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Saturday Night Under The Lights: Fast & Furious 50/50 Slot Car Action!

I think this is our third Saturday night racing event. Saturday nights tend to exclude the younger teams and even some veterans, but they’re never short on competition and racing excitement.  This one, perhaps, more so than the previous two events.

We had yet another new driver join us for this one. Wayne Locke, a good friend of Team Full-Speed and Team Clarke, decided to visit Stewart Raceway to learn more. Of course, he didn’t find us on the Internet; he had been hounded by both teams for weeks to join us.

And join us, he did. Wayne hadn’t raced little cars since just before the Pet Rock hit the market in 1975. Wayne didn’t bring any racing equipment, but he did bring some amazingly delicious diced pork belly to share with the paddock.

Short Story

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 434 215 1938.783
2 Steve Stewart 425 218 1933.220
3 Joe Clarke 406 177 2063.902
4 Dean Donaldson 403 194 2011.169
5 Wayne Locke 341 136 2019.909 
Overall and Per Race Analysis AI Generated:
This racing event featured four competitive races split across two distinct tracks, showcasing a mix of endurance, strategy, and skill among the five drivers.
The overall standings were determined by total laps completed, with tiebreakers potentially influenced by points earned (likely from race positions and bonuses) and cumulative time.

Dustin Jolley emerged as the overall winner with the highest lap count, but the event highlighted tight battles, especially among the mid-to-lower pack where consistency and recovery played key roles.

Top Performers

      • Dustin Jolley secured 1st place with 434 laps and 215 points, clocking a total time of 1938.783 seconds. His strong lap volume suggests dominant performances across multiple races, possibly excelling on both tracks.
      • Steve Stewart finished a close 2nd with 425 laps but led in points at 218, indicating he might have won or placed highly in individual races despite fewer overall laps. His efficient total time of 1933.220 seconds points to quick, strategic runs.

While the top two dominated in laps and points, the event’s depth came from the resilience of the lower-scoring drivers (those with under 200 points), who faced challenges but contributed to the competitive narrative. Their performances underscore the event’s demanding nature, with potential issues like mechanical setbacks, track-specific difficulties, or aggressive racing affecting their outcomes:

      • Joe Clarke (3rd place, 406 laps, 177 points, 2063.902 seconds): As a mid-pack finisher, Clarke showed solid endurance but lagged in points, possibly due to inconsistent race results. His higher total time suggests struggles with pace on one or both tracks, yet completing over 400 laps indicates he avoided major DNFs (did not finish). Emphasis here: Clarke’s ability to stay in the fight despite lower scoring highlights his potential for comebacks in future events, where fine-tuning strategy could boost his points haul.
      • Dean Donaldson (4th place, 403 laps, 194 points, 2011.169 seconds): Just behind Clarke, Donaldson earned a respectable 194 points—higher than Clarke’s despite fewer laps—implying strong showings in specific races, perhaps with podium finishes on one track. His total time was competitive, but the lap deficit points to possible incidents or conservative approaches. Focus on lower scoring: Donaldson’s points efficiency (nearly matching the leaders per lap) suggests untapped potential; with better luck or adjustments, he could challenge the top tier, making him a driver to watch.
      • Wayne Locke (5th place, 341 laps, 136 points, 2019.909 seconds): Bringing up the rear, Locke faced the toughest outing with the lowest laps and points, likely impacted by DNFs, penalties, or adaptation issues across the two tracks. His total time, while not the worst, reflects incomplete runs. Emphasis on lower scoring: Despite the challenges, Locke’s participation added grit to the event; his lower output emphasizes the steep learning curve or variability in track conditions, offering lessons in perseverance. Improvements in consistency could see him climb standings in similar multi-race formats.

Overall, the event demonstrated balanced competition, with the two tracks likely introducing variables like surface differences or layouts that favored certain driving styles. The lower-scoring drivers (Clarke, Donaldson, and Locke) exemplified the event’s challenges, where point gaps reveal opportunities for growth amid the high-lap dominance of the leaders. Total event metrics: ~2,009 laps combined, with an average of ~402 laps per driver.

Race 1: AW X-Traction Hardbody (i)

Race 1 kicked off the event on what appears to be the first track (SR3 Oval), featuring a competitive field where lap completion and pace were key differentiators. Dustin Jolley took the win with a strong 77 laps and 52 points, setting a benchmark total time of 344.597 seconds.

The race highlighted tight points battles, especially in the top half, but also showcased the challenges faced by the lower-scoring drivers who battled for consistency amid potential track demands or incidents.

Top Performers

      • Dustin Jolley (1st): Dominated with the highest laps (77) and points (52), posting the quickest time. His performance suggests superior handling and strategy on this track.
      • Dean Donaldson (2nd): Matched Jolley’s points at 52 despite fewer laps (67), indicating possible bonus points or strong positional play. Time of 351.607 seconds kept him competitive.
      • Steve Stewart (3rd): Solid 75 laps and 49 points, with a time of 353.171 seconds showing efficiency but a slight points deficit.

The lower-scoring drivers (those under 45 points) added depth to the race, demonstrating resilience in a format that rewarded endurance. Their outputs reflect possible setbacks like slower paces or minor issues, yet they completed respectable laps, contributing to the event’s narrative of variability:

      • Wayne Locke (4th, 64 laps, 42 points, 369.294 seconds): As a lower scorer, Locke faced pace challenges, evident in the highest time despite mid-pack laps. Emphasis: His points suggest consistent effort without major errors; with tweaks to speed, he could push for podium contention in similar races, highlighting growth potential.
      • Joe Clarke (5th, 62 laps, 40 points, 358.653 seconds): Trailing in laps and points, Clarke’s run points to adaptation hurdles on this track. Emphasis: Despite the lower output, his time was better than Locke’s, indicating bursts of speed; focusing on lap sustainability could elevate his scoring in multi-race events, underscoring his role as a determined underdog.

