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Season 25 Friday Trophy - Rounds 23 & 24 - Panchine

Welcome to the next round for the Friday Trophy this time at Panchine. A very convincing fantasy track imagined to be in North Italy. Fast, sweeping circuit with traps for the unwary. There are a couple of jumps, a tricky turn or two and very sticky hedges, so be careful. It is a relatively long circuit so space should open up, but slipstreaming might be crucial whether you are in front or behind.

This should be a track where the handicap for the Lights gives the Heavies a real chance to get amongst the podium slots with their faster cars. Keeping mistakes to a minimum and using the extra pace on the long straights might cause some problems for the Lights.

This round is for the GTs and CanAms.

                                Heavies                                      Lights
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  



"Please ensure you are aware of the new in-series penalties for this season. Details are here (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=10879.0). Drivers incurring a penalty will receive a PM informing them of this."

Race list	iGOR
Server	TBA
IP address	TBA
Date	18-10-2013
Race time	Race 1 starts at 21:05 UK time
Qualifying time	minimum 15 minutes, starting no later than 20:45 UK time
Track	Panchine
Mod	GT and Can Am
Damage model	INT (Each driver is allowed a single Shift-R with no stop and go required)
Race length	12 laps (GT) and 14 laps (Can Am)
Red Zone	from the START line to the exit of the end of main straight
Replay	Available here (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Replays/Archive/Season25/Friday/)

Full(ish) moderation of lap 1 red zone.

What looked like easy run to podium in race 1 ended with target fixation on Cookie's incident, loss of a wheel and forgetting whether we have to do s&g's, so yeah. :(

Race 2 was look out for Sergio time (twice for me, and there I wasn't alone...).  >:(

The proceedings did not start well for me.  A deadly screen freeze, early on in practice, meant a total shutdown.  Once reconstituted, Igor became rather reluctant, until I discovered I'd blindly deleted his .exe  while trying to escape the deep freeze.   :-\

So a short practice session left me scant of time, for a good grid spot.  And a self-destructing motor, a scant few miles into lap 1, left me fighting for 10th, and switching to grumbling mode !  My scantiness continued to show, with a couple of pirouettes, mid-main straight, before I finally recovered for some decent laps towards the end.  Very lucky to clamber up to 5th at the final flagging.

Race 2 was more decent.  I was well equipped, and fully installed.  Jumped immediately to 3rd after a Ferrari fracas ahead, during initial maneuvers.  Then, a race long battle with an Evil Porsche ensued, whilst Ronnie eaked away ahead.  A tail flailing competition followed, and after much thrashing, the Porsche proved itself a superior flailer to my M8D, thanks to it's contents.

Both my races involved close, wheel to wheel action, with some of our leagues finest.  A shame more are not interested, in the chance to dice with some of the best, our sport can divest.  Our scant Heavy GT attendants, have earned themselves some special Chaparral apparel. 8)

Two more highly entertaining races for those who turned up last night. With Agents of Shield out of the way I turned up with 10 mins of qualifying for race 1 left and settled for a mid place start. Some steady progress on my part and some stumbling up front suddenly gave me a run at Axl. But in trying to give him room on the inside I used a little too much hedge on my left which slowed my progress. Then to add insult to injury Martin appears large in my mirrors on the last lap to annihilate me for 5th. Grats to Clive, Axl and Sergio.

Race 2 starting on pole it took a while to spot the man with the flag. Axl got the jump but I tucked in behind and took my chance when Axl decided to turned round and look me in eye. I knew Martin and Clive were behind so I decided not to look back and pressed on to the chequered flag instead. Grats to Clive and Martin.

For the record I'm strictly a default setting man myself with these cars. I tinker a bit with gears but apart from that they work just fine for me. Not having to spend too much time on setup is one less reason not to join us. Thanks again  to everyone who raced and see you next time I hope.

Very frustrating that I couldn't make either of these Fridays because I love Panchine. Hope to make the next round.

Hehe some great racing. Although I felt that I was a little fortunate in the GT race.

Sergio was very fast, and so was Axel, and although I had qualified the Mk2 Sherman tank well it was objecting very strongly to being hustled around any corners. So when the race got under way I fully expected them to become distant hazy images!!!
 I was working hard to stay behind Sergio on lap 1 with my cold tyres ( and it later transpired, far too much fuel!!) whilst keeping Axel tucked up behind me.  As we approached the end of lap 1 it looked like becoming a very tough race if I hoped to finish on the podium. Then Sergio took me totally by surprise when he peeled off into the pits??!!!! :o Is he using a sneaky short cut???. He later confessed to a jump start and had to perform a SnG. For me that was a huge stroke of luck as it left me in the lead with Axel in close attendance behind, then a small gap back to 3rd spot.
I seemed to be able to get the power down just a fraction better than Axel and at the beginning of each straight I could pull a small gap which Axel closed up with slipstream, but not enough to make a pass. I had to watch my mirrors closely to be sure I had room to turn in...once or twice I had to take a wide line and pray  ::). But, I just managed to retain the lead until Axel had a brake locking experience and ran wide. That was lucky stroke No2 , as it left me with a comfortable lead. All I had to do now ( yeah right "all I had to do!!"lol) was monitor the gap back to Axel and keep things smooth. The car had other ideas and fought me at every corner just to make sure I stayed fully awake. I was very grateful to see the chequered flag as my arms were aching from constant corrections on the wheel. Grats to Axel ( and hard luck for the brake incident) and to Dean for bringing it home in 3rd place. Sergio was probably the fastest guy and would have won, but was just a little to keen at the start.

Race 2 with the Can Ams was looking very dodgy from my spot on the grid....wall to wall big red Fezzas!!! and a big orange M8D breathing down my neck, with me in a little 'ol Porker  :-\

T1 , and the red wall parted slightly as 2 Fezzas went grass cutting. I knew that just about everything would be quicker than me on the straights, especially that big orange thing  that was trying to use all the track width. In fact i was quite relieved when Martin blasted past and started to harass the pair of Ferraris that were contesting the lead...I actually felt sorry for them lol. It was interesting to watch martin trying to use the extra power of the Macca against the better cornering exits of the 2 Ferraris. I tried to stay in touch by using the superior braking on the Porker, losing on the straights but closing up under brakes and through the twisty bit. Eventually after cars in front took detours I found myself in 2nd place, but too far back from Ronnie in his leading Ferrari to benefit from any slipstream. Martin refused to do the decent thang and get that hugely fast Mclaren in front of me and offer me a nice tow up to Ronnie. Instead, he took every opportunity to intimidate and threaten my delicate little porker with his large Fanta mobile at the end of every straight. I was able to stay in 2nd only because he was distracted occasionally by a piece of interesting vegetation that needed pruning, so I clung on to 2nd place at the flag, but some way behind Ronnie who had escaped the attentions of the Orange Marauder. :-\

Yes I completely agree with the result of the enquiry !