WRC Review: Germany

"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures) 08/29/2013 at 14:00 • Filed to: fantasywrc, rally

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WRC Germany, or Rally !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , is the first proper tarmac rally of the season (we all know Monte Carlo doesn't count), and boy what a show it was this year. Volkswagen, eager to dominate on their home turf, had a cursed weekend, with Mikkelsen withdrawing 48 hours before the rally due to an injured co-driver, golden boy Ogier went off on stage 3, damaging the suspension and finishing outside the points for the first time all season (and the second time he's finished behind anyone other than Loeb), and Latvala followed suit the next day on stage 12. With the German Blitzkrieg out of the way the rally became a head-to-head showdown between Dani Sordo and Thierry Neuville, neither of which have ever won a WRC event. The third day (of four) started with Sordo trailing Neuville by 18.4 seconds and ended with Sordo leading by a scant 0.8. The showdown ended on the final stage when Neuville left the road in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! fashion, but still managed to only lose 50 seconds. The final numbers didn't reflect it, but this was the dogfight WRC fans have been wishing for all season, a genuine close battle with no sure victor until the end of the final stage. If only they were all like this.

As for what this all meant for the fantasy league, everyone had Ogier on their roster, so it all came down to the other three drivers and the power stage pick. And this round the winning roster went to World Rally Blog thanks to his bold pick of WRC2 driver and former F1 ace Robert Kubica, who gave a virtually flawless performance to finish fifth overall. Rounding out the Fantasy podium were Dusty and newcomer Freddster, both of whom took winner Sordo over Citroen teammate Hirvonen. Further down the order Hermann's 37 points were enough to tie for the points lead with Nobody. With only four events left the top three in fantasy standings are separated by a scant five points, presenting what could be a major showdown.

Rally Deutschland results:

1. World Rally Blog - 53
2. Dusty Ventures - 51
3. FreddsterExprs - 47
4. Bobololo - 41
5. Hermann - 37
6. Nobody - 23

Points standings through Rally Deutschland
1. Nobody - 403
1. Hermann - 403
3. Dusty Ventures - 398
4. McNewbie - 372
5. Sliding Sideways - 295
6. Bobololo - 268
7. Orlove - 215
8. Bob Loblaw - 169
9. World Rally Blog - 109
10. FreddsterExprs - 47
11. Reigntastic - 39

Average points through Deutschland:
1. World Rally Blog - 54.50
2. McNewbie - 53.14*
3. Hermann - 50.38*
4. Sliding Sideways - 49.17*
5. FreddsterExprs - 47.00
6. Nobody - 44.78*
7. Bobololo - 44.67*
8. Dusty Ventures - 44.22*
9. Bob Loblaw - 42.25
10. Reigntastic - 39.00
11. Orlove - 35.83*

*Has entered enough fantasy events (6) for score to be official.

ddavidn > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 14:07

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Poor widdle volkswagen :(

Elmo > ddavidn 08/29/2013 at 15:30

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That was a Ford in the video...

guesticulating > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 15:31

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Samir, turn... TURN, Samir.

Stay on road, Samir... otherwise car will break down.

Dusty Ventures > Elmo 08/29/2013 at 15:32

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He's talking about the photo of the VW in the vineyard

DennyCraneDennyCraneDennyCrane > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 15:33

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Annnnnd it's gone.

timeToy > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 15:45

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He was *that* close to a successful, reverse entry drift into that corner, he just run out of road, proof that he needed to be *more* aggressive, with more angle earlier... Next time...

Something Generic > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 15:46

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I attended the event and I have to tell you if you ever have the chance to see a WRC event live do it! It's amazing.

Dusty Ventures > Something Generic 08/29/2013 at 15:50

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Agreed! Hope to compete in WRC Mexico in the next 2-3 years.

ddavidn > Elmo 08/29/2013 at 15:52

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I am sad for the Ford as well. I like them both.

iNvDrZiM > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 16:01

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My first thought reading the headline was "How the hell can you crash your car through a tree as opposed to into it?"... followed up by a quick "Oh, that's how."

Bob LeDrew > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 16:29

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I told them not to run the rally through the legendary Magnetischwald . I sent an email. I called. But did they listen? Nein.

Raphael Orlove > guesticulating 08/29/2013 at 17:01

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you have to LISTEN TO MY CALLS SAMMY

Sian > guesticulating 08/29/2013 at 17:23

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PLEASE SAMMY

Hawaiian > Sian 08/29/2013 at 19:37

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you're destroying the car SAMMY!!!

Poundingsand > Dusty Ventures 08/29/2013 at 20:44

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That was...incredibly...graceful!

redmouseball > Dusty Ventures 08/30/2013 at 00:15

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...and just what the heck was he doing post crash, trying to start up and cycle through a couple gears

Dusty Ventures > redmouseball 08/30/2013 at 00:36

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Apparently there was a road down below where he was able to rejoin

Quintin West > Dusty Ventures 08/30/2013 at 09:49

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From now on, every time that I see a crash video on this site, I am going to immediately click it. Not only because I want to watch it, but I crack up Waugh more than I should at the commenters yelling at a would be samir. Love it.