Saturday Night Stock Car Championship 2013 - 15-16 Thunder Road

As we close into the last handful of races, we wrap up a track that certainly contends for one of the craziest we've raced at (certainly the most insane oval/non-demolition course).  While we all found our own ways around the course in practice and posted decently, none of that would seem to matter when it came to the races themselves.  Tonight, it was just the 5 core members of the group.  Lee is still in process of getting setup and Odie was so excited to come back and join us at a wrecking track that he had a real life wreck of his own!  But in all seriousness, we're glad you and everyone are OK and wish you a fast recovery.  Hopefully you were driving a beater and scored big on the insurance money.  Silver linings, right?

Race 1: A quick 50 lapper with no cautions and 31 vehicles.  While Sandy and Darrel swapped for first a bunch in practice (by thousandths), their qualifying would not get them the pole (that was me).  Scot was also right up there after finally figuring out a setup and line that worked.  Chad had issues with oversteer and stayed at the back for the start.  Not that it would matter much...

Once traffic spread out into a constant overlapping stream of cars, Scot and I moved to the front of the field where we paced for a significant portion of the race.

But not all was easy going.  While Scot's cool and calm style of semi-conservative driving kept his nose clean, he still got out of shape in a few spots.

He saved that entire drift by the way.  Very impressive.  My next incident was not nearly as impressive as I got caught between two wrecking backmarkers that pushed me into the end of a wall.  While I never really hit the wall, I did get caught on the hill and had to call a tow.  So much for first...

I eventually worked back up to 4th while Scot stayed steady and eventually won.  Looking back through the order, others were not so fortunate.  Darrel had several run ins, both major and minor, throughout the race.

 His favorite punching bag was none other than poker-buddy, Sandy, who he walloped more times than I have pictures to cover.  But here are some (queue Benny Hill):

This one was good because he actually hit him another two times going into turn one.  And then Chad got a piece too.

But, do be fair, Darrel took out other humans also:

This haphazard style of driving, combined with his recent eye surgery, affectionately earned him the nick name, Mr. Magoo.  I don't think he was as amused as the rest of us, or he didn't hear us.  Either way, we should probably use it more often.  Despite his rubbin's-racin' approach, he pulled off a top 10 finish.  Punching Bag Sandy was a little less fortunate, finishing in the top 15, a still respectable position after so much abuse.  Chad had the worst luck and gut scuppered up in several precarious circumstances, forcing an early retirement.  On the plus side, the after race celebration was fantastic:

Race 2:  Again, humans ruled the start as we put on the big boy pants, cranking up the damage to full and taking on 150 laps; the first time ever when we've gone to triple digits for circuits.  Several mulligans were used at the start as ridiculous crowding turned over many a human.  Fortunately, between Sandy, Darrel, and I, we finally got things right (actually punishing that stupid 77 Carter) and the race was underway.  Similar to race 1, nice and easy yielded the best results, though luck was a definite variable.  The humans stayed out front for a while but eventually chaos and entropy would start to work their magic:

This time, Darrel took a bit more abuse than he was dishing out.  Even from other humans, though not purposely, of course:

After repeated hits like this one, he had to bring it in for repairs.  He still held his top 10 position as the laps ticked off.  Scot and I managed to link up again for a short while, spreading fear and occasional destruction as we went.

But Scot's damage would eventually become terminal.  Before this happened, he did dish out some instant karma:

A true team player till the last.  But karma would not be enough to save Chad's battered steed from its ultimate destruction.

Sandy ended up holding out and closing ranks with me to bring home a 1-2 finish for the humans.  A celebration of Duke boys proportion was required.

Yeehaw!  Next week we take on the penultimate course of the series at Salem's .555 mile lot.  Like Bristol, our finale, this track is short and fast.  Should be fun.

Race 1

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	14.092
2	021	T Bear	14.202
3	029	M Max	14.207
4	061	D Hamilton	14.265
5	23	K Stevens	14.454
6	80	T Trively	14.459
7	43	J Joe	14.566
8	8	E Monetgomery	14.643
9	64	J Stevens	14.644
10	77	C Baker	14.648
11	34	J Everstein	14.662
12	73	S Halloum	14.665
13	2	V Stevens	14.672
14	10	B McCollins	14.700
15	78	T Fuller	14.703
16	00	C Baker	14.728
17	35	D Coke	14.744
18	98	B Williams	14.746
19	99	O Daniels	14.763
20	15	D Peeks	14.776
21	40	J Marsh	14.792
22	1	P Veith	14.812
23	19	A Tunsberry	14.812
24	62	A Uberstock	14.849
25	31	R Derr	14.894
26	11	P English	14.975
27	20	S Tann Jr.	15.022
28	89	B Charles	15.032
29	48	H Henderson	15.088
30	16	J Eckleburg	15.250
31	055	C Ferguson	20.114

