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.
Last Sunday, 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. This week, FOX Sports announced their commitment to cover the remainder of the season, beginning 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.
Last weekend’s inaugural event, won by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, drew 903,000 viewers on FS1, according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox Sports iRacing was 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.
Additionally, according to rankings by Twitter interactions, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series on FS1 was the #1 most-social TV program overall on Sunday. NASCAR-owned content related to the event also produced more than one million engagements throughout the weekend.
Again this Sunday the event will feature FOX NASCAR broadcasters Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds calling the action. They will be complimented by Stewart-Haas Racing driver Clint Bowyer, scheduled to return as the in-car analyst while competing from a simulator in the FOX NASCAR Charlotte studio.
Fans can watch the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Qualifier race online
This week the qualifier race to fill the final four spots in the 35-car field will be streamed for fans to watch.
The eNASCAR Pro Invitational Qualifier will take place at 10:55 a.m. ET at eNASCAR.com/live.
34 qualifiers from the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and regional series are scheduled to battle to join the 31 drivers locked in to Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX (where available, subject to change), FS1 and the FOX Sports App.
The race will consist of 30 laps at Texas Motor Speedway and there will be no cautions.
Note – should there be any late additions or drops to the list of guaranteed entries, that will impact the number of qualifiers advancing from the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Qualifier.
Sunday’s run of show and race format
Below is a breakdown of Sunday’s run of show for the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Qualifier and the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125:
eNASCAR Pro Invitational Qualifying Race
10:30 a.m. – Practice begins
10:55 a.m. – Qualifying begins, 5 minutes – 2 laps
11:02 a.m. – Race begins – 30 laps, no cautions
O’Reilly Auto Parts 125
12:00 p.m. – Practice begins
12:50 p.m. – Qualifying begins, 3 minutes – 2 laps
12:54pm – Warmup begins (set to 45 minutes, will advance on FOX command)
1:00pm – Broadcast Begins
1:13pm – Green flag – 125 laps
Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 will consist of 125 laps with double-file restarts and lapped cars will go to the rear. There will be three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish, if necessary.
Drivers will be allowed one fast repair this week at virtual Texas Motor Speedway. If a car is damaged, drivers must drive back to their pit stall and come to a complete stop. This will automatically apply the fast repair and give the driver a new car.
