Editor’s note: The NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing series resumes at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 8 at Kansas.
This week marks an important time in iRacing: Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned to the virtual track after a multi-year hiatus, to the delight of many.
Been a long time since I have ran a race @iRacing. I’ve always kept my computer upgraded and updated because I had always missed it. Jumped on for some laps today. Sure is a lot of fun on the dirt!
– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 24, 2018
Dale Jr. on dirt? We’ll wait here patiently while he announces his plans to run the Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora this summer. Fingers crossed. C’mon, Dale.
Don’t get too excited, though — Dale and Amy have a baby on the way. We’d imagine it’s tough to squeeze in iRacing races amidst father duties, media obligations with his new job at NBC Sports, and running a four-car Xfinity Series team.
Through a screenshot he tweeted, Myatt Snider found that iRacers seem to be fans of his — or at least his No. 13 Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra. We counted six Myatt trucks in a row in a race at Talladega.
Apparently people like the @libertytax scheme on @iRacing 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/7wIzOOp6rg
– Myatt Snider (@MyattSnider) April 25, 2018
NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE IRACING SERIES UPDATE
Three-time NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series champ Ray Alfalla claimed his first victory of 2018, defending his 2017 victory at Richmond Raceway Tuesday night. Ryan Luza, chasing his third consecutive win, led much of the race, until Alfalla set sail late and won by a half second over the fastest iRacer in Texas.
Winner Winner! The Virtual Racing School Ford is back in victory lane @RichmondRaceway #NPAiS! Started P25, and fought our way to the front to make the winning pass late in the race! @realVRS @peakauto @iRacing pic.twitter.com/aUPGKRm4SF
– Ray Alfalla (@rayalfalla) April 25, 2018
With 15 cautions, it wasn’t the most glamorous race of the season. The top four finishers — Alfalla, Luza, rookie Keegan Leahy, and Matt Bussa — were the only drivers fortunate enough to leave with clean (virtual) cars.
Watch the race recap:
The top iRacers head to Kansas Speedway May 8 for the sixth race of the 18-race season.
iRACING PAINT SCHEMES OF THE WEEK
Want to be like NASCAR.com’s @nascarcasm?
Me trying @iRacing for the first time pic.twitter.com/n48sru3ic6
– nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) April 28, 2018
Jordan Davis-Flint re-created John Hunter Nemechek’s Talladega-pit-entry-spinning No. 42 NASCAR Xfinity Series Chevrolet Camaro for iRacing.
Thomas S. brought Kevin Harvick’s famous Talladega flannel-themed Busch paint scheme to life in iRacing, too, if you’re into that sort of thing.
DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME
The Richmond race in the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series was a race of attrition and crunched race car pixels, as many short track races go.
How about Bobby Zalenski’s avoidance of the Big One at Richmond?
Zalenski picked up ten spots — going from 22nd to 12th — swerving around the carnage of this particularly big crash. Masterful stuff. Or, maybe a little dangerous. We haven’t decided which.