SimRacing.org.uk

All members welcome.

Practice: 20:15 (10 mins)
Qualifying: 20:25 (25 mins)
Race: 20:50 (27 laps = ~40 mins)

Track: Thruxton (download here (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3358.msg81636#post_thruxton))


Cars allowed: Ac Cobra, Lotus Elan 26r and TVR Griffith 400.
Time of Day Setting: 12:00
Start: STANDING

Server: UKGTL Classics Cup
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 (https://www.simracing.org.uk/index.php?pid=7).
(3) Driver lists can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=187;theme=5)
(4) The season will be run using the UKGTL Skin Pack 1.6.5.0 which will need to be installed prior to racing; please get it from the downloads page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3358.msg54518#msg54518).

Cant find the track. ???

Sorry Dan...it will be up by tomorrow  :-[...glad you reminded me.

Christ you're keen Dan :)

I'd just like to say that I've raced on this track (desperate to ge that in) and it didn't feel half as bumpy as this version. Think the little Penelope Pitstop car might well ge its revenge on the Cobra here but I'll prolly die trying to stop that  :)

To avoid the problems we experienced at Oulton, for this race the server will be limited to 25 entries as garage space allows :'( We rarely exceed that number but get there early to avoid dissapointment.

The track is now available from the downloads page.

Thx Bob. ;)

I might make this one ;D. Straight out of the plane and into my seat :). Could be bad, jumping in the Cobra after 3 months of no action....racing action that is ;D.

Hrmm, I don't think the transition from flying 550mph to driving 150mph will be to tough :P

It will be if in one stage you're a passenger, and in the other the guy in control ;D. Or maybe I'll be a passenger in the Cobra as well :P.

I've just done a clean install of GTL (but copied over my profile from the old install). Really hoping to improve on my 25% success rate at entering the server for races.

Syd, hopefully the clean install will have fixed things but if not maybe we can find a workaround if I join the server after you. I usually join at about 20.00. I'll wait until 20.05 on Thursday. If you can try joining before that we'll see what happens when I join. If all is well maybe you could try dropping out and rejoining, just to check all is OK now. If it's not, i.e. you don't reappear within a minute, then I'll drop out to let you back in, before rejoining.

Maybe we  can arrange a testing session, just the two us, before race day? Just trying to join, in different orders, to see if I've cured my problems.

No problem mate. We can use the UKGTL practice server. Sometime tomorrow during the day? I'll be around until 4pm, or after 10pm, UK time. Name a time.

Perhaps around 2 pm uk time, just after motogp race?

OK. I'll keep watching the server from the lobby. As soon as I see you join, I'll try and join too.

I CANNOT get the hang of this damn track! I spend more time on the grass and upside down than I do on the damn grey stuff! I have a feeling Thruxton is going to join the very short list of tracks that I somehow NEVER LEARN. I know every corner and nuance of the Nordschleife but Thruxton is eluding me. ARGHH!

If this doesn't get you in the mood nothing will  ;D - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4CXVDTrfrc

Looks like they've got my Watkins setup.

Great vid Oily :) That looks terrifying, especially around Church, which about sums up the Cobra around here. Best of high 27's so far by the way. I can see why they raised the kerbs on the chicane ;)

Nice vid Oily  8) Chicane, what chicane?  ;)

I, just like you Spadowski, am struggling to get any of the three car choices round this track, let alone for a time. I did a 1:34 in the Elan once, my next best lap so far was miles off that! (Somebody get the violin out)

First class find Oily, loved the lean on those old Vauxhalls.  What I want to know is why for such a fast track no-one has smoothed out some of the bumps, it's madness in any of the cars!

Just in the 26s with the Cobra, but boy do you have to hang on.  ;D

The two fast corners are kinda blind, you have to throw the car in and hope you've turned in at the right time.  After a while you DO begin to spot the correct turn in.  Then you hit a bump....... :o  :surrender:

That was awesome. Gems like that are why I love YouTube. Any idea what it's from? I recognise Simon Taylor's voice. There's some awesome stuff in the related videos as well. Highly recommend the 1964 Cadwell Park video.


I've yet to make it around a lap without flying off the damn track. The problem is by the time I realise I'm in trouble it's already too late. Won't be getting much practice today either with GTR Evo out. Aston at the Nordschleife is calling.

