eNASCAR College iRacing Series Race Preview: Michigan
January 23rd, 2024 by Justin Melillo
The eNASCAR College iRacing Series Powered by NACE Starleague returns for the fifth race on the 2023-24 academic calendar at Michigan International Speedway. Now in the 2024 Spring Semester section of the schedule, Michigan will host top collegiate iRacers for 65 laps around the 2-mile speedway in Brooklyn utilizing the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks this time around. The race will stream live on Tuesday night at 8PM ET on eNASCAR.com/live and across iRacing social media channels.
About the Series: The eNASCAR College iRacing Series gives college students from the United States and Canada the opportunity to compete for their share of $60,000 in scholarships. Using machines from the NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 40 drivers qualify for the event by registering here and posting their fastest lap times in a two-week Time Attack through the iRacing UI. With hundreds of colleges and universities represented in each Time Attack and only one representative per school, drivers are competing not only against the greater iRacing community, but also their own classmates, for a spot on the prestigious grid.
Last Race: The 2023 Fall Semester ended with an instant classic at Watkins Glen. University of Iowa’s Steven Wilson put on a clinic, but UNC at Charlotte’s Garrett Lowe stayed on his bumper throughout. In the closing laps, Lowe was there, and made multiple moves for the lead. The two traded the top spot and some virtual paint along the way, but it was Wilson victorious yet again.
Last Season: In the 2023 Spring Semester, Logan Clampitt utilized pit strategy during the caution-free event to set himself up with the perfect balance of tire wear cycles. Daniel Buttafuoco led from the pole, but Garrett Lowe challenged early, pitting first of the lead group before Buttafuoco and Clampitt followed suit on the following laps. Clampitt, being the last of the trio to pit, had the freshest tires for the end of the race, and managed to pass Lowe with four laps to go to win his third straight that season.
Track Info: Opened in 1968, Michigan International Speedway has been a mainstay of the NASCAR schedule since the end of that decade. One of the fastest tracks in the sport, the two-mile oval is one of a select few where drivers have been able to reach speeds of more than 200 miles per hour. This year, the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and ARCA Menards Series will head to Michigan on the weekend of August 18th for their lone visit to the Irish Hills.
Entry List: The following 40 drivers have qualified for tonight’s eNASCAR College iRacing Series race at Michigan International Speedway:
No. |
Name |
Hometown |
School |
00 | Kealoha Hankins | Honolulu, Hawaii | UNC at Charlotte |
1 | Benjamin A. White | Pensacola, Florida | Pensacola State |
2 | Aaron Mulrooney Jr | Fairlawn, Ohio | Kent State |
3 | John Forbes | Rancho Santa Margarita, California | Saddleback |
4 | Nate S Stewart | Hopkinsville, Kentucky | Hopkinsville CC |
5 | Abraham E Vela | Houston, Texas | San Jacinto College |
7 | Layne Graves | McPherson, Kansas | Wichita State |
10 | Steven Wilson | Iowa City, IA | University of Iowa |
12 | Ar Muhammad Aleef | Singapore, Singapore | Ball State |
13 | C.L. Smith | Hayden, Alabama | Auburn |
15 | Garrett Viton | Medina, OH | Arizona State |
17 | Sean Peleg | Hartland, Michigan | Michigan |
18 | Matthew Zwack | Monroe, MI | Michigan |
22 | Joe M Armstrong | Glen Allen, Virginia | Reynolds CC |
24 | Alexander Heider | St. Augustine, Florida | St Johns River |
25 | Jack A Clemons | Williamsburg, Virginia | Virginia Tech |
26 | Tyler Garey | Royal Palm Beach, Florida | Palm Beach State |
27 | Elliot White | Santa Barbara, California | Maryland |
28 | Kaleb Bryan | Rolla, Missouri | Missouri S&T |
30 | Daniel Nanney | Clinton Township, Michigan | Ball State |
31 | Matthew L Morton | Pickerington, Ohio | Ohio State Newark |
34 | Andy Trupiano | Flat Rock, Michigan | Detroit Mercy |
37 | Charles Wimbley | Brooklyn, New York | Guilford College |
39 | Daniel Faulkingham | Jonesport, Maine | Maine at Machias |
40 | Dylan Ault | Sacramento, California | Sacramento State |
42 | Braden Muhvic | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Minnesota – Mankato |
44 | Logan Clampitt | Trabuco Canyon, California | Cal State Fullerton |
52 | Jack Coyne | Warren, NJ | Rensselaer Poly. |
54 | Arron Brown | Nelsonia, Virginia | Eastern Shore CC |
70 | Coleson Phelps | Vinton, Iowa | Iowa State |
71 | Douglas Newbigging | Trucksville, PA | King’s College |
72 | Jeremy O. Burns | Clarke County, Virginia | Longwood |
75 | Jose Solis Jr | East Hatford, CT | Manchester CC |
76 | Jason Walat | Maple Shade, New Jersey | Drexel University |
77 | James Scioly | Spokane, Washington | Eastern Washington |
79 | Austin Farr | Lomita, California | Liberty University |
86 | Zach Sprouse | Stafford, VA | George Mason |
87 | Austin Green | Melbourne, Florida | ERAU Daytona |
88 | Blake Kinkennon | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Colorado Springs |
99 | Mario Merenda | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Oklahoma |
The eNASCAR College iRacing Series Powered by NACE Starleague is supported by Coca-Cola, Logitech G, and DBOX. For more information on the series and how to compete, visit https://playfly.com/enascar-college-iracing-series/. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.