As we head into the back half of the 2024 Pro Invitational Qualifying Series we look towards the mid-pack to focus our attention on the ever increasingly important Top 20. 

For Connor Nixon of Vermillion Motorsports, the stakes couldn't be higher as he finds himself perched on the edge of a transfer position with only 2 races remaining in the series. Sitting precariously in 21st position, Nixon understands the gravity of his situation. With only 20 coveted spots available for promotion to the 2024 main series, the pressure cooker of competition is reaching its boiling point. The qualifying series, designed to sift through the best of the best, leaves no room for error, no margin for hesitation.

R: Half way through the Qualifying Series and you sit in position 21 and right on the bubble for an invitation to the 2024 series. How would you rate your performances so far in the first 2 rounds?

CN: So far the series has been not too bad for me. Round 1 was good despite having PC issues which forced me to miss practice and left me 42nd in qualifying but I recovered to 25th so that was a good drive. I have the best spotter in the world in Curtis Bird and in Round 2 he pushed for me to have a clean race which we did and went from 25th to 18th. I maintain confidence in my capabilities to secure a position within the top 20. I remain hopeful that my condition, cerebral palsy, does not impede my performance as the competition progresses.

R: Tell us a little about your condition and how it affects your ability to complete on the sim?

CN: Racing definitely takes it out of me. It's taken a lot of work and testing to get my setup just how I need it to make it possible to race competitively. I'm running normal gear in my Rig, a Simagic Alpha with a P310 HRS Wheel with a Tilton Pedal Box. But with the help of my Physio, I've had to work on customising my positioning a lot. I have to angle my Rig so I can use more of the muscles in the back of my legs to allow me to get enough force through to the pedals. I spend a lot of time in the gym so my upper body strength is quite good at handling the forces through the Direct Drive wheel. I actually use my time in the sim for training purposes to help build up my strength. The more time I spend racing the stronger I get but if I take a break for a couple of weeks or more it's really hard to recondition myself again.

R: You're right on the cusp in points as it stands right now. How important is it to you to make it into the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series for 2024?

CN: I think it's important to me because my whole life I've always been told 'no' from people 'No you can't do that' and even when I started racing the Supercar competitively on iRacing people said I couldn't do it. But I made my way from the Back of Split 2 in V8SCOPS races up into the middle of Top Split races and I proved them wrong. I always like to be a person who proves a lot of people wrong. Now I want to make it to the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series to continue proving to people and to myself that I can do it.

R: With only Hockenhiem and Fuji left to lock yourself into the Top 20, how do you approach the next 2 races?

CN: I have a lot of other races happening at the minute between a couple of Daytona 500's and the recent OSR Bathurst 12 Hour so preparation has been limited. But I'm confident in Jacob [O’Reilly] and the two Zach's that we have onboard [Rattray-White and Vlasblom] because we've already done some testing and got setups on the car that feels good.

I just need to get points so I'll enter the races with a clear head and let my spotter Curtis steer me through. He's been doing a great job and keeps me calm and focused in the car which is what I need. We'll just try and stay out of trouble and hopefully get all the Vermillion 'Wagons' to the front!

Thank you for your time, We wish you all the best for the remaining rounds of the series.

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Beau Albert's ascent in the Qualifying Series gained momentum during Round 2 at Magny-Cours, where he delivered a masterful performance, clinching an impressive third-place finish.

This remarkable achievement propelled him into the upper echelons of the standings, currently resting comfortably within the top 5 in the overall rankings. While not a household name in Supercars circles, Albert's journey through the 2024 Pro Invitational Qualifying Series has been nothing short of impressive, defying expectations along the way.

"It's where I wanted to be that's for sure, but realistically, no, this is much higher up than I'd have expected. Of course, it's only the halfway mark in the season and plenty can still happen in the remaining two rounds but it's a great confidence booster for me to run so strong against such a talented field."

"Getting a Podium this week was a huge shock to the system though! I expected to be fighting inside the Top 10 most weeks, maybe challenging a Top 5 on a good day, but to snag a Podium so early on is just mega"

The Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series, comprising four high-stakes races, serves as a gateway for aspiring drivers aiming to secure invitations to the main series scheduled to kick off in March. With only the top 20 in points earning coveted spots in the main event, the competition is fierce, demanding nothing short of excellence from its participants.

What sets Albert apart from his peers in the series is his diverse portfolio of successes within the realm of sim racing. While not necessarily renowned as a Supercar driver on iRacing, Albert boasts an impressive track record in other disciplines, including being a multi-time iRacing Rallycross Pro World Championship driver and a Top Split iRacing Daytona 24 Hour winner.

His pedigree in these other forms of sim racing establishes him as a dark horse in this year's series, bringing a wealth of experience, skill, and adaptability to the table. 

"There are absolutely lessons I've learnt from all kinds of racing that I've done that help me become a better driver overall. Competing in several Endurance events and championships over the years has helped me develop tyre-saving techniques and learning how to fall into a nice consistent rhythm; The Rallycross side of things has helped me a lot with car placement and also 'Car Combat' so to speak, like how much you can lean and bump a driver in a battle without crossing the line etc. So absolutely I think there is a lot I can take from that racing into the Qualifying Series."

Despite his relative inexperience in the Supercars ranks, Albert's proven track record in other competitive arenas positions him as a formidable contender, capable of challenging the established order and reshaping the narrative of the Series.

"When it comes to the Supercar though, it really is such a unique beast that requires a whole new skill set. It's such a technique-heavy car, particularly when it comes to your footwork on the pedals and that's been one of the more difficult aspects for me to pick up. For everything that I've raced over the years, Porsche Cup, Rallycross, GT3, none of it has required rev-matching and blipping the throttle, so learning the timing of that has been quite a challenge for me."
 

