UKGPL Season 17 (2009) Division 1 - Nürburgring (Nordschleife) - Apr 26

[EvilClive]

but only because I craftily placed it there about an hour ago!!

[Hristo Itchov]

I'm sorry to those who ran into me, I made too many mistakes and eventually spun into the tree after Fox Hole.

[Turkey Machine]

Qualy was frustrating - struggled to actually stay on the track at key points in the lap and kept ripping wheels off various corners of the car. Had 11 minutes left of the session to get out there and get ready to start a lap. Took it easy on the outlap, making sure the tyres were mostly up to temperature, then went for it on the one opportunity I had.

8:20.88.

Good enough for 3rd on the grid, and I was dead chuffed with it.

Got another great start (how do I keep doing those?!), slotted in between Fulvio on the left and Hristo on the right, picked a braking point into T1, hoped no sucker ran into me, and went round the Nordkurve gently. Upon exit, the engine didn't seem quite right - a quick F10 later and it's terminal, but I wanted to see how bad the damage was, so kept going at least for the next straight plus a few corners afterwards. Unfortunately, evilclive decided it was mating season and proceeded to turn me over whilst I was off-line. I was gonna retire the thing, but it being upside down I couldn't do anything!! Sorry for wrecking the Hondola.

[Will Tway]

Well at least I went for broke.....and lost.......... :'(

My favorite track to race so I enjoyed it whilst it lasted.

Cheers to all the finishers.

Will

[Samb]

I finished!  Well I finished last and about 20 seconds a lap slower off the leaders but hey, I really was pleased to see the end of the chequered flag. Arrived at the quali session rather late with just enough time for an out and banzai lap. I binned it on my flyer, so had to start at the back.

The flag went down and I made another good start, past a couple cars. It seemed as though everyone was extra cautious through the first few corners. So cautious in fact on the run down to the turn on the back of the pit straight, Doni and Mike got caught out by my early braking. I tried to swerve out of the way when I saw the Ferrari looming in my mirrors but to no avail. Recieved a hefty thump from the Ferrari and from team-mate Dave when I speared across his path. Still, although bruised and battered the BRM was still good enough to drive. The steering geometry seemed okay, so I continued on my merry way.

Now last, a good few seconds from the other cars, I eventually caught Dave who was kind enough to let me through. Then I passed Bernie and Clive after their coming together with Hristo's tripod. Eventually on the last lap I lost the back end on the turn preceeding the Mini-Karussel, allowing Clive back into 5th. When the 2nd lap began, Clive lost the Honda under braking and I was up into 5th again. The rest of the race was just me racing alone in a solid, if unspectacular fashion. I kept making the odd mistake here and there but I was so far behind Will and ahead of Bernie it made little difference.

Finally, the race was over. I finished some 2 minutes behind Fulvio, but I was pleased with 4th. Well done to all that finished and commiserations to those that didn't. An enjoyable race then, but I do hope for some more on-track action next time round at Rouen.

[fpolicardi]

Well I had one of the best racing night on one of my favourite tracks 
In qualy after a couple of outlap thrashed out I got  three good laps, the last one it was going to be a new pb, but I messed up the exit at Klein Karussel and still it was my best qualy lap though. I picked a GH2 setup that I had never run before with the Cooper and it really worked.
The start was a bit crazy, the acceleration of my Cooper wasn't the best of the grid and we got a four wide before the T1 braking point. Apart Hristo going wide on the right all managed to do the turns without collision and Tim, that had passed me at the start, was so kind to give me room inside the Nordcurve so I was second again with a smoking Eagle ahead of me that I passed before T2. I went a little hot at T2 braking so I went wide on the bank but I managed to rejoin the track just in time to keep Ken's BRM behind.
A big grin was on my face but I said to me "now you have to keep it on tarmac for six laps!".
The first lap was very good and at the end I was leading by about 10 sec. so I could drive without pressure. Second lap was good again but at third lap I hit the rail on braking at the Kallenard hairpin and I thought that I would have to call it, luckily the FR wheel was still there and I lost only a couple of seconds. The car was handling a bit strange on the load's changing but it was still driveable fast.
I did the pistop at the end of fourth lap like Tim and that did the game so I didn't risk a pass at pit and Ken passed Tim keeping him behind for the last two laps till Tim roared by Ken on the final straight.
This was the first win at the Ring in a competitive league and it was the cheer on the cake of my 10th anniversary of on-line GPL racing. 

