Slightly better than getting the runs, this two part feature covers the introduction of one racer to NASCAARD and offers a glimpse at what's to come. 

    With true Gaardian timeliness and efficiency, I decided to check out NASCAARD and see what all the squealing is about. I headed down to The Crystalmire Challenge with some trepidation, but I was relieved to see some familiar faces lined up to gleefully take a stab at running each other into the walls and walking off with a fat bag of gold and a shiny race win. For a low entry fee of 100K, I was registered to drive Olde English and soon we were ready.

       The drivers are generally fortunate enough to race with cruise control. NASCAARD host and creator Rezit even spews out the syntax to help set up the triggers for seamless driving. The race is conducted via dice rolls, making this automated participation ideal, however this journalist is a bit challenged and generally unfamiliar with setting up triggers and decided to run the race manually. I'm told the turnout was smaller than usual, possibly due to a delay of the start time, and as the spam revved up I was glad it was a relatively small group. In the end it was Sebastion that took the top spot out of 9 drivers, landing him in 14th position at the end of race 26/36. As for myself, I placed 6th and completing one race, Olde English eased into the 48th position.

       With just under one-third of the races remaining, is it too late to come into the competition? Probably, but it's not too late to come for the fun. Bring a crash helmet and hold on, it can make you dizzy pretty quickly! But, like other great things in life, it's over quickly enough to leave you wanting just a little bit more, and until the end we'll be wondering who finishes in that coveted number one position.
 

        Race 36/36 brought the end of NASCAARD v1, with one last race and a 100M purse on the line. The final standings posted by stand-in host Althalus revealed Vesper on top with a total of 5820 points. Founder of Jlo Racing Rezit ended the season as a close second, at 5775 points, followed by Chantal, Malcor, Jennie, Tiana, Androg, Robbo, Althalus and Rau rounding out the top 10 drivers.

         NASCAARD v2 is already in development, and Rezit, a.k.a. Jlo expects to introduce the upgraded version sometime in February 2008. Regulars warn that drivers may be forced to drive with the aid of triggers with the v2 system, leaving our shifting hands free for eating, shaving and cellular raiding on the track. Most participants seem to already prefer automatic driving, but there is a thrill to be found in the interactiveness of manual operation. On the downside, the race stalls if a manual driver idles - not that anyone on Aardwolf ever randomly idles. We're paying far too much attention to scrolling text to be distracted by pr0nIAW, crying children or SWAT invasions.

       The biggest question - will v2 be safer? I wasn't able to attend the final race at the Watchmen tree, but only a few days earlier I was on the scene to witness 26 CAUTIONS over 69 laps in race 35/36. Concerns are on the rise regarding road rage and driver injury, but possible indications of brain damage throughout the realm don't seem to be much different than usual and new racers are strongly encouraged to take part when NASCAARD v2 crosses the line.