I'll happily stand in for John Roberts who, apparently, has never caused, let alone been involved, in a T1, L1 shunt.

Edit: Some time later...

The 'T1 Rule' of the ADC is designed to let everyone at least get away from the grid and make the first corner without fear of being run over by a hotshot who's gotten a rather better-than-average start or for some bloke who's got a poor one.  It's been in vogue for quite some time and was brought in as a result of far too many T1 shunts in the league.  I've run under it for years and have no problem with it.  That's not to say that there aren't any T1 fiascos.  There are but rather rare.  And this in a league that allows unlimited shift-R's.

Need I mention much more beyond Montreal 1982?

Grats to Lorenzo for a fine win in the Cooper T81 of all things!  I'm mightily impressed!  A hearty well done to both Clive and Tim for garnering the P2 and P3 podium spots, respectively.

I'd practiced in advance for this event and was confident of a decent showing having carved out a 24-odd lap as best.  In qualifying, I was taking it EZ to end up with a 27 which was quite satisfactory if not a threat to most.  The opening rounds were a concern as I came across the odd detached wheel here and there accompanied by assorted skid marks so figured that grief had met those up the road a piece.  Bad luck, chaps.  I had a nice duel with Michael in the Eagle in swapping the place until following him thru the 2nd leftie of Blanchimont, I paid rather too much attention to where he was and not enough to where I was.  Off onto the verge and a wild spin.  Luckily, I didn't hit anything.  This was a real shocker and caught me utterly off-guard.  It's even more telling as I'd planned to duck into the pits for my S&G at the end of the lap.  What a waste!  Sigh...

On my outlap, I bungled the entry to Stavelot and got the car wobbling to lose it comprehensively.  Incredibly, I didn't hit anything!  It took forever to get turned around directly on the track surface but at least I was safe in the knowledge that I was running last on the road at the time and in no fear of getting T-boned.

Spent the rest of the show just trying to stay on top of things and bring it home in one piece.  Scored a lucky P6 thanks to the misfortune of others.  6 out of 10 only.

For sure, Mike Beattie is driving for the ADC.

I'm happy to standby in reserve if someone can't make it.  I've practiced with in M2 and P83.  I have no particular car choice, tho.

Doni

MAYDAY!  Yikes!  I do believe you're quite right there, Clive.  In my haste to reconfig my core.ini the other day for my opening gig in the AM DIV, I changed the wrong lines!  I'll adjust my _mdm_ lines to suit right now.  In that race, I noticed that my Latency bar was ticking along rather higher than usual.  Thanks for the post and I'll check the config details in VROC on joining.

Hi, fellas.  I was just into VROC to check my NET connection.  Looks OK.  Haven't run in VROC since forever!   

Looks like I'm good to go, then.  Here in NA, we went onto DST overnight and now the time difference to the UK is -4 hours.  Should not be a problem.  Also, based on what I saw in the AM DIV run the other day, my first with the UKGPL, I've set my core.in to:

net_lan_client_send_every = 3             ; Client packet freq on LAN
net_lan_client_send_size = 132            ; Client packet size on LAN; net_lan_client_send_size = 84
net_lan_server_send_every = 3          ; Server packet freq on LAN
net_lan_server_send_size = 132         ; Server packet size on LAN; net_lan_server_send_size = 84

The '84' values have been remmed off.  They were my settings with the ADC.  BTW, that club is holding it's 3rd and final Zandvoort test today in prep for the match race next Sunday.  They take it mighty serious, I can promise you.

Doni
racing today as 'Donnie Yo67'.

Well...  It's 10 AM my local time now and if work hasn't called by this time, I doubt very much that they will.  I fill in on a part-time basis for those who are absent.  So...  I'm looking good to go for this afternoon's GTL run at Hockenheim.  Judging by the lap times I'm seeing posted by others, maybe you wouldn't mind if I took the shortcut on the National circuit while you fellas use the full GP layout.  That way, maybe I can keep you in sight for a bit.  Maybe...

 

Clive et al...

Yes, sorry, then, for the chats for "<<< GO <<<", etc.  I was so fearful that I'd be steamrollered in my little Cooper that I wanted to make it quite clear to those slipstreaming me that in no way, shape, or form was I going to put up a fight.  I'll be keeping schtum from now on.  Promise.

And I see that Phil has posted a note elsewhere regarding the very same in-race chat occurences.  Message recevied...loud & clear, Boss!   

Doni

Grats to our podium finishers!  Well done, chaps.  Blistering speed and consistency.  And hey!  I can say that I know Geoff Heard, too!  Call me a groupie...I don't care!   

I got pretty good pace out of my Cooper T77 in qualifying and didn't expect too very much more from it.  I didn't secure the benefit of a tow in my two timed laps.  I was relieved to start dead last.  As my first outing with the UKGPL and on PRO damage, I didn't in the least want to get into Eau Rouge with wheels within wheels.  And as Clive noted above, I was a bit shocked to see us all grid-up in a parallel layout.  OMG!  A recipe for disaster, that!