[EvilClive]

Thanks to Mike for stepping in with his server for this race, we still seem to be having issues with "old faithful" UKGPL 1.

However,

You know when you get one of those races that,  promises a lot.....starts sort of not so good...then gets dodgy....and slowly descends into total farce???
And you just wish that you had not bothered???

Nurby!!

During the week I had a few sessions sorting a stable setup for the Waza and re-aquainting myself with a circuit I have avoided for about 6 months.
Best lap offline was promising a time below 8:20, which I felt was respectable and felt quite easy and stable.

After getting into qually I did the compulsory warm up lap and set off on a qually run, returning a time in the mid 8:20's which I figured was ok, or at least as much as I could be bothered with . Nurby is usually a race of atrition, so although overtaking opportunities are limited, trips into the undergrowth are common and often give the chance of a pass.

Everyone seemed to take the start carefully, even if they were 4 abreast into T1!!! so something had to give and it was Hristo who went grass cutting.
I picked my way through a couple of cars that were wobbling and made a pass on Bernie ( I think) going behind the pits.
so far..so good.
Approaching the left hander behind the pits, things again looked a little congested so I held the inside line and crested the small rise closing upon an Eagle.
I had smoke,flames etc turned OFF on my computer to help the frame rate, which in hindsight may have been a mistake I now know that the Eagle belonged to Jethro and it was apparently smoking and about to retire.....but to me he was  just travelling a tad slow and maybe being ultra careful into the next left hander.
Nope!! he was stopping!!!...and so did I, coincidentally at about the same time as my nose cone met his gearbox!!!!

Bernie went past!!

I recovered with a bandage over my bleeding nose and set off again aware that all was not well with the handling. But it was not too bad, and I closed slowly on Bernie again.
During all this Hristo had vanished away into the distance, only to lie in wait and spring his ambush on Bernie!!
This plan worked perfectly and Bernie was caught unaware...the trouble was I was directly behind Bernie and became part of the action.

Now there was definitely something wrong with the suspension/steering/brakes.

I figured that I might be able to limp for 5 laps and collect some consolation points for her and set off again.
but each time I tried to brake and make a left turn, the car decided quite emphatically that it was going right !!! each time I caught someone I promptly tested the barrier or fencing...each time the handling became a little more unpredicatble.

I was amazed to still be mobile after lap 1, but I think one of the rear wheels was hanging on by sheer willpower and a bent bolt!!
Half way around Lap 2 and a couple more trips into the scenery and I was again chasing Bernie up the long fast section just before the mini Karussel where everything was to come to an end.
I reached the "bump" at the top of the incline just in time to see that Jack had taken a leaf out of Hristo's book and had laid another ambush for Bernie!! Before I could apply any brakes I was airborne and harpooned Mr O'Farrel. At least that put an end to any possibility of this Waza continuing with what had become an impossible task.
I watched the battle for 2nd spot ( Fulvio was away and clear in 1st spot by now) and saw Tim sneak past Ken and Will lose some time before taking an early shower.

Grats to Fulvio for a commanding drive and to the podium places, plus all those who actually survived to the end.

