G'Day fellow tuxers……. Its Bruce your host here once again…….. Its a nice sunny Saturday here right now…….…… This week has been really nice weather wise…… Was even able to play with Natasha out side in the backyard………

Did a fair bit of walking this week with Natasha also…… Did some yard work and real work and played a lot of games…… So the usual week for me……..

Since the operation to fix the sticky face buttons on my new controller that has been working perfectly fine ever since…… So fingers crossed that keeps going…...

[+..••] As for gaming this week in Emulationville I played [+..••]

Arcade

Neo Geo Cup '98: The Road to the Victory (1998 SNK) - Sports (Soccer)


Console

Beetle Adventure Racing! (1999 Electronic Arts) - Nintendo 64 - Sports (Racing)
FIFA 2001 (2000 EA Sports) - Sony PlayStation - Sports (Soccer)
ISS Pro Evolution 2 (2001 Konami) - Sony PlayStation - Sports (Soccer)
HSV Adventure Racing! (1999 Electronic Arts) - Nintendo 64 - Sports (Racing)
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona (2002 Infogrames) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)
NBA Jam Tournament Edition (1995 Acclaim) - Sega Mega Drive - Sports (Basketball)
NFL Blitz (1998 Midway) - Nintendo 64 - Sports (Football)
Rugby League 2 (2005 Tru Blu) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Football)
Rugby League 2: World Cup Edition (2008 Tru Blu) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Football)
Saturday Night Speedway (2004 Ratbag) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)
TOCA 2 Touring Car Championship (1998 Codemasters) - Sony PlayStation - Sports (Racing)


PC

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002 Rockstar) – Steam (Proton) - Action
NASCAR Heat 5 (2020 Motorsport Games) – Steam (Proton) - Sports (Racing)
WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship (2019 Nacon) – Steam (Proton) - Sports (Racing)
WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship (2021 Nacon) – Steam (Proton) - Sports (Racing)


Dick Trickles Racing Career: Part 29
NASCAR Dirt to Daytona: Part 29
Featherlite Modified Series Season 1: Race 7

Intro music…... Hello and welcome to Left Turn Heaven..... Im Murray Eastlake and today im going to be bringing you all the action from the 2004 Featherlite Modified Series: Round 7 of 11 here at Richmond International Raceway……..



Richmond International Raceway…….


Richmond International Raceway is .750 miles long with 14 degrees of banking….. This D shaped track always brings excitement as the narrow track does encourage close quarters racing……With a longe back straight…… A curved front straight and very tight turns at each end……. Horsepower and good handling is what this track needs…….. Drivers also need to watch out for the large sausage curb on the inside of turn four…….. That has ended the race of many drivers over the years…..

Dick Trickle keeps on winning in the Weekly Dirt Racing Series……. Racking up yet another win yesterday at Hastings Motorsports Park……. Dick looks set to take back to back championships in the Dirt Series……. He drove all through the night to be here today at Richmond International Raceway…….


2004 Weekly Dirt Racing Series: Round 7 of 10…...



Whoooooaaaaaaaaa…… We’re half way there……..


With six races down and five races to go we are just over halfway through the season…….. Jason Sulivan has a healthy 139 point lead in the championship with five wins….. Dick Trickle is currently fourth in the championship standings after some fiery on track action that has cost him a couple of wins…… Can Dick simmer down and improve things during the back half of the season and get that illusive win???…… Or will Jason Sulivan continue to dominate the season???…….

News going around the paddock is that Dick has bought a new engine……. The last upgrade needed for the car…… Now if this rumour is true it seems as though Dick will be making a tilt for the championship now……. He is in fourth 144 points behind championship leader Jason Sulivan…… And with five races left……. He is in with a real shot at the championship…….

I managed to get into the paddock area and have a look at Dicks ride…. And the rumours are indeed true…. There is a nice new shiny engine in that car…… And it sounds like it produces a lot of horse power…….. Oh this will spice up the championship race thats for sure…..



New Engine…….


In other big news this week…… After the biffo last week in the paddock area after the race…….. NASCAR has finally stepped in to end the feud between Dick and Luis Rivas……. Both men have been placed on probation and if anymore on or off track shenanigans happens between the two for the rest of the year……. Both will be sitting out the season…….. Dick was also given a suspended fine for his disparaging remarks made about NASCAR in last weeks interview……. If he makes anymore remarks like that then the fine will be imposed…….. I will be keeping an eye on both men today as things could still get a bit spicy……..

Dick will again be looking for his first win here in the Modified Series today…… He has been knocking on the door for a win many times already this season……. Will be denied again???….. Or will that upgrade be the trick Dick needs to get the win?????…… Can the championship leader Jason Sulivan extend his lead???……. Can last years champion William Anderson get in on the action????…….. Has Luis Rivas’s little head recovered after last week???…..

Dont touch the sets...... Dont touch the dials...... You wont want to miss a single moment of the 2004 Featherlite Modified Series....… Practice and qualifying are coming up right now…...


