Groovy Hollow is our yearly Halloween-themed iRacing event hosted by Eric Estepp of Out of the Groove. It debuted in 2021 and continues to be an annual tradition for both iRacing and NASCAR fans.
Groovy Hollow is a good time for a good cause. This year, Groovy Hollow raised money for Extra Life, a program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and Toys for Tots. The community raised over $2000 for Extra Life and donated over 100 Halloween Machine diecasts to Toys for Tots.
Let’s take a quick look at what we and our partners did this year
We raised money for Children’s Miracle Network and have done more than $25,000 since we started the event. We also provided more than 250 diecasts to Toys for Tots to be delivered this holiday season
This year, Groovy Hollow raised money for Extra Life, a program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and Toys for Tots. The community raised over $2000 for Extra Life and donated over 250 Halloween Machine diecasts to Toys for Tots.
This shows the strength and size of not only the NASCAR online community but also the iRacing community. While the viewership numbers were up, these donations made all the work that went into Groovy Hollow 4 well worth the while.
The audiobook was a huge success, and the next edition is being planned
The Legend of Groovy Hollow might be a book unlike any other. Author Cody Williams tells a compelling story of young up-and-coming race car driver Tommie Jo Swanson as she navigates Groovy Hollow Raceway. This track once disappeared alongside its champion, Bucky Blackwell, and his infamous Halloween Machine.
This book not only entangles itself in real-life racing but also has the supernatural feel of a Halloween spectacular. The next installment in the Groovy Hollow chronicles will appear soon and is already in production.
Great partners got involved this year, and they got to see what it’s like to sponsor a race car
One of the major awards every year at Groovy Hollow is the Grooviest Paint Scheme award. Leading up to the announcement mid-race, fans get to vote for who has the best paint scheme. This year, Thad Moffitt, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular, won the prize with his flashy yellow and blue tastyduck.com Camaro.
We had several hugely successful diecast and merch promotions
This year, Groovy Hollow 4 also offered fans a way to win. Thanks to the great folks at Lionel Racing, every time there was a caution, one lucky fan walked away with a 1:24-scale Lionel Racing diecast. During Groovy Hollow 4, a whopping seven cars were given away to seven lucky winners, all thanks to Lionel Racing.
Great production team effort that took iRacing event production and execution to the next level
This year, the Groovy Hollow team brought on RaceSpot.TV to produce this race broadcast on YouTube. The team at RaceSpot.TV did a stellar job with the broadcast, surely helping boost the numbers and give fans a pleasurable viewing experience.
Their clean production work, slick, accurate graphics, and attention to detail made for an easy watch and realistic race day feel. Groovy Hollow takes pride in its high-value production, and this year was the best yet.
We had a fun and competitive racing experience
This may have been the single most competitive race in Groovy Hollow history. Groovy Hollow 4 featured:
- ARCA regulars like Presley Sorah
- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regulars Armani Williams, Lawless Alan, and Thad Moffitt
- NASCAR Xfinity Series regulars Ryan Vargas, Brennan Poole, and Dawson Cram
We have an intense battle for the lead at #GrovvyHollow4
Only 25 to go pic.twitter.com/FyMGOTKtNt
— The Daily Downforce (@dailydownforce) October 30, 2024
Alongside these real-life pros, highly regarded sim drivers like Adam Garza and UNOH esports team driver Tyler Skoczen took part in the race.
Over 25,000 fans tuned in
This year, Groovy Hollow’s YouTube Stream broke new ground. It had over 2.2k concurrent viewers, and the video currently has 25,000 views and counting. These stats show that this is the biggest Groovy Hollow ever, and for that, the fans are to be thanked for their time and viewership.
Eric Impressed with his iRacing Debut
This year, Groovy Hollow host and founder Eric Estepp stepped out from behind the microphone and, well, behind the microphone and steering wheel. While Eric was nervous, his training with DJ Yee-J seemed to pay off.
Before the final accident of the day, Eric ran as high as 12th. Given the high-quality field of pros, sim racers, and amateurs, this is a great rookie start at a difficult track for the rookie.
We captured everything on one amazing website
Everything from the paint schemes to the merch to the race itself can all be found by visiting GroovyHollowRaceway.com.
