SimRacing.org.uk

Practice 1:	19:40	(5 mins)	note the early start time
Qual 2:	19:45	(15 mins)
Race:	20:00	(130 mins)	note: no warmup!

Cars allowed: any GT1 or GT2 from the UKGTR Car Pack v2.8.5.0 (download from here (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3356.msg54519#msg54519))
Weather: changeable, based on real-world conditions at the start of the event.
Track: UKGTR Spa 2004 (download from here (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3356.msg54519#msg54519) as part of the UKGTR Track Pack v1.2)
Race Start Time: 16:00
Pit Stops: You must make a minimum of two pit stops during which you must take on at least 1 litre of fuel or change your tyres. You cannot take a mandatory stop at the end of the pace lap, or with less than 1 lap to go.

Server: UKGTR Upper Endurance
Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Notes:
(1) Please make sure you are fully aware of the UKGTR Rules (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3349.0) - especially the speed limiter starting procedure and the rules about in-game chat messages.
(2) Standings and schedule can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=182;theme=3)
(3) You will not be able to join the server without the skin and ballast pack and track pack (see links above).
(4) Drivers may only change car once in the season without penalty.
(5) Drivers are reminded that they must select ISDN as their bandwidth, otherwise the stability of everyone's connection will be reduced.
(6) Please use the Driver Details (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=profile;sa=driver_info) page to ensure that the league management software has your correct GTR2 'Driving Name' (not necessarily the same as your lobby name).

130 minutes at Spa, how cool can that be! (I hope I can finally finish a superendurance race lol)

Into the evening too - I've done an accelerated time check here and it's terribly picturesque. 8)

nice one Dave, i've run offline races here using the evening/night lighting effects and it does look amazing.

Jeebers, 130 minutes plus qually, i better tell the missus i am 'out' that night  :-X ...i'll leave a cunning rope ladder hanging from the window so i can sneak back in and race  ;)

As Bob has just pointed out, the original announcement was wrong - you need to do two pit stops, not just one.

The old lady is working a 12 hour shift this sunday, I should be able to make it in the M3 for this one. WOOT WOOT

Oh man.....a 2 hr endurance @ 4:30pm on R2P....then a 2hr 10 endurance here at 7:30pm  :-\

A youngster like you should have no problem going for 5 or 6 hours. ;) :laugh:

That leaves LOADS of time for praccy inbetween  ;)

You mean a load of rubbish ;)

I hope to be fit for this, but I'm now sporting stiches in my right knee after an accident at work today, not sure it will stand 130 minutes, but I'll give it a try.

Wow, 130mins at Spa, you guys are spoiling us!?

Love it, love it, love it!   ;D ;D ;D

Hm, is Spa gonna be dry? The server being set to dry, and all...  ;)

Restarted with current weather, however it was set to changeable before I just hadn't updated the News Status

Thanks.  :)

Not sure if I will be able to race tonight as I have plans but thought I would stick a little practice in just incase.

I tried my old Lambo and it felt great. Instantly in 2.10s for quali and low 2.12 with race set up.

However I've just noticed I did attend one of these races and went with the Vette. Back to the drawing board now

Was looking forward to this but i've been feeling pretty horrible this weekend, was hardly able to walk up the stairs yesterday so I wont run tonight. 130mins is just too long.

I have a couple of visitors this evening and we're all hoping for a Ryder Cup miracle. Might have got away with a 40 minute race but not 130 mins. Will show them the GTR2 Top gear track with the reasonably priced car if we require a golf break later.

Good luck to all.

p.s. Congrats to Purdie on the real-life Silverstone success!  ;D

damn pc froze.  >:(

The start was a bit iffy as I pressed the pit status instead of limiter, I'll get the hang of it soon  ::) (apologies to Dave and others behind.)
 I was looking forward to seeing how it turned out too with me and Dave as I was slightly faster but ended up behind after putting a wheel in the sand.
I started with 100l so may have helped me a lot but we'll never know.

Looks like it's time for a new GPU anyhow, sick of it running so hot and now theres been a couple of blue screens relating to GFX it's time to bin it.

Bit of a horror show from me :-[ Some awful driving. Think I need to do a fair bit offline before entering again TBH. Went out in a blaze of glory at Eau Rouge. Hope you all had a good race anyhow.

