Tucker Minter doubles up, earns eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series checkered flag in Coca-Cola 160

The longest race of the 2025 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season, the Coca-Cola 160, went even longer at Charlotte Motor Speedway following two attempts at eNASCAR Overtime on Tuesday night. When the smoke cleared and the fireworks died off, it was William Byron eSports’ Tucker Minter who wound up back in virtual victory circle, holding off the defending series champion, Parker White (Atlassian Williams Sim Racing) and the field for the win.

Congrats to @TuckerMinter and @WBeSports_ on tonight’s W 👏 https://t.co/oBHyuzRCpy

— William Byron (@WilliamByron) May 21, 2025

With a five-lap tire advantage for the end of the race, Minter positioned himself into the lead with eight-and-a-half laps to go after completing a dicey slidejob in front of Steven Wilson (Spire Motorsports), Ryan Luza (fgrAccel), Casey Kirwan (Kansas City Pioneers), and White at the front of the field. At the same exact time, Seth DeMerchant (fgrAccel) managed to catch the pack on the same strategy as Minter, moving around four of the five in that pack with a daring four-wide move entering Turn 3.

The two backend teammates, Minter and DeMerchant, would run side-by-side as they pulled away from the other four, but a late race incident involving Kirwan, Luza, and Wilson set up for another pit stop, at least one more restart, and of course, all of the drama to close out the now-247.5-mile event. The first restart resulted in another caution and restart, which positioned White into second place for the final go. On those final two laps, Minter held on to cross the line first, claiming his sixth-career win in 43 starts while also moving to the top of the points standings after seven events.

“It’d have been nice to win just battling side-by-side, green to the end, but then that added pressure of the green-white-checker, and to be able to pull it off, having a great race up front with everybody, that was just a ton of fun,” Minter said post-race. “I can’t thank the guys, everybody at William Byron eSports and the Altus guys behind the scenes as well. We had a hot rod of a Logitech G machine. That eagle on the side of this car was flying, long run… we were just flat flying at the end of the run.”

White held on to finish second, tying his best result on the season to date. DeMerchant wound up third, his best finish of the season and second top-five run of the year. Minter moves into the top spot of the Driver’s Standings by four points over Wilson, who dropped down to finish ninth after leading the most laps in the race at 89.

THE EVENT

Casey Kirwan scored his second career pole position, his first since Homestead-Miami in his championship season in 2022. Kirwan led the field to the green, but Six Karma’s Daniel Faulkingham, who started second, surged to the lead immediately and led the opening 18 circuits before his virtual tires began to fade. From the 16th starting position, Steven Wilson managed to ride the high line to the front, taking the lead on Lap 19 as Faulkingham began to plummet. In fact, Faulkingham fell as low as second-to-last during the opening stint and was never a factor for the remainder of the event due to the early tire abuse.

Up front, the lead was contested among a handful of drivers. While Wilson led the way, the battle for second was on, among Kirwan, Parker White, Wilson’s teammate Femi Olatunbosun, Kanaan Esports’ Vicente Salas, and more. The other Kansas City Pioneer, Graham Bowlin, managed to get as high as fourth before falling back down the order. In reality, the long runs set up for comers and goers as the virtual Goodyear tires battled cycles of speed dependent on how hard they were pushed.

The strategy would be set for a two-pit-stop event, should the race stay green. Zack Novak (Channel 199 Sim Racing) opted to strike first onto pit road at Lap 53, but the call would be just slightly premature as the caution flew a half of a track later, as Quami Scott (Letarte Esports) and Donovan Strauss (Atlassian Williams Sim Racing) collided down the backstretch. Novak would get his lap back, but with all 40 cars restarting on the lead lap, he would sacrifice his track position and restart last for the next stint.

Wilson led the field back to the green, but at the intended halfway mark, it was White taking control from the dominant machine. White only led for nine circuits before giving up the lead himself to the most recent winner in the series last month, ERA eSports’ Bobby Zalenski.

This set up for a chess match to the end among a handful of players. Up front, there was Zalenski, Kirwan, White, Wilson, and Ryan Luza having his best run of the year. The final pit window would open around Lap 100 to Lap 110, with the undercut providing earlier track position versus the overcut, which provided greater long run speed. It was tough to pass, as the top lane could hold the bottom lane down and take back momentum, so most opted for an earlier pit stop.

The window officially opened on Lap 103 with Dylan Duval (Channel 199 Sim Racing) taking his Camry to pit road. A few laps later, Wilson made his way to the pits. Reacting one lap later was Zalenski, Kirwan, and Luza.

Entering the pits, Zalenski went a little too hard and slid the tires, causing a minor stack up at the line. Kirwan collided with his rear end, causing significant damage to the leading car, but he walked away seemingly unscathed. That would play a pivotal role in the formation of the final front pack.

Wilson led following the cycle, with White, Zalenski, Kirwan, and Luza in tow. Salas led the second pack, but behind him was Tucker Minter and Seth DeMerchant, who both opted to hold out five extra laps for the overcut strategy, positioning their tires to be the best at the end. They would still have to make up a huge deficit, more than three seconds in the final 20 laps. Minter managed to get there in about 10 laps, and the battle was officially on for the win.

Zalenski’s damage forced him out of the pack just before Minter arrived, the battle of five still present. Minter opted to stick low as Wilson, Luza, and White stayed high. When Minter passed Kirwan, Kirwan took his car low in hopes of following through, but the advantage still belonged to the top.

