704Games, NASCAR’s exclusive esports partner for simulation-style video games on console platforms, announced it will host a weekly esports competition in the upcoming video game NASCAR Heat 3. Spanning the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs, NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami will culminate at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend with more than $500,000 in potential prize money up for grabs.

Players can compete online in NASCAR Heat 3 starting Sept. 10, 2018, through Nov. 11, 2018. Fans can qualify at home weekly by posting their fastest total race times to qualify for the final tournament in Miami. Weekly tournaments will alternate between the Xbox One and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. Three additional finalists will race their way in at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“Fresh off the launch of NASCAR Heat 3, NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami launches our first esports tournament so fans can literally play along with the real-world NASCAR Playoffs,” Ed Martin, President of 704Games, said in a press release. “NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami is the first NASCAR esports competition of its kind on video game consoles, accessible to NASCAR fans across the U.S., making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience.”

704Games will fly weekly finalists and a guest to Miami for Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami finale will take place Sunday, Nov. 18, and award $10,000 in prize money, Audeze Mobius gaming headsets and an exclusive race weekend package from Homestead-Miami Speedway.

As a bonus, if the winner of NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami correctly predicts the official total race time of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 within five seconds, they will win an additional $500,000.

“As we strengthen our position in the esports arena, tournaments like NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami continue to enhance fan engagement with our sport,” said Blake Davidson, NASCAR Vice President of Consumer Innovation. “Fans will get a thrill from weekly competitions and finalists get to share this championship event with the best drivers in the world at Homestead, one of the most anticipated race weekends of the season.”

NASCAR Heat Champions: Road to Miami is the culmination of an effort from both 704Games and NASCAR to engage fans through esports. The mass-market reach of NASCAR Heat 3 creates an unparalleled esports opportunity for NASCAR fans around the country. In 2019, 704Games will look to expand NASCAR Heat Champions as a mainstay of the sport.