According with the nature and the spirit of ISM, the event is open for a limited number of drivers, that is the strongest Stunts drivers on the stage, able to show the best skills for an exciting and serried competition.
ADMISSION. Differently from the last years, there won't be a qualify session or an eliminatory round. The selection will be done by the results obtained in the current ZakStunts championship. More precisely, ISM 2011 will be open to all the drivers have conquered at least a podium in ZakStunts season 2010.
Though, there will be 2 wild-cards reserved for two absolute starrings on Stunts stage: the hystorical pioneer of Stunts Racing world on the WEB and living legend between the Stunts contests' managers, Zak McKracken, and the Stunts driver who many experts consider the best one everseen, Ayrton, undefeated in the last years and double ISM champion. Obviously, the wild-cards will be assigned them if they won't climb on the podium in the last race of ZakStunts season 2010.
FORMULA. Even the formula of the race will be different. The competitors will have to race simultaneously with three different cars on the same track, which will be designed so to offer diverse solutions to reach the finish line. The winner will be the driver who will obtain the highest score, counting:
1) Race Points (earned by the final ranks of the three single races);
2) Provisional Standings Points (assigned for every race correspondently to specific checkpoints during the event);
3) Total Time Points (assigned for the two final best sums of times).
DATES. The ISM 2011 will start the 3rd of January 2011 and it will finish the 29th January 2011. There will be three checkpoints correspondently to the three Saturdays nights (8, 15, 22) among the start and the finish.
For a more detailed explanations about the Formula and reading all the rules (English and Spanish) you can check the official site, already on-line: just click on the image below... ;)
Quote from: Mark L. Rivers on December 13, 2010, 11:17:07 PM
the hystorical pioneer of Stunts Racing world on the WEB and living legend between the Stunts contests' managers, Zak McKracken,
Naaah, you are being too kind, I am melting away. :)
Count me in! :)
drivers: ZCT114 is your last chance to gain admission to ISM2011. Race really hard, it is worth the battle!
Just in case: this is my official sign-up ;)
Just some news waiting for the start:
1) Info & Rules page has been updated: now Scoring Rules are explained exhaustively.
2) This is the list (in alphabetical order) of the aspiring masters who confirmed their presence at the moment: AbuRaf70, Bonzai Joe, Duplode, Gutix, SuperBrian, Zak McKracken.
3) The track has been completed. Last tests and some little modifies occured in the morning.
About this 3rd point, well, it's not easy to reach the right balance researching at the same time the precise degree of difficult (strong engagement for top drivers but not a too hard and grinding race), fun and emotions. Much more with the daring formula "Three cars - One track". Anyway, I'm quite confident I reached a good level result. ;)
I also hope that drivers will find the track one more time original as the past ones, and it will be great if they will have the same feelings BJ expressed at the end of the past edition (in the ISM 2010 topic):
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 30, 2010, 09:39:13 AM
Racing on the tracks, I had a general feeling of novelty, like "even after all these years and all these tracks, I don't get bored with Mark L. Rivers tracks". You are a very creative track designer and you make use of all the possibilities in the game.
I also hope that the new site design fits better the demand to accede in a faster way to the information desired:
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 30, 2010, 09:39:13 AM
Everything also seemed to run smoothly. Maybe you could put track download links and a simplified scoreboard right on the front page?
OK,that's all for now: 10 days to the start... 8)
A little info related the cars involved in the event.
As usual there will be fast cars with different features. Past editions have seen a good rotation about them. Even this year I established to change at least 2 cars respect last year. One of this change regarded the Porsche 962 which I considered to alternate with the Jaguar XJR9. But the current ZakStunts race which sees an almost full standings of Jaguar XJR9 is pushing me not to include it in ISM 2011 edition so not to oblige the participants racing 2 consecutive races with the same car. So I'm thinking to confirm the presence of the Porsche 962, due to 2 considerations: 1) the "IMSA track" is suitable only for P962 and Jaguar; 2) since last ISM edition there wasn't a "P962 race" (neither a podium in Zak Stunts in 2010).
