May 16, 2009 - iRacing.com is proud to announce it's joining forces with NASCAR to create the sanctioning body's first officially licensed and sanctioned online competition division. The fact that iRacing is now a partner in NASCAR-Sanctioned Online Racing is not only a landmark development for the company, it's a tribute to the talent, competitive spirit and sportsmanship of the more than 12,000 members who have joined the iRacing family since 2008.
"Our members are passionate about racing," said John Henry, iRacing's co-founder and chairman. "They love to drive, and they love to compete. And they do it in the context of their overall love for racing in both the physical and virtual worlds. We're pleased that iRacing has been chosen as the home of NASCAR-Sanctioned Online Racing and expect that many of NASCAR's most avid fans will find iRacing's NASCAR-sanctioned series a great way to deepen their connection to and enjoyment of the sport."
The new partnership represents a bit of déjà vu for iRacing co-founder, CEO and CTO Dave Kaemmer whose previous company, Papyrus Design Group, developed several popular NASCAR simulation titles including the ever-popular NASCAR Racing: 2003 Season.
"This is sort of a homecoming for me and several members of the development team," Kaemmer said. "Our NASCAR roots date back to the 1990s. We're thrilled NASCAR shares our vision of internet racing as a new branch of motorsport. With the power of NASCAR behind us, iRacing and our growing global community are about to take another big step forward."
The new partnership was announced this afternoon at Lowe's Motor Speedway during a press conference hosted jointly by NASCAR and iRacing.com, and attended by representatives from many leading media outlets in the motor sports arena. They heard NASCAR officials confirm what iRacing members already know, regardless of the cars or series in which they compete.
"The iRacing product is so realistic that a number of our NASCAR drivers, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brad Keselowski, A.J. Allmendinger, Marcos Ambrose and Colin Braun are already iRacing members," said Blake Davidson, NASCAR managing director of licensed products. "From the beginning these drivers have raved about the incredible accuracy of the cars and the tracks that iRacing has produced and their involvement, along with NASCAR Competition, in the development will make the experience even more authentic."
The fact that NASCAR iRacing will be "authentic NASCAR competition" was underlined by the fact that Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, was much in evidence at the announcement.
"Over the years, many of our drivers have helped develop their skills by participating in virtual training like iRacing," he said. "It's exciting to now have an online NASCAR-sanctioned series like iRacing that will be entertaining for our fans and help provide them with a greater understanding of what it takes to be a NASCAR race car driver."
Further details on the 2010 NASCAR-sanctioned series will be made available later this year.
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