SimRacing.org.uk

Endurance Championship Division 2 - Season 1, Round 1 at Barcelona

Date: Sunday 24th July

Practice 1: 8:30pm (30 mins)
Qual 2: 9:00pm (30 mins)
Warmup: 9:30pm (2 mins)
Race: 9:32pm (60 mins)

Cars allowed: Any. (Seat Toledo, Lotus Elise, BMW Z3M and Porsche GT3 Cup will not be eligable for points.)
Weather: Random.

Notes:
(1) Please try to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to qualifying, during Practice 1.
(2) Server Password has been emailed to those registered racers for each championship. Please contact a member of the admin team to get the password if you are registered and have forgotten or not received the password. It will not be given out in the GTR chatroom as that is a public place. The password wont change for the season unless there are security concerns.
(3) See  UKGTR Season 1 Info (http://www.ukgtr.org/series.php?series=103) for general Season 1 info.
(4) Please make sure you are fully aware of the UKGTR Rules (http://www.ukgtr.org/rules.php)

The last of the series to get going - but at least that gives me plenty of time to get some proper practice in.

Really looking forward to it and meeting you all on track - and racing at last with my Team Shark buddies!!

Cheers

Nick

C u there mates  ;)

LET'S GO!!!

A silly question maybe. For Endurance Championship it says that each division will have a relatively even split of GT and N-GT cars. How will this be achieved if we don't know how many drivers will show up with GT car and how many with NGT. I know I'm driving NGT but I might be one of the few. Hope you understand my question.

c u there o.O

A good point matjaz. For the record I will be driving lister which might make me a little lonely as most appear to be driving n-gt.
Anyways, looking forward to racing you all. 

i will be in the modena as usual  ;)


maybe the moderator can attach a poll to see the spread of the pack?

Answered in another thread (please don't post the same thing twice!):

Oops sorry Dave. Perhaps that sort of sharp thinking is the reason i'm in division two ;).

Dave,
       Is there any reserve system on the endurance races. When we were first asked what championships we'd like to be in I didn't feel that comfortable running a long race, but now having done a fair bit of online track time quite fancy it in the GT3RS  ;D

If it's too late no problem, but I'm home alone on the 24th so would love the chance to race.

Yes, there are reserves shown in the driver allocations thread (still a few full time spots available) and the joining procedure is the same as for Sprint Cup races.

Well clearly I'm crap on the sprint races, so maybe my forte lays in endurance racing, we shall see  :)

I'm beginning to wish I'd gone in for the sprint series, this first race seems to have taken ages to get here!  Looking forward to it though  :)

If all the spots aren't taken come race time, is is ok for a div 1 competitor to take part in this race as a reserve?

I was thinking this, but if me, and you, and a few other of the D1 people come over and race as reserves in D2, well we'll probably easy take quite a few of the top places, if we often run as reserves in D2 then the D1 people would probably win D2.

I'm like you tho, I see a race and want to race... It's hardly very fair though, perhaps we'd be made to compete in an Elise or something might do the trick!

Fozzmeister

If Div1 one guys were to run in Div 2 it would be nice to see them run NGT, so those of us only running once get a chance in GT.

Just a thought, and also would beef out the NGT class by the look of it

How about this??

If Div1 guys could fill out a Div2 race (and vice-versa come to think of it) why don't they all drive the Porsche Cup cars?  They won't score points, helps the NGT field a bit and since they are slower, shouldn't interfere with the main race.  They can also have some fun amongst themselves :D

I'm not usually one to race outside of my division as I don't want to potentially spoil a race for others.  This does seem like a way of guaranteeing that those drivers would be kept out of the way, they should be very easy for anyone to lap in a straight line too.

Yeh something like that, It'd be nice if we had a non-porsche choice too, but i have drove the car you describe to offer a alternative. If I race, I don't want a chance of taking (or battling) for the lead in my class.

