SimRacing.org.uk

UKGPL Season 17 - Amateurs Trophy - Race 6 - Watkins Glen

Round Six of the Amateurs Trophy takes us north from Mexico to Watkins Glen, which hosted a United States Grand Prix for twenty consecutive years. The race received the Grand Prix Drivers' Association award for the best organized and best staged GP of the season in 1965, 1970 and 1972 and unfortunately, like many other circuits, had to be altered to cope with faster cars in later years.

Hopefully the majority of the field will not be wiped out in one fell swoop through the opening section this time but the field will have to be careful as the Esses can get congested first time round and the hay bales in the run off area at the Loop are there for a reason. Don't try to find out what that reason is.

Reserve drivers should not join until there are only 30 mins of qualifying left.  However, all drivers should not go on track until there is 30 minutes of qualifying left.  This helps all drivers join the server successfully.  Please restrict chat to pit messages.

Chassis allocations are below- the same chassis will be used for all races this season, unless there is an adjustment agreed by the moderator.  Good luck!

Please use the updated 65 mod for this race.

The 65 mod V2 update is being used by UKGPL and the updated layout features are very welcome, with the ability to record best lap times at addon tracks and to have 65 specific tracks. The new collision boxes are also a great improvement.  Though the new slipstream code will need extensive testing, the preliminary race seemed to show that it would be a definite improvement in racing terms, without the controversy over its extent, as with the 66 mod.

Thanks to all involved with producing the update.  If the new slipsteam code works as well as it seems it might, perhaps it could help persuade the authors of the 66 mod to rework their code as well!

Please be in IGOR UKGPL chatroom by 8:55 p.m.
(You will need to set up a channel called #ukgpl if you haven't already done so)
IGOR and Race passwords: see above (#post_event_password)

Server ukgpl6
IP address TBC
Race date = 28-04-2009
Time = 21:00
Track = Watkins Glen
Variant = 65F1
Damage Model = PRO
Qually time = 30 minutes.
Race length = 50% Grand Prix (55 laps)


Driver lists can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=208&theme=6)

CHASSIS ALLOCATION

FERRARI Phil Thornton, Will Tway (reserve), Burtoner*, Asbjeurn*
LOTUS  StormCloud, Dave Randall, Bartosz, Bernie*, Steve Bird*, Geoff65*
BRM  NatanVix, Samb, Ginsters, Steve Bucket*, Ian*
BT11  CliveLoynes, John Roberts, Ken, Jethro, Fulvio
HONDA  EvilClive, Tim, Iestyn (reserve)
COOPER Mike Beattie, Lorenzo, if he joins, otherwise any visiting speed merchant
BT7 Hristo

*drivers also assigned a Novices chassis

65 Mod

These were the 65 drivers
BT7 Bonnier, Baghetti, Hulme (Bonnier drove for Walker)
BT11 Brabham Gurney Gardner Anderson Siffert (Siffert drove for Walker, Gardner and Anderson were privateers)
Lotus Clark Spence Rodriguez Mitter Russo Solana (and Maggs Hailwood Attwood Amon and Ireland for Parnell)
Ferrari Surtees Bandini Rodriguez Vaccarella Bondurant Scarfiotti
Honda Ginther Bucknum
Cooper McLaren Rindt
BRM Hill Stewart

The 1965 season was the last to use the controversial 1500cc formula which had begun after 1960, to the initial advantage of Ferrari.  The 1965 cars are smaller than the 1967 cars and have less torque and hence more grip.  It was claimed that they 'cornered on rails', however this allowed the Grand Prix series to retain the use of circuits which were otherwise to prove extremely dangerous.

The 1965 cars are ideal for those new to GPL as they allow the tracks to be learnt in light reliable cars, however these are also full Formula One cars, and quite fast....  Jim Clark won the 1965 Belgian Grand Prix in a Lotus.  Graham Hill took pole in his BRM P261 with a time of 3'45.4 .  The 1965 distance was 32 laps.

