'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 06 Martinsville

First, congrats to the blog and all those Russian brides for hitting 8000+ pages views.  Secondly, it was a great night for me and near disaster for everyone else.  A small group for 100 laps here at Martinsville but the racing was good when it happened.

Things got off well at the start as we all made a clean getaway and a few of us were running tough in the pack.

The Bear had excitement early as Elliot took to his inside panels.

This shoved him off into Kyle Petty but little damage was done other than a loss in momentum and no caution.

That honor went to Mad Max as he railed into the back of Lake Speed.

And then got caught up on Stahl.  You could say his progress was...Stahled....

After a restart, Bear was having some trouble with the competition and was run over going into one.

Coming to the line, Rusty was giving me some grief going into three.

Shoving me wide off the corner.

So I let him know how I felt about that when we took to turn one.

On the restart, Webster had moved to second and was looking for weakness while staving off offensive drivers.

Bear, meanwhile, was struggling with some of the damage he sustained and was losing ground to the competition.

But he'd get a chance to breath as Richard Petty took out JD McDuffy.  Scot was in-frame, but not involved.  No, really, he didn't do it.

On the restart, AI pit and that left humans to run the podium spots.

Although Mad Max quickly fell pray to Morgan Shephard and others running for position.  He was actually doing very well to this point with only a few laps of practice in.

Shortly thereafter, Zack took to the pits after his frame rate fell to single digits.  We tried to get him back in but totally forgot that a disconnect is required, not a retirement.  A sad day as he was running a solid second.  We'll have to make this up to him.  Maybe some rum and cokes.  Or ice cream.

On the start, Bear, slammed into Stahl.

He too was....Stahled on the start.

On the restart, Mad Max was slugging away with the competition while I broke away.

He then was forced out, three wide, scraping the wall.

And again off of turn four.

But this one was a little too much and he got collected with Dave Marcus and Geoff Bodine.

A big clog but no real wreck.

Chasing back, I was fighting hard with Neil Bonnet.

Things got a little heated when I thought he was still behind me and I was already swinging to block.

I'll admit, I wasn't trying too hard NOT to wreck him once I realized we were in it.

Coming to one to go to green, Scot was attacked by Sterling Marlin who was a lap down and trying to get to the inside.

But he did so aggressively and completely rolled Scot while he was running in the top 5.

Then missed his pit when trying to get fixed.  Funny enough, Marlin was getting wrecked about this time.

Starting up again, I was burning tires down and nearly lost it.

Bear came down pit road to serve a penalty that he didn't tell me of while I was trying to help get Scot back on the lead lap.  But we got him fixed up.

Helping Mad Max's condition proved futile as his engine let go a handful of laps later.

60 laps in and it was time to hit the pit window.

After several green laps, I was caught up on Brett Bodine and didn't think he would be so slow off the corner.  Sorry.

The Bear was also encountering some trouble with the AI about the same time.

And collected Alan Kulwicki and Ken Schradder.

Another dozen laps and it was over.  Bear was down but not out.  Seems like when I do well, no one else does.  Hopefully we can get some good human racing in the next few races.  Like Texas next week.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	20.826
2	021	T Bear	20.970
3	023	Z Webster	20.979
4	3	D Earnhardt	21.293
5	55	P Parsons	21.371
6	26	M Shepherd	21.376
7	9	B Elliott	21.388
8	7	A Kulwicki	21.398
9	4	R Wilson	21.405
10	15	R Rudd	21.414
11	11	T Labonte	21.439
12	22	B Allison	21.443
13	71	D Marcis	21.446
14	90	K Schrader	21.472
15	27	R Wallace	21.481
16	8	B Hillin, Jr.	21.481
17	35	B Parsons	21.497
18	30	M Waltrip	21.510
19	28	D Allison	21.511
20	18	D Jarrett	21.514
21	21	K Petty	21.541
22	33	H Gant	21.547
23	50	G Sacks	21.551
24	75	N Bonnett	21.554
25	44	S Marlin	21.558
26	43	R Petty	21.565
27	5	G Bodine	21.568
28	70	J McDuffie	21.583
29	17	D Waltrip	21.594
30	52	J Means	21.596
31	19	D Cope	21.599
32	88	B Baker	21.608
33	81	M Potter	21.613
34	64	R Combs	21.644
35	77	E Bierschwale	21.666
36	62	S Christman	21.691
37	83	L Speed	21.741
38	67	B Arrington	21.745
39	029	M Max	21.852
40	25	T Richmond	21.893
41	29	C Yarborough	21.925
42	82	M Stahl	21.974
43	1	B Bodine	22.020

