Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/634989
STORY BY BRET T BECKER PHOTOS BY HEADONPHOTOS.NET E ach year in Willows, Calif., there is a showdown at Thunderhill Raceway. But it isn't two gunslingers squaring off at the 12 o'clock hour. It's hundreds of drivers racing from 11 a.m. Saturday morning till high noon the next day. It's long, grueling, intense and unpredictable. The 2015 race had its share of inclement weather during the week leading up to the event and during the race itself — something you would expect in an El Niño year. Practice sessions were rainy on Thursday, giving teams insight into to wet setups and alternative racing lines. Friday's sessions, including qualifying, were dry and so was the first half of the race. However, the second half of the race was a dark and muddy mess of spray, downpours and fogged windshields right up until the finish. For 2015, there were a few rule changes to enhance safety, most notably the use of the Jacques Advanced Warning System, a flashing yellow light wired directly to a car's battery. For use on vehicles stopped on or close to the racecourse, JAWS alerted drivers they were approaching a trouble spot. NASA NorCal also mandated the use of yellow headlamps on ES and ESR cars, which would be instantly recognizable E0 A RAIN-SOAKED EVENING CHALLENGED 57 TEAMS AT THE 2015 25 HOURS OF THUNDERHILL PRESENTED BY HAWK PERFORMANCE RACING TO HIGH NOON 50