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Car:	LMP2 HPD ARX-01C or GT2 Ford GT
Track:	Suzuka Grand Prix
When:	Sunday 4th September
Practice:	17:40 (80 mins)
Qualifying:	19:00 (30 mins)
Race:	19:30 - 21:00 (90 mins)
Start:	Standard iRacing double file rolling start
Resets:	One

Password:

>>>> see above <<<< (#post_event_password)

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There will be a hosted practice session on the Saturday evening before the race - hosted by our partners at Legends League / TWFR.

The session will run from 1900-2100hrs (UK timings as ever).

Gonna miss this as I'mn Ibiza on a stag-doo and not back till the Monday. Time to play my joker card for the points!

Typical, I'm missing it because I'm on a stag do too, only mine's in Durham.

You can tell the youngsters here can't you ;)

Have a good time Andy

Regards
Gary

This is the weekend of my wedding anniversary -- but I'll see what I can do  ;)

Thanks for the feedback last time about the Saturday practice server. In response we've decided to run a 4 hour session this Saturday (there won't be one tonight). It will start an hour earlier at 1800 UK time for 3 hours open practice. Following this there will be 20 mins open qualifying and a 25 minute race.

Assuming this format proves more popular, we'll continue with it for the rest of the series - use it or lose it :)

 :thumbup2:

Cheers Rik :)

Balls - I'd forgotten that we've got friends with us for the weekend - I might not be able to make this one.

Typical, after struggling with the GT they make some subtle changes that make it more easy to drive and I can't make the race!

That said - my aging system might well have a fit trying to run Suzuka and all the cars ... so maybe it's not a bad thing that I might have to miss it....

If I can be there I will though - be sure of that.

Looking forward to this one.  I didn't get to race in the test race after disconecting.  I love this track.

I've not tried the car (GT) since the update but hope to get some practice in today/tommorrow so Im fully up to speed.

See ya on track

Should be there for this one but can't see me making the finish line.  :(

This is going to be a tough race. Despite it being an awesome circuit it's not very well suited to MC racing imo. Judging by the races in the official series some extra care and patience is required here from all classes, or you won't see the finish. Especially the esses and the fast long corners are going to be trouble, which is more or less half the track :P So be prepared to lose some time here in traffic and we should all have an enjoyable race :)

Unfortunately I'm away this week, so next race for me will be Silverstone. Shame really, this track is a real challenge, I doubt there'll be a dull moment :)

In the meantime, the ARX has been into the paintshop, so I'll be wheeling out the new look car for my home race at Silverstone. And in all likelihood write it off first time I get to Becketts.

See you there!

AB

 Here's a Race setup for FGT/Suzuka in case some one wants to give it a try.
 
 If you find it not stable enough than you can try:

 Diff: a) Decrease coast side ramp to around 45.
        b) If that's not enough - increase preload to 2000-2500.

 Decrease rear ARB to 3or 4.

 If you feel instability in faster corners increase rear wing to 4 or 5.

 If you feel it too understeery than:
 
 If too understeery on entry:

 a) Increase cost side angle to 70-85

 b) Increase rear ARB but this might lead to snap oversteer on exit.

 If too tite in mid corner - reduce preoload (but this is a bit dangerous till that famous "slow speed terminal spin" is fixed by iRacing)
 
 If you need a bit more rotation exiting the corner than decrease power side ramp angle to 35-30 but this may lead to rears overheating so this one should be reserved those with "light right foot".

 Thanks
 Ted 


 PS: Can't find how to attach file so here's a link: http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/25/1809383.page#3749831

   

I can now race there :)

Thanks for the practice session, Rik - first time I've run on low fuel, knocked almost a second off my Acura PB straight away. ;D

I'm two for one on finishes right now - two podiums and one last place after dropping it on the exit of Spoon. :-[

That was an appaling race, the level of driving was the lowest it's ever been. Very disappointed.

PROTEST! PROTEST!! PROTEST!!!

My frustration with the NTM continues....  For 22 laps everything was going well.  I was first in class and 13 seconds ahead of Adam in second place...

Then out of nowhere on lap 23.... SPIN!!!! (at the hairpin)  I didn't even go in too fast, I certainly didn't lock my brakes.   I turned in just like the other 22 times.  ???  Then to compound matters, the exact same thing happened on the next lap, while I was being especially careful.  The rear tyres turned to ice.  >:(

I pitted to discover my rear tyres were still @ 95%.  It doesn't make any sense....

I'm really not enjoying racing cars with the NTM...  Until iRacing fix the slow speed spin problem, I'm going to avoid all cars with the NTM.

Good luck for the rest of the season...  Hopefully I'll be back soon...

Sorry guys - not an auspicious start for me in the championship. I'm no quitter (generally) but when I get the feeling that I can't enjoy something - the paramount reason for wanting to take part - I just had to get outta Dodge as quickly as possible..... The car lacks feel, and I lack the ability.

