Here we go again. After computer problems ended my last season, I found myself not wanting to start over yet again. However, I think it's time once again. Again, I will be using the Late Model Mod V.2 available at Short Track Sim.com. You can also get several of the tracks I will be using from them as well. My plan is to run 13 races on several of the short tracks I have collected around the web. My schedule is posted below. Note that I reserve the right to swap any of these tracks with another in the case that I find the track or the AI simply undrivable. As for a car set, I will be using the 2007-PASS-North carset with a few modifications made by me to shuffle a few guys around. I will continue to use this set until I find something better. I will call it the "Simulated Late Model Challenge". I will try to run 100-150 laps on all the short tracks, but may shorten it a bit on anything around a 1-mile. Races will be run using "Single Race" mode with the car set mentioned and race results exported and then compiled using the Rathbone's "Points Calculator". I will be driving my recreation of my real Late Model, the #68 KMB design, Print-NW, Hargis Engineers, Ringers Gloves Toyota Camry. Below is a shot of it (it is on the download page if you want to check it out there)...

Ah, Evergreen. I love kicking off my season at home, so once again I started with Evergreen Speedway. Being from the area, this track holds special meaning to my team and thus, me. I grabbed the first pole of the season here and once the green flag waved I ran off and hid. Having what might be called a home field advantage this one was not too difficult for me. I easily grabbed the first win here and the top spot in the points chase, standing a mere 6 points ahead of Rowe.

Race Results

Points Standings

I like this track, aside from the rather aggressive AI. I found a setup I liked after some serious testing sessions and set pole easily here. Unfortunately, my pole did not turn into another race win as is usually the case. I led the first portion of the race until a yellow came out. For some reason I have the hardest time restarting next to anyone. If I'm all alone I'm fine, but the double file thing kills me. The AI usually just run me over for some reason, and sure enough, that's what happened going into turn 1 after taking the green. Once repairs were made I was a lap down and that's where I'd stay the rest of the race. After almost making my lap up, another yellow found me restarting next to someone and getting run over again and going another lap down before everyone was done running into me. So my 10th place finish was actually rather pleasing at that point. I'll take it and move on. I'm still the point leader, so it's all good.

Race Results

Point Standings

Ok, I like this track! Not only did I find a nice setup that worked real well for me, but I found a place I could run where the AI wouldn't go, which made passing real nice. After setting yet another pole, I went on to dominate this race leading every lap on my way to win number two on the season. After hanging the fast guys behind some lapped traffic, this one was all mine. Standing firmly in the top spot in the points chase I stretched out my lead even more here.

Race Results

Point Standings

This one took me a while to get to because I was busy with my real race season. Now that that is over, I'm trying to get back at this thing. On to the update! I actually used the Illiana_09 track for this one, the updated one was just no good in my opinion. The AI was way too unpredictable and I just couldn't get the car to work on that one. But the '09 version was nice (aside from the issue with the pace car). I found a setup that worked good here after making some shock changes and managed to grab another pole. As is typical of this game (if you know what to do), I managed to bide my time staying ahead of the challengers until we found lapped traffic and then I hung them behind the lappers and ran off and hid for the rest of the race. The AI won't make some of the rather brave moves I will, so when you go 3 wide on some lappers you pretty much know it's over from there. I picked up my 3rd win of the season in easy fashion and moved farther ahead of Bushey, who has taken 2nd place without leading a single lap this season so far.

Race Results

Point Standings

Now there's an eventful race! I wasn't really happy with my car for this one, but I decided to go with it anyway since I knew I had a nice cushion in the points standings. I qualified 6th this time, so no pole here. I thought for a while I was racing for second as the leader checked out on me and I could not run him down. Then I really messed up. My car did NOT like the bottom at all. I've heard a lot of people say the real Irwindale is a high groove track so this must be a pretty accurate representation of it. A lapped car forced me to go down bottom and in the process I went around as I lost control going in. No caution came out and I found myself 9th as I got going again as that was all that was on the lead lap at that point. But what a recovery! I was able to run back up to 3rd adn then the lapped traffic started playing a factor as the top tow guys were just not getting through the pack like I was. I managed to take the point around lap 65 and hold on to it from then on to grab another win. A great ending to a race I thought was going to be survival time there for a while. I did not lead the most laps, so I left a point on the table there. But I did gain ground in the championship, which is much better than where I thought it was going.

Race Results

Point Standings

This one went wrong in a hurry. I thought I had a good car, fastest in practice. But qualifying found me 7th. Again, fastest in final practice so I went with it. I took the lead right away and led till about the half way point. That was when one of the lapped cars decided to turn me in front of a big pack. After that the car was destroyed and my race was over. Not the finish I was looking for. But with a huge margin in the points, I'm still on top. Just not as comfortable as I was before. Hopefully things get back on track soon. With just a 65 point lead over Bushey (who still hasn't led a single lap this season), I'm feeling the heat already.

