Twenty-two professional drivers from a wide variety of racing series have entered World Wide Technology Raceway’s inaugural iRacing event. The Bommarito Automotive Group Throwback 500 will be held on Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern, and will be broadcast on Speed51.com. The race will carry a throwback theme for car entries.
The iRacing drivers will compete from home – on computer sim racing rigs (sim = simulator) – on a digital replica of WWTR’s 1.25-mile oval, which is home to the annual NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series 200 and NTT IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500. Race fans from all over the globe may tune in to Speed51.com to witness the action.
A sim racing rig consists of a computer, monitor, steering wheel and pedals. Some pro drivers invest thousands of dollars into their sim rigs but one of the most successful racers cobbled his together with parts from eBay and Walmart.
For those not familiar with iRacing and the Elite Racing League (@EliteRacing_), last Sunday’s NASCAR iRacing event, televised on FS1, earned a 0.53 rating (903,000 viewers) and was the most viewed esports event in U.S. TV history, beating a Mortal Kombat event on the CW in 2016. (Sources: Adam Stern/Sports Business Daily and eSports consultant Manny Anekal)
PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS
CONFIRMED ENTRIES, GROUPED BY SERIES
NTT IndyCar Series
- Alexander Rossi – American driver from California made five starts in Formula 1, then came home to record seven wins in NTT IndyCar Series competition.
- Santino Ferrucci – racing again in the U.S. after serving as a Formula 1 development driver in Europe.
- Dalton Kellett – from Toronto; drives for four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt.
- James Davison – the native of Melbourne, Australia has competed in seven INDYCAR races and four NASCAR Xfinity Series events.
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
- Ron Capps – 2016 Funny Car world champion.
- Shawn Langdon – 2013 Top Fuel Dragster world champion.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
- Andy Seuss – also a two-time NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour champion.
- Garrett Smithley – turned a lot of heads by finishing up front in Sunday’s NASCAR iRacing event on FS1.
- Ryan Vargas – Made his Xfinity Series debut in 2019 at Iowa Speedway.
- Josh Bilicki – Returns to the Xfinity Series in 2020 on a limited schedule with team owner BJ McLeod.
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
- Spencer Boyd – Born in St. Louis in 1995, Boyd won his first Truck race at Talladega in 2019.
- Jordan Anderson – Although he’s not from the St. Louis-Metro East Region, Jordan has become a local favorite and is sponsored by the Bommarito Automotive Group.
- Tyler Ankrum – A veteran of USAC Quarter Midgets and the USAC Ignite Midget Series before winning the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship in his rookie season.
- Austin Wayne Self – the Texan is a veteran of four seasons in the NASCAR Truck Series.
ARCA Menards Series
- Ty Gibbs – the grandson of coach Joe Gibbs won twice in 2019.
- Thad Moffitt – the 19-year-old is a veteran of 17 series races and is the grandson of Richard Petty.
USAC
- Austin Blair – Silver Crown Series, from Fairview Heights, Illinois. FAA-licensed drone pilot.
- Logan Seavey – 2018 USAC NOS Midget champion.
- Dillon Welch – also a broadcaster for NBC Sports and FOX Sports. Won an Emmy for television production.
Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires
- Robert Megennis – in 2019, he won the INDYCAR Grand Prix and finished fifth in his rookie year in the series.
Cooper Tires USF2000 Series
- Nolan Siegel – At age 15, Siegel already has seven years of experience under his belt.
F1600
- Simon Sikes – kart racer graduated to cars and won the 2017 Skip Barber Winter Series championship.
Misc.
- Mark Rebilas – Renowned professional sports photographer from Phoenix, Arizona.
Open
Drivers in the Open (non-professional) category consist of racers from the Elite Racing League (@EliteRacing_), the Gateway Kartplex™ and those who meet the entry requirements. Currently, 34 Open drivers have entered, including Gateway Kartplex™ scholarship winner Scott McClendon Jr. of St. Louis.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29
All times Eastern
Bommarito Automotive Group Throwback 500 Open race
5-6 p.m. – Practice.
6-6:05 p.m. – Qualifying (2 Laps). The fastest 20 Open drivers are locked into the 50-lap Open feature. The final eight starting berths will be comprised of the top four drivers in each of the 10-lap heat races. The top five Open drivers in the 50-lap Open feature advance to the 8 p.m. main event.
Bommarito Automotive Group Throwback 500 main event
7-8 p.m. – Final practice.
8-8:05 p.m. – Qualifying (5 laps, top 28 locked into the race).
8:05 p.m. – 15-lap Last Chance Qualifier (top 5 advance to the main event). Last Chance Qualifier will be followed by a 10-minute warm-up.
Bommarito Automotive Group Throwback 500 (248 laps/500 km).
World Wide Technology Raceway PR