Race 1 totals: 345 laps combined across drivers, averaging ~69 laps each. This opener set a tone for the series, with lower scorers like Locke and Clarke showing promise for rebounds in subsequent races on potentially differing tracks. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 77 52 344.597
2 Dean Donaldson 67 52 351.607
3 Steve Stewart 75 49 353.171
4 Wayne Locke 64 42 369.294
5 Joe Clarke 62 40 358.653

Race 2: MegaG+ 1.7 Lites (Support Class) (22V) (o)

Race 2 unfolded on the SR3 Oval Super Speedway on March 7, 2026, at 20:15, in the MegaG+ 1.7 Lites Support Class (22V, oval configuration). This multi-segment event spanned five rotations, with each segment targeting 20 laps and drivers cycling through lanes (Blue, Orange, Green, White) while one sat out per segment. Dustin Jolley claimed victory with dominant segment wins, but the race featured close battles and lane-related challenges that impacted the field.

Key Race Highlights

Segment 1 (All racing except Wayne out): Steve Stewart led on Blue with a flawless 20 laps and the segment’s best average (2.951s), earning 16 points. Dean and Dustin followed closely, while Joe managed 19 laps in 4th.

Segment 2 (Steve out): Joe Clarke surged to 1st on Green (20 laps, 16 points), boosting his early position. Dean and Dustin kept pace, but Wayne struggled on White with 19 laps.

Segment 3 (Dean out): Dustin dominated on Blue (20 laps, 16 points), while Wayne edged Joe for 2nd in a low-lap battle (both 14 laps). Steve faltered on White with only 13 laps.

Segment 4 (Dustin out): Steve rebounded on Green (20 laps, 16 points), with Joe taking 2nd on Blue. Wayne lagged with 16 laps on Orange.

Segment 5 (Joe out): Dustin sealed the win on White (20 laps, 16 points), posting the race’s lowest average laptime (2.804s). Steve and Dean completed strong runs, while Wayne held on for 19 laps.

Top Performers

      • Dustin Jolley (1st): Excelled with 80 total laps and 54 points in 262.548 seconds, winning three segments outright. His consistency across lanes (fastest in White at 2.279s) highlighted superior setup for the oval.
      • Dean Donaldson (2nd): Narrowly missed the top spot with 79 laps and 48 points in 265.789 seconds. Strong in early segments but sat out one; his race-fastest lap (2.031s in White) showed raw speed potential.
      • Steve Stewart (3rd): Completed 73 laps with a field-high 52 points in an efficient 238.788 seconds (quickest total time). Wins in two segments offset a weak Segment 3, demonstrating recovery skills.

The lower-scoring drivers (under 50 points) navigated lane rotations and occasional low-lap segments, adding unpredictability to the race. Their efforts underscore the oval’s demands, where track position and mechanical reliability could swing outcomes, offering insights into perseverance amid top-tier competition:

      • Joe Clarke (4th, 73 laps, 47 points, 288.062 seconds): Tied Steve in laps but edged out by points in the tiebreaker, with a strong Segment 2 win (16 points) boosting his tally. His higher total time suggests pace inconsistencies across lanes, possibly from setup tweaks. Emphasis: Clarke’s mid-race surge (e.g., 20 laps in Green) highlights his ability to capitalize on favorable rotations; refining endurance in tougher lanes could position him for podiums, making him a resilient contender in support-class events.
      • Wayne Locke (5th, 68 laps, 34 points, 269.131 seconds): Faced the steepest challenges with the lowest laps and points, including an early sit-out and sub-20-lap segments (e.g., 14 in Green, 16 in Orange). His fastest laps (around 2.6-2.7s) were competitive but inconsistent. Emphasis: Despite setbacks, Locke’s 2nd-place finish in Segment 3 (13 points) shows flashes of capability on certain lanes; focusing on consistency and quicker adaptations could help him avoid the lower ranks, emphasizing his role as an underdog building experience in high-voltage oval racing.

Race 2 totals: ~373 laps combined (averaging ~75 per driver), with a cumulative runtime reflecting the segmented format’s intensity. This oval showdown amplified the series’ competitive edge, where lower scorers like Clarke and Locke provided narrative depth through their segment-to-segment battles. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 80 54 262.548
2 Steve Stewart 73 52 238.788
3 Dean Donaldson 79 48 265.789
4 Joe Clarke 73 47 288.062
5 Wayne Locke 68 34 269.131

Race 3: MegaG+ 1.7 Lites (Support Class)

Race 3 was held on the Stewart Raceway II Straight Road Course on March 7, 2026, at 21:14, in the MegaG+ 1.7 Lites Support Class. The multi-segment format included five rotations aiming for 30 laps each, with drivers rotating through lanes (Yellow, Blue, White, Red) and one sitting out per segment.

Key Race Highlights

  • Segment 1 (Joe out): Dustin Jolley commanded on Yellow with 30 laps and 16 points, posting the lowest average (4.595s). Steve Stewart followed closely in 2nd, while Dean and Wayne lagged with fewer laps.
  • Segment 2 (Dustin out): Steve took control on Yellow (30 laps, 16 points), with Dean in 2nd. Wayne and Joe both hit 27 laps but placed 3rd and 4th, reflecting pace differences.
  • Segment 3 (Steve out): Dean excelled on Yellow (30 laps, 16 points), Dustin 2nd on Red. Joe held 3rd, but Wayne dropped to 18 laps in a tough Blue lane run.
  • Segment 4 (Dean out): Dustin dominated on White (30 laps, 16 points), Joe nearly matched in 2nd with 29 laps. Steve and Wayne completed fewer, hinting at lane or setup issues.
  • Segment 5 (Wayne out): Steve won the finale on White (30 laps, 16 points), edging Dustin in 2nd. Joe and Dean finished 3rd and 4th with 28 and 23 laps, capping a variable event.

