The third and final race in the limited eNASCAR International iRacing Series wrapped up at the virtual Daytona Int’l Speedway on Wednesday night. After 30 laps around the NASCAR version of the road course, Leonel Pernia was able to better his runner-up performance at Circuit of the Americas last week, scoring the victory.
After a wild start to the planned caution free event, Pernia took control on the fifth lap, the fourth driver to top the standings in that short amount of time. Pernia took it from Frederic Gabillon and pulled to a strong lead over Victor Barrales Jr before pit stops began.
Barrales Jr played the undercut, stopping for service two laps before halfway. A disadvantage on tires for the end, but a smart play to take the lead at lap 16. Pernia closed in and couldn’t quite make the move for the top spot in the closing laps. Coming to six laps to go, however, Barrales Jr slipped in the bus stop, allowing for Pernia to take advantage.
Once Pernia moved back to the top spot, he was able to pull away by over three seconds for the victory. Barrales Jr and Simon Pilate rounded out the podium.
PILATE TAKES DE FACTO ENASCAR INTERNATIONAL TITLE
Points were not scored during this series, as it was in the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series earlier this year, but if they were, Simon Pilate would be the champion.
Pilate won the opening round at Brands Hatch Circuit and followed that up with a fifth place effort at COTA. With a third place run in the Daytona finale, Pilate had the most “points” scored through the mini series. Barrales Jr scored the second most points, never scoring a victory but placing in the Top 5 in each race as well. Paul Jouffreau takes third place in points effort after a second, seventh, and fourth.
There were three different winners in the three events. Pilate, representing the EURONASCAR Whelen division, won the opener in the series. Agustin Canapino represented NASCAR PEAK Mexico and took victory at COTA. None of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series or NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers were able to find too much success during the short series.
Pernia was also out there representing PEAK Mexico, scoring a win and a runner up in the two races he ran. Had Pernia ran at Brands Hatch, he may have had a shot at winning the de facto driver’s title.
TOP 10 RESULTS AT DAYTONA INT’L SPEEDWAY
- 75 Leonel Pernia – PEAK Mexico Series 30 LAPS
- 39 Victor Barrales Jr. – PEAK Mexico Series +3.124 sec
- 66 Simon Pilate – WHELEN Euro Series +4.292 sec
- 64 Paul Jouffreau – WHELEN Euro Series +16.489 sec
- 3 Frederic Gabillon – WHELEN Euro Series +21.995 sec
- 13 Rajah Caruth – Drive for Diversity +38.667 sec
- 51 Jake Cosio – PEAK Mexico Series +39.079 sec
- 8 Paul Jourdain – PEAK Mexico Series +45.964 sec
- 2 Abraham Calderon – PEAK Mexico Series +1:03.970 sec
- 19 Jaiden Reyna – Drive for Diversity +1:09.038 sec
