eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Race Preview: Sunoco 120 at Darlington
May 27th, 2024 by Justin Melillo
It’s only been a week, but on Tuesday night, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series returns for the ninth race of the 2024 season, the Sunoco 120 at Darlington Raceway. 40 of the top-ranked eNASCAR drivers are set to take on the 120-lap event at the 1.366-mile oval. Many drivers will be sporting paint schemes from the past as the night serves as eNASCAR’s Throwback event.
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: One of the biggest rivalries added another chapter as the closest finish in eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series history was recorded a week ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The night seemed to belong to Steven Wilson and Parker White, but a late pit stop allowed for both Jimmy Mullis and Garrett Lowe to get into the conversation on the final seven lap run. With two laps to go, Mullis led Lowe, and memories of Nashville from a season ago began to renew as they took the white flag. Lowe learned his lesson from last time, and into Turn 3, he gave Mullis the business, moving him out of the groove, placing them side-by-side toward the line. Lowe claimed the win, his first of 2024, by only 0.001 seconds.
Last Year: The last time the series visited Darlington Raceway, Casey Kirwan looked to be in trouble early as he spun and collected some damage in the middle of the race. This proved to work out perfectly for the 2022 series champion, as he rebounded from the incident to take the lead following green flag pit stops, holding on for what would be his second win on the season. Kirwan’s usual XSET colors in 2023 were transformed into Tony Stewart’s championship-winning scheme from 2011 for the throwback event.
Track Facts: “The Lady in Black.” “The Track Too Tough to Tame.” Whatever you call Darlington Raceway, one thing is certain: the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval is unlike any other track on the NASCAR schedule. From builder Harold Brasington having to accommodate a minnow pond to create the track’s distinct shape, to drivers running right up against the wall and earning a “Darlington stripe” on their cars when they scrape it, few tracks have quite as colorful of a backstory. It’s no surprise that NASCAR’s annual Throwback Weekend is celebrated at Darlington—originally conceived for the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend, it’s been a part of the Goodyear 400 on Mother’s Day weekend since 2021.
Next Race: After Darlington, the series will take another two week break before returning for the 10th race of 2024 at Iowa Speedway. Iowa returns to the schedule for the first time as an official points paying race, the last time seen during the 2019 season as one of the All-Star events televised on NBCSN. Nick Ottinger was victorious, but just barely, over Ryan Luza in a photo finish. This will mark the first race of the third Segment of the season as well.
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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