'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 17 Daytona Night

We are now approaching the halfway point and like the weather, things are heating up in the standings.  I hold a tentative lead ahead of Earnhardt that will be chopped in half by the end of this race.  And everyone else has their own goals to hash out.  There's still plenty of racing left and anyone can take the championship.  At least mathematically.

Sandy stirred things up and was the only human not to start in the back with his front row qualifying in grid spot 2 (after a mulligan which proceeded a restart upon server crash).  The rest of us either sucked or didn't bother.

I was hoping to stay to the back but I couldn't help myself and started moving up the order.  As Sandy was getting shuffled back, we passed around the high teens to twenties, right when things were getting shifty up front.

Means along with others took to the inside and made us all hold our breath waiting for a big wreck to unfold through turn one.  But nothing much happened of it.

The only result was that no one died and there was a breakaway at the front.

It wasn't too much longer when we had our first yellow. McDuffy and Cope screwed things up royally trying to pit and spun right in front of Darrel.

Darrel was rocketed towards the wall and h(ap)elpless AI.

In spite of what was shaping up to be an early exit, Darrel just righted himself off the wall and kept it going.  Zack was beside himself.  Or more accurately, the wall was beside him.  Right there.

Pits for all except a certain Sandy who took the lead.

And probably not a bad idea.  With the inflated speed limit, it was a shit show on pit road.  I cracked the back of Christ!Man! while up ahead, Dale Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd were pulling a team merger with Darrel Waltrip.

He pit and all humans except me ended up towards the back with still plenty of race left.  It was at this point that I noticed when I exited turns 2 and 4, my screen will fill with shattered polygons of my car for about 2 seconds.  It was terribly distracting at a track you shouldn't be distracted on.  Fortunately things were fairly calm and I was working towards first when we caught Rick Wilson.

And all nearly died as Bill Elliott and Richard Petty swing into chaos to avoid him at the last second.

Little else happened around the track other than holding lines and keeping an eye on fuel.  I came in with the rest of the field when they though it necessary for their stop.

As did Scot but not Zack.

A few laps after leaving the pits, my little group caught up with Darrel who was just slowing down as Alan Kulwicki and I were right on his ass.

This ended badly for most of the humans.  As I spun towards the wall, I took some light damage.

Darrel had to drive by his pit as the yellow was out before he was near it.  Zack was already on pit road and was just finishing service.

Sandy was further up but in the exact same position as Darrel and had to keep driving.

Then Darrel...

...disappeared.  We'd get him reconnected and get his laps back just before the end.  But it could have changed the outcome had he been there those 6 laps.

As for the rest of us who didn't disco, we were eating the dust of the rest of the pack.

But the trio of humans would not be kept down.

I worked my way up the order and nearly clobbered Bobby Allison as he dove off for fuel.

Without being able to see at this critical part of the track, I had no idea Dale Earnhardt was pitting until the last second.

I collected Buddy Arrington and bounced off the wall.

Where I headed straight for the pits, careening out of control and on target for...

Handsome Harry Gant who I smashed the shit out of.

And was pleasantly shoved around by Richard Petty...

Before having to drive all the way around without a caution.  But it would not be as you can see JD McDuffie blasting into the back of Darrel Waltrip for no reason.

I saw this happening and would have easily avoided it had JD not been a douche nozzle and backed straight into my path.

I was shot into traffic where my engine was clipped by Bobby Allison and the caution was out.  4 minute tow but still somehow alive.

After getting Darrel his laps back and me getting my ride duct taped back to resembling a car, we started in on the final two laps of the race with humans ready for a triumphant charge to the front.

Scot started the break away and slowly massaged his way through the order as he does.

Sandy and Zack brushed one another trying to go for the same real estate in the draft.

They separated.

Zack turned on his cloaking device and turned Brett Bodine.

Right in front of Sandy.

Darrel narrowly missed and kept everything together.

He sailed on hoping for a wreck ahead...

To his credit, Scot was doing his best with one to go.  Somehow not killing anyone.

Just behind him, Zack turned the cloak back on and turned up into Potter and Hillin Jr.

He did not fair as well in this case.

In a desperate lunge for position, Scot collected Buddy Baker at the line for a top 10 finish.

And for the iconic "at-the-line-crash" finish.

Well done, Mad Max.  Well done.

Oh and Darrel helped.

We now haul off to Kentucky for some blue grass and cookie cutting.  Yee haw.

