Four eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series drivers competing from Chicago’s Navy Pier tonight

While a majority of the 40 top-ranked drivers in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series field gear up in their usual place to race from, four drivers compete live from Chicago’s Navy Pier tonight in the Logitech 45 at the Chicago Street Course. The event takes place in conjunction with this weekend’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race, a part of the NASCAR Family Fest, which includes tons of activities for all ages on Tuesday and Wednesday. The actual real-world event returns for the second year in a row, this weekend on the course that was in-part created with help from iRacing.

Last week’s winner Tucker Minter, along with his William Byron eSports teammate, the 2020 series champion Nick Ottinger, Kevin Harvick Inc’s Matt Bussa, and fgr Accel eRacing’s Garrett Manes, will be set up to race on simulators right outside on Navy Pier’s Wave Wall Stage. eNASCAR Countdown to Green’s Alan Cavanna will also be there to report live from the event.

Bussa, an Illinois native, returns for a second-straight season to compete in front of a crowd at the Navy Pier. Ottinger and Minter also have some experience racing away from home and in front of a crowd, having competed against one another on-stage at the NASCAR Hall of Fame last year in the eNASCAR Championship Race. This will be the first time experience for Manes.

“Logitech is sponsoring the event,” Minter said last week after winning at Nashville Superspeedway. “Plus, it’s the start of the William Byron eSports Bracket Challenge, so that all goes hand-in-hand. They really wanted us to have a presence out there. Fortunately, Nick and I are both able to go. I looked at it as an opportunity, I mean, how often do you get to fly out to Chicago and do some sim racing? I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The boys are in Chicago and ready to see you tomorrow night at the @ENASCARGG @NASCARChicago Family Fest. Green flag tomorrow night at 8PM E.T. pic.twitter.com/a3m0QOtdFO

— William Byron eSports (@WBeSports_) July 2, 2024

Minter also mentioned how racing from an unfamiliar setting could be a bigger challenge, if he were worried about points. With winning a week ago at Nashville, his path to the playoffs is all but sealed. For the other three drivers, however, they come in at different places among the driver’s standings. Ottinger is currently in, nearly a full race ahead of the next driver for a spot in the playoffs, even with a possible new winner tonight.

Both Bussa and Manes are on the other side of the fence, outside the top 20 and looking to stave off relegation. Both have been top 20 drivers in the last few seasons, Bussa scoring a couple of wins over the course while Manes has come close a number of times. However, like Minter said, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for these drivers to compete here tonight. These four drivers won’t be on their normal equipment, so it will be interesting to see how they fare in the high pressured environment.

The quest for the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship, and the road to $500,000, continues tonight at 8:00 pm ET, live on eNASCAR.com/live. Tune in to the pre-race Countdown to Green starting at 7:30 pm ET.

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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