Top Performers

  • Dustin Jolley (1st): Led with 120 total laps and 58 points in 608.263 seconds, securing two segment wins and consistent high placements. His road course prowess shone through efficient averages and a 4.044s fastest lap.
  • Steve Stewart (2nd): Accumulated 117 laps and 56 points in 610.393 seconds, claiming three segment victories despite a sit-out. Versatile across lanes, with the event’s quickest lap at 4.055s.
  • Dean Donaldson (3rd): Tallied 110 laps and 47 points in 620.527 seconds, including one segment win. Solid mid-race surge but impacted by lower completions in key segments.
  • Joe Clarke (4th, 114 laps, 42 points, 658.058 seconds): Notched impressive lap volume (third-highest overall) with strong late-race showings, but an early sit-out and mid-pack finishes limited points. His total laps edged Dean’s, yet placement suggests points as a key factor. Emphasis: Clarke’s resilience, evidenced by competitive paces (fastest 4.092s) and near-30-lap segments, positions him as a threat with better early momentum; his performance underscores the value of full participation in rotation-heavy events.
  • Wayne Locke (5th, 93 laps, 32 points, 628.190 seconds): Faced ongoing challenges with the lowest laps and points, often in 4th per segment and hampered by slower averages (up to 9.088s). A mid-race 3rd offered a highlight amid adaptation struggles. Emphasis: Locke’s steady involvement despite setbacks illustrates the learning curve on technical tracks; targeting lane-specific tweaks could elevate his scoring, highlighting his determination as a foundational series participant.

Race 3 totals: ~558 laps combined (averaging ~112 per driver), reflecting the road course’s demanding setup compared to prior oval action. The lower scorers, particularly Clarke with his lap edge and Locke with his grit, enriched the narrative, emphasizing strategic nuances in the ongoing four-race series. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 120 58 608.263
2 Steve Stewart 117 56 610.393
3 Dean Donaldson 110 47 620.527
4 Joe Clarke 114 42 658.058
5 Wayne Locke 93 32 628.190

Race 4: Viper V-SPEC SPEC STOCK Lexan

Race 4 capped the event on the Stewart Raceway II Straight Road Course on March 7, 2026, at 22:20, in the Viper V-SPEC SPEC STOCK Lexan class. This five-segment race targeted 40 laps per segment, with drivers rotating through lanes (Blue, Yellow, White, Red) and one out each time. Steve Stewart dominated for the win, but the race’s intensity shone in close mid-pack ties and recovery efforts.

Key Race Highlights

      • Segment 1 (Joe out): Steve led on Blue with a perfect 40 laps (16 points), Dustin close in 2nd. Wayne struggled with only 27 laps in Red.
      • Segment 2 (Dustin out): Steve repeated dominance on Yellow (40 laps, 16 points), Dean 2nd. Joe entered strong with 37 laps in Red for 3rd.
      • Segment 3 (Steve out): Dean topped on Yellow (40 laps, 16 points), Joe 2nd. Wayne again low at 29 laps.
      • Segment 4 (Dean out): Dustin surged on White (40 laps, 16 points), edging Steve in 2nd. Wayne managed 30 laps for 4th.
      • Segment 5 (Wayne out): Steve clinched overall with a win on White (40 laps, 16 points), Joe 2nd. Dustin and Dean completed but with slight deficits.

Top Performers

      • Steve Stewart (1st): Mastered the event with 160 total laps and 61 points in 730.868 seconds, winning three segments. His consistent sub-4.5s averages and event-low 3.348s fastest lap showcased track command.
      • Dustin Jolley (2nd): Secured 157 laps and 51 points in 723.375 seconds (quickest total time), with one segment win. Strong paces (3.330s fastest) kept him in contention despite a sit-out.
      • Joe Clarke (3rd): Matched Jolley’s laps at 157 but placed via points at 48 in 759.129 seconds. A solid rebound from an early out, with the race’s quickest lap (3.182s) in the finale.

The lower-scoring drivers (under 50 points) grappled with the Viper class’s specs on the road course, facing lane challenges and incomplete segments, yet their contributions highlighted adaptability in a high-stakes closer.

      • Dean Donaldson (4th, 147 laps, 47 points, 773.246 seconds): Competitive early with a segment win but hampered by a low 31-lap finale and sit-out. His averages hovered around 4.5-5.9s, with a 3.394s fastest showing speed bursts. Emphasis: Donaldson’s points haul nearly matched the podium despite lap gaps, signaling strong potential; lane optimization could propel him higher in similar formats.
      • Wayne Locke (5th, 116 laps, 28 points, 753.294 seconds): Endured the roughest run with multiple sub-30-lap segments and an early finale out, reflected in higher averages (up to 6.769s). Emphasis: Locke’s persistence across rotations, including competitive fastest laps (around 4.2-4.5s), underscores grit; focusing on reliability might close the scoring divide, adding underdog intrigue to the series.

Race 4 totals: ~737 laps combined (averaging ~147 per driver), wrapping the four-race event with emphasis on the road course’s role in testing limits. Lower scorers like Donaldson and Locke exemplified the class’s challenges, providing lessons in strategy amid the leaders’ pace. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 160 61 730.868
2 Dustin Jolley 157 51 723.375
3 Joe Clarke 157 48 759.129
4 Dean Donaldson 147 47 773.246
5 Wayne Locke 116 28 753.294

Due to the effects of adrenaline and overhydration, the Race Director failed to capture podium shots for Races 3 & 4. Oh well, maybe next time.

