A.E. Engine Partners with IceBox for Pickup Throwdown Esports Race Development

A.E. Engine Partners with IceBox for Pickup Throwdown Esports Race Development

A new challenger to the iRacing esports scene is approaching! The IceBox Pickup Throwdown Truck Series launches this week on Out of the Groove and Podium Esports.

Beginning Thursday, April 23 at 8pm Eastern, the IceBox Pickup Throwdown is a five race invitational series that culminates with a championship finale in May. Drivers won’t just be racing for show. The points they’ll earn every race all add up to a cash purse and prizes for the driver’s organization.

The series is invite-only exclusively for NASCAR Truck Series and Xfinity Drivers. The list of competitors is stacked, featuring NASCAR Truck Series mainstays Jordan Anderson, Austin Wayne Self, Spencer Boyd, and more. The event was organized by Anderson in conjunction with Tim Self, President of AM Racing, and the father of Austin.

“We’re all just so ready to get back out racing again,” says driver-owner Jordan Anderson. “As soon as I started talking to the other folks in the garage, it all just came together. I can’t wait to show the fans at home what we’ve put together.”

The Pickup Throwdown series is designed for drivers and teams to work shoulder-to-shoulder with their partners, with Tim Self and IceBox Helmet Coolers leading the way to help teams keep racing.

“I know what goes into keeping these race teams humming, and it starts with getting these trucks back on the track,” says Tim Self, CEO of IceBox Helmet Coolers. “Whether it’s virtually or in real life, I think we’re all excited to get these names going fast in front of a crowd again.”

The entire series will be produced by Podium eSports, the industry-renowned team behind the Replacements 100, and will broadcast live on Eric Estepp’s Out of the Groove channel, the No. 1 NASCAR content creator on YouTube with more than 100,000 subscribers.

“The Trucks are often the best show of the weekend during the real racing season,” says Eric Estepp, host of Out of the Groove, “so I’m extremely excited for those drivers to have their own dedicated iRacing series to give their passionate fans something to look forward to.”

The IceBox Pickup Throwdown series starts Thursday, April 23, at 8:00pm EST, and will be broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch. Additional drivers interested in open slots should contact Jordan Anderson.

Broadcast Details

  • Channels: YouTube.com/EricEstepp, Twitch.tv/PodiumEsports
  • Timeslot: Thursday nights 8pm EST
    • Practice 7pm EST (offline)
    • Out of the Groove Pre-Show 7:30pm EST
    • Green Flag 8pm EST
  • Race Schedule
    • Texas – April 23
    • Kansas – April 30
    • Michigan – May 7
      Gateway – May 14
    • Championship – Homestead – May 21
  • Host: Eric Estepp, Out of the Groove
  • Broadcasters: James Pike & Jacob Seelman, Podium eSports
  • Producer: Ryan Bauer, Podium eSports