Our weekly preview will look at the eNASCAR iRacing Series and the situation ahead of the Playoffs.
Photo Credit: iRacing Twitter
The coming week will feature Round 14 of the 2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. With only three races remaining before the field heads into the Playoffs, here’s a quick look at the current state of events.
A season full of hopes
For many participants, this season of iRacing’s eNASCAR Series was the chance of a lifetime. With a prize pool of $300,000, the series has one of the richest payouts in esports racing and the top driver will cash a check worth $100,000.
Relive all the action from the @NASCAR @CocaColaRacing iRacing Series 2020 season opener from @DISupdates ! pic.twitter.com/E3Li3SncoG
— iRacing.com (@iRacing) February 13, 2020
The first event produced an amazing race for the audience. Keegan Leahy won the opening race by a hair’s width and we immediately knew we were up for a great season.
With nw challengers like Bobby Zalenski and Garrett Lowe , we are guaranteed some insane racing action. The 13 previous races have produced nine different winners, which shows how close the field really is. Now we are getting into the hot phase of the regular season.
The Playoff format
The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series has adapted the real-world NASCAR format when it comes to Playoffs. It is important to know that only the top eight drivers from the regular season qualify for a spot in the final stages of the series.
At the moment, these eight would be:
| Drivers |
| Keegan Leahy |
|---|
| Bobby Zalenski |
| Ryan Michael Luza |
| Michael Conti |
| Nick Ottinger |
| Logan Clampitt |
| Ray Alfalla |
| Garrett Lowe |
Throughout the Playoffs, the whole field is racing, not just the qualified drivers. The others are still fighting for a remaining place in the series and try to avoid relegation.
After the regular season ends, points are reset. The top eight’s points will be set to 2000, so drivers not actually in the Playoffs can’t outscore them. They then run three rounds in the first Playoff-stage. Then the top four drivers from these three races will have their points set to 3000 and battle for all the marbles at the season final at Phoenix International Raceway on November 1.
The winner then takes home $100,000 and the honor of being part of an elite group of racers who won the coveted eNASCAR series on iRacing.
Prospects of interest
A few names look promising and like real contenders for the crown. First off: Ryan Michael Luza. Contrary to what his name suggests, he is a real winner. As a multi-time eNASCAR champion, he is trumped by Ray Alfalla in terms of achievements. Ryan Michael Luza has continuously performed superb and even has the most wins in the regular season as of now. A streak of mediocre showings leaves him in fourth, however, instead of the top spots. The experience could come in handy when it comes to taking the title.
Talk about experience. Ray Alfalla is looking to bounce back from a rather disappointing last season. Ray Alfalla is a true legend of the scene and still holds the record for most championships, with four titles. At the moment, 4-time is sitting eight with a 15 point lead over his hunters. However, his season seems a little jinxed as a big shunt last go around left Ray Alfalla trailing in 35th place.
back to 2019 form 🥴 onto Darlington https://t.co/HgD6jDdeav
— Ray Alfalla (@rayalfalla) August 26, 2020
If Alfalla can make everything work, he for sure is a contender to make history once more.
Last but not least, Bobby Zalenski is looking sharp as nails this season. In his fourth season, Bobby Zalenski hopes to finally claim the crown himself. He has proven to be a contender by finishing third in 2017 and 2019. This time he is looking to win it all. Bobby Zalenski has won the last two races very convincingly, and his rise to fame almost seems inevitable. The coming weeks will be a time for Zalenski to show his determination, as he has practically locked his Playoff spot.
The next couple of weeks will indeed be heated in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. Let’s hope we get to see the best out of everyone. If you want to see the action next week, tune in to iRacing’s YouTube channel on Thursday, September 10.