Waggoner Wins Michigan Thriller for Rowdy

Michigan delivered a finish worthy of the moment.

On June 5, 2026, Nicholas Waggoner added another major result to the Aetherwing eMotorsports record book, winning a NASCAR iRacing Series race at Michigan International Speedway in a dramatic photo finish.

Waggoner drove the #28 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Toyota, carrying a race-day meaning that went far beyond the final lap. After the race, he made it clear the victory was dedicated to Kyle “Rowdy” Busch.

Michigan is already known for speed, momentum, and closing-lap drafting battles. This one came down to inches. Waggoner crossed the stripe first by just 0.029 seconds, with Brian Troyer finishing second and Nick Henderson4 only 0.031 seconds back in third.

The official race ran 104 laps at Michigan International Speedway in Official Split #15, carrying a 1108 strength of field. The event featured 7 cautions for 21 caution laps, with Waggoner completing all 104 laps and recording a best lap of 37.716.

The win also awarded Waggoner 71 championship points and a +96 iRating gain, adding both competitive value and emotional weight to an already unforgettable night.

The result follows Waggoner’s Indianapolis 500 triumph earlier in the year, continuing a strong stretch for the Aetherwing iRacing program and further building the team’s modern-era record book.

This was not just a Michigan win. It was a statement run, a tribute run, and a finish that matched the emotion behind the paint scheme. The Cheddar’s Toyota crossed the line first, the record book gained another Aetherwing victory, and the moment now stands as one of the team’s defining iRacing stories.

For Aetherwing, the Michigan result becomes the team’s 24th recorded win and another major step in the organization’s 2026 iRacing campaign.