SimRacing.org.uk

Grid/server capacity: 28

Practice: ~19:20 (60 mins)
Qualifying: 20:20 (20 mins)
Race: 20:40 (18 laps)

Track: Aintree Download this (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3358.msg109873#post_aintree)

Cars allowed: Austin Mini Cooper, Lotus Cortina, Jaguar MkII, Ford Anglia Download this (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3358.msg54518#post_ford_anglia), Daimler V8 Download this (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3358.msg54518#post_daimler_v8)

The 5-speed Ford Anglia's are not to be used as they overheat and cook the engine.

Car restrictions: Two drives maximum per make. Check your status here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuS59xI7-YTLdERkanNHZ1dQaVBBTnJUVHhmdWNuYlE&usp=sharing)

Time of Day Setting: 14:00
Start: STANDING
Tyre wear: Normal
Fuel consumption: Normal
Pit stops: Not required

Server: simracing.org.uk Mondays
Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Notes:
(1) It's best if all drivers can make sure they are connected before the Qualifying session as drivers on track during qualifying will not see cars that join after they are on track until they go back to the garage.
(2) Please make sure you are fully aware of the SimRacing.org.uk Rules.
(3) The AI control should be turned off so that you have control of the car at all times, including pitting. Your player file should therefore read
Autopit="0"
Force Autopit Off="1" // Forces autopit always off
No AI Control="1" // AI never has control over car
If you still finding pitting problematic, experience tells us that its less to do with positioning and more to do with approach speed. A slow approach to pit crew chief has proved most reliable.

Special Notes: None

Race Announcement revised

5 speed Ford Anglia's removed from series

Here's one for the Jags/Daimlers methinks

Probs. b--- probs, no sound initially but now sorted and been on line with Anglia OK. :thumbup1: :rockon:

Unfortunately still not available for this one  :(

@ Kurt - How you doing?

The Mini Cooper 1275S in the lap records, how fast is it compared to the cars we're using ? - its lap times are positively frightening...  :o

Cheers,
Erling

Fear not. A bit of clicking reveals that the Mini used was in fact a more powerfull beast than the one we are assigned.

https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7849.msg139153#msg139153

Thanks Tony,

Was resonably happy with my laptime from yesterday's practice - until I saw the lap records..  ;)

Cheers,
Erling

I'm ok -thanks Tony. But still 12 days to go! :P

Rehabs a bitch isn't it  ;)

 ;D exactly

2:08 in my comfy armchair

Had an hour to spare before I have to go hospital visiting and just tried a couple of laps in various cars around Aintree.

 The mini feels frenetic, and I hit the rev limiter in the highest final drive option waaay before the end of the main straight ( although the engine does not seem to suffer??).
 The Lotus Cortina feels like it is on rails and superquick...but the laptimes tell a different story , so maybe I need to look at my driving in this car.
 The Daimler V8 recliner, with comfy pillow option, feels like a supertanker but has truckloads of grunt, leans like a drunken cyclist and yet makes up oodles of time on the fast bits. Not sure if those tyres can take the pounding though?

Lap times are currently around the 2:08 as well, with the V8 slightly quicker..whilst it  still has rubber on the rims!!   ::)
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Edit Sunday evening....Set Arnold to work on the cars and tried a few more laps, found some more time,

 Yes, it was me being too soft with the Cortinny have that lapping on par with the big comfy armchair now. Mabel wants me to use the armchair, says that she likes the smell of walnut and leather??!!

Anglebox seems about a second a lap quicker than anything else using my Angelsey setup.

Mk2 jag is posing a prob as I just cannot find the sweet spot, as is the mini, but these cars are at opposite ends of the handling spectrum so I am struggling to switch between them.

So the big question is..... Do I take the car that seems quickest here and try and get the max haul of points? ....or...... do I take a slightly slower car and hope to get some reasonable points, thus saving a fast car for a faster circuit where I might need the performance to collect any points? 

decisions....decisions....decisions :-\

The joke is that i will probably crash out Lap 1 Turn 1 anyway!!