Results

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	90	K Schrader	47.076
2	021	T Bear	47.096
3	71	D Marcis	47.104
4	3	D Earnhardt	47.114
5	17	D Waltrip	47.172
6	25	T Richmond	47.181
7	88	B Baker	47.185
8	11	T Labonte	47.186
9	83	L Speed	47.226
10	1	B Bodine	47.229
11	89	J Sauter	47.238
12	44	S Marlin	47.266
13	9	B Elliott	47.267
14	30	M Waltrip	47.278
15	70	J McDuffie	47.306
16	27	R Wallace	47.327
17	15	R Rudd	47.344
18	35	B Parsons	47.350
19	21	K Petty	47.354
20	77	E Bierschwale	47.366
21	64	R Combs	47.373
22	22	B Allison	47.374
23	28	D Allison	47.383
24	67	B Arrington	47.384
25	26	M Shepherd	47.387
26	8	B Hillin, Jr.	47.395
27	52	J Means	47.405
28	33	H Gant	47.408
29	4	R Wilson	47.408
30	7	A Kulwicki	47.426
31	62	S Christman	47.430
32	75	N Bonnett	47.433
33	5	G Bodine	47.436
34	50	G Sacks	47.493
35	43	R Petty	47.532
36	18	D Jarrett	47.581
37	55	P Parsons	47.585
38	19	D Cope	47.739
39	013	T Nadz	47.768
40	061	D Hamilton	47.871
41	81	M Potter	47.917
42	029	M Max	--
43	023	Z Webster	--

Weather: Cloudy, 66 °F, North 6 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P

#

DRIVER

TIME

Weather: Clear, 32 °F, North 0 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	34	50	G Sacks	150.649	40	10*	185	Running
2	21	64	R Combs	-0.08	40	1	175	Running
3	27	52	J Means	-0.17	40	0	165	Running
4	33	5	G Bodine	-0.20	40	0	160	Running
5	13	9	B Elliott	-0.26	40	0	155	Running
6	6	25	T Richmond	-0.28	40	0	150	Running
7	7	88	B Baker	-0.34	40	0	146	Running
8	4	3	D Earnhardt	-0.37	40	0	142	Running
9	42	029	M Max	-0.40	40	2	143	Running
10	25	26	M Shepherd	-0.45	40	6	139	Running
11	14	30	M Waltrip	-0.54	40	0	130	Running
12	18	35	B Parsons	-0.60	40	0	127	Running
13	32	75	N Bonnett	-0.62	40	0	124	Running
14	37	55	P Parsons	-0.68	40	1	126	Running
15	36	18	D Jarrett	-0.71	40	0	118	Running
16	1	90	K Schrader	-0.80	40	1	120	Running
17	16	27	R Wallace	-0.81	40	0	112	Running
18	35	43	R Petty	-0.88	40	6	114	Running
19	19	21	K Petty	-1.18	40	7	111	Accident
20	38	19	D Cope	-1.77	40	0	103	Running
21	5	17	D Waltrip	-1.92	40	0	100	Running
22	31	62	S Christman	-2.04	40	0	97	Running
23	26	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-6.04	40	1	99	Running
24	40	061	D Hamilton	-6.12	40	0	91	Running
25	41	81	M Potter	-13.34	40	0	88	Running
26	2	021	T Bear	-15.36	40	1	90	Running
27	10	1	B Bodine	-16.62	40	2	87	Running
28	43	023	Z Webster	-17.10	40	0	79	Running
29	24	67	B Arrington	-48.16	40	0	76	Running
30	23	28	D Allison	-1L	39	0	73	Running
31	20	77	E Bierschwale	-1L	39	0	70	Running
32	8	11	T Labonte	-1L	39	0	67	Running
33	9	83	L Speed	-1L	39	0	64	Running
34	3	71	D Marcis	-1L	39	1	66	Running
35	29	4	R Wilson	-1L	39	0	58	Running
36	17	15	R Rudd	-4L	36	0	55	Running
37	11	89	J Sauter	-5L	35	0	52	Retired
38	28	33	H Gant	-6L	34	0	49	Retired
39	39	013	T Nadz	-6L	34	0	46	Running
40	22	22	B Allison	-7L	33	0	43	Header
41	15	70	J McDuffie	-7L	33	0	40	Retired
42	30	7	A Kulwicki	-8L	32	1	42	Piston
43	12	44	S Marlin	-19L	21	0	34	Retired

Caution Flags: 4 (12 laps)

Lead Changes: 20 (13 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 73 °F, Northeast 6 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 97%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
7	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
8	061	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
21	061	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
21	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 3 seconds
23	023	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
24	023	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
32	013	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
35	021	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
32	061	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
32	013	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line

'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 16 Sonoma

Our first road course on the tour and it was full of surprises, twists and turns.  Quite literally.

