Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch will be among the NASCAR greats back on the racetrack this weekend — the virtual racetrack, that is.
NASCAR and iRacing on Tuesday announced the Pro Invitational Series, an exhibition esports series that will pit drivers from the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series, as well as a group of NASCAR dignitaries, in what is being billed as a “simulation-style showcase.”
The multiweek series will begin Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET on the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Earnhardt Jr., Busch, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell are among the drivers set to compete, according to a release issued by NASCAR on Tuesday night.
The remainder of the virtual schedule will be announced at a later date.
“Until we have cars back on track, the entire NASCAR community has aligned to provide our passionate fans with a unique, fun and competitive experience on race day,” Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s vice president of racing development, said in a statement. “Our long-time partners at iRacing offer an incredible product and we are excited to see how many of our best drivers will stack up in the virtual domain of competitive racing.”
NASCAR has postponed its real-life season until May 9 at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, due to the coronavirus pandemic.