[bernie]

What a difference from my recent Watkins Glenn CC  where I didnt get a moments piece for the entire race . Started well enough but then collided with Evil's Whale soon after the start at the Hundasbrokunveelundkorner (I was gutted to find Clive was till running after giving him my finest attention )    Shortly after that escape I found Hristo trying his best to look like a "road closed" sign at the Vichnutzputdatreeder , being a gentleman I tried my hardest to help H get on his way again but only succeeded in launching myself skywards and trashing the Honda , (not sure if I trashed him or he pressed the self distruct button to honour HER )
After the great escape (I landed back on terra firma the right way up and with all four wheels still intact ) the race was on again , with me chasing JackO's BRM who obliged by doing a bit of lawn mowing . After that I was so far behind it was a lonesome trundle hopefully to the finish I concentrated on keeping it clean in the hope maybe 5 or 6 other cars might just have a multi pile up and let me through , but alas on around Lap5 , the usually concrete Maserfarti engine went POP and I was out   Must have missed a gear or something but it was a real bummer not seeing the flag after all the work my team had done polishing the conrods .



  

[Doni Yourth]

A fantastic improvement for me over the Snetterton Div1 race.  I swear I must have gone at least 3 times further this time.  Had to be a mile, easy.

 

Grats to Fulvio on a fine win!  Great job.  I hung around to see the end of the 1st lap and you were already on your lonesome.

VROC & I just aren't getting along.  I tried to join initially via the IP addy but had no joy.  I could't complete a handshake to join the server...the green dialogue box just sat there saying I had a connection but it wouldn't consumate.  Neither did I get timed out either which is a bit odd.  So, back to VROC and join via the standard method which was successful.  Almost immediatey, trouble with the steering again.  The feel was poor and I could get no decent amount of steering lock diaed in.  I left the server briefly to make an adjustment in VROC hoping that this would cure the problem but no, I was stuck with it.  In Q, I had 2 attempts at logging a time but spun in each to end up in a position cross-track that with no reasonable amount of steering lock offered any chance of booting the car around.  Had to abort both runs.  Is it essential that we run these GP67 events in VROC?  The ADC uses iGOR exclusively for all MODS without any hint of trouble.

Off the start, I marked time on Michael's Eagle down to T1 and around the South Curve.  On the exit there, I got a good launch to pull up alongside his left and make the pass on the run to the North Curve.  I'd planned to get out of the throttle early for NC in any event what with it being L1 and all but noticed that Sam's BRM was already well down on speed forcing me to get hard on the brakes.  I don't know if I would have avoided drilling him or not...it would have been close.  Unfortunately, Michael chose to drop in behind me after I'd scooted past and he was blind to what was taking place up ahead.  With no time to react, he finally piled on the brakes but it was way, way too late.  WAMO!  A big shunt that plucked all four corners from his Eagle and sent me careening into Sam.  Sry, SB.  My Ferrari was terminally damaged and that was that.

On Rouen!

[Ken Murray]

Nice to be back. Qually wasn't too bad with a gradual build up of speed over three laps to end up about 4th or 5th from what I remember. Managed to pick my way through the action at the start and settled in to second spot. Then I ran off on to the grass and rattled the fence going down the hill to the right hander before the bridge. I knew I had a Honda right on my tail and I was uncertain where it would be as I slithered back on track when I reached the corner. I thought it was Hristo but as it turned out it was Tim. From my replay I can see I did hit him, very sorry Tim but I didn't have much control at the time. It might be considered a bad rejoin but I just couldn't pull it up to a halt on the grass. Strangely my replay makes it look like I make a huge warp movement sideways as I rejoin, but surely the client data shouldn't have warps on the clients car??!

After that I was away again with seemingly no damage. Tim caught me again eventually and yet again I went off in front of him but this time he slipped through without contact. I chased him for a few laps and retook second when he pitted. I held this all through the last couple of laps but down the home straight for the final time the rev counter started twitching and sure enough I'd run short of fuel. Tim sailed through to take a well deserved second (considering I'd punted him off earlier in the race). Grats to Fulvio on his masterly drive out front.

[FullMetalGasket]

Really enjoyed last nights race 
Made a big change to Clubmans where I was left to my own devices all race as I was constantly pressing on to either catch Ken or make enough headway to try and stay infront for the pitstop.
Qualifying didn't go too well as I made a mistake on both flying laps as I remember it, but did well enough for 4th if I remember correctly.

