"Tribute to a Hero" NASCAR Xfinity Series #33 Camaro

Youtube video - NASCAR Saturday Night Thunder - iRacing

Full Race Replay | Saturday Night Thunder: Dover International Speedway

From the NASCAR Youtube Channel

* Note: Adjust settings to highest resolution for best quality

Youtube video - Anthonys viewpoint - Full race

*Full Race* eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder at Dover

We got it done! eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder race WINNERS! I hope you all enjoy watching this amazing race back. Thank you all for the support. -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/fast_pasta

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Youtube video - Anthonys viewpoint - End of race

*Final Laps* eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder at Dover

Here are the final laps of the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series race on iRacing as we battle for the lead and ultimately the win! I hope you all enjoy. -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/fast_pasta

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Youtube video - Anthonys viewpoint - Heat win

Dover Heat Race Win - eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder at Dover

Our heat race win for the Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder race at Dover for your viewing pleasure! -- Watch live at https://www.twitch.tv/fast_pasta

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Delaware State News (May 10, 2020)

Delaware State News

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Article was posted on Page 33, Sports section

Written by: Mike Finney

Source: https://delawarestatenews.net/sport/virtual-race-brings-real-emotion-dover-korean-war-veteran-goes-to-victory-lane-at-monster-mile/

RCR Racing- iRacing in Dover (05.01.2020)

iRacing in Dover: Everything you Need to Know to Watch Your
Favorite RCR Drivers on the Virtual Track

BY RCR STAFF

The above is a condensed article, see links below for full article.

Full PDF Article

Source: https://www.rcrracing.com/news-media/news/2020/05/01/iracing-in-dover-everything-you-need-to-know-to-watch-your-favorite-rcr-drivers-on-the-virtual-track-copy/

NASCAR.com

PDF of article above from NASCAR.com

Source: https://www.nascar.com/gallery/paint-scheme-preview-enascar-iracing-pro-invitational-at-dover/#photo-1

PDF of just the preview paint schemes for Dover on NASCAR website

RCR Racing - Front page! 05.03.2020

Anthony Alfredo and the No. 33 Tribute to a Hero – Wally Yocum Chevy Earn Hard-Fought Virtual Victory in Saturday Night Thunder Race

Joshua Aultice

May 3, 2020

Source: https://www.rcrracing.com

Article: https://www.rcrracing.com/news-media/news/2020/05/03/anthony-alfredo-and-the-no-33-tribute-to-a-hero-wally-yocum-chevy-earn-hard-fought-virtual-victory-in-saturday-night-thunder-race/

PDF Article: aano33winner.pdf

Link: https://www.rcrracing.com/news-media/videos/alfredo-wins-saturday-night-thunder-at-dover/

RCR Racing - Front page! 05.04.2020

Source: https://www.rcrracing.com

Picture gallery: https://www.rcrracing.com/gallery/weekend-recap-virtual-dover/#/1

Screen shots - Saturday Night Thunder at Dover 05.02.2020

Leading race.

His now famous turn "4" drift - last lap!

Winner!!!

Donuts!

Victory love!

Screen shots from Anthony Alfredo

Saturday Night Thunder tweets

RCR Racing tweets about iRacing and Saturday Night Thunder

Source: https://www.rcrracing.com/

racingnews.com Full Race Recap

Donny Lia, Anthony Alfredo and Raphael Lessard – Saturday Night Thunder – Dover International
Speedway

Dover – SNT
Report
( Laps: 125 | No resets )

Green flag, Lia gets the jump on the inside lane. Huffman fills the 2nd spot off turn two.

Noah Gragson is hooked down the back stretch behind them. He rights the direction with
minimal damage after contact with the inside wall, no caution.

Lap 10, the top 10 run nose to tail around the bottom. Huffman is all over the bumper of Lia
for the race lead.

Lap 20, the caution is out as Tyler Ankrum is around. He collects Tommy Joe Martins and
others.

Pit stops

The field heads for the pit lane. Four tires for all and Lia is first to the pit exit.

Green, Lia is clear before the flagstand. Cabre spins the tires on the outside lane and falls
outside the top 5.

Several cars spin down the back, caution.

Green, Lia launches but Lessard is hanging on his right rear into turn one. Lia is clear off
turn two.

