SANTA MONICA, CALIF., May 11, 2021 – On May 13, competitors will suit up in their best uniforms (racecar pajamas, that is) and start their virtual engines as Red Bull Homestretch returns for the first of three livestream events. This spirited form of virtual racing that’s less about winning and more about fun will be played using Gran Turismo Sport (Rated E with Use of Alcohol and Tobacco) and livestreamed on twitch.tv/RedBull (Digital Copy of Gran Turismo Sport provided courtesy of PlayStation®). The roster will follow suit from last year, with each event playfully pitting a rotating roster of 10 drivers of varying skill levels and expertise against each other. And once again, driver banter and trash talking are not only allowed but are strongly encouraged.
With no real-life race points at stake, top drivers, celebrities, athletes and gaming personalities will leave solemn race attitudes in the rear-view mirror and exuberantly hash it all out on the racetrack in the ultimate chase for Red Bull Homestretch bragging rights. But they’ll have to contend with wildly varying track conditions and on-the-fly rule changes on the road to victory. And while it’s mostly all fun and games, each of the three events will still crown a respective champion.
The drivers won’t be the only ones that can get in on the action this year, as viewers will have more influence than ever before with the ability to vote on racetracks. “Bull Coin” viewer points will be accrued through the viewer’s watch time and can be used from the virtual sidelines to cheer their favorites on to glory. Viewers may also see their username visible during the show and even receive shoutouts from the drivers themselves. Tune in to the live broadcast to find out more.
Drivers confirmed for the first event on May 13 include:
- Action sports/rallycross/rally phenom Travis Pastrana
- Formula 1 Scuderia AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly
- 2019 World Rallycross and 2018 Nitro Rallycross champion Timmy Hansen
- Former F1, NASCAR, IndyCar and current rallycross driver Scott Speed
- The USA Basketball 3x3 Men’s National Team Robbie Hummel, Canyon Barry, Dominique Jones and Kareem Maddox
- Professional basketball personality, rapper and entrepreneur Johnny “Dribble2Much” Stephene
- BMX World Champion, two-time X Games medalist and Dew Tour Rider of the Year Francisco “Coco” Zurita
Racers will take to the virtual track for the first time on Thursday, May 13 at 12:00 p.m. EDT/9:00 a.m. PDT. Tune in to watch live on twitch.tv/RedBull. Red Bull Homestretch Events Two and Three will take place at 12:00 p.m. EDT/9:00 a.m. PDT on Thursday, May 27 and June 10, respectively. The subsequent week’s participating driver roster will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit www.RedBull.com/Homestretch.
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