BACK TO GALLERIES
eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Power Rankings, Race 4: Richmond
By Steve Luvender, @nascarcasm and Pat DeCola | Published: April 9, 2020 22
1 of 22
NASCAR.com's expert panel of analysts* breaks down what's in store at the virtual Richmond Raceway on April 19 for the fourth race of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series.
Rankings were calculated using our patent-pending algorithm** from Pat DeCola, the usual NASCAR.com Power Rankings maven; Steve Luvender, the esports guy; and @nascarcasm -- because why not?
*They insisted we call them expert analysts; there's really only one expert.
**We pretty much just averaged all our individual ratings together to make one mega-rating.
Rankings were calculated using our patent-pending algorithm** from Pat DeCola, the usual NASCAR.com Power Rankings maven; Steve Luvender, the esports guy; and @nascarcasm -- because why not?
*They insisted we call them expert analysts; there's really only one expert.
**We pretty much just averaged all our individual ratings together to make one mega-rating.
2 of 22
So close
This week, we said farewell to Joey Logano, who didn't make a lot of noise at Bristol. We're sure ranking Logano outside our top 20 will light a fire under him and he'll win at Richmond or something.
This week, we said farewell to Joey Logano, who didn't make a lot of noise at Bristol. We're sure ranking Logano outside our top 20 will light a fire under him and he'll win at Richmond or something.
3 of 22
Jimmie Johnson
Rank: 20
Change: -5
@NASCARCASM: Johnson earns our praise not for his finishes, but for his willingness to broadcast his first attempts at iRacing for millions to see. Every single "oops," "ugh," "damn," "oh no" and "sorry, fellas" is out there for all of us to enjoy. We're spectators in the learning process. We appreciate that.
Rank: 20
Change: -5
@NASCARCASM: Johnson earns our praise not for his finishes, but for his willingness to broadcast his first attempts at iRacing for millions to see. Every single "oops," "ugh," "damn," "oh no" and "sorry, fellas" is out there for all of us to enjoy. We're spectators in the learning process. We appreciate that.
4 of 22
Ty Dillon
Rank: 19
Change: None
PAT DECOLA: True to form, Dillon continues to get the most out of his runs, averaging a better finish (20th) than his starting position (23rd). Keep an eye on him this weekend, because that has very much been the case for him at the real-world Richmond as well (23.8 vs. 28.2).
Rank: 19
Change: None
PAT DECOLA: True to form, Dillon continues to get the most out of his runs, averaging a better finish (20th) than his starting position (23rd). Keep an eye on him this weekend, because that has very much been the case for him at the real-world Richmond as well (23.8 vs. 28.2).
5 of 22
Ross Chastain
Rank: 18
Change: -2
STEVE LUVENDER: Bristol was the toughest test of the season so far for Chastain -- a 16th-place result wasn't the day he needed. He showed up with a cool new paint scheme, though, which made us wonder what watermelon Coke might taste like.
Rank: 18
Change: -2
STEVE LUVENDER: Bristol was the toughest test of the season so far for Chastain -- a 16th-place result wasn't the day he needed. He showed up with a cool new paint scheme, though, which made us wonder what watermelon Coke might taste like.
6 of 22
Clint Bowyer
Rank: 17
Change: -6
@NASCARCASM: We don't rank Bowyer based on statistics so much as how many "HOLD MY BEER!" moments he has in a single race. Sure, he finished 11th for the second straight week, but he also spent the heat race colliding with other cars with reckless abandon like some virtual Russian dash-cam video. We enjoy the entertainment, Bowyer, but this isn't "Grand Theft Auto."
Rank: 17
Change: -6
@NASCARCASM: We don't rank Bowyer based on statistics so much as how many "HOLD MY BEER!" moments he has in a single race. Sure, he finished 11th for the second straight week, but he also spent the heat race colliding with other cars with reckless abandon like some virtual Russian dash-cam video. We enjoy the entertainment, Bowyer, but this isn't "Grand Theft Auto."
7 of 22
Christopher Bell
Rank: 16
Change: -3
PAT DECOLA: Bell sits just outside the top 20 in the unofficial Pro Series Invitational standings, but I strongly suspect that will change for the better after Richmond. The Virginia short track was Bell's playground in the Xfinity Series, where the talented youngster racked up three wins in just five starts.
Rank: 16
Change: -3
PAT DECOLA: Bell sits just outside the top 20 in the unofficial Pro Series Invitational standings, but I strongly suspect that will change for the better after Richmond. The Virginia short track was Bell's playground in the Xfinity Series, where the talented youngster racked up three wins in just five starts.
8 of 22
Michael McDowell
Rank: 15
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: McDowell was the recipient of the prestigious Pinball Award in our Superlatives this week after a staggering 44 incident points. Still, he managed to score a top-10 finish, so I guess using the bumper really pays.