Replay and results now posted

without realising my cat walked over my keyboard immediately after qual tonight...so i started the race with auto clutch disabled and didnt know...it caused me to fly off the start hit someone in the rear almost causing and accident, every time i then proceeded to change gear the car would lurch to one side... managed to get half way round before slamming into the barrier and totalling the suspension...gutted! :-\

That has to be one of the most "creative" racing excuses to date.  ;D

So Damon, how come you went into the wall? "Well you see, my cat walked over the steering wheel and disabled my semi auto clutch"....

Thanks Tony another excellent car/track combo, first time I've finished a race here – ticked all my boxes, particularly a lap record wow. :thumbup1: pity I was the only one driving the Anglia. :lol:
Made a good start and quickly inherited 4th as Roger  and Tony fell off; held it for about a lap and a half before I out braked myself at the first of the two sweeping right handers  and spun in front of them. ::)  After that it was all about trying to catch up.  Set a number of PBs until I overcooked it at the chicane and received a cut track warning so after that had to take it a bit easier through it.  Also, for once,  I wasn't lapped.

Congrats Erling, that was a surprise win given Clive's pace in the Lotus Cortina, hard luck Clive but unfortunately that's the nature of racing.  You get bitten when you least expect it.  :rockon:

 :laugh: ok i might have disabled auto clutch not knowing, but the kitten was in the vicinity so she gets the blame!

Yes we no longer have a cat but he gets blamed for all the missing tit bits that go missing. :yes:

Enjoy it while it lasts Bill. Once I get the Anglebox classed I doubt that your record will stand, sorry  :'( :angel:

My cat slept through the entire race.

Liked driving the Armchair around this track, just seemed right somehow. Awesome speed by Erling tho in an identical car  ???

Good start then settled down and had a cracking few laps with Roger in his Daimler, nearly spilt my G&T at some corners but all fair non-contact stuff. Finally pulled away (Roger must of had a spin). Then it was a case of keeping the gap consistent between him and I, and also keeping the engine % from dropping too much. Well done the fast guys.
Think the next ones at Donny, should be a cracker. Hope to have a few more drivers tho.

What bad luck wgk, cat or no cat...  ;)

You're probably already aware of the fact that you can hear if auto-clutch is enabled or not.  If it isn't, the car sounds like an automatic when you shift up.  Some drivers gain speed by disabling it.  I tried it briefly, but couldn't get to grips with it - in addition to not liking the 'auto-sound'. Another advantage of auto-clutch, is that the engine won't stall if you spin or come to an unintentional halt.

About the race;  Haven't looked forward to using the Jag/Daimler.  As beautiful as they are in real life, they just feel too big, heavy and unwieldy in GTL.  Surprised then to find it a blast to drive on Aintree.

Set a new pb early in qualy, and retreated to the pits. Didn't look like anyone was going to challenge for pole, until very late in the session, when Clive got uncomfortably close.  Obvious he was going to be trouble in the race..  ;)

Stayed ahead of the Cortina pack at the start, mainly by being big, fat and in the way.  A tap from Matt at T3 sent me onto the grass - and Clive into the lead. Got past him again at the end of the long straight.  Then made a complete bugger of T2 on lap 2. Missed my braking point by a long shot and slammed into the barrier. Car fortunately shrugged it off, aside from the cosmetics.  Did delay me more than enough for Clive and Matt to get past.  Passed the latter again at the entrance to the long straight, and then had him as my tenacious shadow for the next many laps  :)

Couldn't make any dents in Clive's lead though - in fact, he was extending the gap.  As the race progressed, I slowly inched away from Matt, and when entering the last 3rd of the race, it seemed Clive was getting closer again (pit board didn't show the gap, so all based on visual estimate).  He then did me the favor of falling off at T2, allowing me to slip in front, on lap 14 I believe.  Without the harassment of the Nissan engine from last week's race (or was it Mabel ?  ;D), I managed to concentrate and stay in front for the remaining laps.


