Buchberger Best Overall at Homestead
November 28th, 2011 by DavidP
Over 1,400 sim racers brought their skills to the track for Round Three of the NASCAR iRacing.com Class C Series (NiCCS) in 2011 Season Four at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. When all the dust settled after thousands of laps had been completed and the motors were silenced, it was Sugar Grove, Illinois, Brandon Buchberger who stood tall as the driver who amassed the most points amongst his peers.
The race in which Buchberger captured his 212 point total for the week was Thursday’s 3362 Strength of Field (SoF) affair. Buchberger led just the final eight circuits of the 90 completed and outlasted Byron Daley, Scott Speed, Tyler Hudson and Alex Warren to take the win. Speed led the most laps in the race (78) and was one of just three drivers to pace the field in the event which featured three caution flags. Hudson, former series champion, would go on to race on four other occasions during the week, eventually winning an equal SoF race to the one Buchberger triumphed in but would fall to sixth overall with 192 points when those other starts were factored-in for the week. Daley’s highest point total of his three starts of the week came in this event, and he would finish the week fifth in points at a 190.
Buchberger’s race wasn’t the highest SoF event of the week though. Ryan Luza holds the distinction of taking the top split of the week as he pocketed the 3505 SoF race on Tuesday. Luza led 35 laps of the race and was involved in the final of eight lead changes in the event to cross the line first on lap 90. Mitch McCracken led the most laps in the race (49) but fell short of the victory in second place. Maxx Harris, Schyler Brown and Cale Enabnit completed the top five in the race. Luza started 12 races on the week and would finish 29th in the standings at Homestead with a 162 point total.
Lance Williams would be credited with second place overall for the week at Homestead as the Atlantic Club racer drove his Chevy Silverado to a big win in a 3279 SoF race on Saturday. Williams led eight laps in the race which featured seven cautions, which equated to over a quarter of the race being run under the yellow flag. David Krikorian was second, followed by Brandon Wise, Harris and Alan Jones. Williams would score 206 points for the win while Krikorian’s 195 point total from this event would place the California native in fourth overall for the week.
Speed was third overall for the week on the strength of a victory in a 3215 sof race on Wednesday. Speed led 70 of the 90 laps in the race en route to the win over Daley, Rodney Harris, David Hudson and Justin Collver. The race featured three cautions. Combined with his third place finish to Buchberger, Speed’s point total for the week stood at 195.
Floyd Kittle made the most starts of the week, answering the call to the green flag 33 times while Brian Viola made the most visits the victory lane, punching the ticket to the hallowed ground ten times over the seven day period. Thomas D Smith was the quickest in qualifying, posting a 32.381 second lap. Viola, Ricky Small, Michael Guest and Speed completed the top five of 515 qualifiers. Smith also topped the Time Trial competition at Homestead over William Hart, Collver, Mark Russell and James Heater.
Hudson held the point lead at the completion of the third week of competition in the NiCCS by just a dozen markers over Buchberger, 625 to 614. Warren sat third with 611 points, three back of Buchberger. Krikorian (575) and Division Two leader Greg Evans (574) have one point between them after Homestead. Division Three through Ten leaders include Robert Ramsay, Tim Marlow, Darren Armitage, Hart, Daniel Ribas Bohler, Dan Hass, Brian Guedesse3 and Frank Hudson.
The Atlanta Motor Speedway plays host to Week Four of the popular truck series. Atlanta provides great racing and is a great venue for the NiCCS drivers to display their talents. Who will be on top after seven days of racing in Georgia? Find out here after the week concludes at inRacingNews!
Until then, keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!