So the choice is almost unavoidable. But the aspiring masters won't be deceived: in every case the IMSA race will be an exciting race, probably the most dazzling challenge of this edition, be sure about it... 8)
Btw, a bit more than three days to the start... ;)
Gentlemen, start your engines... ;)
Oops, the track is already becoming tyred... ;) The challenge to catch the first PSP (Provisional Standings Points) is open... 8)
The combination of a video card breakdown in my "main" PC and general busyness means I will be lucky if I get to do any decent lap this week ::) But I will try to at least try the track...
Quote from: Duplode on January 04, 2011, 02:33:40 PM
The combination of a video card breakdown in my "main" PC and general busyness means I will be lucky if I get to do any decent lap this week ::) But I will try to at least try the track...
That's really a pity! Sure you don't need I mind you that you probably lost your chances to win last edition just due to your low number of Bonus Points got in the first part of the event... ::)
Quote from: Mark L. Rivers on January 05, 2011, 09:07:43 AM
That's really a pity! Sure you don't need I mind you that you probably lost your chances to win last edition just due to your low number of Bonus Points got in the first part of the event... ::)
Oh, certainly. Missing the first week of ISM is like going to the World Cup in the "group of death" and then resting the key players for the first two games. Suicidal if you're not A...
About 36 hours to the first Checkpoint and soon we'll know who will catch the first PSP: 1 point, 0,5 points and 0,2 points for the first three drivers in each race.
I think that the first CP is the most difficult in order to guess the best result. I don't speak about the best chronometric result in absolute, but the best result thinking at the economy of the race.
Discovering too early own cards realizing a very fast time can be counterproductive; on the other side, a slow start could mean losing important points for the final score.
Let's see what happens tomorrow night... ;)
First Checkpoint!
Here we are, five drivers on the track and 10 replays sent: first psp got and... a lot to think... ;)
Shit, 10 hours late :) ... but Gutix is sleeping.
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 09, 2011, 11:22:09 AM
Shit, 10 hours late :) ... but Gutix is sleeping.
Bonsai Tree won't win ISM 2011.
No, but Bonzai Joe will.
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 09, 2011, 09:49:00 PM
No, but Bonzai Joe will.
Sorry for the bad joke in advance, but do you think the carpal tunnel trick will work again? :D
Really sorry. It wasn't a very nice one...
You've made worse jokes I think...
But nope, I don't think it will work. I only tried it that one time in 2007 and it was terrible. I was out of racing for about half a year!
The second week started with a good activity. :)
I have only to mind you that, at the 2nd checkpoint, PSP will be assign to a driver who have sent a time in the first week only if he will send a new time... ;)
For Mr. G. Nielsen:
my name is Bonzai Joe, prepare to die!
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 11, 2011, 08:31:23 PM
For Mr. G. Nielsen:
my name is Bonzai Joe, prepare to die!
Go Mr. G. Nielsen!!!
Still 26 hours and we'll know if Mr. Nielsen picked the "provocation"... ;)
2nd Checkpoint!
15 replays for a 2nd enthusiastically week of ISM 2011!
Two drivers decided not to wait anymore discovering quite definitely their potential: we are talking about Bonzai Joe and Duplode whose times appear from another planet compared with their opponents. Astonishing BJ's times with P962 and Acura (respectively +1,5 and + 4 seconds on Duplode :o) and awesome performance for Duplode with Audi (+2,5 seconds ahead the Danish :o). But their sums of times are that speaks clearly: BJ leads with a bit more than 3 seconds on Duplode, but behind the Brazilian the 3rd one in general classification, 1st week leader SuperBrian, is out of view being more than 45 seconds from the vertex! :o
The previous leader improves with P962 and Audi, while lack of time impedes him to send a new time for the Acura race. He stays anyway on the provisional podium but probably only because Zak McKracken has still not send a time with the only PG car of ISM 2011. The Hungarian ( at the moment only 5th in general classification but ready for a big jump) sent in fact very appreciable times with P962 and Audi, and his sum of time for these cars is about 14 seconds lower than SuperBrian's sum of times for the same cars. Really also a pity for Zak he sent his times only few hours after the 1st checkpoint, having forget the correct deadline: they would have been the best ones in absolute with the first two cars, and he would have 2 PSP more.
