Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Race Preview: Watkins Glen
April 2nd, 2022 by Chris Leone
The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series continues its chase towards a prize pool valued at more than $500,000 with a visit to Watkins Glen International on Sunday at 3PM ET. As always, the action can be seen live on www.iracing.com/live and across iRacing and Skip Barber Racing School channels.
About The Series: The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series is designed to give sim racers an opportunity to earn their way into a fully funded real-world Skip Barber Formula Race Series seat. This six-round sim racing championship features the iRacing Formula iR-04 that most closely resembles the car used in the real-world series. Each week, a new set of 20 drivers qualifies into the series through a three-day Time Attack session, before receiving coaching from Skip Barber Racing School instructors throughout the week. The top three points finishers across the season receive race seats, with the champion running a full season, second place running half the season, and third place running a single event. The combined value of all prizes, including SBRS credits to all qualifying drivers and other randomly awarded scholarships, exceeds $500,000.
Last Race: Mikkel Gade’s bid for a perfect 2022 season May have fallen short in the second race from VIR, but he remains in control of the championship after completing a hat trick to open the season at VIRginia International Raceway. Gade inherited the top spot in the first feature as polesitter Deagen Fairclough got caught up in a multi-car tangle that opened the door, but Fairclough got his poetic justice in the second race with a win of his own. After charging through the field from 15th, Fairclough got through another tangle between Gade and Elvis Rankin to earn the victory and snap Gade’s winning streak.
Track Facts: Built as a permanent facility after nearly a decade of public road races in its namesake town, Watkins Glen International has long been renowned as one of the premier road racing facilities in America. It hosted the United States Grand Prix for two decades before taking its current spots on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar with a crucial late summer race, and June’s Six Hours of the Glen on the IMSA schedule.
Next Race: Following Watkins Glen, the Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series will head to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, April 10 at 3PM ET. The popular California circuit has long been a staple of various open-wheel and sports car calendars in the United States, and is a popular venue for Skip Barber Racing School students to refine their skills. Its infamous Corkscrew has been home to many of American road racing’s most famous moments, including Alex Zanardi’s famous pass of Bryan Herta in CART competition in the mid-1990s.
Drivers looking to qualify for subsequent rounds of the Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series can visit skipbarber.com/iracing-series/ to register before turning their hot laps in iRacing’s Time Attack system on Monday through Wednesday. Registration is $20 per event. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.