'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 33 Martinsville

From big to small, we've nearly finished them all.  The weather's cooling down but the points race is starting to heat up as we only have a few more races left.

On the start, Darrel, Zack and I were slogging it out towards the front.

 

Only a couple laps in, Darrel had finally broken into 3rd but was too hot coming into turn 1.

He slid out and was mostly unharmed but all those places lost.

We got going again and Scot had made some progress when he overcooked the exit of 4 and spun.

Racing past the line, Darrel and Sandy played "Who can smoke their tires the fastest" while closing up to the field.

Another restart and almost immediately, Sandy was in trouble as Rusty Wallace punted him while aggressively diving for turn one.

Scot would continue to struggle with his setup and the track, bringing out our 4th caution about a quarter of the way through.

Some began making stops to top off, fix damage and get away from trouble.

This caused some general problems for me and Zack up front as we not only had lots of lap traffic but end-of-lead-lap traffic as well.

While under this run, Darrel was making a move around Yarborough when Ricky Rudd and Bobby Allison dove for pit road in front of him.

Darrel mostly had a harmless spin but got stuck on the wall.

Once he threw it in reverse, the field was already on him and Dale Jarrett opened him up like a can of beans.

And Darrel's broken ride continued to get battered as he rolled down the track.  Dead and last.

The next run was ended when Scot took a high line into the corner and spun.

The caution was out and he raced back to the line but Zack and I were on top of him.

Zack clamped the brakes at the last moment to keep the 029 on the lead lap and I dove out of the way, slamming brakes and trying to keep from passing Zack and letting others by me.  That was fun.

At this point, the AI were not liking our little games at the front and started rapping on my bumper.

On the other side of the track, Sandy swung it wide and bounced the wall.

It looked like so much fun, others joined him.

Gant was annoyed and tossed Mad Max into Bear.

Sandy landed on Harry Gant's hood (which should have instantly killed him as it ALWAYS does humans but it didn't) and everyone general flopped about trying to get going again.

As I said previously, the AI were amping things up and while watching the inside line past the start/finish, I didn't see Zack checking up and we came together.

I boogered up his back end pretty good but was generally OK.  What this did was cause us to miss going to pit road on this caution and get our mandatory fuel stop in.

Mostly because there were a bunch of idiots in the way.

While Zack was hustling to get back his 1st place spot under caution, Benny Parsons just swerved out in front of him and slammed on his brakes.

The results were not so good.

The damage was mostly cosmetic but this would cause him (and, here, Scot) to be somewhat concerned about his ride.

Sure enough, when we restarted, Webster nursed it to check racing trim and I evaded.

This put me back with Christman who was proving to be a growing nuisance.

Scot would not only bring out the next caution...

But nearly collect the leaders as we came around.

Not to let a little thing like a flagging setup dash his hopes, he dropped gears and pounded into the side of Bill Elliott, forcing him up the track and into traffic.  That's the Outlaw we know.

The next restart and things were still about the same.  I could get along side Zack but, without killing each other, I couldn't get a decent pass made there.

And these lappers were starting to get involved with our exciting racing.

Back in the pack, JD McDuffy was having a disagreement with Bobby Allison.

He ended up pincered between Earnhardt and Allison and went straight into the wall to bring out another yellow.

At this point, Zack and I came in.

And this is where things got ugly.  Not only did we have to sit and wait for the field to go by, but Zack got a penalty for exiting pit road too early as seen here.  He thought the next line up was the exit.

OK, time to refocus.

Scot was at it again, although this time it was Cope who just took him out pretty much on purpose.

The next caution was the cause of tunneling as Zack closed in on Christman.

And was then in Christman.

Fortunately all humans nearby also only escaped with scrapes.

Since he was still at the back of the field, Zack came in but befell even more misfortune.  He overshot his stall which gave him another unsafe exit penalty.

Then his crew repaired the damage, putting him down the lap, and he crossed the line early AGAIN!  Hey, you dropped something there...

Down a lap and at the back, things were starting to look a little better for Sandy who's race had been comparatively mundane and mediocre.  But he wasn't worried about fighting for position as Zack zoomed by to make up spots.

The next caution was on me as I was getting a little too aggressive trying to make up spots.  But look at this field!  It's almost impossible not to cause a wreck here.

I'm just glad my fellow humans missed this pile up with Sandy getting really good at braking for crashes.

Finally on the inside, Zack could start trying to make up spots, maybe get the lucky dog, and get a decent finish.

As long as I didn't ruin his run again by taking out another AI.

Kyle Petty got a little too sideways and collected Earnhardt.

Seems disappointing that others didn't get involved with only a handful of laps left.

I unfortunately caused the next one as Derrick Cope was giving me grief.

Zack was not messing around anymore and took opponents to the wall who stood in his way.

With but three to go, Bierschwale hooked Lake Speed around, bringing out what would be the final caution to end the race.

Zack dug in and sent cars and debris scattering to try and make up spots.

A low 30's is all he could eek out as he drove more and more competitors out of his way.

I wrapped up just outside the top ten.

Then there was Scot and Sandy who got just outside the top 20.  But if you watch here, we took the green on the last restart and Dale Jarrett was behind them.

By the time they reached the line to take the flag, Jarrett and Neil Bonnett both passed on the inside.  While Neil served his penalty, Jarrett did not.

Scot had a post-race conversation with Dale and I knocked a lap off his score.

We make our way down south to the high banks of Texas which we'll race right after Thanksgiving.

Results

Track: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	20.632
2	023	Z Webster	20.852
3	021	T Bear	20.870
4	061	D Hamilton	20.931
5	3	D Earnhardt	21.246
6	18	D Jarrett	21.251
7	11	T Labonte	21.258
8	75	N Bonnett	21.279
9	21	K Petty	21.282
10	7	A Kulwicki	21.327
11	22	B Allison	21.363
12	27	R Wallace	21.367
13	4	R Wilson	21.387
14	33	H Gant	21.392
15	43	R Petty	21.393
16	35	B Parsons	21.399
17	30	M Waltrip	21.406
18	8	B Hillin, Jr.	21.407
19	15	R Rudd	21.425
20	26	M Shepherd	21.433
21	62	S Christman	21.434
22	90	K Schrader	21.435
23	17	D Waltrip	21.444
24	71	D Marcis	21.446
25	64	R Combs	21.460
26	5	G Bodine	21.467
27	44	S Marlin	21.470
28	67	B Arrington	21.474
29	55	P Parsons	21.475
30	77	E Bierschwale	21.490
31	9	B Elliott	21.497
32	28	D Allison	21.508
33	52	J Means	21.511
34	029	M Max	21.554
35	50	G Sacks	21.558
36	88	B Baker	21.583
37	70	J McDuffie	21.611
38	81	M Potter	21.649
39	19	D Cope	21.698
40	29	C Yarborough	21.780
41	25	T Richmond	21.853
42	83	L Speed	21.898
43	1	B Bodine	21.940

Weather: Clear, 66 °F, Northwest 11 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	023	Z Webster	20.925
2	15	R Rudd	21.031
3	9	B Elliott	21.044
4	013	T Nadz	21.087
5	44	S Marlin	21.143
6	22	B Allison	21.152
7	70	J McDuffie	21.164
8	061	D Hamilton	21.176
9	55	P Parsons	21.193
10	27	R Wallace	21.208
11	21	K Petty	21.229
12	52	J Means	21.231
13	26	M Shepherd	21.238
14	3	D Earnhardt	21.240
15	75	N Bonnett	21.259
16	8	B Hillin, Jr.	21.267
17	30	M Waltrip	21.270
18	021	T Bear	21.287
19	43	R Petty	21.289
20	28	D Allison	21.301
21	90	K Schrader	21.303
22	7	A Kulwicki	21.305
23	71	D Marcis	21.311
24	33	H Gant	21.343
25	11	T Labonte	21.408
26	18	D Jarrett	21.413
27	88	B Baker	21.451
28	50	G Sacks	21.455
29	25	T Richmond	21.513
30	77	E Bierschwale	21.521
31	19	D Cope	21.528
32	35	B Parsons	21.547
33	17	D Waltrip	21.552
34	67	B Arrington	21.556
35	029	M Max	21.645
36	62	S Christman	21.651
37	1	B Bodine	21.655
38	5	G Bodine	21.680
39	4	R Wilson	21.770
40	81	M Potter	21.777
41	83	L Speed	21.837
42	29	C Yarborough	21.838
43	64	R Combs	22.088

