Blake McCandless
Blake McCandless | |
|---|---|
| Born | Blake Russell McCandless May 18, 1996 Raleigh, North Carolina, US |
| Alma mater | Gardner-Webb University |
| Occupations | Play-by-play and color announcing, pit reporter, sim racer |
| Years active | 2016–present |
Blake Russell McCandless (born May 18, 1996)[1] is an American sportscaster and esports driver. He last raced for JR Motorsports in the 2025 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.
Career
McCandless' first foray into sportscasting came in 2016 with play-by-play broadcasting iRacing private events.[2] In 2020, McCandless was named a color analyst for broadcasts of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series.[1][3] After receiving praise from Dale Earnhardt, Jr., McCandless secured roles as track announcer for Ace Speedway and pit spotting for NBC Sports.[1][4] In 2023, McCandless was named co-commentator for the CARS Tour on FloRacing.[3] McCandless made his national television debut in 2025 pit reporting for FOX Sports for the CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.[5]
McCandless attempted to qualify for the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series as early as 2020.[6] McCandless qualified for the series in 2025 and signed with JR Motorsports.[1] During the season, he received a one-race suspension for intentionally crashing during a race,[7] but was later appealed and overturned.[8] McCandless finished 32nd in points with one top-10 finish.[9]
McCandless made two starts racing limited late model cars at Hickory Motor Speedway with a best finish of sixth.[4][10]
Personal life
McCandless was born on May 18, 1996 in Raleigh, North Carolina.[2] McCandless graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a Master of Business Administration in 2020.[4][6]
McCandless is the grandson of drag racer Herb McCandless. He has an identical twin brother named Phillip.[6]
Racing record
Complete eNASCAR iRacing Coca-Cola Series results
(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)
| Year | Team | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | JR Motorsports | 8 | DAY 27 |
LVS 18 |
BRA 27 |
RCH 19 |
ROC 11 |
TAL 35 |
CLT 20 |
NSH 39 |
KAN 26 |
IOW 23 |
DOV 22 |
CSC 27 |
IND 36 |
POC 32 |
MCH 27 |
TEX 8 |
PHO 28 |
HOM 38 |
32nd | 208 |
References
- ^ a b c d "Blake McCandless - JR Motorsports". JR Motorsports. Archived from the original on February 2, 2026. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ a b Eggert, Seth (June 7, 2022). "'Sim 2 Reality' Not Just for Drivers: Blake McCandless". Kickin' the Tires. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ a b "Meet The 2023 CARS Tour Announcers". FloRacing. March 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ a b c "GWU Alumnus Gets Boost in his Career from NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr". Gardner-Webb University. July 6, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Evans, Zach (April 1, 2025). "FS1 to Televise zMAX CARS Tour Race at North Wilkesboro on May 16". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ a b c Melillo, Justin (March 10, 2020). "2020 iRacing Road To Pro preview – Part three – 'Fast Firsts', Q&A, and what to watch for". The Racing Experts. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ Nicholson, Jonno (June 6, 2025). "eNASCAR driver suspended for alleged intentional crashing". Esports Insider. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ NASCAR Gaming and Esports [@ENASCARGG] (June 9, 2025). "Official appeal update on Blake McCandless" (Tweet). Retrieved February 2, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ^ "eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series History". iRacing Esports. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ^ "Official Hickory Motor Speedway Results". Hickory Daily Record. June 7, 2022. p. B2.