Only two more to go after our round at Texas. Darrel and Scot are separated by a point and Sandy needs to average 50 points over Zack for the final races in order to take second among the Tnadz Racing drivers. A tall order but certainly not impossible. It will come down to the final race.

Darrel took the pole and started things off with a big lead ahead of Zack and myself.

After many laps of cruising and keeping a distance ahead of the competition, Zack moved to take the lead.

However, his tight approach on turn three meant he was going to get tight and scared Darrel up the track.

Fortunately, no humans were harmed during this pass. Although some new underwear was ordered.

A short time before this, Sandy was trying his best to keep the car clean and just ride out any of the initial caution periods. He came off turn two a little rough and bounced off the wall into Mike Potter.

The two swung down and sandwiched the inside catch fence just passed the safer barriers.

But both managed some great saves and continued on with no caution.

We were getting to the end of our first fuel run when Scot helped us all out, especially Sandy. Coming off of turn four, Cale Yarborough knocked Scot high into the wall.

Where he came back and hit the Hardee's car. The two had mostly a harmless spin, although Scot would fall way behind after this.

Nearly everyone pitted and Scot was working his way back to the back of the field.

On the restart, Zack and I had some back markers to deal with.

While Zack didn't have many options, I took to the grass to take the lead. But there was trouble up ahead.

Why, there's Scot spinning from exiting pit road. But why? Well, it turns out he thought he still had to pass the field ANOTHER time to get back to where he needed to be. When he did this, it put him a lap off from where he needed to be for pitting so he was coming out right when the green waved. In a rush to get off of pit road, he swung it around.

And was actually OK until Bobby Allison hip checked him.

Then, it was not so good.

At least he took several with him.

Darrel was looking to regain a spot lost during the lap of racing and tried to short cut the front stretch to get ahead of Ken Schrader.

But he lost the back end and came back after over correcting.

And that was the end without taking out anyone else. A shame since he had a great car and was positioned well. We'll see how his races start going with his new rig set up.

During the initial bedlam that Scot caused, Zack, barely made it out with his life but managed to correct and only lose a few spots.

Which put him back some when we were under the next set of race laps. Right behind Michael Waltrip and Bobby Allison who were having a spat after Bierschwale dove for the pits.

Zack tried to avoid by diving up the inside but there was a Geoff Bodine there.

With little more than flat spotted tires, he drove away and had a few more knocked off the list.

When he came back in, I can't say I was very happy with his park job. After botching his entrance, he backed up to the absolute farthest back corner of his stall, making it nearly impossible for me to get out.

When I finally got an exit vector, Mr. Schrader decide to hit me, the asshole.

And all of this gave Zack some time to get away ahead of us.

With one to go before green, Sterling Marlin smacked the hell out of me, causing the caution period to go on long and causing me more damage. He's a dead man.

But we got going again and both Zack and me started our climb back to the top.

It was fraught with peril.

And more for my spotter if he doesn't start calling out when there's a car still there.

Getting ready to go back green, Schrader was back causing problems, basically causing Zack to spin before we took the green.

No damage was done but many spots were lost.

I continued our work of moving cars out of the way.

With about half a dozen laps left, Zack tried to short pit and only get enough gas to make it.

The next time around, all the other cars came in.

Well, except me. I stayed out another lap, hoping to outrun them. But they stormed by me.

Settling in for a top ten finish, I was surprised when the white flag waved and most of the front runners were held up by lappers.

Suddenly I had a shot for a win. I drag raced Richard Petty down the back stretch and into three and four where he started getting a sudden push off the corner.

Now, from here, video evidence is spotty, but it looks like we both lost it off the corner. Probably hit an oil slick from his greasy mustache.

Hoping for enough turmoil on the track to hold up the other cars I spun towards the finish.

But Rusty Wallace from back in 6th came flying up through a hole and took the win. Davey Allison just barely beat me for second.

But at least I killed Cale Yarborough (one of them) and Neil Bonnett. Zack finished a lowly 13th and Sandy held on for 23rd after many disappointments early on.

On to Phoenix.

Results

Track: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	30.315
2	013	T Nadz	30.316
3	023	Z Webster	30.417
4	5	G Bodine	30.904
5	15	R Rudd	30.912
6	7	A Kulwicki	30.984
7	021	T Bear	31.000
8	21	K Petty	31.036
9	9	B Elliott	31.056
10	88	B Baker	31.062
11	3	D Earnhardt	31.069
12	55	P Parsons	31.078
13	11	T Labonte	31.094
14	26	M Shepherd	31.094
15	17	D Waltrip	31.099
16	71	D Marcis	31.108
17	43	R Petty	31.127
18	30	M Waltrip	31.132
19	75	N Bonnett	31.139
20	28	D Allison	31.159
21	27	R Wallace	31.163
22	67	B Arrington	31.174
23	4	R Wilson	31.175
24	33	H Gant	31.178
25	8	B Hillin, Jr.	31.190
26	62	S Christman	31.194
27	44	S Marlin	31.210
28	25	T Richmond	31.212
29	22	B Allison	31.220
30	90	K Schrader	31.223
31	52	J Means	31.228
32	18	D Jarrett	31.240
33	35	B Parsons	31.268
34	1	B Bodine	31.279
35	83	L Speed	31.302
36	77	E Bierschwale	31.309
37	19	D Cope	31.310
38	64	R Combs	31.312
39	81	M Potter	31.312
40	29	C Yarborough	31.325
41	6	D Ulrich	31.334
42	89	J Sauter	31.408
43	029	M Max	31.600

Weather: Clear, 82 °F, Northeast 2 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	061	D Hamilton	30.703
2	023	Z Webster	30.885
3	013	T Nadz	30.894
4	27	R Wallace	31.139
5	5	G Bodine	31.171
6	90	K Schrader	31.208
7	44	S Marlin	31.227
8	9	B Elliott	31.234
9	17	D Waltrip	31.250
10	75	N Bonnett	31.279
11	8	B Hillin, Jr.	31.289
12	22	B Allison	31.301
13	3	D Earnhardt	31.316
14	43	R Petty	31.323
15	55	P Parsons	31.324
16	28	D Allison	31.332
17	67	B Arrington	31.334
18	71	D Marcis	31.336
19	15	R Rudd	31.380
20	26	M Shepherd	31.390
21	7	A Kulwicki	31.391
22	30	M Waltrip	31.398
23	25	T Richmond	31.403
24	88	B Baker	31.449
25	18	D Jarrett	31.449
26	33	H Gant	31.456
27	35	B Parsons	31.494
28	1	B Bodine	31.550
29	4	R Wilson	31.556
30	89	J Sauter	31.562
31	83	L Speed	31.590
32	11	T Labonte	31.592
33	52	J Means	31.604
34	77	E Bierschwale	31.629
35	62	S Christman	31.639
36	64	R Combs	31.649
37	29	C Yarborough	31.728
38	6	D Ulrich	31.729
39	21	K Petty	31.764
40	19	D Cope	31.772
41	81	M Potter	32.098
42	029	M Max	35.913
43	021	T Bear	--

Weather: Clear, 82 °F, South 3 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	023	Z Webster	30.540
2	061	D Hamilton	30.604
3	013	T Nadz	30.625
4	75	N Bonnett	30.946
5	029	M Max	30.962
6	11	T Labonte	30.985
7	27	R Wallace	30.992
8	17	D Waltrip	31.019
9	90	K Schrader	31.094
10	62	S Christman	31.106
11	26	M Shepherd	31.116
12	33	H Gant	31.118
13	9	B Elliott	31.121
14	021	T Bear	31.151
15	21	K Petty	31.209
16	7	A Kulwicki	31.236
17	44	S Marlin	31.255
18	30	M Waltrip	31.264
19	1	B Bodine	31.264
20	77	E Bierschwale	31.265
21	88	B Baker	31.278
22	8	B Hillin, Jr.	31.288
23	3	D Earnhardt	31.291
24	4	R Wilson	31.292
25	28	D Allison	31.293
26	83	L Speed	31.295
27	35	B Parsons	31.296
28	71	D Marcis	31.300
29	18	D Jarrett	31.309
30	43	R Petty	31.321
31	22	B Allison	31.342
32	67	B Arrington	31.350
33	19	D Cope	31.364
34	64	R Combs	31.389
35	29	C Yarborough	31.399
36	89	J Sauter	31.413
37	25	T Richmond	31.433
38	52	J Means	31.454
39	5	G Bodine	31.502
40	55	P Parsons	31.504
41	81	M Potter	31.643
42	15	R Rudd	31.646
43	6	D Ulrich	31.814

Weather: Clear, 80 °F, West 8 mph

Session: Race

OFFICIAL STANDINGS

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	4	27	R Wallace	137.221	67	1	180	Running
2	16	28	D Allison	-0.13	67	0	170	Running
3	3	013	T Nadz	-0.17	67	10	170	Running
4	28	1	B Bodine	-0.94	67	0	160	Running
5	24	88	B Baker	-1.02	67	21*	165	Running
6	14	43	R Petty	-1.03	67	2	155	Running
7	10	75	N Bonnett	-1.25	67	9	151	Running
8	38	6	D Ulrich	-6.45	67	0	142	Running
9	21	7	A Kulwicki	-9.04	67	0	138	Running
10	5	5	G Bodine	-1L	66	0	134	Running
11	6	90	K Schrader	-1L	66	0	130	Running
12	22	30	M Waltrip	-1L	66	6	132	Running
13	2	023	Z Webster	-1L	66	10	129	Running
14	12	22	B Allison	-1L	66	0	121	Running
15	17	67	B Arrington	-1L	66	0	118	Running
16	30	89	J Sauter	-2L	65	0	115	Running
17	31	83	L Speed	-2L	65	0	112	Running
18	34	77	E Bierschwale	-2L	65	0	109	Running
19	15	55	P Parsons	-2L	65	0	106	Running
20	7	44	S Marlin	-2L	65	0	103	Running
21	36	64	R Combs	-2L	65	0	100	Running
22	29	4	R Wilson	-3L	64	0	97	Running
23	43	021	T Bear	-4L	63	0	94	Running
24	39	21	K Petty	-4L	63	0	91	Running
25	37	29	C Yarborough	-5L	62	0	88	Running
26	11	8	B Hillin, Jr.	-9L	58	0	85	Retired
27	33	52	J Means	-40L	27	0	82	Retired
28	41	81	M Potter	-41L	26	0	79	Retired
29	9	17	D Waltrip	-41L	26	0	76	Retired
30	8	9	B Elliott	-45L	22	0	73	Accident
31	1	061	D Hamilton	-46L	21	8	75	Accident
32	26	33	H Gant	-46L	21	0	67	Retired
33	23	25	T Richmond	-46L	21	0	64	Retired
34	18	71	D Marcis	-46L	21	0	61	Header
35	13	3	D Earnhardt	-46L	21	0	58	Retired
36	32	11	T Labonte	-47L	20	0	55	Accident
37	20	26	M Shepherd	-47L	20	0	52	Header
38	27	35	B Parsons	-47L	20	0	49	Accident
39	35	62	S Christman	-47L	20	0	46	Accident
40	19	15	R Rudd	-47L	20	0	43	Piston
41	25	18	D Jarrett	-47L	20	0	40	Accident
42	40	19	D Cope	-48L	19	0	37	Accident
43	42	029	M Max	-50L	17	0	34	Accident

Caution Flags: 5 (16 laps)

Lead Changes: 12 (8 drivers)

Weather: Clear, 79 °F, West 9 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 97%

PENALTIES

LAP	#	INFRACTION	PENALTY
19	029	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds
20	021	Passing under yellow	Held for 1 seconds
20	029	Speeding in pits	Drive through pit lane

Sunday, December 4, 2016

'87 Winston Cup 2016 Series - 34 Texas