If anyone was wondering whether to come out or not after the rain of the last few days, the track was absolutely perfect for racing last night and there didn't appear to be a single incident during the races caused by track conditions.
The closest the weather came to playing a role in the outcome of races was a couple of occasions where cars went for little excursions across the infield and struggled to get back out. One antique car in particular saw a hefty repair bill flash in front of his eyes as he span out on the front straight and was sliding through the mud straight at the dumpsters in the center of the infield, but he managed to pull it wide and plow through a big puddle before rejoining the track. A perfect mix of oval track racing, rallying and mud-bogging all in the space of one lap!
Some good races for the people who braved the weather last night too. The antique cars really didn't hold back and provided some excitement - one race in particular coming down to a sprint for the finish on the last lap. The Superstocks and Strictlys were good because so many of the NSS drivers came down to race and bring cars that aren't always seen at Orlando. Scott Smith won the Superstock race ahead of Bobby Holley, but it could have been a great race at the front had David Gould's #16D not seen its engine give up in a big way (absolutely spewing smoke out of its exhaust) with him at the front and Smith and Holley at the back after bringing out a caution with 10 laps to go. The Strictly race was an interesting one as there were 4 or 5 cars in contention for most of the race, including those matching SADE cars that have been running at NSS recently. Chuck Hill in the #95 won that race, but only after 30 laps with 5 or 6 cars leading at some point in the race.
This was my first time seeing the Champ Karts race and with a field of 30 or so I have to admit I was really impressed by their racing. The Orlando track seemed a good size for them and they really put on a show in both their heats and the main feature. A really exciting end to their feature race too, some spectacular crashes along the way, and the sight of them all drafting at speed in a line of 10 or more cars. I hope there's some way to get them on the schedule once or twice next year as they made for an interesting addition to the racing last night.
Anyway, a good night last night and if you're in two minds about whether to head out this afternoon (gates open at midday, first race at 2pm) then don't worry about the track conditions. It's nice and bright out on this side of Orlando now too. See you there!
The closest the weather came to playing a role in the outcome of races was a couple of occasions where cars went for little excursions across the infield and struggled to get back out. One antique car in particular saw a hefty repair bill flash in front of his eyes as he span out on the front straight and was sliding through the mud straight at the dumpsters in the center of the infield, but he managed to pull it wide and plow through a big puddle before rejoining the track. A perfect mix of oval track racing, rallying and mud-bogging all in the space of one lap!
Some good races for the people who braved the weather last night too. The antique cars really didn't hold back and provided some excitement - one race in particular coming down to a sprint for the finish on the last lap. The Superstocks and Strictlys were good because so many of the NSS drivers came down to race and bring cars that aren't always seen at Orlando. Scott Smith won the Superstock race ahead of Bobby Holley, but it could have been a great race at the front had David Gould's #16D not seen its engine give up in a big way (absolutely spewing smoke out of its exhaust) with him at the front and Smith and Holley at the back after bringing out a caution with 10 laps to go. The Strictly race was an interesting one as there were 4 or 5 cars in contention for most of the race, including those matching SADE cars that have been running at NSS recently. Chuck Hill in the #95 won that race, but only after 30 laps with 5 or 6 cars leading at some point in the race.
This was my first time seeing the Champ Karts race and with a field of 30 or so I have to admit I was really impressed by their racing. The Orlando track seemed a good size for them and they really put on a show in both their heats and the main feature. A really exciting end to their feature race too, some spectacular crashes along the way, and the sight of them all drafting at speed in a line of 10 or more cars. I hope there's some way to get them on the schedule once or twice next year as they made for an interesting addition to the racing last night.
Anyway, a good night last night and if you're in two minds about whether to head out this afternoon (gates open at midday, first race at 2pm) then don't worry about the track conditions. It's nice and bright out on this side of Orlando now too. See you there!
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