Race Weekend Central

iRacing Weekly Roundup: Summer Break? Not for Online Racing!

The top series in NASCAR are off for the Olympics for two weeks, but besides the 100% Cup Series, that doesn’t mean anything to most racing online.

Many of the series that the iRacing Weekly Roundup covers are still in full force during the break. A few special events have also popped up, such as the Slidejob 300 that occurred this past Friday (July 30).

A brand new series from a league we’ve covered in the past joins the roundup. eRacr.gg is hosting a six-week Roval racing series, visiting popular NASCAR oval tracks and racing multiclass NASCAR on the infield sections. 

The Roundup this week also takes a look at the last 100% Cup Series race two weeks ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the last two FTF Cup Series races, Monday Night Racing’s playoff Round of 13 and the latest race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Round 2 of the eNASCAR Road to Pro Qualifying Series.

ERACR ROVAL RACING SERIES | SATURDAYS AT 7 p.m. ET

RACE 1: Texas Motor Speedway ROVAL, July 17

The opening race of the eRacr.gg Roval Racing Series took the multiclass NASCAR field to the infield at Texas Motor Speedway. With the fastest drivers in the fastest cars, that being the NASCAR Cup Series, the mid-range drivers in the mid-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series car and the up-and-coming racers in the NASCAR Camping World Trucks, a spread of talent would clash throughout the hour-long events.

The race would be split up by a caution at halfway. Three minutes before the yellow, pits would close, so short pitting was a move but at the cost of getting trapped down a lap. Matt Danson was the overall winner in the A class.

TEXAS ROVAL CLASS WINNERS

  • CUP CLASS A: Matt Danson
  • NXS CLASS B: Brian Szabelski
  • CWT CLASS C: David Grantham

RACE 2: Pocono Raceway ROVAL, July 24

At Texas, drivers drove the oval section in the normal left-handed direction before entering and exiting the infield. At Pocono, things were a little backwards. The Pocono Roval took the multiclass series down the frontstretch in the opposite direction, making the right-handed turn into the infield before turn 3. 

A series of zigs and zags through the normal campgrounds would set up for reemergence onto the track on the short chute just before the tunnel turn. A right hander through there and into a chicane on the Long Pond Straight just before taking a long, windy right hander through turn 1 and back down across the line. 

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Class A drivers had a brawl once again, at multiple points leading each other off the cliff and off of the track. Danson eventually took the overall win for the second week in a row.

POCONO ROVAL CLASS WINNERS

  • CUP CLASS A: Matt Danson
  • NXS CLASS B: Matt Taylor
  • CWT CLASS C: Jeremy Breault

After two races, Danson has nearly a full race up on Liam Sheen in the Class A ranks. Matt Taylor leads Class B by five points over Brian Szabelski. David Grantham continues to lead by 10 points over Brandon Paunetto.

Check out the action over at eRacr.gg.

100% CUP SERIES | SATURDAYS AT 8:30 p.m. ET

RACE 22: New Hampshire, July 17

Just before the Olympic break, the 100% Cup Series ran a full-distance event at New Hampshire. With five races to go until the playoffs begin, many of the top runners are trying to pad their bonus points before the reset.

After taking the sole possession of leading the most wins category the week prior at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Adam Benefiel did it again, dominating at New Hampshire. Benefiel collected 59 out of a possible 60 points on Saturday night, only losing out on that one point and the playoff point for winning stage 2. That went to Cam Stone, who eventually finished in third.

Bryson Hixenbaugh started alongside Benefiel and led a good chunk of the event, but wound up finishing in second.

NEW HAMPSHIRE TOP 5

  1. Adam Benefiel
  2. Bryson Hixenbaugh
  3. Cam Stone
  4. RJ Root
  5. Sean O’Brien Jr.

With seven race wins and seven stage wins, Benefiel leads the series in playoff points accumulated with now four races until the reset. Hixenbaugh is currently in position to earn another 15 playoff points for winning the regular season standings, so he would outrank Benefiel on the seeding if the playoffs began now.

STANDINGS | SCHEDULE

Check out all the previous race broadcasts over at 3 Wide TV.

FTF CUP SERIES | SUNDAYS AT 8 p.m. ET

RACE 22: New Hampshire, July 18

Magic was in the air in the Granite State, but Kevin King kept it all to himself in the 22nd race of the FTF Cup Series season. After waiting out the NASCAR Cup Series finish in the darkness, the FTF race was finally underway. 

Tyler Garey started on the pole position, but it was King who led from the get go. The race saw a mostly green atmosphere with pit strategy coming into play. King won both stages and led the most laps by far, 159 of the 177 laps completed. With the win, King takes the sole lead in the wins column so far in 2021.

