JRL: Voss and Charaev Find the Way Around Kansas
- NR2k2
- Published ()
- JustRacin League
The JustRacin League hit the brand new Kansas Speedway this week as a replacement for the historic Martinsville venue and perhaps it was good that they did. When the International Speedway Corporation decided a few years ago that it was time to build another one and a half mile quad oval track, most long time NASCAR fans figured another Las Vegas or Charlotte clone was in the making. Fortunately though, the Kansas Speedway has proven to be a track with a bit of its own character. And it was this setting that showed perhaps the best racing of the 2002 season for the JRL. So let’s take a look at this week’s action from the Oklahoma Joe’s 160 and 200.
Historically the Stock division, which utilizes fixed setups, puts on the tightest qualifying battles, and the fans that showed up with that expectation where not disappointed this week. With half a second separating the field and all cars in the 31 second bracket, Scott Hiereonymus took his first pole of the season by six one hundredths of a second over Matt Sentell. Tom Oliver, Roger Voss, and Dan Epp rounded out the top 5 starting spots, but as we have learned in past weeks qualifying usually isn’t much of a signal as to what’s in store for the race.
The race got of to a bit of a rocky start as the early laps saw several cautions with drivers trying to work out the quirks of the setup. After about 20 laps things settled down and hard battles where being fought under the green flag all around the track.
As tire wear was becoming an issue Erick Thomas was able to lead the most laps with some crafty pit strategy. In the late running a wreck involving the leader Jeff Eiland and Chris Mangano setup a string of late race cautions that would determine the winner.
On the final restart of the race Chris Mangano took the lead into turn 4 but was unable to hold the car as he got into the wall allowing Roger Voss to get under him for the lead. With about 5 to go Erick Thomas was also in the hunt, but the final caution flag flew and it was all over. Unfortunately a good race was capped with another finish behind the pace car.
So Roger Voss gets his second win of the season and a very disappointed Chris Mangano holds on to the second spot with Erick Thomas barely beating Dmitri Charaev to the line to take the caution. Brett Rupert held onto to 5th for his second top 5 of the season.
"Everything worked out with a little luck and we got the win and put some more points back on after the disappointing showing at Texas," said Voss of the win, which was his second on the season matching Tom Oliver for the most thus far.
Perhaps the best race of the year was had on Thursday on in the Modified division. Only 4 caution flags would fly for 12 of the 134 laps which if I’m not mistaken is the best we’ve done all year. Certainly much better then the 22 cautions we had at Bristol.
It all kicked off with Matt Sentell taking his first pole of the season by a full tenth of a second over Dmitri Charaev. Erick Thomas, Dan Epp, and Mike Ramsden made up the rest of the top 5 starters. Only 16 of the 20 drivers that made the event actually ran a lap, with over a second separating the 16.
By modern sim-racing standards this race was one for the ages as the entire last half of the race was ran under green. In fact pit strategy would rule the day. Only about 30 laps after the final restart of the day Mike Ramsden decided it was time to pit for tires, which setup a divergence in strategies that would tell the outcome.
Shortly after Ramsden, Jeff Shell also pitted but came out well behind his teammate which had gained quite a bit on the field with new tires. The rest of the field soon pitted, leaving them with a tough decision to make in the latter stages of the race; whether to pit or not?
For Ramsden the strategy was clear; make a second pit stop hoping everyone that had pitted earlier would not be able to make it to the end thus leaving him with a large margin over the field. Unfortunately for Mike though, Dmitri Charaev had other plans along with a few other drivers that decided making it to the end without another stop was a peachy idea.
Jeff Shell also decided to pit a second time, later admitting that it was a mistake, as he had one of the best cars out there and would likely have been able to make it on tires. Ramsden was charging hard late in the race and made his way back up to second but there would be no catching Dmitri Charaev on this day as he took the Oklahoma Joe’s 200 by five seconds.
Shell also made a late race charge finishing 3rd nearly catching his teammate. Roger Voss also had a good run coming home in 4th and leading 19 laps. And Bob Fellenbaum took home a well deserved top 5; his first of the season as Erick Thomas came up a lap or two short of catching him on fresher tires.
There was indeed a bit of a shake up in the points this week but the leaders in each division are becoming more entrenched in their lead with every passing week.
In the Stock division Roger Voss gains some ground this week on Mike Ramsden who is no 47 points adrift. Tom Oliver takes over 3rd from Tom Robbio who had connection problems in the race this week. And Erick Thomas takes over 5th from Thomas McKie. The bottom 3 drivers are now all about 160 points behind Voss and it is becoming a 2 man race for the top spot between Voss and Ramsden.
In the Modified division Ramsden continues to have his way with things hanging on to the top spot by 107 points over his teammate Jeff Shell. Tom Robbio, Jeff Weltz, and Joey Caporicci finish out the top 5, now all about 230 points behind. If anyone other then Mike and Jeff wants to make a run for the points championship they are seriously running out of time.
That’s it for week number 8 from the JustRacin League. The Kansas events this weekend marked the half way point in the season and with drivers getting more familiar with the NASCAR 2002 Simulation and their fellow drivers the racing is just getting better in this elite league.
Please have a look in this spot next week as I will be taking you through the racing from what was formerly known as the Alabama International Speedway, but only takes one word to strike fear and excitement in the hearts of all sim-racers these days: Talladega! I will have a complete rundown of all the JRL action from the Aaron’s 200 and 250, so please stop by and have a look.