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Season 25 Friday Trophy - Rounds 11 & 12 - Nivelles

A second visit to this track, but this but this time with the closed wheel cars.
I hope we do not get as many discos as last week and I hope that was not a particular problem with this Circuit. The Gts and Can Ams will present a different problem around this track and maybe offer some advantages to the Heavy brigade and their car options.

The races for Friday 16th  are, the GT's and the Can Am's which should both be well suited to this track.


PLEASE READ THIS. IT EXPLAINS THE FORMAT THAT THIS 40 RACE SERIES WILL USE.

Please refer to the list of tracks on the "Announcements" page for the Friday Trophy.

This is really designed to be a fun series with 4 different car mods running 2 sprint length races each Friday.
This week will be GT's and Can Ams
 In each category there is a choice of 4 cars for drivers from the Heavy brigade, but the Lights will be limited to a choice of 2 cars. ( see the list below)
We step up from the F2's and the 69x's to the GT's and Can Ams. Around this track outright power and handling tend to balance out, so it will be an interesting pair of races for everyone I hope.

The first race this week will  be GT and the first qually session will start at approx 20:45 for 20mins. Race starts at approx 21:05
The second race will be for Can Am with another 20minute qually and a 25 minute race.


There is a single S/R allowed and you DO NOT need to perform a Stop and Go. It would be nice if those who cause an accident allow the innocent victims to regain their position when you rejoin the racing.


These cars are for the first half of the season including the races at MOON. There will be different sets of cars for the second half of the season.

So, the last 2 cars are for the Lights and the Heavies can chose any car from the list of 4 if they wish. Please be honest and choose a car that suits your ability. The aim is to have some very close racing.

Cars for F2            Brab BT23 and Lotus 48,               Cooper and Ferrari

Cars for 69X          Lotus 49b and Matra MS80        Mclaren M9A and BRM P126/139

Cars for GT           Chap 2F Porsche 910                Mirage M1 and Ford Mk2B

Cars for Can Am     Mclaren M8D and Lola 260         Porsche 917/10 and Ferrari 712M      


If it proves that the handicap for the lights is too harsh in any of the categories, I might consider changing the cars, but let us wait and see how things work out. I suspect that the Lights will still be quick.


Race List = IGOR
Server = UKGPL_8
IP address = tbc
Race date = 16-08-2013
Race Time = race 1 starts at 21:05 UK time
Qualifying Time = 20 minutes, starting  20:45 UK time
Track = Nivelles (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Tracks/Nivelles/Nivelles_1972_1974.zip)
Variant = GT and Can Am
Damage Model = Intermediate
Race length = 25 minutes (laps 16 (GT) / 18 (Can Am))
Password: see above (#post_event_password)
Replay = will be here (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Replays/Archive/Season25/Friday/)


The full time drivers can start to practice as soon as the server is available.  Reserve drivers can also join as soon as the server becomes available but must leave the server with 10 minutes of qualifying left, for a total of 5 minutes; this will allow any remaining full timers to join.  If there is enough space on the grid, the reserve drivers will be able to rejoin when there are 5 mins of qualifying left.  

Please restrict chat to pit messages including at the end of the race until ALL drivers still racing have crossed the line.

The race will be run under intermediate rules and a single reset is allowed. Races WILL be moderated for reported incidents only unless there is something VERY BAD happening!! so be nice to each other. ;)


Full moderation of lap one red zone

LAP ONE RED ZONE: Full moderation from race start to the exit of Turn 7.

Can't make this one - I'll be in Cologne with Mini.

Hang on - a GTL race in preference to (bastardized) GPL?! :)

(http://www.tvacres.com/images/bobeck_mimi2.jpg)

Uh, sure, um, have fun.

can you confirm the number of laps for each race ;D

Race post amended to show laps for GTs and Can Ams.....sorry I missed that.

Hehe - my son Joseph (Mini) needs practice speaking German so we are doing something in REAL LIFE :faints:

Have a good time in Cologne Paul and Joe, my daughter tried her best to teach English to our German friends but there was just too many of them  ;). So good on you Joe for learning their language.  ;D

Well, I don't know about anyone else but last nights races were 2 of the most enjoyable I have had for a long time!!!  Grats to all those who took part and to those who got the champagne.

The GT's race with Axel and Tom was epic.
I took the Mk2 only because I had done no practice and all I had was a half decent setup from Effex. I had to tweak a few things but I had nothing remotely usable for the Mirage so I thought I was going to get left behind. Instead, I found myself in 3rd place after the usual lap 1 jostling and just about able to keep up with Axel and Tom. I made a couple of small mistakes and dropped  back by a couple of seconds but with a clear road ahead I was able to drive at my pace through all the corners and slowly clawed my way back, but passing either of them was another problem.

The Mk2 had more top speed than Tom's Mirage but the straight was not quite long enough to make it count and it was not until half way that I got the final corner absolutely correct and nailed the gas early. At the same time I think Tom put a wheel onto the grass on the outside ...my first and only chance in the whole race to attempt a pass!! I had just enough grunt in that big Ford to get the inside for T1 but I had to push the revs in all the gears to do it. Tom was still a threat behind for the rest of the race, but I could see that Axel ahead of me had tyre probs ( I gave up looking at the temps for my own rear tyres..the red glow from prib hurt my eyes!!) .
I pressured Axel as much as I could on my molten rubber and eventually he made one small mistake and ran wide as we approached the Esses. It took a lot of wheel wrestling and delicate throttle control to make that Mk2 stay tight enough to squeeze through but somehow I did it. ::) For the last few laps I just had to play safe and be sure to get out of the final corner cleanly to take the win.  ;D

Race 2 the Can Ams.
I was late joining the server having been engrossed in a conversation in the chat room :-\ Once again the Porker was all that I had a setup for but it was not suited to this track!! So I tweaked this and adjusted that until it was almost driveable.....then I ran out of time  :(
From the start I was very careful ( it might not have looked like it, but i was!!) and I still ran off the track, until I found a way to actually drive the beast that I had created. And slowly I reeled in a few cars ahead until I was behind Fulvio and David. The rest of the race was an exercise in patience and nerve jangling suspense as I waited for an opportunity to make a pass, whilst fighting a car on the very edge of my ability to control  :scared:
Fulvio got past David but David seemed determined that he would keep me behind and took the defensive line, frustrating but absolutely fair. Although I was very aware that David was braking earlier and heavier than me, I still got surprised and had to run wide a couple of times to avoid nudging his rear wing  ::).. and then fight to close the gap again.
Luck was with me as David ran wide in the same spot that Axel had in the Gt's and I was through and after Fulvio. Then Fulvio ran wide and I was in 3rd with 2 laps to go...WOW!! never expected to be this high!! But I should have concentrated more and not outbraked myself on the last lap into T1......Fulvio took his 3rd place back lol.

Great racing and great fun guys!  ;D ;D ;D

Yes and No? Yes of course!

Race 1, from 4th on the grid I got the drag on the start to maybe claim 3rd at the first bend only to end up last and way behind the field after a punt from behind, one kaput engine as a result and a required shift-r to get going again. These things happen. A less than fun start however turned into a lot of fun and good racing chasing the field down and managing a decent finish.

Race 2, going well in qualy to be near the front when my internet connection dies and I am unable to get it sorted before the race has already started. Frustrated yes but more gutted that I missed out on another blast around Nivelles.

Regardless I still think this series is working a treat. Grats to Clive, Tom and Axl race 1 and Tom, Axl, Fulvio race 2. Oh and cracking lap in race 2 Martin!

See you all at the next round.