Jon

I think Eau Rouge hates me.

Managed to loose it twice just coming out of the pits  :helpsmilie:  the first time I ran into the path of a GT car as the car tried to get sideways and got some suspension damage, didn't realise until the next time I came up Eau Rouge and couldn't steer right to save my life, I even got a stop go for my troubles.   :cursing:  So 3 pit-stops in 3 laps later I settled into a rythm squarely last and got on with it. Then on my final stop coming out the pits car just jerks off to the left and into the wall. Game over.

Tonight was my first run in the GTC and the way its grown on me is the only positive from a very poor nights driving.

Totally enjoyable terrible race  :-\

No pace...No Consistency...and NO Fuel for half the last lap.  ::)

Looked like some good battles up front though.

Grats to podies.

wow!

Longest race I had done till this one was 90 min, so this was new for me, and I really felt mentally exhausted at the 3rd stint ;D

A shame that I joined too late for a qualifying lap and had to start last when seeing the quali laptimes I might have been on pole.. so started to comeback from the very beginning and was up to 5th before the 1st pitstop. Truetom and I leapfrogged Mike Hammer and Gazza so we were 2nd and 3rd. And what a hot battle during the whole 2nd stint! I was attacking hard all the time but TT showed me tonight that he is impossible to overtake ;D well done mate, 20 laps looking at the mirrors is hard.

Luckily I leapfrogged him at the 2nd pitstop and was only behind FreQ. I tried to push hard to see if the 40 sec gap remained. And it quite did remain, only 3 or 4 seconds that I lost during that stint so happy with my pace.

Well done FreQ and rest of podiums :)

That was a lonely but enjoyable race tonight.  :)

Real sense of achievement that I finished.

Settled into P8 early on and continued there for most of the race with a large gap behind and in front. Finished P7 after Pseudo ran out of fuel.

Replay and provisional results posted

LapChart (http://www.granum.plus.com/20080921%20U8UE/index.html)

Phew. Finally over. That 130min is tough, especially if you've done an hour or more parctice just before hand. Note to self: Practice on saturday, k?  :P


Got a decent qually and third spot. First lap and Jon is off at the top of the hill. If I spooked you being a bit hot into the turn, causing you to take evasive action to the outside curbing, I'm sorry. I think it was within limits still, doubt there would have been contact.

After that it was a bit of a cruise for a while. No chance to keep up with FreQ, and Gazza slowly falling behind. Half a lap after I can't see Gazza in my mirror anymore, so I naturally loose focus, quickly bringing him back as a wakeup call  :D

A GT2 goes wide in the Eau Rouge uphill left, I try to avoid him when he comes back, but he comes all the way across the track, squeezing me in between the railing and his car. Car is a bit understeery but nothing too bad.

Once the tires start to go, I have a hard time keeping Gazza at arms length. When I press the pit key, the guy tells me "better come in, you've got some aero damage" ( at least I think that's what he said), but the pit light doesn't come on.

On the following lap I spin it at the first right at the top of the hill, and Gazza spins too while trying to avoid me. Sorry about that.

Second stint I'm alone pretty much, chasing Gazza but loosing plenty of time/gap to lappers. I catch Allnut just before Eau Rouge twice, the first time I try to squeeze by side by side, costing me two seconds, and Peter a cut track possibly? Second time I coast part of the downhill, keeping my distance, then going full speed through Eau, this method only costing me one sec, should have done that the first time as well.

On the third stint TT come out of the pits just a little too early, just early enough that I can't pass before the end of the straight, aaagh. I chase him with less then a second of gap for most of the final stint. When he gets away, a lapper brings him back  :laugh:. What I lost to Gazza, I gain with Tom.

But even though I'm right on his tail I don't really have a chance to attempt a pass. Only place I had enough of an advantage is at the top of the hill into the first righthander, but sadly I'm unable to find the room I would have needed.

We catch Gazza towards the end, TT gets past, but some defensive driving by Gazza keeps me behind. The final laps I struggle to keep in touch, slipping and sliding with fairly worn tires.

