In a sport built on speed, precision and nerves, a University of Calgary student is making a name for himself without ever strapping into a physical race car. Connor Yeroschak, a second-year design in city innovation student, has surged to the top of the collegiate sim racing world, emerging as one of the few Canadian racers and current leader in the eNASCAR College iRacing Series. Competing from the comfort of his home in Cochrane against drivers representing predominantly American schools, the 19-year-old has quickly become one of the most consistent performers on the virtual circuit. “It all kind of started for me about five years ago around the Covid pandemic,” Yeroschak said in an interview. “I always had this passion for racing and watched it a lot growing up so it started as just a hobby, but then I found out that I have a pretty good talent for it and that maybe this was something I could explore professionally.” Racers in eNASCAR use a program called iRacing, considered to be the world’s leading motorsport simulation game which allows players to virtually control their vehicles on real life NASCAR tracks using steering wheels, pedals and gear paddles hooked up to gaming computers. Yeroschak made a name for himself and turned pro last season, making him eligible to represent U of C in iRacing College series. He was awarded rookie of the year for his performance. This season he has captured consecutive tournament victories, winning events in Daytona and Iowa. He also holds the top position in the overall standings. Those strong finishes can also carry financial rewards, with scholarship money awarded to top collegiate drivers — an added incentive in an already intense competitive environment. “It means so much to be the one of the only Canadians and to be right at the top, but there’s definitely some pressure to finish the rest of the season strong and bring home a title for the University of Calgary and my country,” Yeroschak said. “It’s an extremely competitive sport. You have hundreds of people vying for just 120 spots to make it into the first College Series race, and then it gets cut down to 40 and then down to 25 for the final, so it’s cutthroat.” The mental game behind the wheel Yeroschak says success in sim racing extends far beyond quick reflexes, describing the competition as mentally demanding and deeply strategic. “You’re always thinking about strategies, you’re thinking about how you’re going to adjust the car, change the setups, what tire strategy you’re on,” he said. While the racing unfolds in a digital environment, he says the decision-making closely mirrors real-world motorsport, where races are often shaped by split-second judgment calls rather than outright speed. “That’s one thing I’ve always enjoyed about NASCAR,” Yeroschak said. “You’re always racing the people around you more so than you’re racing the track.” With cars running inches apart and positions constantly changing, drivers must process a relentless stream of information. “There’s so much to think about. It’s infinite, almost.” The current collegiate season has now introduced a tournament-style format, adding another layer of pressure. Drivers can now be eliminated at multiple stages rather than competing in a single race. “You have the first round and there’s groups and heats, and you have to finish high enough to move on,” Yeroschak explained. “Then from week two, that’s kind of when things get a little more tense.” Those later rounds leave little margin for error. “So it’s do or die.” Yeroschak’s back-to-back tournament victories this season are particularly notable under the new structure as he’s become the first to achieve such a feat. Despite the milestone, he says individual wins remain secondary to the season-long championship. “I’m always looking towards that bigger goal of winning the title.” Sim racing’s credibility and growth Ray Smith, senior director of sim racing at NASCAR, said the discipline’s trajectory changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, when traditional racing schedules were disrupted and virtual competition took centre stage. The broadcasts, he said, reshaped perceptions of simulation racing. “I think prior to Covid, the industry and fans thought of it as more of a game, but I think after Covid, that credibility really came through,” Smith said. “Drivers and real-life teams were using iRacing to prepare for races because practice was no longer, the same as it was in the past.” Smith added that simulation racing has become more competitive than ever before, telling CTV News the game’s accessibility has removed traditional barriers allowing more Canadians to enter the market. “No matter where you are now in the world, you can access NASCAR,” Smith said. “But you have to qualify, you have to hold a certain license and a certain rating out of thousands of drivers to be one of the top 40 on the planet. Right now, Connor Yeroschak is leading that pack, he’s looking like he can make a move to become the next college champion and that usually foretells the next ‘great one’ in the sim world.” Despite the rise of sim racing, Yeroschak said the sport continues to surprise many people unfamiliar with its structure. “Most people play on a football team or a soccer team, but this is something that many people may have never even heard of,” he said “But I couldn’t ask for a more supporting friends and family.” As for those considering entering the sport, Yeroschak’s message is simple. “It’s just a great opportunity, even if you’re not doing it professionally. It’s taught me so much, like how to handle big pressure moments. I’ve met so many amazing friends and these are skills and experiences I’m going to take with me the rest of my life.”
