> I've been checking in every half hour or so hoping to read some
> reports on N3. Not too much other than "it's out!".
> It's pouring down rain here in PA (the tip of Floyd), and I don't feel
> like going out in that mess to pick it up.
> I was hoping to spend the night reading some of those nice 200 line
> reports on the pro's and con's of N3.
> Maybe this is a good sign. Perhaps everyone is playing instead of
> posting "pApY u sUx!!!!!" messages.
> --
> http://www.users.fast.net/~fusion1
> (dirt bikes, rat bikes, rental car abuse...)
I was racing at Talladega where it was nice and sunny.<g> I
selected the out-of-box Qualify setting and gave it a go. I turned in
something like 48.770. Dale Jarret was second with 49 something and Jeff
Gordon was in third with a 49 something. Strength was set at default 97%
(I had to check it after I qualified.) Chose the ACE set-up for the
race. While coming out of turn four, the spotter said there were a few
cars stopped in turn three. The pace car turned off. I sort of sped up
until the spotter said, "Stay behind the pace car." It was too late.
The flag man waved the green flag (Yes, it was green and he was waving it
furiously) and we took off. I left the pack and got out to a 1.3 second
lead. As I came back around, the flagman was waving a black flag. My
spotter said, "Oh, they're giving us the black flag." After crossing the
line, the spotter said, "Look, you have to serve the black flag." I was
.8 seconds ahead at the line. They caught me in turn two. As Jeff
Burton and Jeremy Mayfield passed, I got twitchy and came left across the
track and collided with Ricky Rudd. We both went to the wall. I guess
NO DAMAGE is default as I kept my tank going. Later, while checking the
replay, Ricky was infront of Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon. The field went
to the left and right of them, pushing them back to around 24th. I
decided to serve the stop and go penalty this time, so I pitted. As I
came around turn two, the spotter said, "There's trouble in turn three."
He later said, "There are cars everywhere in turn three." When I got to
turn three, there were skid marks leading up to the wall. There were
other skid marks criss crossing. I took the yellow flag and caught the
field entering turn three. Once we crossed the line again, I made a note
of what cars were pitting. Terry Labonte and Johnny Benson were out. I
decided to replay the accident. I selected Labonte and followed him down
the backstretch. He was behind some high number filler car (I can't wait
for one of the sites to get the new cars painted) and Johnny Benson was
in front of him. I noticed smoke going up to the wall in turn three.
Benson, the filler and Labonte kept going through the smoke and ran into
Jeremy Mayfield as he was coming off the banking. I replayed with
Mayfield selected. Jeff Burton and he were running first and second.
Burton was on the bottom of the track. As he entered turn three, his
rear came around and he hit Mayfield, who was at his rear quarter panel.
Mayfield spun and hit the wall hard. Hitting Mayfield helped Burton
right his car enough so that he only side-swiped the wall and kept on
going. Mayfield came off the banking and caused a five car pile-up. The
other cars slowed to a crawl as there was no place to go.
On the restart, there were lapped cars. From my 37th position, I
was able to watch as two or three paired up to pass other cars. The AI
is impressive. I can't wait to try more.
--
When I die, I hope they bury me at Wal-Mart so my wife will visit me
everyday.