I too had one too many slow spins, and when it happened for the fourth time, my ability to deal with the problem with a clear mind dissipated and I had a visit from 'the lack of enjoyment pixie' who perched itself on my right shoulder and whispered into my ear, "GIVE UP". Ok, that wasn't that much of a whisper!!

For someone who lacks that innate sense of self-confidence in my ability, along with the awful handling problems I found in the GT, I had reached saturation point.

No more. I feel bad for quitting the race, I feel bad for letting you all down with not being able to deal with you in traffic, but most of all I feel that chat while others are still racing is simply not on. And let's face it, it wasn't just idle chat, it was a blow out. No matter how much you're angry with the person, no matter how much you want to say it right there and then, please don't - it's disrespectful to the others on track. Leave it to the forum to discuss, or personal messages to work the problem out.

Message out - that's all I have to say. Thanks to you all for hosting this championship, but I'm not sure I'm cut out to deal with it all...

I should not be saying this as I am after all a person passing through this league, a journeyman - but its a great league don't let it get out of hand.

My apologies if you are referring to me Jasper, I saw you break and move right so I assumed you were saying go on, my bad, a complete misunderstanding. I no how frustrating it can be I am really sorry.

I had done hours of practice for this one and felt comfortable, I missed the results of Riks spin at the hairpin but came to grief when Robert went for a gap that wasn't there on the way to spoons on lap one.

You are spot on David we must show each other respect and swearing and shouting at the time does not.

I'm sorry for shouting at you Barry, I had a couple of similar incidents earlier in the race and I just lost my temper. Not something I'm proud of :(

  If this race was lowest level of driving ever than other races must have been just over the top. This was my first race and having previously only tested MC mayhem in official races I have to say that this is one great league and driving quality and respect to each other is very top level.

 Many thanks and looking forward to share the track with you next week.

 Thanks
 Ted

I had the same problem as Darren. I think I span 3 or 4 times in the race.  It's amazing that I did not hit a wall.  Low speed grip is a problem in the GT due to the artificially high tyre pressures.  I hope you dont give up Darren, we all had problems today.

I am amazed that I won and that I was a lap ahead of second place.  I had a poor race.  I really struggled with grip at the start, my laps were very inconsistant and had multiple spins. it was a mess.  I had no major issues with the HPD's today. With some drivers showing great patience.  :)

Hopefully the next race will have more action and less drama!

EDIT:  Glad you enjoyed the race Ted.  Good to know somebody did.   See ya at the next one  ;D

Or better yet use the incident reporting system - we don't allow discussions of that nature in the forum either for the same reason - it gets out of hand very quickly and degenerates into a slanging match. That doesn't help anyone. I was shocked and extremely disappointed that people resorted to finger pointing in chat during the race - luckily I had a Team Shark henchman on impromptu standby to issue a "shut up" instruction".

The lack of respect shown both on a off track during this event is completely unacceptable and action is inevitable. >:(

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I don't really have much to say about my race - if you'd offered me 6th before the start I'd have bitten your hand off, but having led a fair number of laps after the fugly start (note: the correct behaviour when seeing yellow flags and/or smoke ahead is to slow down and be careful - it got me into the lead no less with a pristine car) and retaining second after a cunning switch to a very short middle stint it's utterly gutting that despite being super patient and careful with the GTs, one repeated a mistake I've seen over and over again this week and touched the grass on the inside of Dunlop, spinning across the track and destroying my car in the process. (I've no idea who it was and I don't really care - it wasn't done with any malice, just one of those things. It's just hugely annoying that I hung back to avoid being alongside somebody who looked like they were a bit unpredictable there and got taken out anyway.)

Couldn't even limp it back to the pits - a three minute tow dropped me over a lap down and I nearly parked it in frustration... but I refused to let Baz beat me. :laugh:

Technically it's my best result yet but I'm getting so utterly fed up I'm almost ready to give up. :-\


I don't think it's the NTM - it's the GT. The HPD drives just like you'd expect - if you cook the rears it spits you off. If you apply full throttle over a bump at slow speeds it spits you off. If the tail gets loose at high speed it spits you off. It's very, very hard to drive fast, and it doesn't suit my driving style, but it makes sense to me - even if I don't particularly enjoy racing it.

The GT, on the other hand, is an evil, mostly understeering pig that when you least expect it invariably pitches you into a massive oversteer moment. There is either something desperately wrong with the physics model, or it's the worse and most evil handling GT car ever built.

 :o Sounds like I did well by missing this one!

I'd been away for a few days and then helped a friend build a greenhouse during Sunday. Forgetting, until later, that this season is the earlier start and I was just not in a position to race. Even at the best of times it's a rush to be able to get on the server for 7 and qually and this week iR needed some updates and I'd done no practice, not a good combination. Plus it was 7:25!

