After race fans took over Twitter last week and FOX Sports reigned number one in the Nielson ratings with the inaugural Pro Invitational Series from Homestead-Miami last week, iRacing returns with the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125 from Texas Motor Speedway.
After a qualifying race, William Byron and Dale Earnhardt Jr sit on the front row and will lead the remaining 33 drivers down for the green flag.
Grateful Dead original member Bob Weir offers up the National Anthem before the race.
Troy Aikman gives the command to start the engines.
Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon, and Larry McReynolds return to call the race with NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer returns as the in-race reporter.
Last week the drivers were permitted two resets where they could make repairs and come off of pit road with a “new car”. This week the drivers only get one reset.
William Byron brings the field down for the green flag and jumps out in front of Dale Earnhardt Jr for the lead as the drivers get spread out across the track.
More than a video game, iRacing is a subscription service that works much like a simulator with graphics and the feel of the real race. The only thing missing are the g-forces the drivers feel in the turns. In fact, some of the drivers use iRacing to learn the tracks before racing.
The drivers will run 125 laps for a total of 187 miles.
An iRacing champion, William Byron has led the first 10 laps of the race.
Again this week, the field is comprised of drivers from the Gander RV and Outdoors Truck, Xfinity, and NASCAR Cup Series; as well as, retired drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr and Bobby Labonte.
John Hunter Nemechek takes the lead from William Byron but Byron gets his lead back.
Several drivers spun out after contact between Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch but the track stayed green.
The first caution flag comes out on lap 27 after Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell make contact sending Bell through the infield.
William Byron leads the race off of pit road.
William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 32 with Byron jumping out in front for the lead.
Mike Joy reports that there are a total of 39 NASCAR championships in the field this week.
The caution flag comes out on lap 39 after Anthony Alfredo gets hit and spins out.
After staying out on the track, Denny Hamlin brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 44 and holds on to the lead before Chase Elliott passes for the lead.
During the first pit stop Alex Bowman missed his pit box. On the second pit stop he was caught speeding. A speeding penalty in iRacing is a 40 second hold on pit road.
On lap 45, William Byron retakes the lead with four fresh tires.
Dale Earnhardt Jr has not only gotten his name on his dashboard, he has his car sponsor Hellman’s there too.
Mike Joy reports that John Wood of Wood Brothers Racing has launched a fundraising effort that bough over 200 tablets which were distributed to 12 nursing homes so that the residents can use them to connect with family since visiting is not allowed.
Ryan Preece takes over the lead of the race with John Hunter Nemechek in second and William Byron in third.
After staying out on the track after the last caution, Denny Hamlin has dropped to 16th place on lap 57.
Lap 60, John Hunter Nemechek gets around Ryan Preece to take the lead.
Lap 63, halfway, John Hunter Nemechek is in the lead with 32 cars on the lead lap. All 35 drivers are still on the track. There have been only two caution flags in the race.
William Byron has retaken the lead of the race.
Lap 83, green flag pit stops have begun. John Hunter Nemechek had troubple getting on pit road..
Lapp 88, leader William Byron brings his car down pit road. Alex Labbe spins on pit road. Ty Majeski is the new leader.
Lap 90, leader Ty Majeski comes down pit raod and gives the lead over the Michael McDowell.
Lap 92, Chase Elliott makes his first pit stop since lap 28.
Lap 93, leader Michael McDowell makes his pit stop and gives the lead over to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The one big difference in reality and iRacing is that the drivers in iRacing know exactly how much fuel they have in the tank; there is no fuel gage.
Mike Joy reports that Roush Fenway Racing and Eldora Speedway both donates several cases of masks to hospitals.
Lap 99, leader Dale Earnhardt Jr, Ross Chastain, and Kurt Busch are the only drivers who have yet to make a pit stop.
With 20 laps remaining in the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr continues to lead the race with William Byron in second.
Lap 106, Dale Earnhardt Jr finally makes his pit stop and gives the lead back to William Byron.
Lap 108, Daniel Suarez brings out the caution flag after he spins out.
Several of the drivers come down pit road for service including leader William Byron. Byron leads the race off of pit road.
William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart with eleven laps remaining in the race and gets out in front for the lead.
Clint Bowyer spins out and brings out after making contact with Greg Biffle and the caution flag with 10 laps remaining in the race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ty Majeski, Matt DiBenedetto, and Ty Dillon were all involved in the race. The sanctioning body has parked Daniel Suarez for attempting to wreck a driver on purpose.
William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart with only five laps remaining in the race. Bobby Labonte spins out on the restart but the track stays green.
Timmy Hill bumps William Byron and takes the lead.
Ryan Preece makes a run through the grass after contact with several drivers wreck and brings out the caution flag with only three laps remaining in the race. William Byron was also hit and make a run through the grass.
There is overtime racing in iRacing but unlike NASCAR where there are unlimited attemps, iRacing limits overtime restarts to three.
Timmy Hill brings the field down for the green flag start of overtime racing with Hill jumping out in front to hold on to the lead.
Timmy Hill takes the white flag with Ryan Preece on his bumper.
Timmy Hill wins his 674th iRacing win with the win of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 125.