Humans sandwiched the field with Darrel and me at the top and the rest pulling the back of the field.

Zack had the car to get a good position but opted to sandbag due to his internet connection (which caused him a ton of black flags)...a decision that would shape his entire race.

Though in the back, Sandy attacked the field early and bit into the side of Tim Richmond.

He didn't really mean to but both went of course and nearly got ruined by the tires.

Scot and Zack took their time a bit more at the start but were making steady progress.

Progress.

Within the first couple laps, Darrel closed the gap and surprised me when he accused me of blocking at 11.

Totally unaware that Darrel was that close, I lost focus and clobbered the outside wall.  Darrel was so close that we both spun out when we contacted.  Darrel then lost 1st gear.

While we drove on without much else in the way of issues, Zack was over driving turn 10.

And barely keeping his car in one piece.

The yellow was out and against Darrel's better judgement, he followed me into the pits.  We both seemed to have some issues with our stalls (damn it, Zack!) and got passed down the order a few spots.

This entire debacle put Darrel in the worse position as he got caught and spun by Bobby Allison shortly after the restart.  He was well down the order and furious.

Meanwhile, I was up to second and catching Scot as he did not pit.  Then he got a little slippery out of 7a.

Darrel was rampaging through the field and not letting anyone stand in his way.  Yet he wasn't causing any real wrecks.  But the AI were scared.

Some fought back, but he didn't let that slow him.

Scot was having trouble with turn 2 all night and this time got caught on Bobby Allison (this guy was a real nuisance tonight).

And they went for a ride to the tires.

He also got tagged by Geoff Bodine but was mostly OK.

Darrel was up through most of the field and getting ready to crack the top 10 when he had some apparent gearing issues out of 7a.

It looked like he didn't see that Geoff Bodine had pulled along side him and was taking his usual line.

But two cars couldn't occupy the same place at the same time (in this case) and he was thrown into the insta-kill tires.

But Buddy Arrington felt it necessary to T-Bone him before he left the track.

And the pits at least one more time.

Sandy pulled off to get some service on his car and to pit early, probably to avoid cars later on.

But at that very moment, Scot was running over Terry Labonte (see Sandy in the back entering the pits).  This brought out the caution and Sandy technically cheated since he wasn't yet getting service.  However, I allowed it as it was close enough and he couldn't really take advantage of the situation.

Then most of us pit when we were supposed to.  Although Scot went in by, despite being down a lap.

Sandy was able to catch some of the slower drivers who spent a lot of time sloughing off at the back of the field.  Although Bierschwale felt it necessary to run him out wide under caution.

Scot and I started behind a small gaggle.  I had planned to let him by for a lap back once we got by.

But I got a little too excited near Rusty Wallace and caused him to drive the track sideways.

And may have done the same to Waltrip once the caution was waving.  For good measure.

Unfortunately, this caused Scot some trouble as he was caught all in it and couldn't slip past to get his lap back.  Still, we got him on the lead lap and things would reset proper.

It came down to a 6 lap shootout.  Zack had stayed out on this most recent run and was up to the top 5.  I was just barely OK and the 23 was on the line for fuel.

He struggled between driving it hard to gain positions and taking it easy to not run out of gas.

It was slow going but he managed to out pace the competition and get to 2nd.

With Scot back on the lead lap and back in traffic, he started his own rampage, Chad worthy.  Hey, it's Bobby Allison again!

And leaving destruction in his wake.

Despite his gains, he got into a pickle catching too quickly on Phil Parsons.

And that started the fishtale.

He almost caught it...

...but was around, just barely missing the inside wall.

It seemed over until Oily Dave Marcis slammed into him.

And much like being bit by a vampire, Scot started shooting oil all over the track like patient 0 in the 71, turning them into Oily Daves as well.

This happened right at the end so I wrapped up and took the win.

Sandy was in 14th but pushed past a slowed up field, technically cheating again.

Scot still had nearly an entire lap to wrap up but one less engine than he started with.  Zack and I came to the rescue.  He supervised and I pushed.

It was slow going and even almost disaster several times...

...but we finally brought him home.

If that wasn't a crap shoot, Daytona Night certainly will be.  Hopefully there won't be any connectivity issues at 190 mph, inches apart.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	1:20.366
2	061	D Hamilton	1:22.421
3	021	T Bear	1:23.359
4	023	Z Webster	1:24.076
5	55	P Parsons	1:25.579
6	17	D Waltrip	1:25.755
7	44	S Marlin	1:25.845
8	11	T Labonte	1:25.894
9	22	B Allison	1:26.081
10	33	H Gant	1:26.109
11	27	R Wallace	1:26.141
12	15	R Rudd	1:26.141
13	90	K Schrader	1:26.236
14	5	G Bodine	1:26.320
15	30	M Waltrip	1:26.355
16	8	B Hillin, Jr.	1:26.410
17	52	J Means	1:26.428
18	3	D Earnhardt	1:26.480
19	21	K Petty	1:26.501
20	7	A Kulwicki	1:26.508
21	9	B Elliott	1:26.679
22	88	B Baker	1:26.716
23	67	B Arrington	1:26.800
24	26	M Shepherd	1:26.825
25	25	T Richmond	1:26.921
26	18	D Jarrett	1:26.956
27	64	R Combs	1:27.083
28	28	D Allison	1:27.091
29	71	D Marcis	1:27.129
30	75	N Bonnett	1:27.164
31	81	M Potter	1:27.211
32	35	B Parsons	1:27.347
33	4	R Wilson	1:27.365
34	70	J McDuffie	1:27.398
35	62	S Christman	1:27.451
36	43	R Petty	1:27.813
37	77	E Bierschwale	1:28.276
38	50	G Sacks	1:28.375
39	1	B Bodine	1:28.423
40	19	D Cope	1:28.683
41	83	L Speed	1:28.718
42	29	C Yarborough	1:29.526
43	029	M Max	1:31.225

Weather: Clear, 89 °F, Northwest 5 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	1:18.817
2	061	D Hamilton	1:21.144
3	11	T Labonte	1:22.842
4	3	D Earnhardt	1:23.017
5	22	B Allison	1:23.027
6	21	K Petty	1:23.153
7	28	D Allison	1:23.158
8	15	R Rudd	1:23.183
9	5	G Bodine	1:23.274
10	33	H Gant	1:23.310
11	7	A Kulwicki	1:23.346
12	43	R Petty	1:23.347
13	17	D Waltrip	1:23.349
14	90	K Schrader	1:23.464
15	27	R Wallace	1:23.472
16	55	P Parsons	1:23.646
17	9	B Elliott	1:23.712
18	35	B Parsons	1:23.713
19	75	N Bonnett	1:23.770
20	26	M Shepherd	1:23.801
21	8	B Hillin, Jr.	1:23.875
22	88	B Baker	1:23.974
23	4	R Wilson	1:24.046
24	71	D Marcis	1:24.117
25	19	D Cope	1:24.181
26	021	T Bear	1:24.205
27	44	S Marlin	1:24.208
28	25	T Richmond	1:24.221
29	67	B Arrington	1:24.234
30	52	J Means	1:24.237
31	18	D Jarrett	1:24.249
32	30	M Waltrip	1:24.457
33	62	S Christman	1:24.490
34	1	B Bodine	1:24.742
35	64	R Combs	1:24.800
36	70	J McDuffie	1:24.849
37	29	C Yarborough	1:25.869
38	83	L Speed	1:25.983
39	77	E Bierschwale	1:26.371
40	50	G Sacks	1:26.467
41	029	M Max	1:29.326
42	81	M Potter	--
43	023	Z Webster	--

