INL Pro Cup: Round 14, "Matt 200"

Qualifying results:

1. #57 A. Arzamasov: 30.462s.
2. #74 Tik: 30.650
3. #17 S. ZP: 30.650
4. #3 KAN 42: 30.664
5. #25 D. Borisoff: 30.959
6. #95 A. madlopt: 32.315
7. #46 Pab: no time
8. #113 S. Anti: no time
9. #33 A. Schokin: no time
10. #5 RacerX: no time

The winner of the last three rounds and leader of the Pro series started the race from next-to-last position. That, however, did not stop him from getting away briskly and passing five drivers within the first 10 laps.

Running order after 10 laps:

1. #57 A. Arzamasov
2. #74 Tik
3. #3 KAN 42
4. #17 S. ZP
5. #33 A. Schokin
6. #113 S. Anti
7. #95 A. madlopt
8. #25 D. Borisoff
9. #46 Pab
10. #5 RacerX

Four laps later #33 was already up to second position, but at some point, losing control of the car, he ended up on the apron and, barely catching the rear of his «Chevy» as it snapped into a slide, let four drivers back through.

Lap 16.

#17 and #3, fighting over second place, come together side to side. Through the corner #17 was drifting to the outside while #3, at the same time, was slowly but steadily steering his car to the inside.

#74 Tik, running behind them, managed to brake but still could not avoid contact with #17. So both instigators of the incident (#17 and #3) ended up at the fence.

After the caution #57 Arzamasov kept the lead and headed the field until lap 56.

By lap 20 #33 had moved up to 2nd place, but catching the leader was beyond his powers at that moment.

Lap 51.

#17 S.ZP, after his tense duel with #3, unexpectedly turns into the pits and quits the race.

«Third Pro race in a row that I've screwed up — I left so I wouldn't get in the way,» he explained his decision later.

Lap 56.

#57 unexpectedly errs while lapping a backmarker and, cutting across #95, sends him into the fence.

The entire field heads for the pits.

Lap 61.

After the restart #33 manages to pass #57.

Lap 68.

#3 KAN pulls into the pits for no apparent reason and retires from the fight.

#33 and #57 run in each other's immediate vicinity right up until lap 79. #95 gets into a crash and, bringing out the caution, leaves the race.

Thanks to a quicker pit stop, and also to the fact that his pit stall sits right at the pit lane exit, #57 Arzamasov reclaims the race lead.

Lap 84.

After the restart #33 gets past #113 fairly easily, but having moved into second place he fails to «latch onto the tail» of race leader #57.

Lap 89.

During a passing attempt #74 Tik drops onto the apron and, losing control of the car, hits the wall. After running a whole lap on a flat tire, he is forced to pit under green flags.

His main rival's crash gives #113 Anti the chance to concentrate on chasing down the leaders. They, however, are showing a pace that is quick and steady at the same time, so #113 is left hoping for a caution rather than for his own speed.

Laps 105-111.

#33 finds hidden reserves and starts closing the distance between himself and #57.

laps of #33 and #57:

#33 Lap 105: 31.105s/#57- Lap 105: 31.121s

#33-Lap 106: 31.082s/#57- Lap 106: 31.318s

#33- Lap 107: 31.177s/#57- Lap 107: 31.309s

#33- Lap 108: 31.180s/#57-Lap 108: 31.466s

#33- Lap 109: 31.205s/#57- Lap 109: 31.384s

#33- Lap 110: 31.222s/#57- Lap 110: 31.441s

#33- Lap 111: 31.364s/#57- Lap 111: 31.725s

#33- Lap 112: 31.584s/#57- Lap 112: 31.888s

Lap 112.

While working through lapped traffic #33 gets ahead of #57 and becomes the race leader.

Finding no way to get onto the leader's bumper, #57 was left hoping for a caution to appear. But none of those still on track gave him that gift, because, in essence, by this time no rivalry could be observed among the runners anymore.

The only hint of a battle was Racer's pursuit of Pab, but since both of them were happy with their positions in this race, it never came to a sharp fight between them.


Race results:

1.#33 Alexander Schokin:134 Laps
2. #57 Alex Arzamasov:+04.772s
3. #113 Sergey Anti:+17.173s
4. #25 Dimon Borisoff: 1 lap
5. #46 Рab: 2 lap
6. #5 RacerX: 2 lap
7. #74 Tik: 4 lap
8. #95 Alex madlopt: 56 lap (Retired)
9. #3 KAN 42: 66 lap (Retired)
10. #17 Sergey ZP: 83 lap (Retired)


Exchange of opinions:


Arzamasov (Kadum)

LICH, congrats on the win!

When I saw you starting to close the gap, I remembered I hadn't made any changes for an empty tank. As a result the car handled worse and worse, even though the tires were more or less fine. Judging by your line (when you went past me like I was standing still) you had cranked in Wedge again, and maybe grille tape too.

A great win! How is anyone supposed to fight you?! No idea...

Schokin (LICH)

Actually I forgot to make changes at the last stop — or rather, I was simply sure I would need another full tank before the finish. Somewhere around the middle of the next lap I saw that only 20 gallons had gone in and decided to pit one more time. I didn't touch the wedge, just topped up the fuel.

Arzamasov (Kadum)

Well then, we'll try to compensate for the lack of experience with practice. Here I am, you see, trying to do everything so you don't get bored, and so far, it seems, to no avail.

Schokin (LICH)

It actually wasn't boring. I missed on the setup, so through the race I had to either hang in front of you or bide my time behind. In essence, over the whole final stretch I only gained 5-6 seconds on you — that's nothing.

I honestly didn't prepare anything on purpose — I saw the forecast called for standard weather and decided to grab somebody's ready-made setup. When I joined the server it turned out that, first, I didn't have Hackman's sets, and second, the weather was for some reason cloudy. I took Wilkin's, tweaked it a little. In the race understeer showed up quickly on the exits, and fixing that mid-race was unrealistic, so I just picked my pace and line. At the first stop I moved the «wedge» two clicks to the left.


Race statistics:


Race leaders:

Alex Arzamasov: 1-17
Рab: 18
Alex Arzamasov: 19-56
Tik: 57
Sergey Anti: 58
Alex Arzamasov: 59-60
Alexander Schokin: 61-79
Dimon Borisoff: 80-81
Alex Arzamasov: 82-111
Alexander Schokin: 112-134

Lead changes: 9
Total leaders: 6

Laps led

Alex Arzamasov: 87
Alexander Schokin: 42

Fastest lap:

Tik: 30.589s (63 L)

Pit stops:

Alexander Schokin:4
Tik:4
RacerX:4
Рab:3
Alex Arzamasov:3
Sergey Anti:3
Dimon Borisoff:3