A big shout-out to Joe Clarke with his first podium on SR2 with his brand new Viper V-SPEC Lexan car!  Joe is a Sportsman division driver and was up against three Expert division drivers the whole night.

And how about Dustin Jolley, winning both MG+ 1.7 Lite races, one on the oval and one on SR2’s straight road course, on his way to winning the overall event–Yeah, I’d say Dustin well-deserved his advancement to the Expert division. Looks like Joe might be next.

Thank you all for bringing stuff to share, and to Team Full-Speed for preparing the very good eats.

Another Epic Wednesday Night “Under the Lights” Event On Both Tracks

A big welcome to our newest driver, Scott Arfsten! Scott is a former Granite Bay resident relocating back to the Santa Cruz Mountains after many years. Scott is another natural and Rookie of the Year candidate, for sure.

Thanks to all participants who brought stuff to share and enjoy. Dean took care of the main course, which was delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup. And Joe Clarke was the Superstar late-comer, bringing a delicious chocolate cream pie—my favorite!!

Going all AI with this one. Trying to streamline the Race Report process a bit. Probably Something the next-gen Race Management Systems will support better, I hope…

AI Generated Summary: A classic Stewart Raceway oval battle — points-heavy format rewards segment excellence over pure volume, especially with four-lane rotations and Outs. Scott and Max punched above expectations in the mix.

Short Story

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 274 84 1600.381
2 Dean Donaldson 269 76 1572.602
3 Dustin Jolley 272 71 1485.535
4 Jeff Seltzer 250 58 1636.648
5 Joe Clarke 115 50 757.304
6 Max Dunn 144 14 775.240
7 Scott Arfsten 135 14 782.019

Here’s a clean summary and analysis of the race results for this slot car (or similar scale racing) event: 
Name
Laps
Points
RunTime (sec)
Avg Laps (s/lap)
1
Steve Stewart
274
84
1600.381
≈5.841
2
Dean Donaldson
269
76
1572.602
≈5.845
3
Dustin Jolley
272
71
1485.535
≈5.462
4
Jeff Seltzer
250
58
1636.648
≈6.547
5
Joe Clarke
115
50
757.304
≈6.585
6
Max Dunn
144
14
775.240
≈5.384
7
Scott Arfsten
135
14
782.019
≈5.793
Key  AI observations:
    • Winner: Steve Stewart takes 1st with the highest laps (274) and points (84), despite not having the fastest average lap time.
    • Laps leader: Steve Stewart (274), closely followed by Dustin Jolley (272).
    • Fastest average pace (lowest seconds per lap, among those with solid laps): Max Dunn (5.384 s/lap) edges out Dustin Jolley (5.462 s/lap). These drivers were clearly quick but may have had fewer total laps due to fewer segments run, deslotting, or shorter participation.
    • Efficiency / points per lap: Steve Stewart leads at ≈0.307 pts/lap, followed by Dean Donaldson (≈0.282) and Dustin Jolley (≈0.261). Lower placers like Max Dunn and Scott Arfsten have much lower points efficiency (~0.097), likely because they ran in fewer heats/segments or scored lower per segment.
    • Time vs. laps: Dustin Jolley completed nearly as many laps as the winner but in much less total time → strong indicator of consistent speed. Steve Stewart and Dean Donaldson have similar avg lap times (~5.84 s), suggesting close racing at the front.

This format is typical for endurance-style or segmented slot car racing (e.g., multiple heats or lanes, total laps across segments determine much of the outcome, with points possibly awarded per heat or segment and then totaled).Pace highlights:

    • Dustin Jolley and Max Dunn posted the quickest consistent laps.
    • The top 3 were very close in raw speed, but the winner maximized total distance (laps).

Congrats to Steve Stewart on the win! If this is part of a series or you have more context (e.g., number of segments/heats, points breakdown per heat, or track details), I can dig deeper into the performance metrics.

Race 1: TFX Austin Martin (i) (o)
Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 77 16 374.396
2 Dustin Jolley 78 14 368.292
3 Dean Donaldson 77 13 353.192
4 Scott Arfsten 68 9 394.731
5 Max Dunn 70 7 371.788
6 Jeff Seltzer 67 7 379.875
Key AI Observations:
      • Dustin Jolley completed the most laps (78), but finished 2nd overall.
      • Steve Stewart won with 77 laps but earned the highest points (16).
      • Dean Donaldson had the lowest total time among the top 3 (353.192 seconds for 77 laps), suggesting he was the fastest on average.
      • Lower places have fewer laps and lower points, as expected.

Calculated Average Lap TimesLower average lap time = faster pace (more consistent speed, fewer issues).

      • Dean Donaldson: 353.192 s / 77 laps ≈ 4.586 seconds per lap (fastest average)
      • Dustin Jolley: 368.292 s / 78 laps ≈ 4.722 s/lap
      • Steve Stewart: 374.396 s / 77 laps ≈ 4.863 s/lap
      • Max Dunn: 371.788 s / 70 laps ≈ 5.311 s/lap
      • Jeff Seltzer: 379.875 s / 67 laps ≈ 5.669 s/lap
      • Scott Arfsten: 394.731 s / 68 laps ≈ 5.805 s/lap (slowest average)

Dean Donaldson clearly had the quickest pace, but fewer total laps than Dustin Jolley kept him from 1st or 2nd.  

      • Dustin led in raw laps (78) but got 14 points → perhaps lost a close tiebreaker to Steve (who may have had a slightly better “section” or bonus).
      • Dean’s superior speed (lowest avg lap time) didn’t overcome having one fewer lap than Steve.
      • The points don’t strictly follow lap order, suggesting a system with bonuses (e.g., for consistency, fastest overall pace, or heat wins) or a specific club’s custom table.

