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Our final Nascar & Legends night was also the last of a rapid-fire string of events at the Barn over the summer - we'll have to wait a whole two weeks until the next one. Twenty-six people came along and we welcomed back Andy Whorton, who've we've know since before WHO ever existed. It was Andy's first taste of digital club racing.

   

Simon's track design was built for the second time in a week and gave us an excellent racing circuit with a nice flow, perfect pits and lots of overtaking opportunities...

   

Nascar Team Race Report

Our 26 racers were divided into four teams of four and two of five. Making life difficult for Oliver on race control, it was decided to split the twenty-minute segments into 5 minute stints for the teams of four and 4 minute stints for the two fives. There would be plenty of bell ringing going on...

   

The first 20-minute segment saw just the fuel simulation in use. Each of the six teams had a rookie driver onboard and it was Alex's team with absolute beginner Andy who crossed the line first, a lap ahead of Ryan's Team 1 and Jerome's Team 5. Everyone else was at least 7 laps adrift. Cars were swapped - first place with last place, second with fifth and third with fourth - and we were ready to go again...

   

This time, there was the tyre simulation to deal with, plus fuel and the constant ringing of the driver-change bell. It was a bit too much for Jerome's team who left their rookie driver Kevin on for nearly two stints, dropping laps to their rivals. It was Ollie's Team 3 who won the segment - their 86 laps would be the best run of the night. Oliver's Team 2 was second and Ryan's Team 1 third, but leading overall by 5 laps ahead of Alex's Team 6 and then three teams just a lap or two back...

   

There were no additional simulations added to the third and final segment. It was a really close race, Jerome's Team 5 bouncing back to take the win, just ahead of Team 1 - which meant Ryan, Rob, Steve and James T were our overall winners by six laps. Team 6 finished third in the segment but equal on laps with Team 5 overall... the tie-breaker is finishing positions in the final segment, giving runner-up spot to Jerome, Andy, John and Kevin...

   

Congratulations to our winners and to all six teams for another excellent Nascar team race!

         

         

         

Adding up the laps for all four races over the year, the final Nascar drivers' championship table looks like this...

   

Huge congratulations to Rob for retaining his title!

Here's a little video from the race...



And as that final segment was happening, we were preparing a full 12-car Pioneer Legends grid...

   

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Pioneer Legends Pairs Race Report

A full grid of twelve cars sadly meant that two racers would sit out this month. Simply there is just not the time in an evening to stretch the entry list any further. Four eight-minute races pretty much fills that final hour. It was - as always - a colourful line-up of Legends cars...

   

The first qualifying heat was fast. Mike D teamed up with Andy W and came home just ahead of Dean and Andy P - both on 38 laps, but with the winners having a quicker best lap. Two laps behind were Pete & Jerome, with Simon & Duncan another lap back on 35. We wouldn't have any step-ups, so it would be very tight for the six Feature race places...

   

Running in the second heat, Oliver & Terry and John & Alex set the pace. Both equalled the 38 mark from Heat One, John & Alex crossing the line first, but most importantly setting the second fastest best lap overall. That left two places in the Feature race and it was Matthew & Ryan who squeaked in with their 36 lap qualifying score - a lap less than Pete & Jerome, but dumping Simon & Duncan into the B Final.

   

It was great to see Steve's #13 Smokey Yunick tribute car line-up for the B Final - after all, it was the poster model for this round. Steve & James B sat on the back row with James T and Kevin. Simon & Duncan were on pole, alongside Mike & Daniel. Rob & Ollie and Stephen & Isaac were somewhere in the middle. This was an excitingly chaotic race - as our Legends Semis often are. Simon & Duncan got over their disappointment for missing the Feature race by banging in a solid performance. James & Kevin had early issues and retired, leaving a chasing pack of four cars battling over second place.

Steve & James put themselves in contention with a frugal fuel and tyre strategy, stopping just once at halfway. In the end, Stephen & Isaac pulled away from the pack, finishing three laps behind the winners. Much to their delight, Steve & James pipped Rob & Ollie and Mike & Daniel to third place. Simon & Duncan were rather pleased by their win...

   

The Feature race saw Mike & Andy and John & Alex on the front row...

   

Dean & Andy and Oliver & Terry were a bit further back, with Pete & Jerome and Matthew & Ryan bringing up the rear...

   

Some connection issues led to an immediate restart. The race was incredibly close in the early stages - Mike, John, Andy and Terry leading the way, followed closely by Pete and Ryan. At the halfway driver change, the top five were neck-and-neck, Ryan handing over to Matthew a lap adrift. Terry had lasted to the driver change without needing to refuel and Oliver fought Andy W for the lead. Dean took just fuel at his second stop, a move that put him out front after the final pit stops rolled through. It looked like he had judged it perfectly, until a last lap crash let both Oliver and Andy W through and dumped the #77 car down to third. Oliver just slipped through to gain an extra lap - but it was incredibly close on the track... the top four covered by less than a lap...

   

Congrats to Oliver & Terry on their third win of the year!

   

And congratulations on a resounding joint Legends drivers' championship title...

   

A very big thank you to everyone who came along for another exciting night at the Barn. Special thanks goes to the set-up and race control crews and to everyone who stayed behind to pack away. We are now nicely poised for an autumn of Digital Saturdays, kicking off with the WHO Goodwood Revival in September...

   

The details of formats, car regulations etc can be found in our 2025 WHO Digital Guide here: https://slotracer.online/community/showt...p?tid=4548

Entry to these events requires experience of Scalextric digital racing and RCS64 - for newcomers, that means at least one successful Nascar & Legends event.