'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 32 Talladega

We're getting close to closing out this season with only four races left.  I want to quickly point out that the points will be updated to accurately reflect where we are.  Previously, a few races were excluded as a result from me switching systems so that has been addressed.  For Talladega, I also want to mention that this 2015 version is crap (at least for me) and caused extreme stuttering (more on that in a moment) so future races will be held with a different version.  This was the same issue last time but even more extreme now.  I think Microsoft was involved somehow.

The start was clean, though the qualifying was bad for humans.  Mark and I were leading the charge with our 31-32 starting spots.  He moved up while I struggled with the handful of frames I was given to see with.

While I was scaring myself and the rest of the humans driving like Darrel after eye surgery, Ben Parsons moved right on into Ken Schrader who was left out of line.  The two turned right into Buddy Baker and all hell broke loose for the Big One.

At the back, I had around two frames of smoke before I piled into Tim Richmond.  I used this time to brace myself against the wall as much as possible.  It almost worked until my loving father blew up the back end.  Not that he had any more time to react.  To the left of us, Darrel was getting caught in chicanery and tossed about, mostly without incident.

Up at the impetus of the accident, Mark was left pretty much alone and had a clean line on the inside.  Go Wrangler.

As half the field was crashing, swerving or slamming on the brakes, Scot was gently slowing down in the back, anxiously waiting to see just how many spots he was about to make up...and slightly sad that he didn't cause this in the first place.

But while he waited patiently to pick through his bounty of hurt-n-dead competition, Mike Potter came flying out of nowhere and barreled directly into him for no reason at all.  Looking at the replay, Potter just sucked wind off the line and fell back for two laps before this happened.  To make it even worse, he suffered no damage and went on to place well.  His points were stripped.

Zack managed to avoid  much damage and only had his nose mooshed in a tad and smoked tires.

On the restart, all humans except Mark (and Scot who was badly dead) were at the back.

As many of the laps roared on, he put up a valiant effort to stay at the front, doing the SuperSpeedway Shuffle.  All the while, The Bear was sneaking up to catch him.

We then had green flag stops without incident and the field generally spread out.

After a cycle or two, Zack was trailing Mark who was the effective leader at this point and it was shaping up to be a showdown between these two.

But on his last stop, Zack blew it and sped on pit road.  He was kicking himself violently.

Coming to the last 4-5 laps, Mark was leading the way and that blue car only about a second or two back was Sandy, working his tires off to catch him.

Just after that last picture was taken, Darrel had a brown out at his house (not in his pants) and collided with Ken Schrader (who did have a brown out in his pants).

Darrel was flung to the wall and the yellow was out.

Unfortunately, his engine was ruined right before he hit the wall, thanks to some tunneling.  He could have easily made it to the end and would have finished fairly well, possibly top 10.

This gave Mark the win under caution.  While Sandy would have fought hard for a good run, it's doubtful he would have made it the whole way as his tank was dryer than Southern Baptist's wedding.  To celebrate, Mark spun at the line.  I know you're excited to be back but, maybe let the rest of us cross the line next time, Mark?  Now go and enjoy your wine.  As for Bear and Zack, only 91 points separate the two.  Can Sandy make up the deficit in four races?  It'll be fun to see.

We go from big to small at Martinsville next week.

Results

Track: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY 2015 APT SPRING

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	48.613
2	1	B Bodine	48.647
3	33	H Gant	48.768
4	77	E Bierschwale	48.772
5	22	B Allison	48.776
6	71	D Marcis	48.776
7	9	B Elliott	48.823
8	75	N Bonnett	48.869
9	44	S Marlin	48.960
10	11	T Labonte	48.995
11	3	D Earnhardt	49.023
12	35	B Parsons	49.063
13	7	A Kulwicki	49.067
14	90	K Schrader	49.077
15	5	G Bodine	49.119
16	17	D Waltrip	49.131
17	25	T Richmond	49.200
18	62	S Christman	49.266
19	18	D Jarrett	49.320
20	50	G Sacks	49.360
21	88	B Baker	49.376
22	64	R Combs	49.400
23	81	M Potter	49.402
24	21	K Petty	49.446
25	19	D Cope	49.470
26	8	B Hillin, Jr.	49.551
27	28	D Allison	49.566
28	021	T Bear	49.646
29	55	P Parsons	49.839
30	023	Z Webster	49.995
31	15	R Rudd	50.029
32	27	R Wallace	50.109
33	2	M Riggleman Jr	50.164
34	26	M Shepherd	50.203
35	43	R Petty	50.226
36	30	M Waltrip	50.351
37	029	M Max	50.644
38	67	B Arrington	50.679
39	013	T Nadz	50.748
40	4	R Wilson	50.941
41	83	L Speed	51.004
42	70	J McDuffie	1:01.822
43	52	J Means	1:01.977

