NSSCRA: SHARK TAKES OVER TROPICOAST BEACHby Ray WrightTROPICOAST - To those unfamiliar with the Nationstates Stock Car Racing Association, NSSCRA for short, this might look like an article about a great white terrorizing a resort town. But what does the international racing league have to do with that, you ask? Well, to the uninitiated, "Shark" is the nickname of NSSCRA driver River Suzgar of Vilita & Turori Motorsports, who by driving his #14 Dart to victory in the Tropicorp 500 here at the Tropicoast Beach Course, earned a spot in the Chase and the right to defend the title that he won last season. It is also a victory for Suzgar's sponsor Vilaye Energy Drink, as their car defeated the #25 VM of Vannish racer Kev Schorebrook, which is sponsored by a direct competitor, REDUP Energy Drink.
Suzgar's teammate Yraaga Gilli'i, driver of the #41 Tropicorp Dart, took third place. Fourth through ninth were completely filled up with drivers from St. Kanye and Cassadaigua. Yeezies Thea Alvarez (#46), Jeremiah Brooke (#18) and Skip Stiller (#3) were fourth, fifth and seventh in that order; Dagans Stacie Houston (#27), Meghan Sharpe (#4) and Jenna Logan (#11) were sixth, eighth and ninth respectively. The last spot in the top ten was taken by the Sherpa Empire's Liangmei Li in the #88 car.
Despite starting on pole, Brooke didn't get to spend a lot of time in front. "We didn't do the right things to dominate today", said the driver of the Glorious Free Republic Motorsports Chadwick sponsored by Hyde Medical Group. "We got outran at times. But we had a clean race, there's that, and we got closer to the points lead. Given how the 18 car has done in the past few races, I don't think it's out of the question for us to get a win, as long as we execute properly and continue to practice and study race tape."
Like Brooke, Alvarez is hungry for win number one of the season. "We can't just be good week in and week out and not get wins. Sure, we might get into the Chase on points, but we won't settle for that. We race to win, right? And besides, most of us from last season, if not all, have improved, and there are newcomers who already showed their worth. We need to improve and keep up with them." As for Stiller, he's already playoff-bound after his win last week at Greythorne. "But despite that, we won't just coast until the Chase comes. The regular season championship is still at stake. I'm hoping that I could defend it from last season."
Li, who started on the outside of the front row, beside Brooke, stormed off to an early lead on the rest of the pack, but Centur Tiones (#2) and the three GFR cars would also lead some laps. Suzgar started picking off the cars in front of his, eventually getting into the top ten about a couple dozen laps into the race, with a pass on Stiller's QED Car Rentals machine, nicknamed the "Blue Trey". The race was relatively clean at the start, meaning that drivers had to pit from green if they wanted to have work done on their cars. Among those who lost spots in the position shuffle were Kai Qiang (#44) and Brooke, the latter complaining about his car getting loose.
The first caution flew with the race about 1/3 done; Kevin von Pressman (#76) and Gael Erwann (#99) were involved. This time it would be Stiller, taking four tires, falling into the 15-20 group. Brooke would find himself just outside the top ten, while Alvarez, driving the Multiversal Automotive Coatings Chadwick, would be the new leader on the restart, with Eva Kerman (#13), Suzgar and Kev not far behind. The race's only other incident was near the halfway point: Gael's brother Mael in the #71 and Lisanderian Lourdina Westgrens in the #7 Dunneot were taken out. But the rest of the way, it was caution-free. The Kanyeans rose and fell, but ultimately wound up in the top ten during the closing laps, together with the Cassadagans. There waa a "Stacemiah" moment near the end, with Houston hot on Brooke's tail trying to chase him down, but the #18 was able to break free from the #27, denying the latter a top five finish. The two drivers and close friends later exchanged waves during the cooldown lap, while their respective teammates lined up behind them.
Eva retained the driver points lead despite finishing just eleventh; she now has 301 points. Brooke, breaking a tie with Houston for second, also closed in on the Jebslunder, and is now only seven points behind.
(Before the race, Eva actually led by fourteen, not four. The error was a result of a typo - Ed.) Houston, with 292 points, is still in a tie, but for third with Kev. Alvarez has 251 points, good for fifth, while Stiller's 249 put him in a triple tie for sixth with #50 Ellie Lindskog and Tiones. Suzgar, with today's win, is boosted to joint tenth with Li.
Meanwhile, Tom Bombelli continues to generate hate from NSSCRA fans following insults and death threats directed by the Xannerian driver toward Cocoabo #78. Just after the race, Bombelli was showered with trash and boos, with a group of hecklers of undetermined nationality shouting the following:
"Hey, Tom, why don't you go pick on someone your intelligence?"
"Yeah, those Cocoabos must be several levels ahead of him."
"Is that why he chose #16? To represent his IQ?"GFR's Stiller stated his opinion on the issue, saying "All I can say is that he [Bombelli] brought this upon himself, and so he must face the consequences."
Back in St. Kanye, track management of the two Kanyean tracks in the NSSCRA schedule have expressed interest in making the Tropicorp Racing Supply Pit Crew Challenge a part of their race weekends. Byron Mitchell and Alvin Rutledge, who represent the Jalton Superspeedway and Bompton Raceway respectively, are expected to meet with Tropicorp executives on Wednesday. The Pit Crew Challenge draws participants from many nations, including St. Kanye itself; here at Tropicoast, 30-year-old mechanic Jareth Olsen won the tire changing category again after winning it at Lonngeylin, while Brennan Jackson, 41, finished second in the refueling category, behind a competitor from Newmanistan.
Only five races remain in the NSSCRA regular season, the first of those being the one at the Nantes International Speedway at Brittany Normandy Aquitaine next week. Vannish part-timer and WGP driver Jessica Franssen will make her second and last appearance this season in the #01 VM. All qualifying sessions and races will be broadcast live on SKYNET (Saint KanYe) NETwork Sports Channel 12 and online at nsscra.skynet.stk. Full qualifying, race, and driver points tables are also found on that website.
OFFICIAL STANDINGS - Race 8 of 23 (Tropicoast)1. #14 River Suzgar (VNT)
2. #25 Kev Schorebrook (VNG)
3. #41 Yraaga Gilli'i (VNT)
4. #46 Thea Alvarez (STK)
5. #18 Jeremiah Brooke (STK)
7. #3 Skip Stiller (STK)DRIVER POINTS1. #13 Eva Kerman (JEB) - 301 (1 win)
2. #18 Jeremiah Brooke (STK) - 294T3. #25 Kev Schorebrook (VNG) - 292 (1 win)
T3. #27 Stacie Houston (CDG) - 292
5. #46 Thea Alvarez (STK) - 251T6. #50 Ellie Lindskog (VNG) - 249 (1 win)
T6. #3 Skip Stiller (STK) - 249 (1 win)T10. #14 River Suzgar (VNT) - 235 (1 win)
12. #41 Yraaga Gilli'i (VNT) - 234 (1 win)
13. #11 Jenna Logan (CDG) - 232 (1 win)
14. #90 Tsering Chu (SHW) - 231 (1 win)
49. #19 Philip West (STK) - 21NEXT RACENantes International Speedway, Brittany Normandy Aquitaine