UKGTL Season 16 Fifties Endurance Races - Porto - Aug 1

[Jeep]

As a relative Newbie at this I searched the forum for previous seasons where we had raced the tracks from this year and noted the best lap time during the race. Then over the months chipped away at my own lap times to get into the ball park so I wouldnt make a complete fool of myself. So armed with a PB in the  2:15's I thought I just might be right up there here but you guys had moved the goal posts and I found myself down in 5th almost 2 seconds adrift of Erling in 4th.

Start went well managed to hold off a hard charging Matt into T1 and followed Erling through the 1st few corners. Got a good exit onto the run down to the chicane and tried my luck up the inside on the approach but wary of my recent endeavours braked early and gave Erling the line. Got an even better exit from the chicane though and with a move which I had practised on the AI forced Erling to take the log way round and squeezed into 4th at the tight left which I think allowed Matt through behind me as well. Over the next few laps I extended over Matt and likewise was left behind by the front 3 A few laps later passed Ziu who had spun at the SF line, jumped 2 placed as Kai as I saw later had cleared the fencing and was definitely "off track". So excited at my good fortune I stuffed it into the tyres at T1, stalled, couldn't find a gear I liked and was passed by Matt before I finally got my act together. Was then passed by a recovering Ziu so was back to 4th again. Then a lap or so later Ziu clipped the curb, spun and I was 3rd and harassing Matt again. Finally got Matt next lap into the chicane so was at the heady position of 2nd but way behind Clive who had simply buggered off into the distance. Saw Ziu had dispensed with Matt and was charging hard. Although he was obviously quicker than me I was holding the position until I clipped the curb crossing the SF line forcing me to take a wide line and leave the door open into T1 and he was through. Found it a lot easier to chase than be chased and stayed with Ziu for a while before he slowly pulled away meanwhile I could see Geoffers in the distance but closing slowly on me. Then came across Ziu by the SF line having spun so was back through to 2nd Finally we arrived at Pit stop lap and with Ziu on my tail carried too much speed and was on the wrong line, lost the position, missed the pit entry and if all that wasn't enough clipped the curb near the SF line and rolled the car several times and Geoffers overtook me as well while I was recovering. Could it get any worse, you bet, Came into the pits on the next lap and somehow managed to fill her up with enough fuel to drive home after the race had finished so was carrying 20 something laps worth of fuel for the final 12 lap stint..  Left the pits in 5th knew I had a good lead on 6th place Tony but wasn't sure who had pitted or not pitted so plugged away at the laps and was rewarded when Ziu had a moment forcing extensive repairs and an extra stop so was promoted to 4th which is where I finally ended up.

Thanks for the race guys, had some good battles with Ziu who was obviously faster than me but I still made as best a fight of it as I could. Thanks to anyone who I lapped, you made it very easy considering the lack of places to go here.

See you all next week when I plan to try my hand at those pesky F1's again.

Really sorry to here about your arm Ziu, I have had a complaint called "Tennis Elbow" for a few months and it drives me mad, I can't imagine how you must feel at least I know mine will recover eventually but even now I am running with considerably less FFB than I would like and it aches like hell after a full race.

TTFN
John.

[Erling G-P]

Really sorry to here about your arm Ziu, I have had a complaint called "Tennis Elbow" for a few months and it drives me mad, I can't imagine how you must feel at least I know mine will recover eventually but even now I am running with considerably less FFB than I would like and it aches like hell after a full race.

TTFN
John.

That's exactly the same for me at the moment. Sprained my left arm all the way back in December last year and it's only very slowly recovering. Then a couple of months ago, I got hit by a Tennis Elbow in my right arm. It's only gotten worse since.  Drives you bonkers; so much I need to do/should do inside and out in the garden, but can't because I have to give the damn things time to recover 

Sorry to hear about your tribulations in the race, but a very amusing read nonetheless 

Cheers,
Erling