How iRacing’s Greatest Underdog Story Turned Into Its Biggest Controversy

[@CharlesB9496]

Lake Peterson is such a 2000s truck series name so it makes sense that he's the John King of I racing

[@christopherc7075]

Lol, imagine racing and accidentally causing controversy on a Sunday, getting to work and trying to put that behind you on Monday, only for it to be brought up by a customer!

[@markcash3852]

Or leaked to all your colleagues 😂

[@sajuente8235]

life of internet celebrity

[@randylahey345]

I imagine the real story was it was a friend he worked with that raced with him and followed the race. People tend to embellish even if unintentionally. Ask me and my real life racing story is akin to Mario Andretti when the last real meaningful championship I won was in go karts at 16 lol

[@Kellerw2000]

Absolutely thrilled to see a longer, story-telling video from you! I'm still just a road guy, but regardless this story, and its' telling were amazing! Good work.

[@DJYeeJay]

I appreciate it!

[@johnelectric933]

It is weird that I always race road, but I prefer to watch others race ovals.

[@stevebanning902]

Kind of sad the pros at the top collude in private chat channels to make sure none of them lose.. perfect allegory to what happens in real life and how people control the planet.

[@nukedgamer9666]

Right?? Seemed like such a loser move, if they’re pro’s they should win fair and square

[@avallach666]

haha wait until you see the vid about pro racing teams cheating to win in iracing against non pros

[@aljon5947]

Sheesh its just racing man, just like how cyclers do breakaways

[@oramaj8392]

@@avallach666what video?

[@taylormastin]

This is easily one of, if not the, best iRacing videos I've ever seen. I was engrossed. More please!

[@Allu681]

I second this 👆🏻

[@killorfill6953]

I reckon you should change the title of this brilliant feature to "Why Justin Yee is iRacing's greatest lawyer" 😆🤣😂

[@DJYeeJay]

I shoulda charged lake per hour

[@ashadowintime7305]

​@@DJYeeJay just realized you are the lawyer in the video. 😂 Well done man, great points.

[@curtyos]

ill take 2nd place to this man any day i was a teams "iracing lawyer" and went like 10-0 against a league... they ended up getting so mad at my work the entire team was banned from competing in that league with no appeal

[@JustinMelillo53]

I crossed the line fifth, but at one point I had a podium in the Podium 500 due to the penalties that were levied and later rescinded and as an underdog myself, I though that was pretty schweet. It’s crazy to look back at this now and see the domino effect that this whole drama caused. It still sucks how some of it played out for some of the key players, and at times, it showcased the worst the community had to offer. For better or worse though, this will always be an all-time moment in oval sim racing lore.

[@johnelectric933]

Thanks. We need more stuff like this. You have the real racer's neutral stance. The drama is usually from the spectators. Actual racers tend to be forgiving.

[@R3mix97]

I remember this chain of events vividly. I still make jokes about the getting the Gaming Council involved whenever someone's arguing in an iRacing lobby. Great video Justin!

[@craigcalladine851]

From the perspective of someone who knew nothing about e NASCAR or any other events or leagues in the iracing oval scene this video was really well out together and a fantastic watch. Up there with any sports documentary I have ever seen. Fantastic stuff mate

[@bwp240]

There is a very early Coke series race (like 2011 or something) that was won by a Class A license driver. The rule used to be if there were still spots left in a Coke series race, Pros could qualify, then Class A drivers. That would be a good episode if this became a series.

[@rainbowtrout51]

This is a great video and the reveal about you was SummoningSalt level. “And the lawyers name, was DJ Yee-J”

[@HOOTwheelz]

i was one of the pre-race show hosts for one of the races during the '22 Podium 500 events. i can't remember which day i did the pre-show for, it was all a complete blur. that situation in the moment was a complete mess, but im glad i can look back on it now and recognize the whole situation as the Hollywood-style story it is lol. you couldn't write anything better.