Rank: 15
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: McDowell was the recipient of the prestigious Pinball Award in our Superlatives this week after a staggering 44 incident points. Still, he managed to score a top-10 finish, so I guess using the bumper really pays.
9 of 22
Tyler Reddick
Rank: 14
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: The leap from a 28th-place finish last week to a seventh-place finish this week means a big leap into the rankings also. We don't know what led to his improvement, probably figuring out a way to get his feet to reach the pedals.
Rank: 14
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: The leap from a 28th-place finish last week to a seventh-place finish this week means a big leap into the rankings also. We don't know what led to his improvement, probably figuring out a way to get his feet to reach the pedals.
10 of 22
Kyle Busch
Rank: 13
Change: +7
PAT DECOLA: Parker Kligerman tweeted after Sunday's race, "@KyleBusch is going to win one of these races. Of all the drivers with very little experience @iRacing he has progressed at an incredible rate." Knowing the grit and determination "Rowdy" displays behind the wheel in the Cup Series, nothing surprises us anymore about Busch's talents.
Rank: 13
Change: +7
PAT DECOLA: Parker Kligerman tweeted after Sunday's race, "@KyleBusch is going to win one of these races. Of all the drivers with very little experience @iRacing he has progressed at an incredible rate." Knowing the grit and determination "Rowdy" displays behind the wheel in the Cup Series, nothing surprises us anymore about Busch's talents.
11 of 22
Alex Bowman
Rank: 12
Change: -6
STEVE LUVENDER: There's an intriguing correlation between the number of Bowman mid-race tweets and his finishing position. At Bristol, he tweeted fewer times in the middle of the race than he had in the previous two Pro Invitational Series races. As a result, at least in my opinion, he scored his worst finish of the season. This is the only time I'll go on record endorsing tweeting and driving.
Rank: 12
Change: -6
STEVE LUVENDER: There's an intriguing correlation between the number of Bowman mid-race tweets and his finishing position. At Bristol, he tweeted fewer times in the middle of the race than he had in the previous two Pro Invitational Series races. As a result, at least in my opinion, he scored his worst finish of the season. This is the only time I'll go on record endorsing tweeting and driving.
12 of 22
Bobby Labonte
Rank: 11
Change: +3
@NASCARCASM: "Barefoot Bobby" managed a second straight 13th-place finish, which is quite the "feet!" Sorry. No more awful dad jokes. He's the NASCAR Hall of Fame's "sole" representative in the series -- SEE, there I go again, it's like an addiction.
Rank: 11
Change: +3
@NASCARCASM: "Barefoot Bobby" managed a second straight 13th-place finish, which is quite the "feet!" Sorry. No more awful dad jokes. He's the NASCAR Hall of Fame's "sole" representative in the series -- SEE, there I go again, it's like an addiction.
13 of 22
Landon Cassill
Rank: 10
Change: -2
PAT DECOLA: Cassill is on the precipice of the top 10 in the unofficial standings, sitting 11th and one point behind John Hunter Nemechek. The veteran driver is getting slightly less out of his average finishes (12th) than his average qualifying positions (9th), but I suspect the two-week layoff between races will only give Cassill ample time to practice and he'll net another top 10 at Richmond.
Rank: 10
Change: -2
PAT DECOLA: Cassill is on the precipice of the top 10 in the unofficial standings, sitting 11th and one point behind John Hunter Nemechek. The veteran driver is getting slightly less out of his average finishes (12th) than his average qualifying positions (9th), but I suspect the two-week layoff between races will only give Cassill ample time to practice and he'll net another top 10 at Richmond.
14 of 22
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Rank: 9
Change: -7
STEVE LUVENDER: Earnhardt blamed speeding on pit road as the end of his hopeful afternoon at Bristol. When I do something to earn a black flag in an iRacing league race, I'll usually just blame it on a computer glitch and ask to have the penalty reversed. Works like a quarter of the time. If you're not cheating, you're not trying.
Rank: 9
Change: -7
STEVE LUVENDER: Earnhardt blamed speeding on pit road as the end of his hopeful afternoon at Bristol. When I do something to earn a black flag in an iRacing league race, I'll usually just blame it on a computer glitch and ask to have the penalty reversed. Works like a quarter of the time. If you're not cheating, you're not trying.
15 of 22
Parker Kligerman
Rank: 8
Change: +2
@NASCARCASM: Kligerman has yet to finish outside the top 15. He's reliable. If we were tracking playoff points, he'd be one of the drivers who gets in 15th or 16th on consistency alone. We're confident he'll win, and being a TV guy, he'll be able to interview himself.