Lap 32, Christian Eckes is around off the bumper of Ruben Garcia. He got into the bumper,
Eckes was turned dead sideways and several others piled into the scene.

Green, Lessard creeps ahead on the outside ahead of the green. As forced to the brakes, as
he does, Lia launches and he’s clear into turn one.

Lap 44, Just 16 cars remain on the lead lap. 12 or so are still in good shape. A long run with
tires worn to hell is on the way…

Lap 49, Lessard has a run on Alfredo for 2nd into turn three. They run side by side off turn
four and Alfredo holds the position as the leader drives off.

Lap 66, Lessard has a run off turn two. He dives to the inside of Alfredo. They run side by
side and Lessard completes the pass into turn one.

Lap 70, Lia leads by 1.5 seconds.

52 to go, Alfredo fights back on Lessard to re-claim 2nd.

Pit cycle

49 to go, Alex Labbe pits under green from the 4th position to begin the green flag pit cycle.

48 to go, Donny Lia gives up the race lead and hits the pit lane. Alfredo is handed the lead.

Penalty: Lia has been caught speeding! He’ll have to return to the pit lane and he’ll be
multiple laps down.

43 to go, Rogers has caught the sand barrels at the entry to the pit lane. He cooked the
entry to the pit lane.

40 to go, Chase Cabre has missed the pit entry.

34 to go, Kaz Grala has yet to pit for a 2nd time. He currently has the entire field a lap down.

32 to go, Labbe is the first car to un-lap himself.

28 to go, Grala leads Labbe by 17 seconds. He praying for a caution.

25 to go

25 to go, Kaz Grala heads for the pit lane. Labbe is handed the race lead as Alfredo trails him
by 1.4 seconds back.

20 to go, Labbe leads Alfredo by 0.9 seconds. It’s setting up to be a thriller…

15 to go, Labbe leads by 0.2 seconds. Alfredo is there!

14 to go, Alfredo runs wide in turn four as he’s looking for a run down the from stretch.

Alfredo runs wide off turn four and makes light contact with the wall!

12 to go, Labbe overdrives the entry to turn one. That opens the inside lane and Alfredo
takes the position. Labbe tries to cross him but he can’t fight on slightly older tires.

Lessard gets into the bumper of Huffman. Huffman nearly spins as he catches the apron off
turn two. Lessard takes 3rd away.

8 to go, Labbe re-passes Alfredo! 7 to go, Alfredo re-passes him with ease.

Anthony Alfredo wins at Dover International Speedway!

PDF of above article

Source: https://racingnews.co/2020/05/02/nascar-iracing-results-may-2-2020-dover-speedway-snt-live-video/

Anthony Alfredo practice tweet (05.01.2020)

Justin Melilo - Additional Photos

Anthony Alfredo Submittal Car to NASCAR

This was the paint scheme that had been submitted to NASCAR to review. The car was approved other than the "Korean War Hero" on the back of the car. They will use the pitstopsforhope.org on the rear panels of the car.

NASCAR.com Media News 04.29.2020

As in previous weeks, a Saturday Night Thunder program will precede Sunday’s race. The program will start at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday with a live stream at eNASCAR.com/live and NASCAR’s YouTube channel. The feature race will be 125 laps long and include drivers from other NASCAR national series and other NASCAR divisions competing in Xfinity Series cars.

Qualifying will consist of single-car runs and the field will be capped at 26 drivers. There will be four heat races that are 10 laps each to determine the starting grid for the main event.

Here are the entry lists for Saturday Night Thunder and Sunday’s iRacing Pro Invitational Series at Dover (subject to changes):

Source: https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2020/04/29/iracing-pro-invitational-series-ready-to-tackle-dovers-virtual-monster-mile-in-enascar-finish-line-150/

Richard Childress Racing news: Anthony Alfredo

Getting to Know Anthony Alfredo

BY LAUREN STREET (2/24/2020)

This weekend’s race in Fontana will be young Anthony Alfredo’s first time on track with Richard Childress Racing, behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro. No stranger to the track, Alfredo has spent time in NASCAR’s Truck Series, K&N Pro Series, and the CARS Late Model Stock Tour prior to taking the step up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Before we see what Alfredo can do on the track, we wanted to get to know him off the track.

