'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 09 Richmond

We've completed a quarter of the series and the championship is shaking up.  Rivalries are forming and backmarkers are identified.  Let's go through our run at Richmond in one of the first day races held at this track in a long time.

Qualifying was tough for most although I managed a personal record which got me the pole.

Darrel adopted the strategy of "Pull Over" to avoid catastrophe early.

Bear showed muscle early and crammed Bierschwale gently into the wall.

Cope stacked up into Parsons and they went for a ride infield.

Cope rebounded out and got slammed by Tim Richmond.

The caution saw most of the field hit the pits so Bear, Zack and Darrel moved well up the order.

Between buggy tech and an erratic setup, Zack was doing his best to hold his own but Rusty Wallace saw to that.

Darrel was in the path of the Red Bull rocket and just managed by with a scrape from the wall.

Jimmy Means made sure he didn't get away unscathed.

This caused a stacking up with Richard Petty and others.

The restart was much like before with Sandy and I fighting off Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt.

Labonte was quickly out of the picture.

Racing back, Bear was overtaken by the Intimidator.

The following caution saw Darrel get plowed over by Buddy Arrington as they went three-wide.

Just behind, Zack was getting picked off by Harry Gant.

Rounded up and going green, it wasn't long before another log jam caused a caution.

This one got a little more serious as Rick Wilson rolled over.  Benny Parsons was in it again and almost got slammed by Lake Speed.  Zack had a courtside view but was underwhelmed when his favorite rival stayed clean.

Going through this caution, Dave Marcus came blitzing up the field and narrowly snuck by me as I jerked to the right.

The Bear was laughing at this as he too was being run down by a lapper, Ricky Rudd.

When we untangled ourselves from the back markers, the Smiths were out in front.

This longer stretch of green saw Zack working hard through the field.  Here he was nearly clipped by Lake Speed thanks to a disgruntled Terry Labonte.

Scot was still struggling to control his car through the long tricky corners but still saving it.

Sandy slowly started falling backwards as his tires showed wear and he couldn't keep it pinned to the bottom.

Halfway through the 80 laps and Jimmy Means was being mean to Phil Parsons.

Nearly everyone was in.

Except for Scot who would lead us to the green.  I was laying back to watch Bonnet and the lap cars that were flying up out of the turn.

Darrel eventually lost it with a slightly ruined car and we'd have to slow down for the yellow.

But it wasn't for Darrel, it was the 77 of Bierschwale getting dumped.

He got going again but Ricky Rudd was right there.

He slammed and jammed and Zack finally got to see his dearly beloved Lake Speed get in a wreck.

But Zack was too close to the action himself and had no room to react to the wreck, blowing right through.

And driving in ways the cars were never meant to.

We continued on and this time Scot got loose driving off of turn two and was turned.

He was mostly free of damage but came back up and collected Hillin Jr. and Morgan Shephard.

Sandy just managed to dynamite the breaks and only scrape the paint a touch on this one.

During the calamity, I let Neil Bonnet by so I could investigate his rear bumper for damage.  Yep, looks a mess to me, Neil.

We took the green and in my haste to finish up fixing his bumper, I may have tapped him slightly.  I'm so sorry.

Of course, I don't think the 75 appreciated my help and break checked me into turn three.

Driver's code dictates that you keep things in balance, so I may have run off the corner a bit too much.  Actually, I didn't realize we were that close to the wall.  I mean, I don't regret what happened.  Merely that it wasn't my intended result.

Neil spun in front of the field and was missed by nearly everyone except Michael Waltrip who's a menace.

Despite being slammed by Mikey and spun, Neil continued on to finish just outside the top ten.

Michael Waltrip did not and we would actually have 20 laps of green after this wreck.

And it was Darrel who eeked out ahead of me on the last lap.  To keep from going a lap down.  I actually won.  But, a good finish for Darrel considering some of the difficulties he was going through on the track and in real life.