NEW HAMPSHIRE TOP 5

  1. Kevin King
  2. Ryan Doucette
  3. Michael P Frisch
  4. Tyler Garey
  5. Brian Mercurio

RACE 23: Watkins Glen International, July 25

Instead of taking some time off like the real Cup Series, FTF decided to make use of the off time to get ahead of the schedule. Watkins Glen was run two weeks early, as well as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, but real races at Darlington Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be on off nights for the series, so the times would clash.

Watkins Glen was a race that happened. Brandon Hawkin led from the pole position, winning the first stage at lap 20. Blake Reynolds eventually joined in on the fun and took control in time to win stage 2.

A massive pileup on a late restart jumbled up the order for the final laps. Michael P. Frisch was able to assume control. Frisch held off Reynolds and Michael Cosey Jr. to take his third win of the season.

WATKINS GLEN TOP 5

  1. Michael P. Frisch
  2. Blake Reynolds
  3. Michael Cosey Jr
  4. Brian Mercurio
  5. Spencer Prete

With only three races until the playoffs and the return of Cosey, the final spots in the playoffs are completely up in the air. Cosey doesn’t have enough starts to win and lock in, but he is close enough to steal the final spot from either Evan Rice, Gary Watterworth or Jake Poulin.

STANDINGS | SCHEDULE

Check out the broadcast replays over on BottomSplit.

MONDAY NIGHT RACING | MONDAYS AT 8 p.m. ET

RACE 10: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, July 19

Las Vegas would open the playoffs for Season 3 of Monday Night Racing. Garrett Smithley was added to the playoff grid as Shane van Gisbergen was removed. The four-time winner on the season from Australian Supercars fame had other commitments and could not participate in the first round, opening the door for Smithley.

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Rajah Caruth had the dominant car all night, leading 80 of the 111 laps, but Smithley ultimately made the most of his promotion to the playoffs. As Caruth wrecked while coming to the white flag, that placed the race in the hands of Anthony Alfredo and Adam Cabot. Those two got into it out of the final corner, allowing for Smithley to make a pass in the grass to win it and advance to the next round.

LAS VEGAS TOP 5

  1. Garrett Smithley
  2. Anthony Alfredo
  3. Adam Cabot
  4. Max Kennon
  5. Preston Pardus

RACE 11: Nashville Superspeedway, July 26

The final race in the Monday Night Racing Round of 13 saw the industry folks take to Nashville Superspeedway in the Super Late Model. Three drivers would face elimination after 110 laps around the 1.3-mile concrete playground.

James Bickford led the field to green and was a force to be reckoned with during the early stages. An unfortunate penalty after missing the access road during pit stops cost him a lap, ultimately ending his chances. Smithley, Brad Perez, David Schildhouse and Preston Pardus were all ready to pounce on the occasion, the quartet putting on a battle for the top spot in the final stages.

Smithley was able to get it done for the second week in a row, double solidifying his place in the Round of 10 after sweeping the Round of 13. 

NASHVILLE SS TOP 5

  1. Garrett Smithley
  2. Brad Perez
  3. David Schildhouse
  4. Preston Pardus
  5. Adam Cabot

With the Round of 13 in the rearview mirror, three drivers have been eliminated from winning the championship in Season 3. Alfredo was unable to compete at Nashville, and without that Vegas win, he fell outside the cutoff line. Gabe Wood and Josh Slate were the other two eliminated.

Moving on to the Round of 10, the following drivers still have a chance to win the title:

  • Garrett Smithley (NASCAR Cup Series Driver)
  • Adam Cabot (Esports Racing League Champion)
  • Matt Stallknecht (NASCAR Senior Manager of Sports Betting)
  • Brad Perez (Martins Motorsports Mechanic, ARCA Driver)
  • Rajah Caruth (NASCAR Drive for Diversity, ARCA Driver)
  • Max Kennon (Kyle Busch Motorsports Engineer)
  • David Schildhouse (Kligerman Sport Community Manager)
  • DJ Cummings (NASCAR Digital Platform Manager)
  • Robby Lyons (NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver)
  • Ford Martin (MNR Co-Founder, FOX Sports Digital Content Producer)

Check out the broadcasts over at Podium Esports.

ROAD TO PRO QUALIFYING SERIES (ROUND 2)

RACE 2, SPLIT 1: Homestead-Miami Speedway, July 22

There were comers and goers in the first race of two similar splits for the eNASCAR Road to Pro Qualifying Series. Liam Brotherton led the field to green, but Dylan Ault took over after only two laps. Parker Retzlaff and Kaden Honeycutt took turns leading, but a couple of cautions jumbled up the order. That’s when Briar LaPradd came into the picture.

