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Home , Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin, Garrett Smithley, John Hunter Nemechek, Landon Cassill, Matt DiBenedetto

NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, April 1, 2020

QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE

Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers

Wait, what’s this, some good scheduling news?

We take what we can get these days, and this past week we got some. A week ago, we suggested here that a NASCAR-IndyCar double- header might be part of the revamped schedule for 2020, and right on cue, we got one.

Details, please?

The Indy Grand Prix, run on the Brickyard’s infield road course, became part of the Month of May schedule in 2014. The forced reschedul- ing of this year’s Indy 500 (and assorted activities) has moved the 500 to Aug. 23 and the Grand Prix to July 4 as part of a newly moved NASCAR weekend at Indy. Both IndyCar and NASCAR’s Xfinity Series will race the road course in a Saturday doubleheader on the Fourth of July, the day before the Cup Series race on the oval.

What, more good news?

Tony Stewart will dust off his NASCAR gear to run that does a burnout after winning the race at Virtual . [PHOTO/NASCAR] Xfinity Series race. Pres- sure may build for him to contemplate a weekend tripleheader, given his Indy- Car background and obvious Cup Series history. He’ll Will Timmy Hill’s iRacing Texas likely resist. Ken Willis, ken.willis victory get him a better ride? @news-jrnl.com By Godwin Kelly not that familiar with in the sport. a teenager. When he started real rac- [email protected] Timmy Hill, who has 674 iRacing ing, he kept winning on every level and wins, won the race, and Garrett Smith- made such an impact that car owner NASCAR IRACING ace 2 of the eNASCAR iRacing ley, who runs mid-pack in the Xfinity put him in a Cup car TEXAS RESULTS Pro Invitational Series is in the Series, finished third. and paired him with master crew chief ebooks and helped keep stock- The entire top 5 was Hill, Ryan Pre- . Results from Sunday’s eNAS- race racing in the national ece, Smithley, and Alex Car owners were not calling Hill after CAR iRacing Pro Invitational sportsR discussion or at least in online Bowman. his Virtual Texas triumph. Series O’Reilly Auto Parts chats. What the race lacked in star power, it “For me, I haven’t contacted any- 125 from Virtual Texas Motor The Nielsen overnight ratings were made up for with action on the virtual body yet,” he said. “I hope that maybe Speedway: not available at the time of publication, track. Hill nudged William Byron out of from this some people would open but all indications point to another the way for the lead then held on for the their eyes to some of the guys towards 1. Timmy Hill, homerun by NASCAR, which pulled victory in an overtime shootout. the back of the garage, several guys 2. , the plug on live racing three weeks ago If the name Timmy Hill rings a bell, that don’t really get a lot of coverage 3. , because of the coronavirus. it’s probably because he raced his way because of the equipment they’re in. Chevrolet Thanks to 15 years of iRacing devel- into this year’s and was You just don’t hear their names. 4. Landon Cassill, Chevrolet opment, the first two Pro Invitational quite emotional after the qualifying “For me personally, I’ve been in this 5. , Chevrolet Series races, featuring big-name driv- races. sport for 10 years, don’t get talked 6. Jr., ers, looks realistic (except the flagman, On Sunday he was king of the hill. about much. I feel like I can get the job Chevrolet who missed the opening green flag on Well, the virtual hill. done given an opportunity. I’m try- 7. William Byron, Chevrolet Sunday). “I couldn’t be more excited,” Hill ing to showcase that as many times as 8. , In Race 1 and Dale said in a post-race teleconference with I can.” Ford Earnhardt Jr. had a last-lap battle to media. “Very exciting times for us The 27-year-old driver said any little 9. , Chevrolet, the checkered flag. Hamlin gave Dale because we just don’t get the recogni- bit helps these days as drivers find 10. , Chevrolet Jr. a little nudge exiting Turn 4 and won tion on a normal basis. different avenues into the Cup Series. 11. , Ford the first race of the inaugural series. “To be on an even playing field is Hill hopes his virtual win Sunday gets 12. , Toyota The first race was broadcast on cable excellent. To be on this platform, the different car owners interested. 13. , Toyota network Fox Sports 1 and attracted Cup platform, is exciting. The amount “I’m trying to showcase my own 14. Michael McDowell, Ford more than 900,000 viewers. Race 2 of folks that reached out to me has just name, showcase my talents,” he said. 15. Matt DiBenedetto, Ford was offered to the masses on the Fox been tremendous.” “I really feel that I can drive at a high 16. , Chevrolet broadcast channel. This could translate into a better level in tough equipment given that 17. , Toyota This time around it was the iRac- opportunity in the real world for Hill, opportunity. 18. , Ford ing regulars who took charge of the thanks in part to Byron, who started his “I don’t know if that will come from 19. , lead pack. Some of the top-5 finishers racing career as an iRacing whiz kid. this, but you never know. I kind of hold Chevrolet include some names you’re probably Byron was an iRacing superstar as hope for that. We’ll kind of see.” 20. , Chevrolet

2 0 2 0 C U P S E R I E S April 5: Bristol (postponed) June 21: Chicagoland Sept. 6: Darlington SCHEDULE AND WINNERS April 19: Richmond (postponed) June 27: Pocono Sept. 12: Richmond Feb. 9: Clash at Daytona () April 26: Talladega (postponed) June 28: Pocono Sept. 19: Bristol Feb. 16: Daytona 500 (Denny Hamlin) May 3: Dover (postponed) July 5: Sept. 27: Las Vegas Feb. 23: Las Vegas () May 9: Martinsville July 11: Kentucky Oct. 4: Talladega March 1: Fontana (Alex Bowman) May 16: All-Star Race at Charlotte July 19: New Hampshire Oct. 11: Charlotte March 8: Phoenix (Joey Logano) May 24: Charlotte Aug. 9: Michigan Oct. 18: Kansas March 15: (postponed) May 31: Kansas Aug. 16: Watkins Glen Oct. 25: Texas March 22: Homestead- (postponed) June 7: Michigan Aug. 23: Dover Nov. 1: Martinsville March 29: Texas (postponed) June 14: Sonoma Aug. 29: Daytona Nov. 8: Phoenix