eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Race Preview: Brands Hatch

The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series is going international again in 2024!

On Tuesday, 40 of the top-ranked eNASCAR drivers are set to take on the Grand Prix layout of Brands Hatch Circuit, located in Kent, England. This is the first time the series will race at Brands Hatch, and it’s only the second race in series history outside the United States.

A special race format with some additional points on the line will be on display this week. Race coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET at eNASCAR.com/live and across iRacing social media channels. Tune in 30 minutes earlier to catch the Countdown to Green at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Race Format: Two weeks ago, the series featured Heat racing for the first time, a new format for the two short tracks during the season. In 2024, the road course races will also have their own special format, similar to the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup, with a Sprint and Feature race in play.

Up to 48 points are on the table, with qualifying points introduced for the first time in series history. The Pole Award winner will score eight points, and each position down through eighth will incrementally score one less point through eighth place.

The top eight qualifiers will then invert for the Sprint race, with the Pole Award recipient starting eighth and eighth place on the pole. The Sprint race will be 15 laps, and it will set the grid for the Feature. No points will be scored at the conclusion of the Sprint race. The Feature will be 30 laps, and the normal eNASCAR points will be awarded at the conclusion of that. 

Last Race: A pair of Heat races, won by Michael Cosey Jr (Front Row Motorsports) and Steven Wilson (M80) set the field for the Feature race at Richmond two weeks ago. The two 25-lap Heats did not include cautions, but the Feature saw eight of them for 36 laps. Wilson utilized strategy to take the lead in the middle of the race from Cosey Jr after a decent green flag stint in the first half. Extending from 70 to 83 laps in eNASCAR Overtime, Wilson held on for his first win of the season.

Last Year: Brands Hatch is a staple venue utilized during every eNASCAR International iRacing Series schedule, but this is the first trip by the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series to the U.K. venue. Last season was the first time the series visited a venue outside the United States, also in the fifth race of the year, which took place at Monza. In the inaugural Monza battle, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Bobby Zalenski was victorious.

Track Facts: The former home of the British Grand Prix, and 30 miles southeast of London, Brands Hatch opened in the 1920s as a three-quarter mile dirt track. After numerous reconfigurations, the current Grand Prix circuit, as well as the shorter “Indy” Circuit, were established in 2003. Although safety concerns saw the British Grand Prix move to Silverstone in 1987, Brands Hatch continues to host leading international and national events including the British Touring Car, Formula 3 and Superbike Championships, as well the Formula Ford Festival which has served as a springboard for the likes of Derek Daly, Mark Webber and Jenson Button.

Next Race: After Brands Hatch, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series gets back to oval racing in two weeks at Dover Motor Speedway. The “Monster Mile” has 10 previous appearances in the series, the last three all won by the same driver—William Byron eSports’ Nick Ottinger. Will Ottinger make it four in a row?

For more information on the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, visit eNASCAR.com or iRacing.com/eNASCAR. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit iRacing.com.­­

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