There were 21 drivers who graduated to the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, sealing the complete field of 40 racers who will compete in the series.
We know who is racing at the top level of eNASCAR in 2021.
Following the conclusion of the iRacing Pro Series season Tuesday at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway, 21 drivers graduated to the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, sealing the complete field of 40 racers who will compete in the series that awarded over $300,000 in prizes in 2020 – including $100,000 to champion Nick Ottinger.
Half the 40-driver Coca-Cola iRacing Series field is comprised of the top 20 drivers from the previous season – that half was known since the Nov. 2 series finale.
The other half is sourced from the winter iRacing Pro Series – the six-week mini-series that’s a melting pot of the bottom-20 Coca-Cola iRacing Series drivers and the top-20 from the 2020 iRacing Road to Pro Series, a racing division open to any driver on the iRacing service who has completed the standard license progression.
MORE: Complete eNASCAR coverage
It’s a cutthroat format where sim racers are constantly forced to perform, either by working their way up the ranks or trying to stay alive in the big leagues.
The 2021 Coca-Cola iRacing Series will feature a remarkable 11 rookie drivers graduating from the iRacing Pro Series, including up-and-comer Isaac Gann, who won the final two races on his way to the championship:
- Isaac Gann (first place in iRacing Pro Series)
- Mitchell deJong (third)
- Garrett Manes (sixth)
- Femi Olat (eighth)
- Derek Justis (ninth)
- Jake Matheson (10th)
- Ryan Doucette (11th)
- Vicente Salas (12th)
- Zack Nichols (16th)
- Blade Whitt (17th)
- Steven Wilson (21st)
For 21st-place Steven Wilson, an extra batch of luck was on his side. Normally, only the top 20 drivers advance, but 21 made the cut this year – an extra spot opened up when Christian Challiner accepted a job at iRacing, voiding his 18th-place Coca-Cola iRacing Series points finish.
WE MADE THE COKE SERIES!!! Never thought I‘d be here, but P6 in pro points after getting wrecked tonight. Thank you to everyone at @sadleresports for all the hard work this season, and congratulations to @vicente_salas14 and @ashtoncrowder27 for making it in as well.#RReSports pic.twitter.com/RTZPSHM96L
— Garrett Manes Racing (@GarrettManes) December 23, 2020
We going Coke Series racing ladies and gents. pic.twitter.com/okO2vSyaGM
— Ryan Doucette (@RyanDoucette77) December 23, 2020
No longer #ontheway. We are #there. ud83eudd1e @SadlerEsports
— Vicente Salas (@vicente_salas14) December 23, 2020
WE MADE IT!!!! After extremely long Road to Pro and Pro Series seasons I can say we have secured our spot into the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series!! #iRacing@DMSoftwareDev @Lowline_Racing pic.twitter.com/XxypXdIQZC
— Blade Whitt (@Blade_Whitt) December 23, 2020
I am in pure DISBELIEF. Got in the only wreck of the race, came home 35th but still the last damn car to advance to coke. Huge thanks to everybody that helped me get to this point, it would be just like me to make the scenes interesting at the end. pic.twitter.com/5TfwZF9eJc
— Steven (@swilson3_) December 23, 2020
Eight drivers from the 2020 Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship fought their way back for a 2021 entry despite their bottom-20 relegation at the top level. One of those drivers was 2019 Coca-Cola iRacing Series champion Zack Novak, who struggled in defense of his title – though he’ll now have a chance to prove himself again:
- Ashton Crowder (second place in iRacing Pro Series)
- Nathan Lyon (fourth)
- Zack Novak (seventh)
- Malik Ray (13th)
- Michael Guest (14th)
- Brian Schoenburg (15th)
- Dylan Duval (18th)
- Matt Bussa (20th)
We secured a spot in next year's @eNASCARCocaCola Series. Can't wait to get started!
— Zack Novak (@znovak15) December 23, 2020
Successfully qualified for the @eNASCARCocaCola Series for the 9th consecutive year! Wasn't the result I had hoped for in the pro series, but good enough to make it. Thanks to the Team Conti guys for helping throughout the pro series, especially cc @Adam_Benefiel83 !
— Matt Bussa (@mbussa5) December 23, 2020
In addition, two former Coca-Cola iRacing Series drivers – Taylor Hurst (fifth) and Allen Boes (19th) – will strap in for a second tour at the top level after their iRacing Pro Series performances. Hurst was active from 2015 through 2019, while Boes raced from 2015 through 2017.
WHAT A SEASON!!! Words can't describe the feeling right now. We're back in the top level of oval racing on @iRacing. Car started out a little loose but after a few changes we ended the night 10th. Big thanks to everyone @TotalAdvantageG for the support all year. pic.twitter.com/7Bc1Orb09f
— Allen Boes (@A_Boes21) December 23, 2020
Of course, where there’s celebration, there’s also heartbreak.
Among those who missed the cut are 10 drivers who were relegated from the 2020 Coca-Cola iRacing Series, then failed to crack the top half of the iRacing Pro Series:
- Santiago Tirres
- Brandon Hayse Kettelle
- Chris Overland
- Alex McCollum
- Michael Guariglia
- Justin Bolton
- Eric J. Smith
- Kollin Keister
- Jarl Teien
- Steve Sheehan
These racers will return to the pool of standard iRacing drivers; they can attempt the 2021 Road to Pro Series like any other iRacer with hopes of fighting into the 2022 Coca-Cola iRacing Series to race with the best of the best.
To see all of your friends leave & go on to new teams & new beginnings in ’21, has to be one of the hardest things I‘ve had to deal with. Its going to be weird not seeing everyone laughing & having a good time in TS. Those times are over now but the friendships will last forever.
— Brandon Hayse Kettelle (@BrandonKettelle) December 23, 2020
Just want to thank everyone at @woodbrothers21 especially @_JonWood, dude believed in me based completely off of hearsay and to drive for a driver/team I have idolized since I was a kid was a dream come true. Keep my 2022 contract in the filing cabinet.
— Chris Overland (@ChrisOverland47) December 23, 2020
While details for the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series haven’t yet been announced, the 2020 season featured some intense sim racing with record-breaking prizes. Real-world NASCAR teams along with top esports outfits participate in the league, fielding entries for the 40 best racers on iRacing. The $100,000-to-win 2020 championship race was aired on NBC Sports following the conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series finale at Phoenix Raceway.
The complete 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series field:
- Nick Ottinger (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Bobby Zalenski (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Michael Conti (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Ryan Michael Luza (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Jimmy Mullis (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Keegan Leahy (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Garrett Lowe (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Ray Alfalla (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Corey Vincent (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Logan Clampitt (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Graham A. Bowlin (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Brad Davies (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Chris Shearburn (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Blake Reynolds (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Caine Cook (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Bob Bryant (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Jake Nichols (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Casey Kirwan (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- John Gorlinsky (2020 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series)
- Isaac Gann (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Ashton Crowder (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Mitchell deJong (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Nathan Lyon (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Taylor Hurst (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Garrett Manes (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Zack Novak (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Femi Olat (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Derek Justis (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Jake Matheson (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Ryan Doucette (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Vicente Salas (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Malik Ray (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Michael Guest (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Brian Schoenburg (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Zack Nichols (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Blade Whitt (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Dylan Duval (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Allen Boes (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Matt Bussa (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
- Steven Wilson (2020 iRacing Pro Series)
With 19 drivers hungry to return to the track, 11 ready to prove themselves for the first time, and 10 prepared to give it another shot, the 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series is sure to excite. Keep an eye on eNASCAR.com for further details.
