DMR 2020 Qualifiers

The Dirt Marble Racing 2020 qualifiers were the first races in the DMR. They took place on the 18th May 2020 and decided the first 8 of the DMR competitors.

Race Lineups
These were the line-ups for the 2 heat races that took place in the Qualifiers.

Heat 1

 * Tropical Turquoise
 * Oily
 * Flameball
 * Chameleon
 * Giant Eel
 * Snowdrop
 * Octopus

Heat 2

 * Blue Smoke
 * Sugary
 * Brilliant Blue
 * Grass Snake
 * Big Pea
 * Minty Morpho
 * Banana

Race 1 Summary
Race 1 immediately saw Flameball get caught on the wall and stop rolling. Then, Octopus, Giant Eel and Tropical Turquoise found themselves off the track and trapped in the dirt. Snowdrop shot into a huge lead meanwhile over the two other still-rolling marbles, although all 3 were guaranteed qualification even if they stopped. Chameleon and Oily both realised this and came to a stop at the start and end of a wide straight so as to not waste energy or due to sticks on the course that neither could justify crashing into. Meanwhile, Snowdrop carried on rolling and in fact went further than the finish line. Then a re-race was held between the first 4 DNF-ers. Giant Eel and Octopus were denied a chance to qualify when they bounced over the side sticks while in the second re-race (as bith the others also got stuck together again) Tropical Turquoise did the same thing, giving Flameball the final race qualifying position.

Race 2 Summary
Following the addition of sticks to the first turn to stop DNFs, the second race got underway. Grass Snake had a very bad start and then found Big Pea and the rest of the field going slowly at turn 1, who caused him to stop. Sugary had the initial lead but a brilliant dummy move by Blue Smoke brought him P1 in the long and wide straight (boulevard) before turn 3. Banana held off a pass from Minty Morpho before the butterfly was passed by a blazing Brilliant Blue. Then Blue took both Banana and Sugary when the track suddenly tightened before turn 3 to take P2. Then a minor mistake at turn 4 saw Blue Smoke get out of shape, allowing Brilliant Blue past before turn 5 while Minty Morpho capitalised on a slightly slower run for Sugary in turn 4 to take a qualification spot. Then Blue Smoke slowed down, nearly letting Banana through but taking the faster line round the last turn (5) to beat not only the yellow marble but Brilliant Blue as well. Sugary was the biggest beneficiary of Smoke's slowdown, as he was able to get along side Minty then followed Blue Smoke to pass Banana and the now stopped Brilliant Blue for second.

Race Qualified Marbles

 * Snowdrop
 * Oily
 * Chameleon
 * Flameball
 * Blue Smoke
 * Sugary
 * Brilliant Blue
 * Banana

Invitations
In October, it was confirmed that 4 new marbles would join the dirt race before it began. They were invited based on qualifiers performances and distinctiveness. On marble turned down the offer, which went to newcomer Black Cat, but the other three, Minty Morpho, Grass Snake and Octopus accepted.

All 2020 Competitors

 * Snowdrop
 * Oily
 * Chameleon
 * Flameball
 * Blue Smoke
 * Sugary
 * Brilliant Blue
 * Banana
 * Minty Morpho
 * Grass Snake
 * Octopus
 * Black Cat