Tuned Racers [Race 2 of 20]

Race Two started with a proper tuning of all the cars, with grease and oil added, and tires sanded. The track is fast and mostly outside turns, so it should be pretty even:

Team orders for this race:
#8 Ford GT40 Shell Team - no float
#11 Ford GT40 Gulf Team - pod float only
#2 Alfa Team - pod float only

Results:

Car               Laps      Offs

Class A [no magnets]

#2 Alfa           54          2

#11 Gulf         54          3 

#8 Shell          54          1

Class B [w/magnet]

R18                 50          0 

Safety Car       46          0

The Class A cars ended in a three-way tie after the race. Each car was fast, yet each had offs in the same area of the track; the 180º before the start. The #8 feels the fastest, and still has a bit of anger in it. Had it not come off it would have won. 

The Alfa was light and nimble, but I think I got a bit overzealous when racing it. All offs were driver error, as they almost always are.

A bit of a dogleg right. Cars struggled with the corner at the bottom of the photo due to it being at the end of the stretch.

Due to the tie, a tie breaker heat race for Class A would have to be run. Three minutes, winner take all. No additional points for the heat race; cars are scored based on their final standings. Here are the results from the tie-breaker heat race:

2nd heat/Finish

Car               Laps       Offs

Class A

#11 Ford         58           0 

#8 Ford           57           1
#2 Alfa           56           0

Class B

R18          [didn't race 2nd heat]
SC           [didn't race 2nd heat]

The #8 was on a tear. Had it not come off it would have surely won by a few laps, as it was already chasing down the #11 and it took me about a lap's time to re-slot it. I played it a little more conservatively driving the Alfa so that I could get a clean heat, but I think I was too careful. The Alfa really is quick and light as a feather, but it requires a bit of dexterity. One wrong finger twitch and that thing is over the fence. 

The Fords, on the other hand, feel stable and secure. The length is more than the Alfa, and that's probably got something to do with it.

In Class B, the Safety Car really needs to make a better showing. The next track will be more technical, which should slow down the R18 a bit. We'll see. The Slot.it cars, on the other hand, act like they have magnets in them when they don't.

Team Standings [after 2 of 20 races]

Car               Pts            Total

Class A
Gulf #11        5                  9
Alfa #2          3                  8
Shell #8         4                  7

Class B
R18                2                  4
SC                  1                  2

Looks like Class A is off to a good start, and keeping competitive with each other. Unlike Class B, there is no clear leader here yet. I still expect the Alfa to start performing faster than it has been. The stalwart #11 has not given me the slightest problem since I've taken it out of the box. Such a smooth running race car.