Sandy was the next finisher for the humans down in the top 20 after dropping off pace from poor tires.  Scot wasn't far behind and Darrel just after him, all suffering with various ailments in their cars but finishing.

We take it to the behemoth that is Talladega for what can only be described as a roulette graveyard that goes fast.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	22.698
2	023	Z Webster	22.971
3	061	D Hamilton	23.015
4	021	T Bear	23.105
5	9	B Elliott	23.422
6	3	D Earnhardt	23.440
7	8	B Hillin, Jr.	23.491
8	7	A Kulwicki	23.496
9	43	R Petty	23.514
10	75	N Bonnett	23.516
11	11	T Labonte	23.528
12	33	H Gant	23.529
13	029	M Max	23.562
14	22	B Allison	23.573
15	44	S Marlin	23.583
16	55	P Parsons	23.592
17	35	B Parsons	23.593
18	90	K Schrader	23.611
19	71	D Marcis	23.618
20	27	R Wallace	23.631
21	15	R Rudd	23.635
22	28	D Allison	23.644
23	77	E Bierschwale	23.652
24	62	S Christman	23.671
25	50	G Sacks	23.676
26	52	J Means	23.692
27	26	M Shepherd	23.696
28	17	D Waltrip	23.704
29	5	G Bodine	23.739
30	30	M Waltrip	23.747
31	67	B Arrington	23.766
32	4	R Wilson	23.804
33	88	B Baker	23.823
34	18	D Jarrett	23.829
35	19	D Cope	23.890
36	64	R Combs	23.896
37	21	K Petty	23.928
38	70	J McDuffie	23.951
39	81	M Potter	24.017
40	25	T Richmond	24.039
41	83	L Speed	24.229
42	29	C Yarborough	24.381
43	14	A Foyt	24.669

Weather: Cloudy, 80 °F, Southwest 17 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	22.555
2	28	D Allison	22.620
3	11	T Labonte	22.656
4	3	D Earnhardt	22.685
5	90	K Schrader	22.697
6	17	D Waltrip	22.726
7	75	N Bonnett	22.731
8	5	G Bodine	22.733
9	7	A Kulwicki	22.751
10	15	R Rudd	22.762
11	27	R Wallace	22.788
12	21	K Petty	22.792
13	22	B Allison	22.812
14	26	M Shepherd	22.823
15	44	S Marlin	22.828
16	9	B Elliott	22.840
17	52	J Means	22.863
18	33	H Gant	22.899
19	4	R Wilson	22.924
20	30	M Waltrip	22.932
21	43	R Petty	22.937
22	55	P Parsons	22.948
23	8	B Hillin, Jr.	22.966
24	50	G Sacks	23.014
25	67	B Arrington	23.045
26	061	D Hamilton	23.084
27	021	T Bear	23.098
28	62	S Christman	23.132
29	77	E Bierschwale	23.172
30	71	D Marcis	23.193
31	35	B Parsons	23.207
32	70	J McDuffie	23.234
33	88	B Baker	23.237
34	18	D Jarrett	23.252
35	19	D Cope	23.260
36	64	R Combs	23.269
37	023	Z Webster	23.273
38	81	M Potter	23.430
39	25	T Richmond	23.492
40	29	C Yarborough	23.598
41	83	L Speed	23.607
42	14	A Foyt	24.147
43	029	M Max	25.242

