50's Short Track Classic 2015 - 5-6 Memphis Night

Aside from surpassing 6000 blog views, we had some good racing to celebrate.  The sensational 6 were in it tonight.  Hopefully Darrel will finally let Odie have a life again so he can join us and boost our numbers.

Race 1:

As usual, we started with a mulligan.  It was too bad because the second start went much worse.  Darrel, Zack and I were up in the top group with everyone else laying back.

This yellow was my bad as I poorly anticipated Richard Petty's dive towards the bottom into one.

While Petty didn't get knocked around too much, it was the aftermath that caused the problems.

As some of the cars collided off each other, Chad was trying to wheel around the outside of the mess.

He would have been fine with only side wall scrapes if the 88 hadn't been knocked straight on into his side, causing him to roll up into the wall and fence.  It still drove but his crew all called off work when they saw it come down pit road.  A disheartening finish for Chad on his first race back.

Coming to the line, I got caught on the 74 and ended up spinning the 66.

We then discovered an interesting thing about Memphis Night and that is that AI coming to the line will sometimes freak out and spin for no reason if there's a wreck somewhere up the track.

The conflict with Petty let Zack slip by and because we were on 4x wear, almost everyone dove for the pits.  That put a big line of humans at the front.

While Zack and I were battling for first, Scot was getting his hands full of the 03.

He managed to send the 03 off into the inside wall where he had a halting smash.

But the ordeal put him out of position going into turn three where he slid up the track and glanced off of Darrel's inside panels.

Scot collected himself but the shift in momentum set Darrel off into a moving cluster.

That became a pile...

...which turned into a mess...

...which transformed into a freaking heap.  Scot really does have a talent...

We finally got going again and Zack and I fought a good 5 laps or so for the lead.

Scot brought out another caution when he got hung up on Cole Trickle's bumper but managed to recover.

And then while straightening out, he got smacked by the 66.

And others...

...and still yet others.  While he was bashed and bruised, he could still race on.

At this point, Zack started tunneling in and out.  Ultimately it would result in a DNS.

While I was trying to get Zack and Sandy laps back to get things squared up, a third line formed coming to the green so the yellow was thrown immediately.  No idea why this happened.

But we did get going again for a long green flag run.

Darrel and Zack were fighting for position just behind the two Pettys before Darrel eventually slipped by.

About halfway, 30 laps in, Scot forced a position which brought out the yellow.

This time, Sandy ended up lining up in first as he stayed out while others pitted.  Unfortunately he was lower than he thought and the 66 didn't care that he was the leader, spinning him out and bring out the caution almost immediately.

We got going again and things got interesting when the 12 made a late dive for pit road.

But he carried too much speed and ended up back on the track, forcing Darrel to evade...

...into the ugly, ugly 77 of Randy Sweet.

Randy took some pounding from the 08, yet another ugly car.  They were doing their best to make their cars even uglier.  Not an easy feat.

Racing to the line, we saw more issues with AI randomly spinning.

This made the 74 pull down into Scot.

From there they both took a ride through the infield and bounced off the inside wall.  Only minor impacts though.

On the restart, Darrel took out Al Unser to immediately throw the caution again.

At this point, Zack came back, though he wouldn't stay for long.

10 to go and we got back to racing.  Lee Petty was charging extremely hard for first.

I ended up letting him past while getting a bad line off of three and four.

I chased him down and was setting up to pull in close and slingshot around off of two when he slowed down way too much and I connected.

That sent him spinning and me into the wall.  While it certainly wasn't my intent to wreck him, I can't say I was broken up about it.  All though he was a little broken.

We had one lap of racing left when we resumed and everyone was going for it.  Several cars were pitting and Scot was in a precarious spot going into the final turns.

He sent Rowdy Burns up the track...

...and it nearly took Darrel out.  But they managed to finish out fairly well.

