UKGPL Season 17 (2009) Novices Trophy - Mosport - Jun 9

[happyal]

Sorry I missed this race, it's TT time here on the Isle of Man and I didn't get back in until after 9pm and forgot all about the race

Big well done to Tim, you've been doing really well lately, only a matter of time before P1 is yours.

Hope to be at Silverstone, but it's not a good track for me, and I've got a feeling I'm away for Monza, which is a real shame, because I like Monza.

[Al Heller]

First of all congratulations to Clutch on an excellent win. And secondly congratulations to teammate Tim (Vosblod) for a superb second place And a slightly mumbled grats to Rog for swiping 3rd place off me at the end too (sniff).

My race felt a bit like a Pink Panther film with Nicky in the role of Cato jumping out of wardrobes & attacking me when I least expected it Was really pleased with 3rd in Q but once again totally messed up the start & was fortunate to only lose one place. My view of the 1st lap carnage was that James (leading) hit the kerb at 5a which sent him wide & left a tempting gap into Moss - Nicky pulled alongside but a recovering James turned in & they collided right in front of me. Tried to take to the grass to avoid them but didn't quite make it & got caught up in the tangle.

Eventually got going again, was amazed not to be damaged but next lap at Moss got nerfed off when Nicky's nose had a sniff at my rear tyre.. lost a few more places there but after a couple of laps was a few hundred yards behind Nicky & trying to catch up. Came over the crest at 5a & saw Nicky on the grass facing me but just as I was about to pass he did a doughnut to get back on track & collected me in the process! By this time I was considering pitching a tent & setting up camp on the grass at Moss as I seemed to be spending enough time there.

After that thankfully not too many dramas. Inherited 3rd when Rog went gardening at Moss (where else?) but could make no impact on Clutch & Vosblod so just tried to maintain a steady pace & not make any mistakes. Sadly 5 laps from the end team orders were issued & I was instructed to give the last podium place to Clark-Hill teammate Rog. Since team orders are banned I cunningly disguised the handover by spinning off at T3 in what might appear to be a simple bit of crap driving

That third step of the podium must be teflon-coated as I certainly can't keep hold of it. Still - was pleased to finish 4th as this was a tricky track  

  

[NHance]

Pancakes & maple syrup for tea made my stomach & tyres super sticky for qualifying. I was happy with my time & 6th place as I'll never do a PB with race night pressure.
Heller baulked Vosblod off the line so I slipped through to a handy 5th at T1. Hairpin - 'nuff said. At the left hander before finish I got hit again & when I rejoined got hit by Graham to whom an apology is almost certainly in order. Over to you moderator. That was lap 1 & I was 13th.

Eventually I think I was 8th & had Nicky, Asbejeurn & Mike behind me & my prebluda did not show where team mate Clutch was but I guessed he was near the front. My objective was to catch 7th place & stay in front of these who are Clutch's championship rivals. So it was hit the apex time again as with Roguk at Rouen.
Well with that lot in close attendance it was not a matter of "if" but "when" & the accident happened on lap 11. Asbejeurn got the worst of it but he could take the chill out of the air by warming himself on his smoking wreckage. Towards the end I caught Norbert but yellows at the hairpin stopped any attempt & on the last lap he went wide in the dip & I lost concentration watching him & went off as well. Finished 7th but may get a penalty for lap 1 Graham incident, we'll have to see.
Really enjoyed this race the 27 laps just flew by on a difficult track but I like it. Well done to Clark Hill's Vosblod Roguk & Heller, but Clutch - b***dy fantastic 'cos I know you had set up trouble even before race night. As good a result as we could both hope for.

Norm H

 






 
 

[Samb]

The team championship is looking exciting too and hopefully next season we will see more teams entering, single marque or otherwise. There is a rumour that the Clark-Hill team will branch into a Clark Lotus and Hill BRM team. Stay tuned for details.

Looks as though Reed will have some stiff competition for the honour of being the most successful BRM chassis team. You could always join Loot and his men instead  .

[Jack O'Ferrall]

Has anyone seen a talented driver, a double champion indeed, moping about looking for a faster chassis next season...?  Anyway, you can reassure him that next season's allocations will be structured so that the racing is more competitive, it's one of the virtues of chassis allocation that it gets better season by season, though obviously this doesn't apply to entirely new drivers.

