FALL 2005 - TOUR DE ILE DE FRANCE RD4: RHELLIS Pre Race Today, we hit the tropical nation of Rhellis for our forth round of the second season of FMR. The race will see approximately a very warm 30 Cs (86 Fs), with Corangamite T/AG gear expected to perform well. The wind has been rated a 6, just like last weeks race, cutting some slack for steel and aluminium chassis teams. The most amazing part of the weather is the rain storm expected to roll in off the Denaetyr Penninsula and cause havoc for racers. Today’s weather is almost a perfect mirror of what happened in last years grand prix: very warm, wet and mildly windy. At 10 AM, racers will head around the city nearest to last year’s race: Costa tek Pellios. It’s a fairly smooth circuit, not designed to be a death-trap for drivers. The main straight runs parallel to the Rhellisean Rivera, along brilliant canary sand beaches and sparkling blue oceans. They will wrap up their 125 km around CTP and hit the newly refurbished, and newly named, Pellios International SuperSpeedway. It’s on this track last year that Kik Marmington, now in her fourteenth grand prix, took the win from absolutely nowhere. Whether Marmington can do this again is a question of time. The 0 wheeler leg will continue, taking a run across the Denaetyr Penninsula which is an area of barely submerged land that will connect racers between the mainland and an off coast island, about sixteen kilometres away. After doing a lap around the island, coming back on to the mainland, racers will head off to the Telkelaan Jungle and hit the muddy R wheeler tracks carved through the tropical rainforests. 2 Wheeler For the first time this season, the racing group has not been led into the second leg by a Rhellis National Racer. Quite ironic when you consider Costa tek Pellios is their home soil. Rather, the 8 Fold Path, who have been lingering on the edges of the points, managed to slip Nirvana McGee into the lead, taking him out on the Pellios ISS in the lead. With only a sniff of a lead, Alya Baisar, of Strongbadian Fist Dragon, followed with only a ten second or so lead, followed in third by Sleepy Justice, just edged out of his traditional lead. With a small gap back, the people of the Liamist States are ecstatic with Jos Oxford managing with the pouring rain and coming through in fourth. They can only hope he can maintain it. Fifth is Roberto Juan Hosera, from Team Muhji, who only debuted in Kingtown, and that team looks to be following in the steps of Oodgtastic Racing, blazing a newbie trail all over the place. Unfortunately, the amazing reliability we’ve seen so far seems to be breaking down, with two racers going out in the first leg. Sandy Duneby, from the notoriously unreliable Ancient Speed Demons, was heading aggressively into a turn, clipped Heinz Spedston, sending their 2 wheelers scattering off into the distance and sending them both flying into a building. They were alright but unable to continue with the race after several spectators took the racers’ vehicles home as souvenirs. Top ten at the conclusion of the 2x leg: 1. Nirvana McGee (8 Fold Path) 2. Alya Baisar (Strongbadian Fist Dragon) 3. Sleepy Justice (Rhellis National Racing) 4. Jos Oxford (Liamist Racing Tech) 5. Roberto Juan Hosera (Team Muhji) 6. Delia Kovach (Negamegendonites) 7. Arthur (Knights of Avolon) 8. Sublime Sophie (Rio Racing) 9. Slayer (MIF-Ardent Antagonists) 10. Great Nathan (Island Racing Squad) 4 Wheeler A small mistake on the turn twelve roundabout saw Nirvana McGee lose control (oversteered and spun) and lose his lead, falling back to sixth. As such, the top order has been reshuffled with Alya Baisar (SFD) taking a solid lead over Arthur of the Knights of Avolon, proving that last week’s fourth was not a fluke. Hosera is still making great gains, up two places into the potential podium position of third but of course, there’s still a long way to go. Fourth is Great Nathan, Island Racing Squad, one of two non-newbie drivers in the top ten. And it wouldn’t be a FMR GP without an Oodgtastic Racer, Miss Piggy in this case, looking for points