NASCAR: Notable omission from virtual Bristol entry list
By Asher Fair
There was one notable omission from NASCAR’s entry list for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series season opener at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway.
The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, which replaced live NASCAR Cup Series action when there was no live action as a result of the coronavirus pandemic early last season, is set to return this evening at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway on dirt.
This race is set to precede what is slated to be the first Cup Series race on a dirt surface in over five decades this Sunday, March 28.
Last year’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series included seven races, and this year’s is set to include 10.
However, there was one notable omission from the entry list of the season opener.
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The virtual variants of the 36 chartered Cup Series cars are set to compete in the event, plus an additional car for Clint Bowyer and an additional car for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The only changes to these 36 cars are the fact that Austin Cindric, not Brad Keselowski, is set to drive the #2 Team Penske Ford, and Ryan Preece is set to use Kevin Harvick’s charter to run his non-chartered #37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet since Harvick will not be running his #4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Preece is managed by Kevin Harvick Incorporated.
But suffice it to say that what is a 38-car entry list should be a 39-car entry list.
Timmy Hill, who has competed full-time in the Cup Series behind the wheel of the #66 MBM Motorsports car since last year, was not included simply because of the fact that the #66 car is not a chartered entry.
Last year, Hill, who is one of the top iRacing drivers in the world, placed in the top three in six of the seven events, winning at virtual Texas Motor Speedway. Had points been kept for the series, he would have run away with the championship.
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The 2021 eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 is set to be broadcast live from virtual Bristol Motor Speedway beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET this evening. The real race, Sunday’s Food City Dirt Race, is set to be broadcast live from the track on Fox beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.