Race #4: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (1Nov17)

[Hootius]

 

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Race Length: 40 Laps (Stage 1: 10 Laps/ Stage 2: 30 Laps)
Race Name in Game: Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400

 

[Hootius]

**Pre-Race Interview**
1. Back to a large track this week with Indianapolis. How do you enjoy this track on the Heat games?

2. First round of the playoffs is over. Biggest surprise/take away from the first 3 races? (Can be anything throughout the league)

3. What are you looking to improve on moving forward this season?

 

[Meattyloaf]

1. As long as I don't end up in the upside down for 60 laps again I'll be alright. I felt fast last season at this track before that and felt I had a chance at a decent finish.

2. My finish at Richmond. I know it was a fuel mileage race but to go to one of my worse tracks and finish as good as I did was pretty great. Also not dcing was nice after Daytona.

3. Flat tracks. I hate them and never feel confident at them, but I'm hoping to change that and I still need to work on corner entry and exit, which has always been an issue of mine.

 

[Hootius]

1. Back to a large track this week with Indianapolis. How do you enjoy this track on the Heat games?
I was upset I missed Indy last season not only from the Championship perspective, but from the race perspective as well. I enjoy Indy and feel like I should definitely have Top 5 speed.

2. First round of the playoffs is over. Biggest surprise/take away from the first 3 races? (Can be anything throughout the league)
I know he missed a race, but Zeke missing the first playoff cut would have been a big suprise if he didn't bounce back. Xsyse's win was a great moment in Round 1.

3. What are you looking to improve on moving forward this season?
Outside of the end of Daytona that cost me a Top 3, I've felt good about my quali and race pace. I want to improve on my Stage 1 finishes so bonus points don't cost me another shot at a championship.

 

[XSYSE]

1. Back to a large track this week with Indianapolis. How do you enjoy this track on the Heat games?

I really like the track, everyone seems fast here just going to come down to draft and consistent entries.

2. First round of the playoffs is over. Biggest surprise/take away from the first 3 races? (Can be anything throughout the league)

Too many to list, no cautions last race, Kyle's Hat Trick,
Getting a win.

3. What are you looking to improve on moving forward this season?

Green flag stops, not sure if it's pit entry or exit or the Over -The-Wall Gang. Lost about 8 total seconds last race at least 1 maybe 2 positions

 

[Sean420cali]

1. Back to a large track this week with Indianapolis. How do you enjoy this track on the Heat games?

Indy is so much fun to race, such a historic venue. I think we are in for one of the most wide open competitive races of the season. The draft will give everyone an opportunity to be in the hunt if they can stay close to the leaders.

2. First round of the playoffs is over. Biggest surprise/take away from the first 3 races? (Can be anything throughout the league)

I am surprised that both Hootie and Wardude after 3 races are win less. They were the top two in the standings last season. Also seeing Xyse win in Richmond. That's the beauty of this season it has been unpredictable

3. What are you looking to improve on moving forward this season?

I have finally started putting together the one big weakness, I had in the past and that's consistency. I am now running and finishing in the top 5 every race . I have always had the speed to win but would crash out pushing to hard trying to win instead of maximizing points. Going forward I want to improve on my pit strategy during green flag low caution races. I have been losing track positions to drivers pitting early and cycling out ahead of me.

 

[vWardude]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1. Back to a large track this week with Indianapolis. How do you enjoy this track on the Heat games?[/font]

I love it. I'm going for a win this week. 

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]2. First round of the playoffs is over. Biggest surprise/take away from the first 3 races?[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The speed in the league. Drivers have improved and it's making for much better racing. We still have our top drivers in the league but the rest of the field fills out nicely.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]3. What are you looking to improve on moving forward this season?[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Wins. Being 17 points back after starting the season with two horrendous races, I'll be pushing hard for wins. I feel I had one at NH. I out raced Kyle going into 3 on the last lap, just got brake checked, kudos to him for the move. The remaining races left on the season put me in a good spot, I'm strong at each track.[/font]

 

[Sassafrass_3]

1. Back to a large track this week with Indianapolis. How do you enjoy this track on the Heat games?
Finally a track I recognize. I ran about 100 laps here the other day, feels good.

