Short Track iRacing in Bristol

After a wild overtime finish in Texas last week, iRacing moves to Thunder Valley and Bristol Motor Speedway for some short track racing.

The new eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has become very popular among the drivers. Over 80 drivers wanted to participate in the race this week. As a result, iRacing has divided the drivers up into two groups…the NASCAR Cup Series drivers and the remaining drivers. On Saturday night the drivers ran Saturday Night Thunder. On Sunday only the NASCAR Cup drivers will run.

The drivers get a quick three minutes to set the starting grid for two heat races that will determine the starting lineup for the main event.

The heat races are a quick 50 laps with NO caution flags!

This week the drivers get two damaged car resets for the heat races and another two resets for the main race; the heat race resets do not move over to the main race.

In the first race William Byron and Dale Earnhardt Jr will start from the front row. Similar to the Duel races at Daytona, the first heat race will set the inside lane; while the second heat race will set the outside lane.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag start and gets out in front for the lead with Dale Earnhardt Jr in second place and Christopher Bell in third.

With 32 drivers in the field, no one will go home, the heats will merely determine starting positions.

Halfway through the heat, William Byron has led every lap so far with Dale Earnhardt Jr in second.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr was black flagged by iRacing officials and must serve a penalty on pit road.

Ten laps remaining in the race, William Byron continues to lead the race with Dale Jr in second four seconds back.

With two laps remaining in the heat, Christopher Bell finally gets around Dale Jr for second place.

Leading every lap, William Byron wins heat one and will lead the inside lane in the feature race.

John Hunter Nemechek is on the pole for heat race number two and will bring the field to the green with Landon Cassill starting alongside on the front row.

John Hunter Nemechek brings the field down for the green flag and gets out in front for the lead with Landon Cassill in second and Ryan Preece in third. Last week’s winner Timmy Hill is in fourth place.

Halfway through the race, John Hunter Nemechek continues to lead the race; leading every lap so far.

Lap 22, Bobby Labonte and Clint Bowyer make contact and cause a spin.

With 17 to go, Clint Bowyer goes for another spin.

Ryan Preece moves into second place with Timmy Hill in third.

Ten to go, John Hunter Nemechek has begun lapping slower traffic.

On the final lap of the race John Hunter Nemechek and Ryan Preece battle for the lead with John Hunter winning by .006 seconds.

The feature event is 150 laps in length and while the drivers can make the full race on a single fuel load, tires will wear out before that.

William Byron sits on the pole with John Hunter Nemechek starting alongside on the front row.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag start of the race and jumps out in front for the lead; but before the first lap is complete, the caution flag comes out for a crash involving Ryan Preece and Christopher Bell.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap seven and holds on to his lead with John Hunter Nemechek in second. Kyle Busch, who has had some difficulty running the iraces has won a total of 22 races at Bristol. He is currently in sixth place.

The second caution flag ocmes out on lap eleven when Clint Bowyer gets into the wall after making contact with Bubba Wallace.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 17 and jumps out in front to hold on to his lead.

The caution flag comes out on lap 18 for a wreck involving Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 26 and holds on to his lead.

Lap 30, Kyle Busch has moved into fourth place with William Byron in the lead and John Hunter Nemechek in second.

The caution flag comes out on lap 32 for a wreck involving Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon.

William Byron has led every lap so far and brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 39.

On lap 42 the top five are William Byron, John Hunter Nemechek, Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman.

The caution flag comes out on lap 44 after Timmy Hill and Kyle Larson make contact.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 51 and jumps out in front for the lead with John Hunter Nemechek in second place; Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, and Dale Earnhardt Jr round out the top five.

The sixth caution flag of the race comes out on lap 53 for a wreck involving Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 56 and gets out in front for the lead.

The caution flag comes out on lap 72 when Kyle Larson makes contact with Daniel Suarez.

iRacing officials have parked Daniel Suarez and Kyle Larson for the remainder of the race after the last altercation.

Several drivers, including leaders came down pit road for service.

Candon Cassill brings the filed down for the green flag restart on lap 75 but after getting out in front, Chris Buecher passes Cassill for the lead.

The caution flag comes out on lap 77 for a crash.

The iRacing officials have called for singe car restarts for the remainder of the race.

Chris Buescher brings the field down for the green flag restart with 64 laps remaining in the race and holds on to his lead. William Byron is in fifth place.

There are 24 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 95, Chris Buescher continues to lead the race but William Byron has moved up to second place and is looking to retake the lead.

The caution flag comes out on lap 100 after Kyle Busch gets turned around.

Several drivers come down pit road for service.

Chris Buescher brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 105 with William Bryon in second.

Lap 106, William Byron battle Chris Buescher for the lead with Byron taking the lead with 42 laps remaining in the race.

The caution flag comes out with 37 laps remaining in the race after Kurt Busch hits the orange cones on pit road.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart with 32 laps remaining in the race with John Hunter Nemechek back up to second place.

The caution flag is out once again after a crash involving Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano that catches up several other drivers.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart with 19 laps remaining in the race. Byron had led the most laps of the race.

Fifteen to go; William Byron is in the lead with John Hunter Nemechek, Timmy Hill, Matt DiBenedetto, and Tyler Reddick rounding out the top five.

Ten to go, William Byron has a one second lead on John Hunter Nemechek.

The caution flag coems out with nine laps remaining in the race for the eleventh time after Kyle Busch makes contact with Ryan Preece and hits the wall.

William Byron brings the field down for the green flag restart with only five laps remaining in the race. Byron holds on to his lead and pulls away from John Hunter Nemechek.

William Byron takes the white flag.

William Byron wins the race for the third different winner of the season. This is the 1,499^th iRacing win for William Byron. Byron’s racing career began in iRacing before moving to the actual cars and quickly moving through the circuit up to the NASCAR Cup Series and driving for Hnedrick Motor Sports. Byron led 114 of the 150 laps in the race.