Jock Goodyer had to travel the longest distance to compete in Sunday’s NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws iRacing Invitational.
Well, not really. But, the Tasmanian driver did manage to make noise in the digital world by capturing Round 2 of the series at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
It didn’t come without controversy. Goodyer was racing with last week’s winner Logan Seavey when the two made contact entering Turn 1. Seavey ended up in the wall, and Goodyer sped away over the green-white-checker finish and earned $1,000 for topping the field in the 35-lap event.
Goodyer took the early lead with Kevin Swindell following close behind. Swindell wasted little time getting to the front, sailing into the lead with a low move heading into the Turn 3 on the second circuit.
While Swindell paced the field, Seavey and Goodyer battled for second. The two traded the position for three laps before Seavey made his move on Lap 9.
One lap later, Robbie Kendall, who finished second to Seavey last week, got into the back of David Gravel. Kendall got over the inside tire and got upside down.
When the race went back to green, Seavey went to work on Swindell. The two went back and forth, with Swindell continuing to pace the field on Lap 16.
Chase Briscoe brought out another caution on Lap 19. The race went back to green on Lap 23 — cautions count — Swindell bobbled in Turn 3, which allowed Seavey and Goodyer to go by.
Goodyer caught Seavey and led by a nose on Lap 24. The two banged wheels one lap later, with Seavey leading at the stripe.
The two continued to race in close proximity on Lap 31. Goodyer gave chase entering Turn 1 and got his right rear into the left rear of Seavey and sent the leader into the first corner fence.
Goodyer dominated the green-white-checker finish and took the first-place check. He was unavailable for comment on the victory.
Tony Gualda ran the alphabet soup consolations and stormed from 20th to second in the main event. He won a three-car battle with Mitchell Faccinto and David Gravel to garner the position.
“It was a good night,” Gualda said. “We started out rough. I think we qualified 35th or something like that, had a tough heat race, and then trucked through the E, the D, C, up to the B, and got rolling in the A-Main. We were good.”
Faccinto got into the wall late, which made Gualda’s job easier. Gravel was third and was followed by Austin McCarl and Max McLaughlin.
“What a rollercoaster ride,” Gravel said. “I was mad after I got spun out there early on. I started 17th and was in the top 10, and I thought my race was over, but cautions went my way, and there were accidents I missed.
“I had a really, really good car there in the middle of the race, and it was very, very strong. At the end, it was a touch free, but I’m really happy with a podium finish.”
Goodyer, Seavey, Christopher Bell, Kevin Swindell, and Chase Briscoe were heat winners. Cale Thomas won the E-Main, with Michael Bauer taking top honors in the D-Main. Kyle Larson won the C-Main, with Trent Ivey capturing the B-Main.
Sprint Car Feature Finish, 35 Laps: 1. Jock Goodyer; 2. Tony Gualda; 3. David Gravel; 4. Austin McCarl; 5. Max McLaughlin; 6. Trent Ivey; 7. Joe Kata; 8. Chase Briscoe; 9. Mitchell Faccinto; 10. Corey Gordon; 11. Kevin Swindell; 12. Chase Johnson; 13. Troy Wagaman Jr.; 14. Eric Riggins; 15. Brett Brunkenhofer; 16. Logan Seavey; 17. Carson Macedo; 18. Robbie Kendall; 19. Brett Michalski; 20. Christopher Bell.