David Wright's 'Legends' site http://fp.gplegends.plus.com/ has the download of the 2.0.1 version (under 'details') as well as being an exceptional guide to both 1965 and 1967, for those interested in Formula One history.  The 2.02 update is available here: http://www.jamesonline.net/ukgpl/1965mod_PATCH_v2.0.2_Setup.zip

I just pray I get through the Loop tonight in one piece! Would like to get beyond the first lap for a change. :D

Not having a dig Jethro - But going by Sunday I'd simply suggest a slightly calmer approach to lap 1 and possibly 2.
While I appreciate there's a difference between being slow and being cautious you did strike me as being somewhat overenthusiastic given traffic levels in L1  :ninja:

I know all my messups earlier this season came from overexhuberance in the opening stages  :)

Rouen was a case of for the most part avoiding others! Mexico was unlucky. I agree I should be less overenthusiastic on L1, but if others weren't so careful, I'd be able to go at a "normal" pace! I test my fuel levels on cold tyres so I know where to brake. Others should consider doing the same. :)

The caution is to avoid people who missjudge - not because of cold tyres/full fuel  :)
Given clear track ahead I can give 10/10ths quite happily from the let go, most drivers capable of qualifying in the first half of the grid seem capable of this also. The caution others (and myself) show early on is more to avoid rear-ending folks through lag/the traditional YoYo effect through the first few slow corners.
That and the fact that a gap means I can go around the inevitable spin/pileup normally  :) (At Rouen that was you!  ;D  :P)

Seriously though I've been doing much better since adopting this approach. I can't take Clive out early on this time and should hopefully manage to avoid Ken as he's the only other magnetic car I had issues with  :ninja:

Not having the best of luck with Amateurs this season. Qualified 3rd with a last-gasp effort possibly helped by a slight tow from the car in front. Got a great start, passed Sam into the Loop on lap 1 cleanly, set about going after John whilst keeping Hristo at bay. 3rd lap I approach the Loop, get it slightly wrong, and end up drifting off and mating with a barrier. Game over. Not happy, but it's what I get for pushing.

That had promise.....

PC locked up while I was halfway round the inside of Fulvio in the hairpin - Really hope my car didn't take you or Evil out when I went AWOL  :(

Looks like Amatures is determined not to be won by me this season - or even allow me to be competitive at the current rate  ::)

Another poor race but I only have myself to blame. Managed to get pole after a banzai lap without a tow  ;D but that came to nothing at the start when John sped past me. Approaching the loop Jethro went for the inside and I ran wide to avoid him but understeered off into the banking, losing a load of places. Thankfully, I was able to continue. The next lap went by and I overtook a couple cars and then, typical me, spin off at the last corner when it matters. I lay parked on the last corner. Most managed to avoid me but Geoff wasn't so lucky and hit me at speed. Afterwards I became a fireball into the sky, race over. Sorry about that Geoff. Hope you were able to continue.

Well, so far my season in the Amatures has been nothing short of appauling but at least I bagged pole. I hope for a relatively mistake-free drive next time round.

Sorry I didn't appear for the race guys. When I joined the server I realised I still hadn't made a virtual mirror for the BT11. I can't drive with default FOV (or it would take to much adjusting anyway) so I had no rear view. This was OK for qually but I didn't relish starting from near the front and not be able to see what was happening behind. I did think of starting from pitlane but I had a domestic distraction and missed the start!!

Where can I find the server replay for this race? I can find only the Novice race replay.
Thanks

It's saved to my work PC - will go up tomorrow morning when I'm back there. Good win by the way...

That was tough luck Tim.

You did not take anyone out, but you sure as hell scared the **** out of me..I wasn't sure if you had completely dosco'd or had turned on the lag powered cloaking device!! Not something I wanted to wrestle with half way around the loop at full bore!!!!

I had a very poor qually and could not hook up a lap anywhere near the front runners, but I did manage to give Hristo a tow and move him into contention at the front of the grid.

