Race #6: Michigan International Speedway (15Nov17)

[Hootius]

 

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Race Length: 50 Laps (Stage 1: 15 Laps/ Stage 2: 35 Laps)
Race Name in Game: Pure Michigan 400

 

[Hootius]

Pre-Race Interview
1. Draft time again. How do you enjoy racing at Michigan?

2. Who do you like for the Championship race in Homestead on Sunday?

3. Next round of DLC will be out shorty. What is your favorite livery for your car in the game?

 

[nickmichaud]

1. Drafting will dictate this race. I suspect this will be a low caution race which meand getting in and out of the pits under green will be crucial.
2. I have MTJ but I think Harvick and Busch will be tough come Sunday aswell
3. Toyota is heavily favored in this game and in Nascar as a whole. I'll keep running one of the 6 or 7 schemes that erik jones has. The Sirius XM is my go to

 

[XSYSE]

1. Not too great at Michigan, but I appreciate a wide track, just hoping the pit crew shows up.

2. I'm pulling for Harvick.

3. A lot of nice Busch beer schemes my favorite is the white with blue and gold

 

[Meattyloaf]

1. I enjoy Michigan it's a track I feel strong on and have in the past. Although, I didn't run this race last season, I'm not sure what to expect but I tend to run pretty well on this style of race track in the past.

2. Martin Truex Jr. is who I'm pulling for since none of them Chevy bois made it in.

3. Well since I don't have the Hot pass for the schemes and probably won't get it until I end up in a different car because Bowyer doesn't have many schemes to choose from so right now I'll say the white Mobil 1, but if they add in his Cars 3 scheme or his Damnation scheme I'll be jumping on that pit pass.

 

[Sassafrass_3]

1. Draft time again. How do you enjoy racing at Michigan?
Never raced here before, looking forward to it.

2. Who do you like for the Championship race in Homestead on Sunday?
MTJ. I think he deserves it but he's up against 3 former champs so it's going to be tough. 

3. Next round of DLC will be out shorty. What is your favorite livery for your car in the game?
I think there are only two for the car I'm currently in. I like the standard blue and white one.

 

[Hootius]

1. Draft time again. How do you enjoy racing at Michigan?
Fast easy track, somewhat enjoyable. The draft really makes it impossible for 1 car to breakaway. I had one of the strongest cars here last season until a car entering the pits lost control and wiped me out, so hoping for better luck this time around.

2. Who do you like for the Championship race in Homestead on Sunday?
Truex definitely deserves it. If not him, then Harvick.

3. Next round of DLC will be out shorty. What is your favorite livery for your car in the game?
I really do like the Hass/Monster scheme, but It'll be hard to never not pick the Daytona junker lol

 

[TheNoahcat]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1. Draft time again. How do you enjoy racing at Michigan?[/font]
I really like Michigan, me and my friend race here all the time. 
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]2. Who do you like for the Championship race in Homestead on Sunday?[/font]
Truex, he has won so many races this year, and I feel like he will take home the championship.
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]3. Next round of DLC will be out shortly. What is your favorite livery for your car in the game?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]I like the Geico scheme that Ty has[/font]

 

[ZeKe_h30]

I feel like I'm required to like Michigan just based on the car I'm in, but I would like it anyways.

I'm rooting for Harvick. Pretty much a heavyweight fight all around though, either of these guys can get it.

Only a handful of 42 schemes, but at least they both look cool.

 

[vWardude]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Pre-Race Interview[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1. Draft time again. How do you enjoy racing at Michigan?[/font]

I really enjoy this track. The cars sticking and I'm ready to roll!


[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]2. Who do you like for the Championship race in Homestead on Sunday?[/font]

Pulling for Truex. The man deserves it. I can see Harvick or Bush coming home with it, Keslowski too. Really anyone can take it


[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]3. Next round of DLC will be out shorty. What is your favorite livery for your car in the game?[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The Truex NH scheme and his Matte black scheme. I'll be using the Matte black with the Monster green as well, once it comes out.[/font]

 

[Meattyloaf]

Q:9th
I used a setup I didn't feel real comfortable with nor was I able to get a draft or a clean race track.

