Dale Earnhardt Jr. will get to make his virtual IndyCar debut this weekend.
The NBC Sports analyst and newly minted NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee announced on Twitter Wednesday morning he has been formally invited to take part in Saturday’s IndyCar iRacing Challenge event, which will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
The race, which follows events held on a virtual Watkins Glen and Barber Motorsports Park, will take place on a virtual Michigan International Speedway.
Earnhardt will drive the No. 3 in the event.
Earnhardt joins his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson in participating in the challenge. Johnson competed in both the Watkins Glen and Barber races.
“I wouldn’t want to step on anybody’s toes, so I’m just waiting for an invite from (IndyCar president) Jay (Frye) or somebody,” Earnhardt said on Monday. “I’d love to do it. I think I’d love to get to know those guys.”
Earnhardt has taken part in the first three rounds of the eNASCAR Pro Invitational iRacing Series, which is taking the weekend off. He is also part of NBC’s eSports Short Track iRacing Challenge this week and will compete in tonight’s races on a virtual Myrtle Beach Speedway (7 p.m. ET on NBCSN).
Invite received. I better get to work figuring this car out. pic.twitter.com/Hurv7VK6Wa
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 8, 2020
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 8, 2020
🙌 Let’s go! https://t.co/s7jQRz9imh
— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) April 8, 2020