Busch Clash Review!
The Solstice Season has begun, and what a way to start it off!
Many drivers were already locked into the big event, like Caleb Wheeler, Adam Codol, Jordan Robson, and others. However there were a select few that had to race there way into the big show. Guys like Brett Lawrence, Stephen Black, Matt Patterson, Keith Sherman, Matheus Michelin, Michael Kundakcioglu and Nick Foster.
The Open started off with Keith Sherman and Matt Patterson starting off on the front row. Sherm would lead the first lap but unfortunately he would have to drop to the back due to Mechanical issues on the car.
Brett Lawrence then took the lead and would not look back. Matt Patterson followed Brett into the lead as they both seemed to have the strongest cars in the Open. 3rd place was where the battle was at, 3rd being the transfer spot into the Busch Clash.
Nick Foster held onto it for most of the race, but after the competition caution things were heating up as they were set to have a 10 lap shootout to decide the transfer spots!
Foster was able to climb back up into the top 3 shortly after the Green Flag, drivers like Stephen Black, Sherminator, Kundakcioglu were forced to sit in line and wait for somebody to make a move. As the top 7 sat single file until 4 laps to go as 3rd on back started battling it out. But with 2 laps to go the controversy heated up as former CRI team mates Stephen Black and Nick Foster got together entering turn 1.. Foster who tried to look high for 2nd, left the door open for Stephen Black to dive on the bottom, little did Foster know Black was already up to the side of his car. Foster in the #27 came down and nearly lost it! But! Foster saved the car up until Matheus Michelin drilled him in the rear end of his car. Turned the 27 around and ended the race under caution. The top 3 were, Brett Lawrence (who led 24 of the 25 laps!), Matt Patterson and Stephen Black.
Many were surprised at how well Matt Patterson did after the open. He sat in 2nd all race long and was very patient. Earning his way into the big show. However even more controversy struck AFTER the Open concluded! Brett Lawrence, the winner of the Open. Had his engine completely blow up after the conclusion of the race, and did not have time to put in another. And under Solstice rules he could not go to a back up car. So, Michael Kundakcioglu was the fill in driver chosen by Solstice officials to drive in the 2010 Busch Clash!
After a short intermission the big event was set to begin.. The field was set, and those drivers were.
Nick Karhs #75
Adam Codol #84
Jake Ace #36
Michael Kundakcioglu #56 (Fill in for Brett Lawrence)
Shawn Taylor #82
Stephen Black #98
Jordan Robson #19
Matt Patterson #13
Caleb Wheeler #80
Jon Flournoy #87
Nick Karhs and Adam Codol were on the front row for the first Annual Solstice Busch Clash!
The race was under way! Shortly after the green flag pole sitter Nick Karhs dropped low and dropped to the back.. Fearing an early accident Karhs was very cautious on the start of the event.. Adam Codol quickly followed. Jordan Robson would lead lap one as he and Caleb Wheeler were hooked together for the first 2 laps. Shawn Taylor would quickly take over the lead on lap #3. Racing continued on with 2-3 wide racing all around the 2.66 Mile speedway, the fans were getting there moneys worth! But this was just the beginning!
Laps clicked off and the racing as intense as ever. 8 of the 10 drivers that started the event led 1 or more laps.. No driver led over 9 laps! The diversity we saw in the event was like none other. However even with all the diversity in the field, we still saw who had the best cars on the night. Adam Codol, who led 9 laps tied for the most in the event. Was a force to be reckoned with all day long and proved he will be one to contend with in the 500 as well. Caleb Wheeler only led one lap but he as well was a contender all race.. Along with guys like Shawn Taylor, Jordan Robson, Matt Patterson and Nick Karhs.
But it was still anybodys race to win.. Half way struck, everyone was still relatively patient.. But we all knew once we hit 15 laps to go it was going to pick up big time.. And it did, with 12 laps to go we had the entire field 2-3 wide for position. And it didn't last. Adam Codol and Caleb wheeler got together out of turn #4 and the maylay began. Cars were scattered all over the track! Adam Codol was the one that got the worst of the incident as his car was turned head on into the concrete wall.. Stephen Black also got into the incident as his McDonalds #98 Ford was sideswiped by Caleb Wheelers spinning car. As bad as could have been and may have looked to some. All drivers involved were able to continue on and stay on contention!