Weather: Clear, 65 °F, Northwest 6 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	20.893
2	5	G Bodine	21.072
3	27	R Wallace	21.097
4	15	R Rudd	21.113
5	11	T Labonte	21.124
6	023	Z Webster	21.128
7	28	D Allison	21.128
8	7	A Kulwicki	21.145
9	33	H Gant	21.157
10	26	M Shepherd	21.160
11	021	T Bear	21.170
12	21	K Petty	21.185
13	9	B Elliott	21.197
14	17	D Waltrip	21.221
15	44	S Marlin	21.223
16	43	R Petty	21.242
17	75	N Bonnett	21.243
18	30	M Waltrip	21.259
19	90	K Schrader	21.266
20	19	D Cope	21.275
21	22	B Allison	21.281
22	18	D Jarrett	21.306
23	64	R Combs	21.318
24	4	R Wilson	21.337
25	67	B Arrington	21.347
26	52	J Means	21.364
27	71	D Marcis	21.387
28	50	G Sacks	21.388
29	25	T Richmond	21.466
30	29	C Yarborough	21.477
31	77	E Bierschwale	21.489
32	3	D Earnhardt	21.496
33	8	B Hillin, Jr.	21.515
34	81	M Potter	21.584
35	70	J McDuffie	21.589
36	82	M Stahl	21.593
37	1	B Bodine	21.622
38	35	B Parsons	21.663
39	55	P Parsons	21.704
40	88	B Baker	21.769
41	83	L Speed	21.781
42	62	S Christman	21.795
43	029	M Max	23.150

Weather: Clear, 65 °F, Northeast 8 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	023	Z Webster	21.177
2	021	T Bear	21.203
3	013	T Nadz	21.221
4	17	D Waltrip	21.321
5	029	M Max	21.368
6	8	B Hillin, Jr.	21.425
7	7	A Kulwicki	21.426
8	11	T Labonte	21.462
9	43	R Petty	21.467
10	71	D Marcis	21.531
11	77	E Bierschwale	21.532
12	52	J Means	21.557
13	67	B Arrington	21.562
14	5	G Bodine	21.567
15	28	D Allison	21.577
16	64	R Combs	21.588
17	15	R Rudd	21.618
18	18	D Jarrett	21.639
19	35	B Parsons	21.669
20	19	D Cope	21.696
21	55	P Parsons	21.709
22	50	G Sacks	21.717
23	83	L Speed	21.747
24	22	B Allison	21.748
25	81	M Potter	21.804
26	21	K Petty	21.806
27	27	R Wallace	21.810
28	88	B Baker	21.831
29	4	R Wilson	21.833
30	3	D Earnhardt	21.836
31	44	S Marlin	21.840
32	90	K Schrader	21.900
33	70	J McDuffie	21.900
34	33	H Gant	21.953
35	75	N Bonnett	22.007
36	62	S Christman	22.094
37	30	M Waltrip	22.159
38	9	B Elliott	22.162
39	26	M Shepherd	22.173
40	25	T Richmond	22.271
41	29	C Yarborough	22.274
42	1	B Bodine	22.286
43	82	M Stahl	23.385

