Wilson Earns Top Seed As eNASCAR Playoff Field Is Set

Steven Wilson is the No. 1 seed entering the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series playoffs. (Justin Melillo/NASCAR photo)

CHELMSFORD, Mass. – The 10-driver eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series playoff field was set Tuesday night at the virtual Pocono Raceway, with a familiar face at the top of the order.

Defending series champion and three-time season winner Steven Wilson enters the postseason as the top seed in the playoffs, after earning the most points in segment three en route to a $3,000 bonus.

That also carried with it an additional five playoff points, meaning the M80 eSports driver starts the playoff opener with 2,020 points – 10 markers up on his nearest competition.

The remaining seeds were ordered by way of wins, and then regular season points, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Bobby Zalenski taking the No. 2 seed with 2,010 points after wins at Brands Hatch and the Chicago Street Course.

Zalenski is the only driver to have made the playoffs in all eight seasons since their debut in 2017.

Tied with Zalenski is No. 3 seed Vicente Salas, who earned a win at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May to qualify for the postseason but also added the segment-two victory to his resume for five extra points.

One-time winners Tucker Minter (Nashville Superspeedway), Garrett Lowe (Charlotte Motor Speedway), Graham Bowlin (Pocono), Daniel Faulkingham (Indianapolis Motor Speedway), and Dylan Duval (Talladega Superspeedway) line up as the No. 4 through No. 8 seeds, respectively.

Each of those five drivers begins the playoffs with 2,005 points, 15 back of the series lead.

Williams eSports’ Parker White and William Byron eSports’ Nick Ottinger, the 2020 champion, earned playoff berths by virtue of regular season points and sit as the ninth and 10th seeds in the playoff standings.

That duo has no playoff points in the bank heading to the postseason opener at Michigan Int’l Speedway, meaning they sit 20 points back of Wilson at the base number of 2,000.

Eight different teams are represented in the playoff field – M80 eSports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Tony Kanaan eSports, William Byron eSports, BS+Competition, the Kansas City Pioneers, Nitro Circus, and Williams eSports – with only WBE and JGR qualifying both of their drivers.

Two past champions – Ottinger (2020) and Wilson (2023) – are looking to become just the second driver in series history to have multiple titles, joining Ray Alfalla, who has four crowns (2011-’12, ’16, ’18).

On the flip side of that coin, JGR’s Faulkingham, Williams’ White, and Nitro Circus’ Duval are set for their playoff debuts. Notably, there has not been a repeat champion in eNASCAR’s playoff era.

Race one of the Round of 10 in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series playoffs takes place Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. ET. Lowe is the defending winner of the Michigan event, a race that propelled him to his first Championship 4 appearance last season.

Coverage of every eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series event streams live on the iRacing eSports Network.