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Season 30 Professionals Trophy – Round 7 – Castle Combe

Castle Combe Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Wiltshire, England, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from Bristol. The circuit is based on the perimeter track of a former World War II airfield, and was opened for racing in 1950. The Castle Combe airfield opened in May 1941 on land of the Castle Combe estate, owned by the Gorst family, operating as RAF Castle Combe for seven years before being decommissioned in 1948. It was a fighter-base for Polish airmen. Castle Combe Circuit opened in 1950, and the first meeting was staged on 8 July by the Bristol Motorcycle & Light Car Club. Over the next few years, the circuit attracted star names such as Stirling Moss, Mike Hawthorn, Roy Salvadori and John Surtees. The circuit's first motorcycle event was in 1952, organised by the Wessex Centre.

Castle Combe has staged many different motorsport disciplines over the years. In 1997, Nigel Greensall established a new lap record. His Tyrrell 022 lapped the circuit at 130.93 mph (210.71 km/h). However, this was the last year that the circuit would remain unaltered. A tragic accident involving the death of a spectator forced the owners into installing two new chicanes in order to slow the cars down. The new layout was slightly longer at 1.85 miles (2.98 km), and was completed over the winter of 1998-1999. Formula Three returned to Castle Combe in 2001. However, it would not stay long. In 2005, the circuit was issued with a noise nuisance order, which meant that the circuit had to reduce its noise level. The British Formula Three Championship and the British GT Championship were both louder than permitted, and so were prevented from returning.

Race List = iGOR
Server = UKGPL_8
IP = see iGOR
Race date = Tuesday 04-10-16
Time = 21:00 UK time (21:00 GMT/22:00CET)
Track = Castle Combe (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Tracks/ccombe_high/)
Race length = 48 laps (45-50 minutes)
Variant = 1965
60fps patch used = 60fpsV2newmod
Damage Model = Pro
Qualifying time = 30-45 minutes

Replays Available here: here (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Replays/Archive/Season30/Pros/)

Driver lists can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=550&theme=6)

Until the number of registered drivers exceeds grid capacity drivers may join the server as soon as it appears in IGOR. Drivers are required to complete 50% distance to score points. This Season we don't have a Red Zone. Moderating will be on reported incidents only. Please restrict chat to pit messages including at the end of the race until ALL drivers still racing have crossed the line.

Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Screen freeze passing thru Quarry on about Lap18-19.  In bouncing back to iGOR shortly after, I noted that only two players were still aboard the server with 1/2 the race to run.  A mass disco?  :(

I believe you and Clive discoed at the same time Doni  ???

Personally had a good race, but couldn't hold on to the lead, burning my left tires and making some mistakes...let Axel by since he is my teammate and was gaining on Tris...late race tried to challenge for P2, but the BT7 handicap was too much...

Grats Tris, and well done Axel :)

I wish that I could claim a disco, but the truth is that I was too busy looking in my mirrors for Roo's car, and missed my braking point for Tower Bend. It had been fun until then with a good start that got me up to 4th, then a pass on Dean and up to 3rd. Managed to close on Tris who was second and started to press for a possible passing opportunity, until he had a wobble at Camp and I had to take avoiding action. A spin and the quickest way off the track before other cars got involved, was through the pits!!! (the replay should be hilarious!!).
That put me behind Roo and Dean, after a few laps I was on Roo's tail but he put his car right where I wanted to go and defended his place brilliantly. Then Dean appeared to pull over and let us pass?? and the battle continued for a few laps until Roo ran slightly wide at Old Paddock bend. Not sure why you slowed so dramatically there Roo, but I was past him at last. But I could not see him in my mirrors and whilst trying to work out if he was on my inside blind spot I totally missed my braking point and tested the armco...the armco won!

Grats to tris axel and Rob and I hope Roo managed to get going and avoid my car.

it was great fun whilst it lasted............

I had a great race too :)
I noticed the server core ini settings & adjusted my settings accordingly & the connection seemed super smooth & solid, not a blink anywhere which I think was why Clive & I could run so close together for so long :D
They were great laps until I ran wide at Old Paddock & Clive got past. As I rejoined the track I had a bit of a tank slap which sent me to the outside of the track & forced me slow a little (is this what/when you mean, Clive?)
 
I knew Clive was inside & probably deserved the position so wasn't going to fight too hard but under braking for Tower he just seemed to slip off track. For a while I thought I had made some sort of contact & forced him off track but had felt nothing.

After that the race was pretty lonely & I needed to switch prib's laptime display on the check my pace as Dean seemed to be catching. Eventually I managed to stabilize the gap & managed to keep it pretty much on the black stuff to take 4th.

Grats podium, thnx admins & I hope this is the end of my connection woes...

Just over half way through the season, here's a little resumé.

Tristan is leading the way with podium finishes in every round, including 5 wins, giving him a commanding lead of 96pts.
He is the sole driver that has completed all race laps, has been on pole 5 times & set the fastest lap on 3 occasions.

5 other drivers have stood on the podium, only 1 on the top step. 4 other drivers have set fastest laps & 1 other has been on pole.

Robert's brave BT7 season sees him currently 3rd in the championship just 11 pts behind 2nd placed Axel.

Barring some Hamiton-esque reliability issues for Tristan he looks pretty comfortable, or will he do a Rosberg & choke ;)

More info in my championship spreadsheet (https://www.dropbox.com/s/rs55fso4uhlrhap/ukgpl%20s30%2065%27s.7z?dl=0)

Definitely no contact Roo, just a lapse of concentration on my part.

There was a comic moment as I switched my attention from my right hand mirror to look for the apex, only to realise that it was about 50 mtrs closer than it was supposed to be!!  A mild curse was uttered ( and heard by my wife who was watching TV downstairs  ::) ) as I struggled and failed to cling to the outside edge of the tarmac and stay on track.

For such a short circuit, Castle Coombe always generates some intense races, and just like Goodwood it is an ex WW2 airfield and maybe there is something about that similarity??.
Before they introduced the 2 modern chicanes and IMHO killed the flow, Castle Coombe was considered the fastest track in the UK.
 Just a little local info ( the track is only about 15miles from me ), but some of the Isle of Man TT teams use CC to prepare, as it's mixture of corners are considered the nearest to those they will encounter when they do the event on the I.O.M.. Rather ironic that such a short track feels the same as the mammoth Manx circuit on a motorbike??!!

not a easy race who start by a bad start and let the lead to Rob...whith full fuel, the few first laps I was just able to follow and not gained anything on Rob....some laps later, I saw Rob going very large on some exit curve, but it was not to see a nice flower in the grass....he got some problems !!....so I push more to be closer and put the pressure....till Rob 's spinn and let me leading the race.....whith Axel chasing me at 2-3s behind...my Lotus become better in the end whith less fuel and I can manage the gap till the final flag ....
Well done Axel and Rob, I had to push all along the race for this win :)
cu next one guys ;)

Mod report is up.

When you look at the final results, you can see the superiority of Dunlop tyres on GoodYear's .  ;)

 

Well spotted  ;D

Still would take the GoodYear's for granted if I had a better chassis/engine combo!  :angel: