Kermania Fortress Run, Kermania Citadel, Jebslund :: The NSSCRA had entered unfamiliar territory with the Start of Round 3 of the NSSCRA Playoff Chase. Prior to Season 9, no NSSCRA Season had lasted for longer than 30 races. The Kermania Fortress Run - which was traditionally among the earlier events in the NSSCRA schedule - having never been contested any later than Round 9, was now race number 34 of NSSCRA Season 9. River 'Shark' Suzgar had never been particularly competitive at the Kermania Citadel, but the event had never before been such a critical part of the NSSCRA Playoffs.
Historically "The Shark" has been most dangerous during the heart of the NSSCRA Schedule. Of all Suzgar's seven career victories, none had previously been later than Round 17 of the schedule. Now, at Round 34 of NSSCRA Season 9, 17 races have come and gone, and now a second set of 17 races had come and nearly gone again. A win for Suzgar in this event would break a number of statistical trends. First, Suzgar's mediocre record in the Kermania Fortress Run, having never previously posted a Top 10 finish at Jebslund's premier event. Secondly, Suzgar's propensity for consistency without late-season checkered flags. Suzgar had already broken some aspect of that statistic earlier in Season 9 by winning the second race of the season in New Northwesteros. Prior to this seasons Argo Petrol 300, Suzgar had never won a race earlier than Round 8 in a season. It was by far and away the earliest Suzgar had ever won an event in a season. However, it helped offset the fact that Suzgar had won just one race during NSSCRA Season 8 after having won two races per season in each of their prior campaigns during NSSCRA 6 and NSSCRA 7.
At that point, however, none of Suzgar's 6 career victories had come on either Short Tracks or Road Courses. After winning their first career race in dramatic fashion at the Jalton Superspeedway during Season 6's Regular Season Cutoff event, Suzgar would collect the next five victories of their career including the second round of NSSCRA Season 9 on Oval inspired Speedway courses. The Sankyoku Tri Oval in Aji No Moto, the Sirenia Speedway in Lisander, the Lannisburg Complex. While their victory in the debut event at the Tropicoast Beach Course during NSSCRA Season 7 had shown some variability in Suzgar's driving portfolio, the always consistent 'Shark' had really only demonstrated true bite on Speedway courses.
It would all change when the circuit rolled into Xanneria for Round 14 of NSSCRA Season 9. Suzgar rolled out with a victory in the Grand Prix of Marietta, their first on a course that even required skillful braking no less right hand turns. The victory demonstrated Suzgar's progress in accomplishing a personal goal of success in non-speedway events that would be required if the Vilita and Turori driver would be able to navigate through an increasingly competitive field to return to the NSSCRA championship race. With a Road Course and a Short Track included during every round of the Chase, well balanced portfolio was becoming a necessity for drivers to earn the right to compete for the title.
With many of the top brass at the Vilisorma Beverage Company having skipped the Kermania Fortress Run race week, there was not the typical packed schedule that usually accompanies a race where Vilaye Energy Drink is serving as Suzgar's primary sponsor. Perhaps the lighter than usual sponsor schedule was a contribution, or just generally being better prepared for the race being in a more critical spot in the NSSCRA Calendar, but the #14 Vilaye Energy Drink Dart was exceptionally fast come race day with Suzgar immediately clawing through the field and making their way to the front of the pack.
"The Shark" took the lead from Valentina Freya Yadana Aye just past the races halfway point and never looked back, leading the Valkyrie Motorsports rookie driver for the remainder of the event as the duo drove away from the field in a dominating performance. While it was Suzgar's second Road Course victory of the season, it was the most impressive message that the Vilita & Turori Motorsports driver could send that they would not be left out of the Title Picture. Just one race after Stacie Houston booked her ticket to the Championship Four with a chance to become a two-time NSSCRA Champion, Suzgar would follow suit.
#14 River 'Shark' Suzgar takes the lead from #15 Valentina Freya Yadana Aye in Jebslund
In victory lane, Vilaye Energy Drink was flowing. Cans being tossed about. Boxes, hats, towels. It was a celebration of Vilaye. For the first time in his career, River 'Shark' Suzgar II had won three races in a single season. Naturally, with NSSCRA Season 9 being the longest NSSCRA campaign to date, more wins might be expected but the third win also allowed Suzgar for the first time to provide victories to each of his three primary sponsors in the same season. Suzgar's first win of the season in New Northwesteros came with the colors of the Vilitan Tourism Board on the #14 Dart. Suzgar's second win of the season in Xanneria came with Toys '4' All as the primary sponsor on the Vilita and Turori Motorsports Dart and then finally, Suzgar put Vilaye Energy Drink back in Victory Lane in the Kermania Fortress Run. It was Suzgar's first victory for Vilaye Energy Drink since the inaugural Tropicorp 500 during NSSCRA Season 7 although it had been a very successful season of sponsorship already for the Vilisorma Based beverage company.
After waiting for the moment since the outset of their sponsorship of the NSSCRA's Pole Award, Suzgar had finally delivered Vilaye Energy Drink their first Pole Award with the Vilaye Energy Drink colors on the #14 when "The Shark' Took the pole position at the Nacia Cirkvito in Islas Aaland. Suzgar then backed up the performance in Vilaye's very next event as Primary Sponsor topping the qualifying charts at the Yoggy Oval. Now, Suzgar has delivered two Pole Positions and a Race Victory to Vilaye Energy Drink in a season performance that has Cemented the Vilitan driver's legacy as one of the NSSCRA's greatest drivers.