Weather: Clear, 65 °F, Northeast 10 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	013	T Nadz	58.210	100	99*	185	Running
2	4	15	R Rudd	-1.78	100	0	170	Running
3	14	17	D Waltrip	-2.24	100	0	165	Running
4	5	11	T Labonte	-3.29	100	0	160	Running
5	21	22	B Allison	-3.89	100	0	155	Running
6	22	18	D Jarrett	-8.41	100	0	150	Running
7	23	64	R Combs	-10.28	100	0	146	Running
8	17	75	N Bonnett	-10.96	100	0	142	Running
9	9	33	H Gant	-13.15	100	0	138	Running
10	32	3	D Earnhardt	-13.54	100	0	134	Running
11	26	52	J Means	-13.75	100	0	130	Running
12	13	9	B Elliott	-13.99	100	0	127	Running
13	10	26	M Shepherd	-14.29	100	0	124	Running
14	40	88	B Baker	-14.96	100	0	121	Running
15	27	71	D Marcis	-15.31	100	0	118	Running
16	19	90	K Schrader	-15.75	100	0	115	Running
17	28	50	G Sacks	-16.27	100	0	112	Running
18	33	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-17.07	100	0	109	Running
19	39	55	P Parsons	-17.12	100	0	106	Running
20	18	30	M Waltrip	-17.31	100	0	103	Running
21	8	7	A Kulwicki	-17.66	100	0	100	Running
22	42	62	S Christman	-17.90	100	0	97	Running
23	31	77	E Bierschwale	-18.27	100	0	94	Running
24	35	70	J McDuffie	-18.85	100	0	91	Running
25	3	27	R Wallace	-1L	99	1	93	Running
26	2	5	G Bodine	-1L	99	0	85	Running
27	15	44	S Marlin	-1L	99	0	82	Running
28	20	19	D Cope	-1L	99	0	79	Running
29	30	29	C Yarborough	-1L	99	0	76	Running
30	34	81	M Potter	-1L	99	0	73	Running
31	11	021	T Bear	-2L	98	0	70	Running
32	16	43	R Petty	-2L	98	0	67	Running
33	38	35	B Parsons	-2L	98	0	64	Running
34	37	1	B Bodine	-2L	98	0	61	Running
35	24	4	R Wilson	-4L	96	0	58	Running
36	36	82	M Stahl	-4L	96	0	55	Running
37	41	83	L Speed	-14L	86	0	52	Running
38	29	25	T Richmond	-21L	79	0	49	Retired
39	43	029	M Max	-43L	57	0	46	Piston
40	25	67	B Arrington	-71L	29	0	43	Retired
41	6	023	Z Webster	-72L	28	0	40	Ejected
42	7	28	D Allison	-90L	10	0	37	Camshaft
43	12	21	K Petty	-95L	5	0	34	Tire

Caution Flags: 10 (50 laps)

Lead Changes: 2 (2 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 64 °F, North 10 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 91%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
5	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
7	029	Passing under yellow	Held for 2 seconds
44	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Held for 30 seconds
44	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Held for 30 seconds
44	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Held for 30 seconds
45	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
45	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Held for 30 seconds
45	029	Passing under yellow	Held for 9 seconds
45	029	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
50	021	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds

'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 05 California

5 of 36 takes as all the way west to California where we take to the wide and sweeping superhighway that is Auto Club.  Things were a bit wild with the weather but we all started making good progress with our setups.  Even Scot who showed up as we were lined up on the grid ready to go.

The Smiths held the front row again and got a good break from the field after a few first attempts at a start.

Suddenly, Zack had wheel spin.

Harmlessly bounding off the wall.

Once we were going again, he fought hard to gain position through the field at a good, steady pace.

Scot was still struggling with the very different style of driving at California but recovered well and no yellow.

The first true caution wouldn't come until a few laps later when Beirschwale took a fender to J.D. McDuffy.

It was a good place for a pit window and pit road was busy.

The Bear had an awful stop so it was just me at the front, contenting for the lead.

Then tragedy struck after such a strong effort 20 laps in and my shifter stuck in neutral between 3rd and 4th.  It was just enough to cause the back to slip around from improper balance with cold tires.

I was getting rocked around but things weren't bad yet.

Not until Parsons landed on the front of my car, killing a valve in my engine.

Then Tim Richmond sent Rusty Wallace flying (as he tends to).

Where he landed right in front of Darrel Hamilton.

The science of T-Bones was furthered this day.  Down but not out.

At this point, humans weren't doing so hot and crowding the back of the grid.

But Sandy was hungry for a win and knew he had a car that could do it.  He started to slowly climb up.

A little past halfway, Darrel was caught by the field and tried to stay out of their way...

...but he's a magnet for abuse and destruction.

He and Ricky Rudd slid down the back stretch with very little contact with other cars.

Rush hour in the pits again.

Back under green and Scot was doing some spinning...

...as was Darrel.  But surprisingly, no yellow.

Nor would Ricky Rudd bring it out when he and Sandy came together digging into one.

But The Bear caught it with professional grace and kept it off the wall, barely.

Not all hope was lost as the field came around to Darrel again, even closer since his spin.

While he tried to stay low, momentum had other plans.

