Sure, a good showing on the long and fast Kyoto GP Long course (reversed) means something. Just ask Elton Chong who currently holds a seven point lead over Nikifor Dakovic heading into this weekend's Aston 150 after dominating the Japanese 250. His almost one minute victory two weeks ago solidly confirmed his place at the top of the point standings and sent a strong message top the rest of the competition, but that was just one race. A strong showing in round number one could just as easily be erased come round 2.

The shorter and tighter Aston North Course will test the drivers in low speed cornering, and includes the long and challenging esses which can trip up even the most experienced of drivers at times.

Joe Holmes likely sees this race as an opportunity to make-up on what could have been in round number one. After a disconnection on lap number 8 from the top 5, he's got something to prove this week, and points to make up if his connection remains stable enough. Being the LFSworld record holder for Aston North in the XFG and the UF1, and being listed as second on the charts in the FXO, he will most certainly be one to keep your eyes on.

The Aston 150 will be about a half hour shorter than that of the Japanese 250, and tire conservation will not be as much of an issue, but should competitors abuse their tires, they may still run into problems, so this will still be something to watch for this Sunday as well. Once again we are striving for a caution-free race, and the length of the track should provide for that once more, but as all races go you never know what to expect until the checkered flag flies.

At the end of the Aston 150 we will all have a much clearer picture of who will compete for the championship, and who will be also-rans. The boys will be weeded out from the men this week, and only the quickest and most consistent will be able to compete with the best in the world. Who will make a serious bid for the championship and who will be left in the dust?

Race begins with the command to start engines at 16:08 GMT this Sunday, September 25th. Qualifying for competitors will begin promptly at 15:30 on Realistic NASCAR 500. Spectators may watch via the LFS Remote.