The legendary ghost track returns via iRacing; It’s the series finale
Today, the eNASCAR Pro Series returns for the final time. Uniquely, a track a risen from the dead. North Wilkesboro Speedway is set to host the series finale.
View the North Wilkesboro resulrs below.
Martinsville/North Wilkesboro: Menu
TV/ Info | May 8 | May 9
The 0.625-mile hasn’t seen a NASCAR race since 1996. Instead, nature was attempting to reclaim the track as trees sprouted through the asphalt.
Until Dale Earnhardt Jr presented iRacing with an idea. Together, they cleaned and then scanned the deteriorating race track.
The track will now be preserved in the digital world forever. It’s not been released in the iRacing service yet. Today, it makes it’s debut.
Jeff Gordon won the last NASCAR Cup Series race at the short track in 1996. Today, he’s behind the wheel of a sim cockpit.
Parker Kligerman and Denny Hamlin were 1st and 2nd quickest. However, the top 10 have been inverted and now Cole Custer and Ryan Preece set the front row.
The field rolls to the starting line…
North Wilkesboro
Race Report
Laps: 160
Green, Custer gets the jump. Preece has a run off turn two, he dives to the inside in turn three. Side by side for the lead, Custer holds it on the top.
Lap 5, the caution is out. Denny Hamlin gets into John Hunter Nemechek and they both spin. These two had some issues last week as well.
Related: Denny Hamlin vs John Hunter Nemechek at Dover International Speedway (Video)
Green, Custer heads for the bottom. Preece gases the entry and pulls even on the top! Preece clears him on the outside lane.
Lap 25, Preece leads Smithley by 0.4 seconds.
Lap 30, the caution is out. Timmy Hill gets into Michael McDowell. As McDowell spins, he collects Erik Jones.
Pit stops
Preece leads the entire field to the pit lane. Preece is first in and Chastain is first off.
Green, Chastain leads with Preece all over him. Preece retakes the race lead.
Lap 40, Custer spins on his own. The caution is out.
Green, Preece leads. He moves to the top on defense. Chastain works the inside lane but can’t complete the pass on the bottom.
Lap 53, Chris Buescher is around and the caution is out.
Pits
Preece pits from the lead. Bell and others stay out. Preece will restart 9th with new tires.
Green, Bell leads Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Lap 66, John Hunter Nemechek cooks the entry and runs into Joey Gase. Nemechek spins, no caution.
Lap 69, Parker Kligerman is around and the caution is out.
Green, Bell leads with Earnhardt Jr on his bumper.
Lap 76, Landon Cassill jumps the curb off turn four as he’s pushed up the hill and into Austin Dillon. As Dillon spins, many are collected.
Green, Bell leads Earnhardt Jr.
Lap 79, Ross Chastain works to the inside of Earnhardt and Hamlin follows him through. Earnhardt Jr falls to 4th.
70 to go, Chastain clips the curb as he looks under Bell for the lead. As he bobbles, Hamlin gets into the back of him. They all continue and the top 5 run nose to tail.
64 to go, Chastain looks under Bell for the lead but he spins the tires off the corner on the bottom. That opens the door for Hamlin. Chastain falls to 3rd as Hamlin takes 2nd.
57 to go, Hamlin is on the bumper of Bell for the lead. Hamlin is entering the corner half a lane higher and attempting to cross under Bell off the corner. He makes it work, Hamlin to the lead.
33 to go, the caution is out. Bobby Labonte spins off turn two and collects Austin Dillon.
Pit stops
Hamlin leads the field to the pit lane. Chastain and Hill take two tires. Hamlin will restart 3rd with four tires.
Green, Chastain leads Hill.
25 to go, Bowyer is taken three wide. As they ran out of room, Bowyer turns Nemechek. Multiple cars are collected.
Green, Chastain leads Hill. Christopher Bell spins behind them and collects Martin Truex Jr, no caution.
12 to go, Hamlin works inside of Hill and Hill gives him the spot. On newer tires, Hamlin is running down Chastain.
9 to go, Hamlin has a run into turn three. Hamlin looks to the inside, Chastain blocks and Hamlin pushes on his bumper. Chastain chases it up the hill and Hamlin takes the lead!
5 to go, Hamlin leads Hill by a half second.
Denny Hamlin wins at North Wilkesboro Speedway!
NASCAR iRacing Results
eNASCAR Pro Invitational
North Wilkesboro Speedway
May 9, 2020
View full results from eNASCAR North Wilkesboro race below.
Practice
Practice (10 Min): PENDING
Qualifying
Qualifying (1 Laps): 1. Parker Kligerman (17.830);
Warmup
Warmup (10 Minutes): PENDING
Feature iRacing Results
North Wilkesboro Speedway
May 9, 2020
(160 Laps)
Pos | Driver
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Timmy Hill
3. Tyler Reddick
4. Ross Chastain
5. Garrett Smithley
6. Austin Dillon
7. Brennan Poole
8. Parker Kligerman
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Landon Cassill
11. JJ Yeley
12. Clint Bowyer
13. Jon Wood
14. Christopher Bell
15. Dale Earnhardt Jr
16. Cole Custer
17. Joey Gase
18. Jeff Gordon
19. Bobby Labonte
20. Martin Truex Jr
21. Chris Buescher
22. Erik Jones
23. Kyle Busch
24. John Hunter Nemechek
25. Corey Lajoie
26. Aric Almirola
27. Ryan Preece
28. Michael McDowell
29. Ty Dillon
eNASCAR Pro Invitational
Final Point Standings
The eNASCAR Pro Invitational does have a points system attached.
Points After:
North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 9, 2020)
Pos | Driver | Wins | Points | Avg Finish
1. Timmy Hill (1 Win)
242
2. Garrett Smithley
208
3. William Byron (3 Wins)
192 *Missed one race
4. Denny Hamlin (2 Wins)
189
5. Landon Cassill
186
6. Alex Bowman (1 Win)
175
7. Ryan Preece
172
8. Parker Kligerman
169
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr
156
10. Kyle Busch
150
11. Ross Chastain
144
12. Christopher Bell
141
13. Bobby Labonte
138
14. John Hunter Nemechek
135
15. Erik Jones
128
16. Tyler Reddick
126
17. Kurt Busch
113
18. Michael McDowell
112
19. Clint Bowyer
109
20. Austin Dillon
108
21. Ty Dillon
92
22. Chris Buescher
86
23. Brennan Poole
86
24. Ryan Blaney
85
25. Matt DiBenedetto
83
26. Kevin Harvick
80
27. Joey Logano
79
28. Bubba Wallace
76
29. Brad Keselowski
74
30. Chase Elliott
72
31. JJ Yeley
66
32. Jimmie Johnson
65
33. Corey Lajoie
64
34. Daniel Suarez
63
35. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
62
36. Aric Almirola
57
37. Cole Custer
57
38. Joey Gase
50
39. Kyle Larson
37
40. Ty Majeski
35
41. Chase Briscoe
33
42. Chad Finchum
31
43. Jon Wood
24
44. Ryan Truex
20
45. Jeff Gordon
20
46. Martin Truex Jr
17
47. Justin Allgaier
17
48. Austin Cindric
15
49. Alex Labbe
11
50. Anthony Alfredo
7
51. Ruben Garcia
6
52. Regan Smith
6
53. Greg Biffle
5