Weather: Cloudy, 80 °F, West 17 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	23.041
2	3	D Earnhardt	23.472
3	4	R Wilson	23.499
4	061	D Hamilton	23.520
5	11	T Labonte	23.549
6	8	B Hillin, Jr.	23.567
7	71	D Marcis	23.590
8	9	B Elliott	23.602
9	52	J Means	23.618
10	77	E Bierschwale	23.657
11	28	D Allison	23.696
12	22	B Allison	23.706
13	023	Z Webster	23.727
14	64	R Combs	23.806
15	18	D Jarrett	23.842
16	62	S Christman	23.862
17	17	D Waltrip	23.878
18	21	K Petty	23.878
19	27	R Wallace	23.915
20	35	B Parsons	23.919
21	81	M Potter	23.922
22	44	S Marlin	23.938
23	15	R Rudd	23.963
24	5	G Bodine	23.977
25	67	B Arrington	24.005
26	90	K Schrader	24.020
27	33	H Gant	24.020
28	26	M Shepherd	24.031
29	70	J McDuffie	24.046
30	19	D Cope	24.050
31	55	P Parsons	24.078
32	30	M Waltrip	24.097
33	50	G Sacks	24.130
34	25	T Richmond	24.131
35	43	R Petty	24.136
36	88	B Baker	24.309
37	7	A Kulwicki	24.390
38	75	N Bonnett	24.393
39	14	A Foyt	24.607
40	29	C Yarborough	24.742
41	029	M Max	26.790
42	021	T Bear	30.606
43	83	L Speed	34.770

Weather: Clear, 83 °F, South 9 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	013	T Nadz	74.963	80	61*	185	Running
2	4	3	D Earnhardt	-3.41	80	0	170	Running
3	12	21	K Petty	-6.31	80	0	165	Running
4	3	11	T Labonte	-7.25	80	0	160	Running
5	16	9	B Elliott	-8.10	80	0	155	Running
6	18	33	H Gant	-8.13	80	0	150	Running
7	2	28	D Allison	-8.86	80	0	146	Running
8	13	22	B Allison	-9.95	80	0	142	Running
9	5	90	K Schrader	-10.51	80	0	138	Running
10	31	35	B Parsons	-10.86	80	0	134	Running
11	7	75	N Bonnett	-10.89	80	9	135	Running
12	23	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-12.11	80	0	127	Running
13	24	50	G Sacks	-12.69	80	0	124	Running
14	27	021	T Bear	-13.39	80	0	121	Running
15	43	029	M Max	-18.36	80	10	123	Running
16	26	061	D Hamilton	-24.79	80	0	115	Running
17	6	17	D Waltrip	-1L	79	0	112	Running
18	25	67	B Arrington	-1L	79	0	109	Running
19	14	26	M Shepherd	-2L	78	0	106	Running
20	17	52	J Means	-2L	78	0	103	Running
21	11	27	R Wallace	-3L	77	0	100	Running
22	9	7	A Kulwicki	-4L	76	0	97	Running
23	30	71	D Marcis	-5L	75	0	94	Running
24	22	55	P Parsons	-19L	61	0	91	Accident
25	21	43	R Petty	-19L	61	0	88	Accident
26	20	30	M Waltrip	-19L	61	0	85	Accident
27	42	14	A Foyt	-19L	61	0	82	Running
28	29	77	E Bierschwale	-22L	58	0	79	Accident
29	33	88	B Baker	-34L	46	0	76	Ignition
30	40	29	C Yarborough	-34L	46	0	73	Retired
31	41	83	L Speed	-35L	45	0	70	Accident
32	37	023	Z Webster	-35L	45	0	67	Accident
33	10	15	R Rudd	-38L	42	0	64	Retired
34	8	5	G Bodine	-39L	41	0	61	Retired
35	15	44	S Marlin	-39L	41	0	58	Accident
36	19	4	R Wilson	-53L	27	0	55	Accident
37	34	18	D Jarrett	-54L	26	0	52	Accident
38	32	70	J McDuffie	-66L	14	0	49	Accident
39	38	81	M Potter	-79L	1	0	46	Retired
40	35	19	D Cope	-80L	0	0	43	Accident
41	39	25	T Richmond	-80L	0	0	40	Accident
42	36	64	R Combs	-80L	0	0	37	Accident

Caution Flags: 10 (45 laps)

Lead Changes: 3 (3 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 83 °F, Southeast 7 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 93%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
11	023	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
23	061	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line
55	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line

'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 08 Bristol

Our high banked friend from the south strikes again and delivers some of the most destructive racing we'll see on this circuit.  Humans qualified mostly well but finishing positions would not be close to the same.

