UKPnG Season 1 Clubmans - Laguna Seca - Jun 16

[Manteos]

Anyone else having problems getting on the server  just keeps booting me as a cheat, jumped on an open server with no problem.....Help

Same troubles for me & Gavino!

[Legzy]

Anyone else having problems getting on the server   just keeps booting me as a cheat, jumped on an open server with no problem.....Help

Same troubles for me & Gavino!

It's now up & running again. Tested & connected fine.

EDIT - Seems to work fine till a third or more people join the server. Will get back to you.

[Legzy]

Legzy can i throw the cat amongst the pigeons 
I had a little look at the lap times for the IROC and the 914 from the last race at Laguna and i managed 2 laps out off 24 in the high 1:39s Madd did a better job and got 10 laps in the 1:39s MJs fastest was 1:40.9 and SBG and PR didn't get under 1:40s in the 914............

Having gone back to check the previous P&G visit to Laguna, the expected people were achieving the times I've set as the "target time zone" for the cars you mentioned. (which I'm very pleased about as it kind of hints that my calculations are working  )

I've been posting a target time, so that people don't turn up at the race & blitz everyone by going too fast... it's not a "you must achieve this time" by any stretch of the imagination. As the groupings are getting more & more sorted with each race that passes, I can stop posting a target time if people want? It's probably served it's purpose now really. Of course, I can continue to post a target time zone if that's what people want  . I'm easy either way  .

so i was thinking is the car grouping set in stone or can we jump into a higher class of car if our times aren't to fast ? I'm sure some of the faster chaps would like a wider choice of cars....

Firstly, none of this is aimed at Ade (He's asked a good question), it's info for everyone.

Long Answer:
Before posting this Laguna race, I did calculations for 42 separate cars at this track three times over. I then compared all the cars, altering the 'fluid' Chassis groups that we've already been using in the test races, till I had nine groups of cars. I then compared how the groups of cars would perform against each other in terms of gaps in laptimes etc. Picked what seemed to be a solid line up in terms of offering different cars to drive for each group from previous races & in terms of the track & obviously their laptimes. That's how I got from 42 cars to the 15 we have on offer here for Tuesday. At the next P&G Clubmans race in two weeks (at Mosport 1977), I'll be going through the same process but it'll be a different 15(ish) cars for everyone to choose from.

Over the season, there will be very few cars (I'd guess 7 from 42 ) that the fastest drivers wont get a chance to pick, but at the end of the season, we'll see if we can't sort some races where it's back to a 'free for all' choice, while we're reviewing what happened this season & what will be on offer next season, from a historic cars viewpoint.....
For anyone, still reading this... I'm sorry, I'm bored of writing the long version

Short Version:
I'll stick my neck out here & say this: If people stick to the car choices I offer them, then everyone should get to enjoy more close racing at more races then we've ever seen here before (& that's already been a very high standard under SBG).
But like Martin has mentioned in the thread he linked to, Clubmans seems to have been a popular idea, we need to give it a chance. Have some faith in us to do as good a job as we can in our first season in charge. If you feel after a handful of races that somethings not working for you, please PM me & let me know your concerns. Clubmans does add a lot more work for me (though I'm hoping it will settle down some with more experience), but I'm willing to put the effort in, if people are enjoying it.

Please don't make me impose penalties, because you took a faster car & left the other drivers for dust. We are ready to deal with it & penalties (that I'm not going to publicise as I they surely are not needed Gentlemen) will be severe, but I'm hoping the thought of driving up front, alone, with nobody to battle... while everyone else behind you is duelling lap after lap, will be deterrent enough. Personally I'd rather be in a titanic mid-position battle then in first place on my own, where I might as well be hot lapping on my own.
I'm sure we're going to see bucket-loads of that good old 'Clubmans gentleman's spirit'. I hope I'm not being naive, as without it, we have no clubmans.

Oops, seems the short version wasn't that short either! lol 

[Ade]

Cheers for that Legzy
Just thought with your offer of promoting oneself (If you're quicker then 1:40-1:41  in a car available to you, you might want to try another car from your group, or promote yourself lol & let me know) we could also demote ourselves.
I'm with you mate   lets go with the flow and lets have some good close racing, I think with concentrating on one track with two weeks between races   i forget that different cars will have advantages and disadvantages at different tracks, Just thought your lap time target was the holy grail and we should all be spot on, (I guess that isn't going to happen for everyone all the time) like Martin said folk will find it easy and folk will find it hard to hit the lap times (and yes keep a target lap time, it helps a lot)
Only mentioned it because i was having trouble hitting the lap time in my car group (like you say it must be a bit dull out on your own in first place) any ways I'm off to B&Q for five bags of sand to chuck in the boot of my F275 Speciales


                                           Cheers for all the hard work
                                                      Ade

[Truetom]

I'm getting 1:43s with the Cobra. Not too fast, guessing over the times here, so people should have fun overtaking me. 

The server sorted now?

[Oilseal]

Keep posting the target times Legzy. I find it useful.

And thanks for all the hard work. I get a headache just thinking about all the variables.

And just think how proud I am that its a Team Oldie man doing the thinking.