Overall, Steve Stewart took the win through a combination of strong laps + whatever tiebreaker or bonus pushed him ahead of Dustin’s extra lap. Details

Race 2: Tyco Jets (i)

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 80 18 437.207
2 Dustin Jolley 78 15 344.530
3 Jeff Seltzer 69 11 452.218
4 Dean Donaldson 76 10 428.032
5 Max Dunn 74 7 403.452
6 Scott Arfsten 67 5 387.288
Key AI Observations from Race 2:
Steve Stewart dominated again, winning with the highest laps (80) and earning the top points (18). His total time is higher, but that’s expected with more laps completed.
  • Dustin Jolley had an exceptionally fast run—his total time of 344.530 seconds for 78 laps is dramatically lower than others, indicating blistering pace (likely the fastest driver in this heat).
  • Jeff Seltzer moved up to 3rd despite only 69 laps, suggesting strong points possibly from consistency or bonuses.
  • Dean Donaldson slipped to 4th with 76 laps—solid but not enough to challenge the top two.
  • Lower finishers had fewer laps, as typical in these formats.

Calculated Average Lap Times (lower = faster pace)

      • Dustin Jolley: 344.530 s / 78 laps ≈ 4.417 seconds per lap (fastest by a wide margin—he was flying!)
      • Steve Stewart: 437.207 s / 80 laps ≈ 5.465 s/lap
      • Dean Donaldson: 428.032 s / 76 laps ≈ 5.632 s/lap
      • Max Dunn: 403.452 s / 74 laps ≈ 5.452 s/lap
      • Scott Arfsten: 387.288 s / 67 laps ≈ 5.780 s/lap
      • Jeff Seltzer: 452.218 s / 69 laps ≈ 6.554 s/lap (slowest average, but still podiumed—points may reward laps heavily)

Dustin clearly had the quickest car/handling in Race 2, but Steve’s extra 2 laps secured the win (common in fixed-time or multi-heat formats where total laps are king, with ties broken by other factors).

Comparing to Race 1 (for context)

      • Race 1 winner: Steve Stewart (77 laps, 16 pts)
      • Race 1 standout: Dean Donaldson had the fastest pace (~4.586 s/lap), but finished 3rd.
      • Race 2 shift: Dustin took the speed crown (~4.417 s/lap), but still 2nd; Steve remains consistent and victorious.
      • Points scales differ slightly between races (Race 1: 16-14-13-9-7-7; Race 2: 18-15-11-10-7-5), which is typical for club events—often adjusted based on field size, format (e.g., IROC, spec classes), or heat bonuses. At Stewart Raceway, points reward lap totals heavily, with possible add-ons for fastest laps, consistency, or lane performance.

Overall Impressions:

Steve Stewart continues his strong form as the club’s top driver (frequent wins, high laps). Dustin Jolley is showing serious speed and potential (noted as a rising talent/rookie-of-the-year type in recent seasons). Dean Donaldson remains quick but inconsistent in lap totals here.  Details

Race 3: MegaG+ 1.7 Corvette C8 (i)

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dean Donaldson 116 53 791.378
2 Steve Stewart 117 50 788.778
3 Joe Clarke 115 50 757.304
4 Dustin Jolley 116 42 772.713
5 Jeff Seltzer 114 40 804.555
Key AI Observations:
    • Dean Donaldson takes the overall win with 116 laps and the highest points (53), despite Steve Stewart edging him by 1 lap (117). This suggests a points system that heavily rewards consistency, segment wins, lane performance, or bonuses (e.g., for fastest segments, fewest deslots, or heat points accumulation) rather than pure lap totals.
    • Steve Stewart has the most laps (117) and a slightly lower total time (788.778 s vs. Dean’s 791.378 s), indicating he was very close in pace but perhaps lost ground in one or more segments.
    • Joe Clarke posts an impressive lowest total time (757.304 s for 115 laps), meaning the fastest average pace among the field—strong contender for “quickest driver” honors in this event.
    • Dustin Jolley (116 laps) and Jeff Seltzer (114 laps) round out the top 5, with solid but lower points—likely due to fewer segment wins or minor issues.

Calculated Average Lap Times (lower = faster pace)Using total time ÷ laps (approximate; actual varies with lane changes, marshaling time, etc.):

    • Joe Clarke: 757.304 s / 115 laps ≈ 6.585 seconds per lap (fastest average—blistering speed, likely dominated some segments)
    • Dean Donaldson: 791.378 s / 116 laps ≈ 6.822 s/lap
    • Dustin Jolley: 772.713 s / 116 laps ≈ 6.661 s/lap (very close to Joe, strong contender)
    • Steve Stewart: 788.778 s / 117 laps ≈ 6.742 s/lap
    • Jeff Seltzer: 804.555 s / 114 laps ≈ 7.057 s/lap (solid but a step behind the top pace)

The field ran roughly 6.6–7.1 s/lap averages, typical for “stuck” classes like Viper V-SPEC, Jag PR-5, or MegaG+ IROC cars on SR3 (routed track) or oval—faster than earlier “slippery” or T-Jet races (~4–5 s/lap in some prior events).

Likely Race Format & Scoring ContextFrom Stewart Raceway patterns (multi-segment races with 4–6 lanes, timed heats ~2–4 minutes each, drivers rotate lanes, total laps + segment points):

    • Points seem aggregated from segment finishes (e.g., 20–15–12–10–… per segment) plus possible bonuses.
    • Dean’s win despite 1 fewer lap than Steve points to segment dominance—he likely won more heats/segments, offsetting the lap deficit.
    • Ties in laps (e.g., Dean & Dustin at 116) broken by points/time.
    • This event had higher lap totals (115–117) than prior single races (70–80), suggesting more segments or a longer overall duration (possibly 45–60+ minutes total racing time).
    • Joe Clarke’s fast time/low laps relative to others hints at a strong run but perhaps one weaker segment.

