50's Short Track Classic 2015 - 3-4 Fonda

One of the best dirt tracks we could ask for.  Ran like you expect dirt to run with tails swinging and cars flying.  There's probably a reason why this track didn't come equipped to handle 43 cars and we'll see why in a minute.

Race 1:

With a tough qualifying AI, only Darrel and I managed to start up near the top with Hagerty, Sandy and Zack about midpack.  Apparently half the field decided not to show up for qualifying and they got stuck right in the middle.

The wrecking started early about two laps in when Scotty turned the corner too aggressively.

Yep he rolled it alright.  But he wasn't out!

The next caution would come about 3 or 4 laps after going green when Sandy got loose and ran up into the Mopar car.

He ended up going a lap down by the restart thanks to repairs and a black flag.  Darrel and Zack managed to stay up near the front though.

Sandy would bring out another yellow from getting loose right in front of Zack.

This one ended a little more dramatically with a roof crushing roll.  He kept it going but would suffer for most of the rest of the race, finishing in 19th.  Not bad considering.

And this was the start of some of the weirdness we witnessed as several other drivers wrecked while watching Sandy wreck.  It's like when little kids see one kid puke and the others can't hold back.

When coming to this restart, the field was all jacked up and there was a lot of complaining about positions and black flags.

While trying to sort it out, I got spun...

...and completely taken out.

By the next caution period, things were still a mess and we had to rethrow the yellow several times while some were figuring out where they needed to be.

One of those some slammed the while while getting loose coming to the green.  More caution.

Well, maybe not enough.  Here Darrel barely avoided wreckers while racing back to the line.  It was exciting.

And yet more position confusion.

Things eventually got worked out and it was back to racing.  The 40 took a fender to Darrel as he tried to hug the low line.

He was also Rick Rolled, although his experience was repairable.

Somehow over the course of yellows and restarts, Hagerty earned a black flag.

But we didn't discover that until he disappeared with a DQ.  To his credit, he was running up in the teens and didn't rage quit.  Growth!

Darrel would be the reason for the next caution as he got hit again in the corner while running down to the low side.

These guys did that sympathetic puke wrecking.

We had more racing and for the third time, Darrel was spun.

This roll would be too much for him to ride away from.

With about three to go, Zack had worked up to the front despite a plowing condition.

He made it to second with one to go.

Fighting hard with the AI, he made his move going into three and four...

...to come away with one of the closest wins of the season.

Race 2:

Started off with just me at the front for the humans.  As it was getting late, we dropped the laps from 75 to 50.

It was clean for a few laps before Darrel ran the ugly ass 77 up and off the track.

After a brief caution we were back to racing.  Darrel was coming off of the front stretch really high up the track.

That got him turned by the 22 while he tried to return to the groove.

The resulting crash was pretty extreme but he kept going.

We got going and the yellow was out again immediately as Lee Petty got loose off of one with Rowdy Burns right behind him.

More joined them as they took evasive maneuvers and it turned into carnage.

Hagerty took a massive bite out of the 75 as he came flying up on the wreckage.

We were going again for several laps actually when there was a sudden problem in the pits.  Remember that whole sharing stalls thing so we could get 43 cars.  Well, this is what happens...

Another yellow as Darrel ran the 2 off into the wall.

But as a few others went flying off, Darrel was out of sorts.

He came back and turned right into the wall, getting spun in the process.

Another caution period passed without much issue.  Several more laps of green when Richard took the screws to his dad.

Several went off and it was the usual suspects as usual.

Plus a few more.  Darrel was not involved for once.

On the restart though, Darrel was back in trouble as the 72 Jurassic Park of Grant took him into the wall...

...and spun him as he fishtailed.  This helped Hagerty who was about to go down a lap with less than 20 to go.

We only had a few laps left when the AI got tangled up with themselves causing more havoc.

I took the win under yellow to finish the evening.

We'll be off next week but back at Memphis on the 13th.

Race 1

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	19	T Nadz	17.320
2	24	M Lester	17.429
3	34	D Hamilton	17.443
4	92	C Sumner	17.469
5	5	T Hankins	17.481
6	36	P Rozelle	17.514
7	001	H Smith	17.520
8	54	T Smith	17.577
9	11	M I Bannon	17.586
10	10	E Keene	17.606
11	40	B Ebsen	17.606
12	81	D O'Brien	17.626
13	17	M Downing	17.626
14	002	T Mender	17.647
15	23	Z Webster	17.668
16	91	T Bear	17.727
17	22	M Brings Plenty	17.751
18	41	R Farmer	17.763
19	45	L Carbone	17.775
20	27	L McQueen	17.795
21	08	S Holzheimer	17.831
22	8	S Hagerty	19.288
23	43	R Petty	--
24	1	T Daniels	--
25	18	R Wheeler	--
26	42	L Petty	--
27	51	R Burns	--
28	74	J DeWitt	--
29	46	C Trickle	--
30	75	D Mulberry	--
31	66	D Monroe	--
32	4	A Unser	--
33	7	J Hampton	--
34	35	J Foss	--
35	78	T McEwen	--
36	77	R Sweet	--
37	55	J Langford	--
38	59	B Paulsen	--
39	82	K Rodriguez	--
40	07	R Hutchins	--
41	67	B Klock	--
42	6	B Jordon	--
43	98	M Joyner	--