Weather: Clear, 67 °F, Southeast 7 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	28	D Allison	50.131
2	88	B Baker	50.333
3	11	T Labonte	50.343
4	30	M Waltrip	50.343
5	64	R Combs	50.368
6	90	K Schrader	50.418
7	9	B Elliott	50.428
8	17	D Waltrip	50.438
9	3	D Earnhardt	50.504
10	18	D Jarrett	50.521
11	70	J McDuffie	50.533
12	71	D Marcis	50.536
13	35	B Parsons	50.537
14	25	T Richmond	50.553
15	22	B Allison	50.558
16	52	J Means	50.563
17	62	S Christman	50.569
18	83	L Speed	50.579
19	7	A Kulwicki	50.584
20	44	S Marlin	50.599
21	8	B Hillin, Jr.	50.606
22	27	R Wallace	50.620
23	67	B Arrington	50.625
24	26	M Shepherd	50.627
25	21	K Petty	50.636
26	50	G Sacks	50.648
27	15	R Rudd	50.650
28	55	P Parsons	50.668
29	1	B Bodine	50.685
30	33	H Gant	50.688
31	2	M Riggleman Jr	50.718
32	013	T Nadz	50.763
33	75	N Bonnett	50.798
34	19	D Cope	50.800
35	061	D Hamilton	50.807
36	5	G Bodine	50.851
37	43	R Petty	50.853
38	021	T Bear	50.853
39	4	R Wilson	50.867
40	77	E Bierschwale	50.911
41	81	M Potter	51.276
42	029	M Max	1:12.144
43	023	Z Webster	--

Weather: Clear, 67 °F, East 5 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	15	R Rudd	46.939
2	28	D Allison	47.019
3	25	T Richmond	47.037
4	77	E Bierschwale	47.056
5	7	A Kulwicki	47.207
6	75	N Bonnett	47.236
7	26	M Shepherd	47.240
8	70	J McDuffie	47.242
9	62	S Christman	47.328
10	9	B Elliott	47.347
11	023	Z Webster	47.397
12	71	D Marcis	47.416
13	83	L Speed	47.438
14	17	D Waltrip	47.473
15	4	R Wilson	47.667
16	11	T Labonte	47.673
17	21	K Petty	47.679
18	64	R Combs	47.686
19	1	B Bodine	47.760
20	8	B Hillin, Jr.	47.891
21	30	M Waltrip	47.991
22	81	M Potter	47.994
23	67	B Arrington	48.090
24	52	J Means	48.109
25	27	R Wallace	48.150
26	5	G Bodine	48.189
27	90	K Schrader	48.215
28	3	D Earnhardt	48.234
29	33	H Gant	48.260
30	18	D Jarrett	48.274
31	029	M Max	48.353
32	22	B Allison	48.447
33	55	P Parsons	48.462
34	021	T Bear	48.483
35	013	T Nadz	48.502
36	44	S Marlin	48.604
37	2	M Riggleman Jr	48.674
38	88	B Baker	48.757
39	50	G Sacks	48.907
40	35	B Parsons	49.039
41	061	D Hamilton	49.148
42	19	D Cope	49.561
43	43	R Petty	49.702

