Twenty-one racers gathered at the Barn for our second WHO/digital Wednesday of the year. Simon's track was constructed in good time - and included a new and updated PitPro unit which gives us more flexibility with pit lane design. After a thirty-minute practice and digital driving school session, we were ready for a one-hour Nascar team race made up of three separate segments, with each team using a different one of the six club cars in each segment...
Our younger racers captained the teams - Aiden thrown in the deep end at his first digital race since July 2018... although he was our team race champion that season. In the first 20 minutes, Jerome, Dean and Jeremy were the class act, taking the white Valvoline Pontiac to first place and a big score of 80 laps with just the fuel simulation in operation. Aiden, Mike D and Matthew were two laps behind in second, driving the M&Ms Pontiac. Then came four teams covered by four laps - Oliver's team of four heading the bunch on 75, Ryan's quartet on 73, then Harry and Ash's teams both on 71. It was a great start and an excellent buzz in the room...
A tyre option was added to segment two - this complicates the pit stops significantly and usually catches out new and rusty racers. So it was to everyone's surprise that Oliver's team - including first time WHO racer Bobby - blitzed the 20-minutes with a massive 82 laps... Mike's digital driving school and Oliver's coaching had certainly done the job, Bobby playing his part in a well-oiled team effort. The closest anyone else got was the 77 laps that Ash, Pete and Simon managed with the M&Ms car. Ryan, Oli, Ed and Alan were next on 76 laps, the same as Harry, Alex, Terry and Mike McCann. Jerome's team clocked up 73 laps with the blue STP car - Aiden's team struggling with the green Interstate Batteries Pontiac, finishing 12 laps behind the segment winners.
Starting the final 20 minutes, Oliver's team had a four lap lead over Jerome's trio. Ryan's quartet was another four laps back, just ahead of Ash, Aiden and Harry's teams. The problem for Oliver was that they'd have to cope with the green car, which had scored the fewest laps so far. Jerome's team had the M&Ms Pontiac, which had scored the most... Plus there was a weather simulation to add into the mix - RCS64 randomly choosing two Damp and one Wet periods. However, when the rain would actually start, we'd have to wait and see.
Remarkably, Keith and Bobby kept the Interstate Batteries Pontiac in with the leaders, although Aiden, Mike D and Matthew were really enjoying the red car. Ryan's team were up there too, but Jerome, Dean and Jeremy weren't having the best of runs. The rain came with 7 minutes to go, part of the way into Oliver's stint. The green car was thirsty on fuel, so a stop for Wet tyres came round routinely. Oliver handed over the Interstate batteries car to Andy - and Mike had the red car to the end. Oliver's team didn't need to win the segment, but it was an exciting run to the line. Mike was quicker, but pit stop strategy and execution meant the Interstate car crossed the line first to win the segment by about two feet!
Congrats to the winners - a thumping win for Oliver, Andy, Keith and Bobby. That's two in two for Keith, after a four-year break from digital racing - plus a race win on debut for Bobby. Aiden and Jerome's teams finished level on laps - Aiden, Mike D and Matthew claimed second place by finishing ahead on the road for that final segment. Fourth was championship-leader Ryan, assisted by Oli, Ed and Alan. Pre-race favourites Ash, Pete and Simon were fifth and Harry's team were just a lap behind in sixth - second to sixth covered by seven laps...
An excellent team race to start the evening. Next up, Pioneer Legends...