UKGTL Season 18 1950s Endurance Racing - Schottenring - Sep 12

[Wiltshire Tony]

Results and replay now posted.

Cya Ferrari 

[SpecialKS]

Unable to rejoin the server.   Which cars do Matt and Ziu drive?

Merc 300Sl I think

Never had problems concerning the 300SL  - will check

[Ziu Bacubacu]

Apologize to Geoffers and to Erling, if i did not change my tires the race could be more nice and with thrilling final. I dont think to did a big mistake with my decision, on the last 2 laps the Geoffers tires collapsed, when i pitout the gap with Geoffers was 27 seconds, he could keep the pace but 3 laps to go i start eat to him much seconds more and more and we finished with a gap 14 seconds, it mean that if i had 2 laps more the contact with Geoffers and Erling was possible. I had predicted the collapse of the tires but I expected it before, this was the mistake of evaluation. Anyway it has been one on my best race, I am satisfied.

Apologize also to all that watch replay, could be a cinema show but i changed my tires.

I have some words also for Clive.....................Clive you choice AC, you were sub 6 minutes, it s clear if you choice F 375, J DBR1 or MB 300SL  you were in the match to win this race...........

[Geoffers]

I think I got a bit lucky to win this one, but made up for my bad luck & errors of the last couple of weeks.

Made a mistake on my first outlap in qually so had to start again, didn't push too hard but still got a PB & 3rd on the grid. Start was poor & Clive got ahead of me but Aston power put me back in 3rd on the uphill run out of the first village. Reeled in Ziu & Erling on the first lap & we stayed together until the start of lap 3 (or was it 4?) when Erling got the ess-bend just after the S/F wrong & spun. Had to brake hard until I knew where his car was going & lost 3-4s to Ziu which I just about pulled back by the end of lap 5 when we both pitted.

Surprised to rejoin ahead of Ziu, but turned out he changed tyres. Erling was now about 40s ahead & with the Fezza's large fuel tank I knew he would have a short pitstop or even not need one at all, so had to press on in hope. Relieved when he pitted at the end of lap 8 & it was really close as I just squeezed ahead as Erling left the pits. Tyres were just starting to lose their edge by then but knew that Erling would be in the same situation & by the first village on the final lap I had nearly 6s lead so was able to take things a little easier & came home 2.5s ahead.

Congrats to Erling & Ziu  , things would have been very different without Erling's spin & Ziu not changing tyres.

Away next week, so cya all at Silverstone in 2 weeks.

[Erling G-P]

Hate the 375, but it was the fastest tool for me, so had to use it. Realized I had made a mistake when I joined the server and found Ziu in a 300SL.  Had completely missed that it was available, so never even tested it. Probably wouldn't have changed my car choice though - I've always had problems getting the 300SL to go fast, and if Ziu wasn't faster than me in a 375, I definitely wouldn't have been either, lol.

Ziu got ahead at the start.  On fresh tyres, I could go faster in places on those first laps, but finding a way past was another matter. With Geoffers catching up and joining the fray, I contemplated doing an undercut - I had a very wide pit window, but fate (= my clumsiness) intervened, when I made the mistake mentioned by Geoffers at the start of lap 3. Ended up with my nose up the banking and had to reverse, losing a lot of time.  One more mistake later on that lap, when I got on the grass before Rudingshain and lost at least another 5 secs. Beginning of lap 4, I was 20 secs behind; those would have been nice to have at the end..

Dropped the idea of an undercut; no reason anymore, with a clear track ahead, I could focus on getting some quick laps.  Had left my pit strategy open.  Tyre wear wasn't bad, but with a car so much on the edge all the time as the 375, even modest wear have a big impact. Thus had hoped to be in a position to change tyres, but with all the time lost, I had to gamble.  Inherited the lead when Geoffers & Ziu both pitted at the end of lap 5. Stretched my own stint to the end of lap 8, which was as far as I could. Just as I rejoined, Geoffers zoomed past.  On tyres that were now both worn and cold, there was little I could do to try and catch him - had several small moments with the rear trying to get away.  Pushed as much as I could on the final lap, when the distance shortened, but it was apparently just Geoffers slowing a little to bring it home safely.

Grats to Geoffers on the win and Ziu for filling the podium.

Will probably miss the races next week, as I'm on for another Alpine adventure.  Car's in the workshop presently and may not get ready in time though, so not entirely sure yet.

[EvilClive]

Grats to the podium guys and I have to confess that I have a sneaky admiration for Rog and his "no pitstop" strategy!!! That was a sneaky move Rog, just wish that I had thought of it!!

Ziu might have been right about taking the wrong car, but I had very little time for testing, and I was rather hoping that the faster cars might suffer some mishaps  . Did not even try the Ferrari or the Merc.
 3-4  laps in the DBR1 promised a sub 5:50 with a little effort, but I did not have time to make the setup comfortable and I was doubtful about keeping that car on the tarmac for the whole 10 laps.

The AC felt like it was glued to the road ( probably because it was so damned slow!!) and the tyre wear was minimal in the 5 laps testing that I did. The plan was to simply refuel after 5 laps and forget about tyres, because the fast guys would surely burn their rubber and I might gain some places??
When Roger's Fezza screamed past as I refuelled I thought "HA!! I'll regain that spot when you have to stop!!"....The next few laps I was able to reduce the gap to Roger by a couple of seconds, but I was not bothered about a 10-12 sec gap, he would lose that when he stopped for a splash and dash near the end....lap 7?  NO!...lap 8, gotta be this lap?....No!!. Geez!, Rog is pushing his luck if Erling had to stop on lap 8, he is in danger of running out of fuel. Lap 9 completed and Rog still has not stopped....did I miss his pitstop?? how did he stop and get ahead of me?? Surely he must run dry on the last lap......but he didn't  

The big story here is that I completed a pitstop and did not screw things up, deliberately took my time and got it right....at last!!

The AC handled beautifully for me and my driving style...now all it needs is for some clever bloke to squeeze a big 7 litre V8 under the bonnet and it will be a giant killer...........
"Arnold!! Mabel!!, I have a cunning plan....."

[Erling G-P]

.....if Erling had to stop on lap 8....."

I could probably have squeezed 9 laps out of a tankful, but only just, and there really wasn't any reason to risk running dry, when I had to stop anyway.

[Ziu Bacubacu]

.....if Erling had to stop on lap 8....."

I could probably have squeezed 9 laps out of a tankful, but only just, and there really wasn't any reason to risk running dry, when I had to stop anyway.

About it depends from the use of throttle, it s clear that Roger pace was above 6 minutes and Erling was pushing so the Erling 375 was drinking more fuel

[SpecialKS]

Unable to rejoin the server.   Which cars do Matt and Ziu drive?

Merc 300Sl I think

Never had problems concerning the 300SL  - will check

Problem solved - my oversight, I assume 

Result

[Bob M.]

Not a fun race for me.   Just wasn't into it mentally and didn't have a lot of practice because life got in the way this past week.  On the bright side did have a personal best time though.  At the start Tony, Mat and I were all together nose to tail I thought it might be a fun event.  But then Tony got into the weeds and spun his car so I followed Matt for a lap or two but then he had a spectacular flip so that left me all alone in the rear were I stayed for the rest of the race.  Not competetive with the top 5 drivers.  I was wishing I would get lapped around 8 or 9 but no such luck.  Grats to the podium and the other two of the five.  On to Zolder and the little cars.  Went on the track this AM and found it like a new one to me as it has been a long time since I ran any laps on it.  Used to be one of my favorites of the game tracks.  Have to re-learn it...

Thanks for the races and have a good holiday Tony!
Bob M.