Race Results

Point Standings

Yuck, not what I was looking for after my bad outing at Birmingham. I set the pole here easily and hoped to turn that into a great race. Taking the lead on the opening lap I went to work putting guys a lap down. I think the bad choice was when I pitted for tires under caution at about lap 60. No one else pitted and I ended up still leading but lined up behind the entire pack as a lot of guys got that lap back. Now, mired in traffic I got tangled up with a lapper and went around. This gave all the guys who didn't pit the chance to go around and line up right behind me. Then, once under green again, the second place car turned me going into 3 and the field stacked into me. With the car all torn up now, all I could really do was limp home in 11th, just missing a top-10. Cyr took the win and Bushy gained some more ground, now only 42 points back. I gotta get back on track soon.

Race Results

Point Standings

There we go, now this is getting back on track. I really like this track. Kind of a mini-Dover. I had a great car right off the trailer, did very little adjustments to it and went inot qualifying feeling pretty confident. I set pole here, but not by much. Final practice showed me much faster than the field so I thought this one would be a cake walk. But the race found me only slightly faster than the fast guys. The big break would come on lap 12 when Bushey got tangled up with a lapped car and ended up on his lid, ending his day very early and handing me back all those points I gave away at Birmingham. I cruised to an easy victory here leading almost every lap, only surrendering the lead when I got tangled with a lapper and Cyr got by while I gathered it up. A single lap later and I was back out front, this time for good as I drove off to take the checkered flag for the 5th time this season. Cyr has stepped into second with his second place run here, 101 points back.

Race Results

Point Standings

That sucked. I had a dominant car here, set another pole and was on my way to yet another easy victory until a lapped car somewhere around lap80 turned me going into the corner. I pitted for damage and tires, thinking at the least I would still be top5 since everyone else was a lap down. Somehow I got a penalty on pit row and got to pit unde green for a 4 lap penalty. This put me dead last, where I had just 9 laps to rally to a 21st place finish. Of course, Bushey was up front again, so all those points I had gotten back went right back out hte window. So, I head to the final 3 races with a mere 28 point lead over Cyr. Hopefully Virginia is for ME!!!

Race Results

Point Standings

Motor Mile brought another solid outing. I was a little worried when I felt I had the best car in early practice but failed to capture the pole here. But starting on the front row is still pretty good. I took the lead right off the bat, jumping the pole sitter on the start and never looked back leading this one flag to flag. The #91 car of Laperle was fast early, chasing me through lapped traffic and staying right with me. Somewhere around lap 60 he faded off and the #88 of Sweet became the challenger. Shortly after that a yellow came out and the field pitted for tires, I stayed out catching everyone a lap down and cruised to an easy victory a lap ahead of everyone. If I've learned anything, it's that too much can go wrong in the pits, stay out of there if at all possible! I now take a 45 point lead over Cyr to Indiana and hope to cap off the last two events in style.

Race Results

Point Standings

This race was almost a joke. It turned into a complete crash fest, averaging a yellow flag every 8-10 laps. The AI cars were going 3 and 4 wide all over the place, turning each other anywhere on the track. I jumped out front on the opening lap and it was pretty much just follow the pace car for 6 laps, race for 2 laps, rinse and repeat. This was by far the longest race I've had and the most cautions I've ever seen in this game. I'm glad this one is over. I did manage to follow the pace car for the most laps led and take the win (at least under green) giving me a bit more breathing room in the points as I take a 57 point lead over Cyr to Florida. I need to finish 12th or better to wrap this one up. I'm looking for one last win, but I will definately be points racing if I have to.

Race Results

Point Standings

And there we have it! I wrapped up my first simulated championship with a win in the season finale! I missed the pole here by just a little bit, and didn't realyl feel like I had the car to win. While the qualifying run was ok, the car wasn't as fast in race trim so I figured I'd just see about that top-10 that would cap it off for me. Once the green flag flew I jumped out to an early lead, which was nice as I always like having the point and grabbing another point for leading a lap. Once I got into lapped traffic, things were pretty much solidified. The AI cars never go through the lapped traffic the way I do, so once I was hiding in the lappers, it was all over. I ran off to a pretty good lead and never gave it up, putting more and more lapped cars between me andthe chasers until eventually the chackered flag was waving over me. That made the 8th victory of the season and a championship to go with it. I'll take it!

Race Results

Point Standings

My last sim season can be found here.