Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Race Preview: Virginia International Raceway (Full)

The 2024 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series concludes on Thursday night on the Full Course at Virginia International Raceway. After Hot Lap Qualifying via Time Attack from September 6th to the 8th, 20 drivers have qualified for their shot to contend for more than $500,000 in prizes and the opportunity to run in the real-world Skip Barber Formula Race Series.

Race Coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET at iRacing.com/live and across iRacing Social Media Channels.

Driver Roster: The following 20 drivers are entered into the fifth and final race of the 2024 season at Virginia International Raceway:

1. Ayden Young
2. Leo Ovtcharov
3. Felipe Cabrera Loyola
4. Byron Mitchell
5. Shoma Shintani2
6. Cade Middleton
7. Matt Bussa
8. Matt J Caruana
9. Victor Miranda
10. Matt M Adams
11. Gal Adrian Cohen
12. Ivan Machado Perez
13. Patrick Hingston
14. Kody Deith
15. Andrew Moran
16. Sebastian Cedeno Schettini
17. Bryce Weyer
18. Ross Banfield
19. Clay Morris (Shannon)
20. Steven Codey

Last Race: At Lime Rock Park last month, Victor Miranda once again managed to claim victory in one of the two races, a feat that he’s managed every race this season, and in part the reason why he leads the points by such a large margin entering the finale. Miranda split victories with Matt Bussa this time around, besting him in the latter race for his fourth win of the season. Bussa’s first win of the season puts him in prime position for a podium this season, as he exited Lime Rock Park only one point out of second behind Ivan Machado.

Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series points through races #7 and #8 at Lime Rock Park:

1. Victor Miranda, 262
2. Ivan Machado Perez, 207
3. Matt Bussa, 206
4. Ayden Young, 188
5. Leo Ovtcharov, 186
6. Byron Mitchell, 183
7. Matt J Caruana, 163
8. Andrew Moran, 159
9. Kody Deith, 148
10. Shoma Shintani, 145

Through eight races, Miranda leads the way by 55 points over Machado. Bussa slides back up into third, only a single point behind Machado for the runner-up spot. Young, Ovtcharov, and Byron Mitchell sit fourth through sixth and could have a say in the conversation for the top-three spots in the finale next month.

Last Year: Last season in the single VIR event, the two drivers to beat were Sebastian Wheldon and Michael Romanidis. They split victories, although Wheldon was the dominant force in both events. Romanidis nearly got the first win, losing out barely to Wheldon in a fight that also included Matthew Zeis and Josh Thompson throughout the event. In the second, it became a one-on-one with Wheldon and Romanidis, with the latter taking advantage on the final lap for the victory.

Track Facts: Virginia International Raceway originally opened in 1957, but the track was closed from 1974 to 2000 until new ownership reopened it with membership options for local racers. The track hosts numerous top American road racing series, most notably a GT-only round for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and has often been used by NASCAR teams to test road course setups. The Grand Course comes in at 4.07-miles, and includes some inner-track chicanery from the more-utilized Full Course, at 3.27-miles, which will be the version used in the finale. Those are just two of the many configurations available at VIR, ranging in length from the Patriot Course at just over a mile to this Grand Course at more than four.

About the Series: The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series is where future stars of real-world motorsport prove themselves in the virtual one. Using the iRacing Formula iR-04, drivers take part in an open qualifier each week, and the top racers are selected to compete on Thursday nights.

The top three finishers in 2024 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series points will be invited to compete in a shootout at VIR later this year, where they’ll receive a 3 Day Racing School and have exclusive access to Skip Barber Racing School training facilities and coaching as they battle for a full-season seat in the 2025 Skip Barber Formula Race Series. In addition, 1 Day Racing School certificates will be given to the Hard Charger in each race, as well as fourth and fifth in the final standings, and all drivers who qualify for any given race will receive a one-time $200 credit to Skip Barber Racing School.

To learn more about the Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series, visit https://www.skipbarber.com/iracing-series/.
Drivers can register to compete in 2024 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series events here.
For more information about iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.

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