Weather: Clear, 81 °F, Southwest 11 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	3	029	M Max	56.709	50	35*	185	Running
2	25	31	R Derr	-1L	49	0	170	Running
3	24	62	A Uberstock	-2L	48	0	165	Running
4	1	013	T Nadz	-2L	48	15	165	Running
5	8	8	E Monetgomery	-3L	47	0	155	Running
6	21	40	J Marsh	-3L	47	0	150	Running
7	13	2	V Stevens	-3L	47	0	146	Running
8	4	061	D Hamilton	-3L	47	0	142	Running
9	7	43	J Joe	-4L	46	0	138	Running
10	16	00	C Baker	-5L	45	0	134	Running
11	19	99	O Daniels	-5L	45	0	130	Running
12	30	16	J Eckleburg	-5L	45	0	127	Running
13	15	78	T Fuller	-5L	45	0	124	Running
14	5	23	K Stevens	-5L	45	0	121	Running
15	2	021	T Bear	-6L	44	0	118	Running
16	9	64	J Stevens	-7L	43	0	115	Running
17	10	77	C Baker	-8L	42	0	112	Running
18	20	15	D Peeks	-8L	42	0	109	Running
19	23	19	A Tunsberry	-8L	42	0	106	Running
20	17	35	D Coke	-8L	42	0	103	Running
21	11	34	J Everstein	-8L	42	0	100	Running
22	12	73	S Halloum	-8L	42	0	97	Running
23	6	80	T Trively	-8L	42	0	94	Running
24	22	1	P Veith	-9L	41	0	91	Running
25	28	89	B Charles	-10L	40	0	88	Running
26	29	48	H Henderson	-13L	37	0	85	Retired
27	26	11	P English	-14L	36	0	82	Running
28	27	20	S Tann Jr.	-15L	35	0	79	Running
29	14	10	B McCollins	-16L	34	0	76	Retired
30	18	98	B Williams	-17L	33	0	73	Running
31	31	055	C Ferguson	-37L	13	0	70	Accident

Caution Flags: 0 (0 laps)

Lead Changes: 3 (2 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 81 °F, East 13 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 1x

AI Strength: 90%

PENALTIES

LAP

#

INFRACTION

PENALTY

Race 2

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	14.202
2	021	T Bear	14.330
3	77	C Baker	14.434
4	061	D Hamilton	14.435
5	43	J Joe	14.446
6	23	K Stevens	14.497
7	34	J Everstein	14.516
8	80	T Trively	14.552
9	11	P English	14.619
10	99	O Daniels	14.624
11	78	T Fuller	14.630
12	10	B McCollins	14.641
13	62	A Uberstock	14.653
14	74	D Pierce	14.657
15	67	I Penopolis	14.664
16	2	V Stevens	14.671
17	8	E Monetgomery	14.682
18	19	A Tunsberry	14.709
19	89	B Charles	14.710
20	15	D Peeks	14.711
21	40	J Marsh	14.716
22	35	D Coke	14.736
23	81	C Dotson	14.759
24	31	R Derr	14.769
25	17	D Bailey	14.879
26	20	S Tann Jr.	14.910
27	48	H Henderson	15.001
28	98	B Williams	15.046
29	16	J Eckleburg	15.083
30	029	M Max	15.086
31	055	C Ferguson	15.704

Weather: Cloudy, 73 °F, Southwest 18 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	013	T Nadz	59.660	150	150*	185	Running
2	2	021	T Bear	-3L	147	0	170	Running
3	3	77	C Baker	-6L	144	0	165	Running
4	22	35	D Coke	-7L	143	0	160	Running
5	21	40	J Marsh	-8L	142	0	155	Running
6	16	2	V Stevens	-8L	142	0	150	Running
7	11	78	T Fuller	-9L	141	0	146	Running
8	19	89	B Charles	-11L	139	0	142	Running
9	4	061	D Hamilton	-11L	139	0	138	Running
10	14	74	D Pierce	-15L	135	0	134	Running
11	29	16	J Eckleburg	-29L	121	0	130	Running
12	8	80	T Trively	-35L	115	0	127	Retired
13	9	11	P English	-43L	107	0	124	Accident
14	17	8	E Monetgomery	-48L	102	0	121	Accident
15	28	98	B Williams	-54L	96	0	118	Accident
16	30	029	M Max	-75L	75	0	115	Accident
17	31	055	C Ferguson	-94L	56	0	112	Accident
18	12	10	B McCollins	-111L	39	0	109	Retired
19	26	20	S Tann Jr.	-113L	37	0	106	Retired
20	5	43	J Joe	-115L	35	0	103	Retired
21	27	48	H Henderson	-126L	24	0	100	Accident
22	23	81	C Dotson	-127L	23	0	97	Accident
23	24	31	R Derr	-136L	14	0	94	Retired
24	10	99	O Daniels	-136L	14	0	91	Accident
25	20	15	D Peeks	-137L	13	0	88	Accident
26	25	17	D Bailey	-138L	12	0	85	Retired
27	18	19	A Tunsberry	-140L	10	0	82	Accident
28	7	34	J Everstein	-144L	6	0	79	Retired
29	15	67	I Penopolis	-145L	5	0	76	Accident
30	6	23	K Stevens	-146L	4	0	73	Accident
31	13	62	A Uberstock	-148L	2	0	70	DQ

Caution Flags: 0 (0 laps)

Lead Changes: 0 (1 driver)

Weather: Cloudy, 73 °F, Southwest 19 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 1x

AI Strength: 90%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
57	055	Dropping Debris	Pit for repairs