Tournaments: Sub4ra

by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom

The eighth event in the 2020 Adult Diecast Racing Cup (ADRC) season is Martinsville. The race is a short track, and is the “paper clip” configuration that also doubled for Bristol back in the spring.

Rhyno’s marquee series is running a little behind this year. Not unlike many track owners, his ability to crank out content has been affected by the pandemic and the ensuing life changes associated with Covid-19.

So, while this race was originally supposed to take place earlier in the year, the wait seems to have been well worth it. The action was far more exciting than one might expect when the track is divided lanes for all but a couple of feet right before the finish line.

Two cars in divided lanes might lack in wild moves, but the action with six or more cars at the starting line leads to all sorts of knocking about and good old fashioned chaos.

The pole sitter for the entire event, the number 5 car of Green Parrot, a green Plymouth Superbird, flipped over in turn one and rode on his roof all the way to turn two where the other cars nudged him out of the way and off the track.

Many laps saw cars come off the track partially, only to get back on and finish the lap. But many others were caught over the edge for good, or tipped over when smashed between the preceding and trailing cars. There’s not a lot of wiggle room on the divided orange track makes up most of the Martinsville Speedway.

Green Parrot got to go back to the back of the field because he landed on his wheels on that first lap. But his next lap ended upside down and the fastest qualifier was out before the race had really gotten going.

The Red Pill Racing cars of Frank Kline and Maxzilla were the ones to watch in the next group. Kline has been rapidly moving up the rankings in the second half of the season.

The RPR cars started in the middle of the 6-car group, but quickly moved up to the front row on subsequent runs. Kline managed to win the group, but Maxzilla was passed by Lucky Jackson at the very end of the final lap.

GOING TO THE BEAT OF A DIFFERENT DRUM – Lady Red Pill sets her own pace, and while it has her lagging in this heat, she’s doing quite well in the season standings.

Luke Allen and Doctor Paul were on the front row of Group 3. Both drivers are rookies in the ADRC this season. Doctor Paul made some savvy blocking moves to stay in front of much more experienced drivers. Allen fell victim to the track in turn two and Doctor Paul won the group.

As the races progressed over the duration of the 45-minute event, a healthy number of cars were eliminated by failing to finish upright and on the track. Bookum Danno and Gator McKluskey put on a show in Group 5. Lady Red Pill kept a slow and steady pace to rack up points for season scoring. But it was McKluskey who moved on to race again.

Of the six preliminary groups, only one pole sitter made it to the main event. The seven cars (the six group winners and the winner of the “seconds” race) had a less error prone set of laps. Doctor Paul took the lead on the second lap. The one car to leave the action early was, yet again, the pole sitter (Geoff Bodine).

The rookie Doctor Paul held on to win for John, Jack, and Katie Racing.