CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ Denny Hamlin won a race without using a drop of gas.Racing barefoot, the three-time Daytona 500 winner beat Dale Earnhardt Jr. off the final corner to win a NASCAR iRacing event at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Damaged cars were repaired with the push of a button, among a few virtual signs that NASCAR backed quite an unreal race.
NASCAR eased off the brake in the real sports world brought to a sudden halt by the coronavirus and introduced the country to iRacing with some of the sport’s biggest stars.
It was Hamlin’s 31st victory in iRacing, which is where he was first discovered by Earnhardt long before he made it to NASCAR. He said he raced barefoot because
“I like to feel the pedals.”
Hamlin was heavily involved in putting together Sunday’s pretend race, which was broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 and called by its regular team of Mike Joy and Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.
NASCAR has suspended racing until at least May 9.