Comparison to Prior Races (from your shared summaries)

    • Race 1 (earlier event): Steve won (77 laps/16 pts), Dean fastest pace but 3rd.
    • Race 2: Steve won again (80 laps/18 pts), Dustin fastest pace but 2nd.
    • This race (likely later in 2026 season): Dean Donaldson flips the script for the win—his progression from 2025 Rookie/Sportsman champ to Expert-level dominance continues (he advanced to Expert early 2026 after a stellar 2025 with 64 races, 6 wins, lap records).
    • Steve remains ultra-consistent (high laps/points across events), but Dean’s speed + strategy paid off here.
    • Dustin & Joe showing strong form; Jeff holding steady in top 5.

Dean Donaldson emerges as the star of this one—great comeback or peak performance after close battles in prior races. Steve’s extra lap wasn’t enough against Dean’s points haul. If this is from a specific event (e.g., a Saturday “Big Kids” race, oval day, or series points race in early 2026), or if you have the full race report/date/car class (Viper, MegaG, IROC?), cumulative series standings, or next race details, share for deeper breakdown! The stewartraceway.org site tracks these closely—always epic close finishes at this track.  Details

Okay, that’s it for another partially AI-generated report. Maybe in the next post, I’ll have AI take a crack at analyzing a SLotTrak detailed race report and see how that comes out.

Okay, shut up and drive!

A Beautiful Saturday On The SR3 Oval Super Speedway

An absolutely beautiful day in the mountains blessed a relatively small group of drivers on the huge SR3 oval, which made for some fierce competition, amazing crashes, interesting refueling tactics, and some drama.

We raced almost entirely with IROC sets, which clearly favored Home Cookin’, since most of this group had never driven any of the chosen cars. Pretty much all of the cars were “drift,” or otherwise low-downforce setups. Setting up what turned out to be a super-fun day on the oval and lots of racing!

With the exception of Race 7, all races were 20-lap segments with a 35-lap fuel allocation. Race 7 was the only high-downforce race, using Viper V-SPEC “SPECSTOCK” Lexan cars with 30-lap segments and again 35-lap fuel allocation.

Short Story
Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 590 105 2628.234
2 Dean Donaldson 562 85 2673.109
3 Dustin Jolley 577 83 2661.793
4 Kevin Webster 483 35 2762.813
Race 1: Fray T-jets Slip-on (IROC) (o)

Dustin Jolley clicked off the fastest lap in this one with a 3.461 in the Orange lane. Dustin didn’t win it, but his total runtime was nearly identical to Home Cookin’s time, and he won the final segment in the White lane.

Kevin Webster, 2023 Sportsman Points Champion, joined us after a long layoff and, while not having his best day on the oval, was jazzed to get back to racing. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 79 14 389.883
2 Dean Donaldson 78 13 396.947
3 Dustin Jolley 79 12 389.831
4 Kevin Webster 71 5 401.155
Race 2: OS3 TFX Austin Martin (IROC) (o)

Home Cookin’ clicked off the fastest lap with this cool set of 16-ohm OS3 TFX cars with a 3.186 in the Green lane. Dean Donaldson bagged the last podium spot and second-fastest lap of  3.256 in the White lane. (18v) Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 77 16 418.147
2 Dustin Jolley 79 14 425.497
3 Dean Donaldson 71 8 421.028
4 Kevin Webster 68 6 444.871
Race 3: MegaG 1.7 Whelen/SK Modifieds (IROC)

This one was quite the battle between all three podium finishers, with Dean Donaldson taking his first race win on the SR3 oval and two segment wins! The fastest lap was a 3.338 by Home Cookin’ in the Green lane. These cars have the rear traction magnets removed and run hard-compound Super Tires. (18v) Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dean Donaldson 76 14 378.412
2 Steve Stewart 78 13 381.041
3 Dustin Jolley 77 11 396.755
4 Kevin Webster 65 6 401.303
Race 4: MG+ 1.5 Midgets (IROC)

Dustin Jolley bagged his first SR3 Oval win with these very difficult-to-drive “drift” cars without traction magnets. He also almost had the fastest lap of the race with a 4.060 in the Orange lane. Home Cookin’ narrowly edged him out with a 4.057 in the White lane.  (18v) Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dustin Jolley 77 16 466.268
2 Dean Donaldson 75 12 493.520
3 Steve Stewart 76 11 477.562
4 Kevin Webster 65 5 499.186
Race 5: Retro-Viper Maximum Leeway (IROC)

Proving he’s finally made the transition from a ‘Magnet Car” bigot, to a full-fledged multi-dimensional slothead, Dean clicked off three of the fastest lane laps in this one! Two of those fast laps are official track records for this way cool “drift” car. The new lap record for this car on the oval is a 2.952 in the Blue lane! (15v) Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 80 18 385.268
2 Dean Donaldson 75 12 415.281
3 Dustin Jolley 73 10 403.432
4 Kevin Webster 57 4 419.897
Race 6: NAStruck Viper-Jets (IROC)

Dean Donaldson and Dustin Jolley were neck-and-neck in most of the day’s races, but this one was a barn-burner. Both drivers were tied in points going into the final segment, with Dustin having just a one-lap advantage. Dustin would edge out Dean for the second podium step by just two tenths of a second in the final segment. To his credit, Dean–again–set three of the four fastest laps of the race and a new SR3 Oval track record of 2.295 in the Blue lane. (15v) Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 80 20 276.085
2 Dustin Jolley 75 10 294.847
3 Dean Donaldson 74 9 286.525
4 Kevin Webster 68 5 292.477
Race 7: Viper V-SPEC SPEC STOCK Lexan (o)

This one was a bit of a head-scratcher with some controversy thrown in for good measure. Dean Donaldson absolutely dominated this race, taking three segment wins, three of the four fastest laps (his fastest was 1.777 in the White lane), and winning the overall race.  Dean had a perfect lap count of 30 in all but one segment (Green lane) and very nearly captured the SR3 Oval track record in the process (Shaylin Maddox has the fastest lap with this car at 1.654 in the White lane).