As for my race, it went pretty well.  In an email to my good mate, Glyn Lloyd, a fellow ADC runner who's just started his UKGPL career over in the Novice Div, I rated my performance as only 7 out of 10.  Deduct 2 points for blowing a pass maneuver on Dave Randall going into Blanchimont; I had a great tow from him but simply went in too deep.  Deduct 1 point for throwing rocks up into Phil's face.  (Nothing like getting the Boss PO'd!)  Deduct a final 1 point for general errors like getting too close in the slipstream(I may have the revised, smaller collision box to thank for not getting into a whale of a shunt!), and not taking in the Big Picture(ie, even if I'd passed Dave, he would surely have nailed me back early in the final lap).

I threw up a few chat messages indicating following drivers to pass.  Was that OK?  Didn't want to cause any agro for those lining me up but if it's a distraction, I'll cease.

Enjoyed myself and am looking forward to further events with the UKGPL.

On the question of PRO damage and longer races, I'm all for both.  I've essentially left the ADC GPL events as they allow unlimited shift-R's.  In checking my race results for them in just 2009, I see that I competed in 31 races with fully 13 of them resulting in my retirement.  It's my policy to not reset if eliminated in the race; some have expressed their displeasure of this.  Two dnf's were engine failures.  The balance of 11 retirements...fully 35%...were due to shunts NOT ONE of them down to me.  I'm here with the UKGPL in hopes that the fact that PRO damage is the spec will see a dramatic reduction in that percentage with members driving to a higher standard knowing full well what will happen if they don't.  The longer races also add an element of stamina as opposed to a sprint.  While my first event with 16 laps of Spa was easily the longest GPL event that I've run in a long time, it's by no means crippling since I also run enduro events of substantially greater duration in both GTR2 and GTL.  50 minutes is a piece of cake!   

CU next round!

Doni

Hiya, Geoff!

Hello, Fulvio!

Nice to see some familiar faces.

On re-reading my post above re the pitguy re-location, let me clarify the script in the 'track65.ini' file by posting the actual entries I'm using.  Here they are c/w the rem line denoted with the semi-colon.  Hope that avoids any confusion.

pit_board = 10.0 1200.0 -100.0 100.0      ; dlat of board, dlong of board, dlong LOS start, dlong LOS end (last 2 not used)
;pit_board = -16.6 13939.6 -100.0 100.0

Best of Luck, Gys! 

Ah, thanks then, Phil.  The starts are a bit dodgey at the best of times. 

For those like me who don't use Prib and/or wish to position their pitguy & board at the place I suggested above, you may alter your 'track65.ini' file by:

1. Save a copy for backup in another location or rename it, 'track65_org.ini' or some such name.
2. Open the service file and cut this portion, "pit_board = -16.6 13939.6 -100.0 100.0" from the line: "pit_board = 10.0 1200.0 -100.0 100.0      ; dlat of board, dlong of board, dlong LOS start, dlong LOS end (last 2 not used)".
3. Add a line below the pit board datum and paste in the bit you just cut, "pit_board = 10.0 1200.0 -100.0 100.0".
4. In front of this new line, place a semi-colon, ";" to render the line as a comment only.  You do this only to have the original data readily available to swap back in if needs be and to serve as reference for any subsequent position alterations.
5. In the original line for the pitboard, install the following: "pit_board = 10.0 1200.0 -100.0 100.0".  You can do a simple copy/paste from this very line to avoid an error.  No quotes, of course.
6. Your full pitboard line should now read, "pit_board = 10.0 1200.0 -100.0 100.0      ; dlat of board, dlong of board, dlong LOS start, dlong LOS end (last 2 not used)".
7. Save the file.

Test before the race.  You should find the pitguy on the left side of the road just shy of the right-hand bend leading up to Les Combes.  Give him a wave as you roar by.  Speeds are not so great there that there's plenty of time to read the information.

Good Luck!

Doni

PS: Let the buyer beware!

I'm looking forward to my first event with the UKGPL.

I've checked my spa folder for the track.ini and see that I have a 'track65.ini' available.  Will we be using this file?  I've noted that the grid is a parallel layout which might be cause for instant retirements should things go wrong at the start.  If the club would like, I'd happily provide a re-write with a staggered pattern that allows each runner to see every car starting ahead.  I've done this many a time for the ADC and it always seems to be welcomed.  In fact, the ADC used it for a recent round featuring GP66 cars at Spa.  Worked a treat.

Also, for my personal benefit, I'm locating my pitguy out at 10.0 1200.00 as opposed to the standard location in the pits.  This gives me adequate time to read the data without compromising a pass into Eau Rouge, tricky enough at the best of times.  It also puts up the just completed lap time.  I can provide a re-write featuring this as well.  Your call, Mr. Director. 

Work permitting, I'll certainly try to make the show this time.  As a part-time, on-call delivery driver, my fate is always up in the air.

Also, come March 19, I'm commited to run Mogget's S4 series over at Gamer's.  Sry.

Hiya, Steve!  Good to see you again.  I'll be looking forward to meeting you on track, bud. 

FYI:

The ADC is holding their 2nd pre-race tune up for the Zandvoort event today, Sunday, March 01.  If the UKGPL hopes to out-score them in this rematch, we'd best get cracking.

I participated in the ADC's first trial but have since bolted from the league to join the UKGPL.  From what I saw in that 1st run, we'll have our work cut out for us.

Doni

Oh!  Great!  Thanks, Jack.

A Cooper T77 it is.  One of my favs and I always look forward to winging one about.