COT Pro 2 starts a new season, as Bill "Slick" Schneider brings his Dodge Avenger across the bricks for the win!

Welcome back drivers! Again we setup our wheel and pedals, cool beverage nearby, and put the pedal to the metal for our favorite charity...online racing! There be no better adrenaline pumping activity (well, there is another but I'm keeping it G-rated in here) than trading paint with some hardcore racers!

First race of the season and this reporter sees some changes. Some new faces but old on the online racing scene. Some old faces as well, including yours truly, though I am not the only PSI team member to come back (welcome back Andy!). The name of our division has changed from SSP4 to CPro2. Back to the original NR2003, which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it. Nice to come back to some challenging racing again.

Our first race brought us to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. A total of 13 drivers turned out for this race, with tire wear set at 2x. Not a bad number of drivers for such an old simulation, but 13 is considered to be an unlucky number for some. Personally, I go underneath ladders and pet black cats that cross my path. The best thing is online racing while a storm rages outside. I like testing fate, but I digress, lol. Back to the review.

Practice was a little fun. I might as well have had a target on my rear bumper, as that is all that JJ and Dave saw, lol. JJ got me twice but I was able to correct myself, but Dave nailed me headon and that spin I could not avoid. You guys, lol.

Tim, our resident setup guru, got the pole. If he didn't get the pole with his own setup, I was gonna have to smack him around some. :)

Green Flag! Tim led the way and everyone settled in for 64 Brickyard laps. Turn 1 was the smoothest I have ever seen in my days of online racing. Back in the day, a turn 1 wreck was a guarantee at this track. Today, nothing but great driving. Kudos to this league.

Lap 1 almost saw some trouble when in turn 3 Phil got loose and Dusty hit the brakes just in time (see pic below). Phil veered to the inside and regained control, and racing stayed green.

Lap 3 saw our first caution of the day when Tim, who had Andy on his rear bumper, let off the gas for turn 3 and Andy misjudged the turn. A tap on Tim's bumper sent him first into the wall, then spinning inside. Tim's spin brought him back out onto the track, just barely missing Bill's front bumper, as Bill veered inside and slowed to avoid the bullet that was Tim (see pic below). Tim's car settled on his side, stuck on the wall (see pic below). Dave got a piece of him and the wall but received no damage. Tim suffered some severe rear bodywork, and must have been enough for him to decide to retire from the race. Andy immediately went to the pits and retired.

Tim's pit crew was seen to rush Andy's pit crew and a fistfight ensued. Both teams suffered some bruising, a couple of broken fingers, and a broken jaw. Both Tim and Andy were at first apologizing to each other, then they both had to pull their respective crew chiefs off of each other, as both crew chiefs were on the ground pummeling the other. All were called to the trailer and penalties are pending. Both Tim and Andy addressed the press later and stated it was merely an accident and tempers flared within teams. Both drivers were seen apologizing to each other with no hard feelings stated publicly. They were both seen after the race at the local Sizzler, clinking glasses together in some toast.

Pitting all around.

Lap 7 Green Flag! JJ leads the way, courtesy of a good pit stop. This lap also sees our 2nd caution, when turn 3 claims another victim. Troy gets loose on the outside and goes for a spin (see pic below), hitting the wall and getting some minor rear bodywork damage, which he gets repaired in the pits.

Pitting all around except for the leaders.

Lap 11 Green Flag! JJ still leads the way, and will eventually have Most Laps Led. Bill starts inching his way up and, some laps later, takes 2nd, keeping the heat on JJ. No more yellows as the rest of the race saw nothing but green.

Around Lap 25 saw a bunch of green flag pit stops. After everyone cycled, JJ still led, with Bill 5+ seconds behind. Nothing of interest going on.

Lap 45 another round of green flag pits stops for our leaders. Now, Bill is only 3 seconds behind JJ and closing. No more pit stops needed now, as checkers was the only thing awaiting. In his hunt for JJ, Bill gets fastest lap time of the race on lap 50.

Lap 59 Bill is on JJ's rear bumper and looking for that opening. He sees it coming out of turn 2 when he makes an inside move on the backstraight (see pic below). Nothing that JJ can do but look on and hold on, as "Slick" takes the checker and earns the right to 'kiss the bricks'!

Great job Bill!!! See you all next week!