And he ended up spinning with Geoff Bodine.  Still, he avoided collisions with other drivers with skill and luck.

Because of pit strategy and conservation, Sandy was back on top and broke away.

Scot was up with him but didn't quite have the car to stay up in front of everyone and got a little overzealous off of two.

And performed the dance of his people.

Zack was distracted and tucked a little lower than he wanted but kept it going.

On the restart with two to go, Sandy was way low and didn't get a great start, Kyle Petty was there to capitalize.

He fell back but needed at least another lap if he wanted to get to first again.

Even the battle for fourth was intense as Alan Kulwicki tried to pass both Sandy and Harry Gant around the outside.

Sandy wasn't taking any more of that shit and hip checked Gant without trying...

...sending the two wildly into the outside groove.

They started collecting cars and causing drivers to evade madly.

This helped some of those towards the back, like Zack who were struggling with circumstance and tricky rides.  Sandy is now in front for humans in the point.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	40.476
2	023	Z Webster	40.497
3	021	T Bear	40.775
4	061	D Hamilton	41.065
5	8	B Hillin, Jr.	41.172
6	75	N Bonnett	41.319
7	5	G Bodine	41.380
8	25	T Richmond	41.421
9	30	M Waltrip	41.424
10	29	C Yarborough	41.447
11	17	D Waltrip	41.459
12	28	D Allison	41.512
13	26	M Shepherd	41.516
14	71	D Marcis	41.548
15	55	P Parsons	41.561
16	43	R Petty	41.582
17	9	B Elliott	41.587
18	15	R Rudd	41.617
19	35	B Parsons	41.628
20	90	K Schrader	41.693
21	64	R Combs	41.777
22	50	G Sacks	41.796
23	11	T Labonte	41.827
24	52	J Means	41.837
25	7	A Kulwicki	41.850
26	77	E Bierschwale	41.902
27	22	B Allison	41.938
28	21	K Petty	41.944
29	83	L Speed	41.967
30	18	D Jarrett	41.988
31	27	R Wallace	41.990
32	67	B Arrington	42.063
33	4	R Wilson	42.141
34	44	S Marlin	42.175
35	62	S Christman	42.238
36	33	H Gant	42.285
37	88	B Baker	42.305
38	70	J McDuffie	42.306
39	1	B Bodine	42.378
40	19	D Cope	42.479
41	3	D Earnhardt	42.654
42	6	D Ulrich	42.668

Weather: Cloudy, 50 °F, West 12 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	40.255
2	021	T Bear	40.682
3	061	D Hamilton	40.851
4	21	K Petty	41.008
5	3	D Earnhardt	41.088
6	22	B Allison	41.092
7	90	K Schrader	41.139
8	17	D Waltrip	41.147
9	44	S Marlin	41.153
10	27	R Wallace	41.202
11	88	B Baker	41.225
12	55	P Parsons	41.241
13	15	R Rudd	41.245
14	9	B Elliott	41.247
15	5	G Bodine	41.247
16	26	M Shepherd	41.294
17	33	H Gant	41.303
18	75	N Bonnett	41.327
19	8	B Hillin, Jr.	41.340
20	11	T Labonte	41.344
21	43	R Petty	41.362
22	023	Z Webster	41.408
23	28	D Allison	41.416
24	30	M Waltrip	41.432
25	50	G Sacks	41.441
26	25	T Richmond	41.493
27	4	R Wilson	41.501
28	1	B Bodine	41.506
29	71	D Marcis	41.516
30	35	B Parsons	41.535
31	18	D Jarrett	41.545
32	67	B Arrington	41.562
33	83	L Speed	41.655
34	77	E Bierschwale	41.657
35	7	A Kulwicki	41.663
36	52	J Means	41.663
37	19	D Cope	41.792
38	62	S Christman	41.794
39	29	C Yarborough	41.863
40	6	D Ulrich	41.873
41	64	R Combs	41.918
42	70	J McDuffie	41.954
43	029	M Max	44.012