Weather: Clear, 71 °F, West 11 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	91	T Bear	17.398
2	19	T Nadz	17.406
3	23	Z Webster	17.535
4	34	D Hamilton	17.633
5	51	R Burns	18.247
6	5	T Hankins	18.326
7	43	R Petty	18.386
8	002	T Mender	18.399
9	67	B Klock	18.442
10	42	L Petty	18.453
11	35	J Foss	18.496
12	8	S Hagerty	18.502
13	41	R Farmer	18.536
14	36	P Rozelle	18.554
15	001	H Smith	18.568
16	27	L McQueen	18.587
17	11	M I Bannon	18.600
18	17	M Downing	18.631
19	81	D O'Brien	18.632
20	45	L Carbone	18.632
21	18	R Wheeler	18.643
22	08	S Holzheimer	18.719
23	77	R Sweet	18.735
24	07	R Hutchins	18.783
25	40	B Ebsen	18.784
26	1	T Daniels	18.785
27	92	C Sumner	18.814
28	22	M Brings Plenty	18.836
29	24	M Lester	18.881
30	54	T Smith	18.882
31	55	J Langford	18.976
32	78	T McEwen	18.996
33	10	E Keene	19.569
34	66	D Monroe	24.616

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, Northwest 5 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	15	23	Z Webster	54.848	70	8	180	Running
2	24	1	T Daniels	-0.22	70	2	175	Running
3	11	40	B Ebsen	-0.65	70	28*	175	Running
4	43	98	M Joyner	-2.44	70	0	160	Running
5	20	27	L McQueen	-3.05	70	0	155	Running
6	9	11	M I Bannon	-3.21	70	0	150	Running
7	14	002	T Mender	-4.79	70	0	146	Running
8	34	35	J Foss	-5.31	70	0	142	Running
9	23	43	R Petty	-1L	69	0	138	Running
10	7	001	H Smith	-1L	69	0	134	Running
11	13	17	M Downing	-1L	69	0	130	Running
12	28	74	J DeWitt	-1L	69	0	127	Running
13	10	10	E Keene	-2L	68	0	124	Running
14	38	59	B Paulsen	-2L	68	0	121	Running
15	17	22	M Brings Plenty	-2L	68	0	118	Running
16	36	77	R Sweet	-3L	67	0	115	Running
17	39	82	K Rodriguez	-4L	66	0	112	Running
18	26	42	L Petty	-7L	63	0	109	Running
19	16	91	T Bear	-7L	63	0	106	Running
20	3	34	D Hamilton	-9L	61	0	103	Running
21	31	66	D Monroe	-13L	57	0	100	Running
22	41	67	B Klock	-16L	54	0	97	Accident
23	18	41	R Farmer	-17L	53	0	94	Running
24	33	7	J Hampton	-18L	52	0	91	Running
25	35	78	T McEwen	-21L	49	0	88	Running
26	22	8	S Hagerty	-25L	45	0	85	DQ
27	30	75	D Mulberry	-31L	39	0	82	Running
28	6	36	P Rozelle	-31L	39	6	84	Running
29	8	54	T Smith	-31L	39	0	76	Running
30	29	46	C Trickle	-35L	35	0	73	Running
31	21	08	S Holzheimer	-36L	34	0	70	Running
32	32	4	A Unser	-37L	33	0	67	Retired
33	2	24	M Lester	-38L	32	5	69	Accident
34	27	51	R Burns	-42L	28	0	61	Running
35	12	81	D O'Brien	-47L	23	0	58	Running
36	40	07	R Hutchins	-47L	23	0	55	Accident
37	1	19	T Nadz	-49L	21	21	57	Accident
38	37	55	J Langford	-49L	21	0	49	Accident
39	19	45	L Carbone	-49L	21	0	46	Retired
40	5	5	T Hankins	-51L	19	0	43	Running
41	4	92	C Sumner	-52L	18	0	40	Running
42	25	18	R Wheeler	-54L	16	0	37	Accident
43	42	6	B Jordon	-56L	14	0	34	Running

Caution Flags: 10 (43 laps)

Lead Changes: 6 (6 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, Northeast 4 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 110%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
36	91	Passing under yellow	Held for 29 seconds
39	8	Passing under yellow	Held for 2 seconds
41	34	Smoking Engine	Pit for repairs
41	34	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
47	8	Not honoring the black f	DQ'd: Scoring is ended
55	34	Passing the pacecar	Held for 39 seconds