I'm not sure what meeting that race was at but I attended the Easter Monday F2 meeting at Thruxton in 1972 or 73 when they ran a similar race with the standard 2.3 Firenzas, not the HS versions. I don't think one car completed the race without a dent in it & they auctioned the cars off after the race! I seem to remember that Henri Pescarolo won, but maybe wrong on that.

wow,fantstic vid oily, those were the days, not that i'm old enough lol, but i've had my fair share of the older cars like that.

never had the joy of owning a firenza though,i did have a shovit(chevette) HS with the same 2.3ltr engine and 5spd box,god that was a fun little car,bought a few shocks to people at traffic lights i can tell you.

memories, fantastic thing to have.

Dave

i'm getting all nostalgic now lol

where's me overalls

Hehehe thought guys you might appreciate that, Youtube is just an Aladdin's cave these days!

Before my time unfortunately but I have seen plenty of Gerry Marshall footage (one of my faves) and Baby Bertha was at Silverstone a few years back doing a demo run - absolutely insane.

(http://www.gerrymarshall.com/images/smallbbonthegrid.jpg)

Well up for a high speed blast now, funny how the track grows on ya! Gonna jump on later as I'm nowhere near the 26's that's for sure...

Calling all late nighters
Online praccy @ 10:30(ish) tonight, highest standards of gentlemanly conduct expected (not).

I'll be there tonight Tony to take everyone out with my lack of any sort of control in these cars on this circuit. I'm getting that deja-vu feeling from the 911's at Brands Hatch here. It's going to hurt.

will try to be there,can't get to grips with any of them round here
haven't driven this track for ages,well,TBH, the last time i drove it was on TOCA2 on ps2 lol

Count me in! :)
Have been determined to race in a Cobra for months and finally I have an opportunity.
Finding it so hard to be consistent though. 5 good'ish laps may be and then the usual spin etc etc. yawn yawn.
It's gonna be tough!

 ;)

You chaps both deserve the podium for those times alone!

I actually quite like the track but I feel like a complete noob with the Cobra in the braking zones, I don't ever remember it being THAT difficult to drive. Unless your setups completely change the handling my hat is well and truly off. I can't get anywhere near the limit braking no matter how straight the car is when I start, the bumps don't help but I'm clearly lacking whatever technique it is that gets it around a lap lol. Are you super soft on the brakes or something lads - I'm just curious!?

I'll post my setup later if it will help. No real secrets in there, but brake bias is a little more forward than other cars for me, say 57/43. If you're struggling in braking zones try using highest gearing which helps to settle the rear end for me. I learnt the track that way but I'm pretty sure lowest gearing is fastest even though it runs out on back straight.

This track appeals to as much as Dubai does to Steve.  :yawn:

This is a hard track to learn. I've not had problems learning a track like this in years. I usually learn stuff quick. For example in GTR Evolution I drove Curitiba for the first time and had the track memorized in about 5 laps. Thruxton I've done at least five times that and have yet to actually finish a lap without going off.

Frustrating.

Starting to get some consistency either side of 27 now, but mistakes cost dearly here where you need to keep up momentum.  It's going to be awesomely tiring work for 40 minutes.  :P

I've uploaded my Cobra setup to the online files for Thruxton if anyone wants to try it, it works for me.  Like Ginsters I'm on the high gearing, little more controlled and I think the Cobra has enough torque not to need redlining all the time.

                    This is the only way i can hit the apexes ;D

(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii60/oilyway/leanangle.jpg)

Finally got the circuit memorised. Slow as hell but I know where I am now.

Which of course makes it an almost certainty I will miss the race now.

I noticed tomight that the server was running with auto gears enabled and you automatically have it enabled.

We know...dont worry about it.  :)

Big Brother is watching you  :eek:

Just in case anybody missed it, this was announced after the Watkins Glen race

Standing starts are inherently dangerous but, even with the unusual and unfortunate events seen as Watkins Glen, there are steps we can all take to limit the damage. At first sign of trouble on the grid you must slow, by blending off the throttle and if unavoidable braking, thus giving yourself every opportunity to react. Here, the vast majority of the grid followed these common sense rules and should be commended. However one or two appeared to ignore them and simply carried on accelerating as normal with inevitable results. I say "appeared" because the replays only show the action and not any other circumstances that may be involved and therefore they have been given the benefit of the doubt this time.

