NASCAR and iRacing waved the checkered flag on an action-packed season with Ray Alfalla winning the 2018 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series championship at the virtual Homestead Miami Speedway last night. The NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series, NASCAR’s highest-level eSports sanctioned series, features the world’s most elite oval sim-racers competing on virtual NASCAR tracks in Gen6 cars.
Ray Alfalla held off the field to earn his fourth NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series championship, the only multi-time champion in series history. With last night’s victory, Alfalla has won championships in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2018 – and is the winningest driver in series history with a total of 25 series wins during his iRacing career. The Cuban-born champion, who moved to Florida at the age of six, earned a total of two wins (Richmond and Homestead) and nine top-five finishes this season.
Earlier this month, Zack Novak claimed the first eNASCAR Ignite Series Championship along with a $10,000 racing scholarship. The eNASCAR Ignite Series, the first-ever youth esports series on iRacing featuring drivers between the ages of 13-16, hosted its championship event at the virtual Martinsville Speedway. Novak’s dominant victory in the finale earned him additional prizes including a one-on-one driver instructional session with Max Papis, an introduction to NASCAR racing development personnel and he will be hosted at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
“We’re thrilled to have completed one of the most competitive seasons in our history and congratulate both of our 2018 NASCAR-sanctioned iRacing champions on a job well done,” said Tony Gardner, President, iRacing. “Ray Alfalla had a tremendous season and is cementing his legacy as the best driver in series history by winning an unprecedented fourth championship. We’re also excited to celebrate Zack Novak as the first-ever eNASCAR Ignite Series champion, it’s clear he has a promising future in iRacing.”
As part of NASCAR’s effort to increase visibility of its esports platforms, engage new fans and further utilize iRacing as a driver development tool, NASCAR and iRacing announced that Jusan Hamilton will serve as the Series Director for both the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series and eNASCAR Ignite Series beginning in 2019. Hamilton, who will continue to serve as a Senior Manager, Racing Operations at NASCAR, will expand upon his current responsibilities by combining his experience in real-world racing with the iRacing environment.
“As an iRacing subscriber for the past 10 years, I am a loyal supporter of the platform and believe it can be an effective tool to identify and cultivate emerging talent,” said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR. “I look forward to contributing to the growth of both series while working hand-in-hand with iRacing to help ensure that our esports series are closely aligned to the real-world product.”
NASCAR and iRacing have been at the forefront of competitive gaming since the inception of the series nine years ago. The NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series and eNASCAR Ignite Series are a product of NASCAR’s long-standing presence in esports and are the result of a successful partnership between NASCAR and iRacing.
To learn more about the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series and eNASCAR Ignite Series, visit www.iracing.com/nascar-peak-antifreeze-series or www.iracing.com/NASCARIgnite.
NASCAR PR
