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VIEWER’S GUIDE
#THROWDOWNROUND3 BILICKI, FERRUCCI ONE OF MANY MATCHUPS TO WATCH AT MICHIGAN
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? PAGE 2
TALE OF THE TAPE PAGE 6
TONIGHT’S ROSTER PAGE 14
TRUCK TALK: A PREVIEW OF THE FIREDISC 100 AT MICHIGAN
The FireDisc 100 will take place tonight at 8pm on Eric Estepp’s YouTube channel & Podium eSports.
ANOTHER THROWDOWN THRILLER? MICHIGAN HAS MAKINGS OF THIRD CONSECUTIVE EXCITING FINISH BY ROB TIONGSON
H
ow does the IceBox Pickup Throwdown Series top a thrilling opener at Texas and an incredible second round at Kansas? Simple – with 100 laps of action at the virtual Michigan International Speedway. So far, this special racing series has delivered the goods like the virtual Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra entries comprising the fields in the opening two races. While it was all about survival at Texas, something that Christian Eckes clearly did, it was absolutely about aggression at Kansas, a trait that easily describes Santino Ferrucci.
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ICEBOX PICKUP THROWDOWN VIEWERS GUIDE: MAY 7, 2020
For Thursday night’s FIREDISC 100 at Michigan, it may come down to commitment. In this case, as this virtual track mirrors its real-life counterpart with an asphalt surface that’s not aged much since 2012, drivers must be committed with making brave moves, particularly on corner exit. With the pole speed for the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series’ ontrack races averaging around 183 to 184 miles per hour and 1,221 green flag passes in last year’s 200-miler, this is a track that is truly as competitive as it gets with fast speeds and bountiful action throughout the field. IceBox Pickup Throwdown Series regulars like Brett Moffitt, Austin Wayne Self, Stewart Friesen, and Harrison Burton produced top-11 finishes last August
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TRUCK TALK: A PREVIEW OF THE FIREDISC 100 AT MICHIGAN while Jordan Anderson and Christian Eckes came home in the top-15. Suffice to say, the early race advantage may go to these six tenacious racers. Particularly with Moffitt and Self, this duo is not afraid to push the envelope for passes on corner entry, even in the early going. Of the regulars in this series, Brett Moffitt has visited Michigan’s Victory Lane on two occasions in 2016 and ’18. A track that’s certainly redefined Moffitt’s NASCAR career, once during a year for relevancy and another that helped him win the division championship, perhaps he may score his first win in “The Wolverine State” with a Chevrolet. While the past five Truck races at Michigan average 14.4 lead changes, it’s safe to say that we could see the field come close to either equally or besting that number given that Thursday night’s race is half of that distance. As the halfway mark in this special series, a driver cannot win the IceBox Pickup Throwdown Series championship in Round 3 of 0 0 4
■■ Brett Moffitt earned a win at Michigan in 2018.
5, but it’s possible that a driver may lose their chance at virtual NASCAR glory at this venue. As if the prize money, prestige, and glory was not enough, even if it’s virtual Michigan, there’s bragging rights on the line for the manufacturers. Ironically, Toyota and Chevrolet have won the past five Truck Series races with the former taking four of those race wins. Certainly, it’s going to be about high speed, drafting, utilizing that high line, and threading the needle in the draft. However, drivers must exercise patience and not make what may be a daring, race winning move on Lap 19 of 100. Instead, in the words of the late T. Wayne Robertson, it may be about “going a bit slower in order to go faster.” May the fun begin at Michigan tonight.
ICEBOX PICKUP THROWDOWN VIEWERS GUIDE: MAY 7, 2020
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TALE OF THE TAPE
THE TALE OF THE TAPE MATCHUPS TO WATCH FOR THE FIREDISC 100 AT MICHIGAN BY ROB TIONGSON
W
hether you drive a Chevrolet Silverado or Toyota Tundra in real life or you root for a particular driver in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, both of those elements unite for Thursday night’s FIREDISC 100 at the virtual Michigan International Speedway. As one of the smoothest and widest tracks in the IceBox Pickup Throwdown
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Series, it’ll be easy for drivers to feel a bit brave and immune to the haphazard troubles that were prevalent at the digital versions of Texas and Kansas. Regardless of the risks presented by the tracks and competitors, these four drivers do not care about anything else but claiming victory in this 100-lap race. Here’s a look at the matchups to watch at Michigan!
