| Race: Points Race #10 Date: 8-22-2004 Location: Richmond, Va. Track: 360 West Shopping Center Temperature: 94°F Very Humid |
Finally, points race #10 had a different forcast from the previous 4 races. The weatherman was calling for sun & fun for a change. With the change in weather club members decided to have a change in layout. Mark Poore drew up a layout that would eliminate the tire eating sweeper turns of previous layouts and make drivers spend a little more time up on the wheel. Some liked it ... and some wanted to know what hit Mark in the head. (See diagram below)
![]() This track featured multiple turns of different radiuses and angles making drivers adjust their setups for a more neutral feel. Track setup went fairly quickly due to the efforts of many drivers pitching in which did not go unnoticed. Many thanks to those who helped. After track setup registration and practice opened and most everyone took full advantage. When qualifying began it resembled a re-run of some movie I've seen earlier this season. John Laster appeared to be back on track securing the TQ spots for 1/8th Scale & Electric Touring. He just missed the Nitro touring Pro TQ as MIke Bowman edged him out for that honor. Club President, David Basl earned his second TQ of the year in Nitro Touring Sport as did Spencer Atkinson in the Nitro Truck Division as Mac Scott in Monster Truck. With things running ahead of schedule a decision was made to extend main events to 20 minutes. This was well received and drivers made preparations accordingly. 1/8th Scale took to the track first. When the tone sounded a number of competitors were missing from the start and those that did start found a huge pileup going of into one of the first turns. After a 40 seconds or so all cars were called back for a restart. On the restart al drivers were present but the car of Sean Tabor who would join the field some 30 seconds behind. John Laster never trailed in this event taking this race from start to finish. The race within the race was between drivers Mike Bowman, Mark Poore, Sean Tabor and Chuck Lienbach. These four drivers swapped around positions several times before learning that a computer glitch had shortened the event to ten minutes. It would have been interesting to see how this would have played out had the event not been shortened. When time was up the finishing order was John, Mark, Mike, Sean, Chuck, Terrance Brown, Ken Harris, Louis Pollard, & Stan Medlin. Next up were the Electric Touring drivers. Once again pole sitter John Laster paced the field from the starting tone. Louis Pollard showed some strength early but couldn't keep the back of Johns car in site for the full 4 minutes falling out of the race with 40 seconds remaining, however he did finish second 3 laps behind. Mac Scott, Angie Ingram, Joe Harler, Kevin Randolph, Wayne Goodwin, and Tommy Ingram finished out the field. Nitro Truck featured a upset in the making as pole sitter, Spencer Atkinson found a third place qualifier Earl Ingram hot on his six. After ten minutes of posturing and positioning found the TQ finishing second behind Earl. Third place fell to Tommy Ingram who had to exit early due to mechanical problems. Jamie Donati did not start thus closing out the field in fourth. Nitro Touring Sport Class had at the asphalt next with TQ, David Basl and Jamie Donati battling for supremacy all race long. After many position changes early on Jamie settled down into a groove and started to put distance between the two competitors. Further back in the field Paul Knab and Ashley Stringer mixed it up early and often before Paul found a faster line and put distance between himself and Ashley. At the waving of the checkered flag the finishing order was Jamie, David, Paul, Ashley, Craig Jones, Joe Harler, and Chris Booberg. Drivers not starting the event were Ken Harris & Victor Garza finishing just as they qualified. Nitro Touring Pro saw John Laster put on a driving clinic. TQ, Mike Bowman gave chase but was unable to close in on him. As the clock ticked away so did the back of John's racer. Over the period of twenty minutes John would gain a separation of some 19 seconds while completing 72 laps. Bowman would finish second. A hard driving Jamie Donati was rewarded with third while Stan Medlin wound up fourth. Kevin Randolph who was running well and in the mix early on finished fifth after mechanical problems sidelined him some 13 minutes into the event. An early departure for Terrance Brown relegated him to sixth and thus rounded out the field. The Nitro Monster Truck class had it's largest field of the year. For a field this large it is unusual for there to be no surprises during the course of the race. The qualifying order remained unchanged thru the whole event and all drivers finished where they started. Strange! Finishing order was TQ Mac Scott, Hugh Diager, Jamie Donati, Larenzo Allen, Todd Hook, and Wayne Goodwin.
Don't forget the next points race (#11) scheduled for September 5 has been postponed. This race may or may not be rescheduled and will be announced at a later date. The next race will be points race #12 on September 19th. Hope to see you there! ---Mark Poore |