Meanwhile AbuRaf70 takes the provisional 4th place in general classification. The inoxidable Argentine improves on all tracks with his usual technic that leads him to reach his best only in the very final of race. Quite high his current sum of times (15 seconds more than SuperBrian), but we are pretty sure we'll find him more close to the podium next week.
But we have also to talk about the big surprise of this 2nd checkpoint, Gutix, who sent only a light improvement with the P962, the unique car he used in this ISM edition until here. The ZakStunts 2010's champion seems staying at the window looking the efforts of his opponents. Did he choose to see before their tactics? Extreme self-assurance about his potential? Maybe. But sure he's gifting a lot of PSP to BJ and Duplode: 4 the PSP caught from the Danish and 3 for the Brazilian, while only 0,2 the Gutix's booty. It's true, if a driver will result first in all three races (obtaining obviously the best sum of times) he got at least 3,5 points more than others, and maybe this is what Gutix is thinking. But, if at the next checkpoint the PSP gap will increase further, winning all the races could not be enough.
Wow, really a crucial week that is incoming! 8) And we can't also excluding definitely we won't have other landings from South America, right? ;)
Low activity in the Forum. As it's showed in the bottom of the page, last post is 4 days old...
Anyway, since we are very close to the last crucial checkpoint of ISM 2011, beside the replays that sure are incoming, it would be nice knowing the feelings and the sensations of the participants at the fast-day of the last and decisive week of race... Which aspirations, targets, doubts, hopes, do you feel?
Come on, show us your thoughts ... ;)
Well, given my recent computer misfortunes, merely being able to race seriously makes me happy :D Other than that, I do wonder when a certain opponent will decide to show up... ::)
I'm feeling good. Really busy week behind me, less busy week ahead of me. The question is: do I have the motivation to go out and make some seriously good replays? That's always the question. Anyway, Cork's faithful followers are going in for the kill.
3rd Checkpoint!
Another week of emotions!
Let's starting to say that the Gutix is still missing and, if he had not impeded to race, his tactic is by now clear: shocking us with alien times in the very final of the race as to say "I need only a shot..."
Anyway, just like we said last week, this could not be enough for him. Even because Bonzai Joe and Duplode got other PSP keeping hot the challenge this week thanks to a fantastic head to head!
While Zak McKracken conquered deservedly the provisional podium completing his set of times with a great Acura's race (very close to his teammates) and AbuRaf70 improved with all cars (big jump in advance with the NSX), BJ and Duplode are making amazing masterpieces with their 4 wheels fireballs! 8)
The Brazilian ace overtakes his main opponent with the P962 and the Acura, leading his Porsche to an apparently unreachable time: 1:05,00! :o The Danish champion replies passing Duplode with an awesome time with the Audi: more than 3 seconds better than previous time! :o Both the champions are under 3:30: what a wonderful challenge! :o :o :o
What does all this mean in general classification?
Well, BJ conserves the best sum of times (and the whole bonus point related) for 0,55 seconds, but Duplode (who keeps his 0,5 points for the 2nd best sum of times) has now one race point more than his opponent (10 + 9 + 10 vs 9 + 10 + 10). Pairing the PSP (5 points got for each one), the Brazilian jumps on the provisional tallest step of the podium for 0,5 points, 34,5 vs 34 !
What can we say? Really great this very serried battle that deserves a big ovation from all of us! 8) 8)
But it's still not ended. The last week has sure more to tell us.
Will we see a Gutix's tail strike able to subvert the general classification? ::)
Will SuperBrian gift us a new set of times confirming us that the title "young promise" is by now a thing of the past for him? ;)
Will Zak be able to show us his great skill, too often hidden by his Stunts manager role? :)
Will we acclaim one more time the efforts of the extraordinarily evergreen AbuRaf70? :)
Above all, last week will tell us who will be the 2011 Stunts Master. Will be able Bonzai Joe and Gutix to pair Ayrton conquering the title for the second time defeating the Duplode's endeavour aimed to inscribe his name for the first time on the gold-board of this competition?
What a great week waits for us! :) :) :)
While the days are passing and we are approaching the final, a question take form.
We have seen a real true battle between BJ and Duplode until here, but will this battle be really true until the end?
It's a fact that between the 2 teammates there's a good friendship. They made always a strong teamwork in every competition, even in absolutely individual competition. It's enough thinking to the last ISM edition, when BJ hardly braked with its Lancia in the very last part of the track B, so to favour (in vain, really) Duplode engaged in a tight duel with Gutix.
