Business

Earnhardt, Busch sign on for NASCAR esports series

Posted March 17, 2020 7:00 am

The Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2018, file photo, Denny Hamlin, left, leads the pack at the start of the NASCAR Cup Series championship auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla. NASCAR and IndyCar have each called off their races this weekend. NASCAR was scheduled to run Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway without spectators but said Friday, March 13, 2020, it is calling off this weekend and next week's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. IndyCar was scheduled to open its season Sunday on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, but suspended it's season through the end of April. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) The Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and other NASCAR drivers have signed on to race in an exhibition esports series while their cars are kept off the tracks amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

NASCAR and iRacing announced the formation of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series on Tuesday night, trying to give fans alternative viewing with the NASCAR season on hold until at least May 3.

The multi-week series will start Sunday with a virtual competition at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Remaining races and broadcast details are expected to be announced at a later date.

Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell will also be among those competing. A one-off simulation event was held last weekend after a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway was postponed. Josh Williams, spotter for Ryan Blaney, won that race, which also featured Earnhardt and Hamlin.

'œUntil we have cars back on track, the entire NASCAR community has aligned to provide our passionate fans with a unique, fun and competitive experience on race day,'ť said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR'S vice president of racing development. 'œOur long-time partners at iRacing offer an incredible product and we are excited to see how many of our best drivers will stack up in the virtual domain of competitive racing.'ť

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2019, file photo ,Kyle Busch celebrates after winning the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. Busch says, 'Bring it on.' Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson are the latest topflight drivers to accept the challenge of Kevin Harvick, who has offered half of a $100,000 bounty to any Cup Series driver who can beat the versatile Busch in a Truck Series race this year. (AP Photo/John Amis, File) The Associated Press

Dale Earnhardt Jr., team owner and TV analyst answers questions during a news conference before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Categories
Business Content Providers Nation and World News

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.