All in all an enjoyable, if *very* exhausting race. The third stint made up for the less eventful 1st and 2nd. A bit disappointed I couldn't, hmm, 'capitalize' on the qually position, but, should have expected it. Endurance remains a challenge for me, just getting to the finish line, I mean  :D


Heh, a short novel again, gotta learn to be brief one of these days.  :P

Very difficult race :sweatdrop:

In the end I was glad to get to the end without too much damage and no stop-go for corner cutting. I must have achieved the highest number of pitstops in UKGTR history at the SE of Spa last seasson, mainly due to cutting Eau Rouge after too much time on the public servers.

Sorry to RM whom I caused a little trouble at one point :-\

Another fine race but it did not seem to get any darker for me after about half way through the race. Not sure if it just took a long time for the sun to set or if I had some sort of GFX issue ???

Well done podiums, nice one Busi for getting a Team Psuedo car on the podium, after starting from the back as well :o

Thanks organisers, another fine race ;D

Sorry to everyone who I got in the way of tonight  :-\ Seemed to catch half the GT1 guys such that Eau Rouge or the exit of the But Stop where in the way. Especially sorry to MJ for kissing your rear coming out of Eau Rouge early in the race. You slowed way after the point I'd got back on the gas :( I waited and I hope any damage was not too serious.

MJ and I then proceeded to pass a couple of other GT2s until it was just us. With about a 5 or 6 sec gap. I didn't really seem to be able to break away or MJ  to close it. Much the same for the 2nd stint. It was only the last where I seemed to have a few 10'ths a lap advantage on the lighter fuel load. DG was well gone, however the low turnout and Shark 1-2 helps greatly in the Team Championship :)

Bad luck Leuven, could have been a Team Shark clean sweep of the GT2 podium ;)

that was a tough long event.  :P

As per usual couldnt get near my PB in qually and despite setting a quickish time on my final run i still found myself 3rd, a few tenths behind Leuven and DG. I could have shot the fezza driver who lost it at bus stop when i was 0.5 up at that point and had to hit my anchors harder than i wanted ! :o

Race start was a total balls up and i nearly quit out in disgust >:( I couldnt believe it when someone hit my rear quarter at La source just before green flag, and span me around..i was fuming :taz:
Not only was it bloody annoying, about 4 cars all went past my stranded car and i had damage before the race had even begun. I floored it down the straight to get in with the pack only to find a car past the line with his limiter still on  ??? Their was all sorts of chaos and confusion and then to top off on the following lap at Eau rouge i caught (another) blinking fezza who hit his brakes half way up! :o and Peter following had nowhere to go but straight up my backside (oo-er) and i shunted hard into the wall  :'( ...all this before 2 laps were complete  ::)  If Pete hadnt been such a gent and pulled over to let me past i definitely would have quit.
All this pandemonium had cost me heaps of time and totally removed me from the relative comfort zone of running 3rd, where i had been looking forward to a race long fight with DG and Leuven. Instead, me and Pete found ourselves caught up behind one slower car or another and having a fantastic scrap lap after lap. I was amazed how hard it was for us to get past some cars despite being about 2-3 secs a lap quicker when on a clear lap.
Rest of the long 130 min race was a fight between me and Peter, even after the pitstops we were near each other on track with Peter being able to stay one step ahead all the time. It was the only fight on track to keep us both interested for all that time and meant no letup or mistakes could be made, and neither of us did.
But on the last pitstop, for some reason the gap widened and i found myself 20 secs behind at the end  ???

Brought the car home 3rd, just couldnt catch the two sharks on the night. Well done DG on a comprehensive GT2 win  8) and congrats to Peter for his well earned 2nd  :)

Enjoyed that one!

Drove almost faultless race apart from a little spin when Mike Hammer spun in front of me and i had to take avoiding action and having to crawl round last lap of my first stint coz missed my pit time.

Me Mike and TT were all very close nearly whole race and at the end i was just keeping a 3 second gap between myself and TT but i got held up second to last lap when a GT2 was very slow at en rouge so had to lift alot which let TT gain on me and then i just met another GT2 at the bus stop (noones fault just the way it happens) which gave him a run at me on the long straight and i knew i was done. Tried to brave it out on the outside but just couldnt do it after very minor touch. I then had to defend against Mike. Caught TT up again on last lap but couldnt do anything.

