UKGTL Season 8 Endurance - Round 6 - Zeltweg, Austria - Oct 8

[mr_oily]

Have to say, that one really did feel like an enduro at times!

In practice the Cuda was only a little off the pace and while it was obvious the grip wouldn't last given the fact it drives sideways everywhere, did you see that thing!? It takes up half the road, you have to love it LOL. Chuffed to get a chance to drive it in anger although I should have put some time into a race setup really as I can't believe that was the best wear rate I could get from the tyres.

I hadn't managed to get one decent start in all of our practice races, just the merest hint at the go pedal and the rears would light up but I took it nice and easy, let the revs drop almost completely and got a nice bite point to rocket off the line (albeit half an hour behind the somewhat optimistic Legzy ).

Had some good dices early on but never enough for my liking, not over such a long race. I was more just holding people up really, Jim I think was reading the paper while planning his move and for both Matt and Steve it was pretty much like taking candy from a baby but I enjoyed it all, just desperately trying to hang on/ keep it in a straight line.

The tyre challenge added a new dimension, while I would obviously prefer more grip, it did keep thing's interesting! I would get 6 or 7 laps of beautiful handling before the the grip would fall away and at the end of each stint I was up to almost 60.00 on the left rear LOL.

Seems a few of us got caught out by the slippery pit entrance, I came in on full opposite lock and managed to earn myself a stop/go for the privilege!

A big congrats to all the finishers but well done Dyno for getting us some points and to the podium who were driving exceptionally well if the times and gaps were anything to go by.

Thanks all, hope to come back here again - have to say I am curious as to what it would be like without that first chicane. I've seen some of the old F1 footage and it looks pretty hairy...might be worth a look for next time but I love it either way.

Next!

[Steve Holmes]

Yeah that 'Cuda looked sweet mate, even if it did run a bit wide leaving a gap even a supertanker could drive through.  Resect for dragging that round.

I was going to ask about tyre durability - that was the first time I ever used GTL-PD or XD or whatever, and a lap or two before I pitted the first time, I had wear 47 on the LR.  Being used to 25-30 in GTR meaning 'woah!' I was going to ask if this is normal in GTL - but if you got 60, then clearly the 40s are perfectly reasonable!

I was surprised not to get a s/g on my 2nd stop,I engaged the limiter on entry just before the traffic light but the revs continued to fall for a bit longer - don't expect leniency from GTLs pit speed limit.....

[Legzy]

I was going to ask if this is normal in GTL - but if you got 60, then clearly the 40s are perfectly reasonable!

Tyre wear at 60 has got to be some kind of new record!

[Dave 'Gizmo' Gymer]

Maybe GTL doesn't model punctures through excessive wear? Grip fell away after wear 10, and then dramatically at wear 20, which is like GTR2.

Something else I noticed in XD is that the lap count showed "x of 54" instead of 45.

[goldtop]

Something else I noticed in XD is that the lap count showed "x of 54" instead of 45.

Was the same for me. I've also noticed this in previous races. Get the impression XD is a bit buggy with GTL.

[Steve Holmes]

Maybe GTL doesn't model punctures through excessive wear? Grip fell away after wear 10, and then dramatically at wear 20, which is like GTR2.

Something else I noticed in XD is that the lap count showed "x of 54" instead of 45.

I've certainly blown a worn tyre (after an hour of wear round Spa in a 906) offline, so I'm pretty sure punctures from wear are modelled.  These 65 tyres must just be insanely durable.

I was going to stop at 45 come what may, even if XD told me to carry on. 

[Legzy]

Yeah, I agree... XD isn't quite right for GTL, but I use it for the order of drivers thing & the Game HUD for lap info & PD for all my pit stuff.

I wonder if Oily got to 60 because he was in a mod car

I know my Daytona tyres were going off badly shortly after 20. But then with the Plymouth, the handling isn't exactly normal to start with, so would you notice worn tyres

[Andy Charman]

Fun while it lasted!
Hadn't practiced but I knew the circuit from my GPL days.
First part of the race went well and had soon climbed to 9th place. had a brief battle with Steve Holmes before he got his act together and left me in his wake. All going well then for some reason I misjudged my braking point, hit the barrier and ended up the other side of the it on the grass bank. Took me an age to rejoin at the end of the back straight. Managed to catch and pass a couple of drivers then I pitted, oh dear!!!
Cocked it right up, put no fuel in and got a stop n go. Managed to get around another lap re entered the pits, but because I had a stop n go all the pit menu was locked. So I ran out of fuel.
 Lovely circuit but not sure I would have made it to the end anyway. One and a half hours is a bit much for me on a school night!! :'( :'(

[mr_oily]

I'd have to say the 10 and 20 milestones were about right actually Steve - I don't know how the Corvette felt but once I got up to 25 it became so difficult to put the power down....but the most difficult bit was actually the fast right hander after the first chicane. Whereas the front would just about get enough grip there normally, as soon as the four wheel drifting started on entry it would just slide, and slide, and slide until eventually at approximately 3.5 mph it would get grip briefly, just in time for the back to kick out as you try and make it move forwards again! Good times

I was thinking along those same lines Legz, the handling probably wouldn't change much but unfortunately I was losing between 5 - 7 seconds per lap towards the end of the stints so with hindsight I might have revised my strategy just a teeny bit. Definitely a two stopper at least!

