Builds are in!

Notes

Oliver is sitting out this race. Gatlin is coming out of retirement to join the field.

This is the final race of Season 11. The top four drivers by GP points will be promoted to C3. More may be promoted depending upon attrition in the upper circuits.

Slow carries the day with six of ten drivers opting for a 140 top speed. Yet most drivers are boosting acceleration with seven putting a point into engine torque. Only a handful of drivers are boosting the brakes.

Interestingly. there are NO start speeds of 100! Scott went with 120 but that is a VERY special car...

Wear, as always, is popular. Skill gets more attention than usual with several putting a point in and Marshall putting two in.

Jon, John, and Zach have identical set-ups. No other dupes.

Start Bid Deadline: Wednesday, January 8th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

The grid is set...

Position / Driver / Bid (tie-breaker)

1 / Herbert / 0w+15s = 7.5
2 / Needham / 3w+6s = 6.0
3 / Dent / 2w+3s = 3.5 (78)
4 / Hudson / 2w+3s = 3.5 (13)
5 / Collins / 1w+5s = 3.5 (12)
6 / Johnson / 0w+5s = 2.5
7 / Selbyg / 0w+4s = 2.0
8 / Bennett / 1w+0s = 1.0
9 / Hoyt / 0w+0s = 0.0 (96)
10 / Bauska / 0w+0s = 0.0 (93)

Turn 1 Deadline: Friday, January 10th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

A stall creates a jam with the narrow start area...

Turn 1 Summary

Herbert is off at 120 and burns a wear in the first corner. Needham gives his start a nudge to 80 with 2s (modified 8) and picks up the racing line.

Hudson puts 1s into his start push (modified 11) and an engine stall leaves him at the mark. Dent grabs the racing line at 60.

Johnson moves out at 60. Collins nudges to 40 with 2s (modified 1).

Selbyg skirts around the stationary orange car at 60. There is no room for Bennett's 60 and he has to late brake to 40 (1w).

Hoyt gets his racer going at 20. Bauska takes an RM plot of 60 (NPR #1: Warning).

Turn 2 Deadline: Monday, January 13th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 2 Summary

Herbert tosses a wear at 120 through Observatory, inside lane. Needham burns a wear at 120 and is hung up in Observatory.

Dent dives inside at 120 of First Left for a wear then sheds a 2nd in Observatory. Johnson runs the First Left at 100 on the inside for free.

Selbyg has initiative at 120 and takes the racing line for free. Collins, at 80, takes the inside for free.

Bennett takes an RM plot of 100 (NPR #1: Warning) and picks up the racing line. Hudson gets his car started at 60 and sets up the line.

Bauska can't use all of his 120 - he knocks down a wear on the late brake and settles on the inside. Hoyt scurries along at 80.

Turn 3 Deadline: Wednesday, January 15th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 3 Summary

Herbert is through Bianchi on the blue line at 140 and has nothing but clean air.

Needham picks up the blue line at 120. Dent, at 120, tucks in on the open-wheeler.

Johnson takes his 120 to the outside of Observation for free. Selbyg, at 100, clears on the inside.

Collins picks up his speed to 100 and follows the #88 into Observation. Bennett increases speed to 120 and rolls to the outside.

Bauska's having a rough trip in the early going. He burns a wear at 120 in First Left then has to toss another wear for a forced late brake.

Hudson is through the first corner at 120 on the line. Hoyt follows the orange car at 120 to also clear.

Turn 4 Deadline: Friday, January 17th @ 12 noon EDT (5 p.m. UTC)
I've built in a few extra hours due to the late adjudication.

Turn 4 Summary

Herbert pulls up to the chicane at 140 on the line.

Needham clears Bianchi on the blue at 140. Dent, at 160 on the blue, challenges the #2.

Johnson is through Bianchi at 140. Selbyg, at 140, stays attached to #1's bumper.

Collins finishes Observatory at 100. Bennett is out at 120 and pulls alongside the #22.

Bauska opts to get behind the #48 after releasing from Observatory at 120.

Hudson scrubs a wear at 120 on the inside and picks up a position. Hoyt stays with the #99 at 120 and the bonus, outer rail for free.

Turn 5 Deadline: Monday, January 20th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 5 Summary

Herbert scrubs a wear at 120 in the Kleine Chicane.

Needham clears the chicane at 120 on the lines for a wear. Dent, also at 120, burns a wear taking the first line followed by the 100's.

Johnson gives the engine a nudge to 160 using 2s (modified 4). He picks up the red line. Selbyg stays on his bumper, also at 160.

Bennett gets initiative at 160 and clears the Bianchi on the blue line. Collins also clears at 140.

Hudson takes an RM plot of 160 (NPR #1: Warning). An occupied line re-directs him to the outer rail for a wear. Bauska takes the blue line at 140.

Hoyt keeps the pace at 140 and is through Bianchi on the blue line.

Turn 6 Deadline: Wednesday, January 22nd @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

We appear to have lost contact with Hudson.

Turn 6 Summary

Herbert scrubs a wear at 100 in the Terlamen1 80's.

Needham picks up the Terlamen line at 120. Dent, also at 120, follows him in.

Johnson clears the Kleine at 100 for free. Selbyg, at 120, burns a wear to challenge.

Bennett sheds a wear at 120 to clear the chicane. Collins tosses a wear at 120 as he enters Kleine.

