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eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Power Rankings, Race 2: Time for Texas
By Steve Luvender, @nascarcasm and Pat DeCola | Thursday, March 26, 2020
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Our expert panel of analysts* breaks down what’s in store at the virtual Texas Motor Speedway Sunday for the second 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.
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Missed the cut
Let’s take a moment to recognize the drivers who didn’t quite make our top 20. Prove us wrong, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski. Redeem yourselves, Ryan Truex and Kyle Larson. As for Jimmie Johnson — well, you’ve got all the potential in the world. You’ll get there.
Let’s take a moment to recognize the drivers who didn’t quite make our top 20. Prove us wrong, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski. Redeem yourselves, Ryan Truex and Kyle Larson. As for Jimmie Johnson — well, you’ve got all the potential in the world. You’ll get there.
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Anthony Alfredo
Rank: 20
Change: -8
PAT DECOLA: While Alfredo had a pretty calamitous race on Sunday that resulted in a 32nd-place finish, he's one of the more experienced iRacers in the field -- he'll get things straightened out at Texas.
Rank: 20
Change: -8
PAT DECOLA: While Alfredo had a pretty calamitous race on Sunday that resulted in a 32nd-place finish, he's one of the more experienced iRacers in the field -- he'll get things straightened out at Texas.
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Joey Logano
Rank: 19
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: If Joey Logano wins this weekend — keeping in mind the race is at Texas Motor Speedway — he'll have to wear a cowboy hat for the afternoon and launch off some sweet fireworks in his backyard. It's track tradition, after all.
Rank: 19
Change: Previously not ranked
STEVE LUVENDER: If Joey Logano wins this weekend — keeping in mind the race is at Texas Motor Speedway — he'll have to wear a cowboy hat for the afternoon and launch off some sweet fireworks in his backyard. It's track tradition, after all.
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Erik Jones
Rank: 18
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: After a spin on Lap 45, That Jones iBoi was able to recover, eventually finishing with a top 10. Worth noting that Jones raced wearing a virtual-reality headset instead of a monitor. A shame, because it messed up his typically pristine hair.
Rank: 18
Change: Previously not ranked
@NASCARCASM: After a spin on Lap 45, That Jones iBoi was able to recover, eventually finishing with a top 10. Worth noting that Jones raced wearing a virtual-reality headset instead of a monitor. A shame, because it messed up his typically pristine hair.
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Bobby Labonte
Rank: 17
Change: Previously not ranked
PAT DECOLA: Labonte hasn't raced in the Cup Series since 2016 -- though he did run nearly the full Whelen Euro Elite 1 season in 2018 -- but made some noise Sunday after putting in a scary amount of work in the sim leading up to the race. Maybe, just maybe, that kind of drive had something to do with his recent enshrinement into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Rank: 17
Change: Previously not ranked
PAT DECOLA: Labonte hasn't raced in the Cup Series since 2016 -- though he did run nearly the full Whelen Euro Elite 1 season in 2018 -- but made some noise Sunday after putting in a scary amount of work in the sim leading up to the race. Maybe, just maybe, that kind of drive had something to do with his recent enshrinement into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
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Clint Bowyer
Rank: 16
Change: +3
STEVE LUVENDER: Clint Bowyer finished 16th at Homestead, operative word being finished. We're impressed considering he not only raced, he also acted as in-car reporter for the NASCAR on FOX team. That's a lot to ask of anybody, let alone somebody as excitable as Clint Bowyer.
Rank: 16
Change: +3
STEVE LUVENDER: Clint Bowyer finished 16th at Homestead, operative word being finished. We're impressed considering he not only raced, he also acted as in-car reporter for the NASCAR on FOX team. That's a lot to ask of anybody, let alone somebody as excitable as Clint Bowyer.
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Christopher Bell
Rank: 15
Change: -8
@NASCARCASM: Bell barely managed to stay on the lead lap at Homestead. But in five Xfinity Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, he has two poles and one victory. Will this good fortune transfer to virtual iChristopher?
Rank: 15
Change: -8
@NASCARCASM: Bell barely managed to stay on the lead lap at Homestead. But in five Xfinity Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, he has two poles and one victory. Will this good fortune transfer to virtual iChristopher?
