PODIUM ESPORTS TO HOST DAYTONA 500 EVENT

PEYTON, Colo. – Podium eSports will host a Daytona 500 event from February 8-10, 2019. Drivers will compete for a $7500 purse, with the winner also receiving a GT Omega Racing Simulator Supreme Cockpit.

Over 16 hours of competition from the World Center of Racing will be broadcast live on Podium eSports’ Twitch channel as drivers race to become the Daytona 500 champion.

The event will begin on Friday, February 8^th with fixed and open setup qualifying. Saturday, February 9^th is scheduled to feature 14 qualifying races, two Last Chance Qualifiers and two Duels races. The 200-lap feature event will take the green flag at 4 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 10^th.

The top two fixed setup qualifiers will go directly to the front row of the Daytona 500, while the fastest open qualifier will earn a provisional that locks them in directly to the main race.

“This Daytona 500 event will be so meaningful for the sim racing community. You’ll have to race hard to make the main event, but if you do, you’ll be considered one of the best,” said Podium eSports’ Chief Design Officer Gary Sexton. “We look forward to hosting the best competition in sim racing at the World Center of Racing.”

“We are happy to bring the chance of a lifetime to our drivers at Podium eSports with a big-pay, big-name special event,” said Chief Financial Officer Daniel Lyon. “Starting our Special Event schedule with Daytona made sense. I am humbled at the overwhelming positive response we have had to this event and I am excited to see what happens come February.”

Registration, rules and a full event schedule are available at www.podiumesports.com.

Event Schedule: (All times EST)

Friday, February 8th: (Open Practice and Qualifying Servers)

6:00 p.m. – First Practice (2 hours)

8:00 p.m. – Fixed Qualifying Begins (4 laps / 30 minutes)

8:30 p.m. – Open Setup Qualifier Practice (30 minutes)

9:00 p.m. – Open Setup Qualifying (4 laps / 15 minutes)

Saturday, February 9th: (Daytona Qualifiers, Last Chance Daytona Qualifiers and Duels at Daytona)

8:45 a.m. – Optional Final Practice (2hours)

Daytona Qualifiers: (25 laps / 25 minutes, time limit enforced, all times for Qualifiers #2-14 estimated)

11:03 a.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 1

11:31 a.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 2

11:59 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 3

12:27 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 4

12:55 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 5

1:23 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 6

1:51 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 7

2:19 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 8

2:47 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 9

3:15 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 10

3:43 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 11

4:11 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 12

4:39 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 13

5:07 p.m. – Green Flag for Daytona Qualifier No. 14

6:00 p.m. – Last Chance Qualifier No. 1 (40 laps / 40 minutes)

6:45 p.m. – Last Chance Qualifier No. 2 (40 laps / 40 minutes)

7:50 p.m. – Duel at Daytona No. 1 (60 laps)

9:00 p.m. – Duel at Daytona No. 2 (60 laps)

Sunday, February 10th: (Podium eSports Daytona 500)

3:30 p.m. – Pre-Race Ceremonies / Interviews

4:00 p.m. – Podium eSports Daytona 500 (200 laps)

About Podium eSports 

Podium eSports, home of the best competition in sim racing, is scheduled to launch in January 2019. As one of the only companies in sim racing to combine its competition and broadcast divisions, Podium is uniquely positioned to transform sim racing in the world of esports and help sim racing realize its full commercial potential. All Podium eSports races are broadcast live on the company’s Twitch channel, https://www.twitch.tv/podiumesports. For more information, visit www.podiumesports.com.  

Media Contact 

James Pike
(336) 413-9004
james.pike@podiumesports.com