Richmond Raceway (Richmond) and Sunoco renew the partnership of the organization’s growing esports program, Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco. Sunoco, the Official Fuel of NASCAR® since 2004, continues its naming rights sponsorship of the entire Richmond Raceway eSports program, including the primary sponsorship on the No. 90 Sunoco/Sim Seats Toyota Camry in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and hosting the Richmond Raceway eSports Sunoco Series, two five-race esports tournaments hosted on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
“Sunoco is a partner that is driving genuine value to our esports program and supports our mission of connecting with the next generation of race fans,” said Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier. “We look forward to our continued partnership to support the next phase of growth for esports in NASCAR.”
As the presenting sponsor for Richmond Raceway eSports, Sunoco holds the naming rights associated with all Richmond Raceway eSports activations and entitlement sponsorship of individual competitions that Richmond hosts.
“Our relationship with Richmond Raceway eSports has provided a program where Sunoco can speak directly to a growing segment of the fan base,” said Michael Barrows, Sr. Specialist, Motorsports Marketing for Sunoco. “This is a platform that allows us to take our powerful NASCAR and Richmond Raceway partnerships, and reach out to new fans and Sunoco consumers.”
Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco will host a pair of five-race tournaments, totaling 20 esports races, on 704Games’ NASCAR Heat 4 platform on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this season. The competitions will be held online leading up to the Toyota Spring Race Weekend on April 17-19 and NASCAR Playoff Race Weekend on Sept. 11-12. Spring registration for the Richmond Raceway eSports Sunoco Series will open on richmondraceway.com/esports on Friday.
Richmond will also put fans behind the wheel of our state-of-the-art Richmond Raceway Simulator for key outbound events throughout the year. The Richmond Raceway Simulator is an interactive two-seat, in-car driving simulator that allows fans to get behind the wheel to drive Richmond’s famed ¾-mile D-shaped oval and 79 other tracks including some select Racing Virginia tracks. The Richmond Raceway Simulator is powered by iRacing, the world’s premier motorsports racing simulation platform. Richmond-based Sim Seats designed and installed the hardware for the simulator.
Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco will compete for its third consecutive season in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. Zack Novak will be behind the wheel of the No. 90 Sunoco/Sim Seats Toyota Camry for Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco this season. Novak won the 2019 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship competing for Roush Fenway Racing eSports. In three seasons competing in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, Novak has six wins and 17 top 5’s with 816 laps led. Novak also won the 2018 eNASCAR Ignite Series for racers 17 & under.
To download the Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco logo and No. 90 Sunoco/Sim Seats Toyota Camry paint scheme, click here.
The No. 90 Sunoco/Sim Seats Toyota Camry honors Richmond native and long-time NASCAR team owner, Junie Donlavey. The No. 90 team led by Donlavey represented NASCAR in the 1976 24 Hours of Le Mans and won its only Cup victory with Jody Ridley at Dover International Speedway in 1981. In 2019, Malik Ray drove the No. 90 Sunoco/Sim Seats Toyota Camry for Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco.
“I am proud to drive the No. 90 Sunoco/Sim Seats Toyota Camry this season for Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco,” said Zack Novak. “Sunoco is one of the most well-known brands in NASCAR, so I am humbled to represent a company that is invested in the present and future of the sport in esports. I can’t wait to start the season and bring the No. 90 Sunoco Toyota Camry to Victory Lane.”
Jimmy Mullis returns for his third year with Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco. In three seasons competing in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, Mullis has two wins, ten top 5’s, and 24 top 10’s with 115 laps led. He finished fifth in points in 2019, 11th in 2018, and 18th in 2017. Mullis will continue to drive the No. 46 Toyota Camry, which is symbolic of the year Richmond Raceway was founded and held its first race in 1946. The new primary sponsor of the No. 46 will be announced prior to Speedweeks.
NASCAR and professional esports teams will return for 2020 competition in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, including new teams established by NASCAR Cup Series drivers William Byron, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season will kickoff at the virtual Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 11 at 9 p.m. ET on Facebook, Twitch, YouTube and eNASCAR.com.
The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series will return to NBCSN this season for six races during the series’ Playoffs. The series debuted on NBCSN last summer with a pair of All-Star exhibition races and was followed by the first-ever eNASCAR championship telecast on NBCSN’s NASCAR America at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.
More details on the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, including the full season schedule and team rosters are slated to be released next week on eNASCAR.com and iRacing.com. For more information on iRacing and special membership offers, visit iRacing.com.
To learn more about Richmond Raceway eSports Fueled by Sunoco, follow on Twitter or visit richmondraceway.com/esports.
Richmond Raceway 2020 Season
Richmond will host the Toyota Spring Race Weekend on April 17-19. NASCAR’s best will compete for a spot in the playoffs in the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race on Sunday, April 19. The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will return to America’s Premier Short Track for the ToyotaCare 250 “under the lights” on Saturday, April 18. This will be the first Gander Truck race at Richmond since 2005. Practice day for the NCS and Gander Truck is on Friday, April 17.
For the first time in 11 years, the NTT IndyCar Series will race at Richmond “under the lights” on Saturday, June 27. Richmond will host a festival headlined by the NTT IndyCar Series, welcoming fans to engage in a speed-themed weekend event on June 26-27.
The road to the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship will once again lead through Richmond on Sept. 11-12. The Action Track will be the second race of the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the ninth annual Federated Auto Parts 400 on Saturday, Sept. 12. Richmond will also host the Go Bowling 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship race on Friday, Sept. 11. This will be the 29th consecutive year the fall race weekend is “under the lights” at Richmond.
NASCAR and INDYCAR tickets are available for purchase in-person at the Richmond Ticket Office, via phone at 866-455-7223, or online at richmondraceway.com.
Stay connected to Richmond Raceway on Facebook, GIPHY, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and by downloading the Richmond Raceway mobile app for Apple or Android.
About iRacing.com
The world leader in the online racing simulation and gaming market, iRacing was founded in 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer was co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, developers of award-winning racing simulations including “Grand Prix Legends” and NASCAR 2003.” Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club, as well as co-owner of NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing. iRacing.com has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to help create the most authentic racing simulation in the world including with NASCAR, IndyCar, International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports, IMSA, World of Outlaws, Mazda Motorsports, McLaren Racing, Williams F1, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, the Skip Barber Racing School and General Motors.
About Richmond Raceway
Richmond Raceway is America’s Premier Short Track annually hosting two NASCAR race weekends, featuring the NASCAR Cup Series and either NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, and an NTT IndyCar Series race weekend on the iconic ¾-mile D-shaped oval. Richmond Raceway is a regional leader for events including sports, live music and consumer trade shows. The Richmond Raceway Complex’s 1,100 plus acre multipurpose facility hosts more than 200 live events over 280 event days annually including concerts with top national recording artists at Virginia Credit Union LIVE!, the region’s only covered amphitheater. For more information, visit richmondraceway.com, richmondracewaycomplex.com, or vaculive.com.
About Sunoco
Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) is a master limited partnership that distributes motor fuel to approximately 10,000 convenience stores, independent dealers, commercial customers and distributors located in more than 30 states. SUN’s general partner is owned by Energy Transfer Operating, L.P., a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET).
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