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eNASCAR Coke: Steven Wilson scores back-to-back Atlanta victories

Back to his winning ways, 2022’s wins leader Steven Wilson broke out of his slow start to the season and won at Atlanta on Tuesday night.

For the first time in the 2023 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season, Steven Wilson (Stewart-Haas Esports) is bringing home the bacon. On the second eNASCAR Overtime restart, Wilson was able to hold off Kollin Keister (eRacr) at the line to score his first victory of the 2023 season, and the fifth of his career.

After collecting a bit of nose damage following the previous caution where Garrett Lowe (Jim Beaver Esports) had spun off the nose of Vicente Salas (Williams Esports) for the lead, Wilson was able to control the lanes and take the win. With only 10 points earned in two races before this, Wilson’s season is now trending upward once again, just a season removed from his series-leading four win season in 2022.

Michael Guest went high on his 23XI Racing teammate Keegan Leahy in the final corner to score third place. Rookie contender Michael Cosey Jr (Front Row Motorsports) crossed the line in fourth, and Graham A. Bowlin (Charlotte Phoenix) takes over the points lead with his Top 5 run.

WILSON: “NEEDED THIS ONE BAD”

“This is the first one I’ve finished all year,” Wilson reminded the viewers at home in his post-race interview. From the Championship 4 in October to bottom feeding in the standings two races in was not what most were expecting, but now Wilson finds himself back in the thick of it following his Atlanta win.

Ryan Luza (XSET) took the pole position alongside the points leader entering the night, Malik Ray (Jim Beaver Esports). Wilson started down in 14th, but he and his Deadzone teammates, such as Casey Kirwan (XSET), Allen Boes (Front Row Motorsports) and even his Stewart-Haas teammate Dylan Duval would lead the majority of the event.

Duval, in fact, led the most laps at 35 of the 105 laps run following double eNASCAR Overtime. Wilson led 27 of them, including the most important one at the end.

THE BIG ONE STRIKES MULTIPLE TIMES

For a time, both Luza and Ray looked to be the class of the field, both leading double digit laps themselves. Unfortunately, both were collected in wrecks not of their doing, both finishing further back than anticipated.

Luza was caught up in the first incident of the night at lap 76. Collin Bowden (eRacr) wound up spinning after a stack up, and Luza had nowhere to go. The incident also collected Kaden Honeycutt (RFK Racing) moments later when Bowden’s car came sliding down the track.

Keister was caught up in the second wreck after contact with Brandon McKissic (Letarte Esports), but thankfully the damage was minimal. It was the third caution of the night that started the trend of “big one” type wrecks.

With laps winding down, Parker White (Kanaan Esports) and Kirwan ended up tangling, and that’s when Ray’s convincing performance came to a screeching halt. Both Ray and Kirwan would be hit with the meatball flag, ending their chances.

Another big one came with under five laps to go, when Femi Olatunbosun (Charlotte Phoenix) and Keegan Leahy came together, sending the orange No. 43 up into Corey Vincent (Pittsburgh Knights) and sending Donovan Strauss (Williams Esports) back down into more traffic.

The final multicar incident came on the first eNASCAR Overtime attempt. Garrett Lowe and Vicente Salas made contact racing for the lead. Wilson did get clipped, but the damage wasn’t sever enough to ruin his chance at winning.

ROOKIES ON THE UP AND UP

How about the rookie class of 2023? With his fourth place finish, his second Top 5 of the year already, Michael Cosey Jr sits tied for fourth in the points standings after three races. He’s tied with another rookie who has been quietly picking up solid finishes all season, Kanaan Esports’ Tyler Garey.

The pair are only two points ahead of Tucker Minter (Team Dillon Esports), the winner of the first race of the season at Daytona. His Team Dillon and Altus Esports teammate Jordy Lopez Jr is 12th in the points, and arguably could be even higher as he’s run higher in all three races, running in the Top 5 at points in all three events.

Parker White and Wyatt Tinsley (Kansas City Pioneers) also find themselves in the Top 20 in points after three races, which makes six rookies in the top half of the standings so far.

Once could also argue that the rookie teams in the series are also doing quite well for themselves, especially Front Row Motorsports who currently leads Team Points after three races.

Although Allen Boes is not a rookie by any means, he and Cosey Jr are on one of the newest teams in the series and are already on top. Tony Kanaan’s team, Kanaan Esports, sits third in the standings, and he does have two rookies on board.

