HUMPE CASHES IN WITH LANDON CASSILL QUALIFYING CHALLENGE

(By Tim Terry) The action, excitement and pressure of the simBOOT Landon Cassill Qualifying Challenge (LCQC) came to a climax on Tuesday evening as the forty fastest drivers from Monday’s preliminary sessions took to the track for their shot at glory. Well over one hundred drivers from across the globe took their time against the clock on Monday evening to narrow the field for the second edition of the LCQC at Darlington Raceway.

The event was also put on with the support of Short Track Pro Cup (stprocup.com), eXlander Designs (exlander.com), iRacing.com and Spire Sports and Entertainment. The main event was seen live to an audience of thousands on the Web Racing Network (webracingnetwork.com) with Larry McReynolds joining the veteran sim racing broadcast team of Deryl Morley, Tim Terry and Matt “Racinkid’” Thomas for the call. The event can be relived at their through the archive or a DVD copy of the event at www.webracingnetwork.com.

Jarrod Barclay was the first driver to take time on the evening and would lay down a 27.242 second lap on his one and only lap around “the Lady in Black.” Barclay’s lap of 27.155 on Monday night was good enough to lock him into the show by three thousandths of a second over Cody Kutzner. Barclay would hold the top spot until the sixth qualifier of the night as Josh Connors put a 27.222 second lap on the board. The NASCAR iRacing.com Series World Championship (NiSWC) driver who has been driving simulations for over six years stayed at the top until David Krikorian’s lap. The eleventh driver to take time in the LCQC became the first driver to duck under the 27.2 second as the California native toured the 1.366-mile facility in 27.185 seconds.

Krikorian sports his jgbdesigns.com Chevrolet on his qualifying lap.

Krikorian’s lap held up as he dodged big names such as Thomas Hazard, Jon Adams, Florian Godard, John Gorlinsky and Richie Davidowitz. The pressure of the event became evident as no driver would be able to back up their lap time from the Preliminary Round and some even bent up their race cars attempting to break out to the tune of $2,200. Brian Macklin, Robert Hall, Danny Hansen, Jeremy Allen and Patrick Fogel were among those who saw their runs go up in tire smoke as they found themselves at the bottom of the chart at the end of the night.

Brian Macklin loses control of his #30 Hot Lap Radio Chevrolet in Turn Two of Darlington.

Kirkorian’s lap would hold up until 2010 LCQC Champion Jason Lofing uprooted the California Club driver from the top spot. Lofing and his time of 27.053 seconds was the first to plunge under the 27.1 lap time – though it wouldn’t be the last. Ray Alfalla and Mitchell Hunt dipped under the 27.1 bracket while Jim Caudill Jr.’s lap was enough to take fourth with just four cars left to go.

New York’s Steve Sheehan got bit by the wall on his lap which relegated one of the fastest drivers from the Charlotte prelims to thirty-fifth. Charlotte, North Carolina’s Kenny Humpe was next to test the clock and he would pass with flying colors by putting up a 26.955 second lap. 2010 NiSWC runner-up Brad Davies immediately took to the racing surface to take a shot at Humpe’s new pole time but fell short with his effort of a 27.093 second lap – which wound up for fourth.

The final bullet to dodge for Humpe was Brad Wright. The fastest driver in the preliminary sessions (26.842 seconds) and the leading driver in the NiSWC Rookie of the Year Award chase took to the track to attempt to top the Charlotte driver. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be for High Point, NC driver as he scrapped the wall heading to the green flag, killing his momentum for a flying lap. Wright’s lap was scored as 28.139 seconds – giving Humpe the second edition of the LCQC!

Humpe laid it all out on the line but knew the lap could be beat. “If someone went out and put down a faster lap (than a nine) then they could have it,” Humpe said post-race of the $2,200 winner’s bounty. “I’m pumped! This is so awesome!”

simBOOT Landon Cassill Qualifying Challenge winner Kenny Humpe


Along with the $2,000 for winning the event, Humpe collected $200 from The Dale Jr Foundation by winning his iRating Class Bonus (3001+). Chris Edwardson (0-1400), Ronny Scott (1401-1800), Gergo Fonodi (1801-2200) and Justin Boston (2201-3000) collected bonuses in their classes as set by their iRating on April 1^st, 2011.

For more information on the simBOOT Landon Cassill Qualifying Challenge, please visit landoncassill.com/challenge.

Defending LCQC winner Jason Lofing on his hot lap at Darlington.