Burton-Kligerman Esports driver Ashton Crowder bested the field Tuesday in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series race at Auto Club Speedway — but it didn’t come without a fight.
Crowder emerged as a contender in the final third of the race and fought head-to-head against Wood Brothers Racing’s Garrett Lowe in the final laps, swapping slide jobs while Bobby Zalenski out of Team VRS lurked behind the two.
After MULTIPLE lead changes in the final 5 laps, @AshtonCrowder takes the 🏁 for @BurtKligEsports here at Auto Club! pic.twitter.com/CWBRLNG7U5
— iRacing.com (@iRacing) February 26, 2020
Season-opener winner Keegan Leahy won the pole and showed speed in the opening run of the race, but lost his hopes at a win during a pair of mid-race cautions that snarled plenty of contenders including defending series champ Zack Novak, two-time Auto Club winner Ryan Luza, and Crowder’s teammate and early contender Logan Clampitt.
So, no, Crowder may not have been a favorite to win the race — but, much like in last year’s race at Darlington, he rose to the occasion when he needed to perform and snagged the checkered flag.
I’m out here in the desert filming #NBCprovinggrounds with the some of my favorite people. This is us watching the final laps.
So proud of @AshtonCrowder ! @BurtKligEsports | @Valvoline pic.twitter.com/wmH2yFB9P0
— Parker Kligerman (@pkligerman) February 26, 2020
Crowder’s second-career victory was also the second for Burton-Kligerman Esports, co-owned by racers Jeff Burton and Parker Kligerman.
.@AshtonCrowder brings it home in P☝️ The first of many this season! 💪🏁@Valvoline | #BKeSports pic.twitter.com/yuPcOo31Wj
— Burton Kligerman esports (@BurtKligEsports) February 26, 2020
Tuesday’s 100-lapper from Auto Club Speedway was the second race of the 20-race eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series season, and, short of the fireworks among the leaders in the closing laps of the race, followed Daytona’s trend of green-flag, two- and three-wide racing throughout the evening — these drivers are the pros, after all.
The win is still sinking in for the 17-year-old Crowder, who’s racing for the $100,000 champion’s prize — and holds the points lead tiebreaker with Bobby Zalenski after two races.
We won guys!!! Huge thank you to @BurtKligEsports @Valvoline and everyone who makes these cars fast. Honestly can't believe I've won two times in this series!!!
— Ashton Crowder (@AshtonCrowder) February 26, 2020
The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series returns to the track March 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway for Round 3 of the 2020 tour.