Great race for me on this challenging track.
Pb offline was 4:57.2, and considering how much practice that had required, I never thought I could challenge the 4:56 posted here by Matt, let alone the 4:55 laps he was doing when I joined the server. Thus very surprised to run away with pole, after a sub 4:55 lap
Start wasn't great, so Matt got ahead and I had Geoffers in hot pursuit. Mistake late on L1, when I put half the wheels on the grass in that sharp right-hander before the straight run down to the finish. Promptly spun off and dropped to 4th, as Geoffers & Clive zoomed past. With no cars close to me, I could at least concentrate better and started the chase. Got 3rd back from Geoff, when he had a moment on L2. Used another 1 - 1½ lap to reel in Clive, only to hand him 4-5 secs, when I went wide and onto the grass in a corner. That also brought Geoffers closer again.
Had to redo the hard work of catching Clive, but before I got real close, he had a ginormous shunt in the urban section right after the start/finish. I was very lucky that his car's final resting place left room enough for me to get past. Matt was some 19 secs ahead and can't remember if I was getting closer. Passed him as he did his pitstop. When I did mine one lap later, pit board showed a 36-sec lead. Dubious that that would be enough to for me to retain the lead, even without a tyre change, given the long pit straight. Sure enough, as I was crawling down it, Matt came roaring past. He had a good lead, but just as I was muttering to myself "I won't catch him unless he runs into trouble", I came upon a big cloud of tyre smoke, with a red car doing donuts inside it
We exited the corner side by side, but there's no denying the straight line speed of even the baby-Masser, so Matt pulled ahead. I retook the lead in the twisty section, but lost it again a few corners later when I ran wide. Matt then proceeded to repeat my error from L1, only he upped the ante, by ending up inside the gas station, where I settled for parking outside it
After this, it seemed Matt was on a downward spiral
As my closest competitors dropped out one by one, the excitement of the race also went. Biggest challenge in the latter part was not to earn myself the 'Dufus of the year' award, by tossing away a surefire win with a stupid mistake
Thus tried to err on the boring, but safer side of caution. Thankfully that held to the finish.
Grats to all who made it and commiserations to those that fell off.
Matt: Great shame, as you were running so strongly in the early part. If I'm not mistaken, the pit limiter doesn't work on the Massers - I've never gotten it to work myself at least.
Geoffers: Your terminal shunt had me scratching my head when I looked at the replay. Did you fall asleep at the wheel mate, or did real life intervene ?
Don't say that Kurt; every bit counts after all!
Quite liked the track; can't help myself but am always drawn to longer tracks. Contemplated suggesting Targa Florio to Tony, but perhaps a 72 km lap with 800+ corners would be overdoing it..
Thanks to Tony for organising this great series!!
Cheers,
Erling