[@shadowdawg23]

This race really did damage Podium’s reputation, and I don’t think they’ve ever really recovered from it in the community. I know a lot of people treat them as laughing stocks now and consider the FTF 500 to be the true pinnacle Daytona 500 iRacing experience (helps that the event has a 10 year history dating back to NR). Was so mad for Lake at the time when it all went down because I felt he got screwed, happy that he still won and is doing great in life now.

[@JustinSchuller]

I don't follow sim racing esports at all, so I didn't know about any of this. You told a great story here with this video, I really enjoyed it.

[@corpsecoder_nw6746]

Lake wasn't even thinking about it, just driving. Whatever happened, he seemed to pretty much accept it.....what a lad

[@RickyHardin]

This is a great recap of everything that happened here! I was on the "Podium Gaming Council" when this took place, which I honestly didn't even know. The Council was put together way earlier than this race when there was a weekly Podium Series being run. So I wanted to shed a little light on what happened post race with us... the Gaming Council was presented with what we thought was a protest, and there was an applicable rule attached. We were essentially asked if based on the rule that this should have been a penalty. I don't remember the vote, but I think everyone said it should have been a penalty, according to the rule. Then the guy in charge came to me individually, and I am assuming all of the gaming council with the highlighted portion of the rule book that you and Lake pointed out, and my response to him was "To me, that means this wasn't reviewable at all in the first place and the gaming council should have no say." - This should have been done to begin with, this council is not an expert on the rule book as a whole (hell, some of us didn't know we were a part of it), but the people running the show should have been and should have put their foot down. I think you did a great job recapping the shit storm that followed this event! Enjoyed learning about Lake!

[@matthewdula3143]

Got about 15 cameos on this video lol. Wish the big race had gone different for me that day 😅. Great video!

[@mc483]

The content on this channel just keeps getting better, well done!

[@ryanbarry4393]

Justin taking on investigative journalism, what's next? Vsauce type videos?

[@FreshApplePie]

I knew sim racing community was a big thing, but it was really cool to have a story like this show a part of the emotions and human lives involved display such a profound moment of a victory. As soon as he crossed the line, the announcer yelling "IT WAS LAKE PETERSON! IT WAS LAKE PETERSON!" was as real as anything else on earth

[@FormulaBone]

Awesome storytelling man, hope you make more longform documentary videos like this one!

[@RyanVargas_23]

This was a wild experience to watch go down in real time

[@melsef]

This is an awesome story and a fantastic job telling it! Thanks Justin!!

[@strovich]

This format could 100% be an amazing story telling style podcast. I'd listen to this.

[@r3dn3ck774c]

Sad how out of proportion an unfortunate side draft going wrong can go

[@Notsuperpopular]

I think we can all agree the biggest crime was not being able to use the hooters livery, casual legend.

[@TheFelloMello]

Babe wake up! New gaming council lore just dropped!

[@sagethevvitch]

This is such a fantastic video! Personally, I would love to see more produced videos like this about Iracing history/lore.

[@JonathonBarton]

Can I comment before it starts? 🙂 EDIT: Yes, yes, I can. Also, great cameo by fellow Triple Bypass Racing League member David Rhodes at 1:49 :D

[@Merryoffseason]

DJ YJ > literally any other iRacing content creator

[@benmcmurray4369]

Youve inspired me to buy an oval/nascar car and run a couple officials instead of the Gt's!

[@AyoMrB]

DJ Yee you are my favorite iRacing channel. I've learned so much about the behind the scenes and the "under the iceberg" so to speak information about the scene. Your story telling is phenomenal and no exception with this video. Keep it up man!

[@MapleMayhemGaming]

This video is now making me more determined to keep getting my irating up high enough to get into all these esports leagues

[@tbs66]

You’ve done it again! You are the master of one-off iRacing content.

[@Shawn-Leider]

Wow just wow. We need more of these. This is actually what nascar is missing rn. Viewers need to connect to drivers now more than ever since we can’t really seriously connect to manufacturers. These videos are what make fan bases, you have a lot of power making these. More than you may realize. If I was lake Peterson I would set this release up with a twitch or kick yt streaming channel and some already made content for people to consume

[@AdsTrapatony]

I dont drive Oval and this video kept me hooked till the end. Great job!

[@andodone]

Sounds like my encumbered Majors 2020 Indy 500 win lol such a great time and drama😂😂

[@christophertcraig]

Great video… well done. 👍 👍 - two enthusiastic thumbs up.

[@Zildawolf]

U hyped tf outta this video in community posts and honestly Completely correct in the hype this video was good af

[@TeamI5G]

Excellent video. I was in the mass of humanity that was that Discord voice channel as an eager dumpster fire spectator. I don’t remember much, but I vividly remember a master troll reading word for word “that” Nick Castellanos home run call from 2020 (And that will make it a 4-0 ballgame). That moment perfectly summed up one of the most bizarre situations in iRacing. A “Gaming Council”? Seriously? That mysterious shadow council really blazed a trail in sim racing governance!

[@Kurzov]

Hit into left field...

[@mrj3217]

The Pro level iRacers have super high IR because they are racing the other guys with a super high IR. Yes these guys are very good but SuperSpeedways I feel anyone can win after they figure out how to run up-front in the draft.

[@mrj3217]

I can say that anyone who is a decent level iRacer can compete with the eSimracing Pro's and win. Take their high IR away and place them in a race with 1900+ IR drivers and I honestly think these guys could with the lower IR have a chance to win.

[@DrSpoculus]

They were grandfathered in to their ratings. They were around years ago when the player base was small and filled with serious drivers. Now, the game has been flooded by "gamers," and they make it impossible to get past the 2.k rating mark. So, basically, the pros are in a VIP room that nobody can ever achieve again because of the odds involved in making it. They didn't have the same competition we have. They had a very strict and tight lineup of serious drivers to race against. Much easier to gain rating and licenses when only serious drivers are in a race. No dumb gamers crashing everyone out. They would not make it to the pro level of theh started again today.

[@nvmy_m3]

This was really put together well. Didn’t know anything about this story but you told it with such great detail and having the interviews was perfect touch. Love to see a good underdog story.

[@hazyperspective]

This might be your best video yet. I really enjoyed the story. Congrats to Lake.

[@ztrain2379]

Ngl, it's stock racing, if a crash happens and you just clip another car while trying to get out of the pile, it's clean. There's a reason why Indycar and NASCAR are different and this is one of the reasons.

[@raymond_rayder]

Great story, well told. I have the sim rig, but not a PC (yet). As soon as I do, I'm getting iRacing. I'm not sure I like the idea of the pro drivers coordinating with each other on strategy and pit stops. I imagine it's hard, if not impossible, to stop it from happening as they can just jump in a group voice chat, or even join a group call on their phones if they wanted to. Just seems wrong to me.

[@TrippyTechnologyMusic]

This made my day mate bloody fantastic, great work

[@josephnovosielski33]

I love the picture of the rookie in the thumbnail! Keep up the great content!

[@GloveBoxMotorsports]

Very well done!! Great job with this

[@zaiikgo3377]

the real crime is the hooters livery not being allowed

[@xWORLDxCHAMPIONx]

Really makes me wonder how many prodigies are out there with no internet access.

[@Deadsphere]

This reminds me of the time some guy got onto the starting grid of the 1982 Cup Series race at Talladega, did thirteen laps, and then was parked by NASCAR officials for being too slow. Dude straight up disappeared immediately after he got out of the car for the next forty years.

[@RingoYote]

They found him, he died of Lung Cancer in January

[@camronfrederick6571]

Great story, very much enjoyed watching that!

[@AdamB5000]

I've been on iRacing since 2008. I never heard of this story, but the video was great. Well done.

[@CharlieSearsRacing]

My pro series run was much less interesting in the iRGP 😂. 2.5k iR, 1 point. Pure luck but wild to be on that grid with the insane talent in the other 25 drivers. Great video, loved all the interviews showing the background and not just the on track events.

[@DJYeeJay]

I totally forgot I was gonna make a short about that.