No foul play, I can assure you Tony.  I had an old Mk.II setup lying around, which seemed to work well - and I practiced a fair bit too  :)  Concentrated on the slow in/fast out routine, and on hitting the right lines, as it seemed very important for a quick laptime.

My own replay is screwed up.  Starts with cars jumping erratically from pits to grid and back again, and then skips roughly halfways into the race.  Thus missing both start and the 1st half.  Anyone else have that problem ?

Cheers,
Erling

Grats Erling - you keep team GTLDK alive  ;)

Thanks Kurt.  Wouldn't mind some help though, so hope to see you back soon  :)

Cheers,
Erling

@ Erling, not my intention to infere any foul play. Just in awe in your quickness, honest.

Replays available here, click the tab called ummmm Replays.  ;)

I've already had more than my allotted 15 minutes of fame!  ;) :rockon:

 :lol:

When we discovered that the next race was at Aintree, Mabel's response should have been a warning in itself. ..." oooh! all the glamour and excitement of the Derby....Ladies Day, I shall wear my best cocktail frock"

Both Arnold and I tried to tell her that the Derby was at Ascot not Aintree, and there was no "Ladies Day" for what was a motor race anyway!! We should have saved our breath, Mabel was already in dreamland.

Tired of banging our heads on the brick wall of Mabel's imagination Arnold and I turned our attention to the car choice and hoped that a slow dawning of sanity would bring Mabel around. In hindsight that was at best foolish and at worst almost suicidal!
We went ahead to the circuit in the company Trabant to do a recce of the circuit and plan our strategy for this race. The suggestion that the Daimlers might prevail here was taken seriously and we were discussing the pros and cons of that particular car when the Blue Moose covered transporter swung into the paddock with Mabel at the wheel shrieking with excitement.
It had barely creaked to a halt when Mabel launched herself from the cab dressed in what was actually best described by an innocent young mechanic of a competitors team. It may have been the best possible description that one could apply, but no-one who knew Mabel would have dared utter such a phrase within 10 miles of her. The young man's innocence , and his life expectancy, were traumatically adjusted by Mabel's swift and brutal response. The exact details of her retribution must be left out of this report , I have been advised by our legal expert Titas B.Screwer that such details might send anyone of a delicate disposition into shock. I leave you to imagine how Mabel would respond to  "what the heck is that??  looks like a ruddy bouncing bomb with bling".  

Once the ambulances had left, (one with a sad young man and his favourite spanner on intimate terms, the other with Mabel, several burly psychiatric nurses, a cattle prod and several heavy duty restraining straps) Arnold and I opened the transporter to find only half the cars that we were expecting. Mabel had loaded the lower deck with her entire wardrobe for "Ladies Day"!!!  

All we had were the Daimlers and the Mini , so whilst I tried a few exploratory laps Arnold drove back to Stilton Queens to collect the missing machinery.
My first attempts were mediocre at best and although I was able to coax laptimes around the 2:08 out of the Daimler, the mini seemed particularly unsuitable for this circuit and my driving style. When Arnold returned the next day he set to work tweaking the cars with his 2kg hammer and scaffold tube. I managed to prevent him "adjusting" the Anglia that I had used to great effect at Anglesey and quickly drove that out onto the track and away from his attention. It was easily into the 2:03's on race fuel and looked favourite for this race in my hands, but Arnold's cat like brain and dexterity with the hammer had come up with a cunning plan.

Save the Anglia for a faster circuit where you might need the extra speed, and we will wring some extra performance out of another car for Aintree. We settled on the V8 armchair, which Arnold persuaded me to drive simply because it had walnut on the dashboard!! We decided it had to be lighter if it was going to compete, so we set about removing the fully fitted kitchen with dual oven and hob from the boot, Arnold was particularly keen that we remove the fully stocked cocktail cabinet from between the rear seats. I should have seen the problem coming, but I didn't even though the car was into the 2:04's.
Come race day and Mabel reappeared looking somewhat dishevelled and subdued so I gave her a wide berth....no pun intended. Arnold had by now forced open the locked door of the cocktail cabinet and had set himself the task of identifying the particular differences between single malt and anything else that was in there.
So it came to pass that 2 hours before race start, yours truly discovers a Daimler V8 in my pit garage rocking gently from side to side with a leg out each of the rear windows and Arnold with his dungarees around his ankles lurching about the open passenger door  slurring phrases like " of cuuurse i luvs ya Mabble, Iyylll make it aallll bedder fer yu, jus' trust yer little Arnie...i'll be gentl wid ya as soon az I kin get me leg outa this dungathing"

