SimRacing.org.uk

Grid/server capacity: 28 (we run on the Altbierbuden Lobby)

Practice: ~19:20 (60 mins)
Qualifying: 20:20 (20 mins)
Race: 20:40 (42 laps)

Track: Brands Hatch (Indy)Download this (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3358.msg81636#post_brandshatch)

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

The series Finale and Erling is the Champion  :clap: :clap: :clap:

but 2nd and 3rd are still to be decided  :sweatdrop:

Not sure whether I can make this one.

Have an appointment with two colleagues at the Cologne Christmas market  8)
- I hate Christmas markets, but the colleagues are terribly nice  ;D.
Will be my only visit on a Christmas market this year, that's for sure.

Hope to be back at home just in time for racing wthout any practice.

Pictures ?  ;D

Cheers,
Erling

seek out the mistletoe mate  ;)

PC screwed up again, :-[ new M Board ordered, will miss this race  :'(. Hopefully it should be fixed for next race.  ;D

Subscription time again folks. Please give generously.

Remember SRouk is not just for Christmas.  :balloon:

What a bummer Bill  :(   Hope you get back up and running again without too much trouble.

Cheers,
Erling

Yeah, come on Bill. get it sorted.  ;)

Hi guys - only just discovered your league, after a helpful link from RaceConnect, where I also race, hope to get into tonight's race if I can get all settings sorted out, as I've only just got GTL / GTR2 re-installed on my latest computer. Monday and Wednesdays are good racing nights for me, so hope to get more involved in the new season. I've been online racing for a few years now, after some experience of the real thing, with a preference for Historic mods in rFactor as well as the games you run. Not among the quickest  (probably an Age Thing!) but usually manage to get to the finish; however, as tonight is the last round of your series, I may park it early if the points battle is still on, using tonight to see how you do things round here. Cheers. Oh, one question, what time will server be running? Nothing showing in the game as being online, so I'm guessing that the official practice time in this post is it; want to check everything OK compatibility-wise as soon as I can.
Huggy
(Paul Huggett)

Hi Paul, great to have you join us. Don't worry about this being the last round of a championship. Just drive your race, we don't take it too seriously, honest  :angel:

Practise server should be running now? If not check at about 19:00 tonight.

Hmmm ... don't know what happened there ... quali session timer counted down to 00:000, waited for session to move to race ... and waited ... and waited  ???

Anyway I hope the race went well, guys  :)

Sorry - no pics. I wanted to express that they are two highly likeable colleagues  ;)

Sorry guys - a bit too late at home and the hot wine punch prohibits even online racing  :oops: :cursing: :whistling:

Looks like there are some new guys  :thumbup1:

You must have dropped out Bill cos you were absent from the server for about two mins prior to race start  :(

Replay and results now posted.

Could Huggy fill in Nationality under driver details please  :thumbup1:

A real shame Bill as you looked to be favourite for the podium based on your qually lap times.

Grats to Erling on taking the silverware for this season and to Tony for organising a very enjoyable set of races.

I did not relish this race as my use of cars in previous rounds had limited me to either the Daimler reclining lounge leather equipment, or the ( until now ) undriveable Mini. I tested the 2.8 daimler in pre race practice but it was at least a second off the pace in my hands and I knew that the points situation meant that I had to be able to stay on Matt's tail, if I wanted to hang on to second spot for the season.

Reluctantly I dragged the mini out of the car transporter with Arnold's help and stood looking at it... "a nice shade of blue" was all the encouragement that Arnold offered. I guessed at the required fuel load for the race and added a couple of gallons just to be sure and left the pits hoping to learn how to drive a car with the driving wheels at the wrong end!!

Slowly the lap times crept down and a couple of times I was showing 0.5 secs up on my best and just over cooked it somewhere. "This mingey needs some very smooth driving"  Mabel's voice came over the radio " caress it like you would a lady" she purred. Well I dammed nearly rammed the car into the armco and ran screaming for the hills, but there was some prestige at stake here. It was the last race of the season and I just had to make this buzz box work for me.

Slowly I found the sweet spot, and Mabel was right, it needed persuading into the corners and then balance the slide and understeer with delicate inputs from the throttle. I did the whole of qually on race fuel, so when the grid formed up and I was in 3rd spot ( a shame that Bill got dropped as that would have put me a more accurate 4th). But I also knew that I had found some pace that would maybe keep me in touch with the front row guys...especially Matt ;)
I got just about the best start I have ever made in a Mini and jumped Erling and was feeling awfully chuffed when Tony's Lotus Cortina  powered past into Paddock Hill bend.. "How bloody inconsiderate" I thought " the cad has put himself between Matt and myself !".
I checked for any other traffic coming through and was able to nail it through T1 and make a run on Tony up the inside to Druids, where he stayed just wide enough for a little feller to squeeze round the inside and exit the bend alongside him. It was a game of chicken down to Graham Hill bend, but I had the better line for the apex and the exit.. and I was a desperate man, I had to get on terms with Matt and stick to his boot lid.
I guess I should really thank Tony for being a) a gentleman and b) aware that I was there and giving me room.  :sweatdrop:

