For the fourth time in five races, the iRacing Pro Invitational Series takes to a new track for their virtual race. This time it’s on the streets of Chicago. This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series will travel to wine country for some road course racing in Sanoma.
For the second time in the Pro Invitational Series, the drivers will be racing in the new NextGen cars.
With Jeff Gordon already in Sanoma, Clint Bowyer gets away from the racing simulator to join Mike Joy in the broadcast booth with in race reporters Joey Logano and William Byron for the final iRacing event on FOX.
The drivers will get two quick resets in the Windy City 110 – a 12 corner course of the streets of Chicago that many of the drivers are finding it very challenging to complete without hitting the walls. The drivers will make 51 laps around the 2.19 mile course that includes trips down Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive and driving around Grant Park
While he hasn’t always fared well on the tracks, Navy Commander Jesse Iwuji is undefeated when it comes to the fan vote. Iwuji has again earned the fan vote for entry into the race.
Retired Cup Series driver and current NBC Sports broadcaster Dale Earnhardt Jr is also scheduled to be a part of the 37 car field.
Drivers scheduled to be a part of the iRacing event in Chicago are:
Quin Houff
Brad Keselowski
Austin Dillon
Kevin Harvick
Kyle Larson
Ryan Newman
Corey LaJoie
Tyler Reddick
Chase Elliott
Aric Almirola
Denny Hamlin
Ryan Blaney
Chase Briscoe
James Davison
Martin Truex Jr
Christopher Bell
Matt DiBenedetto
Joey Logano
Bubba Wallace
William Byron
Anthony Alfredo
Cole Custer
Ross Chastain
Erik Jones
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Alex Bowman
Garrett Smithley
Josh Bilicki
Joey Gase
Justin Haley
Kyle Tilley
Daniel Suarez
Timmy Hill
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Jesse Iwuji
Just like an actual racing event, iRacing has the pre-race ceremonies of a prayer and the playing of the national anthem. Appropriately, two members of the Hall of Fame band Chicago perform the anthem. Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher gave the command to start engines.
Virtual COTA winner James Davison sits on the pole with Anthony Alfredo starting along side on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Windy City 110:
James Davison
Anthony Alfredo
Josh Bilicki
Tyler Reddick
William Byr9n
Garrett Smithley
Justin Haley
Ryan Blaney
Martin Truex Jr
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Matt DiBenedetto
Denny Hamlin
Chase Briscoe
Kyle Larson
Kevin Harvick
Quin Houff
Ross Chastain
Joey Gase
Joey Logano
Cole Custer
Christopher Bell
Jesse Iwuji
Austin Dillon
Ryan Newman
Erik Jones
Timmy Hill
Bread Keselowski
Bubba Wallace
Aric Almirola
Chris Buescher
Daniel Suarez
Corey LaJoie
BJ McLeod
AlexBowman
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Chase Elliott
Ty Gibbs
James Davison brings the field down for the virtual green flag start of the race and gets out in front for the lead. Anthony Alfredo and Tyler Reddick wreck on the first lap.
The top five are James Davison, Josh Bilicki, Justin Haley, Ryan Blaney, and Garrett Smithley.
William Byron has already used one of his two resets that allow drivers to make a quick repairs to their cars.
Lap two, James Davison has already pulled out to a lead of over three seconcds on Josh Bilicki.
Lap three, James Davison has pulled out to a five second lead on Josh Bilicki; Justin Haley, Ryan Blaney, and Garrett Smithley round out the top five. Dale Earnhardt Jr has entered the top 10 and fan favourite Jesse Iwuji is in 13th.
Joey Logano spins out and has some on track contact.
Lap five, James Davison has a lead of over four seconds on Josh Bilicki.
Lap seven, James Davison has a lead of over seven seconds on Josh Bilicki; Garrett Smithley, Martin Truex Jr, and Justin Haley round out the top five.
Born in Chicago, FOX broadcaster Mike Joy gives fans a little information about what they can see through the windshield.
