Kyle Busch, Hinchcliffe, Wickens among those missing the cut for Indy iRacing

Even virtual racing can be cruel.

Pre-qualifying for Saturday’s iRacing Challenge finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway took place on Wednesday where James Hinchcliffe, Kyle Busch, and Robert Wickens were among the high-profile drivers to miss out on earning a spot in the field of 33. Spencer Pigot, Felipe Nasr, and Kyle Kaiser also failed to qualify for the First Responders 175 presented by GMR.

With most of the field locked in due to their results in the first five rounds of the IndyCar iRacing series, four spots were made available to earn for those at the bottom of the points, and a number of drivers trying to make their debut in the abbreviated Indy 175 event.

After two days of practicing, Wednesday beckoned where drivers were given a single lap of qualifying to make the show. The outcome delivered more than a few surprises as Scott Speed, Stefan Wilson, James Davison, and RC Enerson took the four starting positions, to the dismay of those who were bumped.

“We only got one attempt and one lap,” Wilson said. “I just had to execute a near-perfect lap. I know it’s not real qualifying for Indianapolis, but it was still so stressful.”

The 70-lap race takes place Saturday, May 2, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.