Race 2:

Started off with a slightly worse qualifying effort by nearly everyone.  But we didn't have a mulligan.  Well, we didn't take it.  There was a yellow but it wasn't a wreck.

Zack's connectivity issues plagued him into the second race.

This yellow happened because he stopped and popped in and out in turn one.

The AI would be remiss if we had a green flag start without some wrecking.  So the Jurassic Park car and the ugly 08 slammed into the front of Cole Trickle's car, just like in the movie.

And the crowd goes wild..."yay".

But that wasn't the only wreck coming back to catch the pace car.  The 102 closed on Sandy and put a bumper to him.

That crash was very intense and made driving less than easy for The Bear.

Our next round of cautions took place when Scot got overly aggressive with the 55.

But it worked out for him.  While we did shorten the race to 40 laps, we still needed a splash to make it.  Scot and Sandy stayed out to assume the 1 and 2 spots.

The racing was fierce right down the order.  Sandy slipped back due to a damaged car while I managed to get line of sight on Scot again.  Darrel and Chad were working traffic through the field and Zack was struggling to stay in this dimension.

Several laps later, while Sandy was struggling to maintain positions, he got into the corner too hot and made contact.

The impact sent him wide but he recovered without incident.

Only a dozen car lengths back and Darrel was leaning on the 55.

It sent him into the 17...

...and they both collided into the wall hard.

Scot still opted to stay out and so I tried to push him around to conserve fuel.

Our efforts were in vain, however, as Mad Max got spun coming to the line in identical fashion to The Bear in Race 1.

He barely avoided getting killed but the 99 and 1 decided to lock em up and spin out.

And like that, Scot causes the big one for the second race in a row.  Darrel kept getting pulled into it and cars were pilling into him.  The 17 came in with extreme speed and slammed him sideways.  I assume it was payback for his earlier maneuver with the 55.

And speaking of, here's the 55 now putting the final nail in Darrel's coffin.  Sandy had a good shot of the scene but was able to work his way around it.

Well, maybe not.  Chad was coming in too hot and bumped him sideways.

Scot's momentum in the grass took him right into the 91.  These three humans were able to resume.  By the way, at this point, Zack had dropped out with Darrel as neither one was able to continue.  Hopefully Zack doesn't have these network issues next week.  And Darrel has a car at the end.

The racing continued to be fast paced and the next yellow flew from Chad slamming Tow Mater and sending him into the 61.

He barely made it while racing after that one, bouncing off the 88 and shearing the wall.

Scot caught him quickly and showed rare reserve, only shedding some sparks but keeping them both racing.  Those beady little eyes...

Scot and Chad were running nose to tail and roaring through the field, being general terrors to the competition.  Eventually, someone lost it.  In this case, Al Unser took to the wall.

On the start, with 5 to go, It was me and Lee Petty again.

Chad and Scot were back at it, impressing each other with close and overtly aggressive driving.  But still well within the bounds of racing rules.

Scot dove low on Tow Mater for a pass but he pushed too hard and sent Tow right up in front of Chad.  Chad, however, deftly avoided the moving chicane and kept it going.

Yes, going right into the competition when coming to the line.  This was the last of the racing laps.

We finished out under caution.

Drummond next week.  Back to the dirt!

