HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Jordy Lopez put on a clinic in tire management Tuesday night at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway to earn his second top-split victory in three races on the eNASCAR iRacing Road to Pro.
In a race that ran caution-free for all 134 laps, Lopez – who won the series’ season opener at Daytona Int’l Speedway in March – took control of the race following the first round of green-flag pit stops.
He led the rest of the way from there, pacing 79 of the final 86 circuits and only ceding command when he made his last visit to pit road with 47 to go.
Once Lopez cycled back to the point with 40 laps left, he was untouchable on his way to victory.
However, the lack of cautions meant that the gap between the frontrunners stretched and compressed throughout the long green-flag runs, with Lopez, Daniel Roeper, Ryan Doucette and Donovan Strauss all ending up virtually nose to tail in the final laps after Lopez led by more than three seconds.
“I honestly was saving a little bit (through the last run), but I can’t say that I wasn’t pushing at all, either,” Lopez admitted. “I was just trying to build a comfortable gap so that it wouldn’t be that close (at the end), but they still ended up right on me at the finish.
“I had to hit 10 perfect laps to win that race,” he added. “I couldn’t make any mistakes; I couldn’t get loose off the corner. It was very, very close. Our setup was really good on the long run, though.”
Roeper came out on top of the battle for second, with Doucette, Strauss and Andrew Faryniarz completing the top five.
Jarrett Liebert was sixth, followed by Brandon McKissic, Dylan Jones, Jacob Hall and Allen Boes.
A total of 19 splits competed during week three of Road to Pro action at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The eNASCAR iRacing Road to Pro season continues April 21 at the virtual Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.
The results:
1. Jordy Lopez Jr., 2. Daniel Roeper, 3. Ryan Doucette, 4. Donovan Strauss, 5. Andrew Faryniarz, 6. Jarrett Liebert, 7. Brandon McKissic, 8. Dylan Jones, 9. Jacob Hall, 10. Allen Boes, 11. Seth DeMerchant, 12. Markus Ruckman, 13. Darik Bourdeau, 14. Steven Wilson, 15. Braden Boulos, 16. Cody Byus, 17. Derek Justis, 18. Garrett Manes, 19. Blake Bryant, 20. Patrick Mallet, 21. Dylan Raffurty, 22. Treyten Lapcevich, 23. Bryan Blackford, 24. Will Norton, 25. Carson Hocevar, 26. Casey Tucker, 27. Blake McCandless, 28. Devin Curl, 29. Briar LaPradd, 30. Ryan Kuhn, 31. Brad Mahar, 32. Daniel Williamson, 33. Justin Trombley, 34. James Mihlbachler.
Lead Changes: 14 among 11 different drivers
Lap Leader(s): Steven Wilson 1, Cody Byus 2-29, Daniel Roeper 30-40, Andrew Faryniarz 41-43, Daniel Roeper 44, Ryan Doucette 45, Seth DeMerchant 46, Patrick Mallet 47, Blake Bryant 48, Jordy Lopez Jr. 49-87, Donovan Strauss 88-89, Ryan Doucette 90, Allen Boes 91, Blake Bryant 92-94, Jordy Lopez Jr. 95-134.
Laps Led: Jordy Lopez Jr. 79, Cody Byus 28, Daniel Roeper 12, Blake Bryant 4, Andrew Faryniarz 3, Ryan Doucette 2, Donovan Strauss 2, Steven Wilson 1, Seth DeMerchant 1, Patrick Mallet 1, Allen Boes 1.
Caution Flags: None for 0 laps
Hard Charger: 29-Dylan Jones (+15)
Average Speed: 160.442 mph
Strength of Field: 7,251 average iRating