The top three held really close qualy times and spent the first several laps closely pacing one another.

We ran so many laps that the AI demanded a caution and Greg Sacks sacrificed Cale Yarborough into the inside wall.

About a dozen laps in and we were racing again with all the humans at the front after everyone else came in for tires.

While everyone was in varying degrees of disarray, Zack was getting it the worst as Lake Speed gave him a big ol' hip check to maintain his own line.

Zack was slammed thoroughly into the wall where he lost a ton of speed and Bear couldn't pull away to avoid.

The two came together in spectacular fashion, destroying Webster's car and effectively decommissioning Sandy's ride for the night.  He would finish but several laps down.

And it was 8 wide to avoid this mess.

Restarting, Darrel found himself right in front of traffic while he came off pit road from serving a penalty or something (he seemed to get a lot of those this race) and was immediately spun by Morgan Sheppard Pie.

Like the last crash, there was a log jam which kept Darrel from really getting going again.  He eventually managed but it took a whole lap and several minor collisions.

The next green flag run was ended quickly in similar fashion as Steve Christmason came up into traffic.

Right into Bobby Allison.

It was only a few more short laps of green before Scot tangled with Ricky Rudd and couldn't hold it.

He was tossed around a bit but mostly unharmed from the collisions.

The next run was a little longer but eventually it was Buddy Backer who sent Neil Bonnett into Combs.  Too bad.

Mad Max actually did a fairly good job of avoiding the wreck as he came flying up.

Only a handful of racing laps before Michael Waltrip decided Bill Elliott was in his way.

We were almost halfway so I decided to come in for my pit.  I figured with the way cautions were going with as many cars as there were left, I wouldn't much have to worry about tires.  Unfortunately, I was one of the few lead lap cars that came in this time.

On the restart, Neil DeAss Bonnett ran into me going through the first turn and nearly spun me out.

Meanwhile, Darrel got loose from damage and spun around bring out the yellow.

Upon catching Neil, I let him know what I thought of his earlier move.

Sadly, I must have had too much damage or something as I was well off pace on the restart and was spun by Buddy Baker.

I probably would have been fine if Darrel hadn't been spinning right into my radiator.  Now, Zack said he saw smoke from my car as I was being spun but I didn't see anything.  It wouldn't matter anyway as this hard knock would have done it in anyway.  Neil Bonnett, you're a dead man.

While Darrel managed to stay in it, he was definitely struggling to keep the car off the wall out of turns.

And out of improper pit road places.  Probably another penalty in there somewhere.

He might of had a magnet in his car that went straight for that safer barrier.  Look here how it didn't even matter that Greg Sacks was right there.  Of course, he might have just crushed him against the wall like a pop can for fun.

After that last yellow from Hamilton, Myer was in the lead with less than 20 to go.

Despite his atypical line, he was managing to hold the position.

And caution flags were doing plenty to help him stay at the front.

Darrel was doing his best to try and help his fellow human out.

With about a dozen to go, Scot couldn't keep from clobbering the outside wall.

He lost first but there were still plenty of laps to fight back.

He cleared Morgan Sheppard and had his sights set on Phil Parsons for first.

But his charge was stunted and he couldn't make up much ground.

Lap traffic, like the thousands of Cale Yarborough cars we passed, were doing a lot to slow the 55 down and help Scot catch up.

With 5 to go, Bear was limping around and somehow caused Parsons to slow down quite a bit more than normal.

Scot seized the opportunity and lunged into the corner but he was just too far back to force a dive bomb, only racking the back of Phil's bumper.

And off the next corner or so, he was hard into the outside wall again and cruising for the pit road barrier.

The impact was terrible and destroyed his ride along with a few other cars as they slammed into his lifeless corpse.  A very exciting run that almost was.  Next week we're off to Richmond.  Hopefully we'll see better results there...