Race 1

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	19	T Nadz	22.993
2	23	Z Webster	23.020
3	01	M Max	23.429
4	34	D Hamilton	23.456
5	91	T Bear	23.529
6	003	R Holbrook	23.572
7	81	C Ferguson	23.613
8	42	L Petty	23.673
9	7	J Hampton	23.692
10	46	C Trickle	23.716
11	74	J DeWitt	23.751
12	6	B Jordon	23.761
13	5	T Hankins	23.818
14	18	R Wheeler	23.862
15	43	R Petty	23.917
16	10	E Keene	23.926
17	51	R Burns	24.006
18	67	B Klock	24.052
19	40	B Ebsen	24.082
20	66	D Monroe	24.115
21	77	R Sweet	24.117
22	98	M Joyner	24.128
23	78	T McEwen	24.136
24	11	M I Bannon	24.176
25	002	T Mender	24.177
26	45	L Carbone	24.191
27	99	R Melindez	24.194
28	4	A Unser	24.201
29	47	R Vining	24.217
30	95	T Mater	24.270
31	75	D Mulberry	24.273
32	88	T Bickle	24.286
33	54	T Smith	24.345
34	13	J Meeks	24.394
35	1	T Daniels	24.397
36	59	B Paulsen	24.408
37	12	M A Bannon	24.510
38	27	L McQueen	24.575
39	82	K Rodriguez	24.643
40	72	A Grant	24.686
41	17	M Downing	24.721
42	08	S Holzheimer	24.763
43	93	R O'Reilly	24.838

Weather: Clear, 56 °F, Southwest 7 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	42	L Petty	22.883
2	43	R Petty	22.971
3	18	R Wheeler	23.021
4	78	T McEwen	23.026
5	66	D Monroe	23.075
6	19	T Nadz	23.168
7	003	R Holbrook	23.179
8	7	J Hampton	23.202
9	23	Z Webster	23.208
10	51	R Burns	23.219
11	74	J DeWitt	23.225
12	6	B Jordon	23.261
13	10	E Keene	23.271
14	77	R Sweet	23.294
15	34	D Hamilton	23.299
16	99	R Melindez	23.324
17	5	T Hankins	23.375
18	81	C Ferguson	23.437
19	45	L Carbone	23.461
20	88	T Bickle	23.465
21	54	T Smith	23.468
22	67	B Klock	23.477
23	002	T Mender	23.504
24	46	C Trickle	23.525
25	40	B Ebsen	23.585
26	95	T Mater	23.596
27	11	M I Bannon	23.630
28	72	A Grant	23.643
29	47	R Vining	23.675
30	1	T Daniels	23.690
31	12	M A Bannon	23.735
32	17	M Downing	23.736
33	75	D Mulberry	23.749
34	98	M Joyner	23.768
35	59	B Paulsen	23.770
36	82	K Rodriguez	23.821
37	27	L McQueen	23.865
38	13	J Meeks	23.918
39	01	M Max	24.168
40	93	R O'Reilly	24.313
41	4	A Unser	24.314
42	08	S Holzheimer	24.384
43	91	T Bear	--

Weather: Clear, 56 °F, West 6 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	19	T Nadz	23.163
2	34	D Hamilton	23.442
3	81	C Ferguson	23.493
4	01	M Max	23.507
5	23	Z Webster	23.511
6	91	T Bear	23.737
7	7	J Hampton	23.752
8	18	R Wheeler	23.807
9	42	L Petty	23.815
10	002	T Mender	23.977
11	51	R Burns	24.026
12	6	B Jordon	24.032
13	74	J DeWitt	24.042
14	78	T McEwen	24.059
15	13	J Meeks	24.069
16	11	M I Bannon	24.074
17	1	T Daniels	24.108
18	66	D Monroe	24.122
19	99	R Melindez	24.129
20	003	R Holbrook	24.145
21	67	B Klock	24.210
22	47	R Vining	24.251
23	40	B Ebsen	24.273
24	5	T Hankins	24.278
25	77	R Sweet	24.284
26	45	L Carbone	24.305
27	43	R Petty	24.423
28	88	T Bickle	24.460
29	95	T Mater	24.464
30	4	A Unser	24.474
31	46	C Trickle	24.512
32	17	M Downing	24.529
33	10	E Keene	24.530
34	54	T Smith	24.549
35	27	L McQueen	24.651
36	98	M Joyner	24.692
37	72	A Grant	24.739
38	12	M A Bannon	24.769
39	82	K Rodriguez	24.795
40	93	R O'Reilly	24.823
41	08	S Holzheimer	24.929
42	75	D Mulberry	24.932
43	59	B Paulsen	25.060