[@CharlieSearsRacing]

@@DJYeeJay if I can help in any way don't hesitate to reach out. I can send some easier ways to contact me on iRacing over PM. My name is the same there. I still need to make a video or two about the whole thing as well lol

[@DJYeeJay]

@@CharlieSearsRacing I messaged you on the forums! Feel free to contact me on discord

[@cordslol]

@@DJYeeJay So this is the inspiration on the video also??

[@DJYeeJay]

Yessir lol@@cordslol

[@yelen1]

Man, Im not even interested into nascar. Your videos are great

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

This is great man. I wish you would do more for road racing.

[@AlanFox73]

‘24 is off to controversy after first night of heats lol. Some questionable DQs and lots of angry people in the Discord 😅

[@supermccnasty4176]

I love stories like this about iRacing

[@dirtyair6305]

Great Doc, I wish I could of offered my side as one of the owners of Podium during that time. So I'll lay this out here, Someone called Garrett Manes, unannounced to the rest of the Podium team and against the call of race control. 2 managing members both quit Podium that night once the heat was turned on us and cowardly left Me, Ryan and John to sort through the mess created by telling Garrett to file the appeal. Whether the gaming council or Podium team agreed with Williams call it is worth noting especially to William that we were ready to stand by it. And for as memed as the gaming council aspect gets it is important to note that they did exactly what they were set to do and make a call completely removed from the event and Podium. Again I can't stress this enough, All of this could of been avoided had that call to Garrett not been made. I'm glad we were able to get the right winner the $ and the Trophy, just a damn shame the iracing community did what they did with it.

[@baTonkaTruck]

I really look down on the "win at all costs, exploit the game engine" energy that pros bring to iRacing.

[@DrSpoculus]

Thats racing, though. Every car on a Sunday race is trying to cheat in some fashion. It's just whether they get caught or not. They're all trying to game the system.

[@baTonkaTruck]

@@DrSpoculus You right, you right.

[@justinkrizenesky]

Great vid. Man, I forgot how upset Manes was after all that! Especially since he had been doing that (and still does...) to other all those years!

[@DJYeeJay]

Honestly talking with Garrett I dont think he was ever more upset than anyone else would be in that situation. Also the whole protest deal he was almost a passenger to.

[@justinkrizenesky]

@@DJYeeJay Easy to say now. He was upset.

[@DJYeeJay]

@@justinkrizenesky I mean yeah he was upset but him and lake had a couple calls throughout that night that I sat in on and he was never disrespectful

[@justinkrizenesky]

@@DJYeeJay Glad he respects *someone*

[@Tunda2]

I’m waiting for my boy Brandon Schulenberger to take tf off.

[@let_him_cook2214]

Reminds me of the 2012 Spanish Gp where Pastor Maldonado had a shock win on a good day or even the 2008 Italian Gp where Sebastian Vettel also had a shock win due to heavy rain and a bit of chaos

[@cammjordd]

absolutely excellent video, it feels like it has hints of jon bois at secret base. love a good story. more, please young man

[@katieblackmore2004]

On the last lap..... all that carnage the so called 'Pro's' created in that massive smash, but the little love tap Peterson gave the leader, and sent him in too the wall was the controversy??? Iv'e been sim racing since 2014.... And this is something that never changes in ALL games. The Pro's can make mistakes...... It's just racing The Pro's can cause huge crashes..... It's just racing The Pro's can accidentally punt someone in too a wall...... It's just racing But as soon as an unknown, or a rookie does any of the above too a Pro, they spit their dummies out and bitch like girls and want inquests, bans etc. I love sim racing, but it's the most elitist, self entitled brat fest in any genre in gaming.

[@parkerwalsh3340]

my favorite video you’ve made

[@Nexadvenio]

Was waiting for this! Based on the title I can only assume it’s about me cuz I suck.

[@MarkPentler]

I mean, it looked like Mains was already moving up a tad, but Lake knew what he was getting into trying to side draft I guess. Really enjoyed this format of video.