What are your goals when it comes to racing on the track? I want to be able to learn as much as possible during every single lap I turn. I know that each track and each practice session and each race will teach me more and more, which will only help me be the best I can be as a driver. It is incredibly important to me that I give it all I have, every time I get into the car, in order to secure the best finish as possible for my team, partners, and fans.

How about your goals off the track? My goals off the track are purely dedicated to utilizing my platform, as a person and as a racer, to do the right thing for others and inspire them to pursue their own dreams. I want to serve as a role model to young kids who have the desire of becoming a successful driver at the sport’s highest level, which is no different than how I consider myself.

Who do you consider your inspiration? If I was talking to you about who my inspiration is in life, and not thinking of the race track and competition side of life, it would definitely be my dad. Not only is my dad a great father, but he has become self-made from the extremely hard work and dedication he has put into his career over the years. When it comes to the inspiration on the race track though, Jimmie Johnson is hands down my pick. From watching him since I was young, he has always appeared to remain humble, kind and respectful, on top of his astounding career successes. This is something I admire and someone who I want to mold myself after when I am racing, but also in my everyday life.

Tell us more about your love for gaming and eSports – how did your passion for this start, and how do you feel it translates to your real racing? My interest for gaming started with playing Call of Duty at a young age. My passion for the eSports industry though, sparked when I discovered Faze Clan when I was about 12 years old. Faze Clan creates fun and entertaining content from the same games I have always loved to play, and watching them grow into a global brand and eSports powerhouse is what inspired me to get involved myself. I decided to formulate an eSports racing league, since we all know that iRacing and sim racing is where the racing industry and eSports industry collide. I wanted to provide opportunity for virtual racers to make names for themselves. After all, simulation has played a significant role in my career, and I know it could for other up-and-coming drivers, too. It is the closest thing to real life and is a valuable training tool for real drivers like myself.

What’s your favorite moment in NASCAR history? My favorite moment in NASCAR history was watching Jimmie Johnson win his seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship and tie the all-time record with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Richard Petty. It was incredible to see because it is unlikely that anyone else will be able to do that with how much the sport has evolved.

Source: https://www.rcrracing.com/news-media/news/2020/02/24/getting-to-know-anthony-alfredo/

RCR made Wallpaper for your phone.

247sports.com article on "Saturday Night Thunder"

NASCAR adds "Saturday Night Thunder" to eSports racing series

By STEVEN TARANTO Apr 1, 12:19 PM

If the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series setting television records for eSports programs two weeks in a row was any indication, the demand for virtual racing during the COVID-19 pandemic is clearly there. And at the intersection of fan demand and competitor concerns, there now will be even more racing on the horizon as NASCAR goes digital.

On Wednesday afternoon, NASCAR announced multiple changes to the third week of the Pro Invitational Series at Bristol Motor Speedway, including a new race format and the creation of a second series to be held on Saturday nights. The new Saturday series, aptly named "Saturday Night Thunder", will feature drivers from the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, PEAK Mexico Series, and Whelen Euro Series. The races will be contested using iRacing's renderings of ARCA Menards Series vehicles, and will be streamed on eNASCAR.com.

In addition, the starting lineup for Pro Invitational Series races on Sunday will now be set through two heat races rather than time-trial qualifying. All drivers who participate in the Heat races are guaranteed to start in the main event.

The need for a second series started to become apparent during Week Two at Texas Motor Speedway, as increased participation in the Pro Invitational Series created far more drivers looking to participate than spots in the starting field. On Sunday morning, over 30 drivers attempted to qualify for only four spots in the Pro Invitational race at Texas Motor Speedway, which led to a certain amount of consternation over the amount of big-name drivers who were locked into the main event.

Filling the void in the racing world left by the suspension of NASCAR's season, the Pro Invitational Series has proven to be immensely popular thanks to both the novelty of broadcasting online sim racing as well as the authenticity of the competition. Both races in the Pro Invitational Series have featured exciting finishes, with Denny Hamlin eking out Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Timmy Hill winning at Texas by a little under a carlength over Ryan Preece.

Out of the dire straits of the pandemic, both NASCAR and FOX Sports have managed to hit gold through the series. According to a report by Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, the second race of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series at Texas Motor Speedway earned a 0.81 rating on Sunday, amounting to approximately 1.339 million viewers of the event's simulcast on FOX and FS1. Those numbers mean that for the second week in a row, NASCAR has broken the record for the most-watched eSports program in television history. FS1's broadcast of the first race of the series from Homestead-Miami Speedway had drawn 903,000 viewers according to Nielsen Media.

