It's a shame I had to miss Spa but I really needed that holiday! Although I was back home by last night I was far too zombified to attempt any racing. So, a slightly anticlimactic way to end but I'm well chuffed to have wrapped up the championship - the first thing I've ever won in sim-racing! 

Congratulations to Shark (not bad for a car you hate!) and Mike for occupying the championship podium with me, also Raimo, Dave and Jasper for the top three Mustang placings - that was definitely a close run thing   Congrats also to Team Shark for pretty convincing wins in both teams' championships.

Last but not least, a massive thanks to Adam for organising everything and respect to all the other drivers for the great racing and courteous driving all season long. On a personal level I'm disappointed to see the Corvette being dropped next season, although I can understand why, so it looks like I've got some choices to make for i6e. Still, I'm looking forward to it 

Sure mate, here you go   Not a perfect lap but it did the job!

Relatively straight-forward race for me really, although I wouldn't say it was easy. I'm still suffering the after-effects of a cold and even during practice I was working up a sweat, by lap 10 in the race I was dripping with it! Trying to keep concentration was the hardest thing and I somehow survived a few 'rather be lucky than good' moments during the race

I used a bit of cunning in qualifying and managed to get myself a clear lap, although not error free, but it was still enough for pole. As it happened it seemed everyone gave up early, so I may as well have waited for the last five minutes when no one was on track anyway! For the race, my plan was to try and push as hard as possible for about the first five or six laps and then try and consolidate on that. For once, the plan actually came together and worked out pretty much as intended.

I still managed to have a few scary moments. The first time we lapped the Mustangs I almost caught myself out at Cunningham with the closing speed, I changed down too many gears and just about scrabbled round the corner all over the kerb. A few laps later I had a straight on moment at Tower, then on lap 15 I had the biggest opposite lock moment that I've ever saved at Sunset. Sometimes luck really just is on your side

Congrats to Ian and Shark and Dave, Raimo and Adam for getting the other podium spots. With the small field and a long lap it was getting quite lonely at times, so I was amusing myself watching the Mustang battle on F3, trying not to disturb them too much when I lapped them! There was also Gazza chasing down Dimm for fourth spot overall too. It was a bit weird 'spectating' other battles while I'm trying to race too

As I said before, I'm really not sure if I can make Spa. I'm away that week and although I'll be back on the Sunday I've got no idea what time it will be. Hopefully I'll make it. Either way though, it's been a fun season

Sebring was always a track I never liked much but, when the official series ran there a few weeks ago, for some reason something just clicked. Not really sure what it was but I hope it clicks again tonight!

Although I'm not 100% certain at the moment, as things stand I won't be able to make Spa. So, I've got some extra incentive to make this one a good 'un

A race to forget at the end of a week to forget for me. My router decided to lockup just before qualy started, by the time I got that sorted and got back in I just tried too hard and couldn't do a representative time.

No idea what happened at Copse at the start but I got enough of a whack to need a reset. Decided just to go for broke then, I had nothing to lose by that point. Driving like that though was bound to end in disaster eventually and, sure enough, I clipped the grass into Stowe and that was all she wrote. Still, I suppose it was good practice for the official series this week!

Fair point number two - I overtook one car and mugged the other

Fair point actually Adam, I didn't really think about lapping. That's what happens when you post in a hurry...and apparently I use terrible grammar when I post in a hurry too!

Hey, I overtook two cars at Road Atlanta, fair and square!   Pity I got gifted the other positions though, I'd much prefer to earn them the hard way. Anyway, I'm a born pessimist, I don't take anything for granted

I'll probably eat my words but I don't think traffic will be much of an issue here. There's only really Maggotts/Becketts and Vale into Club where it gets a bit of a one line race-track, there's plenty of space around the rest of the track. Who can tell though? There was more apparent acrimony from Daytona and yet Laguna went off without any incident at all, as far as I can tell. I wouldn't have expected that!

This layout is nice in the Corvette, loads of room to open the taps   That said, having raced the official series here the past couple of seasons, overtaking is virtually impossible unless the car in front makes a mistake. Also, it's probably the next highest track to Phillip Island for tyre wear. Lots of long fast right-handers punish the left-front, so you're better going for a lighter fuel load and pitting early. Should be fun!