Doesn't sound like it's been an awful lot of fun :(.

I'd love to say stick with it, I'm sure it'll get better ... but with the GT I don't see how.  Dropping the GT for another car is starting to look mighty apealling ...




With regards to the incidents reported, we need replays of the incidents.

When I'm in the race I save a full replay, but ideally every incident should have a replay posted (or a link to where it is hosted).  Merely describing what happens doesn't give the moderating team enough to act on.

Frustrating, I think that about sums up my race, although many more fruitier words were said on Vent and not only by myself. I had a terrible time at Sebring, I'm cursed at that place out of about 9 attempts to finish a race there I've reached the finish once, and that was only because I was determined last weekend to actually finish a damn race at the place.

So I was looking forward to Suzuka, no matter how much I drive the place I just cannot get bored. I spent 2-3 hours in the Ford GT last week doing laps, so I knew just where and how I could get past the GTs easily and effortlessly. Spent the practice session doing some runs, made some setup changes to stop it snapping in 130R so easily after Jamie moaned at me. Got out quickly in Quali and set a mid 1.44, not my fastest lap but with the traffic trying to get pole is just a stressful experience, so returned to the pits put the fuel back in and got used to a full tank running again. If any Ford GTs were wondering why I stuck behind them until the straights in the last 20 minutes of qualifying it's because I wasn't on fast laps and I don't want to ruin yours.