2. First round of the playoffs is over. Biggest surprise/take away from the first 3 races? (Can be anything throughout the league)
Speed in the league. I expected to be more competitive. Also, pit strategy. I think I lost a spot or two last week at the end because of inexperience.

3. What are you looking to improve on moving forward this season?
Speed and consistency 

 

[ZeKe_h30]

Love Indy. After running at 2 brake heavy tracks, this is a breath of fresh air. I am a bit worried about pit stops here, you really don't get many laps in before you have to make another stop.

Biggest surprise to me is that we were even running a playoff format at all. Didn't even know till I saw Hoot say something about me getting cut. I'll be damned...good by 2 points. Pretty happy about not taking tires on my last pit stop at New Hampshire (that's how you lost at least one of your spots Sassafrass_3), that would have been the end of my championship run then I suppose. lol /facepalm

Fuel conservation I guess. Some guys were trying to stretch New Hampshire fuel to ridiculous amounts I didn't even know was possible. Have to keep that one in my back pocket.

GL tonight gentleman.

 

[ZeKe_h30]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEKnrgH2mPY

 

[Meattyloaf]

Q:10th
Didn't really have time to put in a quick one before the session was over.

R:? (Stage: 3rd)
With the help of some cautions and my ability to restart really well I worked my way up to 3rd for the stage to get a couple of points. However, I misheard Hootie due to an overly active chat and thought he said if someone could get a screen shot, not realizing he was talking to KDawg. In the process of getting the screen shot I accidentally backed out of the race. Ending my night at a race I feel I could've possibly fought for a top 3 if not the win. Honestly though going into it I wasn't expecting much due to two recent tragic events, two fatal car wrecks over the weekend killing a former and two fellow classmates, in my community I didn't really focus on the race over the weekend nor the past couple of days.

 

[XSYSE]

Q: 7

R: 6. Frustration sums it...caused an accident and not sure I turned a lap not having to check up for someone. I had the lead on the last restart with Zeke coming. Tried to block off the low line but tires were garbage and I ended up forcing contact that put me in the wall.

 

[Hootius]

Q: 2nd
Hard to complain about a front row start, but I felt like I should have gotten the pole due to practicing .2 secs quicker than what I qualified. I want to say this to the league, I was disappointed with how the field handled spacing out leaving the pits. We are suppose to pace and spread out until the backstretch. Instead we had too many people exceed the pace limit and cause a huge gaggle trying to get to the backstretch. So instead of open track for everyone, therr was a big gaggle, I ended up starting in the back and saw others have contact and it ruined their run as well. Wayyyy too sloppy guys, we are better than that.

R: 9th
I cost myself Stage points, so I won't complain there. When I finally worked my way to the front, I snagged the lead and felt like I definitely had the strongest car in the field as I was pulling away from the field (especially since my fastest lap was .2 secs better than the 2nd fastest). On the final pit stop, I personally feel like too many people tried to be cute by only taking fuel or 2 tires, and that stuck me back in midpack. A few cars upfront could not handle the lack of tires and I got burned by the 3 cautions in the final 8 laps. You combine all of that with the unacceptable party chat issues, and all I can say is I am very disappointed with how we as a league handled this week coming off of our first caution free race last week. We gotta do better than that gents.

 

[vWardude]

Q:6th

Coming off the fastest practice lap before the race, I felt confident. That all went out the window when 1. We had to pit a second time, limiting us to 4 laps and 2. Getting wrecked two laps in a row by the same person. I had one lap to try and I got slowed down again on that lap. I qualified 5 tenths off my pace.

R:5th

Not happy with this at all. I got myself into a bad situation in the beginning of the race but on top of that I couldn't avoid anything. Was just one of those races where everything would happen right in front of me. I took the lead mid way through and started to pull away gaining a 2 second lead, it was the only time in the race I was able to run free. Caution came out and it started all over again for me. Every time I entered corners and exited I was gaining on all the fast drivers so I knew I had the strongest car, just couldn't put it all together I guess.