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Alex Bowman
Rank: 14
Change: Previously not ranked
PAT DECOLA: While he certainly didn't do his teammate William Byron any favors Sunday, Bowman did have himself a pretty nice race that resulted in a sixth-place finish. Given all the challenges Bowman endured during the race (his dog Finn might've been driving at one point?), that's impressive.
Rank: 14
Change: Previously not ranked
PAT DECOLA: While he certainly didn't do his teammate William Byron any favors Sunday, Bowman did have himself a pretty nice race that resulted in a sixth-place finish. Given all the challenges Bowman endured during the race (his dog Finn might've been driving at one point?), that's impressive.
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Ross Chastain
Rank: 13
Change: -4
STEVE LUVENDER: Ross Chastain looked quick Sunday, qualifying fourth, but got tangled up with William Byron while trying to hang on to second place. It really burned his bacon. Or, I don't know, smashed his melon.
Rank: 13
Change: -4
STEVE LUVENDER: Ross Chastain looked quick Sunday, qualifying fourth, but got tangled up with William Byron while trying to hang on to second place. It really burned his bacon. Or, I don't know, smashed his melon.
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Landon Cassill
Rank: 12
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: All you need to know about Landon is 1.) He finished a respectable 12th at Homestead, and 2.) He ran practice laps with his newborn affixed to his chest in some sort of baby-carrier sling. iRacing is an amazingly realistic simulation, but I don’t think you can do that in an actual race.
Rank: 12
Change: -4
@NASCARCASM: All you need to know about Landon is 1.) He finished a respectable 12th at Homestead, and 2.) He ran practice laps with his newborn affixed to his chest in some sort of baby-carrier sling. iRacing is an amazingly realistic simulation, but I don’t think you can do that in an actual race.
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Ryan Preece
Rank: 11
Change: +5
PAT DECOLA: Preece was caught up in an incident and later spun Clint Bowyer en route to a strong eighth-place run. Considering he was an iRacing rookie coming into the event, we think Preece might just have a future in motorsports.
Rank: 11
Change: +5
PAT DECOLA: Preece was caught up in an incident and later spun Clint Bowyer en route to a strong eighth-place run. Considering he was an iRacing rookie coming into the event, we think Preece might just have a future in motorsports.
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Matt DiBenedetto
Rank: 10
Change: +3
STEVE LUVENDER: I'm gonna be honest. I think the primary factor behind an upgraded top-10 ranking for Guido is his crew chief, Brian the dog. iRacing, please scan Brian and put him somewhere in the grandstands.
Rank: 10
Change: +3
STEVE LUVENDER: I'm gonna be honest. I think the primary factor behind an upgraded top-10 ranking for Guido is his crew chief, Brian the dog. iRacing, please scan Brian and put him somewhere in the grandstands.
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William Byron
Rank: 9
Change: -8
@NASCARCASM: We’re basing our ranking of iWilliam on the portion of the race before he wrecked out and finished 34th. William is an iRacing ninja, and is always a threat. He still ran strong, led 28 laps, and spun his teammate, Alex Bowman, which was hilarious. The more teammates that spin each other, the more material we have to work with. We can’t encourage it enough.
Rank: 9
Change: -8
@NASCARCASM: We’re basing our ranking of iWilliam on the portion of the race before he wrecked out and finished 34th. William is an iRacing ninja, and is always a threat. He still ran strong, led 28 laps, and spun his teammate, Alex Bowman, which was hilarious. The more teammates that spin each other, the more material we have to work with. We can’t encourage it enough.
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Parker Kligerman
Rank: 8
Change: -5
PAT DECOLA: One of the favorites coming into the race based on practice speed and iRacing history, Kligerman never got much of a chance to show what he's capable of after getting caught up in a Kurt Busch/Chase Briscoe incident on Lap 38. Keep an eye on him, though -- a win is certainly possible during this series of races.
Rank: 8
Change: -5
PAT DECOLA: One of the favorites coming into the race based on practice speed and iRacing history, Kligerman never got much of a chance to show what he's capable of after getting caught up in a Kurt Busch/Chase Briscoe incident on Lap 38. Keep an eye on him, though -- a win is certainly possible during this series of races.
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Bubba Wallace
Rank: 7
Change: +8
STEVE LUVENDER: OK, we were sleeping on Bubba, who survived for a solid seventh at Homestead, even after sending Chase Elliott for a spin. Better hope Chase doesn't file a protest with the iRacing stewards.
