Race Preview: Indianapolis

The second half of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series sees the 40 best iRacers in the world continue their chase for just eight spots in the series’ four-race playoff to conclude the 2020 season. To kick off the eight-race journey to determine who’s in and who’s out, they’ll visit one of the most iconic racetracks in the history of the sport.

Coinciding with its move to July 4 weekend this year, Indianapolis Motor Speedway moves up in the eNCiS schedule, becoming the ninth points-paying round of the season. It’s been a month since drivers have competed in a points race, although things got feisty two weeks ago when Blake Reynolds’ Hail Mary move on Logan Clampitt in the final corner of the series’ All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway opened the door for Graham Bowlin to steal a victory—and the $500 winner-take-all prize.

Last year’s visit to the 2.5-mile oval ended in similar, Reynolds-induced heartbreak for Casey Kirwan, when the Team Dillon eSports driver threw a block while running out of gas coming to the checkered flag. That opened the door for Renegades’ Corey Vincent to snag the victory, his first in three years. Vincent, who had started 33rd in the race, led only one lap, but it was the most important one.

This year, all three would just love to be back in the top five at race’s end after a season to forget thus far. Reynolds and Vincent are tied for 23rd in points with 158 each, seven behind Nathan Lyon and Jarl Teien for a spot in the top 20 that earns an automatic bid to return to the series next year. Kirwan is a further 16 points adrift in 27th, a much different story from his Denny Hamlin Racing teammate Keegan Leahy, who enters the event in the points lead. Leahy, the 2019 season runner-up and Daytona race winner, holds a 10-point advantage over three-time 2020 winner Ryan Luza of Williams Esports. Garrett Lowe, Bobby Zalenski, and Michael Conti complete the top five, while Jake Nichols currently holds a two-point advantage over four-time series champion Ray Alfalla for the final playoff spot.

The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series visits the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday at 9PM ET, with the iRacing eSports Network carrying the coverage live on Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube. After Indianapolis, the series will return to action for two rounds in July, visiting New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 14 and Michigan International Speedway on July 28. Many of the series’ top drivers will also be competing for their share of a $12,500 purse on Wednesday night, joining NASCAR stars Dale Earnhardt Jr. and William Byron in the Firecracker 400 from Daytona, racing the 1987 NASCAR Cup Series Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Monte Carlo. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.

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