We have our very first repeat winner for the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. William Byron, who snagged the checkered flag at the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway prior to Easter long weekend, followed up his success with a win at a digitized Richmond Raceway this Sunday.The field now moves on to Talladega Superspeedway on April 26. With the actual NASCAR Cup Series return planned for mid-to-late May at Darlington Raceway we may soon be seeing an end to the virtual format. That makes the up and coming Talladega race the most highly anticipated of all. If the iRacing season is indeed winding down you’d better believe that these competitive drivers will be looking for bragging rights as they prepare to return to the real deal. Will Byron extend his streak, or will another claim victory in Talladega?
William Byron – Chevrolet Camero for Hendrick Motorsports
Bryon now finds himself as a staple on the list of favorites for the iRacing series. Not only is he the first driver to win multiple (two) events, he has led in total laps (319) over the last four events. With his recent win, Byron moves up from the 10th to the 4th spot (shared with Ryan Preece and Parker Kligerman) in the “unofficial standings” and is just 30-points shy of frontrunner and fellow Talladega favorite Timmy Hill. Byron may get spooked by the Alabama track though, as he placed just 21st on the real deal back in April 2019.
The sportsbook gives Chevrolet -160 odds to win, and prices Byron at +175 to take the flag at Talladega.
Timmy Hill – Toyota for MBM Motorsports
Look for Timmy Hill to be another mainstay on the iRacing favorites list. After his second place finish at Richmond Raceway he is the only driver with top three finishes in all four events and he currently sits atop the standings with 143 points.
The sportsbook gives Toyota +200 odds to win, and prices Hill at +450 to take the flag at Talladega.
Garret Smithley – Chevrolet Camaro for Rick Ware Racing
We had Smithley pegged as a favorite to win at Richmond Raceway, but he had an off day, finishing 17th to drop his iRacing Pro Invitational Series average finish to 8.5. Still, he sits at third in the standings with 114-points and is backed by new sponsorships (GunBroker.com and The Tech Lunch Pail) that expect big things from this avid gamer. We said it prior to Richmond Raceway and we’ll say it again – Smithley is due for a win.
The sportsbook gives Chevrolet -160 odds to win, and prices Smithley at +1000 to take the flag at Talladega.
SLEEPERS
Parker Kligerman – Chevrolet Silverado for Henderson Motorsports
29 year old Kligerman could be considered a favorite when looking at the series standings, sitting 4th along with two-event winner William Byron, but his power ranking has been earned under the radar. Kligerman earned his best finish and second consecutive top-10 finish of the iRacing season with a 3rd at Richmond. The sportsbook gives Chevrolet drivers -160 odds to win.
Dale Earnhardt Jr – Chevrolet for JR Motorsports
Dale Earnhardt Jr continued his strong overall iRacing showing for the season by bagging an 8th at Richmond Raceway. He sits solo in the 7th spot in the series standings, but he is only 3-points behind the 4th place slot which is shared by three drivers. Let’s not forget that Talladega is a track full of Earnhardt family lore, with Jr and Sr having won at the Superspeedway 16 times, six of which came from the younger gun. Sure, we’re talking about a virtual Talladega this Sunday, but don’t think for one second that Junior won’t take this race more seriously than all of the others on the iRacing circuit. The sportsbook gives Chevrolet drivers -160 odds to win.
LONG SHOT
Kyle Busch – Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing
Kyle Busch is having an off year, sitting 12th on the NASCAR Cup Series standings. However, few expected him to do well on the iRacing version of his storied career, which makes his 15th spot on the virtual standings more impressive than it seems. He did well at Richmond, showing that he can adapt to the simulated racing environment which translated to his first top-five finish. It’s not far fetched at all to pick Busch as a viable long shot for Talladega. The sportsbook gives Toyota drivers +200 odds to win.
Writer’s Prediction
It’s the stuff of legend as Dale Earnhardt Jr adds to the family legacy with yet another win at Talladega Superspeedway, but with a first of the virtual kind.