The head-scratcher part was that Home Cookin’ couldn’t figure out why he was two laps ahead of Dean in two segments and lost the wins. Turns out, Home Cookin’ miscalculated that he could refuel a bit before finishing those two segments. Not realizing that, due to the 1-second delay before fuel flows and the blistering sub-two-second average lap times, even the quickest pit visit would allow another driver less than two laps behind to cross the line first. Which is exactly what happened. Doh!

The controversial part was in the technical inspection after the blisteringly fast Viper V-SPEC race. While Dean is a very fast Viper pilot, his car seemed to be a bit faster than all the others; however,  the primary reason for the technical inspection was to check out Dustin’s new “Custom-built” Viper, which isn’t really in the spirit of “SPECSTOCK” rules.  I wanted to see just how different a “Blueprinted” build might be in terms of downforce and RPM. Dustin’s new car actually passed our technical inspection with flying colors. In fact, it was surprisingly average.

Dean’s car, on the other hand, was at the upper end of our typical numbers, but not extraordinary. However, the car did have an aftermarket crown gear, which is not in line with the spirit of the “SPECSTOCK” rules. These cars are supposed to be stock, out-of-the-box, V-SPEC L4 cars. With a couple of minor exceptions, the only mods allowed are different-sized rear silicon tires. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Dean Donaldson 113 17 281.396
2 Steve Stewart 120 13 300.248
3 Dustin Jolley 117 10 285.163
4 Kevin Webster 89 4 303.924

Wow! Seven races and some very competitive races they were. Expert driver Dean Donaldson and Sportsman driver Dustin Jolley demonstrated outstanding and very diverse driving skills with cars that were quite different and difficult to handle. Dean won two of the seven races in convincing fashion, while Dustin won one by two laps. Both drivers had a very good day on the SR3 oval.

This Wednesday night and Saturday are looking good right now for more slot car action at Stewart Raceway.

Okay, shut up and drive!

Thursday Night “Under the Lights.” Get’n Down To Business With Mostly “Stuck” Cars

“It was a crisp Thursday night in late February, and the garage lights buzzed to life over the big HO (1/64) slot car track. The black plastic lanes gleamed under the bright bulbs, casting sharp shadows on the colorful cars lined up at the start. Four lightning-fast racers were ready to battle:

Joe Clarke in his sleek silver Mustang, always smooth and precise.

Dean Donaldson piloting a bright red Camaro, aggressive and fearless on the turns.

Dustin Jolley behind the wheel of a blue-and-white Corvette, quick to recover from any mistake.

And Home Cook’n, the mysterious local legend in a matte-black Dodge Charger with glowing red pinstripes—no one knew his real name, but he cooked the competition every time he showed up.

The four friends plugged in their controllers, thumbs hovering. “Thursday night under the lights,” Joe said with a grin. “No mercy, boys.”The power pack hummed.

Green flag dropped!

The cars shot forward like rockets. Dean took an early lead, hugging the inside lane through the first chicane. His Camaro’s tires squealed (in imagination, anyway) as he powered out of the curve.

Joe Clarke stayed calm, drafting right behind, waiting for the perfect moment.

Dustin Jolley was right there too, bumping the wall once but bouncing back stronger. Home Cook’n? He hung back in fourth, engine whining, like he was studying the pack.

Lap after lap the track roared with electric buzz. Dean’s red Camaro led for ten straight laps, but Joe started closing in, lane-switching like a pro.

Dustin made a daring pass on the outside, nearly clipping Dean’s bumper.

Then, on lap 22, Home Cook’n made his move. He cranked the controller to full throttle down the long straight. The black Charger surged, passing Dustin on the left, then Joe on the right. By the hairpin, he was wheel-to-wheel with Dean.

The two cars neck-and-neck, sparks flying from the guide pins, controllers trembling in sweaty hands.

“Here he comes!” Dustin yelled. Home Cook’n edged ahead just enough—his Charger nosed in front as they hit the final straight. Dean fought back, but Cook’n held the line.

Checkered flag waved!

Home Cook’n crossed first by half a car length. Dean finished second, Joe third, Dustin a close fourth.The garage erupted in cheers and groans.

Controllers hit the table. High-fives all around.”Man, that was too close,” Dean laughed, shaking his head. Joe wiped his brow. “Thursday nights don’t get better than this.” Dustin grinned. “Rematch next week?

“Home Cook’n just smiled quietly, unplugged his Charger, and said, “Bring your best, boys.”The lights stayed on a little longer as they packed up, already talking strategy for next Thursday.

Under those garage lights, four really fast 1/64 slot car racers proved once again: speed, skill, and friendship make the best kind of race.”

AI-generated content, ha ha! 

The real story was four seriously fast dudes battling it out in three different races: one builder’s class, and two IROC races, all with fuel allocation dynamics. Oh, and fantastic eats before the racing began.