Rank: 8
Change: +2
@NASCARCASM: Kligerman has yet to finish outside the top 15. He's reliable. If we were tracking playoff points, he'd be one of the drivers who gets in 15th or 16th on consistency alone. We're confident he'll win, and being a TV guy, he'll be able to interview himself.
16 of 22
Matt DiBenedetto
Rank: 7
Change: +2
PAT DECOLA: DiBenedetto netted a strong top-five run at Bristol -- hey, that sounds familiar -- and should have another good showing in him for Richmond, where he started 12th and finished 14th last fall in the No. 95 Toyota. Mostly, we're just glad he's wearing a full set of clothes behind the wheel again.
Rank: 7
Change: +2
PAT DECOLA: DiBenedetto netted a strong top-five run at Bristol -- hey, that sounds familiar -- and should have another good showing in him for Richmond, where he started 12th and finished 14th last fall in the No. 95 Toyota. Mostly, we're just glad he's wearing a full set of clothes behind the wheel again.
17 of 22
Denny Hamlin
Rank: 6
Change: -1
STEVE LUVENDER: Even though the floor is lava, Hamlin managed to gain 22 positions from his 26th-place starting spot to snag a fourth-place finish at Bristol. Now, heading into Richmond, we'll find out if a home-track advantage is a real thing in the virtual world. If it is, somebody's going to have to get Martin Truex Jr. a sim rig, stat.
Rank: 6
Change: -1
STEVE LUVENDER: Even though the floor is lava, Hamlin managed to gain 22 positions from his 26th-place starting spot to snag a fourth-place finish at Bristol. Now, heading into Richmond, we'll find out if a home-track advantage is a real thing in the virtual world. If it is, somebody's going to have to get Martin Truex Jr. a sim rig, stat.
18 of 22
Garrett Smithley
Rank: 5
Change: -2
@NASCARCASM: When you haven't finished worse than ninth in three races AND were told to 'EAT S--T' by Dale Earnhardt Jr. after the last one, you clearly must be doing something right. If that happened to me, it'd be the first entry in my Twitter bio.
Rank: 5
Change: -2
@NASCARCASM: When you haven't finished worse than ninth in three races AND were told to 'EAT S--T' by Dale Earnhardt Jr. after the last one, you clearly must be doing something right. If that happened to me, it'd be the first entry in my Twitter bio.
19 of 22
John Hunter Nemechek
Rank: 4
Change: +8
PAT DECOLA: Nemechek is a driver who has turned heads both as a rookie Cup Series contender (P11 in his first Daytona 500 in February) and in the Pro Invitational Series, where he has finished in the top 10 two weeks straight -- including Sunday's runner-up. Big things ahead for JHN, it would seem.
Rank: 4
Change: +8
PAT DECOLA: Nemechek is a driver who has turned heads both as a rookie Cup Series contender (P11 in his first Daytona 500 in February) and in the Pro Invitational Series, where he has finished in the top 10 two weeks straight -- including Sunday's runner-up. Big things ahead for JHN, it would seem.
20 of 22
Ryan Preece
Rank: 3
Change: +1
STEVE LUVENDER: Preece continues to impress us each week. In Texas, he made one of the craziest saves we've ever seen through the grass and still finished second. At Bristol, he lost a heat race by, like, six pixels, and then drove to a top-10 finish in the race. A win is coming.
Rank: 3
Change: +1
STEVE LUVENDER: Preece continues to impress us each week. In Texas, he made one of the craziest saves we've ever seen through the grass and still finished second. At Bristol, he lost a heat race by, like, six pixels, and then drove to a top-10 finish in the race. A win is coming.
21 of 22
William Byron
Rank: 2
Change: +5
@NASCARCASM: Who had any idea Byron was so good at iRacing, I mean, besides anyone who has spent any time on iRacing? Byron led 116 laps and won handily. Put your stein of milk down and look in the rearview, Timmy Hill -- Bryon's nipping at your heels.
Rank: 2
Change: +5
@NASCARCASM: Who had any idea Byron was so good at iRacing, I mean, besides anyone who has spent any time on iRacing? Byron led 116 laps and won handily. Put your stein of milk down and look in the rearview, Timmy Hill -- Bryon's nipping at your heels.
22 of 22
Timmy Hill
Rank: 1
Change: None
PAT DECOLA: I strongly considered tossing "Slick Bill" above Timmy Thrill after the former's Bristol victory, but Hill has been too exceptional in every race to top. The Texas winner has yet to finish worse than third and is the only driver to finish in the top five in all three events. He's the whole package. (Sorry, milk jokes are hard.)
Rank: 1
Change: None
PAT DECOLA: I strongly considered tossing "Slick Bill" above Timmy Thrill after the former's Bristol victory, but Hill has been too exceptional in every race to top. The Texas winner has yet to finish worse than third and is the only driver to finish in the top five in all three events. He's the whole package. (Sorry, milk jokes are hard.)