Former iRacing Daytona 24 top split winner Mikkel Gade took his first step towards winning a fully-funded seat in the Skip Barber Formula Race Series on Sunday, grabbing the checkered flag in the Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series curtain-raiser from Lime Rock Park. Gade led every lap across two 17-lap race sessions, scoring the maximum 70 points and putting himself in a prime early position to secure the full-season drive in the real world.

Gade was joined by Elvis Rankin, Nicolas Mateo, and Harley Haughton in second through fourth in each race, running in that order in the first event and in reverse order in the second. Mateo would post the fastest lap times in each race, becoming the only driver to crack the 54s mark in the second race. 2021 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series playoff driver Matt Bussa, fresh off a near-victory in that series’ most recent event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, scored finishes of eighth and sixth across the two events.

The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series is a six-week chase for the world’s fastest sim racers to earn their way into real-world race seats, featuring $500,000 worth of prizes on the line. Drivers looking to compete can register here before taking part in a Time Attack that runs Monday through Wednesday of each race week. The fastest 20 drivers from each Time Attack, who can differ from week to week, receive training from Skip Barber Racing School coaches before taking on a double-feature event on Sunday afternoon. The top three point scorers at the end of the season earn spots in the Skip Barber Formula Race Series, with a full season for the champion, half a season for the runner up, and a single race appearance for third place.

The Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series season continues with a visit to VIRginia International Raceway, with Time Attack qualifying open now and the race airing on Sunday at 3PM ET. For more information on the Skip Barber Racing School, visit www.skipbarber.com. For more information on iRacing and for special offers, visit www.iracing.com.