IndyCar's virtual racing will be televised beginning with Saturday's iRacing event, which has been picked up by NBC Sports.
The debut virtual race last weekend drew 433,000 combined viewers to both IndyCar and iRacing's online stream. Totals viewers jumped to 600,000 when IndyCar tallied how many watched drivers' social media feeds or gaming channels.
Click to Gallery
IndyCar's virtual racing will be televised beginning with Saturday's iRacing event, which has been picked up by NBC Sports.
NBC Sports is IndyCar's broadcast partner but had declined to air the first iRacing event. Now it will use its booth of Leigh Diffey, Paul Tracy and Townsend Bell to call the race at virtual Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.
Several racing series have gone virtual during the shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic. The iRacing platform gives drivers an opportunity to hone their skills in a realistic environment, as well as provide content to fans and showcase their teams and sponsors.
IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, practices on his racing simulator in his home in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 28, 2020. Kanaan, along with other IndyCar drivers and NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson will compete in the series' inaugural virtual racing event Saturday. (AP PhotoMichael Conroy)
IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, practices on his racing simulator in his home in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 28, 2020. Kanaan, along with other IndyCar drivers and NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson will compete in the series' inaugural virtual racing event Saturday. (AP PhotoMichael Conroy)
NASCAR has done well in its virtual racing series, setting records for viewership the last two weeks. It's Sunday virtual race that aired on some Fox affiliates and nationally on its cable channel drew 1.3 million viewers.
IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, practices on his racing simulator in his home in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 28, 2020. Kanaan, along with other IndyCar drivers and NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson will compete in the series' inaugural virtual racing event Saturday. (AP PhotoMichael Conroy)
NBC Sports is IndyCar's broadcast partner but had declined to air the first iRacing event. Now it will use its booth of Leigh Diffey, Paul Tracy and Townsend Bell to call the race at virtual Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.
More than two dozen IndyCar drivers are expected to compete, including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, who did not take part in last week's event. Sage Karam won the event at virtual Watkins Glen in New York.
NBC Sports first worked with iRacing last October when it aired the 2019 eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Championship in a two-hour event live on NBCSN.
In this image taken from video provided by iRacing IndyCar, IndyCar Pato O'Ward, foreground, heads into a turn during opening lap of the American Red Cross Grand Prix virtual IndyCar auto race at Watkins Glen International, Saturday, March 28, 2020. (iRacing IndyCar via AP)
Several racing series have gone virtual during the shutdown from the coronavirus pandemic. The iRacing platform gives drivers an opportunity to hone their skills in a realistic environment, as well as provide content to fans and showcase their teams and sponsors.
In this image taken from video provided by iRacing IndyCar, IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin, front, competes in the American Red Cross Grand Prix virtual IndyCar auto race at Watkins Glen International, Saturday, March 28, 2020. (iRacing IndyCar via AP)
IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, practices on his racing simulator in his home in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 28, 2020. Kanaan, along with other IndyCar drivers and NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson will compete in the series' inaugural virtual racing event Saturday. (AP PhotoMichael Conroy)
IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan, of Brazil, practices on his racing simulator in his home in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 28, 2020. Kanaan, along with other IndyCar drivers and NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson will compete in the series' inaugural virtual racing event Saturday. (AP PhotoMichael Conroy)