LaPradd's 11th Leads JRM Effort in Wild Coca-Cola iRacing Run at Pocono, Conti 19th

Ron Lemasters | 7/20/2022

Briar LaPradd eNASCAR iRacing Ledford Billiard Supply Maconi Michael Conti News WR1 Sim Chassis

Briar LaPradd survived the late-race madness in Tuesday night's eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series event at the virtual Pocono Raceway, finishing 11th.

Track Specs: 2.5-mile triangular oval / 60 laps

LaPradd's finish: 11th   

Conti's finish: 19th

Team Standings: 8th (-73)

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 20, 2022) -- Briar LaPradd survived the late-race madness in Tuesday night's eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series event at the virtual Pocono Raceway, finishing 11th in a race that came down to the wire on the final green-white-checkered attempt. Teammate Michael Conti was caught in the heavy traffic and finished 19th. (Watch the full race.)

LaPradd, driving his No. 88 Ledford Billiard Supply Chevrolet from the JRM stable, qualified sixth to start the day and used the solid start to advance to the top five on the first of the 60 scheduled laps. At lap 28, LaPradd hit pit road for four tires and fuel and faded to 28th. A caution flag scrambled the order 11 laps later.

The racing got wilder as the laps wound down, and there were numerous scrapes and cautions, which resulted in the first of what would be three attempts at a green-white-checkered finish. On the first, a massive wreck stopped the action in Turn 1, causing both LaPradd and Conti to take evasive action that saw both JRM drivers narrowly miss the carnage.

The second attempt lasted nearly a full lap until the pack scrambled in Turn 3, pushing LaPradd to the high side and Conti low, leaving LaPradd 15th in the order and Conti in 18thas the caution flag flew.

The final attempt saw the field take the white flag, and LaPradd was able to run the middle line to finish 11th. Conti got bogged down on the top side and came home in 19th position.

Conti didn't set up for qualifying in his No. 8 WR1 Sim Chassis Chevrolet, preferring to put his effort into stability over a long run, and fired off from 13th at the initial start. Jumping five spots to eighth in short order, Conti topped out in sixth before making a green-flag pit stop just after the halfway point.

Coming back out in 14th, Conti saved tires for the first 10 laps after the stop and began making moves, only to have the first yellow flag of the night come out. Electing to put on four tires, rather than the two some drivers took, Conti came out later than some and promptly got locked into a pack.

Over the final distance, including the three green-white-checkered restarts, Conti managed to escape the carnage in the middle of the pack with only minor damage, ultimately taking the checkered flag in 19th.

LaPradd's finish boosted him one position closer to the top 20 in 23rd, just 13 points off the cut line to automatically qualify for the series in 2023. Conti dropped two spots to ninth in the driver points, but actually gained on the leader to sit 60 points out of the top spot. Conti is solidly in the playoffs, thanks to two victories so far this season.

In the team standings, JR Motorsports advanced to eighth, gaining 10 points in the team battle to sit just 73 markers behind the lead.

The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series All-Star Race is next on the schedule, set for Aug. 2 on the virtual Chicago Street Course, the newest venue for the NASCAR Cup Series. Both JRM drivers are set to compete.

Briar LaPradd, driver No. 88 Ledford Billiard Supply/Maconi Setup Shop JR Motorsports Chevrolet team

"After multiple close calls and avoiding a couple of wrecks we should've been in but got lucky, we settled in for the green-white-checkered at the end. Running about 15th, there was chaos on all three of the green-white-checkered attempts. Somehow, we clawed our way up to 11th and ended up there. It was a pretty solid run overall for the Ledford Billiard Supply/Maconi Setup Shop No. 88. We have the All-Star race next, and both JRM cars will be in it. After that we have Watkins Glen and a couple of good tracks for me personally. Hope to finish off the season strong!"

Michael Conti, driver No. 8 WR1 Sim Chassis JR Motorsports Chevrolet team

"Typical Pocono race, in that there was a long run to start and then an untimely yellow that bred a bunch more of them. What's most disappointing is just how good our WR1 Sim Chassis Camaro was tonight, it's just unfortunate that we don't have anything to show for it in the end. We'll move forward, log tonight's events into the memory banks and shift our focus to the All-Star race and The Glen."

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