2023 NASCAR Discussion ThreadNASCAR

[Dylan]

Tonight is the 2023 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship race at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. 4 drivers will compete live in-person at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC for $100,000, and the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Cup!
Those 4 drivers are:
-Garrett Lowe for Jim Beaver eSports
-Tucker Minter for Team Dillon eSports
-Nick Ottinger for William Byron eSports
-Steven Wilson for Stewart-Hass Racing

Here is a write up from eNASCAR.com with a bit more background on each of the drivers.

https://www.enascar.com/news-media/2023/09/26/whattowatchforeccnis/

And here is the link to the livestream of the event. Which is due to kick off at 8:00pm ET for Countdown to Green, with green flag at 9:00pm ET.

 

[Eggstor]

Speaking of Stewart-Haas, they will be at least a 3-car team next year as Ryan Preece announced he will be back in the 41.

 

[Dylan]

Update:

 

[Dylan]

It’s finally official.

 

[Blitz24]

It’s finally official.

Aka: The nearly caution-free race was terrible and we need to make sure that never happens again.

 

[Suzuki-Cara]

Aka: The nearly caution-free race was terrible and we need to make sure that never happens again.

Suddenly, it's 2008 all over again.

 

[Dolph Drago]

I'm just sitting here unable to believe it's been 30 years already. I was there all the way back for the 3rd running in 1996.

 

[Northstar]

Aka: The nearly caution-free race was terrible and we need to make sure that never happens again.

To be fair this move has been rumored since last year's running.

 

[Eggstor]

The All-Star race is making its 2nd consecutive North Wilkesboro appearance next year.

 

[Eggstor]

Kyle Busch will still make his 5 Truck starts...for Spire. Also, the sale was Spire's idea.

 

[Northstar]

Won't post the video of the fight itself for several reasons, but Matt Crafton and Nick Sanchez got into a fight, supposedly it started when Crafton sucker punched Nick.



If it went down like Nick says it did Matt needs to be suspended. Straight up fighting is bad enough, we don't need drivers sucker punching each other, especially when the one doing the punching is twice the age of the other party.

 

[Blood Eagle]

Won't post the video of the fight itself for several reasons, but Matt Crafton and Nick Sanchez got into a fight, supposedly it started when Crafton sucker punched Nick.



If it went down like Nick says it did Matt needs to be suspended. Straight up fighting is bad enough, we don't need drivers sucker punching each other, especially when the one doing the punching is twice the age of the other party.

Yeah if Sanchez’s story is true, Crafton should be suspended. Lots of people saying Sanchez should be parked for his comments during the fight but I’ll give him a pass on that if his story checks out.

 

[Dylan]

Greg Van Alst was injured in a wreck during yesterdays truck race.

 

[Dennisch]

That was a good race.

 

[Dylan]

Ryan Blaney beats Harvick at the line to advance to the round of 8!

 

[Dylan]

Guess it’s a good thing Harvick didn’t win.

 

[Eggstor]

Silly Season news:

• Harrison Burton will be back in the 21
• The "Will he stay or will he go" saga with Aric Almirola continues

 

[Northstar]

The good news is it sounds like Iowa is getting a Cup date!

The bad news is Iowa was supposedly a fallback option if Montreal didn't work out.

The worst news is the short track package still sucks, but at least Xfinity will hopefully be there as well and they are great more often than not.

NASCAR to add Iowa Speedway to 2024 Cup schedule

An announcement is likely to come as soon as Tuesday.

theathletic.com

 

[Blitz24]

The good news is it sounds like Iowa is getting a Cup date!

The bad news is Iowa was supposedly a fallback option if Montreal didn't work out.

The worst news is the short track package still sucks, but at least Xfinity will hopefully be there as well and they are great more often than not.

NASCAR to add Iowa Speedway to 2024 Cup schedule

An announcement is likely to come as soon as Tuesday.

theathletic.com

Canada really doesn't want a Cup race do they?

 

[Northstar]

Seems Kostecki isn't done with NASCAR, and he is bringing his Supercars team with him (in partnership with RCR).

Canada really doesn't want a Cup race do they?

Whoever was sitting at the control panel of the Iowa website jumped the gun and briefly revealed the date to be June 16th, which happens to be the weekend after the Canadian GP. If that was the date they were offering Montreal I can certainly see why it didn't work out.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Seems Kostecki isn't done with NASCAR, and he is bringing his Supercars team with him (in partnership with RCR).

Well isn't that interesting. This is sure to increase NASCAR viewership even more here in Australia. Time to bring back the Thunderdome at Calder Park!

 

[Northstar]

Iowa is official!



Was hoping it would be a little earlier in the day though as the 6PM start time makes it hard for me to drive 4.5 hours each way than work the next day. I might be getting an additional week of vacation though so if that happens I will 100% be going.

 

[Blitz24]

2024 Schedule is out. Biggest surprise (aside from Iowa) is that Watkins Glen is now a Round of 16 race. The Roval WILL return for 2024, so 2 plate tracks and 2 road courses for the playoffs.

 

[EngieDiesel]

I get the feeling that the Glen being moved is primarily due to the Olympic break*. I wouldn't be too surprised if they moved it back out of the playoffs after that, unless some incredibly amazing results happen this time around.

That said, the sooner we get Texas out of the way the better, as far as I'm concerned.

*somewhere Brain France Jr. is appalled that they're not planning to directly compete with a much larger sporting event in a self-sabotaging attempt for ratings supremacy

 

[Blitz24]

NASCAR looking to maybe bring a successful licensed game for the first time in 2 decades.

 

[Veinz]

It’s about time. Hopefully Indycar does the same with the people at iRacing.

 

[Northstar]

NASCAR looking to maybe bring a successful licensed game for the first time in 2 decades.

It will likely be more or less Heat 6…

 

[Blitz24]

It will likely be more or less Heat 6…

Doubtful. I don't even think it will get a Heat name. It might just go back to Papyrus naming convention.

 

[Northstar]

Doubtful. I don't even think it will get a Heat name. It might just go back to Papyrus naming convention.

I’m not saying it will use the name, just that they will use it as a base like they’ve done with their post-MSG games.

 

[EngieDiesel]

I’m not saying it will use the name, just that they will use it as a base like they’ve done with their post-MSG games.

I dunno, with the whole faff going on with Unity they probably won't re-use that game engine. That and there are game engines that are more robust and just as affordable now.