Real NASCAR Drivers Impress In iRacing Pro Invitational Series Opener

Every week, iRacing, the world’s premier online racing simulation service, highlights its latest news for NESN Fuel. This week, iRacing recapped the first round of the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. Read more about iRacing here.

The brand new online racing series, the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, kicked off at Iowa Speedway on Tuesday. Featuring some of the brightest young stars of NASCAR racing virtual versions of the NASCAR Xfinity Series cars in a 30-lap shootout.

This new series showcases these drivers on the most competitive online esports racing game available, iRacing.com, and is part of NASCAR Night on iRacing. The first round of the playoffs in the NASCAR Peak Antifreeze Series immediately followed the race broadcast on iRacingLive.

The action started at 8 p.m. ET with a qualifying session. Drivers had 30 minutes to lay down a fast lap to set the starting grid. Roush Fenway Racing development driver and longtime iRacer Ty Majeski was the driver to beat as he took pole position with a fast lap of 22.314 seconds. He was followed closely by fellow Xfinity Series driver Ben Kennedy and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers Christopher Bell and Chase Brisco, who all put in qualifying laps within 0.10 seconds of Majeski’s.

Here’s how the rest of the field qualified:

5. Ryan Truex (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series)
6. Christian Eckes (ARCA)
7. Raphael Lessard (ARCA)
8. Parker Kligerman (NCWTS & NBCSN Analyst)
9. Todd Gilliland (NCTWS)
10. Garrett Smithley (NXS)
11. Harrison Burton (K&N Pro Series)
12. Jodie Robinson (Toyota Development driver)
13. Gracie Trotter (Toyota Development driver)

Majeski took the green flag and immediately set the tone by leading the opening eight laps. He held a commanding lead through the opening portion of the race while outside pole sitter Bell ran into trouble with some contact on Lap 4 and retired his car early.

Kennedy, who had worked his way up to second after starting fourth, took the lead when Majeski’s car got loose coming out of Turn 2 on Lap 9. He kept the car off the wall but lost multiple spots as he recovered and brought his Ford Mustang back up to speed.

Kennedy kept the hammer down in his Menards Chevrolet Camaro and didn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the way, capturing the victory in the opening race of the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational series. Briscoe came home second in his Ford Mustang followed by Kligerman in his Toyota Camry.

Final results:

1. Ben Kennedy
2. Chase Briscoe
3. Parker Kligerman
4. Ryan Truex
5. Garrett Smithley
6. Todd Gilliland
7. Ty Majeski
8. Harrison Burton
9. Raphael Lessard
10. Jodi Robinson
11. Christian Eckes
12. Gracie Trotter
13. Christopher Bell

The next race of the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational is schedule for Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET. Be sure to tune in and watch the action live at www.iRacing.com/live or on YouTube at www.youtube.com/iracingtv.