While NASCAR’s on-track activity has been postponed through the weekend of May 3rd to align with CDC guidance, drivers and fans are turning to the virtual world to see some of the best racing competition around.
NASCAR, iRacing and FOX Sports teamed up to deliver the first-ever eNASCAR iRacing Pro invitational Series event the Dixie Vodka 150 at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway two weeks ago. Last week, FOX Sports committed to covering the remainder of the season, which began Sunday, March 29, at 1 p.m. ET from virtual Texas Motor Speedway with the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125.
Entitled FOX NASCAR iRacing, the races will be simulcast on the FOX broadcast network where available, FS1 and the FOX Sports app. Races will also be available in Canada through FOX Sports Racing.
The 130-lap virtual race event at Texas had various drivers fighting for the lead but was ultimately won by iRacing veteran and Cup Series underdog Timmy Hill, driver of the No. 66 Toyota. The win marked his 674th iRacing victory.
Ryan Preece, driver of the No. 37 finished second, Garrett Smithley, driver of the No. 51, finished third, Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 89, finished fourth and Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 88, rounded out the top five. The top four drivers don’t typically run in the front of the pack on non-virtual race weekends but iRacing has given them the chance to compete up front in the similar equipment as the rest of the field.
The series inaugural event on March 22, won by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, drew 903,000 viewers on FS1. Last weekend’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, won by Hill, drew 1.3 million viewers. That was an increase since its viewership the weekend before at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway and broke its own Esport television ratings record. A total of 1,339,000 people watched the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 across the FOX viewing platforms.
Fox Sports iRacing has been the most-watched telecast on FS1 since the pandemic-induced sports shutdown began on March 12 and Sunday’s most-watched sports telecast on cable television, as well as ranks as the highest-rated esports TV program in history.
Sunday’s Food City Showdown at Bristol Motor Speedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX, FS1, FOX Sports App) will once again feature FOX NASCAR broadcasters Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds calling the action.
