Southern Series Championship Race at Daytona 3/27/04

[sydude]

So I had pretty a exciting race. I started last (cause I spun in Qualifying) and had a pretty lame start. Going into the first turn, most of the pack got on their brakes so early that I just squeezed by on the inside and took around six spots by the time I turned in. I quickly made my way up to what I thought was fourth place.

I then chased down third place steadily, and had him set up for an EASY drafting pass coming out of Nascar 3 and 4 on the very last lap. But the 1st and 2nd place guys started to come really close as we started getting into the banking, so I popped early to get behind them and pass them, too! (all in one turn! - I smelled blood) - But when I popped I couldnÍt get in between them and I had to fall back behind the 3rd place guy again, with only 1/3rd of the banking left. So I got as much of a run as possible and came out of the draft, but I came short by 5 feet....

I came into the pits pretty happy in that I had a really fun & strong race with lots of passes, and a solid 4th place from the back. I was comfortable knowing that I took a decent gamble to win the race, but instead lost and gave up a third place. But when I pulled into the pits, everyone told me that 1st and 2nd bumped and had 20 second penalties, so they weren't in contention!

So I basically tossed out an easy win by trying to go from 4th to 1st in one corner. I would have won the first race if I had either one of these:

1. An in-car radio, so they could tell me that I didn't need to try the 'hail mary/win the race by passing three cars in the last turn' move to win the race
2. A lack of extreme ridiculous greed (see #1)
3. A brain (to overcome a lack of #1 and too much #2)

Cheers!

[sydude]

Posted on behalf of John Pew:

I should get a "kill brain" or "dead brain" sticker for my brilliant last lap following Patterson and Seville at Daytona this weekend. Phil and I are sticking behind Patterson the whole race waiting and waiting for the last 1/4 lap to pull out. Mark would make the rare bobble, but no, we stick behind. No way would we pass until the right time. Patterson knew he was toast.

Of course since Mark is towing us around for 30 minutes we never thought he'd use more fuel. That means thinking. He's flat out at 6,000,000,000,000 rpm and we're 3/4 throttle on the banking. Well, as it happened on the last lap Mark's car coughs a little in the exit of turn one and 6. Well, me with my tremendous IQ and superior brain power thought Mark is just fooling with us. He wants us to pass so he can get us on the last straight. I'll out smart him and stay behind him.

We come out of the chicane and on to the straight and Mark is going very slow. I down shift to 4th!! This earns me the dead brain sticker. I have to stay behind him until the appropriate time. Phil is thinking the same. I'm not moving until Phil moves. Then in the mirrors I see two cars approaching fast. OH OH. On the gas and try to get around Mark but its too late. Willcox and Jude jet by. Somehow Mark managed to still finish in front of us with a P3.

When you make up the 'dead brain" stickers Doug, send me the biggest. BTW it was still one of the most fun races I've done.

John