Either way it worked and I was only 50 mtrs behind Matt. I risked a few "last of the demon brakers" moves to get closer and then sat on Matt's tail watching where he was quicker and where he was slower. There were plenty of examples of the former and very little evidence of the latter!!! I was driving my wheel nuts off just to stay with him. But I was learning the lines and after about 5 laps I suddenly found the correct braking/downshift/turn in points for Paddock Hill bend, something that had been a real headache for me until that moment.
I was able to close up on each lap on the run up to Druids because I carried more speed through T1, but I was not planning to pass just yet. Matt and I had pulled a good few seconds lead over Tony in 3rd place and Erling who was stuck behind in 4th. I was happy to let Matt set the pace and take us away from the pack. But then Erling had to go and spoil that nice comfy arrangement by passing Tony and taking huge chunks out of the gap!!!  :scared: :scared: :scared:

Now I was worried, because I did not want Erling catching us and putting his car between Matt and myself.  It was time to deploy the Mabel Glutbucket knicker elastic overdrive unit.... I had to pass Matt and try and get away.

So I started to apply some pressure and look for an opening. Matt proved very stubborn and defended his line lap after lap, until I finally got alongside him out of Druids. His speed ran him just a fraction wide through Graham Hill and onto the grass, I did not need a second invitation!
I was on the ragged edge for the next few laps until I built a 2 second gap that would give me breathing space and a buffer if Matt or Erling mounted a comeback surge.

That threat materialised with about 12 laps to go. I had relaxed a little and my pace had dropped fractionally, but I think Matt and Erling were having a real battle and had upped theirs. They closed my comfy 4 second lead down to 2 secs in only a few laps and I had to work very hard to prevent them getting any closer. You guys must have been really pushing each other along!!

The flag could not come soon enough for me as small mistakes were creeping in with brain fatigue and worn front tyres. I was only hoping to be able to follow Matt and play the percentage game for points in the Mini, so to actually win was a total surprise. I suspect that had Bill not been removed by Gremlins he might have had some input into the result. I wonder where Mabel was just before the start? she said that she had something important to do and smiled before slipping around the back of the pits.......................???????

That was a very intense and most enjoyable race  :)

Had opted for the Mini a while back, when I worked out which track/car combos was the best for me.  Knocked a bit off my pb in qual, but not good for more than 3rd on the grid. Got it upgraded to 2nd free of charge, by Bill's unfortunate premature exit.  :(

Getting fast off the line in the Mini is one of the black arts in GTL. Had practiced repeatedly, but still managed to make a dreadful start, bogging down completely when shifting into 2nd. Whole field bar 1 swooped past.  Clawed back one position from Paul at T2, and then found myself chasing Tony over several laps.  Got past when he went wide at T3, and set about building a gap, and closing up to Matt & Clive up ahead.  Stupid mistakes spoilt my master plan, most notably at the point where the Indy track rejoins the GP version.  Twice I got into pendulum motion here, only keeping it together by sheer desperation.  Lost fair bits of time as a result, and had Tony making a comeback in my mirrors.

Had to hunker down, concentrating on getting some fast, consistent laps. Slowly got away from Tony again, and reeled in Matt, who had been passed by Clive in the meantime. With more than half the race left, a most intense chase set in.  Almost lost it when I got real close for the first time; focused too much on Matt's car, and forgot to keep track of my braking point..  8)  Finally, on lap 40, did he run a little bit wide at T1, allowing me to squeeze past on the inside of T2.  Managed to stay ahead to the finish - shame there weren't a few laps more, as even Clive seemed to come closer towards the end..  ;)

Went into this race with the ambition of finishing the series with an unbroken string of podium finishes, so very chuffed with 2nd.  Grats to Clive on a deserved win, and thanks to Matt for an epic Mini battle  :)

Thanks to Tony for organising, commiserations to both Bills for missing the race, and welcome to Paul - hope you'll rejoin us in future races.

Cheers,
Erling

 :lol: :lol:

Cheers,
Erling

Another Champioship draws to a close and another chunk of silverware is destined for Erling's bulging trophy cabinet.

1st - Erling G-P  :clap: :clap: :clap:

2nd - EvilClive  :clap: :clap:

3rd - phspok  :clap:

Thanks as ever, to all who took part.

Nice to have some RaceConnect drivers join us. With some of our regular drivers awol it certainly helped fill out the grid. Thanks guy's and we hope you will join us for more of our races.
BTW if any ULGTL drivers fancy some midweek LM55 action at Spa this Wednesday read this https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=12712.msg229441#msg229441

Kurt and myself are already signed up and it would be great to have more UKGTL drivers join us.

Smashing write ups guys. Nice to hear from Mabel and Arnold again  ;)

Congrats to Clive on the race win and to Erling for the series victory  :)

Looking forward to sharing track space with y'all in 2015  ;D

Lol, it's a bit surreal.  Not sure what happened this year, but I'm sure it's just a fluke, and next season will be back to normal  :)


Would love to join you guys, but sadly I'm not home early enough tomorrow.  :(

Cheers,
Erling