Weather: Clear, 89 °F, Northwest 8 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	1:21.719
2	27	R Wallace	1:25.052
3	029	M Max	1:25.280
4	021	T Bear	1:25.462
5	4	R Wilson	1:25.484
6	9	B Elliott	1:25.838
7	15	R Rudd	1:25.903
8	71	D Marcis	1:25.947
9	11	T Labonte	1:26.026
10	43	R Petty	1:26.041
11	33	H Gant	1:26.102
12	35	B Parsons	1:26.112
13	26	M Shepherd	1:26.175
14	55	P Parsons	1:26.175
15	17	D Waltrip	1:26.193
16	90	K Schrader	1:26.295
17	5	G Bodine	1:26.342
18	22	B Allison	1:26.359
19	28	D Allison	1:26.448
20	8	B Hillin, Jr.	1:26.509
21	44	S Marlin	1:26.538
22	88	B Baker	1:26.542
23	3	D Earnhardt	1:26.563
24	7	A Kulwicki	1:26.653
25	64	R Combs	1:26.683
26	75	N Bonnett	1:26.685
27	18	D Jarrett	1:26.838
28	30	M Waltrip	1:26.865
29	21	K Petty	1:26.934
30	52	J Means	1:26.982
31	81	M Potter	1:27.073
32	25	T Richmond	1:27.246
33	70	J McDuffie	1:27.316
34	62	S Christman	1:27.475
35	67	B Arrington	1:27.662
36	19	D Cope	1:27.807
37	1	B Bodine	1:28.157
38	50	G Sacks	1:28.197
39	77	E Bierschwale	1:28.490
40	29	C Yarborough	1:28.578
41	023	Z Webster	1:29.021
42	83	L Speed	1:29.113
43	013	T Nadz	1:30.733

Weather: Clear, 84 °F, Northwest 8 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	013	T Nadz	77.940	30	26*	185	Running
2	43	023	Z Webster	-32.60	30	0	170	Running
3	8	15	R Rudd	-34.82	30	0	165	Running
4	12	43	R Petty	-36.43	30	0	160	Running
5	7	28	D Allison	-39.88	30	0	155	Running
6	3	11	T Labonte	-41.43	30	0	150	Running
7	27	44	S Marlin	-48.64	30	0	146	Running
8	21	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-1:05.64	30	0	142	Running
9	18	35	B Parsons	-1:07.14	30	0	138	Running
10	9	5	G Bodine	-1:07.95	30	0	134	Running
11	20	26	M Shepherd	-1:08.81	30	0	130	Running
12	22	88	B Baker	-1:09.73	30	0	127	Running
13	6	21	K Petty	-1:10.77	30	0	124	Running
14	26	021	T Bear	-1:11.00	30	0	121	Running
15	25	19	D Cope	-1:11.88	30	0	118	Running
16	11	7	A Kulwicki	-1:13.94	30	0	115	Running
17	10	33	H Gant	-1:14.40	30	0	112	Running
18	29	67	B Arrington	-1:15.23	30	0	109	Running
19	16	55	P Parsons	-1:16.12	30	0	106	Running
20	28	25	T Richmond	-1:17.85	30	0	103	Running
21	42	81	M Potter	-1:19.09	30	0	100	Running
22	36	70	J McDuffie	-1:22.01	30	0	97	Running
23	5	22	B Allison	-1:43.28	30	0	94	Running
24	15	27	R Wallace	-1:45.44	30	0	91	Running
25	34	1	B Bodine	-1:46.70	30	0	88	Running
26	23	4	R Wilson	-1:47.60	30	0	85	Running
27	41	029	M Max	-2:00.00	30	2	87	Running
28	17	9	B Elliott	-1L	29	0	79	Running
29	13	17	D Waltrip	-1L	29	2	81	Running
30	4	3	D Earnhardt	-1L	29	0	73	Running
31	19	75	N Bonnett	-1L	29	0	70	Running
32	24	71	D Marcis	-1L	29	0	67	Running
33	32	30	M Waltrip	-1L	29	0	64	Running
34	31	18	D Jarrett	-1L	29	0	61	Running
35	35	64	R Combs	-1L	29	0	58	Running
36	33	62	S Christman	-1L	29	0	55	Running
37	39	77	E Bierschwale	-1L	29	0	52	Running
38	40	50	G Sacks	-1L	29	0	49	Running
39	38	83	L Speed	-1L	29	0	46	Running
40	37	29	C Yarborough	-2L	28	0	43	Running
41	14	90	K Schrader	-2L	28	0	40	Running
42	30	52	J Means	-14L	16	0	37	Retired
43	2	061	D Hamilton	-19L	11	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 5 (8 laps)

Lead Changes: 4 (3 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 83 °F, Northwest 13 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 85%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
1	023	Cutting the course
2	023	Cutting the course
4	023	Cutting the course	Held for 15 seconds
10	023	Cutting the course
18	021	Entering closed pits	Go to end of longest line
21	021	Passing the pacecar	Held for 60 seconds
24	023	Cutting the course	Held for 15 seconds
31	021	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds