9/7/12 R.I.R. Challenge Cars @ Speed Park Speedway

How difficult an oval track can be? Actually, "difficult oval track" itself sounds like an oxymoron. But it's not when we're talking about Speed Park. Pick the wrong settings for your car - and you can stop even dreaming about the 1st position.

Though, even then you can't be totally sure your competition will be smooth - no one can guarantee that others picked the right settings and don't crash you right into the wall on the next turn...

The qualifying session ran pretty seamless, what actually is the way it has to be - all the action was left for the race. And what action! What I really like about non-pros is the rage they compete with against each other. Where do they get it from?

In the beginning of the race, we had an intensive battle for the lead, and Garth Moonites was the first who managed to keep it; behind him was Clifford Market, who made his way through the wild traffic he had ahead of him from the start; and 3rd position was occupied by BanningBairde.

Due to the high amount of accidents, the pack has spread out by the 10th lap; several racers have been already lapped.
First 2 positions, Moonites and BanningBairde (Market, being slowed down by the traffic, dropped onto the 3rd position and remained there) were having a lot of traffic with them that, moreover, was multiplying with each lap. On the 19th lap Market and BanningBairde traded positions again, but the gap between them was uncertain. BanningBairde got the 2nd position back in 5 laps, but then was crashed by the traffic, so Market overpassed him again. And so on - there was a permanent battle for the 2nd position, which, however, depended mostly not on the racers' driving skills, but on how lucky with the traffic they were.

Could be heard: "Oh damn... I forgot
 to paint a section"

By the end of the race, after all the changes, BanningBairde got a stable lead over Market - again, not without a little help of the traffic that separated them. Thus, the Top 3 was formed about 10 laps before the end of the race.

I've seen a lot of races at oval tracks, but those that hang this much on the traffic are very rare. Was that the shape of the oval, or was that the racers' spirit of competition - but most probably both are responsible. Well, when the competition is easy - it's not competition, is it?
See you at the grid, racers and readers!

The grid:
Pole Position. Aangel Cortes  13.666
P 2. Garth Moonites,  13.697, -0.030
P 3. BanningBairde,  13.866, -0.200
P 4. Kev Kiranov,  14.111, -0.445
P 5. shishi90,  14.111, -0.445
P 6. ⓢ ⓦ ⓔ ⓔ ⓣ (SweetTooth Firehawk),  14.200, -0.533
P 7. Clifford Market,  14.507, -0.841
P 8. MidnightRambler Frostbite,  14.688, -1.021
P 9. 丂øυbι Cøяιtђ (Soubi Corith),  14.732, -1.066


Final Results:
1st. Garth Moonites, 50 laps. Total Time : 720.732
2nd. BanningBairde, -4.642 seconds.
3rd. Clifford Market, -11.069 seconds.
4th. MidnightRambler Frostbite, -1 laps.
5th. 丂øυbι Cøяιtђ (Soubi Corith), -2 laps.
6th. ⓢ ⓦ ⓔ ⓔ ⓣ (SweetTooth Firehawk), -2 laps.
7th. Aangel Cortes, -2 laps.
8th. Kev Kiranov, -4 laps.
9th. shishi90, -5 laps.

Fastest race lap: Garth Moonites, 13.356