Updates from the Armchair: Recapping Charlotte week in iRacing

Watch: 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner Austin Dillon took some laps around Charlotte Motor Speedway before hitting the track Sunday night. Unfortunately for Dillon, he didn’t defend his win after cutting a tire early in the race -- something unpredictable that’s tough to simulate in iRacing. ... NASCAR America on NBC Sports often utilizes an iRacing-equipped simulator setup, usually piloted by experienced iRacer Parker Kligerman. Here’s some behind-the-scenes footage of when Kyle Petty makes (well, attempts) some laps for the show, captured by iRacer Adam DeBlasio. At one point while making laps, Petty says, “I’ve got to get me one of these.” We agree. NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE IRACING SERIES UPDATE Do you like photo finishes? Don’t answer that. Yes you do. Nick Shelton edged Jarl Teien by 0.007 seconds at the line to score his first NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series victory. As our Race 7 Power Rankings noted, Shelton showed speed at 1.5-mile tracks this season, finishing third at Las Vegas, third at Kansas, and now, first at Charlotte. The win lifted the Slip Angle Motorsports driver to fourth in the championship standings after Ryan Luza missed his second consecutive race. The series heads to Michigan International Speedway June 12 for the eighth race of the season. Michael Conti outdueled Zack Novak for the win in last year’s race. IRACING PAINT SCHEMES OF THE WEEK Bill Martin reinterpreted Mark Martin’s 1996 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series paint scheme for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ford Mustang. [caption id="attachment_122657" align="aligncenter" width="1426"] Credit: Bill Martin[/caption] To honor Roger Penske’s induction into the 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame class, Scott Pierchorowicz created a throwback paint scheme on a modern car. [caption id="attachment_122661" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Credit: Scott Pierchorowicz[/caption] DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME Even NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series drivers make mistakes sometimes -- like this week, when Michael Conti confused the shifting pattern of his iRacing car with the one on his street car, resulting in his No. 5 car going for a wild spin through the grass at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s OK, Michael. Better to make the wrong shift in your virtual car than in your Camaro.