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Several teams simply don't have the luxury of getting time off for midweek shows one or more states away. I think the $5300-to-start money for Saturday night's main event will bring a few more haulers into the pits.
A couple of observations on Night One... First, I'm sure I already know, but I would really love to hear some thoughts from the LOLMDS regulars about Tuesday & Wednesday formats, which are essentially the SLMR/Malvern Bank rules. Heat rare lineups invert the top 6 from qualifying, with passing points determining starting lineup for the feature each night. It meant that polesitter Brandon Sheppard had to win his heat or start on the front row of a B-Main. Sure enough, he came in second behind Jonathan Davenport in an absolutely loaded heat one. The 30-lap feature was entertaining and sufficiently stacked from front to back with the very best. With the track still a bit tacky, while there was great side-by-side racing, it didn't necessarily allow for a deep-starting driver to make a hard-charging run to the front. After tangling with a tricky cushion (like several others did) in turns 3-4, B-Shepp couldn't move forward and bowed out with issues late in the feature. The format takes a driver's best finish of the two nights, so there will be several teams trying to rally tonight, and some others perhaps doing more testing than competing upfront.
Second, I also think I know the answer to this, but I'd still love to hear more LOLMDS regulars' thoughts on the tire rule for the weekend. Hoosier D55's, no grooving or siping. They can have a different LF, however. On one hand, I'm sure teams don't mind not having to spend the time it takes (30 minutes a tire!?) grinding, grooving & siping in the boiling sun that is SDN Week. But, I also think this is just enough deviation from what many traveling teams are used to that it throws them off, especially on night one of a multi-day program. Maybe I'm overthinking that, but even with a notebook full of notes from previous years, the cars and setups do change, and that makes some notes obsolete. Ultimately, the cream rises to the top, and that was certainly the case with Brandon Overton. His smoothness on corner entry, his combination of gas & brake running a middle groove (a Bloomquist line, as some like to call it), and whatever shock package they've hit on....it's just an unbeatable combination right now. Hard to judge just on one 30-lapper, but my money would be on the 76 to get at least one of the big checks this week at I-80, if not both.
Tad Pospisil looks to be back with a different open motor for Thursday's program, for sure. Maybe by tonight, but it will be close.
Speaking of open motors... Anybody got a Vic Hill or a Clements lying around for Jesse Sobbing to borrow? Hey, a fan can dare to dream, can't he?
A couple of observations on Night One... First, I'm sure I already know, but I would really love to hear some thoughts from the LOLMDS regulars about Tuesday & Wednesday formats, which are essentially the SLMR/Malvern Bank rules. Heat rare lineups invert the top 6 from qualifying, with passing points determining starting lineup for the feature each night. It meant that polesitter Brandon Sheppard had to win his heat or start on the front row of a B-Main. Sure enough, he came in second behind Jonathan Davenport in an absolutely loaded heat one. The 30-lap feature was entertaining and sufficiently stacked from front to back with the very best. With the track still a bit tacky, while there was great side-by-side racing, it didn't necessarily allow for a deep-starting driver to make a hard-charging run to the front. After tangling with a tricky cushion (like several others did) in turns 3-4, B-Shepp couldn't move forward and bowed out with issues late in the feature. The format takes a driver's best finish of the two nights, so there will be several teams trying to rally tonight, and some others perhaps doing more testing than competing upfront.
Second, I also think I know the answer to this, but I'd still love to hear more LOLMDS regulars' thoughts on the tire rule for the weekend. Hoosier D55's, no grooving or siping. They can have a different LF, however. On one hand, I'm sure teams don't mind not having to spend the time it takes (30 minutes a tire!?) grinding, grooving & siping in the boiling sun that is SDN Week. But, I also think this is just enough deviation from what many traveling teams are used to that it throws them off, especially on night one of a multi-day program. Maybe I'm overthinking that, but even with a notebook full of notes from previous years, the cars and setups do change, and that makes some notes obsolete. Ultimately, the cream rises to the top, and that was certainly the case with Brandon Overton. His smoothness on corner entry, his combination of gas & brake running a middle groove (a Bloomquist line, as some like to call it), and whatever shock package they've hit on....it's just an unbeatable combination right now. Hard to judge just on one 30-lapper, but my money would be on the 76 to get at least one of the big checks this week at I-80, if not both.
Tad Pospisil looks to be back with a different open motor for Thursday's program, for sure. Maybe by tonight, but it will be close.
Speaking of open motors... Anybody got a Vic Hill or a Clements lying around for Jesse Sobbing to borrow? Hey, a fan can dare to dream, can't he?
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