Race 2

Session: Practice

P

#

DRIVER

TIME

Weather: Clear, 32 °F, North 0 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	19	T Nadz	17.322
2	42	L Petty	17.393
3	5	T Hankins	17.418
4	51	R Burns	17.439
5	46	C Trickle	17.447
6	43	R Petty	17.458
7	66	D Monroe	17.477
8	18	R Wheeler	17.482
9	10	E Keene	17.529
10	13	J Meeks	17.538
11	003	R Holbrook	17.562
12	1	T Daniels	17.581
13	67	B Klock	17.594
14	92	C Sumner	17.595
15	002	T Mender	17.600
16	11	M I Bannon	17.603
17	99	R Melindez	17.607
18	95	T Mater	17.614
19	72	A Grant	17.632
20	75	D Mulberry	17.644
21	7	J Hampton	17.654
22	74	J DeWitt	17.660
23	07	R Hutchins	17.682
24	55	J Langford	17.684
25	77	R Sweet	17.692
26	17	M Downing	17.694
27	23	Z Webster	17.712
28	59	B Paulsen	17.713
29	61	D Hudson	17.714
30	34	D Hamilton	17.727
31	81	D O'Brien	17.732
32	4	A Unser	17.753
33	40	B Ebsen	17.761
34	93	R O'Reilly	17.769
35	41	R Farmer	17.785
36	22	M Brings Plenty	17.789
37	9	S Greenbow	17.801
38	32	D Roberts	17.834
39	98	M Joyner	17.835
40	3	M Benefield	17.847
41	08	S Holzheimer	17.877
42	8	S Hagerty	18.661
43	91	T Bear	--

Weather: Clear, 71 °F, West 6 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P

#

DRIVER

TIME

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, Northwest 5 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	19	T Nadz	56.696	50	50*	185	Running
2	3	5	T Hankins	-1.81	50	0	170	Running
3	8	18	R Wheeler	-2.28	50	0	165	Running
4	5	46	C Trickle	-2.75	50	0	160	Running
5	9	10	E Keene	-4.24	50	0	155	Running
6	11	003	R Holbrook	-1L	49	0	150	Running
7	27	23	Z Webster	-1L	49	0	146	Running
8	6	43	R Petty	-1L	49	0	142	Running
9	12	1	T Daniels	-1L	49	0	138	Running
10	7	66	D Monroe	-1L	49	0	134	Running
11	19	72	A Grant	-1L	49	0	130	Running
12	36	22	M Brings Plenty	-1L	49	0	127	Running
13	30	34	D Hamilton	-1L	49	0	124	Running
14	41	08	S Holzheimer	-1L	49	0	121	Running
15	32	4	A Unser	-1L	49	0	118	Running
16	4	51	R Burns	-1L	49	0	115	Running
17	2	42	L Petty	-1L	49	0	112	Running
18	16	11	M I Bannon	-1L	49	0	109	Running
19	43	91	T Bear	-1L	49	0	106	Running
20	42	8	S Hagerty	-1L	49	0	103	Running
21	37	9	S Greenbow	-1L	49	0	100	Running
22	25	77	R Sweet	-1L	49	0	97	Running
23	38	32	D Roberts	-1L	49	0	94	Running
24	31	81	D O'Brien	-1L	49	0	91	Running
25	40	3	M Benefield	-2L	48	0	88	Running
26	21	7	J Hampton	-5L	45	0	85	Running
27	18	95	T Mater	-9L	41	0	82	Retired
28	10	13	J Meeks	-15L	35	0	79	Running
29	15	002	T Mender	-20L	30	0	76	Accident
30	13	67	B Klock	-20L	30	0	73	Accident
31	24	55	J Langford	-25L	25	0	70	Running
32	23	07	R Hutchins	-28L	22	0	67	Running
33	26	17	M Downing	-29L	21	0	64	Running
34	20	75	D Mulberry	-32L	18	0	61	Running
35	33	40	B Ebsen	-32L	18	0	58	Running
36	14	92	C Sumner	-34L	16	0	55	Running
37	17	99	R Melindez	-34L	16	0	52	Running
38	34	93	R O'Reilly	-35L	15	0	49	Accident
39	35	41	R Farmer	-35L	15	0	46	Accident
40	22	74	J DeWitt	-40L	10	0	43	Running
41	28	59	B Paulsen	-44L	6	0	40	Accident
42	39	98	M Joyner	-44L	6	0	37	Accident
43	29	61	D Hudson	-46L	4	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 7 (28 laps)

Lead Changes: 0 (1 driver)

Weather: Clear, 72 °F, South 1 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 110%

PENALTIES

LAP

#

INFRACTION

PENALTY