With their undoubted popularity, we will continue with standing starts but only with certain provisos. No benefit of doubt will be given to those who do not appear, we will rely on replay evidence alone, to take all reasonable care in the future and the harshest possible penalties, within our rules, will be given out. 'Other circumstances' cannot be taken into consideration for future offences. We feel these steps are necessary and reasonable as such actions ruin hours of preparation and racing unnecessarily for others.

I'm sure there will be no repeat here :) That said, right from the off I feared this track might cause problems due to its massively high average speed. Its a test for all of us this one so lets be careful out there.

Yep I hear ya mate, the potential for disaster is high enough on your own let alone with a field full!

Cheers Steve/ Ian btw, will have a run out with those setups tonight just in case but I think it's probably a technique thing my end. The fast stuff is fine and lots of fun, but braking down for the chicanes I'm just permanently fighting tank slappers - I think it's those extra pies affecting my weight transfer.  :drool:

i think we should all keep it in 1st gear then,mind you,saying that,i can get just as out of shape in 1st as i can in top lol :o

Just don't try to brake really late Oily, early gradual braking seems best.  ;)

Oh and a warning to all Elan drivers out there (particularly if you've not tried the Cobra), there is a distinct possibility you may see Cobras (and possibly TVRs) taking very odd lines, be ready to take evasive, this isn't a ploy to keep you behind.  :D  In fact if you lock a wheel you can't correct the Cobra without a high risk of spinning.  You have to let the Cobra go where it wants and get the speed down before wrestling control back.  Here more than most tracks the Cobra is like a bucking bronco and likes to have its own way. Steering is little more than a suggestion to the car where it should go.  ;D

With all that in mind, the Cobra (& to an extent the TVR) would be an odd choice to drive  ???

I tried it (Cobra) & after starting about 30 separate laps I couldn't register a single laptime.

It's the challenge I think. Or just pure unadulterated masochism.  Delete as appropriate.

Occasionally you do actually get a clean lap. :)

Hi Guys!
I'm a Ukgpl driver, if it's possible i'd like to join your race tonite.....

Cheers

Lorenzo

Welcome Lorenzo,

No problem...be good to see ya there.

Looking forward to seeing you Lorenzo, make sure you've got the track & skin pack installed to avoid disappointment  :)

...and don't be too quick  ;)

Seriously, welcome aboard. Get there early gents as the server space is limited tonight and we might sell out.

Yes, As a reminder to all...

https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4995.msg85044#msg85044 (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4995.msg85044#msg85044)

First 25 people will get a place, the rest will have to watch from the sidelines I'm afraid.

(I will not be racing tonight....so thats one spot extra  ;))

I went out of my way to get home so I could make it, so I hope I don't wind up not getting on the server. That would be disappointing.

Well that was utter unspeakable caca, all from me.  Why do I insist on taking tricky cars when I'm knackered.

Never maximised a lap, was up by half a second twice in qually and always messed em up and then race was rubbish.  Fun dicing at times trying to recover but what kind of stupid errors am I making.  Very annoyed.  >:(

New found respect for the lady cars now. How on earth Mark and Bara avoided me, I was trying to be consistent, Ill never know. Great driving from you both, epic race :)

From where I sat standards were excellent again. I feared a bloodbath but all those finishers says a lot. Congrats to podium and I see JR's six months of solid pracci for this one paid off. Or is he always like that? ;)

I do want to apologize to who i hit. Again, i had some internet connection issues.
As you may notest, i was in server when it started, went out and only managed
to join 8 minutes till the end of qual, therefore wasnt abble to get a decent setup.
At start my connection did it again, and i am sure i hit one or two cars, despite
i lift off a bit, my throtlle. I even dont know who i hit, to them, i really apologize.
I believe my linksys modem needs to retire, as i´m having some dificultis to get internet,
sometimes only after trying for 1 hour.
Congrats to podium.
Cheers  

After about 3 hours of practice the best I managed was 3 laps without going off and spinning.

Then in the race I managed to not put a wheel wrong! Had a brief moment on the grass but aside from that I drove far better than I expected. And to cap it off on the last lap I set my personal best lap as Geoffers were bearing down on me. He was pushing me SO hard toward the end of the race and I could not let up as the gap was closing every lap and was down to less than 2 seconds near the end.

Amazing race!