If the Div 1 guys are coming in to fill the places, I think it's a good move for them to drive non-scoring cars.

There could be guys intending to run NGT in Div 2 who would be severely disadvantaged if not.

Pops.

Yep that seems more than fair to the regular Div 2 drivers

At present. You can't compete in any Endurance and be Reserve too as that style of registration was impossible.

It would very much like to race, but without an official word I won't be racing. I'm going to assume its meant to be this way without word Shark, Dave or Paul968 etc.

Fozzmeister

why do div1 people need to do a race they did last week? :-|

The love of a race:)  racing is in the blood! the turn out for div 1 last week was a tad disappointing, if the numbers are low for div 2 I'd race if allowed :|

Same here.
Don.

can't stop.... gotta drive fast..... need to drive..... cant help it......

but i realise that me racing would likely take one of the top 5 slots or so, and that certainly isn't fair. I probably only just squeacked into div 1

thats the point of divisions after all. certainly if the really quick guys start racing in D2 that'd ruin it all as they would easily win

Fozzmeister

Yep, agree with this 100%

And yeah, it's just the love of racing :)  IF this is made possible, there is no reason why Div 2 runners could not fill the Div1 race in non-scoring cars (eg. Porsche Cup) works both ways.

Anyway, over to the Admins for the yes/no to this. :)

It did cross my mind but I didn't realise the divisions were divided into div2 fast, div1 faster, thought it was drawn random.  I shouldn't be in div one if it's based on speed!  ;D I'll be getting relgated this year then or maybe stay up in a play off :)

Me too probably. But certainly the quick guys in D1 would easily win D2 races, maybe me being a very low runner in D1 might not effect it so much, but I am in D1, and it's going to be best if D1 as a group stay out of go in the D2 races, unless there's an official word giving us a very severe penalty in time/car/whatever in running in D2.

Certainly if I were in D2 and all the D1 guys started taking away all the points etc I would be very upset.

I may well setup a server or something later on and have a blast. It'll only be capable of 7ish, but that GT Sprint we did on Smoothy's was one of the best races I've ever had, if anybody wants to join me, or setup an alternative server, feel free.

Fozzmeister

Edited coz im a dozy bastard who has trouble writing

Maybe the Div1 drivers could enter the race (if there are any slots left) at the start of Q2?

That way, all the full-time and reserve drivers get their slots, than the Div1 guys can join in non-scoring cars?

Just an idea...

Pops.

It'll be interesting to be able to compare the two divisions after a few rounds to see how much slower we all are!  :P ::) ;)

I can invisage there being a smaller gap as the season goes on as people get used to racing online and get more practice in.  I'd be a bit miffed if D1 guys came in using cars that would (probably) take points off us, but I'd rather you guys raced than there being spaces spare on the grid.

I was hoping before the season started that the Endurance championships would run on the same night at the same time every week, rather than being alternate, but presumeably hosting both on one server proved problematic?

Yes, we would have done this, if it werent for the GTR server problems.
Picnic spent quite a while trying to get this to work but eventually conceeding that despite Simbins claims, running multiple servers is problematic especially in a league environment where replays and exports are needed.

I'm just glad we've got a server and admins who give time to make the league work, given how buggy the game is online it must be v. frustrating work!

Yep, i would rather see you premiership prima donas racing rather than a small grid ;D

Will have a go in ngt.gerald

Looks like I should be able to have a punt tonight!

If I can get a reserve slot, I'll be driving NGT.

Pops.

I'll be there

Well Bloody Great!!! Excuse my French but what a crap race I didnt have.
First during practice 1FPS, then I get a Power Cut(okay can't blame Simbin for that one), get back in and then I Crash to desktop and cant get back in, just keep CTD'ing.
Think Im on the point of giving up with GTR :( >:( ??? :-\ :'(

Well, I had loads of problems,  I managed to start in 8th and I think I messed up the starting procedure so sorry to anyone I pissed off, I'll be checking the rules before the next race (my first time) was in 6th by the 1st corner, all was going well until I spun.