I got a good start from 10th on the grid and claimed as cars dived into the undergrowth etc I found myself up to 5th place on the tail end of the leading group within about 2 laps....very nice thankyou ;D

Tim and Fulvio ahead of me were having a good dice so I sat back ..after all there were 55 laps to worry about. Tim got a little ragged a couple of times through the loop but held it together and I was glad I was just far enough back to enjoy the tow ( and show) but not get involved.
I could see Hristo and John about a further second or so ahead  in 1st and 2nd spot  and Mike Beattie was some 3-4 secs behind, so all in all given my qually pace I was more than content to go along for the ride.

Then Tim did his amazing vanishing act on the loop as he tried to squeeze inside Fulvio. Fulvio was untouched but I was petrified in case he had not disco'd but was about to re-materialise right on my racing line as I exited that bend!! :o

I closed the gap slightly to Fulvio, just to be sure that I maintained the tow and could stay in contention.

Then a lap or two later crossing the S/F line BLUUUUUEEEEGGGGHHHHHHH and the engine went all limp on me....race over. I did not think I had pushed that hard anywhere, but will have to study replay to see if over revved the whizzy bits to see if things were overlooked in the heat of battle.

What could have been a good finish went t*ts up

She will NOT be pleased :-\

Evil, thanks very much for the repeatable tow in qualifying, it really helped. As for the race, it was going much better than expected until that moment, which I have no comment about...

Grats to Fulvio

I'm not quite sure what to say about this race.

I guess I should be pleased with a second, but it feels more inherited than earned.

Qualifying was as expected, I ran with race fuel from the start, happy to be close to the back, and in fact ended up last.  I was expecting things to be tight up front and really didn't want to risk getting involved with any incidents.  I'm not fighting for position in the championship as I will only have 2 more race to go, at best.  I will be away from the last part of June to October.

The race itself was all a bit strange.  My only proper overtake was on Steve Bucket (Jack / Dave) who left me loads of room into the loop, thanks for that.  Everyone else ahead dissapeared for one reason or another, leaving John, Fulvio and Mike up ahead.

Geoff was running close behind me but ran wide at the last turn into a parked Sam. Sam was finshed but Geoff got going again but was some way off and ended up with FPS problems causing an incident finishing his race.

I closed on Mike who span on the finish straight but recovered really quickly to stay ahead, then span again further around the next lap to hand me an easy pass.  Then I saw 'sorry' appear in chat, John and Fulvio had some coming together which allowed me to make some time up, I kept closing rapidly on John finally getting passed his slow car, fighting an engine problem, credit to you for continuing John.

I thought about pushing and think I made a bit up on Fulvio but he was so far ahead I would have needed a big error from Fulvio to catch him, so settled for consistency and not falling in to making an error myself.

Anyway, grats Fulvio and all finishers, all 4 of us lol.

Grats to all who finished :)

Couldn't get a tow in qually, so I was behind Evil on the grid and followed him thru the pack for the first couple of laps, but lost time avoiding some spinners. With any chance of a tow gone, it was a matter of driving the nuts off the Cooper to stay ahead of those behind. For a while I was able to hold Steve Bird at 5 secs or so, but gradually he nibbled a few tenths off, and then I had my spins as he mentioned above. That threw me into the hands of Geoff and "The Driver formerly known as Dave" with over half the race still to run.

While they were dicing with each other I could catch up, but once I overtook one, the other was able to pull away. We see-sawed back and forth until Geoff exited at the Loop with about 6 to go and I was just able to ease out a 2 sec lead on the Flying Mr Pail, by the flag.

Obviously there was a lot of "action" at the front of the field, so I'm off to watch my replay to see what happened :D

Submit your incident reports please.

I can't wait. ;)

Just the way I like it, no reported incidents.

If there are still none tomorrow I will call this a result.

Can I report my own PC for malicious crashing?

You can submit that if you like but I would refer you to the UKGPL rule of Ridiculously incompetent end user.

Rules on incompetent Users (http://pics.jamesonline.net/images/whatevver.jpg).

Oh the irony - I get a 404 error when i click that!  ;D  :P

I got a 403 Forbidden as well as the 404! ;D

Clever aren't I?

Still 403/404! :P