This summer I attended the World Boardgaming Championships for the second year in a row.  Again I played my favorite game, Speed Circuit.  Again I made the finals.  Here I managed to capture photos of just about every move.

The finals were scheduled to start Sunday morning, 9AM.  I think we were timely.

I spent a lot of time Friday and Saturday thinking about my car design.  Didn't really decide until Sunday morning.

All pictures are mine and I reserve all rights.  These pics are about 1/10th of original size.

Here's the track:

And there's my car.  It's "special".  :)  

Tim, Kevin, Jim, and Race Master Chris Long.

Phil, Doug, Christine, and Chris.

Kev, Jim, Fabio, Chris, Mario, Bruno.

Christine and Chris -- daughter and father.  A fast pair of racers.  

My car design for this track.  I think it was a pretty good design.  Car designs were across a fairly wide range.  It was clear going in that no one car design was universally considered best.  

These were the wear bids for pole.  As usual, a very wide spectrum. 

I rolled for bumping my first turn move from 60 to 80 -- applied two skill -- and BLEW IT!  ACK!   I only missed by one on the dice, and thus didn't damage my engine.  Still, it was a bummer.  A fairly major bummer.  I played "cool", though, and didn't let my competitors see me sweat.  Never let them see you sweat.

After the first move.  Remember how I called my car "special"?  All the other car models on the track are Formula1 or Indy car models from Hot Wheels or Matchbox.  Mine, which I brought to the tourney, is intended to be within the boundaries of allowable, yet decidedly quirky.  
Jim F in the yellow car rockets to the lead, ahead of the speedy Italians Fabio and Mario.
Christine had the courage to design a car with 20 start speed and not to try to roll dice successfully at the start.  Thus, she guards the rear.

After move 2.  Jim cleared corner 2 as was the cornerstone of his strategy.

After move 3.  Jim is rocketing down the long back straight.  Christine guards the rear.   Lots of traffic between those poles, and a bit of elbowing.

Looks like Jim F is rolling -- can't remember what.  Guess he didn't blow up, though.  

The whole pack is stretched across the back straight.  Jim clears the corner (again).

Jim with a nice lead.  Then, Fabio, Mario, Kevin, ...   Rando leads the chasing conga line.  Christine a few spaces behind.

Jim, big gap, a foursome, big gap, then Rando and the conga line.  Bumper car says, "Beep-beep!"  Christine established contact.

It's easy to take pics when the action comes to your own end zone.  Jim with a nice lead on "the foursome".

Racing right along.  Beep-beep!

Seems I caught Doug just as he rolled.  Can't remember how that one went.  

Oh, he was probably doing his duty moving cars around the track.  I should time my pictures better.  Hands are not sexy.

OK, finally, a hands-free photo.  Jim F still in the lead (no surprise!)

Jim's lead has been shrinking.  He explained to me afterward that he had hoped the chasing pack would create racing friction.  Turned out that chasers 1 and 2 were both of the "race smooth" Italian school.  They didn't battle each other too much.  There was a bit of friction.  I was watching closely from a few rows back.  Er .. the bleachers.

Jim's though the corner, so are the chasers.  Meanwhile, Christine has stealthily moved from "not-last".

Jim blasts down the front stretch, followed closely by chasers.

Leader Jim is into corner 2 but not done.

Jim F., leader, has now been contacted by the closest chaser.  The Pelleton cheers.

Leaders blasting down the long back straight.  Me in the blue "Beep-beep!" car, I have just cleared corner 2.

Different pic, same move.

Leader Jim about to complete the back straight.  He's been caught by chasers and is not happy.  Kevin in the other yellow car is 7 spaces back.  I'm 10 spaces back in 7th.

I took this photo because Bruno as the first retirement of the race.

Jim leads out of the corner, followed by Fabio, Mario and Phil.  Then Kevin, then three-wide action in the bleachers.

Jim is first into the corner ahead of the totally in contact Pelleton.  However, he's not on the arrow.

Christine formerly at the back is now ahead of two cars.  Plus one retired (Phil?) at corner #2.

Oh, the yellow car isn't in the lead -- for the first time this race.  

Mario and Fabio are suddenly way ahead of the yellow car, which has spun.

Jim in the yellow car ends his day, pulls off the track.  Fabio, Mario, and Phil are a goodly parcel ahead of Kevin (yellow), me (blue bumper car), Chris (white), and Doug (purple).

Fabio and Mario dueling for the lead.  Phil has fallen back a bit.  And Christine is up to 8th of 12.