 

[nickmichaud]

Q: frustrating. No clean laps in. Held up by guys running 1 second slower
F: even more frustrating. If I would have known this was going to happen I wouldn't of even showed up. Such a fast car with no where's to go. No stage points once again. My season is shot. 

 

[Hootius]

This week was Race #4 of the 3rd Season for the PRL's PS4 Hascar Heat league. The destination was the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The league would crown a new Indy winner in the Hall of Fame, as Season 1 Champion Anthony Jobes (GameofJobes) was not in attendance for this race, who won at his home track at the league's only previous visit to Indy.

After pacing several laps to let everyone make their car adjustments, the drivers had only 3 laps to put down their best heater. Kyle Spencer (KDawgHonda777) captured his 4th career Pole Position, edging out Charles Sumner (Hootius) by .122 secs. Sean Ryan (Sean420Cali), Adam Zemke (Zeke_H30), and Brian Mosser (BrianMosser88) rounded out the Top 5.

Boy what a difference a week can make. After having a caution free race last week in New Hampshire, this week's race was plagued by cautions with the cars set up on the edge to try and take every speed advantage they could on this 2.5 mile rectangle. The end of Stage 1 saw Brian win his first ever Stage segment, followed by Kyle, Christopher Johnson (MeattyLoaf), Zach Jackson (Action12Jackson), and Rob Besaw (Xsyse). The race of the race was all about avoiding wrecks and taking advantage of track position with pit strategy. When the smoke all settled, the League saw it's 4th different winner in the first 4 races this season as Adam took home his 2nd career victory. Christopher Herring (CJHerring), Kyle, Sean and Michael Caterino (vWardude) rounded out the Top 5. Charles took home the bonus point for Fastest Lap of the Race, and Jake MacLeod (SassaFrass_3) won the Hard Charger of the Race award, going +5 while taking home a Top 10 finish. 

**Top 10 Finishing order for Indianapolis**
1. Adam Zemke (Zeke_H30) - 2nd Career Win
2. Christopher Herring (CJHerring) - 2nd Top 5 of the Season
3. Kyle Spencer (KDawgHonda777) - 3rd Top 5 of the Season
4. Sean Ryan (Sean420Cali) - 4th Top 5 of the Season, 10th of his Career
5. Michael Caterino (vWardude) - 2nd Top 5 of the Season. 23rd of his Career (Tied with Charles for most all-time)
6. Rob Besaw (Xsyse) - 4th Top 10 of the Season
7. Zack Jackson (Action12Jackson) - 1st Top 10 of the Season
8. Brian Mosser (BrianMosser88) - 4th Top 10 of the Season
9. Charles Sumner (Hootius) - 4th Top 10 of the Season
10. Jake MacLeod  (SassaFrass_3) - 2nd Top 10 this Season

After 4 races,  Sean Ryan (Sean420Cali) re-took the points lead after loosing it last week to Kyle Ely (Rocksson2Kyle). In big news for the league, Kyle E. has stepped down as a full time driver to focus on his school work. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to when he has the time to hop in as a fill-in driver. After a big points day at Indy, Kyle Spencer (KDawgHonda777) jumped into 2nd place in the points, 10 back of Sean. Charles Sumner (Hootius) sits 13 points back of the lead, with Michael Caterino (vWardude) 14 points back, and Rob Besaw (Xsyse) 18 points back to round out the Top 5.

For our Team championship, Driving on Adrenaline (Kyle E. and Rob) holds a 10 point lead over One-Two Racing (Michael and Nick). That looks to be short lived though unless a replacement driver for Kyle E. can be found asap.

Indy was Race 1/3 for the 2nd Round of the Playoffs. Here's how the driver sit after Indy: Adam (automatically into the next round), Kyle S., Brian, Sean, Zack, Micheal, Rob and Charles are in the good, with Nick, Christopher, Owen and Kyle E. currently below the cutoff.

Next week, the Nascar Heat crew head to Watkins Glen, NY for the only road course on the Season's schedule. Please join us, and one of our handful of driver who stream their POVs of the race, on Wednesday nights at 9pm Eastern.