R:5th
I changed over and ran a setup I was fairly comfortable with, which helped me run the second fastest lap of the race. I managed to take the lead late before the end of the first stage, but instead of opting for just fuel on my pit stop I took 4 tires and a full tank costing me the stage win as I went from first to 7th. Over the course of the race I would fall back as far back as 14th and had to race my way back through the field and getting back to as high as 2nd place before making my last stop. I decided to short pit and again instead of being risky and played it safe and took 4 tires and fuel. A slow pit exit and others taking a risk cost me 4 spots on the track pushing me back to 6th. On the final lap I managed to pass X for 5th. I feel I could've very well won the race, but playing it safe on pit road cost me in the end. To say I am disappointed with a 5th place finish is an understatement. I feel tonight was my best shot to every win a race in the league and I let it slip right through my hands. Hopefully, I can carry this momentum through the rest of the season and I feel pretty strong at a couple of tracks coming up so maybe my first win isn't too far off in the distance. After seeing the updated points I can safely say that if I hadn't had an accidental DC at the Brickyard and/or if I had been more aggressive on pit strategy during stage one I would have missed the cut by 2 points for the playoff points. Oh well here's to playing spoiler and chasing the team championship with Hoot.

 

[Hootius]

Q: 5th
Just had to be stubborn and see what I could do without a draft. Pretty happy with the set up though.

R: 1st
Car felt strong. Felt good on the high side and drove it in the middle very well too and split a 3-wide twice (high car was really high to be fair) for both positions. I was contemplating short pitting and cutting that final run in half, but being around 5th place that whole time gave me some good fuel mileage with all the drafting I was doing. That allowed me to just take 1 can and 2 tires on the final stop. Cut it close though, had to baby her the final 2 laps and still ran out of fuel coming off of Turn 4, any sooner than that and War would have gotten me. Also enjoyed drag racing War to the Stage flag, damn close finish there.

 

[XSYSE]

Q: 7 Just looked for some clean space.
R: 7th  tenths separating a field means many cars were good enough to be up front, I was a little too patient clearing some guys and lost the lead draft by 3 sec.  That forced my hand and I took no tires,  16% right front and it wouldn't turn any more.

 

[vWardude]

Q:3rd

I'm honestly not too sure how I got 3rd. I only hit a 37.2 after getting caught behind Brian and bumped a few times. I was hitting 1s and 2s alone all week. The rest of the guys besides Sean(Behind kdawg) must not have gotten a good draft lap either.

R: 2nd

The race was certainly a bit entertaining for me. After the good qualifying spot, only a few laps in while running outside 2nd to Sean, he seemed to miss his entry, slamming me up the track and into the wall. With only 10 to go before the stage ended, that shuffles me back to dead last in 15th. With some fast aggressive driving and a couple small incidents, I worked my way back to 7th before entering pits before the end of the stage, taking no tires and a half can, I shuffled out to 4th. I felt damn fast and smooth this week, I truly feel this was my track and I had the car to beat by far. I was pulling away on entry while leading nearly the whole race. Hootius decided on 1 can of fuel and 2 tires on the last stop with 6 to go and running out exiting 4, it worked. Congrats to him. 


https://youtu.be/ynU7XnPXZoQ

 

[ZeKe_h30]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqqB-jkC5UE&t=1172s

 

[Sassafrass_3]

Q: 12th

Squandered a great setup from Kdawg, was hoping to be in the top 10.

R: 6th

Did not start off well, wrecking myself early and going a lap down. Got my lap back after the stage ended. I don't know how you guys remember this stuff! Uhhh, a whole bunch of racing happened and I was just trying to keep it clean. Made a few small changes to the car and a couple cautions and I moved up through the field and got to run in the top 5 for a minute. Not sure of my position but I pitted right behind Hoot on the last stop. I saw him pulling out of his stall way early and knew I had made a mistake. 2 Tires, ouch. Really happy with 6th but I think it could have been potentially a top 3.

 

[Hootius]

This week, the Nascar crew hit super fast Michigan International Speedway for just the 2nd time in the League's history. A new victor would be crowned at Michigan as previous winner Kyle Ely (Rocksson2Kyle) was not in attendance tonight.