Albert during Pre Qualifying at Phillip Island

When asked what inspired him to take the dive and commit to making the Pro Invitational Series in 2024 Beau said;

"It's a chance to prove myself against the best in the country. It's as simple as that..."

"I had a good attempt at competing on the world stage, and I had a hell of a run and I'm proud of what I achieved but after six years of chasing it, I finally came to terms that I'll never win a World Championship. I'm a great driver, but perhaps missing that last 1 or 2% to compete at that level. I guess I see myself as one of the drivers that aimed for Formula One, but came up short."

"Now I'm looking forward to competing in an equally challenging series with a whole new end goal for me to chase and most importantly, no more midnight race starts! This series is an exciting challenge and that's certainly re-lit the competitive fire in me. I've never dedicated myself fully to this car before, so I really don't know quite how big my potential is. This series is the perfect measuring stick for that so giving the 2024 Series a run was only natural."

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Richard Hamstead's start in the 2024 Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series provided a surprising 35th Place Finish for the Trans Tasman Racing veteran.

In the high-stakes world of esports racing, every turn, every lap, and every pit stop can make the difference between victory and defeat. For seasoned driver Richard Hamstead, the opening round of the 2024 Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series was a rollercoaster of emotions, culminating in a lowly 35th place finish at Road Atlanta. Touted as one of the favorites heading into the series, Hamstead's unexpected setback has left fans and pundits alike questioning what went wrong.

The Logitech G Pro Invitational Qualifying Series kicked off with a bang at Road Atlanta, where drivers faced the daunting challenge of a 49-lap race with two compulsory pit stops. Richard Hamstead, known for his skill and experience, entered the fray with high expectations, qualifying strongly in 7th position. As the race unfolded, Hamstead demonstrated his prowess, quickly settling into a top 5 position after the initial round of pit stops.

However, it was during the crucial second round of pit stops that the tide turned against Hamstead. In a sport where milliseconds matter, a split-second error can have far-reaching consequences. Unfortunately for Hamstead, he incurred a pit lane speeding penalty, a costly mistake that dropped him down the leaderboards to 39th position with less than 10 laps remaining.

"Unfortunately, it was just a matter of getting trigger-happy on the pit limiter button. I'd been shadowing my teammate Jake Moloney for most of the second stint and came in directly behind him. I got a small jump on him through a slightly shorter stop and was inside him coming to the pit exit. Obviously I wanted to beat him out of the pits and released the limiter when the green cone disappeared behind my a-pillar, so a few metres too early. This resulted in me being hit with a 40 second stop and hold penalty."
 
For Hamstead, known for his precision and consistency, the penalty was a bitter pill to swallow. Despite the setback, he refused to yield and clawed his way back, crossing the finish line in 35th place overall.

With only the top 20 drivers in points securing a coveted spot on the grid in the Official Logitech G Pro Invitational Series, Hamstead finds himself facing an uphill battle.

"I think I'm still well placed, however, it will be really important that I have clean races and aim for top 5s in each of the coming races. One more bad result would mean I probably won't make the 20."

When queried about whether the points deficit would change his approach to the remaining 3 races Hamstead said;

"It doesn't really change too much to be honest. My approach was to maximise points by being consistent and it will remain that way. I might just be a bit more careful on pit exit!"

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The Logitech G Pro Invitational Series proudly announces the signing of SimSpeed TV as its new Broadcasting Partner.

SimSpeed TV, a renowned premier Sim Racing broadcaster not only in the AUS/NZ region but worldwide, brings unparalleled expertise and a dedicated audience to the prestigious Pro Invitational Series.

The partnership between the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series and SimSpeed TV is a testament to the shared commitment to excellence in sim racing. With years of experience and a well-established audience, SimSpeed TV is perfectly poised to enhance the viewing experience for fans of the Pro Invitational Series.

"We're thrilled to welcome SimSpeed TV onboard as our official Broadcasting Partner for the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series," said Brenton O'Brien, Co-Founder of the Pro Invitational Series. "Their unparalleled expertise and dedication to delivering top-notch sim racing coverage will undoubtedly enhance the viewing experience for fans worldwide. Together, we're set to elevate the excitement and prestige of sim racing to new heights."

While the partnership had already been planned for the 2024 main series, recent technical complications during the in-house production of Round 1 of the Qualifying Series prompted an acceleration of the collaboration. As a result, Round 2 of the Qualifying Series on January 7th at Magny-Cours will mark the inaugural broadcast under the new partnership, bringing exhilarating sim racing action to viewers worldwide via SimSpeed TV.

SimSpeed TV's dedication to innovation and excellence aligns seamlessly with the core values of the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series. Together, we aim to elevate the sim racing experience to new heights, offering fans unparalleled access to thrilling races and behind-the-scenes insights.

"We are honoured to join forces with the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series as their official Broadcasting Partner," said Jay Kennedy, Owner of SimSpeed TV. "Our team is committed to delivering immersive and engaging coverage that captures the excitement of sim racing, and we look forward to showcasing the best of the Pro Invitational Series to audiences around the world."

The partnership with SimSpeed TV marks an exciting new chapter for the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series, further solidifying its position as a leading force in the world of sim racing. With SimSpeed TV's expertise and global reach, fans can expect nothing short of thrilling, action-packed broadcasts that bring the excitement of sim racing to life.

For more information about the Logitech G Pro Invitational Series and to stay updated on upcoming races and broadcasts, visit https://supercarsproinvitational.com.au

About SimSpeed TV - SimSpeed TV is a premier Sim Racing broadcaster, renowned for its high-quality coverage of sim racing events worldwide. With a dedicated team of professionals and a passion for excellence, SimSpeed TV delivers immersive and engaging broadcasts that capture the excitement of sim racing for audiences around the globe.

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