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

The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series returns in 2024 with more than $500,000 in prizes and the opportunity to run in the real-world Skip Barber Formula Race Series on the line. After Hot Lap Qualifying via Time Attack from July 26th to the 28th, 20 drivers have qualified for Thursday night’s event at Virginia International Raceway on the Grand Course.

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 second race of the 2024 season at Virginia International Raceway:

1. Ivan Machado Perez
2. Leo Ovtcharov
3. Ayden Young
4. Byron Mitchell
5. Felipe Cabrera Loyola
6. Victor Miranda
7. Kody Deith
8. Michael Polasek
9. Shoma Shintani
10. Matt Bussa
11. Mitchell Ian Greene
12. Andrew Moran
13. Ross Banfield
14. Cade Middleton
15. Jeffrey Decker
16. Patrick Hingston
17. Matt M Adams
18. Clay Morris
19. Matt J Caruana
20. Sebastian Cedeno Schettini

Last Race: Two weeks ago, the series took on Circuit of the Americas in the opening round of the 2024 season. The two to beat started on the front row with Victor Miranda and Kody Deith trading jabs throughout the night. Miranda took the first race, holding off Deith in the final corners. Deith wound up sideways and finished sixth, which meant he started sixth for the second race. After a masterful drive back to the front, Deith made the move around Miranda for the top spot and never let go of it for the second win of the evening.

Last Year: Last season, 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 utilized later in the season. 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.

Next Race: Following VIR, the Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series takes on Road America for the mid-race of the season. This Hot Lap Qualifier is active from Friday, August 2nd at 12 a.m. ET to Sunday, August 4th at 11:59 p.m. ET. The entry fee for each Hot Lap Qualifier is $20, and the top 20 drivers on the Time Attack leaderboard will be invited to run each race. They’ll also get to take part in an open test with Skip Barber Racing School instructors on hand to provide feedback. The main event will run on Thursday, August 8th.

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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