anythingcanhappenfridays - Corvette @ Daytona Road - Sep 10

[mr_oily]

Hahaha cheers Purds - exclusive rights available for attractive rates of course...let the bidding war commence.

Back to business - SERVER'S UP!

[mr_oily]

Was loving that but got called away early unfortunately - hope everyone has a good race - go Prodigy etc

Results will be sorted tomorrow.

[ross.mcw]

Was having fun chasing Pete but binned it at the chicane around lap 8.  Oh well

[Dave 'Gizmo' Gymer]

Pity Toby wasn't back in time for the race itself, but it did permit the unlikelyfully expected result of total Team Shark domination.

I struggled with the setup quite a bit early in practice and dipped in and out whilst watching the tennis. I couldn't quite reproduce my practice best lap in qualifying but with the short session I knew that it was more important to get a good banker lap in and duly nabbed pole with my second flying lap, binning it on my third attempt which was going to be a banzai effort had it not ended in turn 1.

Wasn't sure what starting on the banking was going to be like, especially as my only attempt to find out in practice nearly ended with my slow moving car collecting Spanner (I think) on a section of track I wasn't sure was live. As it happened it was fine and whilst the car wanted to rotate right it was easily controllable with some moderation of the throttle and I think was all got through turn 1 okay.

I tried a splash and dash in practice and it took nearly as long as tyres only so it made sense to stop around half distance for tyres and no fuel; I had a plan B which was to take rears only but by the time we reached that point I had a big lead over Picnic and got in and out in the lead. After that it was a matter of staying focused which I did rather better tonight that on Tuesday, and starting the last lap I decided to risk a stab at a really decent fastest lap and popped in a final time two tenths inside my pole time and only a tenth off my best from practice.

Well done to Pete for a very solid second place and for being the only car I didn't lap.

I think my only major moment of the race was when Purds spun in T1 in front of me in the closing stages just after I'd joked on TeamSpeak that there was still time for me to crash and hand Picnic the win.

Since they added some actual steering feel to the Corvette I've really been enjoying driving it. The fixed setups do suit my driving style - and perhaps just as importantly encourage and reward the 'slow in, fast out' style needed in the high power to grip ratio cars.

[picnic]

Getting used to 2nd, 3rd week on the trot 

I joined the server to get some practice not having driven the Corvette since I did a season when it first came out but the door bell went so total practice was about 10 or 11 very erratic laps. Still that's obviously all I need  as I managed 2nd on the grid behind the dominant Dave. Having never practiced a standing start on the banking, and having a feeling I had fluked that second, I was actually feeling a little nervous! Got an OK start at a similar pace to the others and was pleased to get through T1 without any issues. No way was I going to keep up with Dave so I just tried to drive some clean laps and to my surprise opened out a small gap to Ross and Andy. However once they were happier when everything was up to temp they started to slowly real me in. Then Andy dropped back so Ross had no distractions and caught me up. I was worried with the long straights that Ross would get in the slip stream and cruise by but generally I got a good exit from the corners. Ross then sadly lost it in to the Bus Stop thing, didn't see what happened as I'm not looking in the mirror going through there!

I knew I was going to catch Dave so settled down to try and be consistent and to bag that second. Very pleased not to have been lapped.

I agree with Dave that the Corvette is a better drive than it used to be but it is for me very much about being patient and not pushing. Too much weight makes late braking a mare but can lead to some awesome drifting moments  Get it straight before giving it the beans or that leads to some donut moments 

[ross.mcw]

Ross then sadly lost it in to the Bus Stop thing, didn't see what happened as I'm not looking in the mirror going through

Just missed by braking point and clouted the tyres unfortunately. Getting the gear changes right in that thing with no aids was really tough, combined with braking and it was a miracle I managed the laps I did!

Well done on the 2nd place. I don't think I'd have got past you to be honest, and certainly wouldn't have made it stick anyhow.

Great pace up front Dave. Different league to the rest of us last night!

Not sure what happened to Andy, but he'd have been past me had he not fallen back I think.

[Legzy]

looking forward to seeing next weeks race details... but I'm sure Oily's checking the list for cars I've not got :'(

p.s. Don't we normally have a results table at the top?

[mr_oily]

Don't worry your old self Legzina - announcement tonight about the next couple of events, and as lovely as the peace and quiet has been you'll be able to compete in them both  I promise 

Just a reminder for anyone who's bought any new content recently - please update the inventory spreadsheet whenever you get a moment...

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnORWLw4WYLMdFlLUzNGMWFfb2FrTThoR2F4d2pXTnc&hl=en&authkey=CJHW0v4D

[spanner]

The words,'pot' 'kettle' and 'black' come to mind

[Legzy]

As a certain Cornish pasty round these forums would say... in your own time Oily.