Dick Trickle at the track ready to race.…


Dick spent a lot of time tuning in the engine and setting the gear ratios to be just right……. He ran a lot of laps making sure he wasnt going to over the rev and blow up his brand new investment…… He was indeed looking very quick out there during practice though…..

Qualifying was up next and Dick was quick…… Setting a blisteringly fast time of 22.472 to be on pole position for the third race in a row……. There was a big gap of 0.7 seconds to Jason Sulivan who was in second place after recording a time of 23.153……..

Francis Lee continues his good qualifying run securing third spot on the grid with a 23.527…….. Followed by Joel York who set a time of 23.701 to get fourth……. Rounding out the top five was last years champion William Anderson with a respectable time of 23.995…….



Qualifying Results........



Dick Trickle lined up ready to start the race......


Dick is hoping that third time is a charm as for the third time this season Dick leads the field to the green flag for this 67 lap race……. Jason Sulivan got the initial jump but Dicks new engine had enough grunt to overcome the slightly limp start and was clear in the lead entering turn one…….

Jason Sulivan and Franice Lee were side by side as they entered the turn…… With Lee taking second spot by the end of the lap……

As per usual this season……. Joel York and William Anderson where having a great early battle…… They will be sick of seeing each other by the end of the season…… As they were again swapping positions and both ends of the track……. Neither wanting to give up and neither having any sort of upper hand……..

Dicks new engine was indeed very powerful as he surged off and had a commanding lead after just a few laps……. With Francis Lee left far behind to defend from Jason Sulivan who was all over Lees rear end…….

Dick was already lapping cars after 5 laps……. As Greg Brown and Clark Oakenfold were both slower than a wet week….. Dick had not trouble getting passed them…….. As he was well in charge of the race…….

Francis Lee was not so lucky and got slightly held up by Greg Brown which allowed Jason Sulivan to get past and reclaim second place……. Lee was not having a good time with the traffic and was losing a lot of ground to Sulivan…..

Joel York and William Anderson continued to have their epic battle over fourth…… As each man gained and lost time through the traffic…… This is fantastic racing to watch for the spectators……

With 41 laps to go Dick had lapped Jason Sulivan and had the entire field at least 1 lap down……. He was back to the his Dominating Dick ways that we have seen so much in the Dirt Series…….

By the half way point Francis Lee was no threat to Jason Sulivan who had a stranglehold on second place…….. Lee was now stuck in no mans land…….. To slow to catch Sulivan and to fast for William Anderson/Joel York……..

The battle for fourth had settled down now as Joel York had managed to get a decent gap over William Anderson who had struggled a lot with the traffic……. And was now in the same no mans land as Francis Lee…..

With 20 laps to go Dick lapped Jason Sulivan for a second time…… Dick was starting to ease off now……. Making sure to not damage the car or put any extra stress on the new engine…… He was in bring it home mode now…… Determined to being the Klipsch Modified Flaming Dick Machine to the chequered flag without any problems…….

As the chequered flag fell to end the race……… Dick Trickle took his first career Featherlite Modified Series race win…… In a total domination……. 2 laps ahead of Jason Sulivan who just had no answers for Dick today………

Francis Lee took third in what was a very boring race for him once Jason Sulivan got passed……. Lee ended up 3 laps behind the winner…….

Joel York won the battle for fourth……. It what was another great race…… As in the first half he was having a great battle with William Anderson who took fifth place…….. Both of them where 4 laps behind Dick……..



Race Results..…


Dick Trickle celebrated his first career win with a victory lap followed by a nice burnout in front of the main grandstand…….. I managed to get a word the with very happy Dick once he rolled the Klipsch Modified Flaming Dick Machine into the winners circle…….

“FINALLY!!!!!……. Holy moly its been a long time coming Murray……… Ive been screwed out of a few wins this season but damn its feel real damn good to finally get the win for the team……. The Klipsch Modified Flaming Dick Machine was magnificent today…….. Could not fault it at all…… It just did exactly what I wanted it to when I wanted it to do it………”

“The racing was great out there today Murray…… Even Luis Rivas was being very respectful…… I was able to get through the traffic very well today…… Which goes to show just how great this car was……..”

“Its going to be a long night of partying tonight Murray…… I finally got my first Modified Series win……. I will for sure be celebrating long into the night Pussy Galore…….. She might a bit sore in the morning……..”

“Then I need to refocus on the Modified Series……. If [Jason] Sulivan has one bad race…… I can be in with a real shout of the championship…… I just need to keep winning and see if he makes any mistakes…….. Thats all I can do for now Murray………”

Well there you have it folks…… That is one very happy Dick and It looks like Pussy Galore is going to be very busy tonight…….

Next week the 2004 Featherlite Modified Series heads to New Hampshire International Raceway…… Can Dick make it back to back wins to put the pressure on Jason Sulivan????…… Or will Jason Sulivan get the win next week????…….. Can Francis Lee get amongst them to get the win????……. With only four races left last years champion William Anderson will be desperate for a win to keep his title hopes alive…….. Can he do it????……. Or will he be a one hit wonder????…...