NASCAR Racing 2003 Season EXPORTED STANDINGS

Track: BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Date: 04/13/16

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	15.555
2	021	T Bear	15.669
3	023	Z Webster	15.693
4	061	D Hamilton	15.782
5	9	B Elliott	15.861
6	11	T Labonte	15.920
7	15	R Rudd	15.924
8	33	H Gant	15.926
9	029	M Max	15.952
10	22	B Allison	15.954
11	3	D Earnhardt	15.972
12	27	R Wallace	15.980
13	43	R Petty	15.995
14	30	M Waltrip	15.996
15	8	B Hillin, Jr.	15.998
16	44	S Marlin	16.005
17	75	N Bonnett	16.007
18	26	M Shepherd	16.008
19	35	B Parsons	16.012
20	55	P Parsons	16.025
21	71	D Marcis	16.033
22	90	K Schrader	16.042
23	21	K Petty	16.050
24	7	A Kulwicki	16.050
25	4	R Wilson	16.056
26	64	R Combs	16.058
27	18	D Jarrett	16.069
28	52	J Means	16.069
29	77	E Bierschwale	16.088
30	62	S Christman	16.093
31	17	D Waltrip	16.094
32	5	G Bodine	16.094
33	70	J McDuffie	16.129
34	50	G Sacks	16.149
35	19	D Cope	16.173
36	25	T Richmond	16.179
37	28	D Allison	16.185
38	88	B Baker	16.188
39	67	B Arrington	16.196
40	83	L Speed	16.250
41	81	M Potter	16.261
42	29	C Yarborough	16.279
43	1	B Bodine	16.382

Weather: Clear, 49 °F, South 1 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	15.441
2	023	Z Webster	15.737
3	021	T Bear	15.816
4	11	T Labonte	15.851
5	5	G Bodine	15.861
6	43	R Petty	15.892
7	21	K Petty	15.910
8	3	D Earnhardt	15.913
9	75	N Bonnett	15.918
10	90	K Schrader	15.940
11	7	A Kulwicki	15.943
12	17	D Waltrip	15.959
13	9	B Elliott	15.961
14	35	B Parsons	15.967
15	33	H Gant	15.977
16	30	M Waltrip	15.980
17	44	S Marlin	15.983
18	55	P Parsons	15.984
19	061	D Hamilton	15.994
20	71	D Marcis	16.007
21	18	D Jarrett	16.015
22	27	R Wallace	16.027
23	15	R Rudd	16.035
24	22	B Allison	16.060
25	67	B Arrington	16.063
26	19	D Cope	16.064
27	77	E Bierschwale	16.110
28	28	D Allison	16.134
29	4	R Wilson	16.134
30	52	J Means	16.174
31	62	S Christman	16.193
32	25	T Richmond	16.196
33	64	R Combs	16.203
34	88	B Baker	16.232
35	29	C Yarborough	16.247
36	26	M Shepherd	16.251
37	81	M Potter	16.262
38	1	B Bodine	16.268
39	50	G Sacks	16.268
40	70	J McDuffie	16.328
41	83	L Speed	16.381
42	029	M Max	16.389
43	8	B Hillin, Jr.	16.482

Weather: Clear, 49 °F, Southeast 4 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	15.597
2	021	T Bear	15.756
3	061	D Hamilton	15.788
4	52	J Means	15.856
5	029	M Max	15.872
6	22	B Allison	15.888
7	11	T Labonte	15.912
8	43	R Petty	15.929
9	21	K Petty	15.943
10	55	P Parsons	15.952
11	7	A Kulwicki	15.955
12	35	B Parsons	15.972
13	33	H Gant	15.972
14	27	R Wallace	15.977
15	71	D Marcis	15.979
16	81	M Potter	16.009
17	3	D Earnhardt	16.017
18	28	D Allison	16.028
19	18	D Jarrett	16.037
20	15	R Rudd	16.039
21	5	G Bodine	16.057
22	25	T Richmond	16.066
23	30	M Waltrip	16.085
24	88	B Baker	16.090
25	62	S Christman	16.099
26	67	B Arrington	16.124
27	4	R Wilson	16.133
28	17	D Waltrip	16.148
29	83	L Speed	16.180
30	75	N Bonnett	16.214
31	26	M Shepherd	16.247
32	90	K Schrader	16.281
33	023	Z Webster	16.320
34	29	C Yarborough	16.324
35	70	J McDuffie	16.397
36	64	R Combs	16.676
37	77	E Bierschwale	16.716
38	8	B Hillin, Jr.	16.810
39	1	B Bodine	17.044
40	50	G Sacks	17.205
41	19	D Cope	17.483
42	44	S Marlin	17.524
43	9	B Elliott	19.210

