Phillip Wins DEI-RACING 500

The top sim drivers on the NASCAR Racing 2003 Simulation came together on January 2nd to contest the ninth annual DEI-Racing Commerative 500. Names like Larkin, Wilson, Bishop, Becze, Black, Hann and Jette all came to the virtual Talladega Super Speedway with the intent of winning the prestigious event and the cash prize to go with the victory. Many came and many fell short of the exciting finish that left the fans on the edge of their seats as attrition took some of the “top guns” in sim racing out of contention.

After a rash of cautions marred the first third of the event a long green run would take the balance of the field to the forty lap to go mark. Yellow periods near the end would set up a pit strategy game and a short sprint to the finish of the event. The #99 of Scott Jackson stayed out on the last yellow flag period but was soon showed his way out of the lead by a hungry Nick Phillip. Phillip took to the inside of Jackson corners after the final green flag and would take the victory in the race. A wreck on the last lap shook up the finishing order at the end as Chad Mikosz came home in second with DEI Draygar, Joe Branch and Chris Wetz rounding out the top five of the spectacular super speedway event.

Ten yellows slowed the 188-lap, 500-mile event which took just over three hours and thirty-two minutes to run. Lead changes were plenty during the race as forty-five changes occurred between fourteen drivers. Half of those had laps led totals in the double digits with Chris Pence leading the most laps at fifty-five. Twenty-six cars recorded a lap in the main feature with twelve being on track for the finish. Qualifying races were held prior to the feature with Draygar and Justin Wilson winning those events.

RLMtv is back in action next Sunday as the WSU Battle of the Leagues 3rd Annual Dirt Nationals hit the airwaves.