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Team Penske eNASCAR Pro Invitational iRacing Series Race Report

Track:                Virtual Dover International Speedway   Race:                #eNASCAR Finish Line 150
Date:                 May 3, 2020
 

No. 2 PIRTEK Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski

Start: 13th
Finish: 33rd
Status: Accident
Laps Completed: 85/150

Notes:

• Brad Keselowski started 13th and raced his way inside the top-10 early at Dover International Speedway. But Keselowski was involved in multiple accidents just before the halfway point of the 150-lap event which ended his day early and left the driver of the No. 2 PIRTEK Ford Mustang with a 33rd-place finish.
• Keselowski led the way for Team Penske in qualifying and showed tremendous speed in the opening laps of the race despite working to conserve his tires. However, Keselowski’s day began to sour when he was involved the aftermath of a multi-car accident on lap 53. He pitted during the caution for tires and when the race went green immediately began working his way through traffic.
• On lap 73 J.J. Yeley slowed at the entrance to Turn 3 setting off a chain reaction accident as cars bounced off each other. Keselowski was swept into the accident and pinned against the wall in Turn 3. The No. 2 PIRTEK Mustang was out of resets and the damage was too severe to continue, ending Keselowski’s race after completing 85 laps.

Quote:

“I had a little accident in the wreck fest. We were actually really fast. I think we were running in the top-10 and I was saving tires but it didn’t work out the way I wanted with the PIRTEK Ford Mustang."
 

No. 12 Menards/Moen Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney

Start: 32nd
Finish: 7th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 150/150

Notes:

• Ryan Blaney quietly executed a strategy of patience throughout Sunday’s 150-lap race at the virtual Dover International Speedway and was rewarded with a seventh-place finish, his best finish in six iRacing starts.  
• Blaney started 32nd kept the No. 12 Menards/Moen Ford Mustang clean through the majority of the race as heavy attrition began to plague many of the early front and mid-pack competitors. The strategy paid dividends as Blaney surged forward in the closing 50 laps, working his way into the top-15 and then to the top-10 in what was his strongest Pro Invitational event to date.
• Blaney’s seventh place finish led the way for Team Penske Dover.

Quote:

“We dodged a lot of wrecks today in the No. 12 Menards/Moen Ford Mustang. Great job spotting by Josh Williams. It was nice to be able to finally finish one!”

No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano

Start: 15th
Finish: 14th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 150/150

Notes:

• A roller coaster of an afternoon for Joey Logano at the virtual Monster Mile was an up-and-down roller coaster ended with a 14th-place finish for the driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Mustang on his way to a 14th place result in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang.
• Logano started 15th and used a pit strategy move on lap 25 to stay on the track and while others pitted for tires. Logano restarted inside the top-five where he spent a considerable amount of time on the afternoon. He tried to move again later in the event but was zapped by the strategy when his older, worn tires dropped him from the top-10 to back in the metaphorical hornets nest back in the pack.
• Logano rallied during the closing laps, dodging multiple incidents to move up from 24th to 14th position before the checkered flag fell. The late-race comeback netted Logano his best Pro Invitational finish to date.

Quote:

“What a day. We ran inside the top-five at times and felt like we had good speed in the Shell-Pennzoil Mustang, just overall got caught up in too many incidents. We were able to rally for a top-15 finish at the end.”

Team Penske Saturday Night Thunder Race Report

Track:    Virtual Dover International Speedway
Race:     Saturday Night Thunder
Date:     May 2, 2020


No. 22 Menards/Nibco Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric 

Heat 2 Start: 7th
Heat 2 Finish: 9th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 10/10

LCQ Start: 5th
LCQ Finish: 9th
Status: Accident
Laps Completed: 8/15

Notes:

• An accident sidelined Austin Cindric in Saturday’s Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) at virtual Dover International Speedway, keeping him out of the 125-lap main event race.
• The driver of the Menards/Nibco Ford Mustang started fifth and finished ninth in the 15-lap event. He was involved in a multicar accident on lap 8 and his Ford Mustang too damaged to continue, ending his night.  
• Cindric started seventh in the second of four 10-lap heat races. Shortly after the drop of the green flag he fell to 12th but rebounded to finish ninth. The top six finishers from each heat advanced to the feature, which forced Cindric was forced into the second Last Chance Qualifier to earn a starting position.

Quote:

“It has not been a good week for this Esports driver. I thought we had a good chance to make the transfer spot but had a hick-up on my end. I thought we were in the third heat race, but I was in the second and missed the grid. I started from pit road and I got a couple positions from a crash. I had to win my LCQ race but got involved in a wreck and had to call it a night for our Menards/Nibco Ford Mustang.”