Colin Chapman trying to swipe Reed's engines and talent, why am I not very surprised by this.... though what UKGPL does need is a Cooper team to replace the sadly defunct 'men of Cooper', aka the X-Men.  I've gathered that one of the current Cooper aces has only a one-year contract, though...

Your incident reports for Mosport please gentlemen.

[il_lupo_mannaro]

I wasn't lucky this one even if I had a lot of fun!

On lap 1, before Moss, I was hit in the back by Bernie so I was getting nervous and I made several mistakes all along the race.

Immediately on the same lap, on T9, I hit NHance as well, sorry!

I made a stop'n'go, then I sarted some fun laps, trying to climb up the race positions, but Mosport is one of the hardest track to pass someone.

On lap 17, NickyIckx, after going wide on T3, re-entered the track just in front of me and it wasn't possible for me to avoid him, so I lost any chance to finish the race in a better position.

That's racing life!

Grats to the podium, to everybody raced and to the staff.

Long Live GPL!

[Billy Nobrakes]

My debut season was fast turning into a dodgy entry to the Eurovison song contest - Nul points. Race 8 &, at last I have 2 points (at least till the Mods remove them).
The race started in true Novice style with a couple of major pile ups. Starting at 13th on the grid I weaved by way through the carnage to what I think Prib said was 5th. This was too much - had to take a lie down (aka a spin in the sand trap).
After Mike James had overtaken be for about the fourth time I settled in for what is becoming a traditional end of race tussle with Graham. On lap 25 I had to slow up to as a Honda was doing acrobatics across the track, Graham cut across my rear end (no fault inferred) and sent me spinning. I'm really just expalining this as mitgation for what happened next in the Moss hairpin. Had a nasty spin on the entry & ended up pointing in the wrong direction. I think a crafty shift R would have helped but I ended up driving across the track twice. Most cars seemed to get past OK but one car (a Cooper?) did get tagged trying to squeeze past. Apologies to driver concerned.
Had a similar incident at Rouen which the Mods were not to happy about. Might be back to Nul points.
I seem to be a bit less accident prone at Silverstone & Monza.

[Phil Thornton]

Had a nasty spin on the entry & ended up pointing in the wrong direction. I think a crafty shift R would have helped but I ended up driving across the track twice. Most cars seemed to get past OK but one car (a Cooper?) did get tagged trying to squeeze past.

Have you tried switching to the chase view (using F10 button) when recovering from an incident?  Sometimes it is easier to spot a good place to turn round if you use the chase view, the grass verges are more visible.

[bernie]

I wasn't lucky this one even if I had a lot of fun!

On lap 1, before Moss, I was hit in the back by Bernie so I was getting nervous and I made several mistakes all along the race.

Sorry if I caught you but you were warping like a good un , one moment following you then the next you suddenly come to a halt  ( see my report) hope I didnt spoil the race for you 

[NHance]

Looked at the replay again. Very sorry Graham I should have seen you coming you are visible on the replay as I am facing the wrong way before rejoining. Guilty as charged. Hope it didn't ruin your race too much.
Norm H

[G Poole]

Thanks Norm but I had created all my own problems much earlier in the race.

Also my replay indicates that on lap 25 whilst passing Billy, his car jumped to one side
so it may be warp? Moderator will decide I guess.

It was a busy race, enjoyable but difficult.

[il_lupo_mannaro]

Sorry if I caught you but you were warping like a good un , one moment following you then the next you suddenly come to a halt  ( see my report) hope I didnt spoil the race for you 

NP Bernie, these are GPL races.

[bernie]

Bernie rear-ended Fabio as the field closed up for Moss.

What are we supposed to do when a car suddenly appears in front of us and is stationary in a braking zone ?

This incedent was definately the result of warp contact as mentioned previously.
It seems to be a recuring problem , please note I am not the only one to be affected , dont see how you can use warp as an excuse for one yet completely ignore the effect for another 

Mods please note

There is definatly an issue here which needs resolving 

[Turkey Machine]

Bugger me sideways and call me Charlie Whiting.

28 place penalties?!?!?!?!?! 

Is that a new record?!