Virtual Racing Championship
The VRC on NASCAR Heat 3 is the first OMA division. It is the "Cup Series" of the OMA, the highest point if you will. It was created in February 2018.
McGuines Looks for Bounce Back
After a less than stellar VRC season 3, a resurgent McGuines Motorports hopes to finally obtain Xbox racing glory. The organization has still failed to win a championship, the last of the original teams to have that stand true.
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Austin Switzer narrowly snuck into the championship 4 last season, but was no match for the other title contenders. Naomi Atchley started off the season with a top 5 in the Daytona 250, but found little luck after the Great American Virtual Race. A slew of other drivers like Jacob York, Jake Baskinger, and JoJo Simz were cycled through the McGuines vehicles, but to little success.
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Season 1 was no real success story either for the premier OMA Ford team, as they earned just one win (Austin Switzer: Watkins Glen). Ethan Hoffman missed out on the playoffs, Jarrett Tallmadge was suspended and dismissed from the organization, and Josh Williamson could hardly reach the top 5.
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People consider the team a powerhouse, but they actually only have 4 VRC victories. That could definitely change this season.
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Austin Switzer returns yet again to the 99 Ford. He has made the final 4 in both prior full VRC seasons, and finished with five consecutive top 5 finishes last season. He only had one of those in the first six races. The experience is rising for the grizzled veteran, who signed a 2 season deal with the organization. Switzer has alluded to this being his last full time contract, which would take him to Senior year of high school. He told our sources "I'd love to race forever, but with my career, I just can't. Obviously things can change, but for now I'm focused on the next two seasons, and then maybe saying farewell in the season 6 Daytona 250. But, I can't commit to anything just yet. I'm a part of the dream team!"
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Who else joins the squad. Well, longtime McGuines Motorsports driver Naomi Atchley departs, and is replaced by another year-long member of the team, JoJo Simz. Simz finished third in the VRC Next last season, and takes over the #2 Ford full time in the VRC. A former cup winner and playoff driver, he is a great friend of Switzer's, and is still the youngest driver in the league. He turns 10 in early April.
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Aidan Savitski's Euro Racing Project was an unfortunate bust, so the Ford driver moves directly to McGuines Motorsports. It was almost a done deal for the England native to move to Thunderbolt, but the deal fell through when the team refused to give him the 48, giving it to Drew Jewah instead. What a paradox, now that they have gone to Toyota. Savitski should work well with McGuines.
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And then, the biggest free agent signing of the season; defending VRC champion Sebastian Cucalon will pilot the 12 Ford. A 2-time OMA champion, his aggressive and sometimes impatient style fits perfectly with his McGuines counterparts. It is shocking that he chose to give up his own team, which had won this year's VRC and TMG titles, to join the Ford organization.
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All four of these drivers have signed two season deals, meaning the partnership of the 'Dream Team' will continue until the summer of 2020. It will be intriguing to see if the team can finally break the curse.
Cucalon Wins Title on Last Lap Pass
VRC Finale Preview
The VRC season came to a close on Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway, and it was a thriller in the Lone Star state!
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Drew Jewah led the field to green, but two early wrecks in the first 15 laps shuffled the field, seeing all four championship contenders (Jewah, Cucalon, McDonald, and Switzer) involved in at least one wreck. After that though, the seven car field kept it clean for the rest of the race.
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With long green flag runs, pit strategy played a key role. Drew Jewah was forced to pit just four laps before the halfway bonus, giving Cucalon the advantage, followed by Aidan Savitski, Austin Switzer, Tyler McDonald, and Ethan Hoffman. Christian Holder, making his final start for Miscraft Motorsports, DNF'd on lap 24.
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Off the ensuing restart, Switzer and Hoffman would tangle, after the 99 made contact with future teammate Sebastian Cucalon. Despite being a hard wreck, only 2 vehicles were involved, so the race stayed green. Unfortunately for them, there would not be another yellow.
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Aidan Savitski, even though not being a contender, pulled away and dominated the second half of the race, looking for his first win since Sonoma. This set up a chaotic duel between Cucalon, Jewah, and McDonald for the title.
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Cucalon got himself a gap and began to catch the 8, but on the final green flag pit stops, Savitski turned Cucalon around on entry, costing the 43 time and handing the championship lead to Tyler McDonald. McDonald would then have yet another slow pit stop, giving the title lead to Drew Jewah.
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After avoiding contact with a slow car of Ethan Hoffman, Sebastian Cucalon had closed on Drew Jewah. On the final lap, entering turn 3, Cucalon made an aggressive move, tipping Jewah out of control. The driver of the 48 tried to save it, but just couldn't. He spun hard into the wall. Off of turn 4, Aidan Savitski won his fourth race of the season, while Sebastian Cucalon was crowned VRC season 3 champion, followed by McDonald, Jewah, and Switzer.
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An incredible OMA season is now in the books. All 3 series saw Chevrolet come out on top. McGuines Motorsports and Thunderbolt Racing remain without any OMA titles. Sebastian Cucalon now has two OMA titles. Tyler McDonald is the only driver with 6 wins in a single season. The drivers can now take a little break before beginning to prepare for the new season.
Back on October 3rd, the OMA season began with the VRC Clash at Daytona. Nearly five months later, it will all come to a fitting close this Saturday night at 8 ET at Texas Motor Speedway in the VRC Season 3 championship race. The event will sport four of the league's best squaring off for the ultimate prize.
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Tyler McDonald is a two-time OMA champion (VRC S1, TRS), and has won three out of the four playoff races this season. It's no surprise why he is the overwhelming title favorite. Nonetheless, McDonald, who hasn't won a single mile and a half race this season, will have his work cut out for him in the Lone Star State. If he can earn his second cup title, the Georgian coined "the goat" might effectively deserve the title.
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Sebastian Cucalon is the other past OMA champion, winning VRC Next season 1 in dominating fashion. The Colombian from Palisades Park, New Jersey will always be special in the league, being the first driver to climb the ranks from a development league to VRC success. He won the last mile and a half at Chicagoland, and has a whopping five wins on the season. Adding more fuel to the fire, Cucalon won the VRC season 1 finale for his first cup win. In his final race for Chevrolet, expect Sebi to play a role in the title fight.
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Underrated. That's what you can say about Drew Jewah. One win, nine podiums, eleven top 5's, and a pole might not be eye-popping numbers, but he has actually led the most laps of all drivers this season. His one win at Charlotte stands as small retribution for the countless races he has dominated this season, but failed to find paydirt. Jewah looks to win the final race in Chevrolet for Thunderbolt Racing, prove that he is the dominant driver in the VRC, and earn his first OMA title.
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The grizzled veteran Austin Switzer has narrowly escaped elimination in both of the prior playoff rounds to find the 99 Flex Seal Ford in the finale. The underdog finished fourth of four in the season one finale race, and wants to end the seemingly endless McGuines Motorsports title drought. A force at mile and a halfs all season, watch for Switzer to add his name to the race at Texas.