UKGPL Season 31 (2017) Graduates Cup Works (67) - Monaco - Feb 26

[Syd Drake]

How did I manage to finish the race with all these problems?

Leader of the race starts lap 15
22m30.740s
Syd Drake - spotters reporting:
minor problems with left front tire.
minor problems with left front suspension.

Leader of the race starts lap 18
26m38.740s
Syd Drake - spotters reporting:
medium problems with right front suspension.

27m10.740s
Syd Drake - spotters reporting:
minor problems with right rear tire.
severe problems with right front suspension.

Leader of the race starts lap 21
30m54.740s
Syd Drake - spotters reporting:
medium problems with left front tire.
severe problems with left front suspension.
the car has an engine problem.

Lap 15 clipped the barriers, lap 18 clipped the barriers, lap 21 full blown spin coming out of the chicane, fortunately only hit the hail bales, so it was only a severe problem with left front suspension, not a ripped wheel .
Before lap 21 I had a good time driving behind and ahead of Dean, and behind Doni and Clive. No place to overtake, and we were driving nose to tail quite often, 3-4 cars, and no contact, well done all. After lap 21 I was almost 2 seconds a lap slower, so best I could do was try to keep up with Doni and Dean. Dean went away after finally managing to get past Doni, but I stayed respectably close to Doni until the end.

[Doni Yourth]

Sorry for the late filing, chaps.  I've been dickin' about with an android TV box of late and trying to get a handle on it.  Much potential but some pitfalls as well.

Congratulations, Tim!  You did what was required here.  Survive! 

Nice job by Roo for that P2 slot.  Dean's P3 rather cheap and nothing to be proud of.

Bit of a laffer for me as, frankly, I wasn't terribly enthused about this round.  Perhaps the daunting prospect of keeping off the barriers for 33 laps had something to do with that.  It's a trial for sure.

I was quite surprised to qualify as far up on the grid as I did since I was more or less just arsing about.  I selected the Honda as a first time use at this venue not believing for an instant that I'd start P10.  A set from Estoril served as a baseline and I didn't even bother with using 5th gear.  It handled quite well but I was far from giving it an honest go.

Knowing full well that survival is the strat to follow, I picked up spots in the early going by being careful.  With JonnyO being shunted off by Dean on Lap01 and the traffic jam that developed behind him, I had to skip over the sidewalk to avoid getting involved and bounced up to P7.  Only seconds later, I came across a Brabham facing the wrong way.  Poor Greg.  Pole and a tiny slip ruined his day.  Bad luck, amigo.  Up to P6 by the end of Lap01.  Joke.

My NET connection was mis-behaving somewhat with the bars fluctuating over the early laps and all ahead and behind disappeared for a short time.  It's a bit of a shock when the signal stabilizes to find someone planted on your tail from out of nowhere.    Bob gave chase in his Cooper and was clearly superior over a lap but what can you do here to pass?  You just gotta wait and pray for a break.  I was quite happy to just put it on cruise control and lap well off potential pace.

Not long before Bob clipped the bales exiting the chicane and he was done.  Clive took up the challenge to pass but again, it was all down to my making a mistake or being tagged.  Neither was happening, thankfully, and as the laps reeled off, more fallers vaulted me up to P4 by half distance.  A spin by Clive had his chances fade and Syd took up position off my tail.  For many a lap, Syd sized me up but had the misfortune to brush the bales exiting the chicane and spin down to P6.  Dean then parked himself on my tail and searched for a way past but with no success as P4 became P3 when Pelle's engine went off-song.  I say Dean had no success in wangling a pass.  At least until he dive-bombed an attempt on Lap28 with one of those 'I'm throwing all my chips into the pot and praying for an ace' at Tabac that had him carom off the barriers.  I'm astonished that he didn't have the entire right side pruned off.  If I hadn't have checked up, I would have been involved.

I just cruised the last handful of laps to score a most unexpected P4.

[Billy Nobrakes]

Rather belated mod report now published.