Tournaments: Rust Belt Diecast Racing

by Josh Paufler

As we finished up Racetober and now half-way through Racegivings (?), the action continues at Rust Belt.

Bus Bash 2020 concluded with its final two events, Chicken n Pigs and Black Ice Challenge, in which the buses needed to navigate a winding open track. In the end, Potsey Atwood took the championship, racking up 80 points over 5 events. Ian Parks finished second with 67 points and your humble narrator rounded out the podium with a modest 59 points.

Elsewhere at Rocket Dragway, Dave Davis is clinging to the podium after 5 days with a chance to tie “High Octane” Chey Wheeler for most consecutive podium wins when the races return to Michigan in 2 weeks.

Also, the Veterans Day Victory Lap has been run and over $720 raised for The Travis Mills Foundation https:// www.travismills.org. The event was won by Donavan Kinyon.

The herd is starting to separate in the Mini Stock class on Friday Night Food Fights. Rusty Martin has been the front runner for a points championship but, Cinderella story, out of nowhere, Reese Burg is nipping at his heels and, with his win this week, has tied Martin for the points lead.

In Big C’s Chop Shop Mini NASCAR Series, Ernie Irvan was held out of the feature race for only the second time this season but he’s still firmly atop the leaderboard with 16 points, 7 more than Michael Waltrip.

Barry Porter ran this week for the second time, in relief of Dick Trickle, but did not score any points, so there will be a new contest winning driver this week. For your chance to be a driver, visit the Rust Belt Diecast Racing Facebook group.

In the Shorty Showdown, Rust McQuade has been tearing up the Sledding Hill with back to back wins but, this week a new challenger emerged.

The legendary Chicken George brought an 87g Smart Car to the track and defeated the champ in a thrilling sudden death matchup. George will face a new driver this week; Dale Pryor of DXP Racing.

In the main event, MDG Racing and the Hot Diggity Dog has tied Fractal Panda’s consecutive win streak at 5 victories. If you remember, Fractal Panda went on a tear early in the season and dominated every food truck he faced. Can MDG break his record? Find out this week!

The action is just heating up as Friday Night Food Fights enters the last 4 weeks of season 1. Stay tuned every Friday for more Food Fights, Shorty Showdown and Mini Stocks!

At Rust Belt Raceway Park, Robert Manore currently sits atop the C- 3PO Podium in the Hot Wheels Split Decision after defeating Das Kids, who held the podium for 3 days.

The first leg of the Swiss Cheese Invitational ran on Saturday. No spoilers but please go check it out on our YouTube channel. There’s a code in the video for 10% off at Slanman Customs. Slanman provides the diecast racing community with high quality and affordable 3D printed track pieces and accessories. The second leg will run this month at the Tecumseh Proving Grounds in Michigan.

Over in Ohio, Four Seasons Raceway had entered the autumn theme with harvesters and leaves changing. With that has come a changing of the guard. Ian Parks is holding the podium and will be challenged as live daily racing returns to Four Seasons this week.

At the time of this publication, another Midnight Shrub will have run but, last week’s winner was Dale Pryor. The Honda City Turbo Tournament kicked off last week and saw MDG Racing win the first event.

The next event will be up soon and continue through November. And in the October edition of King of the Belt, Rust Belt’s monthly live modified racing series, Fractal Panda won the lightweights class and MDG, who has been on a hot run, took the heavyweights….with yours truly finishing second in both classes. Always a bridesmaid.

Sunday Pinks ran this passt weekend. The weekly live pink slips stock car race at TFT Raceway in Ohio has picked up steam this month with more and more teams added each week. For your chance to race live for pink slips, visit the Rust Belt Racing Facebook group for details.

November has already seen some incredible racing and there’s even more to come with Rockin Santa Sled race in December, the Food Fights Final on Christmas Day and the newly announced Peg Clearing Brawl. It’s a tournament featuring 5 of the most overlooked castings of 2020 to kick off the new year. Stay tuned for all of that plus live daily races only at Rust Belt Diecast Racing.