Results and replay in

Great fun race that, unfortunately spoiled by 2 big 'offs', a bent car & a S/G! But had some good racing especially with Bara & Mr Oily in the opening few laps.

Congrats to Jeff, Dan & Bara

Cya next week

Geoffers

PS: Thought I would have you on the next lap Spadowski, forgot we were a lap down :laugh:

That's the only way to describe it!! Not being melodramatic in the slightest but that was a truly epic race from my seat!!

I'm gonna have to watch a full replay of that coz I can't remember half the things that happened :)

Suffice to say I'm well chuffed with pinching 3rd from Ginsters (and Mark) in 1 move on the last lap! Woohoo :D

Great driving from everyone under probably the trickiest circumstances that could be thrown at us, what with the speed and line differences between the Cobra and Elan... maximum respect to everyone!

Grats to Jeff (like he's never been away!) and Dan for the front positions... and me for making my car up that far when it felt like I was towing a caravan! I know its a British car but that is taking it too far SimBin :p

Sooooo glad my internet held out for this one - I would have been suicidal if it let go anywhere near half way onwards!

Good show all...

Not sure how Syd managed to quallify both 21st and 24th  ???....sure it will get sorted though  :laugh:

Now that was tough... Followed Jeff for the first 5  laps and had a funny moment at Church when Jeff went wide and i could have gone past but decided to do exactly the same thing. ::) :D  Went off at the entry to church a lap later and slipped to 3rd or 4th . Got back into 2nd but by this time Jeff was 15 secs down the road.
Sorry to who i hit in the Elan at church, was hanging on to the beast for dear life.

Grats to everyone on finishing a tough race on a tough circuit. ;)

Cheers

Championship is hotting up nicely. :)

It's been a frustrating weeks practice at Thruxton this week, but I'd made really good progress the last couple of days.  :)

It's seems a shame :( to write the rest of this as so many of you seemed to enjoy yourselves tonight:
I'm disappointed to yet again find myself in the middle of an early incident through no fault of my own that has damaged my car for the rest of the race making my breaking constantly unpredictable. I did have some good laps with some of you (I remember W/Tony particularly) & was even being held up a couple of times by the drivers lapping me :o till my backend would spin out AGAIN on my Elan & I'd be off AGAIN.  :censored:

I've finished way further down the pack then I believe I would have, had my car not been damaged.

I am left feeling very frustrated.  >:(

i am totally disappointed with myself ???

so sorry to anyone i caused grief to,but i just couldn't get to grips with the cobra tonight for some reason, maybe because i can't find my set-ups for it any where, and i left myself no time to sort it out again really, never mind.

so,pact with myself,d/l new tracks and get a set-up sorted before day of race lol

once again,sorry to anyone i caused grief.

Dave

Not sure on the proper format for this, I will post incident reports as well. one with more detail than this
quick pointer.
I believe the results are screwed because I got pushed onto the grass. At that point the game seemed
to lose me, and put me a lap down. In order of cars finishing I was 8th. Not 17th as shown.
Points for review in the server replay:

346.2 Dave Gardo gets a bit sideways and cuts across my nose/I slide out - we touch, he goes across
the grass and regains track.
412.8  12th=Spanner, 13th=Matt_rowe (Me), 14th Dave Gardo, as he waits for me, having nudged me off, 15th True Tom
417.014 game puts me a lap down, and Dave Gardo is shown in 13th.
420.0 TrueTom passes Dave who is ambling along waiting for me to get going. I am still really in 13th.
436 TT passes me so I am now in 14th
647.4 TT on grass, I pass for 13th
Loads more in report to moderators.

Othewise, I had the first proper race so far, had some fun chasing Spanner for some laps, got flashed by
Oily as he wanted to repass me after he'd gone off in chicane, and thought he was lapping me! (1408.8)
Ribeiro catches me, but I manage to stay in front on last lap for 8th.

Matt.

I've put you back onto the lead lap in the results which does indeed put you 8th.

What to say.

Had some problems again after the start where someone spun and I couldn't avoid him anymore and spun myself.
Then at the end of lap 1 someone had problems and ended up in the middle of the chicane before start/finish. Unfortunately I hit him .

After that it was a clean race and had spadowski between 2-4 secs in front of me. In the final 2 laps Geoffers blasted past me adn had to settle for 15th place....

