The only full-time drivers without an invitation has caused real-world sponsorship issues
In 2020, Timmy Hill ran full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. So far in 2021, he’s run all of the races as well.
However, as entry list was released for the NASCAR Pro Invitational event, Hill’s name was excluded. The event is an invitation only race.
Hill voiced frustrations via social media, “Compete in every cup event the last 2 seasons and the only cup driver that was left out… stings a bit.”
These races on run via iRacing. The opener begins at Bristol Motor Speedway tonight, debuting on the dirt track. 38 drivers are set to compete including retired drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr and Clint Bowyer.
Last year, over a million tuned in to watch these online races. This year, there’s a 10 race schedule. The first five have been set in stone and will be shown LIVE via FS1.
Timmy Hill being excluded has caused a ripple in his racing program. The MBM Motorsports team sold sponsorship for their real-world race car with ties to the digital one as well. As he lacks an entry, it’s placed a strain on real-world sponsorship.
Note: Kevin Harvick was invited but elected not to participate.
Timmy Hill comments on lack of iRacing invitation
“We try to package our real life racing to the Pro Invitational,” Hill told Frontstretch. “We kind of really leveraged, because we try to really package it all together.”
“We were running Cup races this year, despite NASCAR cutting their prize money back on us, purposely so we would make the Pro Invitational,” Hill said. “So now with all these odds stacked against us, not being invited to the Pro Invitational with NASCAR also cutting the prize money back, there’s no incentive for us to run a Cup race. So we’ll probably end up cutting the Cup schedule back now.”
Hill also runs with MBM in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Additionally, he owns a truck in the NASCAR Truck Series. The truck seat is filled by a roster including himself and his brother Tyler Hill. This week, Mike Marlar is scheduled to run the truck on the dirt at Bristol.
eNASCAR Pro Invitational
Bristol Motor Speedway
March 24, 2021
Entry List
Car | Driver | Team
#00 Quin Houff
StarCom Racing
#1 Kurt Busch
Chip Ganassi Racing
#2 Austin Cindric
Team Penske
#3 Austin Dillon
Richard Childress Racing
#5 Kyle Larson
Hendrick Motorsprots
#6 Ryan Newman
Roush Fenway Racing
#7 Corey LaJoie
Spire Motorsports
#8 Tyler Reddick
Richard Childress Racing
#9 Chase Elliott
Hendrick Motorsports
#10 Aric Almirola
Stewart-Haas Racing
#11 Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing
#12 Ryan Blaney
Team Penske
#14 Chase Briscoe
Stewart-Haas Racing
#15 James Davison
Rick Ware Racing
#17 Chris Buescher
Roush Fenway Racing
#18 Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing
#19 Martin Truex Jr
Joe Gibbs Racing
#20 Christopher Bell
Joe Gibbs Racing
#21 Matt DiBenedetto
Wood Brothers Racing
#22 Joey Logano
Team Penske
#23 Bubba Wallace
23XI Racing
#24 William Byron
Hendrick Motorsports
#34 Michael McDowell
Front Row Motorsports
#37 Ryan Preece
JTG Daugherty Racing
#38 Anthony Alfredo
Front Row Motorsports
#41 Cole Custer
Stewart-Haas Racing
#42 Ross Chastain
Chip Ganassi Racing
#43 Erik Jones
Richard Petty Motorsports
#47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr
JTG Daugherty Racing
#48 Alex Bowman
Hendrick Motorsports
#51 Garrett Smithley
Petty Ware Racing
#52 Josh Bilicki
Rick Ware Racing
#53 Joey Gase
Rick Ware Racing
#77 Justin Haley
Spire Motorsports
#78 BJ McLeod
Live Fast Racing
#79 Clint Bowyer
Clitn Bowyer Racing
#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr
JR Motorsports
#99 Daniel Suarez
Trackhouse Racing
eNASCAR Pro Invitational
TV Schedule
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
8-9:30pm ET | FS1
Bristol Motor Speedway (Dirt)
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Talladega Superspeedway
7-8:30pm ET | FS1
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Darlington Raceway
8-9:30pm ET | FS1
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Circuit of the Americas
7-8:30pm ET | FS1
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Tack TBA
8-9:30pm ET | FS1
Links
Timmy Hill | MBM Motorsports | iRacing | Bristol Motor Speedway | NASCAR