The inability of Minter to clear to the lead allowed DeMerchant to close in, now right on everyone’s back bumpers with nine laps to go in regulation. In Turn 2, Minter went for the slidejob to the top lane. He had cleared Wilson, but just barely. Wilson didn’t lift, and the two made contact. As they all regained their composure, DeMerchant threw it low, four-wide entering Turn 3. Luza managed to get outside of Wilson while Kirwan was making a move inside at the same time as DeMerchant.

This was exactly what Minter needed, as he cleared the pack and allowed DeMerchant to also move solidly into second. The two battled intensely for laps but a second caution flew with just a couple of laps to go, this one involving three of the front runners—Kirwan, Wilson, and Luza. This set up the field for a few extra steps to make it to the end, including one more pit stop, at least one more restart, and the potential for chaos to unfold among the entire field, still in the event.

With a two-tire call, Minter managed to get back to the front with DeMerchant, White, Zalenski, and Bowlin in the top-five. On the ensuing restart, Minter got a great jump, which ultimately cost DeMerchant second place. White moved up into the spot before the big one on the backstretch scrunched the field back up for one more go.

Four-wide contact among Salas and Blake McCandless (JR Motorsports) sent Tyler Garey (eRacr), Matt Bussa (Kevin Harvick Inc.), Jimmy Mullis (Kevin Harvick Inc.), Malik Ray (Vegas Inferno), Timmy Holmes (RFK Racing), and Quentin Warman (Hyak Motorsports) into chaos.

The damages were enough to retire Garey, Bussa, and Holmes before the final restart.

One last chance, and once again, Minter was on it. White ultimately managed to clear for second place, but he ran out of time to get a proper run on Minter before the line, allowing Minter to claim a second victory on the season.

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series results from Race #7 at Charlotte were as follows:

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Driver’s Standings after Race #7 at Charlotte are as follows:

1. #77 Steven Wilson | Spire Motorsports, 3 WINS
2. #97 Tucker Minter | William Byron eSports, 2 WINS
3. #22 Bobby Zalenski | ERA eSports, 1 WIN
4. #15 Kollin Keister | Jim Beaver eSports, 1 WIN
5. #2 Zack Novak | Channel 199 Sim Racing, 209 points
6. #95 Parker White | Atlassian Williams, 198 points
7. #47 Dylan Ault | HYAK Motorsports, 166 points
8. #24 Casey Kirwan | Kansas City Pioneers, 162 points
9. #1 Malik Ray | Vegas Inferno, 155 points
10. #4 Donovan Strauss | Atlassian Williams, 151 points

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series SEGMENT 2 Standings after Race #2 of 4 at Charlotte are as follows:

1. #22 Bobby Zalenski | ERA eSports, 67 points
2. #95 Parker White | Atlassian Williams, -9
3. #77 Steven Wilson | Spire Motorsports, -9
4. #24 Casey Kirwan | Kansas City Pioneers, -10
5. #4 Donovan Strauss | Atlassian Williams, -10
6. #97 Tucker Minter | William Byron eSports, -16
7. #21 Michael Guest | Vegas Inferno, -17
8. #199 Dylan Duval | Channel 199 Sim Racing, -19
9. #48 Graham A. Bowlin | Kansas City Pioneers, -22
10. #34 Michael Cosey Jr | ERA eSports, -22

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Team Standings after Race #7 at Charlotte are as follows:

1. Spire Motorsports (#7/#77), 358 points (tie)
2. Channel 199 Sim Racing (#2/#199), 358 points (tie)
3. Atlassian Williams (#4/#95), -9
4. Vegas Inferno (#1/#21), -53
5. William Byron eSports (#25, #97), -62

eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series Rookie Standings after Race #7 at Charlotte are as follows:

1. #3 Blaze Crawford | Team Dillon Esports, 131 points
2. #40 Connor Yeroschak | LETARTE eSports, -17
3. #8 Blake McCandless | JR Motorsports, -29
4. #50 Quentin Warman | HYAK Motorsports, -33
5. #96 Christopher M. Hill | Apex Racing Team, -38
6. #66 Alexander L Russell | Kanaan Esports, -59
7. #5 Nate Stewart | Jim Beaver eSports, -60
8. #19 Eddie Kerner | Six Karma, -71

While Steven Wilson leads the Playoff Standings with three wins and 210 points, it is Tucker Minter who now owns the most points at 214 among his two victories. Bobby Zalenski and Kollin Keister, with their wins, sit sixth and eighth on the Driver’s Standings, which continues to help their case in making the post-season with seven more races to decide the Playoff field.

With another top-10, Zalenski leaves Charlotte as the Segment 2 points leader, by nine points over White and Wilson, with two races remaining in that mini season. Speaking of ties, the Team Championship now has a tie among two powerhouses at the top, with Spire leveling the playing field against Channel 199 following the Charlotte action. Rookie Blaze Crawford (Team Dillon Esports) was the rookie of the race, finishing 16th after spending the majority of the day inside the top-10. Crawford leads the rookie points by 17 as the series shifts focus to next week’s battle at Nashville.

Charlotte kicked off a six-races-in-seven-weeks stretch, and the next race on that card will be coming up in just a week’s time. The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series returns next week with the 40-best eNASCAR competitors taking on the concrete banks of Nashville Superspeedway for the fourth time as a points-paying race in series history. Last season, Tucker Minter was the man of the virtual Music City, also defeating Parker White on that day.

The eighth round on the calendar is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27th. Tune in at 7:30 p.m. ET for the Countdown to Green. Race coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET at eNASCAR.com/live and across iRacing social media channels.

For more information on the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, visit eNASCAR.com or iRacing.com/eNASCAR.
For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit iRacing.com.­­

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