Nice video Jasper. All the Corvette drivers should watch that, just to see what the poor Mustang drivers have to put up with

Race of the season so far for me, I really had to work for that one. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it either as I really struggle to find any sort of consistency here. Qualifying was an absolute nightmare! I got off-tracks on my first two laps, just trying too hard, then, on what turned out to be my fastest lap, I had a huge tank-slapper in turn one. After some more laps caught up in traffic, and a spin, I eventually put the car over the wall in turn five! I decided to cut my losses and call it quits then

I can't remember everything that went on in the first 10 laps, there was so much happening. I had a huge lock-up into turn one on lap 2, when I under-estimated Karsten's braking point, and I was then fighting understeer on left-handers for the rest of the first stint. I managed to slipstream past Karsten into the chicane a few laps later and also passed Gazza almost immediately after. He'd got held up by a Mustang and I hadn't realised by just how much. I came steaming up and decided to thread the needle which, in hindsight, was a bit risky so early in the race. Fortunately, he realised what was going on and left me room, otherwise I could have caused a bit of carnage there. I ended up in second place and set about the 10 second gap to Mike. I got it down to a couple of seconds before my stop, although I think for the most part I was getting a bit luckier in traffic rather than using sheer outright speed to do it.

I cut the fuel mileage a bit fine at my stop and just spluttered to a halt in my pitstall. My first two laps out of the pits I then got quite badly held up in traffic, which negated any advantage from my early stop. Mike rejoined from the pits, at the same gap as from before the stops, and I promptly went straight on at turn 3 and lost even more time! I knew I had to go for broke now and drove as hard as I dared without throwing it in the wall. Just as I was closing up to Mike he unfortunately spun, gifting me the lead. It was a shame as I was looking forward to a nice battle. It wasn't quite over though as I got held up in traffic again and had another straight-on moment at turn 3, so Mike caught right the way back up to me. After a few close laps I started to eke the gap back out again, which was helped by Mike having another spin. I quickly dropped into 'bring it home' mode then for the last few laps. A cracking race and exactly why I love endurance races

Congrats to Mike and Karsten on the other podium spots, and to Dario and all the other Mustang drivers. It couldn't have been an easy race for them and they all did a great job - it felt like I was in traffic on every single lap! So, off to tyre-shredding Silverstone next...at least that one should be easier for lapping

I wouldn't be surprised to see a small turn-out here, it's a really difficult track. I know I'm probably in the minority but I can't stand the place! I think it will definitely be a race of survival, if you make it to the end you'll probably pick up a lot of points due to the attrition rate, so it's worth sticking with it. And I should probably listen to my own advice as I kept throwing it at the scenery last night

Here's a copy of the replay for anyone that wants it: http://www.filefront.com/17896595/i5e_R4_Daytona.rar (379mb)

And here's what I had to say afterwards:
The results may not reflect it but I had to work harder for that win than the previous two. I've always struggled a bit for consistency at Daytona, a bit like what Mike described, but I think doing the 2.4 helped as I found a few different things with lines, etc., which seemed to crossover to the Vette. I got a new PB in qualy and decided to sit on it but Darren managed to pip me soon afterwards, just being near the front is the important thing in a two-hour race though.

I'm not sure what happened at the start, either I was a bit too brave into T1 or Darren was a bit too cautious. Whatever, I was slightly surprised to exit in the lead. So surprised, in fact, that I nearly binned it into the first hairpin and promptly let Darren back past! We then had a great scrap for about seven or eight laps. Eventually, he ran a bit wide onto the banking and he very gentlemanly left me room to nip up his inside when he could easily have cut me off. As we braked into the bus stop I had a big twitch on the kerb, which I saved through luck more than judgement, then I saw Darren spinning off in my mirror. I don't think I contributed to it, I'm sorry if I did, but it was a shame as it spoilt what I'm sure would have been a good race.

The rest of the first stint I then spent trying to keep Paul at bay. The gap fluctuated quite wildly depending which one of us would lose time in traffic, sometimes between one or five seconds per lap. I managed to eke it out to about 10 seconds before my first stop and then I started to lose him off F3. In my second stint I got well into the zone and was pumping in quick laps quite comfortably which really extended the gap, I think exacerbated by Paul having some issues too. By the third stint I was able to drop slightly into cruise mode, especially as my left leg was really starting to ache from two nights of hammering the brake pedal! Overall, I'm pleased with three-in-a-row, although I'm not counting my chickens yet as it could just as easily go wrong at the next race. Especially at Road Atlanta, I hate the place! Congrats to Paul and Adam for the other podium spots and to Samu, Jasper and Jonathan in the 'stangs.

