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South Boston, VA was the 10th stop for the Michigan Circle Track Sim-Racing League last Thursday. It was another typical mid-summer turn out with only a half dozen cars on the starting grid. Drivers missing from the race this week included points leader John Hernly. Hernly has been providing some great chassis set-ups for many of the tracks we have been running and in his absence Tom TerMeer, driver of the No.61, stepped up to the plate to do some testing of various set-ups prior to the event.

Midland Michigan’s Don Colbath III was back for the first time since early June, driving a beautiful new Michigan Short Track Racing Club sponsored car. He qualified on the pole, posting a 14.748 second (97.640 mph) lap on the 0.4 mile track. Although the turnout was small, the race was one of the bumpinest-banginest shows to date, with lots of side-by-side action and plenty of paint being traded. “That was a lot of fun,” said Colbath, “At one point I was battling with the 06 and the 73 and we were three wide for the lead.” The No.06 was first time MCT-SRL starter M.T. Johnson of Midlothian, VA, who was driving the Knowels Electrical sponsored Ford.

There was only a single caution during the course of the 89 laps, when TerMeer had a solo spin on lap 16 exiting turn four. TerMeer pitted to repair damage from contact with the outside wall and Colbath, Ken Shook in the No.34 and myself, all pitted for four tires.

The race restarted on lap 20 with Johnson in the lead and League Administrator and driver Craig Bristol in second. Colbath managed to get his nose under Bristol on lap 25 and was able to execute the pass, with me driving the No.73 Ultra Tuff Safety Coatings sponsored ride, following. This dropped Bristol to the fourth spot and Colbath then set his sights on leader Johnson in the No.06. After several laps of unsuccessfully trying to get past Johnson on the inside, Colbath tried the high line. Colbath first made contact with the outside wall, then with Johnson’s car. The two drivers banged fenders for about half a lap, allowing me to shoot underneath and grab the top spot. Colbath eventually made a clean pass on Johnson and then it was Colbath and I bouncing off the walls and each other. I eventually drove into the corner way too deep, allowing Colbath to pass as I pushed up the track. Johnson also got by, but not without a lot of paint being sacrificed as the two of us battled door to door for a lap.

The on track scuffling by the front three had brought Bristol back into the picture and now I was battling him for the third position, with Ken Shook in the No.34 Howe’s Racing Pontiac also ready to pounce on either of us. Over the next ten laps of side-by-side racing, I traced positions with Bristol four times. Newer tires prevailed and after making the pass of Bristol finally stick, I eventually chased Johnson down as well. After a few laps of close racing, Johnson surrendered the second spot. While all of this was going on, Colbath, who had nothing but clean track ahead of him the majority of the time, passed me shortly thereafter, putting the entire field a lap down and going on to the win.

MCT-SRL South Boston Race Results

MCT-SRL Standings after 10 of 15 Races