By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer
Fresh off their championship in the inaugural eNASCAR Heat Pro League, Stewart-Haas Racing will join the eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series for the 2020 season.
The newly rebranded Stewart-Haas eSports will field two virtual Ford Mustangs in the burgeoning series. Car numbers, designs, and drivers will be announced at a later date.
The iRacing simulation accurately replicates over 80 race vehicles from different disciplines, including each manufacturer in all three of NASCAR’s National Series. The company also replicates the tracks, aerodynamics, weather changes, and other factors within races.
“We’ve put a lot of time and energy into our eSports efforts and we’re confident of the team we can put forth in the eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series,” Mike Verlander, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Stewart-Haas Racing, explained.
“The authenticity of iRacing and its global reach is unparalleled. Ideally, our eSports presence facilitates even greater interest in our on-track product in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, while simultaneously providing our partners with another strong engagement platform.”
The 2020 season marks the 11th season for the eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series. Stewart-Haas will join defending eNASCAR iRacing Champions Roush Fenway Racing, as well as JR Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Wood Brothers Racing in the only officially sanctioned NASCAR eSports Series.
Other teams in the series include G2 eSports, Burton-Kligerman eSports, FlipSid3 Tactics, Letarte eSports, and Team Dillon eSports.
The 2020 eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series season begins at the virtual Daytona International Speedway for the virtual Daytona 500 and runs through October. The champion will be recognized during pre-race festivities at ISM Raceway prior to the real-life championship event on Nov. 8.
The driver grid for the 2020 eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series is still to be determined. The top-20 in points following last year’s championship are already locked in. The following 20 will be determined based on the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Series.
Stewart-Haas eSports will continue to field entries in the 2020 eNASCAR Heat Pro League on both PlayStation 4 and XBOX One platforms.