SimRacing.org.uk

Season 18  Gold Cup - Round 6 - Amaroo Park

This is a new track for UKGPL drivers but it's very short so it shouldn't be too difficult to learn.  No long straights and plenty of bumpy corners so a setup with plenty of wing will be the order of the day.

As well as registering at UKGPL you will also need to have registered at GBGPL (http://www.gbsimracing.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1098.0.html).
The races will not be moderated by the UKGPL moderating staff but any driver disqualified by the GBGPL moderators will be removed from the race results. The race results will be imported into the SRou results system and the points awarded according to the UKGPL scoring system.

For server joining details see the GBGPL website (http://www.gbsimracing.co.uk/forum/) and in particular the GBGPL Race Announcement (http://www.gbsimracing.co.uk/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=47).

Server GBGPL - VROC
Race date = 16-11-2009
Time = 20:00 (UK time)
Track = Amaroo Park  - download it here (http://gpltd.bcsims.com/?sbtd=amaroo67)
Variant = 69F1
Damage Model = Intermediate
Qually time = 25 minutes
Race length = long

Driver lists can be found at championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=224&theme=6)
Any chassis may be used

Race replays are available here (http://freeleo.wplanet.hu/weekly/1_downloads.php)

I really enjoyed this race, I wasn’t sure if I was going to take part, as I’d not even downloaded the track, let alone practice. I had a bad day at work, that pretty much made up my mind that I was going to try it.

I had more of less learned the very short track just before qualifying, I knew that I’d be slow so was expecting to take my usual place at the back of the grid. I took the fuel out of my setup and started to give my best, I was disappointed to be really struggling to keep the car under control. I put full racing fuel in and just decided to accept I’ll be at the back and fully learn my markers on the track. I was very surprised to see my times starting to come down, and I was even more surprised to be more or less mid grid, that’s nose bleed high for me.

Onto the race, the start was a mess, I got away OK, about the same as everyone around me, I tried to thread my way though the crash at turn 1 and failed. After I restarted I was pretty much last, recovered slightly, and had a good fight with Dan, that lasted for most of the race. In the end I was trying to be steady, rather than go as fast as I could, with people dropping out I ended up 5th, which is by far the best result I’ve had in 69 racing.

Overall I enjoyed this race, could of done with more off line practice, but that’s always the case. I’m looking forward to Zandy.

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It was a shame that there were a few "technical" difficultes with the track etc.

I was a little late getting home from work and so missed half of Qualifying, not that I expected any great laptimes. Fortunately my first flying lap was totally free of traffic and I got a 49 sec lap which put me 3rd on the grid behind Fredrik and Anders who were about 2 secs faster!!! ..oh dear , not looking good for the race

I was grateful for the 3rd spot and a front row position at the star,t as the 3 abreast line up was very tight. F & A got the Ferraris off the grid quicker than my BRM tank and I hope my slightly squirmy start did not affect anyone behind.
Anders looked very fast as he pulled a slight lead over Fredrik whilst I just managed to hold on to Fredriks exhaust pipes.
Anders, had a spin after about 2 laps and Fredriks and I slipped through to take the first 2 places.
I was pushing the BRM to speeds it had not seen before in a desperate effort to keep up with Fredrik and eventually the inevitable happened as we came across the first of the backmarkers, and I went wide allowing Fredrik to escape and Anders to close right up behind.
From then on the race was all about keeping Anders and his damned fast Ferrari behind and defending almost every corner ( fairly I hope  ).
Although Anders was faster, I seemed to be able to brake late enough to prevent him getting an inside run anywhere and could just about hold him off for lap after lap.

The very short lap length meant that we were constantly passing lapped cars .  BIG thanks to all those drivers who kept a steady line and allowed us a clean pass. It must have ruined all your races to have to compromise your pace to allow us past so often, and I am sure, causing you to have "incidents" because of it!!

At last I got some rest when with about 10 laps to go Anders made a mistake and I got well clear. Fredrik was well clear by then and out of reach ( as if I had ANY chance of catching him  ). So, I paced myself towards the end of the race and a comfy second spot...
The gods of GPL had other ideas!! and with just about 2 laps to go I could see that Anders was closing but not quickly enough to catch me again so i weased back just to protect that BRM engine which had taken a severe thrashing. Then it happened,..... SCREEN FREEZE!  RATS !!!!

Fortunately it appears that my early pace allowed me to have completed enough laps to actually be classified in 3rd place ::), thus dropping only a single position despite the screen freeze, which was an unforeseen bonus.

Screen Freeze for me too at 6 lap to go while in 4th I think. When I joined Vroc I found that I had practiced to the modern version of the track and had to download and install it. Luckily the tarmac layout was pretty the same so I managed to get 4th on the grid with a Ring setup for my Fezza that took care of the really bumping track. I wasn't involved in the T1 crash but I think my touch with 5th on the grid might have caused it, still have to see replay. After some laps I found a Lotus sidewaysover a turn and crashed badly on it and it took ages to reset cause the big traffic. Then a long run in 4th trying to avoid many lapped cars that mostly did a great job to give room, till the Screen Freeze... :-(
Ciao