in fifth place. The DNF streak continued as Jos Oxford for the first time ever, failed to finish a grand prix. He slid out on the deadly roundabout and slammed into the lone tree. Surprisingly, some of the iron chassis was knocked loose and left on the track, puncturing the tyres of Milo Breidigan, racing for debutants Geoduck Cascadian Racing, and perennial loser (and some claim paying for his seat in the team) Drivey McDriver, winner of last season’s Ile de France wooden spoon. He is well on his way to repeating it. Top ten at the conclusion of the 4x leg: 1. Alya Baisar (Strongbadian Fist Dragon) 2. Arthur (Knights of Avolon) 3. Roberto Juan Hosera (Team Muhji) 4. Great Nathan (Island Racing Squad) 5. Miss Piggy (Oodgtastic Racing) 6. Nirvana McGee (8 Fold Path) 7. James Pimpanzee (Meadowbank Boy Racers) 8. Delia Kovach (Negamegendonites) 9. Bellong Turuss (Strongbadian Fist Dragons) 10. Karlos Wildebeast (Negamegendonites) 0 Wheeler The leg colloquially known as the “nap lap” saw Alya Baisar fall asleep at the wheel, literally, as the cruising nature of the vehicle and race sometimes leaves drivers a little sleepy. Baisar fell from first to ninth, leaving the way open for Avolon’s Arthur with a hundred second lead on Roberto Juan Hosera, labelled by many as a dark horse for the grand prix at this point, but he will have to use every watt of his Donha engine to get into first. Trailing them into third was Nirvana McGee, recovering from his last leg spin and punching a hole in the air in a desperate attempt to pull back. Of course, doing this without being able to have a concept of self made this feat a little difficult but attemptable. The North Cascades have entered this week’s new team, Geoduck Cascadian Racing, and while they have already lost one runner, Shonna Carafella has blasted her way into fourth place. Fifth was fellow Tableleg and Negamegendonite, Delia Kovach, using their mildly psyonic abilities to pull her into fifth. Another hour passed and this time four racers were unable to complete the leg. Sublime Sophie joined team mate McDriver on the sidelines after going anticlockwise (instead of clockwise like everyone else) around the off coast island, forcing SCR’s Hornet, Oodgtastic Racing’s Misamoto Kanapono and Akran Marmadukes’ Dahylo off course and into sharp turns at 600 km/h. As you can imagine, it was inevitable that they would find solid barriers (palm trees, beaches, manta rays) to crash into when they lost control. Sophie was finally brought down with a black flag and the team was subsequently fined for causing such atrocious accidents. Top ten at the conclusion of the 0x leg: 1. Arthur (Knights of Avolon) 2. Roberto Juan Hosera (Team Muhji) 3. Nirvana McGee (8 Fold Path) 4. Shonna Carafella (Geoduck Cascadian Racing) 5. Delia Kovach (Negamegendonites) 6. Great Nathan (Island Racing Squad) 7. Miss Piggy (Oodgtastic Racing) 8. Bellong Turuss (Strongbadian Fist Dragons) 9. Alya Baisar (Strongbadian Fist Dragon) 10. Sleepy Justice (Rhellis National Racing) R Wheeler Finally some of the reliability the new season is known for has been pulled back as only one racer found trouble on this leg. Oberon, a Knight of Avolon, got lost for an hour and a half in the confusing series of paths in the dark Telk’laan Jungle. Rather than face that embarrassment, Oberon feigned an engine issue, although later tests revealed it to be working perfectly. At the end of it though, Roberto Juan Hosera of Team Muhji, Krakatou, managed to use his Donha engine to its fullest capabilities, as it roared through the Telk’laan Jungles and took him into the lead and the win. With only two races under their belt, it is simply amazing that Team Muhji could even pull into the top ten, let alone first. With over a two minute lead, Delia Kovach managed to find her way into second as most other front runners found themselves bogged or lost. Nirvana McGee maintained his third and scored his team’s first points. Arthur of the Knights of Avolon pulled a second fourth place to match last week’s efforts in Kingtown and after waking herself up properly from her nap during the 0 wheeler leg, Alya Baisar pushed through the jungles and managed to pull in fifth place and ten points.  