After that, handling went pants, had 2 punctures and a stop/go then my bloody wife tapped me on the shoulder and I crashed again.

After that I decided to leave.

Looking forward to the next event and hoping to actually finish it this time.

Taz

Really sorry if that affected anyone, got the 1fps bug about 30Min's in(tried to quit out as fast as I could). First time I've had that in months.
Don

I reckon I have to be the worst wet weather driver in rain compared to dry, just absolutely dire, i can't seem to tell when im locked or not, when its going to grip in a corner or not, how to unlock the wheels when they are. about the only think i can do is get the power down without spinning. even then i think im slow coz the back end is wobbling all over the place.   :'(

I hate rain.

Fozzmeister

i hate the rain too.....then i was amazed to be p2 for the start.great start leaving p3 behind by a good margin, then about lap 3 i found myself leading.....settled in to a good safe rythmn with some in reserve and to  try to maintain the gap to 2nd, which was going great till i ran a little wide on the exit of the last turn about 12 laps in.got stuck on the kerb and eventually got free only yo find myself well down the order.started chasing and i chased too hard and bust the splitter...damn..then i just fell to pieces..should have stayed in the hunt but i was so pissed off at myself that i got in a right state and ended the fury i had at myself by quitting out....i asked my wife to beat me severly, but she refused....so i'm off to the shed to beat myself up :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( ;D

great to be racing for real now though
looking forward to magny cours

Wow that was tiring - span off a few times and whacked a BMW who seemed to be having game issues - but managed to get home fourth and closing in fast on third.

First time I have driven in the wet in GTR so well pleased to finish and to finish in the points.

Good fun !!!

Thanks for a great race guys. First ever podium position, two weeks worth of practice paid off, although none of it had been in the wet. Quickly modified my dry race set up before the start, seemed to work reasonably well. Full fuel load thinking of going flag to flag without a pitstop, but chickened out about three quarter of the way through and pitted. Looking at fuel left at the end probably didn't need to have done, doubt it would have made much difference to my finishing position.

What happened at the start? Everybody started to accelerate and then brake lights everywhere, managed to avoid rear-ending the lambo but got hit by the following saleen. From 10th on the grid to second from last before the race even started, still makes the result all the sweeter.

Pity I can't make the next race, away on hols.

Thanks to the back markers for making it easy. Big apology to popabawa for the spin and subsequent contact on the last lap. Didn't want to lose that podium poition, hope it didn't lose you a place, once again apologies.

Knackering concentrating for that long in a wet race, need a cold shower now to cool down. Don't know how the guys do it for real - hats off to them.

Andy Short

That's the second time on GTR I've raced in the wet (despite always racing on 'random') and I've learnt the hard way not to try and use soft wets for the race!  I had to pit around lap 8 because the rear end was all over the place (after spinning at least twice anyway), put on hard wets then ran through till the end.  Checked pressures when I was in the garage and they were all around 15kPa under optimum (why can't you change pressures in a stop, or can you?).

Managed to salvage 5th but after braking into the 1.38s in the dry I was gutted to see a wet race!  ::)

That was fun! My best race ever, made a couple of very small mistakes but otherwise didn't leave the track of my own accord.

I think rain suits me, nice and careful  ;)

Sucked big-time in Quals, ended up in 18th.

BIG smash on the start/finish after the parade lap, dunno what happened there?

Had a nice tussle with Dave Gymer for a while, feeling very pleased with myself in (I think) 8th after 30 mins when I came in to pit, took another 10 mins to realise that Shark & Dave (and others) weren't going to pit - DOH!

Picked up places after spins etc. for 20min, rather lonely really, chased whoever was in 8th for a while then decided not to screw it up and coasted in for 9th which I was very pleased with  ;D Maybe even a NGT podium once the non-scorers are taken out!

Pity there weren't a few more finishers but I appraciate there were CTD's / 1FPS's again. I feel for you guys.


And after I so carefully slowed for you...  ;) Nah, no prob, I had a massive gap each way so no harm done  :)

Pops.

Well I came in as a reserve in the 360. Absolutely amazed to qualify 14th  :)

Got up into 11th at one point with 20 still in the race, then a couple pushes too hard later I start dropping down the field and have chase to get back up again. Finally came in 11th or 12th, but do feel a little disappointed with this on 2 counts, 1, could have and should have done much better. 2, it is a little demotivating when you have fought hard to climb the field to see that most of the drivers behind you have left the race for one reason or another, sort of takes the shine off it  :(

That was great fun.

As i run with plenty with wing, felt pretty comfortable with my setup even though it was first race in wet.
Decided on safety first strategy. Worked out great when simon67, who i wasn't really catching, stumbled
and gifted me lead. Started to build 30 sec lead before pits stop. Exited in 2nd and relaxed thinking (like a noobie)
that everbody had to stop. Wrong. After five or six laps I finally twigged and realized Matj was not stopping. Tried
to push and was catching him but nowhere near fast enough. Well done m8.

No real surprise but, for me, everyone drove impeccably in tricky conditions.  

A very enjoyable race as a Div 1 place filler in the BMW. Love the wet, so much fun sliding around and actually much less stressful than dry where you're constantly on the edge.

Did a no-stopper as the BMW had fuel to get to end and another 30 mins probably although tyres were shagged at the end and especially after seeing if I could do some powerslides and failing like a right plonker.

If you get a CTD always re-run the GTR 3D Config as that it usually a culprit for post-CTD CTDs (if that makes sense).

i'm still crying and i'm black and blue all over.
still mad at myself though ;D

CTD :'-(

ah well next time :-S

Server replay and exports available here...
http://replay.ukgtr.org/Barcelona%20Endurance%20D2%20240705.zip

Yes that was very fun race and quite tough for me as well. My tyres were completely gone for the last 10 laps so I was really struggling with my F360 but in the end still managed to finish first even ahead of all the GT's which was a bit of surprise for me. I expected some of the GT guys to choose the same tactic as me and not stoping at all so I guess my tactic gave me the win today. Great race,thumbs up for the backmarkers as well.

That was a nice race. Also the first one I completed in the championship without getting 1fps.

Surprised to start in first place. Then I screwed up at the last corner when I went on the throttle too early there. I lost my nose in the contact with the wall so I had to go all the way around the track to the pits to get a new one. To make matters worse I got a puncture so I had to drive even slower.

I ended up last place after my pitstop (edit: took only 1,5 minutes to change the nose, but it seemed like ages ) When I finally got back on the track I managed to make up a few places. Got to 12th place when my car started sliding all over the place. Took the wrong tires I think. Then I made my final pitstop and things went well from there, finishing 10th.

Learned alot from this one. Hope there will be more wet races, I like them  :)


Could it have something to do with the fact that my ping is slighly higher than the ping from the drivers in the UK ? (I live in the Netherlands) . I can't think of anything else really  :-\ .

Ermmm not exactly, but I'm sure I can find it. And thanks
actually i'm away on holiday now until end august so may have time to get my patience ( was a very apt choice of password) back by then.

Help a noobie out here, would that have been possible? My soft wets still felt pretty good when I
pitted but is this only possible in wet conditions? I know I should spend more time rehearsing but
fun race tomorrow looks a better bet than practicing on my lonesome.

I was tempted to try and run on hard wets with a full tank (in the F550) but I wasn't sure it'd make it fuel-wise (was only good enough for 55 mins, but in reality it would've been close)

Filled the Lambo but only had fuel for 45 minutes so did a 40 - 20 split.

I ran straight through in the 360 on soft wets, though they did get a bit iffy towards the end

Dont know really. That was my first wet race as well so I took hard wet rear and soft wet front but they were pretty much gone after 40 minutes or maybe they were just to cold (60 - 70 C) so I struggled especially accelerating out of the corners. Luckily braking and entering the corner was still pretty good so I guess there was still some life in the tyres.

Results are up here:

http://www.ukgtr.org/lm2-report.php?group=10102&event=6

The max fuel load on the Viper is ony 55mins at Barcelona, but in the wet, I went right through with quite a bit of fuel to spare at the end, so I wouldn;t be surprised to find that most GT's could do a non-stop 1hr wet race.  Soft wets won't last it though :)

I don't imagine soft wets will last very long in the dry.   :o

Soft dry tires can last for an hour depending on car and care. I did 45 at magny in dry (fun race) with no problems, I think I could have easily gone for 1hr. Also at Barcelona I was doing 1hr practice runs but that was touch and go.

You _really_ need a planted setup tho, and probably more rear wing that you would usually run.

Fozzmeyster

What do you lot mean by hard and soft wets? there are intermediates, normal wets and monsoons, and they differ mostly in tread, not compound.

The tyre options I get in the game are as follows

Soft Dry
Medium Dry
Hard Dry
Intermediate
Hard Wet
Soft Wet

Taz

That's cause you are running the German version with english translation Gizmo. They are not named the same in the full english version.

Lol that explains alot, I was getting very confused reading other posts about wets and refering to monsoons

Couple of other observations from last night;

There was some low-level chat during Q's and the race, it wasn't a big deal but I find it really offputting and it is against the rules. Sorry to be picky about that.

There was some patient and super-courteous driving from the GT drivers (from an overtaking my NGT perspective) ;D Brilliant stuff.

Pops.

I think that worked both ways. Knowing you would let us through when you could made it easy to be patient.
It also made it very predictable. 

Only one minor gripe. One or two, in their haste to let us through, tended to jump to one side and proved far less predictable (in fact it frightened the crap out of me). Simply sticking to normal line makes it far easier to overtake in safe manner. 

Yeah, you're not wrong. I think in future I'm just going to turn chat off as I've yet to see a useful message, even PI/PO (and especially not "Bob McBob: WARNING! Bob McBob exiting pits now so stay out of the way or else!!!" or equivalent instead of "pit out" ::) ) and I suggest everyone do the same. Then spectators (ie. those who've crashed out) can chat amongst themselves and the rest of us can concentrate on racing. ;)

Lmao @ the bob stuff, I noticed that too. Chatting annoys me too, I never use any pit messages. Maybe on some tracks the' pit in' is usefull, because that driver will have to slam on the brakes to enter, else I don't see the point.
The chatting of spectators I'm not sure about, because I sometimes even hear 'clicking sounds' of people chatting in the lobby, which is really distracting.

As for the overtaking yesterday, I just waited for the right spot and then had to drop of the gas a little as well, lol, to let GT's pass by, because the Bi-T has some awesome grip out of the corners. Went smooth almost all the time really. Only a couple of 550's managed to really out-accelerate me in the wet, hehe.

T

just a quick hello from a newbie  -  this was my first online race ever and I really enjoyed it although couldn't keep my focus for the full hour in the wet.
Need some more practice and setup work.
Qualified in 6th to my amazement but it all went downhill from there, maybe due to tyre choice of 'hard wets'?

anyway hope I didn't get in the way too much..

Mo.

thanks all enjoyable race, had a poor qual but ran well in the race running 10 in a ngt car untill 1fps bug struck with 20 mins to go.

Hi All I know I am not that great online but I did race for real. Intermeadiates are usually just a cut slick and no a full wet at all . I had no idea what tyres to run strategy or anything but really enjoyed it as the old puter only blanked once insted of every corner.bye for now gerald. ps there are some ramblings and pics of me at www.geraldwgonline.com

Hi

And i Suffered 1 fps bug

Bugger, hope it did not affect anybody