ICEBOX PICKUP THROWDOWN VIEWERS GUIDE: MAY 7, 2020
TALE OF THE TAPE
BESIDES THE FACT THAT JOSH BILICKI AND SANTINO FERRUCCI WERE THE MAIN PLAYERS who factored into the finish of Round 2 at Kansas Speedway, these are two aggressive, fearless racers who know how to have fun but, so to speak, put their game faces on when it’s money time. Bilicki’s championship bid has kicked off with a pair of top-five finishes, an impressive feat considering how his truck has reached for incredible virtual height evoking Talladega Nights lines. Still, Bilicki has shown his bravery in wrestling a truck on older tires and his commitment for sticking on the high line during the waning moments of a race, pivotal elements when it comes to a race that may be decided by a short sprint to the finish. As for Ferrucci, this is a driver who seems to be around incredibly crazy finishes in iRacing. Whether it was his win at virtual Kansas Speedway or the insanity that ensued in the INDYCAR Challenge’s finale at Indianapolis, the Connecticut native has learned quickly but doesn’t concern himself with making friends on the track or in the court of public opinion. This matchup may be too close to call, but don’t look past Bilicki, especially if he can duplicate his Kansas magic, except with a more favorable outcome. 0 0 8
ICEBOX PICKUP THROWDOWN VIEWERS GUIDE: MAY 7, 2020
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AS TWO OF THE SPRING CHICKENS OF THE FIELD, WHILE ONE OF THE DRIVERS reminds fans of pasta, the other is the son of a driver who was the Cup Series’ “Candyman” before Kyle Busch. Feeling hungry, race fans? Anthony Alfredo is coming off a thrilling win in the most recent Saturday Night Thunder at virtual Dover International Speedway. A racer who loves on-track racing as much as he does his iRacing, “Pasta” could be tasting victory especially if he puts his patented determination on display such as the case as last Thursday night at Kansas. While it hasn’t been easy times in this series for Todd Gilliland, he was quite fast at Texas and was biding his time at Kansas before getting swept up in someone else’s mess. However, on-track with the Truck Series, he’s ranked ninth and has a win at Martinsville Speedway last year. If he can avoid early race issues and balance his tenacity with patience, look for Gilliland to be a threat at Michigan and perhaps the driver to choose with this matchup for Michigan. 0 0 9
CHAMPIONSHIP BREAKDOWN
THE FIREDISC 100
LIVE AT 8PM TONIGHT The IceBox Pickup Throwdown debuted April 23rd as an invite-only iRacing event exclusively for NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and XFIINITY Series drivers. The third race in a five-race series will be broadcast live tonight on YouTube and Twitch. WHO’S HOSTING & WHERE CAN I WATCH? ▶▶ Eric Estepp and Podium Team, the broadcasters behind the Replacements 100, are hosting the series. Each race will be hosted at YouTube.com/EricEstepp and Twitch.tv/PodiumEsports. SERIES FORMAT ▶▶ Invitational, Points Series POINT BREAKDOWN ▶▶ 1 - 15 Points ▶▶ 2 - 12 Points ▶▶ 3 - 11 points ▶▶ 4-5 - 10 points ▶▶ 5-10 - 8 points ▶▶ 11-20 - 5 points ▶▶ 20-28 - 4 points ▶▶ 29 - 32 - 2 points ▶▶ Pole Award: 2 points FOUR RACE PLAYOFF ▶▶ Texas ▶▶ Kansas ▶▶ Michigan ▶▶ Gateway ▶▶ Championship: Homestead 0 1 0
PRIZE POOL ▶▶ Five Race Championship Place - $500 Place - $100 Bommarito.com Pole Award - $100 Halfway Point Leader Award - Gen-Y Hitch ▶▶ Championship Points Standings Awards Place - $500 and IceBox Helmet Cooler and Dragonfire Midnight Pro Tool Chest Place - $300 Place - $200 RACE FORMAT ▶▶ No. of Laps: 100 ▶▶ Qualifying: 2 laps ▶▶ Practice: 45 mins ▶▶ Conditions: Clear/90/140 ▶▶ Setups: Provided Fixed
ICEBOX PICKUP THROWDOWN VIEWERS GUIDE: MAY 7, 2020
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ICEBOX PICKUP THROWDOWN VIEWERS GUIDE: MAY 7, 2020
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