Past champ John Welage, future champ Bruce Rae and defending champ Tim Carnahan.	The different track configurations every year makes the event special.
Chris Hancock and Bruno Passacantando in the far turn.	Another heat ready to start.

18th Champion ...

For the second year in a row, the car Build Table was updated. This time we attempted to make the 80mph acceleration option more balanced by making the sacrifices more meaningful. However, a bigger change was the different tracks run for each qualifier. We had two tracks for each and assigned those tracks randomly at the start of the event. The tracks provided were Yeongam, Spa, Monaco, Sao Paolo, Istanbul and Valencia for the qualifiers, and Yas Marina for the Final.

The Final proved to be another exciting race. Schulz and Keller bid highest for starting positions, with Newbury, Tatum, Hancock, Rae, Long, Fleckenstein, Nicholson, Welage, Mossman, and Passacantando behind them in that order.

Schulz used his high start speed and solid line to break away early, then rolled a chance in Corner 3 with his red skill chip and made it, giving him a huge lead. In Corner 5, Long over-plotted to gain initiative and the line, which allowed him to jump into third temporarily. Two corners later, Tatum force passed Long and took over the position.

By Lap 2, Schulz was running low on tire wear and Keller caught him on Corner 3. Long, Tatum, and Hancock had also caught the leaders. In Corner 4 the leaders both slowed to block the chase pack, but Long force passed through that corner and took the lead. By the next corner, Long and Schulz made it through safe, but Keller slowed and sat on the line. That turned out to be a bad choice though, because Hancock attempted to force pass him and slammed into the back of his car, causing both cars to spin. Schulz then over-plotted in Corner 7, successfully rolling on the chance table to make it through the corner and once more take the lead.

Heading into the straightaway in Lap 3, it was Schulz, Long and Tatum, with Rae right behind them. Rae, however, had more wear and was able to make it through Corners 4 and 5 faster, thus taking the lead. Long was blocked out of Corner 5, had to late-brake and missed the die roll, causing him to spin. This allowed Fleckenstein and Mossman to slot in behind the leaders heading into the final corners. Rae, with his superior tire wear, outraced Schulz to become our 18th different champion in 21 years.

Christina Harley, Mike Aubuchon, Christina Hancock and Rob Kircher enjoy pit row.

 Play By Email 2012

37 drivers competed over two heats to qulify 12 of their number for the feature race on the new Montreal circuit. Three hard laps forced only one retirement - and that was just before the last corner of the final lap. Jeff Cornett led for most of the race only to be passed on the last straight by usual WBC GM Doug Schulz for the win. John Shaheen took third place laurels followed by Tim Mossman with a pair of Italian drivers, Turyko Suky and Guiseppe Incorpora, taking 5th and 6th place laurels respectively.

The other finishers were Curt Collins, Doug Galullo, Rob Kircher, Bert Schoose and Chris Brandt in that order. Mike Aubuchon, the only other qualifier, finished last and had to withdraw due to brake failure.