Rank: 7
Change: +8
STEVE LUVENDER: OK, we were sleeping on Bubba, who survived for a solid seventh at Homestead, even after sending Chase Elliott for a spin. Better hope Chase doesn't file a protest with the iRacing stewards.
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Chase Briscoe
Rank: 6
Change: +8
@NASCARCASM: Chase ran the very definition of a smart race. Qualified sixth, finished fourth, and managed to lead seven laps with pit strategy, plus his name literally translates into "Try and catch me." Think about it. OK, think about it some more.
Rank: 6
Change: +8
@NASCARCASM: Chase ran the very definition of a smart race. Qualified sixth, finished fourth, and managed to lead seven laps with pit strategy, plus his name literally translates into "Try and catch me." Think about it. OK, think about it some more.
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Ty Majeski
Rank: 5
Change: -3
PAT DECOLA: Arguably the favorite for Sunday, Majeski still notched a top 10 but wasn't able to compete for the win at the end after being collected in the Byron/Bowman kerfuffle. There's little reason to think the Budget Wonder won't be a factor this weekend.
Rank: 5
Change: -3
PAT DECOLA: Arguably the favorite for Sunday, Majeski still notched a top 10 but wasn't able to compete for the win at the end after being collected in the Byron/Bowman kerfuffle. There's little reason to think the Budget Wonder won't be a factor this weekend.
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Garrett Smithley
Rank: 4
Change: +6
STEVE LUVENDER: I wonder, given the history between the two, if Sunday felt the tiniest bit vindicating for Garrett Smithley, who nearly won the race, while Kyle Busch had a not-so-stellar afternoon.
Rank: 4
Change: +6
STEVE LUVENDER: I wonder, given the history between the two, if Sunday felt the tiniest bit vindicating for Garrett Smithley, who nearly won the race, while Kyle Busch had a not-so-stellar afternoon.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Rank: 3
Change: No change
@NASCARCASM: SO. DANG. CLOSE. If not for last-lap contact with Denny Hamlin coming out of Turn 4, it looked like Dale Jr. had it in the bag. Regardless, he ran a smart strategy and still finished runner-up. Little is known about this young driver, but if he continues to perform well in iRacing, it could lead to an actual full-time ride in Xfinity or Cup.
Rank: 3
Change: No change
@NASCARCASM: SO. DANG. CLOSE. If not for last-lap contact with Denny Hamlin coming out of Turn 4, it looked like Dale Jr. had it in the bag. Regardless, he ran a smart strategy and still finished runner-up. Little is known about this young driver, but if he continues to perform well in iRacing, it could lead to an actual full-time ride in Xfinity or Cup.
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Timmy Hill
Rank: 2
Change: +3
PAT DECOLA: One of NASCAR's most underrated drivers, Hill spent 13 laps in front of the field Sunday and looked to be in position for the win until being passed by Earnhardt with five to go. He got the slight nod over Junior here given his uber-elite status on iRacing, and we look forward to more -- checks notes -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. Timmy Hill battles for the win in this, the year 2020.
Rank: 2
Change: +3
PAT DECOLA: One of NASCAR's most underrated drivers, Hill spent 13 laps in front of the field Sunday and looked to be in position for the win until being passed by Earnhardt with five to go. He got the slight nod over Junior here given his uber-elite status on iRacing, and we look forward to more -- checks notes -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. Timmy Hill battles for the win in this, the year 2020.
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Denny Hamlin
Rank: 1
Change: +3
STEVE LUVENDER: Denny really delivered last week, and I'll be the first to admit we really underestimated him. Probably because we're a little jealous of his iRacing rig that appears to take up an entire room. He probably paid for it with proceeds from the swear jar.
Catch the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series from the virtual Texas Motor Speedway on FOX on March 29 at 1 p.m. ET.
Rank: 1
Change: +3
STEVE LUVENDER: Denny really delivered last week, and I'll be the first to admit we really underestimated him. Probably because we're a little jealous of his iRacing rig that appears to take up an entire room. He probably paid for it with proceeds from the swear jar.
Catch the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series from the virtual Texas Motor Speedway on FOX on March 29 at 1 p.m. ET.