Started ok'ish, got bunched up behind Jamie while he had an understeer-athon in the Esses until the hairpin when Richard spun from the lead which caugh Jamie out, I nearly got though but becase Jamie came to a dead stop after hitting Richard punted me left into the inside wall, car was not going to be driveable so immediatly towed and commenced swear-a-thon 2011 down Vent, it got worse when Richard turned up in the pits and drove off while I still had 30 seconds remaining.
I know it may be a rare mistake Richard but I cannot put into words how frustrating it is to see what looked like an epic race turn to this after half a lap and then be put an extra 30 seconds down because I couldn't drive back to the pits. I won't submit an incident report because it was an honest mistake no matter how annoyed I am or how much I wind myself up, in truth I was punished more by iRacing's towing & repair than anything. As always with Jamie he should end his arguments about 5 statements earlier at the end of the race or avoid it at all, I'll always calm down before saying anything, otherwise I'm too liable to repeat Jamie's rant (there are many channels on vent devoted to Jamie's angry mode)

~~~~ Wavy lines | back to racing ~~~~~

I think when I left the pit lane, I was about 15 seconds from going a lap down, 30 seconds down on the next HPD and behind a full field of Ford GT's. When I drive angry 1 of 2 things happen, I crash spectacuarly or I beat PB laps and make very few mistakes. Sebring was the first, this time I got the last option which probably helps my current mood of being slightly cheesed off rather than straight out angry. Caught the Ford GT's and got past them carefully.

On the Ford GT's by and large are ok, the biggest problem is some FGT drivers hold their line and allow me to get around them, others try to take tight lines out of the corners to let me past on the racing line. Problem is it's not until the 2nd or 3rd time I lap the FGTs I've learnt who holds their line and who tries to help me by, so that leads to some pretty hairy moments where I've been slowed going into a corner and expecting to take a tight exit to get past but the FGT tries to stay tight to let me have the outside. In this situation we both lose as the FGT has to slow more to stay tight and I have to back out and around. To be honest it could be alot worse, as the FGT drivers are at least consistent so once I've learnt who does what I'm able to be quite efficent, it's just scary those first couple of times when I get it wrong.

The rest of the first stint passed without issues, getting faster as the stint went on. Got to the end of a lap with 2.6kg of fuel, at full race pace I use 2.6kg of fuel so risked another lap and turned the fuel down to 4. Made it back round and hit the pit box with 0.1kg of fuel. Run 4 fuel for the most of the next stint, only using 8 to pass a HPD. Times were ok, got an extra lap out of the tank and I think I got held up slightly by Dave for a bit, tried to get a solid gap back to Peter so I could pit and come out ahead.
Came out a couple of seconds behind Peter and set off in pursuit, got a good run out of Spoon towards 130R and decided to just stay flat and go to whichever side I was given, I'm pretty sure Peter backed out, slightly disappointing as I was expecting to fight that into the chicane but the move at 130R makes great watching. Final lap there was no traffic, low on fuel and slightly cooler tires because I had pitted just a couple of laps earlier so set the fastest race lap on the last lap. Somehow managed to work back up to 2nd, I can only assume not everyones race went to plan.

TL;DR - Good quali, stupid lap 1 crash, Angry mode driving, finish 2nd, sleep, write long post.

Fully understood - it was frustrating for me too as I was expecting a good battle knowing I wasn't likely to have the same advantage in the race as I had in qualifying. I've looked at the replay over & over again and I still don't know why it happened. I didn't miss my braking point, I wasn't carrying too much speed into the turn (if I had then my car would have spun to the outside) and the spin started before I got back on the power (if that had been the issue it would have spun to the inside). Instead it just swapped ends pretty much in place which is why I was in about the worst possible place for the oncoming cars. Putting it down to the NTM feels like a cop out but I really don't know what else it was. Regardless, it was my responsibility and I fully accept the blame for the damage caused to you and Jamie and you have my sincere apologies.

Whilst I could have done without some of Jamie's comments after the race I do have to give him credit for leaving them until then. No matter how angry we get it is unfair on the remainder of the drivers to vent during it.

After exiting the pits I had pretty much lost confidence in the car and didn't get it back for some time. The GTs were bunched up and knowing I couldn't afford another mistake so I was ultra careful, trying to pick them off one by one in the safest places possible. At one point I had a 2 minute lap without an error! I really hate that first time coming up to the GTs, at least this time with no one behind me I could afford to be so careful but it's the part of the race I look forward to least as there is such a high risk of either causing contact or being run over by another LMP.

Most of the race consisted of closing gaps to those ahead & then overtaking during the pit stops, indeed I didn't pass a single LMP for position on the track the whole race. I did badly misjudge one pass of a GT car very late on when I was tired, misread the situation and found myself driving into a rapidly closing wedge so I must thank Ted for being so alert and avoiding the collision. Not sure if I made myself clear after the race Ted, but I wasn't in any way thinking that you should have given way there, it's just that for a moment I thought you were. It's not the best place to do so but some GTs were hence why I thought you might be. Looking back at the replay I can't now see why I had any reason to think that you were giving me the apex and it was a complete brain fart on my part.

Congrats to Adam for winning GT2 and it was great to see Fulvio make it onto the podium!

Really glad I missed this race as I went to the 02 Arena to watch Batman Live on Sunday. Suzuka and multiclass is a disaster and has been in the public races too. Additionally, as much as I've tried to drive this LMP2 in offline practice I simply can't get to grips with it (whether it's the NTM fault or not). It's totally unpredictable and as much as it should be my cup of tea I just hate it at the moment.

I highly recommend Batman Live to anyone that likes Batman even a little bit as it was a brilliant show, very well produced. The Bat Car broke down into the second act so we had a 15 minute delay when it failed to race onto stage and do a spin turn but actually the show was even better after that cause the crowd for some reason got even more into it then as they re-did the whole scene from the start again. It was basically the story from the Batman Arkham Asylum computer game plus a load of character set up from Batman 1 (Michael Keaten) and Batman & Robin (Clooney and O'Donnell).

Reminds me of a truck race I ran yesterday guy called Michael Keeton", who also had a batman skin on his Chevy Silverado truck  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

http://members.iracing.com/membersite/member/CareerStats.do?custid=55630

Wow, you guys...

Had a brilliant race, loved every single minute.
Was almost too cautious overtaking the GT's at times but thats why I finished!  ;D

Came 4th in the fun race before the season started and was really pleased to get home 4th again.
Thanks to Dimitry for a great race especially the last few laps.
Not sure what happen to you as you didn't finish the last lap?

Shame to hear all the woes....

Looking forward to the next one!  ;D

Shame I missed it, sounded like a corker and now Suzuka has been sorted out (with the stuttering etc)!!!

Bring on Silverstone  :)

Blunder

Fuel has ended. ;D But it was good battle, thank you too.  :)

Wasn't going to race here after the Saturday practice as i was a bit off the pace, but after finding a setup off the forums i suddenly found a second and a bit which made me competitive so thought I'd give it ago as i thought it would take my mind off the job interview Monday morning!

Qualified ok considering traffic, and the race start was good. Just tried to be careful and steady and i found myself keeping up with the top 3 and even catching Tudor. At the hairpin i got past but actually didn't mean to as he took quite a wide entry and i couldn't stop in fear of spinning so it probably looked like a forceful move but it really wasn't.  Started to eek out a little gap but then caught a bit to much kerb and had a harmless spin which let Tudor back past. Then the same thing as before happened at the hairpin and the slow grip thing meant i tapped him round ( very sorry for that )  i tried to wait for you to let you passed but you must of had damage and reset.

I trundled on feeling bad till my pitstop which went ok and came out back in the top 3. Then Darren disappeared and i was 2nd and closing down teamie Adam to my suprise. 

Then on the uphill long left i got a bit of a slide on and as i tried to catch it it snapped me back the other way and i closed my eyes waiting for the bang as there was an LMP2 waiting patiently behind me  :-[ 

Really must learn about resets as i messed it all up and spent a good 5 mins in the pits. Decided to finish the race and 4th wasn't to bad in the end.

I think the lapping was largely ok apart from a few moments.

Grats Rik and Adam