2017 National Duel #1

Carlisle Dominates First Duel



You have to be a confident man right now if your name is Bradley Carlisle, as he managed to lead all but 5 laps in the first duel, en route to taking a commanding victory over Ryan Matthews and rookie Chiyo Minami. Carlisle, the 2006 Empire State 450 winner, started on the outside of the front row after timing third in the single car runs, will remain third on the grid as a result of his victory.

"This car was electric!" said Carlisle after climbing out in victory lane, "I don't know what these guys discovered but we were just on it today! It seems like nobody could suck up to us but there was plenty of passing behind us. If it wasn't for the lap cars we might have gone flag to flag!"

"I'm feeling really really pumped for the 450. If the car stays like this we might have a chance of dominating that thing too!"

Teammate Evie Vance was the first to be able to make a move on Carlisle for the lead with a handful of laps to go, but the rookie did not feel she had a car as good as her teammate's despite a fifth place finish in her first National Duel.

"Our car was good but we didn't have what the 92 car had" said Vance, "We'll keep working at it and I'm sure he'll be courteous enough to give us tips and whatnot, but right now it's hard to see anyone but him take the checkered next week after that."

Ruby McBrien Makes Empire State 450 Despite Crash



It wasn't a good day for Ruby, but she will have a chance to find some luck this weekend as she makes the Empire State 450 on a provisional.

McBrien, the younger daughter of three time champion Frank, had a tire go flat on lap 5, causing her to hit the apron then spear up into Ryan Truro, Jr and Elliott Jenkins, sending herself and Truro, Jr down the track, and the latter into a roll in turn 1. Jenkins and Truro, Jr will be going home as a result of the accident, while Kevin Miller, the 1999 and 2000 450 Winner, who also sustained damage in the accident, managed to finish 16th and will advance into the main event.

"I feel really really bad for the guy I took out," said a discouraged Ruby McBrien, "I tried to take my car to the apron so I would get out of the way, but it just went out of control and we got hit. It sucks that I get to race but those guys don't."

While McBrien beat herself up over the incident, second generation Ryan Truro, Jr, who was a victim of the accident, insisted that the fellow second generation driver should not feel down about the accident.

"Accidents happen." said Truro, Jr, "Ruby has no control over what happened. She did nothing wrong. Of course I'm a little upset we're not going to race but it was just bad luck for all of us. I talked to Elliott [Jenkins] and he wasn't slightly bit angry with Ruby, and I'm not either. I get how she's feeling but all I want to happen now is for her to go out there and win the 450. She's a great girl and I'm sure she'll show why she gets to race this weekend."

McBrien, who has been plagued with bad luck after a heavy shunt in Saturday's truck race, will start 39th in the event.

Qualifying Luck For Yazawa?



There are many questions over the legality of Nico Yazawa's car after she appeared to be well off the pace in the first duel.

Yazawa will start on the pole for the main event after being the quickest in time trials, but had it been a trouble free race for everyone, she would have had to rely on a provisional to see her make the event. Yazawa's car did seem to pick up pace towards the end of the event, but she only mustered up a finish of 14th, being the last car on the lead lap.

Team Kwik Fit driver Connor Swift, who finished 9th, was first to raise questions of the legality of the car.

"Something is clearly up," said 2014 450 winner Swift, "You don't go from being that fast to that slow in a few days. They're a new team so it just raises questions, honestly."

However, team owner Ben Atkins came to the defense of the team.

"Maki Nishikino was still decently fast, so they've probably just messed with the setup and missed the point somewhere..." said Atkins, "That, or they threw everything at qualifying and got a miracle... it's not unheard of."

Yazawa will start from the pole of the event, while Nishikino, her teammate, ensured her starting spot of 21st with an 11th place finish.

F S # DRIVER INTERVAL LAPS LED POINTS STATUS
1 2 92 B Carlisle 185.811 44 39* 185 Running
2 3 6 R Matthews -0.17 44 1 175 Running
3 7 22 C Minami -0.24 44 0 165 Running
4 20 76 R McKee -0.34 44 1 165 Running
5 6 19 E Vance -0.38 44 1 160 Running
6 14 27 N Prowse -0.52 44 1 155 Running
7 5 11 F McBrien -0.68 44 1 151 Running
8 10 86 M Montellini -18.21 44 0 142 Running
9 12 20 C Swift -18.31 44 0 138 Running
10 9 00 J Clagett -18.36 44 0 134 Running
11 21 0 M Nishikino -18.72 44 0 130 Running
12 19 89 L Forrester -33.40 44 0 127 Running
13 15 88 B Green -33.48 44 0 124 Running
14 1 55 N Yazawa -33.61 44 0 121 Running
15 18 5 T Benatar -1L 43 0 118 Running
16 13 99 K Miller -1L 43 0 115 Running
17 16 01 H Tsushima -1L 43 0 112 Running
18 23 70 S Peterson -1L 43 0 109 Running
19 24 05 M McAllister -2L 42 0 106 Running
20 22 57 D Dent -2L 42 0 103 Running
21 17 9 M Johnson -25L 19 0 100 Retired
22 11 44 E Jenkins -39L 5 0 97 Retired
23 4 29 R McBrien -39L 5 0 94 Accident
24 8 02 R Truro, Jr. -39L 5 0 91 Accident