Source: https://247sports.com/Article/NASCAR-eNASCAR-iRacing-Pro-Invitational-Series-expansion-Saturday-Night-Thunder-145609095/

https://www.hill.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2166835/air-force-recruiting-4th-fighter-wing-fill-void-at-nascar-iracing-with-innovati/

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFNS) --
A resourceful group of Airmen figured out an innovative way to provide a simulated Air Force flyover to NASCAR’s simulated racing series.

NASCAR racing fans are known for being patriotic, which is why the Air Force Recruiting Service has been an active partner with NASCAR for nearly two decades.

On a normal race day, Airmen take to the raceway pitching opportunities to serve in the Air Force, singing the national anthem, performing flyovers and conducting mass enlistments.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, NASCAR, like all other sports, has taken a break until the safety of fans and competitors can be assured, leaving a void for sports enthusiasts.

But the race must go on, so NASCAR filled the void for fans with iRacing, a computer-based simulation featuring NASCAR race drivers. That meant the Air Force was also challenged to find a way to provide the flyover at the end of the national anthem.

“The Air Force flyover is a NASCAR iconic moment prior to every race,” said Master Sgt. Sean Christian, Air Force Recruiting Service noncommissioned officer in charge of special events. “That’s when the 4th Fighter Wing really showed its creativity and brought a great idea to reality.”

The wing’s maintenance squadron and training squadron were determined to bring their jets to the virtual sky over the eNASCAR Pro Invitational recently at the virtual Richmond Raceway.

“When FOX began televising iRacing in place of the live races postponed due to COVID-19, the virtual race was complete with a pre-race concert, invocation and the national anthem,” said Lt. Col. Darrell Chase, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander. “The first race featured Dylan Scott singing our national anthem from his garage. FOX posted a virtual-reality graphic of our American flag as he finished, but there was no flyby. It was way too anticlimactic.”

Chase did what people around our nation and within the military have been doing during the COVID-19 crisis. He came up with an innovative idea to work around an issue.

“We gave birth to the VR flyby idea,” Chase said. “We were in a unique position to execute it because we have the non-classified VR training setup for student pilots. I pitched the idea to wing leadership and the rest is history.”

Before history could be made, the idea of doing a VR flyover moved to the simulator folks. They began watching iRacing to determine if it could be done. They had never done a formation in the simulator.

When Maj. Meghan Booze, 4th Training Squadron assistant director of operations and innovation, heard about the idea for her team to attempt doing a VR flyover, she was excited for the new challenge. The first challenge was to figure out how they could do this while social distancing.

“The 4th Training Squadron was very excited about this unique opportunity to train (for) something we had never attempted before in virtual reality,” Booze said. “We have all done live flyovers, but never attempted a virtual one. The 4th Fighter Wing has been ground breaking in incorporating immersive technology into fighter training. Now we have broken new training barriers thanks to this opportunity.”

While working on the VR flyover, the team at the 4th TS was able to learn more about the simulator.

“We learned some of the limits of the VR simulator as far as refresh rates within close formation, how to connect multiple stations in different VR labs, etc.,” Booze said. “It helped us push the limits and learn more about the simulations than we previously knew.”

For AFRS, having a flyover only further enhanced the online experience and further promoted the Air Force. The 4th FW is performing the flyover for the virtual race, April 26, at Talladega Superspeedway, Alabama.

“I am truly amazed in our recruiting efforts,” Christian said. “Even in times like this, we can all come together and bring creative ideas to inspire the next generation of Airmen. Flyovers at NASCAR tracks bring massive awareness to our recruiting presence and to hear Fox Sports commentators talk about the Air Force’s VR flyover truly hit the mark.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people are stuck at home and looking for something to do. Although it was only a piece of the puzzle, Booze acknowledged it was nice to play a part in giving back.

“As military members, we signed up to serve,” she said. “We're always more than willing to do our best to make whatever difference we can”

The eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event at Richmond Raceway was the top performing telecast of the week on Fox Sports 1. The broadcast reached more than 1.7 million viewers.

4th Fighter Wing virtual fly over at the beginning of the virtual Richmond NASCAR race (FS1 - Fox Sports channel).