eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Race Preview: Phoenix Raceway

Only two races remain in the 2024 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season, but there’s only one chance left to secure a spot in this year’s Championship 4. The 2024 playoffs conclude on Tuesday night with the 17th race of the season at Phoenix Raceway. While all 40 top-ranked eNASCAR drivers are set to take on the 1-mile tri-oval in Avondale, Arizona for 120 laps of action, nine drivers in the playoff field will fight for the final three spots in the Championship 4.

For those nine playoff drivers remaining, a win means a ticket to join defending series champion Steven Wilson on the main stage at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, with a chance to win a championship and $100,000 in October. Wilson won his way into the title fight by winning at Texas two weeks ago. At least two spots will go to drivers highest in points.

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.

Last Race: In a return to Texas Motor Speedway two weeks ago, it was the Steven Wilson show for the fourth time this season. In a pivotal race to determine who advances to fight for this season’s title, Wilson showed up and showed out, dominating the second half of the event to win in a caution-free event. Vicente Salas and Parker White challenged early, but towards the end, Bobby Zalenski moved into the runner-up spot, just ahead of White in third, while Salas slipped back to finish in 13th. White, Zalenski, and Graham Bowlin exited Texas in the points positions currently needed to advance to the championship race, with Tucker Minter the first man out in fifth.

Last Year: Speaking of Minter, last season’s trip to Phoenix proved to be crucial for Minter’s chances to advance to the Championship 4 in his rookie campaign. Minter opted to stay out on old tires near the end of the race, with drivers such as Zalenski, Garrett Lowe, and Casey Kirwan all with an advantage in the closing laps. The race could not get a full clean lap in at the end, however, as cautions littered the final couple of restarts, eventually concluding the race under yellow following triple eNASCAR Overtime. Minter was able to hang on and advance.

Track Facts: What is now known as Phoenix Raceway first opened in 1964. The mile-long oval has always included a unique dogleg on one of its straightaways, but has undergone numerous renovations and improvements over its history, ranging from the addition of progressive banking in 2011 to a complete flip of its layout in 2019 that put the start-finish line after what was once Turn 2. Phoenix has hosted the NASCAR Cup Series since 1988, taking over its season finale in 2020, and it also hosted the first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in 1995.

Next Race: After Phoenix, only the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Championship race remains at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Tuesday, October 1st at 8:00 p.m. ET. Last season, Steven Wilson finished second to Donovan Strauss, which was enough for him to claim his first career eNASCAR C0ca-Cola iRacing Series title.

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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