SimRacing.org.uk

UKGPL Season 24 65 Novices Trophy
Race 8 Reims

Welcome back to the Novices Trophy for Season 24. This is the eighth round of 10

Back to La Belle France. Reims is basically several long straights with a couple of hairpins and a few cornfields. Catching a tow is what this track is about. It normally produces close racing which will, doubtless, be a modding nightmare...

Reims-Gueux was first established in 1926 on the public roads between the small French villages of Thillois and Gueux. The circuit had two very long straights between the towns, and teams strove to maximize straight-line speed of their cars; many slipstream battles ensued. Race organizers actually felled trees and demolished old houses in order to make the circuit even quicker. International racing came with the first official Formula One event occurring in 1950, the inaugural year of the Formula One world championship. The circuit layout was shortened and changed in 1952 to bypass the town of Gueux; and the circuit was then renamed Reims. The layout was changed yet again in 1953, it was made slightly longer and faster; two fast curves and a hairpin further up the RN31 highway were added. The circuit was last used by Formula One in 1966 and the last car meeting was held in 1969.

The field will compress at the bottom hairpin (unless they have all spun off into the cornfields...) and there will be drafting aplenty down the back straight. It will all compress again and so the field will be VERY tight. If drivers are not patient, there WILL be crashes. The first lap will be fully moderated within the red zone. The red zone will extend to the exit from the first hairpin.

Please check the Season 24 pages for details (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=386&theme=6) regarding rules and the Novices Trophy (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=393&theme=6) pages in particular.

HANDICAPPING will be applied to any drivers in the top three who are within 20 points of the leader. Shouldn't actually make much difference here.

Johnny P is again limited to the BT7
RogUK is asked to limit himself to the BT7 or Cooper
Dave Curtis has the choice of BT7, Cooper or Honda

Race List	IGOR
Server	UKGPL_3
IP Address	ping ukgpl3.dyndns.org
Race date	30-04-2013
Qualification Time	~20:45  UK time (minimum of 30 mins)
Race Time	race starts at 21:30 UK time
Track	Reims (http://gpltd.bcsims.com/include/downloadtrack.php?&track=reims&track_link=/tracks/reims_gpl.zip)
Variant	65F1 the 2.02 Release of the 65mod should be used
Damage Model	INT
Race length	18 laps
RED ZONE	Start of Lap 1 to the exit of the first hairpin
Password	see above (#post_event_password)
Replay	available after the race here (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Replays/Archive/Season24/Novices/)

Qualifying may start before 9pm, if so, Reserve drivers should leave the server when 35 minutes of qualifying remains and only rejoin when 30 minutes of qualifying is left. This is to ensure that Full Time drivers get priority in joining.

Please restrict chat to pit messages if necessary, and this includes the end of the race, until all running drivers have completed the necessary laps.

The Novice races are run under Int Long rules and all incidents in the red zone on Lap 1, at least, will be moderated. For this race, the red zone extends to the whole of Lap 1. There is no limit on the amount of resets but EACH Shift/R MUST be followed by a Stop n Go.

65 Patch: The 2.02 Release of the 65mod can and should be used. You need a working installation of the 65 mod to install the 2.02 Update. All the 65 Mod files can be found here (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Mods/1965)

Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Driver lists can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=393&theme=6)

Just to confirm, I'm still limited to the 3 cars listed in the above post?

I see that I'm now 4th in the champ: https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=393&theme=6 , behind Dave Curtis, who doesn't appear to be restricted.

I know the 'dropping' of results at the end of the season, may make the table look a bit out of kilter, I just wasn't sure how the car limitations were calculated.

I'll be missing this race too, really hope to be back for Watkins and East London, I've missed racing with you guys.

Good luck to everyone and I hope you all have a great race.

Sorry Ross, Dave, my mistake. Made a bit of an error with the Sports Car post as well. Almost certain it had nothing to do with my blood-alcohol levels when posting <ahem>

Aha - says Mr 2x 2nd places.   Maybe that tactical withdraw from Mosport did the trick then :)   
hehehe, but let's not start that one off again!

I wish I could have been 2 places at once :-) .  As there is the 2 race amnesty rule in the GPL'65 season, it did make the decision easier!

I was committed to race in a Historic GT event (rfactor).  Started 31st on the grid and finished 19th (6th in class), though still well off the pace of the fast guys  :o

Result here (http://www.old-drivers-spirit.fr/stats/2013/0_ricardo_tormo_ods/)

If you've a lot of time on your hands, the event replay can be found on Youtube (Race action starts @ 29m 10sec) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B5_VdBkG4Qc). I'll be in the slow De Tomaso being lapped frequently.

At the end of the day it's a shame, as I like Mosport Park. Given the chance, I'd certainly have competed.

