eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Race Preview: Logitech G 200 at Talladega

The 2022 playoffs continue for the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series on Tuesday night, as the series trades in the half-mile bullring of Bristol Motor Speedway for the longest track on the schedule at Talladega Superspeedway and the Logitech G 200. As always, race coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET at eNASCAR.com/live and across iRacing social media channels, while Countdown to Green will kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET previewing the action.

Last Race: A higher-attrition Bristol race than normal saw nearly every eNASCAR playoff driver encounter at least one incident in the opening round, as five cautions and some multi-car wrecks jumbled up the field. In the end, it was former series champion Ryan Luza of XSET who finally returned to the winner’s circle, continuing his streak of victories in each of his eNASCAR seasons. Luza’s four-tire call after the final caution allowed him to work his way past drivers who stayed out for track position. Cody Byus would bring Kyle Long’s Mode Motorsports a second-place finish on two tires, while playoff near-misses Ray Alfalla of Joe Gibbs Racing and Blake Reynolds of Jim Beaver eSports were third and fourth trailed by Wood Brothers Racing driver Garrett Lowe who was the top playoff finisher in fifth.

Due to an issue with automated race control in the Bristol event, each driver will receive a drop race from within the first three playoff rounds. The worst score from Bristol, Talladega, or Homestead will be dropped for both playoff and non-playoff drivers.

Last Year: The penultimate round of the 2021 season, last year’s eNASCAR tilt at Talladega was a tale of what might have been for William Byron eSports driver Nick Ottinger. The 2020 series champion barely missed the playoffs last year, but led 48 of 94 laps in the Championship 4 cutoff round to win a superspeedway race that was primarily run under green.

Track Facts: Opened in 1969, Talladega Superspeedway was envisioned by Bill France Sr. as an even longer and faster track than Daytona International Speedway. The track also boasts an unusual start-finish line placement, well after the center of the tri-oval, to give drivers an additional challenge in the run to the finish line. For more than half a century, the track has been a staple of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule with two races a year. The Earnhardt family dominates the record books at the 2.66-mile Alabama tri-oval, with Dale Earnhardt’s 10 wins and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s four consecutive wins both track records. Talladega was also home to Bubba Wallace’s historic first career NASCAR Cup Series win last fall.

Next Race: Following the Logitech G 200 at Talladega, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series will visit Homestead-Miami Speedway on Tuesday, October 11 at 9 p.m. ET. Homestead has long been known for producing some of the best racing in NASCAR, and eNASCAR is no different; Zack Novak and Keegan Leahy’s side-by-side battle for the win and series championship in 2019 on national television remains one of the defining moments in series history.

For more information on the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, visit www.enascar.com or www.iracing.com/enascar. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.

Image via Justin Melillo

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