Here we go. All the action from Sunday 4th March at Laguna Seca Raceway. The inaugural PESGaming Racing Club competitive get-together. Before the race got started, the drivers paraded their cars for the media and for the photoshoot.
The cameras caught up with the following...
#80 - Mike 'Stock' IronCity
#20 - Mike 'Pearlescent' Phatmann
#7 - Abu 'Flame red' abu97
#31 - Matt 'Chrome' Nifty
#23 - Matt 'Shoe-polish' Appswah
Finally, the buzz of the media faded and it was down to business. After a quick test lap, the competitors took their places on the starting grid, beneath the imposing and symbolic Mazda Raceway sign.
...and they're off!
Off the line fastest was Phatmann, with IronCity giving up his pole position and having to jockey with Nifty and Appswah for second on the approach to turn one.
A poor start from Abu saw him adrift in an otherwise bumper-to-bumper entry to turn one on the opening lap.
Under pressure from IronCity, Appswah's over-enthusiasm into the first saw him run wide and open the door for Phatmann and Nifty to pull clear approaching turn two.
Exiting turn two, the pack head under the Bridgestone arch whilst one competitor decides it's time to stop off and pick up some gifts for the family...
Turn three saw Phatmann's defensive driving under pressure cause Nifty to choke on a dust-cloud.
It would be at this point that Nifty hit the front, with Phatmann unable to withstand the aggressive style when he was forced wide, with Appswah and Abu visible beyond the dustbowl.
It was Nifty, then, who would hit the infamous corkscrew first on lap one, chrome-a-shimmering in the glorious sunlight.
Phatmann recovered to keep his second place...
...however, Appswah continued to close. Behind the leader, an excellent battle was developing for second place until Appswah run incredibly wide on the final hairpin on lap two.
Fortunately for the shoe-polish-mobile, Pearlescent Phatmann in #23 managed to run
even wider!
Aware of the mistake up ahead, Abu and IronCity gave chase with podium places in view.
Despite an early trip to the souvenir shop, stock-white IronCity's #80 continued to keep the flame-red Civic of Abu in his sights for much of the contest, although was never close enough to attempt a passing manouevre.
Nifty had, by mid-race, developed an unsurmountable lead and was isolated on-track.
That didn't stop him pushing the pace and by lap seven (of fourteen), he was flying around the outside of IronCity to lap him at the corkscrew, the Monterey sunshine creating a kaleidoscope of colour on his racing machine.
The corkscrew had earlier been the scene of another fierce contest, with Appswah pressuring Phatmann's second place with some aggressive cornering around the trickiest section of the Raceway.
Further through the pack, Abu successfully negotiated the corkscrew on what was a largely isolated trip for the youngster, who managed credibly in a tough field.
Eventually, though, the #7 would turn back-marker with leader Nifty appearing in his rear-view mirrors.
After a 14-lap race, it was Nifty who crossed the line first, having broken Phatmann's early lead and never looked back...
Appswah resisted the challenge of Phatmann to take a credible second place, eventually pulling clear and lapping both IronCity and Abu.
Third place went to Phatmann on his first outing, whilst Abu claimed fourth and IronCity completing the rankings.