Weather: Cloudy, 69 °F, East 11 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	31	2	M Riggleman Jr	158.945	38	22*	185	Running
2	38	021	T Bear	-0.85	38	3	175	Running
3	16	52	J Means	-2.18	38	0	165	Running
4	30	33	H Gant	-2.52	38	1	165	Running
5	24	26	M Shepherd	-3.55	38	0	155	Running
6	3	11	T Labonte	-5.03	38	1	155	Running
7	11	70	J McDuffie	-5.46	38	7	151	Running
8	17	62	S Christman	-5.92	38	0	142	Running
9	8	17	D Waltrip	-6.93	38	0	138	Running
10	21	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-7.44	38	0	134	Running
11	4	30	M Waltrip	-7.95	38	0	130	Running
12	9	3	D Earnhardt	-8.45	38	1	132	Running
13	25	21	K Petty	-8.94	38	0	124	Running
14	34	19	D Cope	-10.57	38	0	121	Running
15	43	023	Z Webster	-11.24	38	0	118	Running
16	29	1	B Bodine	-11.88	38	0	115	Running
17	13	35	B Parsons	-1L	37	0	112	Running
18	12	71	D Marcis	-1L	37	0	109	Running
19	39	4	R Wilson	-1L	37	0	106	Running
20	5	64	R Combs	-1L	37	0	103	Running
21	20	44	S Marlin	-1L	37	0	100	Running
22	6	90	K Schrader	-1L	37	0	97	Running
23	32	013	T Nadz	-1L	37	0	94	Running
24	7	9	B Elliott	-2L	36	0	91	Running
25	2	88	B Baker	-2L	36	1	93	Running
26	14	25	T Richmond	-2L	36	0	85	Running
27	1	28	D Allison	-2L	36	1	87	Running
28	41	81	M Potter	-2L	36	0	79	Running
29	15	22	B Allison	-3L	35	0	76	Running
30	40	77	E Bierschwale	-3L	35	0	73	Running
31	35	061	D Hamilton	-4L	34	1	75	Disco
32	23	67	B Arrington	-34L	4	0	67	Retired
33	37	43	R Petty	-34L	4	0	64	Accident
34	19	7	A Kulwicki	-34L	4	0	61	Accident
35	42	029	M Max	-35L	3	0	58	Valve
36	22	27	R Wallace	-36L	2	0	55	Accident
37	18	83	L Speed	-36L	2	0	52	Accident
38	33	75	N Bonnett	-36L	2	0	49	Accident
39	10	18	D Jarrett	-36L	2	0	46	Accident
40	28	55	P Parsons	-36L	2	0	43	Retired
41	36	5	G Bodine	-36L	2	0	40	Accident
42	27	15	R Rudd	-36L	2	0	37	Accident
43	26	50	G Sacks	-36L	2	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 2 (7 laps)

Lead Changes: 11 (9 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 69 °F, South 5 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 92%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
4	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 13 seconds
4	061	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
5	061	Dropping Debris	Pit for repairs
5	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 16 seconds
15	013	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
27	023	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
35	061	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line

'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 31 Kansas

Okay so here we go Kansas. The race started out promising enough for humans at the front with only Scot as the tail gunner.

We didn't know if it was going to be a complete disaster or smooth ride.

As it turned out it was actually pretty smooth sailing for the first 20 laps or so. All of us stayed out of trouble although Sandy was having some difficulty with closer traffic.

And actually it was Sandy who was the first human to hit the pits.

Which as it turns out was a terrible idea. Scot came into the turn three area a little bit too hot and tore up the side of Buddy Arrington.

But it was Buddy who would be getting the last laugh as he came strolling down the track to slam into the side of Scot.

Sadly Scot was out of the race but his sacrifice was not in vain. It gave us the opportunity of pitting just at the end of our fuel window. Except for Sandy.

Back under green and the humans are starting to spread out a little bit from the stops.

I'm not exactly sure what happened here. It almost looked like Dale Earnhardt got into the side of Zack just the slightest bit but it didn't look like they actually made any contact when I was reviewing it.

Regardless, the damage was done and Zack was all sorts of out of control.

Which ended up shooting Darrell Waltrip and Bill Elliott right into the front of Darrel's 61 machine.

Shockingly enough Darrel managed to gently glide up into the wall and obtained very little damage at all. Meanwhile much of the rest of the field was not so lucky.

Zack just harmlessly spin around in the track nearly avoiding contact with cars zipping past.

Sandy, who you think would have been safe being at the back of the field from his poorly timed stop, came up to the wreck and slowed down at the smoke cloud.

Little did he know that there was a surprise Ricky Rudd hiding inside. Well this didn't kill him, bu it certainly hurt his chances of finishing well.

After a round of pit stops we went back to green and poor Zack was down a lap.

But Sandy's car had had enough from the previous damage. The engine exploded and the whole thing just wiped out. Fortunately he also took Rick Wilson with him.

Racing back to the line, Zack just eeked out ahead of Sterling Marlin to be the first car lap down and getting the lucky dog.

Now with the rest of the field ahead of him Zack declared war and was going to get as many points ahead of Sandy as he possibly could. Driving his ass off the 23 made it up to about the top 10 with around 30 to go. But as pit stops started to take place he had a very close moment with Harry Gant, running up on him going into Turn 3.

Fortunately, there was no incident and we all managed to cycle through our green flag stops with Zack coming in behind me for second place.

Unfortunately a bad start put him back in 15th and had to climb the hill all over again. Which was proving to be exceedingly dangerous by this point with less than 20 to go.

