Since the revamped Charlotte road course is still essentially a new track, the version raced in NASCAR last weekend is not yet in iRacing – the sim’s perfectionism when it comes to track detail means sim racers will have to wait a bit before logging laps on the 17-turn beast.
iRacing, however, shared a private beta version of the track with NASCAR drivers looking to log laps at the new Roval track layout – and the racers seemed quite thankful for the opportunity.
Just spent 30 minutes driving the @CLTMotorSpdwy Roval here in the office and it is a beast. Can't believe we don't have a line out the door here of Xfinity and cup drivers begging for sim time!
— Steve Myers (@iRacingMyers) September 24, 2018
Pretty awesome to be able to turn some laps before hitting the track today. Huge thank you to @iRacing for getting us early access to the new build to get ready for this weekends race.… https://t.co/hFvG9PvAFD
— Justin Allgaier (@J_Allgaier) September 27, 2018
Going to another new track this week.. the roval!! Thankfully @iRacing got the track ready for private testing for the drivers! Will be out later this year for the general public!
— Christopher Bell (@CBellRacing) September 25, 2018
Big shoutout to @iRacing for all their hard work getting the @CLTMotorSpdwy Roval ready so we could make some laps on it and not be blindfolded going in! I feel way better than I did going on a track I’ve never seen or been too so thank you guys!
— Jeremy Clements (@JClements51) September 27, 2018
.@AlexLabbe36, driver of the #36 DGM Racing car in the @NASCAR_Xfinity Series, stopped by iRacing HQ to prepare for the upcoming event at the brand new @CLTMotorSpdwy #Roval pic.twitter.com/cwfGhsScJ9
— iRacing (@iRacing) September 27, 2018
Who wants to see an @iRacing onboard lap of the @CLTMotorSpdwy #Roval?! No chicanes, but don’t worry, those are coming to iRacing soon.😉 Check it out below! pic.twitter.com/jxGSFT0uUt
— Josh Bilicki (@joshbilicki) September 25, 2018
Each of them likely fared better than Landon Cassill’s first attempt.
.@LandonCassill got to take the first laps at the @CLTMotorSpdwy ROVAL in @iRacing.
It… didn't work out initially. 😂 pic.twitter.com/9XKNutJEbz
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 26, 2018
Jesse Iwuji, mostly known for his stock car racing efforts, hopped in a sprint car and credited iRacing for help getting him up to speed.
Running #corykruseman Sprint cars today was a blast! Last time I got some laps in one it was 2015 and just 1 day in the car; fast forward 3 yrs later and they are still a blast! I fun getting 80 laps in today in dry slick, just right, & wet conditions. #iRacingHelped 🏁 @iRacing pic.twitter.com/KJ5rknL2Tz
— Jesse Iwuji (@Jesse_Iwuji) October 1, 2018
Kaz Grala and Xfinity Series Charlotte road course winner Chase Briscoe spent a little extracurricular time in the virtual racing world, too.
.@KazGrala came over to get a little Roval practice on the @_RLAPS simulator on @iRacing but of course we had to burn some laps at @kokomospeedway too. pic.twitter.com/od1lF6d46M
— Chase Briscoe (@ChaseBriscoe_14) September 26, 2018
The eNASCAR Ignite Series crowned its first champion. Connecticut’s Zack Novak, of NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series fame, won the season finale at Martinsville Speedway Thursday – not to mention a $10,000 racing scholarship.
RELATED: Four eNASCAR Ignite Series takeaways
Zack Novak captures inaugural eNASCAR Ignite Series Championship.
🏁: https://t.co/ENpT24pn8H pic.twitter.com/cerfTKjw80
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 28, 2018
NASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE iRACING SERIES UPDATE
Playoffs contender Matt Bussa picked the ideal time for his first-career NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series victory. At iRacing’s virtual Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Radicals Online driver held off a late-race charge from the race-dominant Michael Conti. The win advances Bussa to the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway October 23.
Matt Bussa burns it down for the first time in his @RadicalsOnline #34 machine!
Bussa and Conti have both punched their tickets to the @NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series championship race at Homestead. 🎟️🎟️🏆#NPAiS | #ReachThePEAK pic.twitter.com/LfQyiP0uDA
— iRacing (@iRacing) September 26, 2018
The last chance to make the season-ending championship race comes Tuesday, October 9 at Dover International Speedway. Bussa and Darlington winner Michael Conti have secured their places, with two more up for grabs – currently held by defending champion Ryan Luza and three-time champ Ray Alfalla.
Here's the updated #NPAiS Playoff grid headed into the @MonsterMile in 2 weeks time. @RyanLuza and @rayalfalla are currently in based on points, but with a win providing an automatic transfer neither of them are mathematically locked. pic.twitter.com/sS8WSF2XbE
— Evan Posocco🎙️ (@evanposocco) September 26, 2018
iRACING PAINT SCHEMES OF THE WEEK
Liam Brotherton created Alex Bowman’s AXALTA ride for iRacing, featuring the special green trimmings and decals featured in Bowman’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs effort.
Rookie stripes not included.
Dustin Winegardner brought a mid-2000s classic to 2018. Brian Vickers drove a Ditech/GMAC Chevrolet in 2004 – and it looks great on a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Don’t you hate when your wheel comes unplugged from the computer in the middle of the race? Maybe that’s what happened to Brad Keselowski in Turn 1 at the Charlotte road course Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPN5WJJb178