Jonathan Evans

Western Connecticut State University sophomore Jonathan Evans is on a fast-track to success. The 2022 New Fairfield High School graduate represents his university, driving a Wolves-branded virtual car, in the eNASCAR College iRacing series.

According to its website, “iRacing is the World’s Premier Motorsport Racing Simulation. It allows members to experience today’s newest form of competitive motorsport: virtual racing. iRacing is a fun, inexpensive and highly competitive way for race fans and gamers to break a sweat by braking hard at the apex, while overcoming head-to-head racing challenges usually reserved for professional racers.”

“I have always had a passion for racing, and I’ve followed NASCAR my whole life,” Evans said. “My dad always had races on. He was a crew chief on a racing team. This computer-simulated racing is the closest you can get to driving NASCAR without being on an actual track in real-life.”

Ironically, Evans has raced against dozens of actual NASCAR drivers on this platform, and recalls one race day when he watched a professional driver earlier in the day in a NASCAR cup series race on TV — and competed against him on iRacing the same afternoon.

Jonathan Evans

iRacing was created in 2008, Evans said. It gained popularity during Covid to allow the excitement of racing competition to continue at a time when everyone had to stay apart. Evans began iRacing in August 2023. Since then, he’s had more than 900 starts, and has 100 wins. His iRating has placed him in the top .5% of all iRacers in the world. An iRating is determined by finishing well. iRating directly correlates to someone’s driving ability. The higher the iRating, the better the driver. You gain iRating by placing well in official races.

In order to participate in the College iRacing series, competitors like Evans must be enrolled full-time with at least 12 credit hours a semester at a U.S. or Canadian college or university. Evans is the only competitor from WestConn. He said UConn has a few iRacers, who he has raced against. To compete, Evans and other racers do a “time attack,” to determine the fastest 40 lap times for drivers who will race in the main event. The competition yields points and scholarship funds for the top drivers. There is a $3,750 purse per race, $10,000 for the champion and a total purse of $60,000 for the series.

Evans has his home computer outfitted with a simulator, monitor, steering wheel, clutch, gas and brake pedals. He has to pay a yearly simulation fee and buy the video module for the track he’ll be competing on. There are 40 different NASCAR tracks that have been created through the use of drones, laser scanners and/or IA, and are so accurate that every bump on the track is in the simulator data. Evans also has to decide which car series he’s going to race, and purchase the virtual car he’ll be operating. It’s a big investment that is being paid off with every win or high-placing finish.

Evans is currently ranked fifth in the nation in the overall College Series standings, and has increased his scholarship money total to $200 so far this season after finishing 10^th at both Daytona Motor Speedway and at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The next race is at Kansas Speedway on October 29, in the Xfinity cars.

iRacing Marketing and Communications Specialist Justin Melillo designs all of the cars in the eNASCAR College Racing Series from collegiate logos provided by the competitors. He has designed several virtual cars with the WestConn Wolves logo, and Evans proudly competes on behalf of his university.

Jonathan Evans leading the drivers from UConn and University of Maine at Daytona.

In the summer when not in classes, Evans races consistently. Since August 2023, he’s competed in an average of 2.1 races per day. Currently undeclared, he decided to take all of his required Gen Ed classes first to get a feel for everything. He’s leaning toward majoring in Justice and Law Administration with a History minor, because he’s interested in attending law school eventually to become a prosecutor.

“iRacing is incredibly competitive,” Evans said. “It’s a totally immersive, sensory experience. It’s so realistic in terms of air, draft effects, over or under steering, that you totally understand the physics of racing that occur in real life. When you’re driving at a track like Daytona, there’s so much going through your head at once and so many different variables that it makes you better on your feet. It’s incredibly precise or you’ll wreck the field. The adrenaline is insane. I imagine that the feeling you get from winning a highly contested race against good racers probably feels very similar to getting your desired verdict in a courtroom.”

That’s something Evans will likely experience further down the road after he graduates from WestConn and considers his law school options.

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.