Stewart-Haas eSports: North Wilkesboro Invitational Race Report

Details:

 

• Race:  North Wilkesboro 160 (Round 7)

• Series:  eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series

• Date:  Saturday, May 9

• Location:  Virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway (.625-mile oval)

• Distance:  160 laps (100 miles)

• Winner:  Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing

 

Stewart-Haas eSports Results:       

 

• Kevin Harvick: Started 13th, Finished 9th (Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)

• Clint Bowyer: Started 29th, Finished 12th (Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)

• Cole Custer: Started 1st, Finished 16th (Running, completed 160 of 160 laps)

• Aric Almirola: Started 19th, Finished 26th (Engine, completed 103 of 160 laps)

 

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang:

 

“We had a great time at North Wilkesboro and I really want to say, ‘Thank you,’ to everyone from iRacing, FOX, NASCAR and the group of drivers who helped put this thing together. This was something that other sports don’t have in this time of need. It’s been a lot of fun just trying to learn. We had a good time today in our Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang. I’m excited to go back racing, but iRacing has been an adventure and it filled a great void for sports when there wasn’t much going on. Thank you to everybody for watching, and we’re looking forward to Darlington next week.”

 

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang:             

 

“Well, that wasn’t the ending to my pro iRacing career that I would’ve liked, but we had fun. I should have ended at Dover where I finished 10th. It was awesome running a special paint scheme for my wife, Janice, for Mother’s Day, too. Thanks to Smithfield for letting us do that. Finally, we’re going to get to race on a real track at Darlington. Thanks to all the fans for tuning in and watching us. I’m ready for the real deal.”

 

Clint Bowyer, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Cummins #ThankATrucker Ford Mustang:            

 

“I’m scared to go race these guys next week. I think I need to write some apologies. We came a long way and dodged a lot of bullets today, and we were looking good in our Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford Mustang until there at the end. This track races so cool – it would be great to go back there. North Wilkesboro is a very, very racy little joint. It has a lot of forward-bite action and you’re just trying to keep the car underneath you. A ton of fun.”

 

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang:            

 

“It was an interesting day for sure. I started out on the pole after qualifying 10th and the field was inverted. Led some laps in the HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang, so that was pretty cool. Then I got loose and turned myself around, and from there I was caught up in some other wrecks and ended up 16th. It was neat to race at North Wilkesboro, but I’m ready to climb back in the car at Darlington next week. I want to thank everyone at iRacing, Stewart-Haas Racing, HaasTooling.com and FOX for all of their effort to put these iRaces together these last few weeks.”

 

Notes:         

 

This was Harvick’s fourth appearance in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. His ninth-place finish bettered his previous best result of 12th, earned April 26 at virtual Talladega Superspeedway.

 

• This was Bowyer’s sixth appearance in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. His best finish was 11th, earned twice (March 29 at virtual Texas Motor Speedway and April 5 at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway).

 

• This was Custer’s third eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race. His best finish was 12th, earned May 3 at virtual Dover International Speedway.

 

• This was also Almirola’s third eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race. Like Custer, he scored his best finish at Dover (10th).

 

• Virtual North Wilkesboro Speedway marked the final race of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series was a multi-week series emulating the original 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. With the sports world on hiatus due to the coronavirus, the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series existed in place of actual NASCAR events. The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series was an exhibition esports series featuring a collection of past and present racecar drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series.

 

Real Racing Returns:

 

The actual NASCAR Cup Series season resumes May 17 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The green flag waves on the Darlington 400 at 3:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel 90.

 

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