Tucker Minter Wins eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Debut at Daytona

Any time that a race car driver, whether in the real world or virtual one, can add their name to a list headlined by Dale Earnhardt Jr., it’s probably a good day for that driver. That’s something that Team Dillon eSports driver Tucker Minter can say after Tuesday night, as he joined Earnhardt Jr. as one of a select few drivers to win their eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series debut when he took the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway.

It took double eNASCAR Overtime for Minter to get the win, as multiple late-race incidents kept the field bunched up and cycled back some of the race-long front-runners. But it was also anything but a fluke: Minter led 14 laps on the night, third-most behind Front Row Motorsports’ Allen Boes and outside polesitter Bobby Zalenski of Joe Gibbs Racing, and joining Boes’ FRM teammate Michael Cosey Jr. as one of two rookies to lead more than 10 laps of the 87 that were completed.

Daytona is often known for its major multi-car accidents, especially late in the race as drivers go for the win. But the trouble started on Lap 1 on Tuesday night, when a check-up in the middle of the field gave some drivers early damage that would stick with them all race. After the restart, the field would settle in for a lengthy green flag run that included pit stops just after halfway. The yellow wouldn’t fly again until a wreck for Elliott Sadler eSports driver Cody Byus on Lap 57, bunching multiple packs back up for the 20-lap dash to the finish.

A multi-car wreck among the midfield on Lap 77 set up the first round of overtime, with defending eNASCAR champion Casey Kirwan taking the lead from Boes on the restart and almost getting to the white flag before another wreck. Kirwan would keep the point for the second overtime and hang on coming into the tri-oval, but he couldn’t quite finish the block as Minter got a run. The XSET driver would hook to the right and lose the top spot, and he’d be scored in fourth place across the line.

Completing the top three behind Minter were Jim Beaver eSports driver Malik Ray and Elliott Sadler eSports driver Darik Bourdeau, two series veterans in their first races with new teams. Well known for his superspeedway racing expertise, Ray diced his way through the field in the closing laps, coming from as far back as 27^th place on Lap 70. Bourdeau, meanwhile, had been the most recent driver to win his first eNASCAR start back in 2016 until Minter’s victory.

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series results from Daytona International Speedway were as follows:

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series points through one round are as follows:

1. Tucker Minter, 40
2. Malik Ray, 35
3. Darik Bourdeau, 34
4. Casey Kirwan, 33
5. Michael Cosey Jr., 32
6. Nick Ottinger, 31
7. Tyler Garey, 30
8. Graham Bowlin, 29
9. Allen Boes, 28
10. Corey Vincent, 27

The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series heads to the Milwaukee Mile next, as the historic Wisconsin oval becomes the first non-NASCAR Cup Series venue to host an eNASCAR points race in the same year that it celebrates the return of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Race coverage begins on Tuesday, February 28 at 9 p.m. ET at eNASCAR.com/live, with Countdown to Green kicking off at 8:30 to set the stage for the action.

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