Finally, just to add my take on the Mustang debate, (I haven't seen any of the incidents in question, by the way) but my philosophy is as the faster car, the onus is on the Vette drivers to find a safe way through. Some drivers are more predictable than others but you just exercise more caution around the ones that aren't. It's a split-second judgement call sometimes but if I don't think I can be completely alongside a Mustang at the turn-in point, then I back out of it. Or I'll position my car on the inside so if the Mustang wants to leave me room then I can go, but if he does turn-in then I'm far enough back so we don't both crash out. After driving the Mustang in the 2.4, nothing annoyed me more than turning into a corner only to see a DP flying up the inside of me, basically leaving me the choice of whether we have an accident or not. In a 90 minute or 2 hour race there's just no need for it. Sure, you may lose a second or two stuck behind a Mustang for a corner but it's swings and roundabouts and you'll get it back somewhere else. After three races so far, I don't think I've done any dangerous moves on a Mustang yet...I'm sure someone will tell me if I have!

Yeah, should be fun this one. I don't mind the track, as rovals go, but I've never completely clicked here, always feel like I'm missing something. Will definitely be a two-stopper for the Vettes too as you can only go about 26-27 laps on a full tank, so we should see some different strategies play out.

It won't be anywhere near as intense as Laguna was, you've effectively got two nice long straights every lap to chill out on!

That was an eventful race, almost a bit too eventful at one point! I got a few laps practice in on Friday afternoon, with the plan of getting a few more in this afternoon, but that didn't work out. I went into the race with no idea on fuel strategy and no long run testing either, so it was a bit of a journey into the unknown.

Qualifying seems to be more stressful than the races here With such a short session and so many cars it's quite hard to find a clear lap. My last lap was a bit of banzai job, caught a couple of Mustangs in just the right places, and broke my PB by three tenths to get pole. I was already sweating after qualifying, I think I could have filled a bucket after the race

I managed not to jump the start this time and the first part of the race was a fairly relaxed affair. Mike was never too far behind so I couldn't back off, but I'd got a nice rhythm going and was just going with the flow. As I hadn't worked out a strategy I decided to split the race in half and play it safe with the fuel load. Just as I hit pit exit, after my stop, I came across a huge gaggle of cars, then realised I was right behind the battle for what was then second place between, I think, the two Pseudo Racing boys. They both pitted in quick succession after that but I knew I'd lost some time and wasn't exactly sure where Mike was. As it turned out I was okay but I'd pushed quite hard for five or six laps and took a lot out of the tyres.

As the second half of the race wore on I was starting to struggle both with the car and myself. The tyres had really fell off a cliff and the car was sliding around a lot, plus with the constant concentration needed round here, and I had to back it off a notch to stop myself doing something silly. With only about seven laps to go I came up to lap Pete into the last bend and, in cruise mode, decided to pass him after the corner. As I pulled alongside though he hit the astroturf and spun into the side of me - cue completely knackered steering! (by the way, no hard feelings from me, it was just one of those things). Part of the reason I like to build a big gap if I can though, especially in enduros, is for just these eventualities and it paid off in this case. If the race had been another two laps longer though it may have been a different story

Congrats to all the other podium finishers, I know it was definitely one of the hardest races I've done. I think hoping for three-in-a-row at Daytona may be pushing my luck slightly

Although I've been racing the Vette for a few seasons now, this is one track I've never driven it at. I've just done some exploratory laps and got down to the high 20's, a bit like Ian though I need more consistency as I'm all over the place. I'm mainly over-driving, so probably just need more laps under my belt.  It really is a case of going slow to go fast at Laguna. The worst problem I've got it terminally locking the right-front into the corkscrew, I need to figure out something to stop that...

I took my Brands setup as a starting point as both tracks are fairly similar - mid-speed corners and not very long straights - and it seemed to work pretty well. Perhaps trying the Brands fixed set if you're stuck may be a start, although I've never got on with the fixed sets so don't really know.

I did a few laps in the Mustang too (I like to do laps in both cars as it gives me an idea of the Mustang drivers are going through and what braking points they use) and slightly fluked a 38.1 with the baseline set and 11.*g of fuel. I wouldn't like to race that set though as it was all over the shop! It'll certainly be hard lapping the Mustangs here - probably the hardest track of the season - the Vette's will really have to be patient in places. Heading up the hill to the corkscrew will be particularly treacherous.