The final run saw some pit strategy come into play. Honeycutt attempted the undercut, pitting two laps before LaPradd. It worked for a bit before LaPradd was able to catch and pass him back for the eventual win.

FIRST SPLIT TOP 5 AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI

  1. Briar LaPradd
  2. Jordy Lopez Jr
  3. Justin Bolton
  4. Kaden Honeycutt
  5. Nickolas Shelton

RACE 2, SPLIT 2: Homestead-Miami Speedway, July 22

The second split was absolutely dominated by Cody Byus. As it was in the first split, fully green would mean two stops for tires, but any caution would bring drivers down pit road for service. It wasn’t until the last moment that the caution flew and stacked up the field for an overtime finish.

Ryan A. Hill opted to stay out on older tires, leading the field to green on the bottom lane with Byus up top and Donovan Strauss right behind. As they entered the first corner, Hill visually looked like he was down a cylinder or two as Byus and Strauss split the difference. The higher line could pinch the bottom down, but Strauss was able to make it stick. 

SECOND SPLIT TOP 5 AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI (July 22)

  1. Donovan Strauss
  2. Darik Bourdeau
  3. Cody Byus
  4. Kyle Peddle
  5. Oumar Diallo

The double wins place Strauss as the sole points leader entering Watkins Glen. LaPradd sits in second while Byus is in third. The top 20 finishers of the 70 competing will advance to the contender round of the series against the relegated eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series drivers. 

Eddie Kerner and Conor Horn are currently tied for the final spot. Austin J. Yarbrough was a winner at Knoxville Raceway last week, but now he sits a point out after a 28th place run at Homestead-Miami.

SLIDEJOB 300 PRESENTED BY BOTTOMSPLIT ON ERACR.GG

In about a week’s time, former eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series driver Bryan Blackford put together a special event for iRacers who prefer an off-throttle racing challenge. Utilizing the legacy Car of Tomorrow and Homestead-Miami, Blackford and eRacr.gg put together a rather quick special event.

The goal was to simulate racing that would incur sliding and close battles across all grooves while attempting to save tires and regulate throttle time. The setup and qualifying races had some moments that flashed this sentiment, but it was ultimately a battle for the bottom groove at the end of the day, the place that could save tires best. 

The first 150 laps of the main event were mixed. Some runs went far enough where pit stops almost happened under green. Some runs ended in disaster for hopefuls. The final stint saw a mixed bag between saving and going for it. Some drivers were short on fuel, some were short on tires.

Michael Guest, Collin Bowden and Michael Conti looked to be the most dominant drivers in the field, but each had their own issues and wound up out of things by the end. In the closing laps, Blade Whitt was passed by Vicente Salas for the lead. That proved to be the move for the win after 300 miles of racing from night to day.

SLIDEJOB 300 TOP 5 (July 30)

  1. Vicente Salas
  2. Blade Whitt
  3. Oumar Diallo
  4. Briar LaPradd
  5. Anthony Burroughs

The full race replay can be found over on eRacr.gg. The race was broadcasted by the BottomSplit crew.

COMING UP

eRacr.gg’s Roval Racing Series will run the Indianapolis road course on Saturday night, July 31, completed before this roundup posts. Like the 100% Cup Series, the recaps will be posted next week. Check out the action on Saturday nights at 7 p.m. ET on eRacr.gg.

100% Cup Series is off once again this week as they are following the NASCAR schedule. They will return to Watkins Glen next weekend.

FTF Racing is using the off time to get ahead of the schedule, using the off-weeks when NASCAR decides to race during their time slot. Indianapolis road course is up next on Sunday, Aug. 1, live at 8 p.m. ET on BottomSplit

Monday Night Racing heads to Talladega Superspeedway in iRacing’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series vehicles this week. The broadcast, led by special guests Adam Alexander and Dave Moody, will start at 8 p.m. ET on Podium 2.

Finally, the Road to Pro Qualifying Series (Round 2) will be at Watkins Glen on Aug. 5. The designated first split will be on Podium eSports and the second will be on Podium 2.

About the author

Since the beginning of 2021, Justin Melillo is now the iRacing Editor for Frontstretch.com. With a B.A. in Journalism from Hofstra University, Melillo has been writing about NASCAR since 2013. Focusing primarily on eNASCAR and virtual motorsports, Melillo hopes his writing and coverage can help to grow the eSports reach in the motorsports world and beyond.

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TiminPayson

I’m glad guys enjoy it, but come on, it’s video games. I mean 9 year olds are doing it.. Don’t expect us to care.

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