P.s  - any chance of a lap chart just for comedy value?? 

[BillThomas]

Last night I couldn't get that chicane right.  I think in qualifying I aborted as many laps as I completed - those kerbs are deadly.

My start was delayed by the car in front but I managed to avoid the pile up at the chicane and mangaged to get up to 10th I think.  All went well until lap 4 when I clipped the first kerb of the chicane and was thrown onto the right hand one and spun, Alex, I assume, punted me over the fence - thanks for waiting but it was all of my own making.  Took ages to turn the car around to get back to the track, I was pointing up the steep bank and couldn't drive up it.  Had a couple more offs and eventually finished up behind the barrier after the chicane, with a bent car and worn tyres I decided to quit - I'd already been lapped by the first 4 or 5 drivers.

Bill

[Steve Holmes]

I'd have to say the 10 and 20 milestones were about right actually Steve - I don't know how the Corvette felt but once I got up to 25 it became so difficult to put the power down....but the most difficult bit was actually the fast right hander after the first chicane. Whereas the front would just about get enough grip there normally, as soon as the four wheel drifting started on entry it would just slide, and slide, and slide until eventually at approximately 3.5 mph it would get grip briefly, just in time for the back to kick out as you try and make it move forwards again! Good times

I'm guessing like the Plymouth but slightly less so.  I had quite a few grassy excursions due to oversteering onto the inside, plus some severe fishtailing when I got the power down once it was over 25-30.  Muchly amusing actually, very enjoyable.

P.s  - any chance of a lap chart just for comedy value?? 

Unofficial Lapchart

[Alex vV]

First of all: what a beautiful mod the Cuda is. Kudos for the one who found it!
So I picked up my open-face helmet, put on the big sunglasses and was yelling 'I am the Intimidator!'. That lasted until corner 1 where I was dead last. So my Intimidator strategy went out of the window....

Setup was entirely focused on keeping this beast on the road and failed to see the consequences of 2x tire wear until lap 7 in the race. The rear left tire had a wear of 20 and I wasn't even halfway the stint! Stubbornly I sticked in Sauber-esque style to my 1 pitstop strategy and went into tire saving mode. Just managed to limit the wear to 32 on lap 22 (bar was showing just a tiny red stripe) and went  into the pit. Just forgot about the rear left whilst braking and did a 180 stopping on the straight. I believe I gave one Oldie TVR quite a scare.
After the pitstop I went into tire saving mode again until the last laps..

Alex was showing as DNF in XD but 11th on the track and at the end of the race I wasn't 100% certain that he wasn't trying to catch me for position, so I kept pushing and ran off a few times, luckily not hitting anything.

That was me trying to have a bit of fun at the end of the race. Was fed up with that saving-tour-tires bit but in fact was one lap down.

Had a big off up the grass banking at about lap 30 and landed on my roof.

Was right behind you when you lost it. Nice roll and didn't know that a Tank could fly so high 

All went well until lap 4 when I clipped the first kerb of the chicane and was thrown onto the right hand one and spun, Alex, I assume, punted me over the fence - thanks for waiting but it was all of my own making. 

I did? Please report me if I was naughty because wasn't aware that I shoved you from the track 

Great track, great cars, what do you want more?

[BillThomas]

All went well until lap 4 when I clipped the first kerb of the chicane and was thrown onto the right hand one and spun, Alex, I assume, punted me over the fence - thanks for waiting but it was all of my own making. 

I did? Please report me if I was naughty because wasn't aware that I shoved you from the track 

Great track, great cars, what do you want more?

Alex someone hit me and I went over the fence, as I passed you stationary I'd assumed you were waiting for me as it was you.  Apologies if it wasn't you. As I said it was my fault that caused the problem - not an issue with me,  I was thanking you for waiting for me.

Bill

[Sandor M]

Alex someone hit me and I went over the fence, as I passed you stationary I'd assumed you were waiting for me as it was you.  Apologies if it wasn't you. As I said it was my fault that caused the problem - not an issue with me,  I was thanking you for waiting for me.

Bill

Hi Bill, Alex,

I was the one involved in the crash and the one that was waiting overthere.

All was going reasonable well till lap 4. Bill missed the chicane and I tried to pass him on the left. Plenty of room but my car oversteered and we hit eachother sideways.
The cuda was a bit heavier and Bill got rocked away to the right. It took some time for Bill to rejoin and I hoped we could have a little battle for ourselves for the rest of race.
Unfortunately Bill quit and I was more than 60 secs behind the rest of the field.
Just tried to make the best of it and had fun controlling the car all race. Had to make a 2-stopper cause the tyes wouldn't last a 1 stop with my driving abilities.

greets and see you all next race