2020 TReSports ePreview: Burton Kligerman eSports

EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to the ninth installment of the 2020 TReSports ePreview! The 2020 eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series kicks off on February 11th, 2020, at the virtual Daytona International Speedway. The goal is to have a preview for each team out before that date.

The upcoming 2020 eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series season for Burton Kligerman eSports will be a continuation of what both of their drivers started in the 2019 campaign.

Burton Kligerman eSports joined the series as one of the twelve original teams that took part in the 2019 eNASCAR iRacing draft. In fact, they came into existence not too long before that.

Co-owned by 21-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, Jeff Burton, and two-time Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series winner, Parker Kligerman, Burton Kligerman eSports is one of the first teams to exist originally to solely compete in the eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series.

Both Burton and Kligerman are teammates in the real world, as they both are analysts for NBC Sports during NASCAR Cup Series race weekends as well as weekdays during the NASCAR America program on NBC Sports Network.

Kligerman has been known to fire up the iRacing simulator at NBC Sports to discuss and display virtual depictions of upcoming race tracks to the viewers.

In 2020, Burton Kligerman Esports will retain their same lineup from the 2019 season, but this year, they have sponsorship backing from Valvoline. Valvoline replaces SteadyMD as the primary sponsor on both the No. 77 and No. 99 in the 2020 season.

Today our first season as a team in the eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze @iRacing Series commences. Our drivers @lclampitt44 & @AshtonCrowder will be fighting all year for eNASCAR biggest prize and $100,000. Follow along! pic.twitter.com/5iwMFccDZ6

— BurtonKligermanEsports (@BurtKligEsports) February 12, 2019

Logan Clampitt, the first driver drafted by Burton Kligerman eSports in 2019, will reprise his role in 2020 in the No. 99 Valvoline Toyota.

In his four-season career, Clampitt has competed in 61 events since 2016. Clampitt has two career victories, two career pole positions, 21 career Top 5 finishes, and 32 career Top 10 finishes.

Clampitt’s best season was in 2017, and despite not winning a race, he finished second in the final driver’s standings behind the eventual champion, Ryan Luza.

For Clampitt, continuing his progression with Burton Kligerman eSports is something he is looking forward to in 2020 and beyond.

“I think the relationship we all built together, being me, Parker, and Ashton, being on the same team, one of the few teams to have the same two people,” Clampitt said. “It’s pretty special that we built this relationship with this group, and hopefully we can extend that in to the future.”

These @Valvoline schemes are going to look 🔥 when they hit the high banks of Daytona in a few weeks! 🥵#eNASCAR | @iRacing pic.twitter.com/YTRXqunvj7

— BurtonKligermanEsports (@BurtKligEsports) January 28, 2020

Ashton Crowder returns to Burton Kligerman eSports for his sophomore season in the eNiWCS, as he will once again pilot the No. 77 Valvoline Toyota.

Crowder started all 18 races last season and collected his first career victory and first career Top 5 finish at Darlington Raceway. Crowder also has three career Top 10 finishes from his first season.

Thankful to be back with Burton Kligerman eSports in 2020, Crowder echoed Clampitt’s thoughts on the relationships they built in 2019.

“The relationships… knowing Parker, knowing Jeff, knowing Logan, just let it all come together,” Crowder said. “Thankfully it did, and I’m looking forward to the 2020 season.”

NEWS: Burton Kligerman eSports is excited to welcome @Valvoline to the team along with the return of both @AshtonCrowder and @lclampitt44 to chase the 2020 #eNASCAR @iRacing World Championship!

LINK: https://t.co/LOe8CTWZt7 pic.twitter.com/JIxm6TYSVW

— BurtonKligermanEsports (@BurtKligEsports) January 28, 2020

2019 BURTON KLIGERMAN eSPORTS RECAP

The 2019 season started in the eNASCAR iRacing draft for both drivers.

With the seventh overall pick, Logan Clampitt was chosen to pilot the No. 99 Toyota for the 2019 campaign. Eleven picks later, rookie contender Ashton Crowder was chosen to drive the No. 77 Toyota.

Together, the newly formed Burton Kligerman eSports duo seemed poised to compete for wins and push each other towards greatness.

Clampitt would miss the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. In his first start of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two weeks later, Clampitt made a statement with his third place result.

Meanwhile, Crowder managed a decent start to his 2019 rookie campaign with a trio of solid finishes. Daytona would be a 22nd place effort, Las Vegas ended with a 12th place effort, and at Auto Club, he came home with a 19th place effort.

Texas Motor Speedway was not kind to either driver, though. Both Clampitt and Crowder finished outside of the Top 30, and the bad luck streak continued for a few more races for Crowder.

Crowder ended up with two more consecutive finishes outside of the Top 35 in the following races, and dug a hole in the points that was going to be tough to fight his way out of.

Clampitt put the bad luck at Texas behind him and moved on to finding some solid finishes and consistency. A fifth place at Richmond Raceway set up Clampitt for three Top 5 finishes in a five race stretch at tracks that also included Charlotte Motor Speedway and Sonoma Raceway.

As both drivers entered the final races of the regular season, it became unfortunately evident that neither driver would be able to fight for a title in the 2019 season.

Clampitt missed his second race of the season at Michigan International Speedway, ultimately ending his chances at making the Round of 8.

Crowder had still not cracked a Top 10 finishing position yet in his first 13 races, so entering the regular season finale, he didn’t have a mathematical shot at making playoffs either.

Both drivers cut their losses and focused on making the most out of the rest of the season. Crowder ended the regular season with his first career Top 10 finish at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Entering the playoffs, Crowder played the role of spoiler in the first race of the Round of 8.

Crowder was able to hold off the eventual 2019 eNiWCS champion Zack Novak for his first career victory at Darlington Raceway.

The win was a first for not only Crowder, but also a first for the Burton Kligerman eSports team.

In the same race, teammate Clampitt finished ninth, which was his first Top 10 result since Sonoma.

Both drivers were also able to make the most out of the penultimate race on the 2019 schedule at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Clampitt would take home a fourth place finish, while Crowder ended up with his third and final Top 10 on the season, finishing in tenth place.

At the end of the season, Clampitt finished the season 15th overall, and locked back in for the 2020 eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series.

Entering 2020 in just a few short weeks, Clampitt has his mind set on being at the top when it’s all said and done.

“Win the championship!” Clampitt exclaimed when asked about his goals for 2020. “Win a few races, win the championship, hopefully get the team championship as well.

“It’s going to be tough with the competition this year, there are a lot of big names entering from the Pro Series, and coming back from last year, so it’s going to be tough but I think if we have the right stuff, we can do it.”

Crowder missed the cutoff by seven points, as he wound up 22nd overall in the points standings.

Back in the iRacing Pro Series once again, Crowder was able to once again triumph over most of the field, as his seventh place effort in the final standings moved him right back onto the 2020 eNiWCS roster.

Crowder’s 2019 iRacing Pro Series stint included another solid run at Darlington, where he finished in third.

Looking forward to the 2020 season, Crowder has the same thing in mind as his teammate does.

“Same deal. Win the driver’s championship and win the team championship,” Crowder said following Clampitt when asked the same question. “I want to try and get the team good results, and maybe a few wins and some consistent finishes. Get those points.”

***

The eNASCAR iRacing World Championship Series season begins at Daytona International Speedway on February 11th, 2020. The race is expected to be streamed live on iRacing’s Twitch stream, with the start time usually at 9:00 pm ET.

Look for ePreview #10 soon!