The start was insane as everyone at the front seemed to get away slowly, so I went left as there was loads of room only to press the 'look right' button and count 3 seperate noses alongside me 
As I was on the inside and almost certain to be clouted I took that as my Que to back off, Fulvio must have done the same as he entered T1 behind me. Not keen on repeating one of my all too frequent instances of driving into some one I stayed wide through Sudcurve as I wasn't sure if I was clear or not, this allowed Fulvio through and destroyed my chances of jumping Ken before Nordcurve.
Instead I backed off as I was unsure what he was about to do after catching Jethro's dying Eagle, This resulted in my being stuck behind him making with mutterings and VooDoo's in an attempt to get past him. It all looked good when he went wide and slid off down hill, but despite slowing enough (or so I thought) to let him skid straight across my path - handing me 2nd he instead slithered into me and shunted off the outside instead.
I've seen enough incidents there to know that can only be classed as a racing incident really. Even the AI end up flying across the road at the bottom of the hill, I just missjudged when Ken would reappear and got myself clouted. 

Rejoined behind Will's nimble but skittish looking BT24 as he charged off after Ken. Hristo caught me at some speed now so I pulled across to let my fellow Waza by as soon as I could - only to then watch him totally loose it in the compress at Fuchsrohre where I gingerly repassed his floundering Wazamobile.
It took me until the final climb upto Karrusell until I caught them, Will's BT was clearly faster through the downhill section where the weight of the BRM was holding Ken back, oddly my equally lardy Honda was a joy through this section and may even have been capable of matching Will on a clear track..
By Dottinger Hohe the power of the BRM made itself known and Ken pulled away from Will, having had a very good exit onto the straight I jumped him too - Infact we managed the jump side by side 
It was then only a matter of a couple of turns beyond Nordcurve and I was right up Kens exhaust again - where I stayed for most of the rest of the lap letting Will catch right up again on the downhill.
Ken went wide on the turn after Kleine Karrusell so I jumped at the mistake and took second and a healthy charge to Dottinger Hohe again.
I slowly pulled away over the next two laps, recording a PB of 8:19.9 on the SAME lap I pitted (would like to have known my laptime if I hadn't braked so soon before the S/F line  ) Ken then repassed me so I roared off in hot pursuit again. Caught him easily enough but just couldn't find enough room. Made a silly mistake in Kleine Karrusell at the tail end of lap 5 which gave him some breathing room.
Caught back up somewhere around Adenaur Forst, and re-commenced battle. I might have had enough of a jump on Ken to have taken him before Tiergarten but will never know as suddenly he dropped back past me leaving me to contemplate the hill/corner/bridge then finish on my own.
Very pleased to manage 2nd in a D1 event here, and would have been curious to see where I'd have finished had I not backed off for Ken on the Pit straight - with my luck, probably on my head in the middle of Nord curve 

Congrats to Fulvio on a fine win, also bad luck Ken on your somewhat unfortunate 3rd, and of course well done all other finishers 

Following on from a convo with Jethro after the race I managed to tame the Lotus here with only a few minor setup changes and went on to get an 8:15.4 including one or two minor mistakes - Prib indicated I was good for an 8:12 if I held it together all lap 
It would have been a bit more hard work than the Honda as I couldn't get the lift-off characteristics right, but even taking it easy and steady it was approx 5 secs faster than my average laps in the Honda 

[Michael Turner]

As Sam and Doni have already reported, this was a somewhat shortened race for Doni and me. It's interesting, though, how the same sequence of events can be seen differently by individual participants. Having watched the replay several times, my interpretation is that after overtaking me, Doni moved back in front of me and then pulled out again to try to avoid Sam but clipped his rear wheel at the same moment that I ploughed into Sam with tyres smoking. Mea culpa. As far as I can tell from my client replay, there was no contact between Doni and me though there might have been a warp factor involved. Perhaps the server replay will show what happened with greater clarity.  Over to the moderator (aka Solomon the Wise)

[Michael Turner]

I've just had a look at the server reply which shows that I did indeed run into Doni and then carried on to demolish Sam so apologies to both

[Turkey Machine]

Results any time soon evilclive?

[Turkey Machine]

Ping?