UKGTL Season 12 Real GTL - Lime Rock (no chicane) - Feb 20

[SpecialKS]

Didn't expect that the R8 Gordini 1300 was that fast and that fun here.
First time ever I could handle that car  .
Could find a smooth setup in practice and finished quali in a very satisfying 5th place.

Althouh I was aware of the fact that I would not be able to keep that position all over the race
I was running on a fine 5th place during the first phase when I had a catastrophic lap with two
or three mistakes which led me back to my common last place.
After that I was again running quite well when I met Syd just after The Uphill who obviously
just had his "black screen" problems and could not avoid to hit him frontally .
This forced me to a longer pitstop for repair.
After that I decided to finish the race despite 5 laps back because the Gordini was quite funny.
Setup and wheels worsened during race so I had some more rides, turners, rollovers and a funny
tête-à-queue with Navin in Big Bend which fortunately didn't cause further damages for him on his
way to third place.
Anyway the Gordini seems to be rather non-sensitive concerning damages - fortunately   !

Another nice one - despite last place.
Thanks for organizing Tony and UKGTL staff.

[Wiltshire Tony]

Good race that'n even if I was on me tod for most of the race. Thought the Mini was a smashing drive around this circuit, shame I can't take her out again. Really like the handing.

[M Cinderby]

Another fantastic event for me. Qualified P3 and was able to stay with Hristo and Navin for what turned into some close racing.



Navin hotly persued by Hristo  



Let battle commence  



H goes wide!



Letting me through.  



Ade closes on H



The three way battle continues.



So close.



H re-passes me.  



But its still close.  



Ade pushes to hard with the Lotus.  



Whoops!!!  



Phspok takes P4  



Nav & H battle on.  



I then go off at T1 while watching the H & N fight and figure that's the last I will see of them.  



H gets the edge.



Then goes off!!!! I do love that Cortina paint job.  



What is it with T1? Navin then does the same  .......Giving me P2.  



H then goes off big time.











Leaving me to lead the race for some laps.  





I wondered why Navin dropped way back!!  







Spin 2  













Phspok closes for the kill.





But.....Could not make it stick.   Navin retains P3



My tyres got very iffy towards the end and Hristo took P1 back but it was a great race and I'm more than happy to get P2 with this fun to drive Gordini.  

See ya all next time.

PS P1 & P2 for Team Oldie......Result. 

[Hristo Itchov]

Nice shots and report, Mark, it was a really good race! It seems we all made a similar amount of mistakes and that kept us running fairly close. I had particularly close fight with Navin early on and then with you near the end of the race. Fortunately I managed to find some consistency after the initial struggle and avoid making any more mistakes until the end.

[Wiltshire Tony]

Nice photo montage Mark 

[Navin R Johnson]

Just a wonderful play by play with those pics Mark!!!   So much so say but with those pics I think you just about covered it Mark . I didn't have time to give a report on last weeks Long Beach race but the good thing is this race was very similar between Hristo,myself and in this one Mark as well. Once again I did get the jump at the start for 1st and I did my best to race hard but clean for the lead. It seemed no one wanted to win because just like last week it was filled with mistakes all around . Once again a pleasure to race with Hristo who races hard but fair at the same time. Several times Hristo made some inside out-braking maneuvers that put us both side by side entering a corner but always gave room so we could both make it out of the corner. After I was out of the hunt for the front my brain faded out and I started to make many more little mistakes. I was laughing at myself after my final big spin and hit. That Gordini was very very tricky at first but once you figured out it's instability trate it was kind of fun to drive. The last big hit tweaked the car a bit and I had to put in about 20 degrees steering left just to go straight. Crazy thing was it actually got through turn one and the last 2 sets of corners better than before the hit . Staggered for right turns now As usual fellas, fun fun stuff Congrats to Hristo,Mark and to all who did show up for this one. Also a special shout out to Teammate Kurt aka SpecialKS who's pace was excellent at this track

[SpecialKS]

Also a special shout out to Teammate Kurt aka SpecialKS who's pace was excellent at this track

Thanks mate - wished that would be the norm