Hudson takes another RM plot - 120 to the line (NPR #2: 1w penalty). Bauska, at 120 and with the bonus, runs into Kleine on the outside for a wear.

Hoyt sets up behind the silent orange car.

Turn 7 Deadline: Friday, January 24th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 7 Summary

Herbert is through Terlamen2 at 100 on the 80's for a wear.

Needham runs Terlamen1 at 100 on the line. Dent, at 100, dives inside and burns a tire for position.

Selbyg takes the initiative at 120 and scrubs two wear in the T1 80's. Johnson, at 100, runs the line for free.

Bennett pulls up to Terlamen1 at 120 on the line. Collins, at 120, takes the middle lane.

Bauska takes an RM plot of 120 (NPR #2: 1w penalty).

Hudson clips a tire at 120 through the chicane. Hoyt, at 100 and the bonus (not requested but in his defaults), keeps the pace.

Turn 8 Deadline: Monday, January 27th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 8 Summary

Herbert knocks down two wear at 100 on the Rindt line to clear.

Dent scrubs two wear in Terlamen2 and picks up the next line at 120. Needham burns one wear at 120 on the T2 line.

Selbyg tosses a wear at 100 via the T2 80's and pulls even with green with the bonus. Johnson continues on the Terlamen lines at 100 for free.

Bennett clears T1 at 100 on the line. Collins, also at 100, follows.

Bauska runs the T1 line at 100 for free. Hudson burns a wear at 100 on the inside.

Hoyt sheds two wear at 120 in the T1 80's and picks up a few spots on the leaderboard.

Turn 9 Deadline: Wednesday, January 29th @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 9 Summary

Herbert gets his go-cart engine up to 120. Dent is clear of Rindt at 80 on the line for one pellet.

Needham scrubs a wear on the line at 80. Selbyg moves up two positions as he burns two wear on the inner rail to grab 2nd place.

Johnson is out of Terlamen at 100. Bennet runs T2 at 100 for free.

Hudson clips two tires at 120 on the inside and gets behind red. Hoyt, also at 120, follows the same plan.

Collins eases his way through T2 at 100 on the line. Bauska does the same: 100 on the line.

Turn 10 Deadline: Friday, February 31st @ 8 a.m. EDT / 1 p.m. UTC (soft)

Hard deadline will be 3 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. UTC) on the same date.

Turn 10 Summary

Herbert careens through the Jacky Ickx chicane at 120 at a cost of two wear.

Dent nudges the engine with 1s to hit 160 (modified 8) and picks up the Ickx line. Selbyg gets behind him at 140.

Needham uses 2s for the boost to 140 (modified 2) and gets in line.

Johnson slows to 60 and bottles up the Rindt racing line.

Hudson blows past the red car on the inside at 80 for two pellets. Hoyt also tosses in two wear at 80 and stays with the Whataburger car.

Bennett plots 100 and was apparently ready to roll a chance. With no space for that or the line, he late brakes to 80 with a wear and sheds two more in the Rindt 40 spot to clear.

Collins dives into Rindt on the line at 100, coughing up two wear for the privilege. Bauska sets up the line at 100.

Turn 11 Deadline: Monday, February 3rd @ 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. UTC)

The leader has started Lap 2!

Turn 11 Summary

Herbert picks up the line in the first corner at 140.

Dent scrapes two wear at 120 through the Jacky Ickx. Selbyg, at 100 and the bonus, loses a wear and sticks to his benefactor. Needham drops a wear at 100 through the chicane on the line.

Hudson sets up the Ickx line at 140. Hoyt, also at 140, takes inside position.

Bennett keeps the pace at 140. Johnson stays packed in tight at 120 and the bonus.

Collins clears Rindt at 100. Bauska conserves wear at 60 on the racing line.

Turn 12 Deadline: Wednesday, February 5th @ 8 a.m. EST (1 p.m. UTC)

Turn 12 Summary

Herbert rounds the left-hander at 120 on the line, hits Sterreeacht on the inside rail, and scrubs a wear.

Dent, at 120, clears Eerste Linkse on the inside for a wear. Selbyg runs the racing line at 120 and the bonus. No charge for the red & yellow racer.

Needham sets up the left-hander on the inside at 140.

Hudson gets the initiative at 100 and burns a wear on the Jacky Ickx line. Hoyt clips a tire at 80 through the 60's and tucks in on the #99.

Bennett runs the first line in the chicane at 100 for a wear then bumps to the 80's to clear. Johnson, at 100, tosses two wear in the chicane (line; 60) and picks up two positions.

Collins dives into the Ickx chicane at 120 on the line for two pellets. Bauska slams the gas pedal and uses 2s (modified 7) to hit 140.

Turn 13 Deadline: Friday, February 7th @ 8 a.m. EST (1 p.m. UTC)

Stacked and packed at the left-hander!

Turn 13 Summary

Herbert completes Observatory at 120.

Dent clears Observatory for free at 100 and bottles up the inside lane. Selbyg takes his 120 to the outer rail.

Needham tosses a wear at 120 in the left-hander before following the #88 into Observatory.

Hudson sets up the line in the first corner at 120.

Johnson nabs inside position at 140. Hoyt settles into the middle at 140. Three wide!

That leaves no room for Bennett's 160. He late brakes with a wear and picks up the line.

Collins is into the 2nd lap at 120. Bauska is through the Ickx chicane at 100 for a pellet.

Turn 14 Deadline: Monday, February 10th @ 8 a.m. EST (1 p.m. UTC)