SimRacing.org.uk

This post is for both the Light Brigade & the Heavy Brigade Spec Rcaes.

Round six & we are staying in the 69 Extras with a run out for the Matra MS10. It’s one with high wings which looks a bit daft but the track is Silverstone which regulars  should know their way around.  If you can do without too much authenticity there is a patch in SRMZ that clears the rear view mirrors for all the cars.

Last Round at Monaco in the Lotus 63 was rather intense. There was a low turn out in the Heavy Brigade, so look forward to seeing a few more faces (or back of your gear boxes) on Friday. Silverstone with its fast flowing corners usually produces some great racing.
  
The Champion ship table will be updated shortly to include the first 3 rounds in the 65 cars. Don’t worry your hard earned points have not gone to waste.

Unlimited resets are allowed but every Shift R must be followed by a Stop & Go in the pit lane. If you Reset on the last lap a 30 second time penalty will be awarded.
Incidents should be reported in the usual way.
In line with other divisions the races will be subject to full moderation  in the red zone – which will be to the exit of Stowe.

The servers will start no later than 9pm with a minimum of 30 minutes qualification, please ensure you join the brigade – LIGHT on UKGPL8 & HEAVY on UKGPL3. If you drive on the wrong grid you will be either surprised how quick you are / hopelessly outclassed & disqualified.

Race List = IGOR
Server = UKGPL3 & UKGPL8
IP address = ping ukgpl3.dyndns.org &
Race date = Friday 24-02-2012
Time = 21:00 UK time (21:00 GMT)
Track = Silverstone
Race length = 29 Laps
Variant = 1969 Extra
Chassis =  Matra MS10
Damage Model = Intermediate
Qualifying time = max. 30 minutes

Driver lists can be found here
Spec Race Challenge - Light Brigade  (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=353&theme=6)
Spec Race Challenge - Heavy Brigade  (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=352&theme=6)

Blimey - thought Tuesday was bad. My main PC is not available because we are having building work done so I am using the laptop - its OK. Had to install the Mod as I'd forgotten this didn't have it so no setup and no time. Quick lap or two and I was OK but not going to threaten pole!

As I started Adam got a terrible one in front of me and I had to duck left on to the grass to avoid him. Span and clipped him but then he magically warped away and I was left standing. Had Phil behind me after he had spun and I was just feeling that I had the measure of Mr Cooper and that I could maybe put some pressure on when... silence - blown the engine. I have NEVER blown an engine in a race. GRRR. Took my stop and set off again set my PB and was thinking maybe somebody would have an off and come and join me when... silence. Only this time it was a windows context switch and the bloody PC would just not re-paint the screen. I was still alive so sorry if I impeded anybody. By the time I managed to get Task Manager to let me back in the game had retired me.

Blast and double blast. Hope I get my PC back for Tuesday or there will be no Novices for me :(

Still I can do the stuff i am REALLY good at and import the races and get the replays... I know my place  >:(

You are doing a great job with that lot.  We all appreciate the hard work you put in mate, thanks  :)

As for the race, for once I had 36fps in the race (I reverted back to the V1 Direct X rasteriser without Pribluda).  I was quite pleased with my lap time but Geoff and Johnny were in a class of their own.  Very impressive times in qually and when the flag dropped they were gone.  Well almost.  Johnny got a very bad start in front of me and I had to back off a lot to avoid rear ending him on the line.  I suspected something was wrong with his car (but it doesn't seem that way now) so I tried to go around the outside at T1 but I clipped the grass and spun.  After that I worked hard to catch up and  eventually pressurised Fabio into a mistake and I slotted into third spot.  I was never going to catch Geoff and Johnny so I had to settle for third but very happy with that.

Sorry guys for the server delay, I came home late and was in a hurry...

My quali went ok, but those 1:22s are not my class...

Just before the race start I did raise the wings what was a great mistake with warm tires so I decided to quit after my second accident  ::)

.. nor mine Axel :(

Actually, I was really pleased with my 1:24.5 qual time ( would have been pole in the heavy mobs race ) and had a fantastic race with Fulvio - he was never more than a few seconds behind. In those last few laps we were running in the 24s - absolutely on the limit for both of us and it was fantastic! Sadly I made a slight mistake at Becketts on the last lap and it allowed Fulvio to get a run on me down hangar straight and he made a real classy contested pass! Sadly with only half a lap to go I couldnt fight back! Yet again I was last of the light brigade but I guess I should be proud of the fact that I am at least reasonably competitive in the premier division for this fantastic league!

  Bravo Geoff !!!!

  Bravo Adam Cooper !!!! Team Coyote in 2ª place for championship!!!!

Very surprising race for me in the Matra this time out. I've not had a good record with these beasts and been at a loss to work out how to make it driveable. I took a bit of a punt in offline practice and set a diff that was not in my normal line of operations. It completely transformed the car, and after a few tweaks here and there and a minor adjustment to the gearbox ratios....the thing was a rocket!!
Still not easy to drive right on the limit, but way more forgiving and I found myself able to put it anywhere on the track I wanted to. It blasted off the start like it was fired from a cannon....I thought I'd jumped the start for a minute   ::) The rest went according to plan except for a spin at Maggots after clipping the curb, Jonny must have thought Christmas had come early, because he was right behind me again....less than a second away. It meant I had to get my head down and put in a few fast, consistent laps. Drove it like I stole it for the rest of the race.....just eased up a bit on the last lap. Thanks to the lapped drivers for leaving the path wonderfully clear, much appreciated. Perhaps I should move up a class now I've got them working better for me. Thanks Paul for driving the server to perfection, it performed flawlessly as far as I'm concerned. Congrats to Jonny for pulling in second with a consistent drive, and Phil for snaring 3rd after a less than auspicious beginning.   :-\

Axel, i'm sorry for contact at lap 4 turn Club: i have submitted crash report about this event against myself (was my problem to perform a clean overtake).
I have to learn car management with cold tyres, too many mistakes for me in first laps (but, naturally, i give blame for this at my car engineer ;D).

Well done Geoff: I wish to check your setup as I am quicker with the 67s than with such beast!

Grats to everybody raced, even if we were only 7 drivers.
On the Light division were only 10 too: does it make sense to have two grids?

See you all in Monza

PS
I just realised that Black Night Racing is the top team of the Heavy Brigade: well done mates!!

 I think a good option is to keep separate tables and maintain a server only if the total is 18 drivers, in a race with more than 19 pilots make two servers.

I like that idea, Jonny, but I think the mods won't like the extra work it involves........

The turnout was a bit low - in the Heavy 7 at Silverstone & just 6 at Monaco.
We took the decision to split the grid after 3 races because there were 24 signed up drivers. Obviously its more fun with a full grid but not so much fun for a reserve driver turning up & not being able to race.
It was quite a lot of administration work to split up the grid & unless numbers decline further we will probably keep two grids for the rest of the season.
To an extent it does not make a huge difference. The Light drivers were mainly 2 - 3 seconds a lap quicker than the Heavies & would have pulled away to have their own race - but with the complication of dealing with slower backmakers. At Monaco this could have been messy.