Short Story
Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 338 189 3034.965
2 Dustin Jolley 334 149 3061.039
3 Dean Donaldson 318 138 3091.830
4 Joe Clarke 293 88 3187.531
Race 1: Jag Hobbies PR-5 GT F1/Indy (IROC)

Joe Clarke didn’t win any segments, but he was clearly the fastest driver in the house all night. Joe clicked off the fastest lap with the newest Jag Hobbies PR-5 GT IROC set with a 5.118 lap in the Orange lane. When he was on, he was ripping it. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 100 64 1052.316
2 Dustin Jolley 98 50 1060.435
3 Dean Donaldson 90 46 1092.400
4 Joe Clarke 79 28 1112.469
Race 2: Viper V-SPEC SPEC STOCK Lexan

Joe Clarke wasn’t done with his exhibition of speed in Race 2. Joe clicked off another fastest lap in this race in the Green lane, a 4.607. This was set on the “Bus Stop” layout! Dean Donaldson and Dustin were in a veritable Dog Fight with just 4-sec separated them at the finish. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 120 64 834.503
2 Dean Donaldson 117 50 844.419
3 Dustin Jolley 117 46 848.597
4 Joe Clarke 106 28 863.282
Race 3: Mega G+ 1.7 Corvette C8 (IROC)

Dustin Jolley was on a mission in this final race, winning the first segment and taking 2nd in two others. Dustin actually beat Home Cook’n on laps, but came up a bit short in points. As you can see in the detailed results, the Green lane car was not quite up to IROC standards, as most drivers lost laps with this car. Dustin was the only driver to complete all 30-laps in the Green lane.  Dean Donaldson was the fastest in this one, clicking off a blistering  6.088 lap in the White lane.  All of these fast laps are current lap records on the “Bus Stop” layout for each car.  Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 118 61 1148.146
2 Dustin Jolley 119 53 1152.007
3 Dean Donaldson 111 42 1155.011
4 Joe Clarke 108 32 1211.780

I must say, these weeknight events are quite competitive and a lot of fun.

Thanks to all who attended and for all the great treats and munchies!

Saturday is SR3 oval action!

 

From a Kid’s Race To a Little Something Different

Well, the plan was to get a bunch of Junior drivers and their parents together to do some team racing and head-to-head Junior racing. Instead, we ended up with an all-star cast of Sportsman and Experts, and two of the hottest Junior drivers in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

We tried a couple of new things with this event. The first was using qualifying to seed drivers in a bit of a gaming spin on racing. The idea was to assign each driver a number based on their qualifying position, using the same car! Participants in the gaming activity put up $1 each before each race. After each completed race, somebody rolls a dice (or a pair of dice).

The value of the dice decides who wins the pot. For example, if the dice come up a 2, the driver who qualified 2nd fastest wins the pot. Rinse and repeat. Of course, there are a lot of things you can do with this, but that’s what we did with one race, just to see how it played.

We also tried a different fueling allocation in, I think, the first race. We set the laps for each segment and the fuel allocation to the same number. This created an interesting dilemma: you can’t just finish a segment, because you’ll start the next segment out of fuel. There were some interesting refueling strategies during the race. Many drivers, quickly realizing that starting the subsequent segments out of fuel wasn’t a great idea, refueled at various times during each segment to ensure that they could finish the segment with as many points as they could muster and also enough fuel to start the next segment and get to the pits without much drama.

Short Story
Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 300 223 2839.475
2 Dustin Jolley 296 196 2873.401
3 Dean Donaldson 277 165 2921.355
4 Ramsey Wright 223 96 2892.258
5 Jerry Pearson 96 51 1471.646
6 Eric Lane 86 38 1465.319
7 Shaylin Maddox 78 32 766.539
Qualifying:

I think every driver ran qualifying in the Orange lane. Dustin Jolley had a great 3-lap average speed and easily took the pole. Expert driver, Jerry Pearson (Hairball Racing), clicked off the fastest lap in qualifying with a 5.669 in the Orange lane.

Track: SR3 Road Course Bus Stop Layout
Date: Feb-22-2026 13:24
Class: MegaG GT-40 Hardbody (All qualified driving the same car!)
Name Lap Time Speed (Mph) Place
Dustin Jolley 5.901 559 1
Steve Stewart 5.978 551 2
Dean Donaldson 6.044 545 3
Eric Lane 7.337 449 4
Jerry Pearson 7.717 427 5
Ramsey Wright 8.440 390 6
Race 1: Scooby Doo Vans MG+ 1.7 w/ Resin Van Bodies (Eric “Fast” Lane” IROC Set

Eric “Fast” Lane clicked off the fastest lap of 7.860 in the Blue lane. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 120 90 1475.187
2 Dustin Jolley 116 73 1486.752
3 Dean Donaldson 106 61 1494.816
4 Jerry Pearson 96 51 1471.646
5 Eric Lane 86 38 1465.319
6 Ramsey Wright 86 35 1490.414
Race 2: Jag Hobbies Augoran (i) 15v

Sportsman driver, Dustin Jolley 9Team Jolley), clicked off the fastest lap in this one with a 5.557 in the Orange lane. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 100 77 734.430
2 Dustin Jolley 100 68 744.468
3 Dean Donaldson 93 55 739.628
4 Ramsey Wright 76 33 741.895
5 Shaylin Maddox 78 32 766.539
Race 3: MegaG+ 1.7 Lites (Support Class)

Dean Donaldson (Team Full-Speed) clicked off the fastest lap in this one with a 5.809 in the Orange lane. Details

Place Name Laps Points Total Time
1 Steve Stewart 80 56 629.858
2 Dustin Jolley 80 55 642.181
3 Dean Donaldson 78 49 686.911
4 Ramsey Wright 61 28 659.949
Race 4: Fray T-Jet Slip-ons  (i)

Our newest Sportsman driver, Ramsey Wright, clicked off the fastest lap in this truncated race of only two segments. Ramsey put down a blistering 9.617 in the Green lane. This one didn’t go the full rotation due to running out of time. Details