iRacing World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car World Championship Race Preview: Eldora

Alex Bergeron may lead the iRacing World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car World Championship standings with just three races left in the season, but his path to a second consecutive series title is still anything but guaranteed.

Bergeron entered last week’s second visit to Volusia Speedway Park as the incoming favorite, due to both his points lead and his sweep of the season opener at the track, but contact with David Heileman knocked him back in the pack and forced a recovery drive to salvage some valuable points. He’s still got a 22-point advantage over Heileman in the points table, but third place James Edens leads the series with three victories, and fourth place Braden Eyler has shown great consistency as this year’s breakout contender.

That sets the stage for tonight’s return to the iconic Eldora Speedway, host of the annual Kings Royal and 4-Crown Nationals on the real-world World of Outlaws calendar and perhaps the best-known dirt track in America for its diversity of top-level events. Winning at Eldora is an accomplishment for any driver, no matter the stage, and a strong finish tonight will be crucial for drivers looking to earn their share of this year’s $25,000 season purse.

The good news for those expecting an exciting show? Each of the top four drivers coming into the event has reason to like their chances. Bergeron took a victory here last year, while Heileman (twice) and Eyler each found themselves on the podium last season. Edens may not have, but the momentum of two wins in the past three weeks is difficult to ignore.

Then again, this season has seen plenty of surprises as well. Brothers Austen and Dillon Semmelmann have each shown flashes of brilliance and the ability to contend for heat and race wins, while Kendal Tucker and Cameron Merriman have been the best of this year’s newcomers at fifth and sixth in the standings. It’s altogether possible that we see our fifth different winner of 2020 tonight, a mark that would equal each of the past two World Championship seasons for unique names on top of the box.

iRacing World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car World Championship standings through seven rounds are as follows:

1. Alex Bergeron, 449
2. David Heileman, 427
3. James Edens, 412
4. Braden Eyler, 406
5. Kendal Tucker, 391
6. Cameron Merriman, 313
7. Adam Elby, 294
8. Cole Cabre, 293
9. Dillon Semmelmann, 281
10. Dylan Houser, 277

The iRacing World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car World Championship race from Eldora Speedway Park will air tonight at 9PM ET/6PM PT on the iRacing eSports Network. Just two rounds of the championship remain, with visits to Williams Grove Speedway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway slated to conclude the campaign.

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