It also happened to be my son's birthday on 30th APril, but the Restaurant meal celebration had to wait until the Thursday!  :D

WIMP! It was MiniBloods 15th Birthday but we were out of the restaurant by 8.30! Dad's full tum meant my brakes didn't work so well on lap 1 ;)

Don't forget that this track is ALL about finding and keeping a tow. So let's try and get through T1 safely and that means braking early and staying on your own side of the track (which is hard at T1 when you are doing 130 mph.

The hairpin will be difficult as well but the back straight is LOOOOOONG, so patience....

T1 is a doddle in these cars.... In practice last night I was taking it flat out in the BRM, at least 155mph, and easily able to pick my line....

SO STICK TO YOUR OWN SIDE OF THE TRACK THROUGH T1 AND TRY TO FILTER INTO POSITION FOR THE TRICKIER T2!


And yes.. for the first time in 2 seasons I am leaving the BT7 behind... the 15mph  deficit in top speed is too much for Reims...

So. do we think everyone will make it through T1 and survive to enjoy the rest of the race................. gentlemen place your bets  ::)

Depends what you mean by T1 Jase, I don't mean the kink, I mean the first proper corner that you have to brake for. It has an EXIT speed of 130mph when flat out! But if people do that on Lap 1 side by side, tears before bedtime are GUARANTEED!

T1 is the flat out right after the pits..... couldn't really call it a kink especially as in other mods it certainly isn't flat out

Pffff. That ain't a turn... ;)

Race Report from the "Early Bath Racers" Club Lounge

A mostly fun evening spent in the company the fellow BRM driver Paul Villiers.  I had to bail out 4 laps from the end when the box that secures my foot pedals in place sprang out and wedged itself under the throttle pedal....
Yet another retirement due to technical issues with my controller setup :(

Unlucky Jase. First six was all about trying to break the tow to Bill (which I couldn't) next six was about managing the gap to Jason and Paul V (which I could) and the last laps were all about keeping it tidy, if slow and make sure that Dave's flying Honda couldn't get too close. Got closer than I intended though! His quickest was without tow! Awesome. Not much of a handicap!

First time I have earned a silver on the road... pleased. C'mon gold....

So, how did this all work out for the house?  :)

I certainly did benefit from misfortune elsewhere.  Made a bunch of places away from the start then gave them back again.  Had a couple of 'excursions' (including a slow drive taking in the scenery of *that* cornfield!).

Maybe I should have pulled my finger out & posted a time in qually!   
At the end,  could have done with the extra 5 laps which I was apparently fuelled for,   got to the point where I could see a moving dot of BadBlood - but just too far away.

Actually, on the subject of the Honda.  Is it just me,  or is that engine sound saying 'Mojito-Mojito-Mojito'  over & over again...?


Cheers all,
Dave.

Have to confess to a cheeky P.2 in qualification - I just followed in Andy Miller's slipstream for one lap.
Lost out to Badblood on lap 1 - them got over tempted for an overtake about lap 6 in turn 2 & did my impression of a combine harvester. A bit more patience might have been a podium. After the SnG I managed to catch up with Paul V & swapped places on several occasions. Reims is a dull place on your own but the slipstreaming is mighty!

Had 4 good laps in the tow with Fabio, coop managed 172 max then down shifted to quick and blew engine, shft r then stop and go rest of race never saw another car very lonely, max speed 164 without tow, gained a couple of places due to others misfortunes end of race.

Should have stayed home , late into practise which was spent finding the best gears , in the end it was my best guess really needed a tow to check 5th ratio in the end it didnt matter as I kept mistaking the flat out T1 for T2 and vikky verka which meant I was braking for T1 and or trying to take T2 flat which didnt work out too well for some reason . Nudged someone off the start line not sure who or why , didnt save the replay to check so appologies to whoever . I left for home early after a s/r and a second visit to the superglued hayfield   ::)

oh yes it is Jason!!!  just close your eyes and kep your right foot nailed down.......oh yes! and you need to utter a small prayer.  ;)

Well done Paul for 2nd. The top step beckons  ::)

Grats Paul, a well earned podium...with few if any, mistakes. Now, if we can just get that speed shifting under control...... :eek:
Great job mate.
Excellent drive by my CH teamie, Andy.....Nice win, fast and consistent.
Geoff.

How his engine survives those speed shifts, I'll never know. It makes me wince every time I watch a replay lololol.  :o

I got a good qualifying session, but the race, lol!   ;D ;D
Straight to V1, no luck!
Forward to the next season!
Congratulations to the podium, grats Paul for the 2nd place... :angel:

One more fatal V1 ?  :lol:

Congrats to podium and special well done Paul!
Had good quali and was looking forward to having a good one, took Paul's advice and kept to side but managed to put a wheel on grass....trip to those sticky cornfields, Shift R and lonely drive with no chance of a tow
Still learning

Boggy

Thanks boys... speed shifting? Moi?...  ;D

Mod published.