SimRacing.org.uk

Season 25 Novices and Intermediates Trophy - Round 9 - Zolder

Round 9. Belgium. Zolder. This track is a rebuild and some of Ginetto's fine work for the GPL Community.

Zolder was built in 1963 but it didn't host the Belgian Grand Prix until 1973.  Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s.  But when Spa Franchorchamps was significantly revised and the safety standards vastly improved the Grand Prix returned to it's original home and Zolder fell out of favour.

NB. There is ONE grid for both the Novices and the Intermediates

The Novices and Intermediate Trophies will remain sharing a grid until further notice.

In view of the relatively small grids across two championships, handicapping makes little sense so all drivers have a FREE choice of car.

Race List = IGOR
Server = UKGPL_T7
IP address = 62.149.202.168
Race date = 03-12-2013
Race Time = race starts at 21:30 UK time
Qualifying Time = Between 30 and 60 minutes, starting no later than 21:00 UK time
Track = Zolder (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Tracks/Zolder67/)
Variant = 65F1 - the 2.02 Release of the 65mod should be used
Damage Model = INT
Race length = 40 minutes (laps 24)
Password: see above (#post_event_password)
Replays Available here (http://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/inc_replaysS25_js.aspx)

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)

Driver lists can be found on the Novice (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=406) and Intermediate (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=407) championship standings pages.

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 35 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 30 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.

Intermediate drivers are limited to ONE reset. Novices have unlimited resets but EACH Shift-R MUST be followed within TWO laps by a Stop 'n' Go.

Moderating The red zone will be fully moderated for lap 1 only. For this event the red zone will be the first lap up to and including Butte corner.

Other moderation will be on reported incidents only.  However any incidents that occur in the red zone that are not reported by the drivers will be reported by the moderator.  This will allow all affected drivers the opportunity to present their case before the incident is moderated.  This should ensure there are no surprises when the moderator's report is published and hence appeals will be less likely.  If you haven't received a PM about an incident before the link below the results table is removed, you can be sure that you will not appear in the moderator's report.

Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Beautiful track!

I agree Walter, Ginetto has done a fine job- thank you Ginetto. :)

Agreed - we are all in his debt. I have tried track making (just for fun) and it is massively time consuming.

Beware the kerbs gentlemen- they are really slippy, especially the outside of the last turn... I suspect BB has been here with a pot of grease  ;)

Actually JP, that was me. You weren't supposed to notice til the race

;D

Quite a fun race. All sorts of issues in qually with screen freezes etc. so quick reboot and ten minutes left. Times were shockingly fast. Got a PB by miles and mid-grid.

Car was sweet handling and I made a good start. I had the measure of Al and he was holding me up a bit so I was cautious going to the hairpin. Sadly my wheel double shifted down into N and span me. I was right in the middle of the track and thought I could get out of the way - wrong. Drove across Billy. Big apologies to him. Second race in a row where I have done that to him on Lap 1 and that means I will be getting a BoG or penalty stop - since Monza is all about tow that means a long night for me...

After that caught Bill and Boggy and in trying to get a fast exit from T1 span on the kerb. <sigh> Caught them again and was planning how to pass when they exploded in front of me. After that it was just lapping. Got some good rhythm and would just like to say thank you to the back markers who were very polite. Been there!

WD JP on the Ints championship and the Novs is too close to call. To the winner the spoils.

Quite a good race for me, but a lonely one but that was by design. Also I wanted to say a massive thank you to the back markers, you guys where awesome when you were being lapped, and I really do appreciate it.

I have noticed in my last few races that I have been getting in incidents with other people who I’m not really racing against. So for this race, I tried a new tactic of letting intermediate drivers go and concentrating on my own race.

For Quali I did a PB, and was pretty please with my time. I don’t think I could of beat that so I settled in for some race fuel preparation. By the time quali had finished, I was ready.

My race started fine, I kept in my 3rd place, with Dave Rainer pretty close behind. At this point I was thinking of going for it and trying to open up a gap, but I decided to stick to my plan, so I rolled off the throttle and let him go. Next behind me was Paul, I thought he was a little way behind, but because I was trying to let Dave get a gap, Paul closed in on me really quickly. Sorry Paul if I was usually slow, I was being quite cautious.

After Paul had a little excursion, next back was Walter, how I had a bout a 5 second gap. I decided that 5 seconds was a good gap, and tried to manage it. I was quite pleased with my consistency and managed to keep the gap at roughly 5 seconds. Ahead of me there was a large gap that I didn’t have a hope in reducing, and behind I had a nice gap that I could manage. I was pretty happy in my space and started to relax a little bit. Then I saw a spinning car up ahead, without one if its wheels. I didn’t think too much off it and made sure I was safety past. Only about half a lap later if dawned on me that I was suddenly 3rd and not 4th. I don’t know if Walter and Dave had some sort of incident, but suddenly I had a really large gap.

After that I took it really easy and cruised home in 3rd. Really happy with my race, 3rd place was unexpected but a nice surprise. I’m also happy that I took the novice win, and that championship is wide open now. I’m not sure how to drive at Monza, I really want an outright win, but common sense tells me to race only the people in the championship. I will see how it plays out.

Congratulations to Johnny on the Inters championship :) well done mate, you have had a great season.

In practice I found it hard to slow for turn 1 without losing the rear- some work in the forum and some nice advice pointed me in the right direction- stiffer front bar required. The car was much better and I could at last push.

I got my pb in qualifying which I was pleased with- prib showed there was more somewhere but I couldn't find it. A poor start in the race but steady following Arf, I tried to weigh up where I might pass but he was strong almost everywhere. I followed him for some time until he spun exiting the final turn and I was away. I had about a 10 second lead that I tried to maintain just having to be careful going up the hill- I think the car was bottoming as I had a couple of lively moments. The gap suddenly was 20 seconds- Arf must have had a moment- so I tried to just drive for the line. Like others before me I would like to thank the chaps further back for letting me through with room to spare- not easy on a twisty circuit. Well done and thank you all- see you at Monza.

Dave R. was ahead of me until he did a Stop & Go. Then I was in fourth, and just starting to lose concentration a little bit. I spun on my own in turn 6 I think. The car nearly stopped in the middle of the track, and I was lucky that it rolled backwards enough that I was out of the way when Tony and Dave R. came through. I was able to get going after losing about ten seconds. (EDIT: Good heads up driving by Tony to adjust your line mid corner to avoid my car.)

I have often thought about whether or not I should be mixing it up with Inters. I can see that the points are a little more meaningful because it will be the last race. I have a feeling though when I am in the draft behind an inter driver at Monza that I will go for it.   ;D

Final thoughts, it was a quiet race for me. I was relieved because it was my first race in the Honda, and I needed a some time to get comfortable.

Well that was a fun night. Good close racing with JP, although I spoiled the party half way through. JP thinks I span on the grase I put down for him, but I actually thought my engine has expired cos I thought it made some funny sounds. After the spin, I had totally lost concentration, had another one, and finished way behind. All my fault. Congrat to JP on championship, hope to see you at Monza.

Arf

p.s. Thks to backmarkers for being extremely polite

Mod published