SimRacing.org.uk

Summer Pre-Season Endurance

Once more unto the breach dear friends. Break out those sunglasses and suncream, grab a good spot (and an eyeful) on the coast of the Netherlands. Go easy on the shorts lads... we don't want to scare the ladies off!

This is an event to break in UKGPL9 before being brought into regular service... an endurance race on the Zandvoort circuit in 1967 configuration, using the track that came with Grand Prix Legends.

Drivers are free to choose any chassis, but it has to go the distance - 45 laps around here is a test of true metal, please don't leave it in the sand-banks.

The circuit was inaugurated on August 7, 1948 and has been through several changes but unlike many of the popular 1960s tracks it has continued to be used for top flight racing and is in regular use today but not for Formula 1. The last Formula 1 race at Zandvoort was held in 1985 and was won by Niki Lauda ahead of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. The 1967 Formula 1 Grand Prix saw the debut of the Ford Cosworth DFV engine, in Jim Clark and Graham Hill's Lotuses. Jim Clark went on to win the race and post the fastest lap after Graham Hill retired with engine problems after starting the race from pole position.

Race List = IGOR
Server = UKGPL_9
IP address = 37.157.48.87
Race date = Tuesday 15-07-2014
Time = 20:45 UK time (21:45 CET)
Qualifying time = 30 minutes
Race will start around 21:15, lasting approximately 65-70 minutes.
Track = Zandvoort
Race length = 45 Laps
Variant = 67 cars
Damage Model = Pro
Replays (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Replays/Archive/Season26/FunRaces/)


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

Good luck everybody, remember that the race is a long one and can't be won at the first corner, but let's have FUN!

It's a shame this race couldn't be held Sunday. I would have liked to have raced. Have fun guys.

There will be a server running this evening that can accommodate those averse to foot-the-ball. :)

Woohoo, my home track! Perhaps I'll go back to my roots and drive the Brabham  ;D . I spent many days as a twelve year old kid trying to get a hang of it, fighting off Rodriguez and Bonnier, lapping in the 1:28 range, untill something suddenly clicked and I went 3 or 4 seconds quicker :D . Perhaps it was the fact I was actually tall enough by then to see over the steering wheel properly ;D .

Found the newspaper of my first win against the AI. It's dated 8th of February 2005 ;D .

(http://s8.postimg.org/eofyw9bdx/GPL_gewonnen2.jpg)

Yay, Tommie for President!  You must brush up on that American accent. ;D

;D

Goodo, Tommie!  :)

I'm intending to make the race but it's a 50-50 deal at the moment.

I'm a little leery of the circuit to be honest.  The constant back & forth tires me rapidly.  Additionally, I find that, in going out for 4-5 laps in qualifying, the first several are throw-aways being well off the pace and then suddenly, I'll pop in a quick one(relatively speaking for me, that is)that is head and shoulders faster yet seemed no worse than the rest.  Curious place with that in mind.

We've had endurance races in the past, and at more unforgiving tracks than this, but it's the same for everyone and not everyone likes this place. I toyed with Silverstone or Zandvoort, and the dunes won out.

Rhythm is the key here, good rhythm gives good pace. :)

The key is to never compromise the exit and take the 'slow in, fast out' principle to the extreme. A lot of corners flow into others so if you don't get your lines right your lap times will suffer dramatically. Try taking your racing line extremely serious, even if it means lifting off or even braking, to keep the speed down so you can follow the racing line. And always aim for as late an apex as possible :) .

I looked at Tommie's newspaper for his first win, and I thought that is really pathetic.......that I still have mine too!!  ;D  It was such a big thing when it finally came to pass that I was quick enough.....

it also reminded me of a question I have been meaning to ask. This race post might not be the best place, but just in case....my new install of GPL on my new(ish) PC does not work properly for the end of a race vs AI. The newspaper comes up, but it doesn't spin smoothly - it stutters and stalls for a while, then gives up and just shows the newspaper. Which files do I need to replace to fix this (and where do I get them)?

Hope to see you all tonight

Arf

Hoping to make this but I am taking the girls to the circus in my local park and I may not be home in time.

Same newspaper behaviour here Colin,
seems to be the relict of the old GPL engine that had troubles with fast CPU's  ;D

Password for tonight is DuneBuggy for the late stragglers!!!

Went to place a new cupboard I'd bought to the wall, spent 2 hours doing that! Unfortunately too late to join... But it's up ;D .

Great connection Jethro - never seen the latency bar so low.

Same old s**t from me though.... amazed I was on the front row - I took the Ferrari purely because of the poor GPL Rank time I have versus other cars...quickly remebered why I couldn't drive the setup I have been using, and expected to be at the back. Made some good changes, and lapped reasonably well in the race...when I got there. All I did at end of qually was go in and up the fuel, came back out in time to see the green button disappear - that was weird. Engine temp was a constant concern, so not surprised, but disappointed when engine went on L19...

Arf

Apologies for the tight nature of the grid folks, some more work required on that front. The track.ini said it was 1x1, but it most certainly wasn't in the event... :(

Cool race, fun trying to keep with Andreas for a while, shame I popped the motor.
Thanks Jethro ;D

It's good to be back, even if I'm as rusty as Russian submarine.

For most of the race, I've tried to stay on track and keep Billy in safe distance behind me. But near the end of the race my GPL started to troll me with my connection(the "S" bar was jumping like crazy). This send me into the dunes and allowed Billy to overtake me. Few laps later I've managed to overtake him(sorry for rather rough pass Billy), but on the next lap I've went off at Tarzan and ended my race. I was sure that Billy managed to go around me, but by according to the results he didn't.
Sorry for that Billy.

Looks like we have another good solid server. Many thanks to Jethro ;D

The test might have been better if more drivers had    a) entered the race    and    b) survived a little longer, but from what I experienced it was rock solid.

It became quite a lonely race and just as I thought I might see some fellow human beings as I began to catch the tail end of the field , cars started dropping out and the field seemed to shrink as fast as I was catching them!!  I trust that these 2 facts are not linked??

I think that we just about managed a full podium at the end  ;)

No apology required. You were off track at Tarzan. I managed to have an accidemt all of my very own abour half a lap later - looking at Prib & trying to work out if Evil was going to lap me again. So Clive - yes - your consistently quick pace did (indirectly) contribute to my DNF. I can't, however, blame anyone for my dumb mistake.
The connection was excellent for me & always good to have an additional server available.
Good to be back behind the wheel again.

Nice to see you back

Yeah, was a Cool-one! When you where gone my concentration went somewhere and off the Track I was.  :o That cost me the place to Jethro, but he was faster then me anyway. So not a big thing.  ;)
All in all I enjoyed it very much!

So long
Andreas