Have to agree with Legzy!
Another potentially fun race spoilt before turn 1 ! ( pribeiro, think I was the second car you hit as a result of your first incident! )
Will review the replay etc. bit frustrated at the time!
Rejoined in last place and then spent the next few laps catching and passing all those that were behind me on the grid originally.
Car was not damaged luckily. Other than that I was a bit bored!?

These are supposed to be sprint races but I have to say, particularly when we have difficult cars to race, that I always end up driving consistently slower than I know I'm capable of just so I get to the end of the race. It's been a while since I raced bumper to bumper with anyone and it's getting dull.
Bring back Wiltshire Tony at Orleton Park, that was class.

 :(

Got myself a disco after 3 laps  :-\

Took my 10 - 20 secends to release the old gremlins are surfacing again  :(

Apologies if I got in anybody's way at the first chicane.. :angel:

The GTL Godz are not with my these last coulpe of races :dots:

Oh, I do had a spectacular view of the first lap incident. Lots of smoke and debris... after heavy braking I managed only to just miss my teammate  ;)

Lol sorry Legzy, not sure what happened with the position label but I was convinced you were a lap down...just presumed you'd spun but were running a good pace still!

Despite some good close racing I'm gutted not to have come away with more there. Felt really comfortable with the track, got a nice pb qually time in to clinch fifth but it wasn't to be. Instead it was a tale of impatience, misplaced confidence and the last flippin chicane!

Got off the line pretty poorly but was still in the mix, only to see a rocket fueled Bara go zooming down the inside at T1 with PR in toe. Can't quite recall how it happened but I think I got the place back on him shortly after only to start a side by side battle beginning with the him pulling the classic Thruxton first chicane move on me! Around the outside at the right hander, then side by side at the left, all the way up the hill to Noble and finally ending with me closing the door with not a waffer thin mint's gap to spare at Goodwood.

Had a good battle with Ade at some point and I think I nearly ran into the back of him/ somebody who got a slower exit from the last chicane - that gave Lorenzo an easy run on me into T1 with the grunt from the Cobra. Bad driving on my part meant I didn't give him quite enough room (apologies), touched rear wheels as he went through and launched the start sequence for one of those crazy flights you can only do in a driving sim. A triple backflip barrel roll with a tuck and land lol.

I knew that last chicane would cause me more problems but it wasn't enough to deter me from sticking one up the inside on PR. Unfortunately it was a tad too much up the inside and having got two wheels on the grass, couldn't scrub off any speed at all leaving me in a long suspended animation slide, missing the apex by a mile. Like a pratt I thought I might get away with firing it through the yellow ad boards backwards but I hadn't noticed the concrete blocks in among them which halted progress somewhat.

Was in about 10th by the time I'd sorted myself out and it was half race distance. Not deterred I went about driving 11 or so qually laps but thanks to the earlier off at the chicane, running wide at Church saw me collect a second warning and a stop/go. I seem to be a like a magnet for stop/go's and sure enough, another moment at the last chicane saw me with my second of the race on the last lap. Fearing a DQ I took it and lost a load more places.

A fantastic challenge and a truly addictive track I'd like to do again but a but of an anti-climax this time around.

Fair play again to you Cobra lads, you definitely deserve those places and unlucky Steve, clearly had some pace too - JR, well I don't want to give you a big head so...yes...wasn't bad I spose lol  :whistling:

Cheers Prodigy people/ da management.  ;D

Thanks Mr Gizmo

I think I understand what happened now.
It seems the game only registers a car if it's on the grey bit when it crosses the line
and as I was sent off across the grass just before the start/finish, and crossed it
sliding along the rails, it didn't see me.

Another thing, did everyone have daft fuel comsumption readings in the garage?
Mine said a full tank would only do 21 laps, and having done a few, it seems
that actually it would do 3 or 4 times that.

Yes, and I was prudently taking the full load with me.  ;D

GTL always overestimates how much fuel you use per lap, but some tracks (i.e. Thruxton) fuel usage figures are more out then others.
If you use the program GTLPD at the same time it will tell you exactly how much fuel you're using so you can calculate how much fuel you need for the race  :)
I'd tell you where to find GTLPD but I can't remember where i found it.

 ::) When you came up behind me you were shown in about 20th which was why I wasnt paying too much attention to you behind me ;) and wasnt too bother when you went by. If i'd have known it was for position i might have concentrated a bit more ???