Friday, May 11, 2012

Talladega

Gory details - with comments! - are below. For the Google docs version as a pdf, click here.




OVERALL
Rocky Mtn Oysters fronts RMFN with 15 first-place spots (that figure includes the competitions that haven't started in Yahoo - summer, fall and second half). Perhaps more impressive is that RMO is leading despite being eliminated in the first round of the Single-Elimination Bracket competition. Hoosier, Texas Speed Reavers, Clint Is My Homebowy and testcar round out of the top five.
Since the first two races, RMFN drivers have shied away from the 200-point line. After 31 sub-200 scores at Daytona and Phoenix, RMFN has produced just 18 sub-200s over the last eight races (nine of those at Bristol). The plus-300 side tells the same story.
Ninety-five of RMFN's 105 300-plus scores have been posted since Phoenix - including a whopping 60 at the Martinsville and Texas races (combined). RMO's 366 at Texas is the league's top mark of the season through 10 races.
Looking ahead, Charlotte is intentionally set up as a big RMFN race. It's an elimination round in many competitions and a cutoff for the spring season, where we'll crown our first champion.


WORLD CUP
Talladega marked the end of Track Qualifying (the first group stage) of the competition.
Some big names and top seeds failed to earn automatic spots by finishing among the top three in their group: BLOWINSMOKE (2010 champ), Cooter88, Rocky Mtn Oysters, Bassman (2009 champ) and Sunday Money 12. Rocky Mtn Oysters did take one of the two fourth-place bids to advance.
Of note: Clint Is My Homebowy posted a perfect 8-0-0 record in Track Qualifying.
Groups for the Champion Qualifying (quadruple round-robin through race 20 at the Brickyard):
EARNHARDT: Clint Is My Homebowy, cobalt, Thumper Greis X, Betty Boop Madness
PETTY: Ring of Fire, Ted Boyer, #3 Intimidator, Rocky Mtn Oysters
GORDON: LT4SS, Hook'n Up, katie88ty, Stuck in Reverse
PEARSON: Hoosier, Deer Lodge Dipstick, Pace Car, Motorhead
WALTRIP: testcar, Logann's Daddy, AMSKahne5, disco
YARBOROUGH: FordFucus, Aimather Sphincter, Gonzo15, Top of TEXAS
ALLISON: Texas Speed Reavers, lowski, Rolling Thunder, FC Newman
JOHNSON: Smell My Smoke, Maverick, All Eight, win24win
Based on preseason rankings and current standings in both the RMFN Overall and Yahoo standings, the Petty and Pearson groups appear to be the toughest to win.




SINGLE ELMINATIONS
There are two races left in the second round of both competitions.
In the bracket, nine of the matchups carry margins of fewer than 50 points heading into Darlington.
At the extreme end of the other side, it appears goldenboy48, Rolling Thunder, Dale Earnhardt's Neck, racy macy and moonshine will exit after round two.
In the heat, just two of the top 10 seeds are above the cutoff - the top 16 finishers in round two advance.
Thumper Greis X holds the final spot by 15 points over Clint Is My Homebowy.


DOUBLE ELIMINATIONS
There are two races left in the third round of both competitions.
In the bracket, seven of the eight winners' bracket matchups hold margins of fewer than 100. onthehunt and katie88ty are trailing big and need salty scores to advance.
In the losers' bracket, all but one matchup is within the 100-point bubble - 4HORSEMAN is facing elimination.
In the heat, the top seeds are faring a little better. Four of the top 10 are above the cutoff in the winners' heat; Logann's Daddy holds the final advancing spot (the top eight out of 16 stay in the winners' section) by eight points over Hoosier.
In the losers' heat, top-10 seeds Sunday Money 12 and FordFucus are currently in the elimination zone. Pace Car holds the final advancing spot by two points over Rolling Thunder.




LADDER
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite competitions. I'll be interested to see where teams finish in relation to their seeds after Miami.
TL Racing has made the biggest move up since the start of the season - 12 spots, up to 16th from 28th. Blessed Wyoming Mom holds the opposite distinction, falling 16 spots since Daytona.
Twenty-two teams have moved up; 19 have moved down; nine are where they started the season.




IMMUNITY
One team, Blessed Wyoming Mom, has been eliminated.
Teams with two strikes: Bassman, Dale Earnhardt's Neck, GordonLixBalls, lowski, Grease Nuts, billys boys 11, and disco.
Teams with one strike: Motorhead, Cooter88, Sunday Money 12, cobolt, LT4SS, racy macy, Ted Boyer, TL Racing, 4HORSEMAN, Betty Boop Madness, Maverick, onthehunt, and WYCKED SLICK.
The other 29 teams remain tied for first.




YROC
This is another competition I'm growing fond of.
RMFN has nine qualifiers for the final run at Miami - Rocky Mtn Oysters' two wins has taken an extra spot there.
The other qualifiers so far: Hoosier, Clint Is My Homebowy, Dale Earnhardt's Neck, GordonLixBalls, onthehunt, Rev-a-lusions, TL Racing, and cobalt.




HEAD-TO-HEAD
Everyone should have 22 games played at this point, but there are still some scheduling quirks that I'll have to fix in coming seasons. I've noted the oddities by week at the bottom of the standings. Either way, everyone should finish with 98 games after Miami.
Texas Speed Readers currently leads with a 20-2-0 record, followed by Rocky Mtn Oysters (19-3-0) and TL Racing (18-4-0).




TRACKS
Three races so far on the Intermediates. Maverick holds the top spot with three consecutive 300-plus scores, the only team to do that.
We've also completed three races at the Superspeedways. Scores in the 300s have been harder to come by here - just 11 total. Cooter88 leads with scores of 282, 271 and 338, respectively, at Daytona, California and Talladega.
That leaves four races at the short tracks. Aimather Sphincter leads with a 299 average and two straight 300-plus scores. LT4SS, Gonzo15 and TL Racing are also riding 300-plus streaks of two races on the shorties.
There are just two road races - the first at Sonoma in late June.




OLD CHASE
Rocky Mtn Oysters leads but all that matters at this point in the season is the cutoff.
Currently, 34 are eligible for the Old Chase, with goldenboy48 holding the final spot.
The top 12 teams and any other teams within 400 points advance after the next Richmond race.




NEW CHASE
Rocky Mtn Oysers also leads here. The new twist is a fun one for Yahoo players - finish in the top 10 after Richmond or win the most races.
Other current qualifiers would include: Hoosier, Texas Speed Reavers, Clint Is My Homebowy, TL Racing, LT4SS, Hook'n Up, testcar, Rev-a-lusions and Logann's Daddy.
How close is it? Another 10 teams are within 100 points of Logann's Daddy.
For the final two wildcard spots (determined by wins), cobolt (currently 22nd in points) and onthehunt (currently in 30th) would make the New Chase.
nascar12.dega

Friday, May 4, 2012

Richmond

HUGE race ahead for a lot of folks at Taladega in the World Cup competition. If you aren't in the top three and don't have a four-point cushion, beware. Link to the details on Google docs is here. Otherwise, enjoy the pdf version below. Good luck! Nascar12.Richmond