NASCAR, Race Team Alliance and 704Games announced today a collaboration that will create the first-ever NASCAR esports league on consoles, eNASCAR Heat Pro League. The newly formed esports league will feature up to 16 race teams and 32 drivers, each owned and operated by prominent NASCAR race teams.
Beginning today, fans across the nation owning NASCAR Heat 3 can begin to qualify for the first-ever eNASCAR Heat Pro League Draft, scheduled to take place early next year. Following the Draft, the esports league will feature a 16-race season beginning in spring 2019 and culminating during the 2019 NASCAR Playoffs. All eNASCAR Heat Pro League races will be live streamed online at NASCAR.com and Motorsport.com.
“We look forward to taking this first step with our teams to introduce NASCAR-style racing to the massive esports audience on consoles,” said Craig Neeb, Executive Vice President, Innovation and Development, NASCAR. “Our partners at 704Games have delivered an incredible product and we are enthusiastic about engaging gamers to create new fans and grow our sport.”
Many of NASCAR’s most successful teams are participating in the new esports venture, including: Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, JR Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske. Each of the participating teams will field two drivers, one competing on Xbox One and the other onPlayStation®4 computer entertainment system.
“This is an exciting moment in NASCAR history,” stated Jonathan S. Marshall, Executive Director of the Race Team Alliance. “The race teams are taking this new league very seriously and will be looking for the best competitors in the nation to represent their respective teams. We expect the competition level will be high and we challenge these new esports drivers to become the best of the best.”
704Games, NASCAR’s exclusive esports partner for simulation-style video games, released NASCAR Heat 3 in September 2018. Shortly after, 704Games launched a NASCAR esports tournament on consoles that culminated at Homestead-Miami Speedway. With the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, 704Games, aided by an investment from international media and technology company Motorsport Network, whose platforms represent the largest audience of motorsport and auto enthusiasts in the world, looks to expand NASCAR’s presence in the growing popularity of esports.
“This partnership creates a once in a lifetime opportunity for NASCAR Heat 3 players to work with a NASCAR race team and represent their team on a global esports platform” said Paul Brooks, CEO of 704Games. “We’re excited to bring competitive online console racing to NASCAR and promote a greater engagement between fans and gamers with the eNASCAR Heat Pro League.”
For more information and to register for the eNASCAR Heat Pro League Draft, players can visit eNASCARHeatProLeague.com. Additional details about the eNASCAR Heat Pro League including sponsors, broadcast partners, and league rules will be announced in early 2019.
NASCAR PR
