Init Esports, a woman-led esports company, and Pennzoil have partnered to create the Screen to Speed sim racing digital tournament for female racers, the organization announced.
Stefy Bau, founder of Init Esports, and Victoria Thomas, co-owner of KellyMoss Road and Race, teamed up to create this initiative with a mission of raising awareness and opportunities for females in the motorsports industry, the teams said.
Women can sign up to race in the tournament until Feb. 12, with the chance to participate in real life at the grand finale show in Las Vegas on March 4, during the weekend of the Pennzoil 400. The tournament is split into three separate phases.
Phase 1 began late last year with an asynchronous digital competition where sim racers can compete in Time Attack via iRacing. Registered participants will be able to take as many laps as they can within a given timeframe, racing virtually at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Ford Next Gen NASCAR vehicle. Phase 1 will conclude on Feb. 12, and the top 20 finalists will be chosen. Of the 20 finalists, 15 will be drivers that have the fastest lap time and highest social reach, with an additional 5 social media influencers, Pennzoil said.
The 20 finalists will then meet in Las Vegas for Phase 2, which is an in-person battle taking place on March 4. In this round, drivers will compete in Next Level Racing cockpit simulators while receiving coaching tips from KellyMoss Road and Race racer, Sabré Cook. Fans will be able to tune into the event live via stream on March 4 via Twitch, YouTube, and ESTV.
The winner will be announced on March 6 during Phase 3. The grand prize for the winning driver is $15,000 cash, a racing simulator, and a real-life track event with the KellyMoss Porsche race team.
Click here for more information or to register for the competition.