Top ten at the conclusion of  the Rx leg and the grand prix: 1. Roberto Juan Hosera (Team Muhji) - 30 points 2. Delia Kovach (Negamegendonites) - 25 points 3. Nirvana McGee (8 Fold Path) - 20 points 4. Arthur (Knights of Avolon) - 15 points 5. Alya Baisar (Strongbadian Fist Dragon) - 10 points 6. Miss Piggy (Oodgtastic Racing) - 7 points 7. Shonna Carafella (Geoduck Cascadian Racing) - 5 points 8. Bellong Turuss (Strongbadian Fist Dragons) - 3 points 9. Great Nathan (Island Racing Squad) - 2 points 10. Martina Salvidor (Team Muhji) - 1 point Post Race Next week is the second last grand prix of the first and last Tour de Ile de France (news came in today that the tour format will be dropped for next season, in favour of a structure that more resembles the English soccer leagues) when we head to new FMRing nation Leaf Country. Today’s points for Miss Piggy pulled Oodgtastic Racing ahead of Liamist Racing Tech in the teams Championship by only three points. In third lies the new Team Muhji, with a slim lead over early winners El Equipo de Ducles. In fifth, the Via Bestiae Road Warriors and the Negamegendonites are tied with thirty-two points, with VBRW gaining a slight edge with the higher place driver. Speaking of, Frankie Nit-problem (Oodgtastic Racing) still leads the Championship with five points over five drivers on thirty points which include Kik Marmington, Arthur, Alejo Zaragoza, Louis Brogard and Roberto Juan Hosera, respectively on total time. SPLIT TIMES Car No 2x 4x 0x Rx 1 61.354 125.386 185.358 250.898 2 64.266 127.007 187.913 249.293 3 66.444 126.728 186.605 248.001 4 61.865 123.244 183.990 240.602 5 DNF 6 54.984 DNF 7 65.117 125.869 189.654 251.549 8 56.824 117.793 179.977 238.255 9 64.601 129.979 192.964 251.645 10 65.444 130.168 194.315 254.491 11 66.174 130.032 191.848 253.666 12 DNF 13 61.452 121.596 180.260 244.775 14 54.237 116.154 174.904 235.730 15 57.444 117.117 177.294 236.454 16 63.929 128.250 188.107 248.381 17 58.170 115.104 175.167 235.157 18 60.900 122.824 188.153 250.548 19 56.180 117.047 DNF 20 62.147 DNF 21 63.122 124.923 189.134 252.153 22 60.906 122.582 180.554 239.043 23 65.469 125.235 187.093 250.981 24 59.571 120.405 178.368 236.315 25 57.136 113.380 172.714 233.536 26 64.514 128.871 191.424 250.942 27 61.592 123.737 183.361 245.906 28 60.343 121.995 182.365 244.497 29 57.427 117.350 175.568 236.514 30 59.198 117.851 179.335 242.821 31 61.347 122.737 177.356 237.400 32 59.266 123.075 185.128 242.820 33 59.896 121.593 182.407 246.249 34 55.228 115.181 172.016 225.866 35 58.051 115.990 176.734 238.771 36 64.196 127.286 187.102 248.238 37 64.628 123.232 184.626 243.150 38 61.028 120.992 DNF 39 60.193 125.992 190.016 254.804 40 58.951 121.237 179.869 241.045 41 61.748 121.345 183.876 244.484 42 63.769 128.015 DNF 43 60.738 118.558 179.613 237.150 44 65.352 129.920 189.671 248.735 45 65.704 126.606 188.787 248.090 46 63.782 127.721 190.820 251.396 47 59.201 120.038 183.142 246.284 48 65.124 131.030 193.324 260.182 49 62.598 126.133 186.326 246.794 50 60.483 119.704 181.022 239.279 51 66.581 128.207 187.778 250.548 52 62.417 126.982 190.514 249.920 53 58.483 113.567 172.879 231.053 54 64.048 124.836 DNF 55 61.435 121.723 187.300 246.429 56 62.440 122.798 185.897 243.564 57 59.103 119.405 183.582 242.832 58 61.052 121.169 187.150 DNF 59 55.992 112.223 168.274 227.382 60 64.289 123.097 182.896 242.505 61 63.320 121.593 179.567 240.795 62 63.238 125.100 188.070 251.975 63 61.293 123.054 183.935 243.909 64 63.702 128.794 187.254 246.635 65 53.971 114.977 170.390 225.940 66 57.827 120.397 178.580 239.860 67 63.148 124.052 184.118 243.921 68 54.089 110.743 173.711 229.972 69 58.226 115.719 173.639 232.648 70 58.140 121.913 180.353 241.881 71 62.221 121.293 185.507 247.462 72 61.345 124.176 184.589 247.066 73 55.035 112.244 169.716 223.560 74 60.830 122.907 181.957 240.492 75 58.076 119.406 176.093 233.569 76 59.245 DNF 77 60.828 122.400 187.032 250.811 78 59.314 117.058 171.860 232.094