Oilseal

[Jos Verstappen]

I'm getting 1:43s with the Cobra. Not too fast, guessing over the times here, so people should have fun overtaking me. 

The server sorted now?

also getting 43's, just need to do a good corkscrew .

[Ade]

Update on my times with 25 laps of juice.

Ferrari F275 Speciales..........1:41.104

Lotus Elan 26R.....................1:41.486

Corvette L88 Coupe.............1:40.778

Corvette L88 Roadster.........1:44.778

[Legzy]

I managed a 1:40.4 last night in the GT40 mk2.
Had a brief go in the 427 Cobra, seemed a bit easier to drive, no lap time yet... hope to get a few more laps in online tonight 10pm onwards.

[Mike Cook]

Hi Legzy, can I ask to be allowed the 914 Porche? I tried those horrible American cars and in the Ferrari and Elan I can only do 1:44's. Even in the 914 I have so far only managed a 1:42.5. Perhaps I could break into the 41's, but I think it's going to be difficult.

I've actually done quite a lot of practice on this track now and even though I'm starting to dial in the corners am still slow.

Can I be promoted...to a faster car that is?


P.S. Please do keep those guide times!

[Paul968]

Apart from the elan I think it is unlikely anyone in the group D will get near 1.40. Best in the cobra for me is 1.42 and the L88 was even slower (and a right handful!).

The 275 speciale is maybe a bit too quick for group C IMO.

[update] 1.40.6 in the Elan.

[Legzy]

Hi Legzy, can I ask to be allowed the 914 Porche? I tried those horrible American cars and in the Ferrari and Elan I can only do 1:44's. Even in the 914 I have so far only managed a 1:42.5. Perhaps I could break into the 41's, but I think it's going to be difficult.
I've actually done quite a lot of practice on this track now and even though I'm starting to dial in the corners am still slow.
Can I be promoted...to a faster car that is?
P.S. Please do keep those guide times!

Hi Mike,
If you've read the rest of this thread (& the one on 'Clubmans gentleman's agreement'), you'll already know the answer to that question. Pick a car you enjoy driving from the group available to you, hopefully you'll be surprised at the amount of company (& fun) you'll have during the race.

The thing about giving the guide laptimes (1:40.0 to 1:41.9 for your fastest race lap was what I indicated for this race), it puts people into a panic if they're not making that laptime regularly (or at all) & they start asking if they can use a faster car  . So I'm still not convinced it's a benefit to post one now people are getting closer to their correct groups. In a standard race, people tend to post their own laptimes & we all use that as a gauge to how we're doing. Would That would probably work equally well with clubmans .

Looking back through this thread, it seems that only Manteos, myself & now Paul have broken past the 1:41 barrier. On that evidence maybe I should have set the target time at 1:41-43... as it sounds like that's where most peoples fastest* laps are.


Separately, I selected the GT40 mk2 this time, because nobody took a standard mk1 or mk2 at Snetterton & I thought it would be nice to see one on the grid this time. But as it's looking like I could be heading mighty close to pole position, I'm going to have a bash at some other cars tonight. I'll put my GT40 setup online for anyone else to try.

*= i.e. it's a PB, not a regular laptime 

[Legzy]

IvAlAx & Pippomox & O55oDuR0,

I've not seen any laptimes from you yet, but not to worry. For this your first race with us, just choose cars that you do laptimes of about 1:41 in and you'll be fine. I'll then be able to add you into an official drivers group after this your first race.

I Post here some mine laptimes:
Ferrari 275 speciale - 1.39.9
Shelby Cobra 289 roadster - 1.42.5
Corvette L88 roadster - 1.42.1
Lotus Elan - 1.41.2

With those times, I would suggest you join the Group One drivers Ayrton4_94. (I'll also add you into a drivers group officially for the next race)

[Manteos]

Should be a good idea put the 275 Speciale in B Group, and let only for this race choose between group C & D for the Group 1 & 2 Drivers, changing the lap reference into a 1.41.0- 1.42.9. Gavino reached a 1.39.9xx with the 275 speciale, mine was a 1.40.4 surely beatable.
My idea is to gather groups C & D and let group 1 & 2 choose between these cars.Then everyone can choose a car in which is possible for him to make not less than 41.0 among:
Shelby Cobra 289 Coupe, Shelby Daytona Coupe, Corvette L88 Coupe,
Corvette L88 Roadster, Lotus Elan, Cobra 289 Roadster.
Obviously tha same is for group 3 & 4, that can choose a car let them make not less 41.0.
As you said, Legzy, the choice of car must be flexible, but with a higher lap time reference, maybe everyone can find a car that allows him to reach this higher target laptime. Let me know your opinion

Regarding my other team mates don't know if they will be able to take part of this race. At the moment is sure only for me & Gavino (ayrton 4_94). Don't worry, you make the right choice if you put Gavino in 1st Group! For the others i will let you know something very soon ! Cu!

[Tibernius]

Best times so far with 10 gallons of fuel:

Cobra 289 Coupe: 1:47.7
Porsche 914: 1:44.7
Porsche 906/6: 1:41.5

The 906 is the only car I can get anywhere near 1:41s out of.