I qualified 2nd overall, we ran a mixed class of run what ya brung vintage and novice, both were small heats so we ran together. Lined up 2nd on the grid for the main, had been swapping tires all night trying to find something in the small stash I brought that worked decently. I had planned on clay compound, not super soft - clay tires seem to need tons of conditioning with traction compound, which I have refused to use in all my years racing
Tone sounds, we take off, and like any typical novice start, everyone piles into the first corner. TQ got out clean, I did not. Last place, leader 1/2 lap ahead. My tire selection for the main was the best feeling so far that night, so I buckle down and work on getting around the assorted SC trucks and other cars as they weave around the track. Within a few laps, I am back up to 2nd, but pretty far back, traffic wasnt the nicest to me as well, getting tangled up a couple times. I find the leader about 15 feet behind me, getting ready to put me a lap down. I concentrate on just putting in clean passes on back markers and driving good lines. Leader gets taken out by a back marker and I pull away, no fear of getting lapped now
. I get through traffic pretty cleanly, but the leader isnt. With mearly seconds left to go, I take a quick glance around the track and found I was less than 1/3 of the track down (around 27~28 second lap times), so about 10 seconds back. Time ran out and I finished happily in 2nd place. For the first time on the track and dirt, not having the right tires/set up. Swapping motors each heat & main to get the feel I wanted, I think I did really well. For the record, the winning "vintage" car was a Losi XXX - not XX or JRX, but the chassis they just retied a couple years ago.