Qualifying was very tight quarters as the draft would have a big say in who would start up front. For the first time this Season, Sean Ryan (Sean420Cali) put down the hot lap and took the inside of Row 1, with Kyle Spencer (KDawgHonda777) taking the outside. Michael Caterino (vWardude), Nick Michaud (NickMichaud), and Charles Sumner (Hootius) rounded out the Top 5.

The 15 Lap first Stage was action packed. It went caution free and required everyone to stop for a splash of fuel, but that did not deter the drivers from 2 and 3-wide racing throughout. We had 5 lead changes in the first 15 laps, with Kyle coming away with the 5 bonus points, followed closely by Sean. Charles won a drag race against Michael coming off of Turn 4 and beat him to the line by a bumper, with Rob Besaw (Xsyse) grabbing the final bonus point. After the stage, the action never slowed. We ended up having a couple back to back cautions come out, which set up a 17 lap green flag run to end the race. Normally the crew could get 10 laps in on a full tank of fuel, so another round of full pit stops would need to be made. A bad game flaw would cost Sean, who ran up front all race, as he was spun down pit lane by a car that should have been too far back to cause any issue, which knocked Sean out of the Top 5. As everyone pitted for 4 tires and a full tank of fuel, Charles used the draft in the start of the run to save extra fuel so his pit stop would only be 2 tires and 1 can, which saved him 5-6 secs over everyone else's stop. Rob tried a 1 can, no tire stop which did not work in his favor and saw him drop out of the Top 5 by the end. Charles had to still save fuel for the rest of the run, and did so just enough as he ran out exiting Turn 4 and coasted across the finish line, just 1.3 seconds in front of a hard charging, full power Michael. Adam Zemke (Zeke_H30), Brian Mosser (BrianMosser88) and Christpher Johnson (MeattyLoaf) rounded out the Top 5. Jake MacLeod (SassaFrass_3) was the Hard Charger of the race, jumping up 6 stops to finish a career best 6th place.

**Top 10 Finishing order for Michigan**
1. Charles Sumner (Hootius) – 1st win of the Season; 5th of his Career (Now solely in 2nd place All-Time)
2. Michael Caterino (vWardude) – 4th Top 5 of the Season; 25 of his Career (Tied with Charles for most All-Time)
3. Adam Zemke (Zeke_H30) – 4th Top 10 of the Season; 25th of his career
4. Brian Mosser (BrianMosser88) – 1st Top 5 of the Season; Best Career finish
5. Christopher Johnson (MeattyLoaf) – 2nd Top 5 of the Season
6. Jake MacLeod (SassaFrass_3) – 3rd Top 10 of the Season
7. Rob Besaw (Xsyse) – 5th Top 10 of the Season
8. Sean Ryan (Sean420Cali) – 6th Top 10 of the Season
9. Zack Jackson (Action12Jackson) – 3rd Top 10 of the Season
10. Noah Michalski (TheNoahCat) – 1st Career Top 10

In the Driver's Championship, Sean Ryan (Sean420Cali) is still in 1st Place, but his lead is now down to 8 points after Charles Sumner (Hootius), who jumped up into 2nd Place. Kyle Spencer (KDawgHonda777) and Michael Caterino (vWardude) are still within striking range, 15 and 18 points back respectively with 4 races to go. Rob Besaw (Xsyse) rounds out the Top 5 in points, but 30 back of Sean.

For our Team championship, Car Ramrod (Charles and Christopher J.) used a double Top 5 performance at Michigan to take the Points lead for the first time this Season. One-Two Racing (Michael and Nick) however are only 1 point back after Nick's unfortunate disconnect. The Bumper Killers (Sean and Noah) are still well within the hunt in 3rd Place, only 8 back of the lead.

Our Playoff field has shrunken down to 8 drivers after Michigan: Sean, Charles, Kyle S., Michael, Rob, Adam, Brian, and Zack will fight over the next 3 races to see which 4 will battle it out at Homestead. Christopher J. (-2), Nick (-6), Owen (-8) and Kyle E. were eliminated after Round 2 of the Playoffs.

We will take a week off for the Thanksgiving Holiday, and come back on November 29th to tackle Chicago, which has the potential to be just as action packed as Michigan was. Please join us, and one of our handful of driver who stream their POVs of the race, on Wednesday nights at 9pm Eastern.