Tune in next week for the answers to all these questions and more….. Exclusively here on Left Turn Heaven……..

This is Murray Eastlake reporting for Left Turn Heaven..... And until next time its goodbye from me....


Winnings.…



NASCAR Heat Weekly.…



2004 Modified Series Championship Standings after round 7 of 11.…







First lap Modified Dick action....


Beetle Adventure Racing!…...



As the owner of a 1974 Volkswagen Beetle……. I feel it is finally time to play Beetle Adventure Racing!…… I have somehow never played it before…….. And I have even not only bought GTI Racing……. Twice…….. But even even 100% completed it twice………


Old photo of Maggie in my 1974 Volkswagen Beetle…… That I have had since 1994…...
And yes that is the car that got ran into while parked in the carpark the other month…… As if they couldnt see it…….

The graphics are really nice for the N64……. The draw distance is actually quite far for the N64…… Though there is still a lot of pop in……. Its the N64…. Of course there is a lot of pop in…… The cars and tracks look really nice for the time and there is quite a lot of detail in the tracks…...

The sounds are ok…… There is a rather funny voice telling you the menu options and announces the races……. Its not bad at all…… The music is as generic as it can get…… And the engines sound like vacuum cleaner….. So very accurate to the New Beetles engine sound…… I will give the sounds a pass since it uses accurate vacuum cleaner engine sounds…..

The controls are very simple…… And pretty much what you would expect…… Thankfully I dont have to deal with a real N64 analogue stick……. Which flops around more than Dick Trickle after seeing Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day……. The controls are perfectly fine…….

The storyline….. There is no storyline…… So again I get to make one up…….. w00t……. April O’Neil is off investigating claims that certain old time fascists have returned to the Volkswagen factory……. During her investigation April O’Neil is kidnapped by the fascists….. Bound and gagged April O’Neil is thrown into the boot of a Volkswagen New Beetle……. And it is up to you the player to move her to a secret location without letting the Ninja Turtles catch you……. The Ninja Turtles have enlisted the help of their old friend GI Joe to help them infiltrate the Volkswagen factory under heavy disguise and are also in New Beetles trying to find April O’Neil…….. Can you get to the secret location without alerting the Ninja Turtles????…….

Gameplay…….. Well its a racing game…….. Be the first to cross the finish line after a set number of laps….. Always start last…… The usual crap for this time……. The cars are actually really fun to drive and are very forgiving and the game is not too difficult…… The rubber banding AI is rather crap though……. The tracks are really interesting and fun to drive and they sure do need to be…… As you will be driving on them A LOT……. As the championship mode really has you driving the same tracks over and over and over again……..

The AI is dumber than my co-workers…… And will drive like you dont exist……. The handling is forgiving enough that hitting another car or getting hit by another one is not an automatic crash……. It does allow a lot of rubbing and beating…….. Which is good…….

Championship mode is just race after race after race…… There is no storyline or any characters……. It does get quite tiresome towards the end…… It does allow you to unlock tracks and paint jobs and faster Beetles…….. Thats about all its good for…….

Overall this is a fun game and well worth at least putting some time in as the cars ARE fun to drive…….. The graphics are nice and the announcer is quite fun…….

My final score for Beetle Adventure Racing! Is a Herbie The Love Bug out of 10……..



Beetle Adventure Racing!……..


BUT WAIT…… THERES MORE!!!!….

HSV Adventure Racing!…..




Yes…… A special Brucie Bonus!!!…….

In Australia this was also released as “HSV Adventure Racing!”……… HSV stands for Holden Special Vehicles…….

Beetle Adventure Racing! Was meant to be “Need For Speed 64” but was changed part way through the development…… When EA signed a deal with Volkswagen to make a game entirely around the New Beetle……..

EA have always released special “Australian” versions of their NFS games…… With a Holden Commodore and a Ford Falcon added to the car roster…….. So my guess is that they already had paid for the HSV VT Commodore licence to use in Need For Speed 64 and went….. Screw it……. Weve already paid for it…….. Lets just use it…….

The gameplay, races, tracks and controls are 100% identical to Beetle Adventure Racing!….. The only change is that the Volkswagen New Beetle has been replaced by the HSV VT Commodore…… And that there is now an Australian voice in the game….. Who even says “G’Day” when you press start……..

Im assuming the storyline in this Australian version is that April O’Neil has been kidnapped by Dingos……..

My final rating for HSV Adventure Racing! is A Dingo Took My Baby out of 10……….


HSV Adventure Racing!…..


Next week…… The weather is meant to continue being nice and so I think there will be a lot more walking and playing with Natasha……… Should be a good week…….

As for gaming there will be more hardcore modified Dick Trickle racing action in NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona……. Getting down and dirty in WRC 10…….. And I will be going on Strike…….

Well thats it from me…… Hope all you tuxers have a good week……

Now for my bad joke of the week……
If you believe in telekinesis...... Raise my hand.....
*ba dum.... tssssh…...*