NASCAR’s 12 Chasers to answer fan questions in Contenders Live Chicago event

By Aug 22, 2013, 9:00 AM EDT
Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth in 2012 Contenders Live (NASCAR photo)
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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series enters the final three race weekends before the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup, starting this weekend at Bristol. As the field is narrowed down to the 12 drivers that will qualify over these three weeks, the drama intensifies.

Fortunately before the Chase starts, NASCAR fans will have a chance to interact with all 12 drivers – plus NASCAR President Mike Helton – in a lighter setting: the second annual NASCAR Contenders Live Sponsored by Toyota and Sprint event to be held September 12. It will be at Navy Pier in Chicago from 1:30 to 3 p.m. CT, just a few days before the 2013 Chase begins at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet. Further information is available at www.nascar.com/ContendersLive.

Matt Kenseth is among those who will be participating for a second year running. He’s not officially locked into the 2013 Chase, but with four wins thus far this season, he’ll make it in either via the top 10 or as one of the two Wild Cards in his first season driving the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“The Chase has been going on for nine years now, and now it starts at Chicago, but for me it’s always fun and always great to be in the Midwest,” Kenseth told MotorSportsTalk in a Tuesday interview. “For me, it’s the closest track to where I grew up (Cambridge, Wis.) It’s fun to have the chance to see the fans and interact with them for a little bit, and get going for the weekend.”

Miss Sprint Cup, Kim Coon, will be on hand for a second year in a row in the crowd, relaying fan questions to drivers and Helton.

“You have the drivers here that are so accessible, and you have the president that’s here, answering questions and bantering; it’s very unique,” she said in an interview. “NASCAR fans are so passionate about their sport. I’ll go to a NASCAR race and see people who have traveled from across the country or around the world. My last race was in Watkins Glen, and people had traveled from Australia, Germany and Japan to come to this race. It’s not something you see in any other sport with regularity.”

FURTHER DETAILS:

  • NASCAR Contenders Live sponsored by Toyota and Sprint will be making its return to Chicago at the historic Navy Pier on September 12.
  • This year’s event will feature the top 12 drivers on stage to discuss the most competitive time of the season, The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
  • The event provides drivers with a great opportunity to interact with our passionate fans and answer their questions. Miss Sprint Cup and Mike Helton will also be in attendance.
  • Fans can visit www.NASCAR.COM/ContendersLive to purchase tickets for $10 dollars and enter the Contenders Live sweepstakes for a chance to win an all-new 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax Limited and more great prizes.

IndyCar disappointed by delay of video game but aiming to launch at start of 2024

By Mar 27, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT
IndyCar video game 2024
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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”