Now I may have needed a car for the race, and with 2 hours to go there was a fair chance that the Daimler would no longer be occupied when I needed it. But there was also a good chance that there would be at least one dead and shrivelled body in left in there. So I ran away. When i returned there was no dead body, for which I was thankful, but somehow I just did not fancy driving the Daimler.
I joined the last minutes of practice and started tweaking the Lotus Cortina gradually refining the lines and the handling. Before I was ready we were into Qualifying and I was still experimenting, but getting quicker.
Finally I shifted the final drive up a notch and we were in business, as the laptimes tumbled. Another 5 minutes and I might have squeaked pole, but Erling was safe.

I almost missed the start as I checked my fuel for the race and joined the grid with 3 secs to spare. I barely had time to select 1st gear before we were off with the encouragement of a healthy biff from behind.
I was gifted 1st place on lap 1 and then lost it again on the straight as Erling used that V8 grunt to sweep past. Hmmmm  he was going to be a pain with all that power, but I definitely had the handling around the twisty bits.
I would somehow have to pass him early in the lap and build a big enough cushion to protect me on the straight........but Erling did it for me by running wide at T2...thanks  ;)
I worked my wheel nuts off for the next 5 laps each time losing 0.6 secs on the straight from whatever I had stretched out earlier in the lap...but the gap was just growing each lap.

Once I had 5+ secs I eased off and concentrated on maintaining the gap, which worked well until I checked the fuel situation with 4 laps to go.... it was close...too close. I should have risked it in hind sight and just kept pushing, but I tried to short shift and save some fuel. That disrupted my rythmn and I screwed up the Esses on one lap and then, having lost half my lead , missed my braking point for T2 a lap later.

Erling retook his lead and although I was closing for the next 3 laps there was just not enough time to get back at him.

Grats to Erling but I would keep that Daimler locked if you leave it in the paddock at any other race track, you never know who might "borrow" it.

P.S. Arnold is in rehab and Mabel is looking for her wardrobe.....I know nothing ::)

Can I get these on Kobo?  ;)

Hugely enjoyable read, reminds me in some respects of a 1960's farce with Brian Rix or a Tom Sharpe. Definately a fan tho.

Oh BTW tell Mabel that the Derby is held at Epsom.

Thanks Tony; I'm aware of the replays - and have downloaded the one for this race  :) 

Normally I don't need to, as my own has always worked before.  My hotlap from the race is broken too, as it makes GTL crash.  Strange..

Cheers,
Erling

Yea! Ok! so the Deby is at Epsom, but it just shows that neither Mabel or I know nothing about horses lol. 

Brian Rix??!!  geez! you must be almost as decrepid and ancient as I am to remember him  :o   As for Tom Sharpe, well what can I say?? for me he has always been the master of concocting total anarchy from ordinary situations. Although I was not consciously copying his style, I confess that I can see his influence now that you have highlighted it.
BTW what the heck is Kobo???   

Kobo is an e-reader

Ok do not laugh.  I said DO NOT LAUGH!........you will, I just know you will  ::)
but I have never heard of that,

what is an "e-reader"?????? something to do with e-mails?

Obviously it's something to read how many Es there are in food.

https://www.kobo.com/devices#ereaders

ah, I see, you are talking about one of those new fangled electric pseudo book thingies .

At team Blue Moose we are traditionalists and proud Luddites, anyway those things will never catch on. You cannot beat the feel of real paper, just like the current CD craze is fizzling out and vinyl is re-asserting its dominance in recorded media as you will have noticed.  ::)