Weather: Clear, 66 °F, Northwest 12 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	023	Z Webster	21.003
2	013	T Nadz	21.064
3	021	T Bear	21.162
4	029	M Max	21.230
5	061	D Hamilton	21.248
6	90	K Schrader	21.390
7	3	D Earnhardt	21.401
8	8	B Hillin, Jr.	21.432
9	27	R Wallace	21.488
10	18	D Jarrett	21.533
11	9	B Elliott	21.537
12	7	A Kulwicki	21.551
13	4	R Wilson	21.553
14	33	H Gant	21.556
15	21	K Petty	21.567
16	43	R Petty	21.570
17	52	J Means	21.571
18	35	B Parsons	21.575
19	75	N Bonnett	21.580
20	5	G Bodine	21.598
21	55	P Parsons	21.604
22	44	S Marlin	21.616
23	11	T Labonte	21.623
24	71	D Marcis	21.623
25	62	S Christman	21.627
26	30	M Waltrip	21.629
27	17	D Waltrip	21.662
28	50	G Sacks	21.689
29	70	J McDuffie	21.709
30	22	B Allison	21.711
31	64	R Combs	21.718
32	88	B Baker	21.751
33	26	M Shepherd	21.756
34	28	D Allison	21.771
35	15	R Rudd	21.774
36	77	E Bierschwale	21.779
37	25	T Richmond	21.805
38	67	B Arrington	21.831
39	81	M Potter	21.953
40	19	D Cope	22.032
41	29	C Yarborough	22.039
42	83	L Speed	22.111
43	1	B Bodine	22.124

Weather: Clear, 72 °F, Southwest 20 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	12	52	J Means	50.886	100	43	180	Running
2	28	50	G Sacks	-0.99	100	0	170	Running
3	19	43	R Petty	-1.50	100	0	165	Running
4	22	7	A Kulwicki	-7.72	100	0	160	Running
5	9	55	P Parsons	-1L	99	0	155	Running
6	30	77	E Bierschwale	-1L	99	0	150	Running
7	37	1	B Bodine	-1L	99	0	146	Running
8	42	29	C Yarborough	-1L	99	0	142	Running
9	31	19	D Cope	-1L	99	0	138	Running
10	43	64	R Combs	-1L	99	0	134	Running
11	4	013	T Nadz	-1L	99	2	135	Running
12	23	71	D Marcis	-1L	99	0	127	Running
13	39	4	R Wilson	-1L	99	0	124	Running
14	14	3	D Earnhardt	-1L	99	0	121	Running
15	16	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-1L	99	0	118	Running
16	34	67	B Arrington	-1L	99	0	115	Running
17	21	90	K Schrader	-1L	99	0	112	Running
18	27	88	B Baker	-1L	99	0	109	Running
19	13	26	M Shepherd	-1L	99	0	106	Running
20	6	22	B Allison	-1L	99	0	103	Running
21	18	021	T Bear	-1L	99	0	100	Running
22	35	029	M Max	-1L	99	0	97	Running
23	3	9	B Elliott	-1L	99	0	94	Running
24	36	62	S Christman	-1L	99	0	91	Running
25	33	17	D Waltrip	-1L	99	0	88	Running
26	15	75	N Bonnett	-1L	99	0	85	Running
27	38	5	G Bodine	-1L	99	0	82	Running
28	26	18	D Jarrett	-1L	99	0	79	Running
29	7	70	J McDuffie	-2L	98	0	76	Running
30	20	28	D Allison	-2L	98	0	73	Running
31	32	35	B Parsons	-2L	98	0	70	Running
32	29	25	T Richmond	-2L	98	0	67	Running
33	1	023	Z Webster	-2L	98	55*	74	Running
34	25	11	T Labonte	-2L	98	0	61	Running
35	41	83	L Speed	-2L	98	0	58	Running
36	10	27	R Wallace	-2L	98	0	55	Running
37	24	33	H Gant	-3L	97	0	52	Running
38	40	81	M Potter	-3L	97	0	49	Running
39	2	15	R Rudd	-3L	97	0	46	Running
40	11	21	K Petty	-13L	87	0	43	Retired
41	5	44	S Marlin	-71L	29	0	40	Retired
42	17	30	M Waltrip	-71L	29	0	37	Retired
43	8	061	D Hamilton	-74L	26	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 15 (71 laps)

Lead Changes: 3 (3 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 70 °F, Southwest 22 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 91%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
5	061	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
24	021	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
45	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
53	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
54	021	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane
58	023	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line
62	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
62	029	Unsafe pit entrance	Go to end of longest line
62	029	Unsafe pit exit	Go to end of longest line
64	029	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds
65	029	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
74	023	Speeding in pits	Go to end of longest line
74	023	Failure to pit	Go to end of longest line