Sure, it’s not a real NASCAR race, but on Sunday, NASCAR fans were treated to the next best thing as the fIrst-ever iRacing eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series race from the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway was televised on FS1.
After a rough start to the race, which included several crashes over the first few laps of the event, the drivers settled in and over a long green flag run down the stretch we saw an epic duel in the closing laps for the win between Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The race was a refreshing reprieve for sports fans, who have seen all live-action sports in the country halted due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
The race was so successful in fact, that NASCAR and FS1 have agreed there needs to be another one this weekend.
Evan Posocco, the voice of the eNASCAR iRacing Coca-Cola Series confirmed the news on Twitter on Monday.
#NEWS: @NASCARONFOX has picked up Round 2 of the @NASCAR Pro Invitational @iRacing Series for this upcoming Sunday. The race will take place from the all-new version of the virtual @TXMotorSpeedway.
Expect a handful of new faces that didn't participate in Sunday's opener. pic.twitter.com/vo3z21dv31
— Evan Posocco? (@evanposocco) March 24, 2020
The latest race will take place at the virtual Texas Motor Speedway and according to Posocco, should feature a few new drivers that didn’t compete this past Sunday. One of this drivers could be 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick.
Harvick tweeted a photo of an iRacing sim rig on Monday with the caption, “Well I guess I need to figure this out..”
Well I guess I need to figure this out.. @iRacing @chadwheeler88 #wr1sims pic.twitter.com/BiUU0FzAMS
— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) March 23, 2020
