FMR RACE REPORT - TAMAMARAN GRAND PRIX
*Weather Report
Welcome to the first round of The Tableland Formula Marmaduke Racing Championship. The Tamamaran GP saw some fine weather, with temperatures reaching 21 Cs, no wind and only a few clouds. 
PERFECT SETUP: DAC with an aggressive driver
WORST SETUP: SBT with a defensive driver

*The Race
The Tamamaran GP was staged on some hastily constructed streets in the Ancient Burtorran zoo half of Tamamara. The Tamamaran Zoo Safari circuit was 4.3 km long with 59 laps. The most notable incident was the collision of hometown favourite, Marsie, and Nomattian driver, French Maid, ending both drivers' chances at the race win. It seems that French Maid was a little too aggressive in her chasing down of Marsie on lap 23. Marsie obviously wasn't expecting an attack as she drove serenely, clearly not concentrating on the race, around the course. French Maid uncharacteristically aggressively drove herself onto Marsie's tail. Marsie braked early going into turn four, and with the tailgating French Maid behind her, a crash was inevitable. Its a real testament to the safety standards of FMR small race car-like vehicles, that neither driver got more than a few scratches after the 200 km/hour collision. French Maid drove the entire front quarter of her car right into the back of Marsie's tailfin and gearbox. The two cars were inseparable and even if they could have been separated, Marsie's gearbox was destroyed beyond all recognition, as was French Maid's front suspension. Everyone could feel the disappointment flowing through the crowd as their hometown hero was brutally removed from the race.

The front, however, was providing much more racing. Ferga Burga managed to pull ahead of Sandy Duneby on the thirty-fourth lap and extended her lead to finish several seconds ahead of the second place finisher. The tussle for second place between Ancient Burtorr's Sandy Duneby and the Liamist States' Jos Oxford was much more interesting, with the two drivers swapping places as one gained advantage over the other, due to the circuit's peculiarities. This was particularly evident in the tunnel section under the Tamamaran Mountains that gave drivers a brief visit to the greener Liamist States half of Tamamara and quickly returned them to the arid, desert of the Ancient Burotrran half of Tamamara. In the tunnel, the gradient and surface of the road changes several times, as did the second place holder. In the end, Sandy Duneby managed to take second on the final corner of the circuit, after Jos ran wide into the turn. Shez Fastest lived up to her name, shocking FMR pundits when she pulled fourth in the worst possible setup small race car-like vehicle in the race. Erroneous Errol Island drivers Kathleen Johnson and Great Nathan finished fifth and six, rounding out the points paying positions.

The race standings at the conclusion (59 laps) of the Tamamaran GP:
1. Ferga Burga (Team Ferg) - 10 points
2. Sandy Duneby (Dune Surfing Motor Company) - 6 points
3. Jos Oxford (Liam & Co Racing) - 4 points
4. Shez Fastest (Dammit Racing) - 3 points
5. Kathleen Johnson (Island Racing Settlement) - 2 points
6. Great Nathan (GN Racing) - 1 point
7. Ibn the Small (Ancient Speed Demons)
8. Muhammad the Great (Ancient Speed Demons)
9. Punh Marmington (Liam & Co Racing)
10. Bazza (Dune Surfing Motor Company)
11. Sultan Wessoo (GN Racing)
12. Pompous Frenchman (Nomattian Knights)
13. Saija (Liamist Racing)
14. Hes Fastest (Dammit Racing)
15. Shellbe Rightmate (Team Ferg)
16. Jack Michaelson (Island Racing Settlement)
17. Grace Petrovo (Liamist Racing)
OUT: Marsie, French Maid [crashed]

All in all, it was a brilliant opening grand prix and sure to set the tone for the remainder of the FMR season. Obviously Team Ferg and Ferga Burga are at the top of the constructors' and drivers' standings. The TTMA is thinking of holding the next race in Ancient Burtorr and is currently conversing with AB officials to see if the grand prix can be organised for next week. Until then, keep racing.