RACE 3 AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY – TOP 10 RESULTS

FINSTACAR #DRIVERTEAMINTERVALLEDPTS
11410Steven WilsonStewart-Haas Esports105 LAPS2740
23542Kollin KeistereRacr+0.035 secs035
33145Michael Guest23XI Racing+0.112 secs034
41538Michael Cosey JrFront Row Motorsports+0.146 secs033
5948Graham A. BowlinCharlotte Phoenix+0.170 secs032
63366Tyler GareyKanaan Esports+0.173 secs031
72020Wyatt TinsleyKansas City Pioneers+0.234 secs130
82341Dylan DuvalStewart-Haas Esports+0.239 secs3529
92511Parker WhiteKanaan Esports+0.274 secs128
10334Allen BoesFront Row Motorsports+0.333 secs327

PLAYOFF SEEDING AFTER RACE 3 AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

POS#DRIVERTEAMPTSBEHWINST5T10
18Michael ContiJR Motorsports84WIN111
233Tucker MinterTeam Dillon Esports79WIN111
310Steven WilsonStewart-Haas Esports50WIN111
448Graham A. BowlinCharlotte Phoenix93+25023
525Nick OttingerWilliam Byron Esports89+21012
638Michael Cosey JrFront Row Motorsports81+13022
666Tyler GareyKanaan Esports81+13002
841Dylan DuvalStewart-Haas Esports78+10002
834Allen BoesFront Row Motorsports78+10002
107Malik RayJim Beaver Esports70+2022
1145Michael Guest23XI Racing68-2011
1242Kollin KeistereRacr67-3011

TEAM STANDINGS AFTER RACE 3 AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

POSCAR #sTEAMPTSBEHWINST5T10
134 | 38Front Row Motorsports159012
23 | 33Team Dillon Esports144-15111
311 | 66Kanaan Esports142-17003
425 | 97William Byron Esports133-26012
523 | 4523XI Racing129-30011
610 | 41Stewart-Haas Esports128-31113
78 | 88JR Motorsports125-34111
843 | 48Charlotte Phoenix120-39023
94 | 95XSET110-49012
1020 | 31Kansas City Pioneers107-52001

BOX SCORE

  • Five cautions for 15 laps in 105 completed laps (two eNASCAR Overtimes for an added five laps)
  • 20 lead changes among 14 drivers
  • Most laps led: No. 41 Dylan Duval (35 laps led)
  • Fastest lap: No. 75 Zack Novak (Lap 70, 28.683 secs)
  • Hard charger: No. 42 Kollin Keister (Started 35th, Finished 2nd | +33 spots)
  • Hard luck: Two drivers
    • No. 7 Malik Ray (Started 2nd, Finished 35th | -33 spots)
    • No. 14 Joey Brown (Started 6th, Finished 39th | -33 spots)
  • Fewest incidents: No. 40 Dylan Ault (30th, 0x)
  • Most incidents: No. 36 Brandon McKissic and No. 48 Graham A. Bowlin (24x)
  • Rookie of the race: No. 38 Michael Cosey Jr (4th place)
  • Team of the race: No. 10 / No. 41 Stewart-Haas Esports (69 points)
  • Winning Club: Midwest

UP NEXT: SHORT TRACK RACIN’ AT RICHMOND RACEWAY

eNASCAR Coca-Cola: Michael Conti wins caution-filled Richmond event

After two superspeedway-style races and an oddity in The Milwaukee Mile, the fourth race of the 2023 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season gets down to its roots with some short track action at the Action Track, Richmond Raceway.

Things kick off with the eNASCAR Countdown to Green, which begins at 8:30 p.m. EDT / 1:30 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, 28th March. The race itself starts at 9:00 p.m. EDT / 2:00 a.m. BST. Evan Posocco, Blake McCandless, Alan Cavanna, Camille Salazar Hadaway and James Pike are expected to be on the call.

The broadcast will be available at eNASCAR.com/live or on the iRacing social channels.

2023 ENASCAR COCA-COLA IRACING SERIES SCHEDULE

RACEDATETRACKLAPS
CLASH31-JaneNASCAR Clash at the LA Coliseum | Winner: CASEY KIRWAN20/40/70
114-FebDaytona International Speedway | Winner: TUCKER MINTER80
228-FebThe Milwaukee Mile | Winner: MICHAEL CONTI100
314-MarAtlanta Motor Speedway | Winner: STEVEN WILSON100
428-MarRichmond Raceway130
511-AprAutodromo Nazionale Monza30
618-AprTalladega Superspeedway70
72-MayLas Vegas Motor Speedway100
816-MayDarlington Raceway120
930-MayCharlotte Motor Speedway100
1013-JunWorld Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway120
1127-JunWatkins Glen International45
1211-JulNashville Superspeedway100
1325-JulNew Hampshire Motor Speedway101
141-AugPocono Raceway60
15 – PO115-AugMichigan International Speedway60
16 – PO229-AugDover Motor Speedway120
17 – PO312-SepPhoenix Raceway120
18 – C426-SepHomestead-Miami Speedway100