IndyCar: ‘Random Draw’ track confirmed for Saturday’s race
By Asher Fair
IndyCar has confirmed that the “Random Draw” track on the IndyCar iRacing Challenge schedule for this Saturday is Twin Ring Motegi.
When IndyCar and iRacing announced the IndyCar iRacing Challenge in response to the postponements and cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Saturday, April 18 was reserved for a “Random Draw” track.
This “Random Draw” track has now been confirmed.
After the series raced at two virtual road courses, virtual Watkins Glen International and virtual Barber Motorsports Park, and the virtual oval of virtual Michigan International Speedway, another visit to a virtual oval is on the schedule for this weekend.
Virtual Twin Ring Motegi is slated to host the fourth race on the IndyCar iRacing Challenge schedule.
INDYCAR @iRacing Challenge "Random Draw" for Round 4, takes us to virtual Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. Catch the action Saturday, April 18. #INDYCAR // #INDYCARChallenge pic.twitter.com/rwvu2u4MYH
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) April 13, 2020
There is a Twin Ring Motegi road course as well, the track which actually hosted IndyCar’s most recent visit to Japan in 2011. But Simon Pagenaud confirmed that they’ll be racing on the virtual oval this weekend.
Oval racing Yeeeeessss! Let’s go
— Simon Pagenaud (@simonpagenaud) April 13, 2020
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The four-turn, 1.549-mile (2.493-kilometer) egg-shaped oval in Motegi, Japan hosted eight IndyCar races earlier this century, one each year from 2003 to 2010.
Among active drivers, Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon are the only two winners there, as Kanaan won in 2007 and Dixon won in 2009.
After this race, there are two races remaining on the IndyCar iRacing Challenge schedule, although the scheduled could very well be suspended depending on how the coronavirus pandemic plays out.
Virtual Circuit of the Americas is set to host a race next Saturday, April 25 while a virtual non-IndyCar “Dream” track that has not yet been determined is set to host a race on Saturday, May 2.
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The IndyCar iRacing Challenge race at virtual Twin Ring Motegi is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET this Saturday, April 18.