Weather: Clear, 40 °F, West 2 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	18	55	P Parsons	60.516	100	19	180	Running
2	11	7	A Kulwicki	-0.49	100	0	170	Running
3	17	44	S Marlin	-2.25	100	7	170	Running
4	8	3	D Earnhardt	-1L	99	8	165	Running
5	7	21	K Petty	-1L	99	0	155	Running
6	16	30	M Waltrip	-1L	99	0	150	Running
7	9	75	N Bonnett	-1L	99	0	146	Running
8	30	52	J Means	-1L	99	0	142	Running
9	14	35	B Parsons	-1L	99	0	138	Running
10	13	9	B Elliott	-1L	99	6	139	Running
11	21	18	D Jarrett	-1L	99	0	130	Running
12	12	17	D Waltrip	-1L	99	0	127	Running
13	15	33	H Gant	-1L	99	0	124	Running
14	27	77	E Bierschwale	-1L	99	0	121	Running
15	34	88	B Baker	-1L	99	0	118	Running
16	41	83	L Speed	-2L	98	0	115	Running
17	32	25	T Richmond	-2L	98	0	112	Running
18	33	64	R Combs	-2L	98	0	109	Running
19	39	50	G Sacks	-2L	98	0	106	Running
20	10	90	K Schrader	-2L	98	0	103	Running
21	40	70	J McDuffie	-2L	98	0	100	Running
22	6	43	R Petty	-2L	98	0	97	Running
23	31	62	S Christman	-2L	98	0	94	Running
24	43	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-3L	97	0	91	Running
25	35	29	C Yarborough	-3L	97	0	88	Running
26	42	029	M Max	-4L	96	14	90	Accident
27	19	061	D Hamilton	-4L	96	0	82	Running
28	36	26	M Shepherd	-5L	95	0	79	Retired
29	20	71	D Marcis	-5L	95	0	76	Retired
30	3	021	T Bear	-8L	92	0	73	Running
31	4	11	T Labonte	-14L	86	0	70	Retired
32	23	15	R Rudd	-26L	74	0	67	Retired
33	37	81	M Potter	-27L	73	0	64	Retired
34	38	1	B Bodine	-28L	72	0	61	Accident
35	22	27	R Wallace	-34L	66	0	58	Retired
36	28	28	D Allison	-36L	64	0	55	Retired
37	1	013	T Nadz	-42L	58	46*	62	Accident
38	26	19	D Cope	-58L	42	0	49	Gearbox
39	25	67	B Arrington	-66L	34	0	46	Retired
40	29	4	R Wilson	-66L	34	0	43	Retired
41	5	5	G Bodine	-67L	33	0	40	Retired
42	24	22	B Allison	-68L	32	0	37	Retired
43	2	023	Z Webster	-89L	11	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 12 (59 laps)

Lead Changes: 5 (6 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 40 °F, West 12 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 86%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
12	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
14	021	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
16	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 8 seconds
17	061	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
20	061	Passing the pacecar	Held for 6 seconds
22	021	Passing the pacecar	Held for 14 seconds
37	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
38	061	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
40	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 6 seconds
47	013	Passing the pacecar	Held for 1 seconds
57	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
71	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
72	061	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line