Weather: Clear, 67 °F, Southwest 5 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	6	19	T Nadz	64.650	60	44*	185	Running
2	23	002	T Mender	-1.38	60	0	170	Running
3	27	11	M I Bannon	-1.78	60	0	165	Running
4	30	1	T Daniels	-2.45	60	0	160	Running
5	33	75	D Mulberry	-3.13	60	0	155	Running
6	1	42	L Petty	-3.86	60	6	155	Running
7	22	67	B Klock	-5.61	60	0	146	Running
8	8	7	J Hampton	-6.04	60	0	142	Running
9	39	01	M Max	-6.13	60	0	138	Running
10	15	34	D Hamilton	-7.06	60	0	134	Running
11	43	91	T Bear	-9.97	60	2	135	Running
12	38	13	J Meeks	-21.46	60	0	127	Running
13	40	93	R O'Reilly	-1L	59	0	124	Running
14	28	72	A Grant	-1L	59	0	121	Running
15	5	66	D Monroe	-1L	59	0	118	Running
16	25	40	B Ebsen	-1L	59	0	115	Running
17	24	46	C Trickle	-1L	59	0	112	Running
18	13	10	E Keene	-1L	59	0	109	Running
19	4	78	T McEwen	-1L	59	0	106	Running
20	2	43	R Petty	-1L	59	0	103	Running
21	26	95	T Mater	-1L	59	0	100	Running
22	21	54	T Smith	-1L	59	0	97	Running
23	14	77	R Sweet	-1L	59	0	94	Running
24	20	88	T Bickle	-1L	59	0	91	Running
25	31	12	M A Bannon	-1L	59	0	88	Running
26	42	08	S Holzheimer	-1L	59	0	85	Running
27	19	45	L Carbone	-1L	59	0	82	Retired
28	36	82	K Rodriguez	-2L	58	0	79	Running
29	12	6	B Jordon	-2L	58	0	76	Running
30	32	17	M Downing	-2L	58	0	73	Running
31	29	47	R Vining	-2L	58	0	70	Running
32	37	27	L McQueen	-2L	58	0	67	Running
33	3	18	R Wheeler	-2L	58	0	64	Running
34	10	51	R Burns	-2L	58	0	61	Running
35	34	98	M Joyner	-3L	57	0	58	Running
36	41	4	A Unser	-3L	57	0	55	Running
37	11	74	J DeWitt	-3L	57	0	52	Running
38	17	5	T Hankins	-3L	57	0	49	Running
39	16	99	R Melindez	-3L	57	0	46	Running
40	35	59	B Paulsen	-6L	54	0	43	Running
41	9	23	Z Webster	-28L	32	8	45	Retired
42	7	003	R Holbrook	-54L	6	0	37	Accident
43	18	81	C Ferguson	-57L	3	0	34	Piston

Caution Flags: 10 (38 laps)

Lead Changes: 6 (4 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 67 °F, Southwest 5 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 4x

AI Strength: 89%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
3	81	Smoking Engine	Pit for repairs
16	91	Passing under yellow	Held for 57 seconds
4	81	Smoking Engine	Pit for repairs