[@boarman3647]

kind of lame imo that all the pros can coordinate like that, cool to see them lose

[@DJYeeJay]

Ehh I kinda like it tbh not particularly pros doing it but just the ability for these races to be about teamwork and other skill sets.

[@liambrotherton]

In our defense we don't discriminate against lower iRs it's more about who you know. At other points I worked with Jared Darling and a few others throughout the field that aren't "pro" drivers but I hang out with on a regular basis. With that said this story wouldn't be as fun if one of us had won so in the end I'll always be happy Lake won.

[@sssss_danny]

Better Call Yee

[@JCGStealth]

and just think, Lake is back running the Northwest series again this season!

[@TurdFurgeson275]

This video is absolutely incredible. Amazing storytelling.

[@reet-ko9lg]

What a masterpiece in storytelling this is! Great work

[@Deadbeatbeats]

Please make more of these iracing documentaries!!

[@Nickyy64]

More of exactly this type of content please.

[@JL-ho1tc]

Clearly Garret came slightly up the track into Lake causing his car to turn, it was Garrets fault not Lakes, so no matter how you try to spin it, Lake is the clear winner.

[@stefanheineken6930]

Awesome video Justin! Never heard about this before and that was a hell of a story!

[@Switch_X_Back3884]

I was always pretty much in controversy when i was an F1 eSports sim racer myself. I won 2 World Championships in 2 different leagues in the Same season. Im proud of that and even got a trophy

[@riotmakr]

Had secondary chat to team up with multiple other drivers and they still got beat by a 1 man team.

[@alessandroditerlizzi569]

honestly, that seemed a normal race incident

[@Trogdorbad]

Lake with the black tubs and yellow lids, this guy knows how to pack for moving

[@koop2014]

who else wa sin that post race VC lmao

[@rl8073]

Garret you ARE the bad guy.

[@14herkev]

Great video!

[@fedolfs]

As a european racing fan who just was in Charlotte and visited the Nascar Hall of Fame and tried the simulator there on iRacing. What is the thrill and excitement you guys are getting from racing nascar virtually for 200 laps? I can race spa, le mans, nurburgring etc for 24h, I did 8 laps of nascar and was bored and happy it was finished lol

[@sajuente8235]

people have nothing to do in life and instead of being some ordinary worker with bigger or smalles sucess they just want to be new Hamilton Kubica Mac Rae and Schumachers even without a slightly chance. so they tryharding simulation races until get noticed. or not

[@alejandromelecio]

Womp Womp euro dork 🤣🤣

[@haterbilt9428]

If you slow it down Garrett starts ever so slightly moving back up off the yellow.

[@RyanDavis-qv4ie]

not only that he wrecked 54 on the back straight earlier too.

[@priscillaasagiri4913]

One of the best NASCAR videos is an iRacing video. Congrats!

[@Nexadvenio]

It’s not a gaming council, it’s a simming council.

[@h-bomb653]

Fantastic video man!

[@ocksee]

Why are the car liveries changing depending on the camera angle? Example at 15:55.

[@DJYeeJay]

iracing official broadcast vs replay file. Replay file shows current paint schemes so some updated between end of 2023 and now

[@Platin151]

wish there would be more i racing / Online Racing content like this . nice video

[@GowGows]

Great job. I honestly would have loved to see it made by someone not so connected to the events itself for impartialities sake (imagine an OJ Documentary written by Johnnie Cochran) but it was still really well made.

[@magicmulder]

That was some top notch lawyering right there. :)

[@JR-gq8ti]

Glad to see Justin go to a good organization. Sucks what they gave him to work with for his 3 years.. Will root for whoever the QB is.

[@ConnorWagner]

Man these videos are so damn good! Can’t wait for more 👍

[@gilmer3718]

I know Nascar is Nascar but if they ran the rules the way that original decision was made, they'd have to take back half of Dale Earnhardt's wins.

[@RyanDavis-qv4ie]

Manes throwing a tantrum over it while having wrecked 54 on the back straightaway. Priceless.

[@mikulitsi1819]

Damn this was such an interesting video to follow