Ryan Preece vs Matt DiBenedetto at Richmond Raceway
As the NASCAR world is postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the real-world racing stars have turned to the online racing game. Fans tune in by the millions to watch their favorite drivers go bumper-to-bumper on virtual iRacing tracks.
Watch the Matt DiBenedetto and Ryan Preece crash videos below.
On Sunday, the weekly racing series landed at Richmond Raceway. It’s a NASCAR short track that’s known to brings drama to the surface.
The race tracks and cars might be fake. But, the emotion is very real.
So far, we’ve seen many iRacing disqualifications of NASCAR drivers. Suarez has been disqualified twice, Larson once. Bubba Wallace lost a real-world sponsors after rage quitting early in a race. Kyle Larson was suspended by NASCAR and fired from his team. The iRacing era has spun all the headlines in recent weeks.
Related: NASCAR driver Kyle Larson drops N-word (Video)
Drivers are running these races from the comfort of their living rooms. And instead of racing suits, some choose to start the race in a full giraffe onzie. Don’t mistake that outfit for weakness. Rage will surface as needed….
Ryan Preece vs Matt DiBenedetto
The race was set at 150 laps around on the digital Virginia short track.
With 52 laps to go, Matt DiBenedetto looked inside of Ryan Preece for position. Preece pinched him down and made light contact with DiBenedetto.
After starting on the front row, Preece was now spun and pointed backwards with just a handful of laps remaining. He was heated and ready for revenge.
This is far from over…
37 to go, Preece re-located DiBenedetto on the track. He straight lined turn one and drove right into the left rear of DiBenedetto, turning him around.
DiBenedetto began coasting around on the apron of the race track. The race remained green as the leaders went by.
As Preece came by, DiBenedetto lined him up and spun him back. The two played bumper cars and the caution was thrown.
DiBenedetto was parked by officials. However, Ryan Preece was not parked.
Matt DiBenedetto on the contact with Ryan Preece
“I figured I’d take some time to cool down after my race and then make my video,” Matt DiBenedetto stated in his giraffe onzie.
“Yes, to answer questions, I did run the whole race in my giraffe onzie. I got really hot and I sweat a lot.”
“This one wasn’t quite as smooth as some of the others. I was a long run guy only. I wasn’t real fast so I had to just do the long run approach.”
“In one of the longer runs, Ryan Preece had burned his stuff up. He was kinda coming back and dropped anchor.”
“I got to him. Got underneath him into turn one for about 5 minutes there and he chopped down across my nose. Spun himself out.”
“I was like, ‘Aw, that sucks.’ Figured, he would know that, that was on him.”
“Clearly not, because later we were on new tires and he comes from about 5 cars lengths back, sends it in there and crashes the hell out of me on purpose.”
“I hate that started messing up the race and causing cautions. But, I was going to get him back. Because, that was stupid. So, I did. Hate that. Sorry we messed up the race with all that nonsense. But, it’s alright. It’s just a game, for fun.”
“After it happened, I could have knocked him right in the head. But, I remembered, this is just for fun. And seriously, for all the younger viewers out there, fighting does not resolve anything. Don’t do that.”
“And, I wouldn’t actually do that. Unless, it was Ryan Preece. Just kidding, maybe not,” DiBenedetto concluded.
Matt DiBenedetto vs Ryan Preece
Richmond Raceway
Video
Links
Matt DiBenedetto | Ryan Preece | NASCAR | eNASCAR | iRacing | Richmond Raceway
Related
NASCAR iRacing Results: April 19, 2020 – Richmond Raceway (Full Race Video) 
NASCAR iRacing Event Info: Richmond Raceway (April 18-19, 2020) 
Daniel Suarez becomes first car disqualified by officials in NASCAR iRacing Series (Video) 
Bubba Wallace loses real-world NASCAR sponsorship after rage quitting iRacing event (Video)
