IndyCar holds its latest virtual race

Michigan marked the first oval track on IndyCar’s virtual schedule, and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud won the race contested April 11.

IndyCar’s virtual return to Michigan International Speedway mimicked the U.S. 500 at the start, when the current open-wheel racing stars mismanaged the green flag and triggered a spectacular crash.

The accident in the opening seconds of the Chevrolet 275 iRacing event gave the April 11 event a throwback feel. When CART fractured and IndyCar was born, the CART teams boycotted the Indianapolis 500 and instead raced at Michigan. The alternative 1996 race opened with a huge wreck that only punctuated the absurdity of the split in American open-wheel racing.

So when multiple cars crashed before even reaching the virtual start/finish line, IndyCar was briefly scrambling for the reset button.

“Stay with us, guys! Stay with us!” driver Conor Daly pleaded on his streaming service as iRacing officials sorted out the mess.

“It’s going to be great. Once the McLaren cars have crashed,” promised Daly.

The virtual cleanup took time as drivers lobbied race control to delay the green so they could finish their tow and rejoin the field. An official finally told them to be quiet.

“The show is more important than where you guys finish in the race. I’m sorry, we will debrief after the race,” the drivers were told by an iRacing official, who added no more cautions would be called.

And so they tried again with the third round of this virtual racing series created to give IndyCar content during the sports shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic. IndyCar’s season was suspended 48 hours before its scheduled opener.

Michigan marked the first oval track on IndyCar’s virtual schedule and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud won the race. IndyCar has not actually raced at Michigan since 2007, and only five of the drivers in the virtual return had ever raced the track before.

“This is the most stressful I’ve ever felt in a race car,” Pagenaud said without a hint of sarcasm.

He competed wearing his actual firesuit and his wife handed him a bottle of congratulatory champagne as the Frenchman took the virtual checkered flag.

The race featured a a guest appearance from avid iRacer and new NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Dale Earnhardt Jr., who lobbied for an invite and received one from IndyCar to join the field.