With only two rounds left in the 2011 Formula D season, the competition has suddenly become more serious, particularly within the teams that are in championship contention.
One of the key runners for this year's championship crown is Justin Pawlak. He has maintained a strong grip on the points lead since the beginning of the year. But since Daijiro Yoshihara and his team have stepped up into the points lead, Falken and Pawlak no doubt entered the 6th round in Las Vegas with the intentions of taking home a big haul of points.
Unfortunately, early into Thursday's practice session, Pawlak blew his engine. This put him out for the rest of practice.
.jpg)
Determined to clinch the title, the team wanted to give JTP every opportunity to claim maximum points this weekend and alled him to drive Tyler McQuarrie's Nissan 350Z for the rest of the late evening's practice. Because of this call, McQuarrie sat out the rest of Thursday's session.
And even though JTP was driving his teammate's car, he drove it as hard as he would his own Mustang. He even brushed up against the tire wall at one point!
Letting JTP practice in McQuarrie's car was no doubt a very hard call to make, although it has been done quite a few times in motor sports before. Take for example, a certain Juan Manuel Fangio who has borrowed his team mate's cars a few times. The most famous of these was at the 1956 Italian GP – even when his team mate, Peter Collins could have won the championship himself.
And in this case, the team were doing its best to protect their championship effort. The heat in Vegas just got pumped up a few more Scovilles.
-Linhbergh
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
I thought FD decieded that that car you practice in is the car you must drive in the competition??????????????????
not that i know the ASD cars as well as their engineers do, but why didn't he take vaughn gittin's mustang instead if Falken is so "determined" to claim the title? he's lower in standings than mcquarrie and his car (i would imagine) is much closer in feel and performance than the Z33 (670Z?). is it because JR is sponsored by Monster Energy?
@ slow drift
pretty sure the car car you qualify in is the car you have to drive with in FD. In the D1, they could swap at any time during the event.
Picks of engine swap under pressure please
he's still going to drive the mustang, they just let him practice in the Z. even if it's not the stang he can still try out lines, speeds, and learn the course more.
Negative ghost rider. You must compete in the car you qualify in
falken 350z all dayy.. sexy beast
Dosen't asd have backup cars?
I remember JR has backup cars back in 09 & 2010 season
thats such bullshit, and total disrespect for Tyler. Why wouldn't ASD have a spare motor, for there top driver.
I don't think the rules aply to the ASD/Falken team once again. Such bullshit, if i was Tyler i would start looking for a new team.
Falken has all money, all those cars, trucks and people but no spare engines!?!?!?!? REALLY?
They gave Tyler the Falken S15 to qualify and compete in. Chill out people.
Things felt a bit strange already at Las Vegas Motorspeedway when the qualifying results were posted