NPRL: Nightmare on Glen Street
- Published ()
- No Plates Racing League
You know it's going to be a long evening when it starts out qualifying with a blown engine. This is just my view of the Watkins Glen race Saturday. This is the only track other than Sears Point that you're not racing against anyone but yourself. Knowing your limitations of your setup and how to use it, not going beyond these limitations is the trick. Once you get used to your setup and learn what it can and can't do is when the fun begins. Then you see the lap speeds come down to a respectable time so you can compete for a top three finish. What do you do, tinker with the setup, changing the way the whole car handles. This does nothing but making you change the whole way you have to drive the car. Meaning, you're starting all over again. To make matters worse, you change your original setup not making a back up of it first. Not only does it make everyone around you mad, but you're mad at yourself too. This race was very frustrating for me and I sense that it was the same for most everyone else too. Everyone held their cool and made the best of it. This is when the true character of a NPRL member different than all other leagues. We hold our tongues and try to make the best out of a bad situation. This no only doesn't create hostility but brings everyone a little closer to the true meaning of a team. Working together, but against each other in an adult manor. Thanks guys this is what I strive for, a clean racing team that respects themselves enough to reflect how they feel toward the sport of racing and fellow drivers. There was some time that nearly everyone got upset. This is why I have selected you guys to race with NPRL. Another acronym for NPRL is Nice People's Racing League. Thanks!
We started out the race with the "Yellow Flags" on. It took us almost 10 laps to figure out that this wasn't going to work. Didn't make it around the track one time without a yellow flag. Meaning that it took us nearly 30 minutes to make 10 laps. This race was going to take us two weeks to finish at this rate. Thanks to MacAttack keeping his cool and QSpeed suggesting that we take the yellow flags off. Mac changed the race to no yellows. This made it better, but still a very frustrating race. Everyone was trying too hard to get the next position that we lost track why we're here. I'm still seeing the lack of some not yielding to faster traffic. This will change as we get more experience. To the ones that did yield to the faster traffic, I hope we all use you guys as an example. Thanks guys for letting this be a better race than it could have been. It could have been lots worse than it was.
There were lots of spinouts, wrecks and black flags. MacAttack and myself tied for Black Flags. Rules? What rules? Oh, you mean there is a speed limit in the pits?
After the green flag dropped NPRL_CLM started in first place and dominated the position all evening. NPRL_Taz1 (Taz was in next to last place when this happened, he didn't stay there long, he ended up in third after it was all over) was the first one to spin out at the S-curves avoiding bumping Rick Deaton. Taz went wide and scraped the wall causing his rear end to pass the front of him, putting him in the grass.
I was the next one to spin out as I was approaching NPRL_SVTCobra. Following him I had to slow down to keep from hitting him and my rear end broke lose causing it to pass the front of my car. This was one of many spins of mine. No ones fault but my own. I just got over energetic and very impatient. Rick Deaton bumped me going by not hard enough to have him lose control of his car, good driving Rick. Cobra lost his connection and he came back in to finish the race. (If it weren't for the server there would have been lots more that had this problem. Thanks for the fast server with fiber-optic lines.) Next one to spin out was NPRL_QSpeed, as he was trying to pass Rick Deaton. Looks like Speed was trying to pass Rick and Speed either got off in the grass or nicked Deaton's rear bumper and Speed lost it. This is a good example that Rick should have given yield to QSpeed. Think we're all very guilty of this maneuver. As time goes on, we'll see this problem go away. Don't understand why NPRL_Vinnie went to the pits and stayed there for several laps. I think I can relate to what happened, a good example of reality set in. Real life has a tendency of interfering with cyber sport entertainment. I saw RaceDay do a great 360 coming out of the S curves. It was beautiful, what a great save and didn't lose a position either. Good job RD! As the laps clicked by we saw Taz inching his way to the front of the pack, along with NPRLRaceDay. They were unstoppable as they finished up very well in the positions. Deaton finished up two laps down, but still capturing 4th place. Mac, Speed, Vinnie and Cobra finished up the rest of the field. Hindsight being better than fore sight, I can see that patients has its advantages. Running fast isn't as important as running a smart, safe consistent speed will take you to the front of the pack, at least in front of everyone spinning out all the time. Not to mention the ones that black-flagged. Good example: Turtle can really out run the rabbit. Not saying that we have slow drivers, just smart racers. Nothing wrong with racing, just race smart and you'll do very well. Good job to the winner CLM. Look out for Raceday he's captured the accumulation of this weeks points. Remember to give these two the "That-a-boy" next time you see them. They deserve to be recognized for some great racing.
Some times we have great races, some times we have not so great races. Gentlemen, this is racing at it's best. You'll experience all of the feelings that you have in your inner being racing. It brings out the best in you and the worst. The maddest, and the most exhilarating feelings to the point of kicking your tires to getting on top of the car and jumping with your arms above your head waving to the feeling of the BIG "V"! Welcome to racing gentlemen! You'll get your rear kicked, and you'll do some kicking of some tail too. It all comes in the same jar, all from with-in your own sole. Let the games begin.
Ok, look out Atlanta, we're going to put some black marks on the track next Saturday. "Get your motors running!"