Fortunately before we all had to pit again Darrel had a large moment with Geoff Bodine, coming up on him just a little bit too fast off the corner and clipping his bumper sending both of them into the wall.

Daryl bounced hard off the inside wall but for the most part was still put together. Sadly, though, because he was so off course, the yellow was not thrown.

After driving past pit road and not coming in (likely because he felt he could just go the rest of the way), he pulled up into traffic and was met by a Brett Bodine.

This resulted in a somewhat exciting accident right in front of me as I came to the line.

Everyone came in and got their pit stops taken care of for the final time. Even Darrel, who is buggered up pretty good by this point. Although, for some reason, Zackcame in twice (I think it had something to do with a black flag but I don't recall).

In either case he was now starting way way back behind the field and had to charge his way back to the front with just about a dozen laps left.

From there on out, it was hard to cope with the walls of Waltrips...

Menacing Means...

Lakes of Speed and daft Duffy's...

Bouts of Bonnetts...

Finally coming home for a fourth-place finish behind Kyle Petty. An excellent way to wrap up the race. Although he still pulled a Harvick and wined slightly about how he could have been second.

With only five races left, Sandy needs to average 29 points ahead of Zack, per race, to have a chance at being the second place human. A tall order.

NOTE: Sterling Marlin is a cheating ass.

Results

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	44	S Marlin	29.711
2	013	T Nadz	30.500
3	023	Z Webster	30.546
4	061	D Hamilton	30.635
5	029	M Max	30.952
6	021	T Bear	30.960
7	8	B Hillin, Jr.	31.093
8	9	B Elliott	31.108
9	27	R Wallace	31.147
10	15	R Rudd	31.149
11	75	N Bonnett	31.157
12	26	M Shepherd	31.177
13	88	B Baker	31.179
14	4	R Wilson	31.189
15	43	R Petty	31.190
16	71	D Marcis	31.192
17	17	D Waltrip	31.196
18	7	A Kulwicki	31.197
19	5	G Bodine	31.211
20	3	D Earnhardt	31.233
21	67	B Arrington	31.237
22	55	P Parsons	31.251
23	22	B Allison	31.252
24	52	J Means	31.270
25	21	K Petty	31.275
26	28	D Allison	31.276
27	11	T Labonte	31.283
28	90	K Schrader	31.289
29	35	B Parsons	31.319
30	30	M Waltrip	31.345
31	25	T Richmond	31.346
32	33	H Gant	31.348
33	29	C Yarborough	31.369
34	77	E Bierschwale	31.458
35	62	S Christman	31.483
36	83	L Speed	31.491
37	19	D Cope	31.493
38	1	B Bodine	31.514
39	70	J McDuffie	31.525
40	50	G Sacks	31.541
41	89	J Sauter	31.544
42	18	D Jarrett	31.555
43	64	R Combs	31.646

Weather: Clear, 71 °F, Northeast 13 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	30.378
2	023	Z Webster	30.437
3	021	T Bear	30.563
4	061	D Hamilton	30.701
5	3	D Earnhardt	30.723
6	35	B Parsons	30.787
7	43	R Petty	30.806
8	90	K Schrader	30.825
9	27	R Wallace	30.830
10	28	D Allison	30.847
11	9	B Elliott	30.850
12	5	G Bodine	30.859
13	33	H Gant	30.860
14	22	B Allison	30.870
15	75	N Bonnett	30.880
16	26	M Shepherd	30.890
17	71	D Marcis	30.942
18	11	T Labonte	30.948
19	4	R Wilson	30.950
20	17	D Waltrip	30.978
21	30	M Waltrip	30.981
22	55	P Parsons	30.999
23	83	L Speed	31.002
24	44	S Marlin	31.021
25	18	D Jarrett	31.022
26	52	J Means	31.047
27	15	R Rudd	31.062
28	50	G Sacks	31.073
29	88	B Baker	31.078
30	7	A Kulwicki	31.096
31	19	D Cope	31.137
32	67	B Arrington	31.142
33	8	B Hillin, Jr.	31.155
34	77	E Bierschwale	31.204
35	1	B Bodine	31.250
36	89	J Sauter	31.290
37	62	S Christman	31.293
38	21	K Petty	31.328
39	25	T Richmond	31.489
40	64	R Combs	31.642
41	29	C Yarborough	31.719
42	70	J McDuffie	31.722
43	029	M Max	52.886

