NASCAR: Drivers who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to compete
By Asher Fair
NASCAR introducing the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series in response to the coronavirus pandemic has allowed several drivers who otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to compete to drive on Sundays.
Due to the fact that NASCAR had to suspend the 2020 season indefinitely after just four Cup Series races, four Xfinity Series races and two Truck Series races as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, NASCAR and iRacing formed the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series.
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As a result, NASCAR’s stars, primarily from the Cup Series, are still able to compete against one another in a virtual world that has been described by many drivers as being as close to the real thing as possible.
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While not all of the full-time Cup Series drivers have taken advantage of this opportunity, an overwhelming majority of them have been competing from their living rooms, garages or basements on Sunday afternoons over the last few weeks.
But perhaps even more notably, the introduction of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has allowed several drivers who otherwise would not be competing on Sundays to do so.
Here is a list of those drivers.
NOTE: This list includes only the drivers who have competed in all three races so far.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
When Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from NASCAR Cup Series competition following the 2017 season, did anybody expect that he would ever be competing in NASCAR races on Sunday afternoons again?
That is exactly what the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series has allowed, and Earnhardt has done well so far, sitting in sixth place in the unofficial championship standings through three races with a top finish of second in the opener at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Bobby Labonte
Arguably more surprising than the fact that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back behind the wheel and competing on Sundays is the fact that NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte is back behind the wheel on Sundays competing in the same races.
While he has competed in the Cup Series as recently as 2016, the 2000 champion and 2020 Hall of Fame inductee has not competed full-time since 2012. He has substituted for Martin Truex Jr. in these virtual races.
Garrett Smithley
Garrett Smithley is one of the drivers who has derived the most benefit from the fact that the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series was introduced, as he has never had a top-tier ride in the Cup Series.
This season, he has been competing part-time for Rick Ware Racing. But in the virtual world, now he gets to compete full-time against the stars of NASCAR’s highest level, and he has been one of the guys showing them how to get the job done. Through three races, he sits in third place in the unofficial championship standings.
Landon Cassill
The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series couldn’t have come at a better time for Landon Cassill. Cassill made his Cup Series debut in 2010 and competed in each season of the 2010s decade, competing in 324 races in total. In 2020, however, he does not have any kind of Cup Series ride lined up.
Now he is able to compete on Sundays once again, and he has done a solid job in equal equipment compared to the rest of the field, sitting in ninth place in the unofficial championship standings.
Parker Kligerman
Parker Kligerman, who turned the fastest lap of the entire 2019 Cup Series season, lost his part-time ride with Gaunt Brothers Racing ahead of the 2020 season. His 14-race deal from a year ago was the largest he has ever had at NASCAR’s highest level.
But the NBC Sports analyst has taken advantage of the opportunity to “return” to the sport and compete virtually, and he sits in eighth place in the unofficial championship standings following a best finish of seventh at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway.
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Virtual Richmond Raceway is set to host the next race on the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series schedule next Sunday, April 19, as the series has off this weekend due to Easter. This race is set to be simulcast live on the Fox broadcast network, Fox Sports 1 and the Fox Sports app beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.