PERFECT CHASE GRID CHALLENGE unveiled; offers fans chance to win $100K - MotorSportsTalk

Fans can win $100,000 if they complete a perfect Chase grid – in a move that’s akin to the bracket of the NCAA and similar tournament challenge type promotions.

Here’s the details from NASCAR:

—

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field was officially set followingSaturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway. Now, until 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 14, sports fans can log on to NASCAR.com/Grid to predict how they think the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will transpire by filling out the PERFECT CHASE GRID CHALLENGE.

Entrants can achieve the “perfect grid” – and a chance to win $100,000 – by accurately selecting each driver who will advance through the different stages of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. They will also need to accurately predict the four drivers who will compete in the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including who will be crowned the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion and the finishing positions of the three runner ups.

NASCAR.com’s other prediction game, CHASE GRID BATTLE, is also now live at NASCAR.com/Grid. In the CHASE GRID BATTLE, fans will still predict which drivers they think will advance through the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but one round at a time. Points will be accumulated based on the number of correct picks and the correct ranking amongst advancing drivers. Prizes will be awarded to four individual round winners, as well as the top three overall.

In addition to the Chase Grid games, NASCAR Digital Media will also offer enhanced race coverage and additional updates across the digital platform during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

—

More information here, via NASCAR.com.

Follow @TonyDiZinno

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.”