Weather: Cloudy, 71 °F, Northeast 15 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	30.142
2	023	Z Webster	30.390
3	029	M Max	30.453
4	061	D Hamilton	30.509
5	021	T Bear	30.566
6	3	D Earnhardt	30.703
7	33	H Gant	30.799
8	90	K Schrader	30.826
9	62	S Christman	30.850
10	17	D Waltrip	30.867
11	21	K Petty	30.871
12	22	B Allison	30.875
13	75	N Bonnett	30.876
14	11	T Labonte	30.885
15	44	S Marlin	30.889
16	88	B Baker	30.914
17	26	M Shepherd	30.916
18	55	P Parsons	30.956
19	27	R Wallace	30.962
20	8	B Hillin, Jr.	30.966
21	15	R Rudd	30.975
22	25	T Richmond	30.981
23	52	J Means	30.983
24	9	B Elliott	30.989
25	28	D Allison	30.993
26	18	D Jarrett	31.009
27	43	R Petty	31.011
28	77	E Bierschwale	31.023
29	7	A Kulwicki	31.026
30	70	J McDuffie	31.036
31	5	G Bodine	31.038
32	4	R Wilson	31.074
33	64	R Combs	31.079
34	50	G Sacks	31.104
35	30	M Waltrip	31.120
36	35	B Parsons	31.144
37	1	B Bodine	31.184
38	89	J Sauter	31.195
39	71	D Marcis	31.242
40	29	C Yarborough	31.264
41	83	L Speed	31.322
42	19	D Cope	31.355
43	67	B Arrington	31.425

Weather: Cloudy, 64 °F, Northeast 1 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	013	T Nadz	139.921	81	77*	185	Running
2	5	3	D Earnhardt	-7.45	81	4	175	Running
3	38	21	K Petty	-7.77	81	0	165	Running
4	2	023	Z Webster	-7.91	81	0	160	Running
5	20	17	D Waltrip	-8.09	81	0	155	Running
6	18	11	T Labonte	-8.24	81	0	150	Running
7	30	7	A Kulwicki	-9.38	81	0	146	Running
8	14	22	B Allison	-10.81	81	0	142	Running
9	17	71	D Marcis	-12.67	81	0	138	Running
10	16	26	M Shepherd	-12.98	81	0	134	Running
11	15	75	N Bonnett	-13.06	81	0	130	Running
12	12	5	G Bodine	-13.43	81	0	127	Running
13	42	70	J McDuffie	-14.79	81	0	124	Running
14	23	83	L Speed	-14.98	81	0	121	Running
15	26	52	J Means	-15.27	81	0	118	Running
16	21	30	M Waltrip	-17.52	81	0	115	Running
17	24	44	S Marlin	-1L	80	0	112	Running
18	39	25	T Richmond	-1L	80	0	109	Running
19	31	19	D Cope	-1L	80	0	106	Running
20	35	1	B Bodine	-2L	79	0	103	Running
21	13	33	H Gant	-2L	79	0	100	Running
22	4	061	D Hamilton	-4L	77	0	97	Running
23	19	4	R Wilson	-4L	77	0	94	Running
24	22	55	P Parsons	-5L	76	0	91	Running
25	7	43	R Petty	-5L	76	0	88	Running
26	36	89	J Sauter	-5L	76	0	85	Running
27	28	50	G Sacks	-6L	75	0	82	Running
28	33	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-6L	75	0	79	Running
29	25	18	D Jarrett	-16L	65	0	76	Retired
30	29	88	B Baker	-16L	65	0	73	Retired
31	8	90	K Schrader	-47L	34	0	70	Retired
32	3	021	T Bear	-51L	30	0	67	Accident
33	9	27	R Wallace	-57L	24	0	64	Retired
34	10	28	D Allison	-57L	24	0	61	Retired
35	11	9	B Elliott	-57L	24	0	58	Camshaft
36	6	35	B Parsons	-57L	24	0	55	Accident
37	27	15	R Rudd	-58L	23	0	52	Accident
38	41	29	C Yarborough	-58L	23	0	49	Retired
39	34	77	E Bierschwale	-58L	23	0	46	Piston
40	40	64	R Combs	-58L	23	0	43	Retired
41	32	67	B Arrington	-65L	16	0	40	Accident
42	43	029	M Max	-65L	16	0	37	Accident
43	37	62	S Christman	-66L	15	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 5 (16 laps)

Lead Changes: 2 (2 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 64 °F, South 3 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 97%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
20	021	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
25	061	Dropping Fluid	Pit for repairs
64	061	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds
67	023	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line