Very exciting last few laps.

Bit dissapointed to lose 3rd but i'll take 4th as i usually struggle here. My setup actually worked for a change lol.

Grats Freq, Busi and TT.

Grats GT2 podium too.

I think this race was even harder than the other one over at r2p when we had 3 hrs in changeable weather.  :sweatdrop:

Started ok, after I joined I wanted to check my race setup and made 2.14 which I felt was ok 'cause I knew I could be faster here and there. After session ended I just reduced my fuel and put on softs. Was ready to quali session, pushed the button and found myself on track on racing grid.  :blink:  Seems like I joined a bit late and into the quali session. I could be a bit higher on start.  :whistling:

Anyway, gained some places from the beginning by mistakes of others and some shoulder bracing got me up to 4th. Nose to tail in 1st, 2nd and 3rd stint with Gazza, Busi, Mike, RM... Tough.  :-\  Saleen's got enough power and kept me safe from most of the cars - must have been frustrating not to be able to pass while you were faster overall. Busi was pesky  ;) in his Corvette and I had to do some defensive driving in 2nd stint and same with Mike in the 3rd stint. I lost my 2nd place in the pits, I know I could keep it from Busi if I came out before him.  :-\  I didn't want to run out of fuel (again), so I took too much  ::)  and lost two places. Was able to get the 3rd back on last lap - it was a desperate move, but I knew it was my only chance and after I got alongside I didn't back out. I wasn't sure if we touched and Gazza told me we did only after the race. Have to watch the replay, I wanted to leave enough room for ya.  :)  Hope this didn't decisively affect the outcome.  :-\

Good show from all drivers, thanks to Busi and Mike to be patient and to Gazza to be a gentleman.  8)  Very few mistakes up front, a reliable bunch.  :thumbup1:  Missed my Nemesis Sharky boy, but others more than made up for him.  :D  Grats to Freq.  :1eye:

To bad MJ, you were fast in training and worked very hard for this race. To have the car damaged even before proper racing started is frustrating at the least.  :(

TT       

It would probably have leaped you past me at the first stop. Given the very long pit lane, and knowing the car was a handful in Eau Rouge on a full tank, I started with just 65l and planned to do three equal stints, fuelling back to 65l each time and using softs all the way through. I think that was the right decision; I made up a lot of time in the middle stint with the other GT2 cars stopping later.

I wondered what the heck was going on at the start; you seemed to go and then I realised your limiter was still on and had to slow again - that problably caused a bit of a chain reaction behind. :o Perhaps for next season we need to adjust the rule so that if you reach the line and the car ahead hasn't gone yet you just get on with it.

Scariest moment of the race was Mike Hammer passing me on the left out of Stavelot when I was trying to stay left so he could pass me on the right. :o

Nearly binned it twice in the last 15 minutes, first running wide in Pouhon, and then almost doing a Kimi and losing it on the exit of Blanchimont, luckily just grazing along the wall on the left. Also managed to clip the pit wall whilst pitting for my first stop, which meant they had to tape my splitter on.

I thought it would be darked when the race ended, was a bit disappointed that the sun was still just about up.

That's my first proper class win since the Le Mans special before the start of the season - very pleased to get it and take a narrow lead in the GT2 championship. 8)

Hm, forgot to say GT2s were all proper gents. Almost clipped JPS in Eau Rouge, the speed difference is enormous!  :o  Grats on win, DG.  :)

Wow, more, more, more!
Can't we do that again for longer!?  ;D

Was way uncompetitive and raced myself the whole time but somehow loved every minute.

Meant to post about Eau Rouge before the race, closing speeds through that section are huge.
I have had issues in the past. none last night though.

Congrats all ! Oh especially, pseudo and reign man for handing me a couple of un-deserved places on the last lap!?

When can we do it again!

M.