Weather: Cloudy, 50 °F, Northwest 10 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	021	T Bear	40.690
2	013	T Nadz	40.777
3	023	Z Webster	40.982
4	43	R Petty	41.301
5	21	K Petty	41.595
6	75	N Bonnett	41.623
7	33	H Gant	41.693
8	15	R Rudd	41.764
9	8	B Hillin, Jr.	41.830
10	44	S Marlin	41.879
11	30	M Waltrip	41.939
12	35	B Parsons	41.988
13	52	J Means	41.991
14	55	P Parsons	41.992
15	5	G Bodine	42.002
16	25	T Richmond	42.010
17	88	B Baker	42.018
18	3	D Earnhardt	42.080
19	6	D Ulrich	42.119
20	26	M Shepherd	42.137
21	19	D Cope	42.261
22	18	D Jarrett	42.276
23	7	A Kulwicki	42.284
24	77	E Bierschwale	42.297
25	71	D Marcis	42.314
26	4	R Wilson	42.347
27	22	B Allison	42.387
28	17	D Waltrip	42.395
29	90	K Schrader	42.547
30	50	G Sacks	42.725
31	62	S Christman	42.834
32	64	R Combs	42.879
33	29	C Yarborough	43.768
34	27	R Wallace	45.049
35	9	B Elliott	45.109
36	1	B Bodine	45.533
37	061	D Hamilton	50.479
38	11	T Labonte	55.794
39	67	B Arrington	57.503
40	83	L Speed	1:00.964
41	28	D Allison	1:18.848
42	70	J McDuffie	2:15.755

Weather: Cloudy, 50 °F, West 19 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	4	21	K Petty	113.225	50	10	180	Running
2	5	3	D Earnhardt	-0.30	50	3	175	Running
3	31	18	D Jarrett	-0.59	50	1	170	Running
4	2	021	T Bear	-1.21	50	7	165	Running
5	18	75	N Bonnett	-1.51	50	8	160	Running
6	20	11	T Labonte	-1.82	50	0	150	Running
7	14	9	B Elliott	-2.13	50	0	146	Running
8	25	50	G Sacks	-2.43	50	0	142	Running
9	29	71	D Marcis	-2.74	50	0	138	Running
10	32	67	B Arrington	-3.05	50	0	134	Running
11	39	29	C Yarborough	-3.35	50	0	130	Running
12	37	19	D Cope	-3.67	50	0	127	Running
13	34	77	E Bierschwale	-3.98	50	0	124	Running
14	11	88	B Baker	-4.30	50	0	121	Running
15	23	28	D Allison	-4.61	50	0	118	Running
16	19	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-4.91	50	0	115	Running
17	42	70	J McDuffie	-5.52	50	0	112	Running
18	15	5	G Bodine	-5.83	50	1	114	Running
19	21	43	R Petty	-6.13	50	0	106	Running
20	40	6	D Ulrich	-6.44	50	0	103	Running
21	41	64	R Combs	-6.77	50	0	100	Running
22	22	023	Z Webster	-7.08	50	0	97	Running
23	38	62	S Christman	-7.42	50	0	94	Running
24	36	52	J Means	-7.72	50	0	91	Running
25	13	15	R Rudd	-8.36	50	0	88	Running
26	35	7	A Kulwicki	-9.78	50	0	85	Running
27	43	029	M Max	-10.62	50	0	82	Running
28	8	17	D Waltrip	-15.54	50	1	84	Running
29	27	4	R Wilson	-1L	49	0	76	Retired
30	28	1	B Bodine	-1L	49	0	73	Running
31	7	90	K Schrader	-1L	49	0	70	Running
32	6	22	B Allison	-1L	49	4	72	Running
33	17	33	H Gant	-2L	48	0	64	Accident
34	3	061	D Hamilton	-4L	46	0	61	Running
35	16	26	M Shepherd	-6L	44	2	63	Retired
36	9	44	S Marlin	-6L	44	0	55	Retired
37	24	30	M Waltrip	-7L	43	0	52	Accident
38	30	35	B Parsons	-22L	28	0	49	Engine
39	12	55	P Parsons	-31L	19	0	46	Retired
40	1	013	T Nadz	-32L	18	13*	53	Valve
41	10	27	R Wallace	-33L	17	0	40	Accident
42	33	83	L Speed	-33L	17	0	37	Retired
43	26	25	T Richmond	-33L	17	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 7 (27 laps)

Lead Changes: 11 (10 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 49 °F, West 16 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 86%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
3	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
4	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
4	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
5	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
15	021	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
16	021	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
19	013	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
18	061	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
19	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
29	061	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
36	061	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
45	029	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
45	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line