Race 2

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	19	T Nadz	22.962
2	18	R Wheeler	22.996
3	42	L Petty	23.026
4	43	R Petty	23.161
5	13	J Meeks	23.236
6	23	Z Webster	23.264
7	51	R Burns	23.290
8	78	T McEwen	23.357
9	75	D Mulberry	23.364
10	67	B Klock	23.367
11	34	D Hamilton	23.390
12	4	A Unser	23.390
13	77	R Sweet	23.408
14	66	D Monroe	23.444
15	24	M Lester	23.448
16	7	J Hampton	23.493
17	001	H Smith	23.520
18	10	E Keene	23.537
19	11	M I Bannon	23.546
20	99	R Melindez	23.546
21	74	J DeWitt	23.567
22	1	T Daniels	23.596
23	5	T Hankins	23.645
24	40	B Ebsen	23.656
25	88	T Bickle	23.666
26	82	K Rodriguez	23.761
27	002	T Mender	23.762
28	59	B Paulsen	23.791
29	91	T Bear	23.816
30	32	D Roberts	23.841
31	102	S McBeam	23.847
32	98	M Joyner	23.878
33	72	A Grant	23.901
34	55	J Langford	23.905
35	61	D Hudson	23.919
36	95	T Mater	24.014
37	17	M Downing	24.033
38	08	S Holzheimer	24.155
39	22	M Brings Plenty	24.167
40	46	C Trickle	24.171
41	01	M Max	24.226
42	93	R O'Reilly	24.258
43	81	C Ferguson	29.327

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, Southwest 13 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	19	T Nadz	69.489	40	31*	185	Running
2	19	11	M I Bannon	-4.42	40	0	170	Running
3	41	01	M Max	-6.85	40	9	170	Running
4	25	88	T Bickle	-8.59	40	0	160	Running
5	30	32	D Roberts	-9.85	40	0	155	Running
6	15	24	M Lester	-1L	39	0	150	Running
7	13	77	R Sweet	-1L	39	0	146	Running
8	16	7	J Hampton	-1L	39	0	142	Running
9	18	10	E Keene	-1L	39	0	138	Running
10	40	46	C Trickle	-1L	39	0	134	Running
11	29	91	T Bear	-1L	39	0	130	Running
12	3	42	L Petty	-1L	39	0	127	Running
13	27	002	T Mender	-1L	39	0	124	Running
14	8	78	T McEwen	-1L	39	0	121	Running
15	23	5	T Hankins	-1L	39	0	118	Running
16	24	40	B Ebsen	-1L	39	0	115	Running
17	21	74	J DeWitt	-1L	39	0	112	Running
18	10	67	B Klock	-1L	39	0	109	Running
19	26	82	K Rodriguez	-1L	39	0	106	Running
20	2	18	R Wheeler	-1L	39	0	103	Running
21	4	43	R Petty	-1L	39	0	100	Running
22	17	001	H Smith	-1L	39	0	97	Running
23	14	66	D Monroe	-1L	39	0	94	Running
24	43	81	C Ferguson	-1L	39	0	91	Running
25	20	99	R Melindez	-1L	39	0	88	Retired
26	5	13	J Meeks	-1L	39	0	85	Running
27	9	75	D Mulberry	-1L	39	0	82	Running
28	12	4	A Unser	-1L	39	0	79	Running
29	39	22	M Brings Plenty	-1L	39	0	76	Running
30	28	59	B Paulsen	-1L	39	0	73	Running
31	33	72	A Grant	-1L	39	0	70	Running
32	7	51	R Burns	-2L	38	0	67	Running
33	31	102	S McBeam	-2L	38	0	64	Running
34	42	93	R O'Reilly	-2L	38	0	61	Running
35	36	95	T Mater	-2L	38	0	58	Running
36	22	1	T Daniels	-2L	38	0	55	Running
37	34	55	J Langford	-2L	38	0	52	Running
38	38	08	S Holzheimer	-4L	36	0	49	Running
39	35	61	D Hudson	-6L	34	0	46	Running
40	37	17	M Downing	-18L	22	0	43	Retired
41	11	34	D Hamilton	-19L	21	0	40	Accident
42	32	98	M Joyner	-25L	15	0	37	Retired
43	6	23	Z Webster	-25L	15	0	34	Disco

Caution Flags: 6 (21 laps)

Lead Changes: 2 (2 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 69 °F, West 12 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 4x

AI Strength: 89%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
12	34	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
14	81	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
19	81	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line
41	91	Passing under yellow	Held for 3 seconds