Lol, read MJ's report and was sad.  :(  Then I looked at the results.  :blink:  I'm sorry MJ that you were only 3rd.  :D  A good result, wouldn't you say? I'm satisfied with 3rd, thank you.  :P

hehe, yeah i know i cant complain too much as got the 3rd place but was hoping for a real crack at the class win, and so having that removed from the equation on the blinking formation and 1st flying laps of a 130minute long race was not the ideal scenario for me !
Will never know how it would have turned out as obviously you can put pressure on other lead cars around you and dont know if the car damage affected my lap times as i couldnt even break into the 2:23's during the race despite banging in regular 2:22's and 23's in practise with full fuel load and meds.
Once i dropped behind 3 or 4 other GT2s, i lost heaps of time trying to find a way past for many laps and by then the lead couple had steamed off into the (ever-present) setting sun. That sun was a bugger up at Malmedy !
Still had a great race anyway, thanks to Peter keeping me chasing right to the end. 8) and 3rd is 3rd  :)

Gt1 cars behaved impecably too, so thanks to all.

As great as it is doing a proper endurance distance like that (ps why 130 mins and not 2hrs?...ie whats the extra 10mins for?) i do think it affects attendance levels as not easy to commit to a race for approx 3 hours of an evening for many. A fair few regular faces were missing last night who i was looking forward to racing against at this great track. :(
I felt properly knackered at race end and soaked in sweat, so it certainly felt like an enduro !

Shame it didnt get fully dark but watching cars blitz up through eau rouge with their headlights catching the treeline was superb  8)

Great Race for me, hardly no mistakes in the GT2 Frezza. 8)

Felt sorry for Jonzo, saw him get clipped just before the start which allowed a couple of us to jump a head in the queue while three or four cars got caught up in the tangle.

Once things settled down I had Mark and Picnic all over the back of me, could of gone more defensive on both of them as they over took me, but it was obvious they were both quicker than me, so I didn't want things to end in tears, especially after the woes they encountered at the start.

Not a bad result, 4th GT2 (after over two hours of hard driving) seems to be my favourite top position, podium hopefully one day!

If I'd have known you were just reccy-ing I wouldn't have dived out of your way on my hot lap, cost me over a second at first sector.
You Legends will try anything.................must have been MJ's idea to get the GT1's to hold us up eh ;D ;)


I was half expecting people to pass as it would have been completely fair in my opinion as those behind weren't to know if I had problems or not so I wouldn't have had no problem as it was my G25's fault own fault for not remembering the new layout on the G25's buttons.
Talking of the G25, I find it more enjoyable and at a higher level than the Momo I had before, so much more realistic which makes it nicer and easier to drive with.

 :lol:

He's our stratego, he is.  ;)

While, I understand MJ's point, can I temper that with the fact that 19 people did turn up!?
Personally, I prefer the long enduro's, probably because it suits my plodding style! ie. Not very fast  ;D, but can do that pace all day!  ;)
I would prefer the other extreme where we race for longer! ( Guess that won't be the consensus!! )

Not sure why we have 130mins over 120? I'm sure someone will enlighten us! May be it forces you to look at other options to just breaking it into 3, 40min sprints!?
Pit strategy, tyre wear, etc. is all part of the fun. Just wish I was better at it!  :P

Just my 2 pence worth  ;D

Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions how to get quicker!?  ;D ;D please let me know.
Simon has shared some Lambo set up's and tip with us which are excellent to get a good set up , so thats reasonably covered.
All Legzy and I need now is a little talent!?  ;D

Go Team Oldie!!

Think it's due to fuel usage. The Lambo would have to stop twice wherre as most other cars could make it on 1 if it was only 2 hours (Lister, 550). In the 2 hour Donington race I did, the winner in a 575 only did 1 stop. Saved him over a minute  :o

550?
Hmm, I used 100, 100 and 90. Iirc, tank had 1, 2 and 3 laps left of fuel at pitstops and finish line. Yeah,so I had a bit of extra fuel, but to stretch 200L over just 10 minutes shorter race? Sounds a bit much to me? Perhaps the SROU version of the 550 gets fewer miles per gallon? Or then I'm a gas guzzler  :D

But 2 stops are manditory, so 2 hours would also work ;D

Ya, no madatory stops in R2P, so he short shifted all race (and was impressivly fast with it) and only pitted once. My best was a 25.5 and he managed a 25.4, short shifting. V Fast. That was a 575 though.

Maybe the 550 uses more fuel than the 575? I don't know.