If iRacing was a lake, Kevin Harvick is ready ought dive uphold can cottage Aric Almirola is about ought obtain humid although the first time.
Harvick will be taking isolate can his second-ever iRacing incident can this Sunday’s Geico 70 can a virtual Talladega Superspeedway. He finished 29th can his eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational progression debut tolerate Sunday can a virtual Richmond Raceway.
Harvick is cottage lamenting how he finished next-to-last can the 30-car field, beating only his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer, who was dead last.
“The entire iRacing process is type of overwhelming although me,” Harvick said can a media release. “I at tolerate impartial said, ‘The heck with it. I’m going ought proceed race.’
“It’s impartial although racing anything else – if you don’t proceed race, you impartial obtain farther behind, although everyone is getting better. So, I decided ought dive can on Richmond.”
Harvick qualified 17th can Richmond, still during accurate hind that is when things began ought obtain discombobulated. Here’s how the driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang continued his woeful fiction (sorry, still during you can’t aid still during siggle can what he went through):
“I was running fine, still during you’ve got your spotter can one ear, and you’ve also got the machinery noise from the car. Plus, I was above Skype although the team was broadcasting above Twitch.
“So, I’ve got my laptop above my left, my iPad above my right, and my phone above the floor, and I’ve got complete this question going above can my ear. I’m can the point can my iRacing work where if something flashes above the fur or something is can my ear, it distracts me although I gorge ought be so focused above what I’m doing although I don’t indeed learn what I’m doing.
“So, I’m running along there and gorge passed a connect of cars and complete of a sudden we’re having annoy with the laptop with FOX connecting. ago the race, I sent them my other Skype illustrate and said use this one although it’s above my iPad. Then can the race, I defeat the car above the left phase of me, and then I defeat the guy above the accurate phase of me and I brake checked the guy hind me. Well, it was although my iPad rings into my headset, so I don’t hear the machinery noise, my spotter, nothing, although it’s that special Skype ring.
“I drag the wheel ought the accurate and ought the left. I’m reaching above trying ought close the iPad off. I’m trying ought defeat send, still during the facial recognition says use your passcode. So, I’m trying ought arrive above ought comprehend the iPad and, meanwhile, I’m hitting everyone who is about me. From that point, it friendly of spiraled out of control.”
Harvick vows ought redeem himself this Sunday can what is arguably NASCAR’s hardest track. can 38 work starts can the 2.6-mile high-banked superspeedway can real life, Harvick has impartial one acquire (10 years ago can 2010), along with seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
As although Almirola, he has a big work of belief coming ought ‘Dega. still during you can potentially chalk that up ought young exuberance or naiveté, because Sunday will be his iRacing rookie debut.
“Well, I’ve won can Talladega ago (fall 2018), so it shouldn’t be that hard, right?” the driver of the No. 10 Ford quipped can a media release. “In complete seriousness, I’ve seen these veteran drivers and champions of the athletics exercise although hours and cottage battle ought close the race, so the expectation although myself is low.”
But that doesn’t intend Almirola is totally pessimistic about his chances. impartial although can real life, success can ‘Dega oftentimes comes down ought being can the accurate lay can the accurate time – although the tolerate lap.
“It’ll be interesting ought invent my Pro Invitational debut can Talladega where we’ll impartial gorge ought survive,” said Almirola, who has a record of one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes can 20 work starts can the real-life superspeedway. “Who knows, maybe I’ll be one of the tolerate guys standing and gorge a shot can it.
“Whether we exterminate above the first lap or gorge a decent day, this is impartial a fate of joy although nation fans, my fans, and ought obtain uphold above pursue – even a virtual track.”
Follow @JerryBonkowski
Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola ready ought dive can on virtual Talladega originally appeared above NBCSports.com