Drivers Jordan Robson, Jake Ace, and Shawn Taylor avoid the big one as Caleb Wheeler and Adam Codol get together off turn 4.
Racing gets back underway as drivers jocky for position.9 laps left as the race restarted. Nick Karhs and Matt Patterson would lead them back to the green flag. Karhs did not get a good restart and the #82 Goodyear Chevy of Shawn Taylor was there to pounce! Taylor was very good on the restarts all night long, Nick knew he had to get on the gears quick but it wasn't quick enough as Taylor flew by for 2nd place. More drama would occur as another wreck would nearly end the race this time.. Stephen Black and Jon Flournoy would get together and spin on the frontstretch. They all raced back to the line and Matt Patterson would have the lead, with Shawn Taylor in 2nd, Robson in 3rd. Many drivers thought the race was over.. But little did they know.. It wasn't. Early in the race Jordan Robson made a comment over the radio talking about how it would be nearly impossible for them to finish the race under green.. Robson was wrong. They had a 1 lap shootout at the end of the race, the fans were on there feets and the drivers were ready! Green Flag waved, Matt Patterson got a great restart with Jordan Robson right behind him pushing. Taylor who did not get as good of a restart, had Nick Karhs on the outside pushing him as well. We thought it would be a 1 on 1 battle between Taylor and Patterson, however Robson got clear of Shawn Taylor off turn 2 and made a move to the outside, it didn't work but he dove back to the bottom and with a huge push from Adam Codol he was able to get along side Matt Patterson. But the race was just beginning as Shawn Taylor made it 3 wide down the backsretch with a huge run! Robson got another bump into turn 3 from Codol, who had Wheeler pushing him. Robson was clear of Patterson and Taylor and would have a good lead off turn 4. The drivers were all over the place! 3-4 and even 5 wide off turn 4! They came to the stripe and Robson had just enough lead to go on to win the event. Codol, Nick Karhs, Jake Ace, and Michael Kundakcioglu rounded out the top 5.. 6th on back was insane to say the least, as they all were side by side they got together at the line and had a massive pileup! Cars were upside down, sideways in the wall and spinning in the infield! Fans were in despair as they saw one of the best finishes in Solstice history!
For the winner Jordan Robson it was relief and satisfaction to open the season up with a bang. But for Matt Patterson it was heartbreak. Patterson who is not known for contending for many races. Seemed to have the strongest car on this night. And after thinking he had won the event with that last caution finishing 6th was just as bad as finishing last. However Matt contained a good attitude after the event, even with the heartbreak he was happy as could be about his chances for the 500 coming up.
We saw two great races today in the first ever Busch Clash for Solstice racing.. We saw a great sign of things to come for the series and the league. The Daytona 500 will be nothing short of amazing said winner Jordan Robson.
"It's going to be one of the best races we'll see all year. If tonight was any at all conclusive as to how the 500 will be, anybody has a shot to win it. I can't wait!".Who will win the 500? Will we see a dark horse like Matt Patterson find victory lane? Or a former Solstice Champion and Adam Codol take home the biggest event in the leagues history.. It's anybodys race, and it will be a race at that. 3-4 wide all over the place, we saw over 80,000 fans tonight.. We will see over 250,000 for the 500. The significance and magnitude of the 500 rises every day and every year. Anything and everything can happen, so come find out for yourself as the Solstice series begins the actual season with a bang and the season opening Daytona 500!
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Some more photos of the event! (Thanks Caleb for doing them)
The winning move!
Robson wins in a crazy finish
Massive crash after the conclusion of the race.
Codol goes for one hell of a ride in the Budweiser #84 Chevy!
All in all a great race, review isn't great so I apologize if some of that isn't as accurate as it should be. It is 1:30 AM over here!
Great event, thank you to Caleb and the rest of the Solstice gang for putting it on. Can't wait for the 500!