Almost done with the second lap.  Mario leading Fabio by a hair, then Phil, Kevin, me (Rando), Chris L, Doug, Christine, Tim, and Chris H.  

The leaders blast down the front straight leading Phil.  Kevin, Chris and I clear the penultimate corner.

Two Italians leading, we chase.

The Italian lead is narrowed.  Mario is ready to accelerate but if I remember has no wear left.  Fabio is still in the corner.  Meanwhile, Chris got past me.  I'm in 6th.  

Mario blasts down the final back straight, but has zero wear.  Doug spins (purple car), but at least I'm on the arrow.  The blue bumper car is ready for the final lap dog-fight!

Mario leads big, but he has no wear.  I can't remember, I think I tested my acceleration to get ahead of Chris.  Now two retired cars at corner #2, plus Jim retired.  Christine is up to 7th.

With no wear to spend, Mario's huge lead suddenly contracts.  Fabio sets up inside, Kevin (in yellow) is on the line.  I'm right behind in 4th, probably rolled dice (top speed) to get the bumper car up to 180.  Sparks flying off the electrical pickups!

This picture taken mid-move.  Mario stands on the brakes and gets through the corner -- slowly and safely, at only 60 MPH.  Fabio rolls dice.  If I remember, a deceleration roll.  He misses, can't slow for the corner.  Then he is forced to roll chance -- and misses.  He crashes.  Debris litters the corner, making it hazardous for every car behind.  This photo is immediately after Fabio crashes, before the move is complete.

Mario got through at 60, Kevin in the yellow had to jump off the arrow, then make a chance saving roll to avoid debris.  He made it.  I got to stay on the arrow but I also had to roll chance to save -- applied my last -3 chip -- and made it.  Chris L dove to the inside and also saved on the roll.  

Suddenly the yellow car -- Kevin -- is the new leader.  I think Kevin and I each have 4 wear remaining at this moment, Chris with 3.  Tim marginally ahead of Phil, Christine lurking.  Chris H trails.

Kevin smoothly accelerates to take the clear lead.  Mario and Doug in second and third.  It's a bit blurry -- Mario has just spun.  I tried a forced pass (plot 160, with a slip from Kevin), that was enough to get me next to him.  I looked at whom to pass.  Mario was out of wear, Doug had two i think.  Obviously, Mario.  The table started chanting, "block him, block him".  Not rooting against ME, merely rooting for more carnage.  Quite understandable.

I think I applied two skill, rolled an 8, modified to 6 by the skill, but then modified back ro an 8 by the block.  It was a 5 & 3.  So I failed the pass, had to stand on my brakes (costing me skill or wear or something).  But the die with the three meant that mario lost a wear on contact.  With none to discard, he spun.  Yet, instead of me next to Kevin and on the arrow, instead I'm two spaces back.  Dang.

Kevin legs it out, Chris chases, as do I.  Suddenly we are late in the fourth quarter and the yellow team is winning.  Time for some hail mary action?  Mario accelerates from his spin, Tim is close behind, then Christine has passed Phil.  

Kevin, Chris L, Rando, Mario, Tim next to Christine, Phil, and Chris H.  Jim F's forlorn car at the side of the track.

I can't remember what i did to pull up next to Chris but I did something.  And Christine has moved from 6th to 4th!  Very exciting.  However, Kevins lead with only 2 corners to go seems indisputable.  

Chris and I maintain a hot battle for second -- Kevin alas seems uncatchable.

Kevin clears the final corner.  The choir is clearing their throats and warming their voices for his victory song.  Meanwhile Chris and I are battling for scraps.  Mario dukes it out with Tim and spins.  Phil smells blood.

  VICTORY for Kevin.  His car clears the finish line and is removed to the trackside celebration.  Chris and i still battling for runner up.  Christine clears the ultimate corner and is solid for 4th.  Tim (sad Panda) is sitting 5th.  Phil gets past Mario for what will be the final pass of the race.

Rando nips Chris L on their last move -- Rando gains second, Chris is third.  Christine crosses milliseconds after for 4th.  The race is effectively over.  Whew!

The four Laurelists (from right to left, oops):  Kevin Keller, THIRD victory in Speed Circuit at the WBC.  Second, Randy "Rando" Needham, upping his game from last year's third place in his first WBC.  Third, Chris Long, Race Master (thank you Chris, you ably stood in for our usual Race Master Doug S.)  Fourth, Christine Hancock, able daughter of the famous racing Hancocks (Chris was champ in '93, and 8th this year).

Kevin has that really big shiny wooden plaque.  CONGRATULATIONS again, Kevin!  :)