So, again, will we see a real true battle between BJ and Duplode? Will Duplode have to extract all his enormous skill to carve his name in the stone of ISM's Hall of Fame? Or maybe the generous and veteran BJ will leave his teammate conquering a title that the Danish legend has already conquered in 2008?
Sure the hope is to attend to a real final firework where the talent, the skill and the taste of the victory give life to a sane challenge until the last minute. That sure would be the best thing for Stunts world! :)
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 11, 2011, 08:31:23 PM
For Mr. G. Nielsen:
my name is Bonzai Joe, prepare to die!
LOL I just read it :)
I´ll do what I can to show you the way
Here we are, about one day and half to the deadline! :)
Since two of the admitting drivers (Ayrton and Renato Biker) seem by now not to join at the event, the title should be assigned between current participants. Even if the outsiders are always behind the door, take a look to the replays sent until here, three pluri-medalist drivers seem accredited in particular: Bonzai Joe, Duplode and Gutix. I didn't sum their wins and titles got in the past, but sure there's enough material to fill a lot of pages. This will assure, jointly to their purposes expressed publicly and privately, a very hot final for this ISM edition. 8)
And I like to imagine they are living intense hours, with fingers and keyboards which are going to become very hot... ;)
Hi all! The night is incoming (sure, in Europe... ;)) and soon this 5th edition of ISM will tell us who will be the Stunts Master of the year!
Results will be probably published in early morning (GMT +1) but, never say never about a faster update...
Meanwhile, I will be glad to read your comments about this event. Let me express just a couple of my comments before.
I know that this edition probably has not encountered the same rating than past years. First of all for the track. With a bit more of attention, I had the possibility to make a more challenging race, diversyfying more the paths of the single cars. I had initiated to refine two or three passages just three days before the start, but a very bad flu forced me in bed until the go. Secondly, the Formula. It's sure less exciting (even if more tactic) a event that has only four updates in a month. But, due to my engagements, this the best effort I could do.
Gracias, muchísimas gracias por tus palabras, Mark...
Y te puedo asegurar que es así... este maravilloso juego que es el Stunts, es el que me obliga a no envejecer, a mantenerme siempre activo, tratando de presentarle lucha a los más grandes del mundo... tal vez no pueda vencerlos nunca, pero el solo hecho de participar con todos ellos, ya me llena de felicidad...
Y para terminar, una vez más MIS FELICITACIONES a tí, Mark, por entregarnos años tras años, estas maravillosas pistas y con una nueva sorpresa cada año...
Ya me estoy preparando para el 2012....!!!!
Congratulations to Duplode and BJ !!! and everybody who race in this event, and special congratulations to the manager, impeccable as always.
Mark, I would like to see an overall standings of ISM Contest (including every year), is this possible? Thanks!
Thank you Mark for organizing this superb competition (you always set me a role model to follow as a competition manager) and thanks to each pipsqueak taking part.
ISM provides me an opportunity to unleash my pipsqueak self and try to provide my best. It seems that the current circumstances only let me so far and I have to accept the 5th place. (Barnabas got a fever this weekend thus I was not able to improve my times)
I really enjoyed the competition, and am looking forward to the next one. Hopefully I will have more time then - the goal is the podium! :)
Yeah!! After so many botched attempts it feels great to finally win an SDR/ISM event. A word must be spared for Gutix's impressive last-dash efforts, which, if not enough to turn the tables, at least provided some great driving (for instance, daringly using the P962 route with Audi...). I also must thank my teammates for their support and comraderie, specially during the first weeks when for a while my competitiveness seemed threatened by computer troubles. And finally, Mark, rest assured - the unavoidable streamlining of the competition structure didn't affect the essence of ISM: high-level racing and beautiful laps underpinned by your excellent management. As AbuRaf says, onwards to 2012! ;)
This kind of words is the best reward for all the efforts spent for planning and executing the management: THANKS to all of you, guys! :)
And this is what Gutix asked... ;)
Very GREAT :) Thanks Mark!
Como todo lo que haces, Mark... muy bueno...!!!
Muchas gracias por este Resumen...