While the party in Jebslund may have been dampened by the fact that Vilisorma Beverage Company officials opted to stay back in Vilita to be prepared for any fallout due to the Final Report of the Cocoabo Commission, the lack of any negative press related to the release of the report coupled with Suzgar's victory at the Kermania Fortress Run and securing of a place in the NSSCRA Championship Four ensured the party was on throughout Vilisorma.
There was still one more race before the championship, however, and while it wasn't a scheduled Vilaye Energy Drink sponsored event for Suzgar, there would be plenty of officials from the company on hand in Vangaziland as Jama'obo Pegasii would be piloting the #87 Vilaye Roast Dart as a Vilita & Turori Motorports Research & Development entry in South Stead. Due to Vilaye's presence at the track through Pegasii's #87 machine, Suzgar's existing commitments with race sponsor Toys '4' All and the added media attention due to having been the prior events winner and clinching a place in the Championship 4, there would likely not be time for a breather in a packed personal schedule for 'The Shark' at the Imperial Speedway.
While Six Drivers would be fighting on the Day for Two spots in the Championship 4 where they would compete against Suzgar and Houston for the NSSCRA 9 title, for the Vilita & Turori Motorsports team they had four drivers in the event and points were not a concern for any of them. For Tiones and Gilli'i they would be looking to park the #2 Tiones Lumber Dart and #41 Tropicorp Racing Supply Dart's in victory lane to act as spoiler of sorts after having been eliminated from Chase Contention earlier in the Playoff Chase. A fourth driver, Jama'obo Pegasii, would be competing for their sponsor in a race which the have previously posted a Top 5 finish in during NSSCRA Season 6.
Pegasii is currently a free agent driver following the conclusion of the World Grand Prix circuits third campaign of its second-level series. Pegasii's performances regularly outperformed their antiquated steam-powered equipment on the World Grand Prix 2 circuit even securing their first ever Grand Prix victory in the process. While it is widely expected that Pegasii would return to the Open Wheel circuit, their appearance at multiple Stock Car events during the current campaign including the Challenge at the Rocks, the Rumble in the Rice Fields and now the Gryphon Supermarkets 250 has once again fanned the flames that Pegasii could be searching for a part or full time ride for NSSCRA Season 10. Of course, depending on how things go for Pegasii in Vangaziland could sway the balance for the journeyman Vilita & Turorian in deciding where to focus their efforts for the new season.
#14 River 'Shark' Suzgar II - NSSCRA Race Victories
[SS] : VT - NSSCRA 6 - Rd. 10- Pencurve Electronics 500 (Jalton, Saint Kanye)
[SU] : VT - NSSCRA 6 - Rd. 14- Sankyoku Tri Oval (Sankyoku, Aji No Moto)
[SP] : VY - NSSCRA 7 - Rd. 8 - Tropicorp 500 (Tropicoast, Tropicorp)
[SP] : VT - NSSCRA 7 - Rd. 17- Central Shanesville 300 (Central Shanesville)
[SP] : T4 - NSSCRA 8 - Rd. 10- Lantis Sirenia 300 (Sirenia, Lisander)
[SP] : VT - NSSCRA 9 - Rd. 2 - Argo Petrol 350 (Lannisburg, New Northwesteros)
[RC] : T4 - NSSCRA 9 - Rd. 14- Grand Prix of Marietta (Marietta, Xanneria)
[RC] : VY - NSSCRA 9 - Rd. 34- Kermania Fortress Run (Kermania Citadel, Jebslund)
With Qualifying completed at the Imperial Speedway, Centur Tiones once again put in a fast time but just missed securing their second career Pole Position in South Stead finishing second to Jeremiah Brooke on the Leaderboard. While damaging their career average with a 15th place starting spot during NSSCRA Season 8, Tiones has now qualified inside the Top 3 on three occasions in the seasons penultimate race and won the event from the pole during NSSCRA Season 6. It is just the second time in the race's history that a Vilita & Turori Motorsports driver did not earn pole position but all three of the team's full time drivers was quick with Yraaga Gilli'i rolling off one spot ahead of short-track rival Stacie Houston in 4th position while River 'Shark' Suzgar put in the 7th fastest qualifying time. The teams Research and Development driver for the event, Jama'obo Pegasii will start from the 38th position with the research clearly indicating that more development was required for the team if they were going to contend for a Top 10 finish with the #87 Vilaye Roast Dart.
Outside of the Vilita & Turori Motorsports Drivers, Brooke naturally put themselves in the best position to advance to the Championship Four sitting on pole position while defending series champion Kai Qiang will roll off from the 8th position. The four drivers currently sitting outside the Top 4 in the standings also posted the worst Qualifying times with Gwen Tracer Allison backup up the field from 43rd position with the most difficult path ahead of them to the Proving Grounds. Archer, Li and Stiller will be fighting from outside the Top 10 to try to steal a spot from the veterans. Former Vilita & Turori Motorsports driver Rockii Ezis who had run into a hot spell towards the end of the Regular Season has cooled down as of late and will continue the hunt for their first NSSCRA victory rolling off from the 12th position on the grid. Ezis has a career average finish of 16th at the Imperial Speedway with best finish of 10th during NSSCRA Season 7.