Lap nine, James Davison has increased his lead to over eight seconds on Josh Bilicki; Martin Truex Jr, Garrett Smithley, and Justin Haley round out the top five. There are several drivers in “time out” getting repairs to their cars.
There are 30 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 10, Australian driver James Davison is “driving it like he stole it” with a lead of over eleven seconds on Josh Bilicki.
Erik Jones returns to the track after restting his car.
Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and several other drivers block the road with some on track contact.
James Davison is increasing his lead nearly one second per lap.
Lap 15, James Davison has a lead of over eleven seconds on Josh Bilicki; Martin Truex Jr, Justin Haley, and Garrett Smithley round out the top five.
Lap 17, James Davison continues to pull away from the field and has a lead of over 17 seconds on Josh Bilicki.
Lap 18, there are 25 cars on the lead lap.
Martin Truex Jr and Justin Haley have been battling for third place for the past couple of laps.
Erik Jones gets into the wall. There are no catuion flags in iRacing.
With a race of 51 laps, the drivers cannot complete the race on a single load of fuel and will have to come down pit road for fuel.
Lap 20, James Davison took the lead at the beginning of the race and has lead every lap so far as he continues to increase his lead over Josh Bilicki.
Lap 22, James Davison has a 19 second lead on Josh Bilicki; Justin Haley finally gets around Martin Truex Jr for third.
Lap 24, the top five are James Davison, Josh Bilicki, Justin Haley, Martin Truex Jr, and Matt DiBenedetto.
Lap 25, James Davison has a lead of nearly 24 seconds on Josh Bilicki.
Lap 27, leader James Davison and second place driver Josh Bilicki make their pit stops.
With 22 laps to go, James Davison continues to lead the race with Josh Bilicki in second; Justin Haley, Martin Truex Jr, and Garrett Smithely round out the top five.
Lap 30, Martin Truex Jr takes third from Justin Haley. James Davison has a near 40 second lead on Josh Bilicki.
Twenty to go, James Davison has run away with the field and has a 43 second lead on Josh Bilicki.
Joey Logano has entered the top 10, as one of the in-race reporters, he has been talking with Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer the entire race. Discussing the NextGen cars – which is what they are running in the virtual race – and Logano noted that it’s still a race car.
With 17 laps to go, James Davison continues to dominate and pull away from the field, he now has a lead of over 48 seconds on Josh Bilicki.
Lap 38, James Davison continues his lead; 49 seconds in front of Josh Bilicki; Justin Haley, Martin Truex Jr, and Garrett Smithely round out the top five.
Ten to go, Josh Bilicki is 48 seconds behind leader James Davison but has encountered slower traffic – Timmy Hill and Matt DiBenedetto, the sixth and seventh place drivers.
William Byron is out of the race with too much damage to his car.
Just five laps remaining in the race, James Davison’s lead is 50 seconds with Josh Bilicki in second; Justin Haley, Martin Truex Jr, and Garrett Smithley round out the top five. There are 16 cars on the lead lap.
All of the cars have the same setup, but James Davison has led every lap and run away from the rest of the field. With just three laps remaining in the race, he has a lead of nearly 52 seconds on Josh Bilicki.
James Davison takes the white flag.
Leading every lap in the race after winning the pole, James Davison becomes the first driver to win two races in the Pro Invitational Series. Davison was 55 seconds in front of Josh Bilicki when he crossed the finish line.
The results of the inaugural Windy City 110:
James Davison
Josh Bilicki
Justin Haley
Garrett Smithley
Martin Truex Jr
Timmy Hill
Matt DiBenedetto
Ross Chastain
Quin Houff
Joey Logano
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Jesse Iwuji
Cole Custer
BJ McLeod
Joey Gase
Austin Dillon
Tyler Reddick
Denny Hamlin
Chris Buescher
Bubba Wallace
Corey LaJoie
Daniel Suarez
William Byron
Ryan Blaney
Anthony Alfredo
Christopher Bell
Brad Keselowski
Kevin Harvick
Ryan Newman
Erik Jones
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Alex Bowman
Ty Gibbs
Chase Briscoe
Kyle Larson
Aric Almirola
Chase Elliott