Wow! - That was awesome
Prior to the race I thought I'd sussed the clear winner of the 'fastest car' competition in the form of the number 10 Prototype Daytona - Which has no rear spoiler and therefore a top speed without draft of 182ish. Also it's hugely twitchy/loose rear end was actually helpfull to me as I was able to carry more speed through the first turn when I managed not to get sideways. All this made it some 2 seconds a lap faster than all the other cars I tried, so easy choice I thought.....
Then in Practice I find Ade, Miguel, Geoffers and Clive all doing 1:18's in their 427's and production Daytona's and realised it might be a tad harder than I thought
Managed a new non-drafting PB with my 2:17.xx in qually but that was only good enough for 3rd, which I knew would be tricky with a pair of Cobra's on the front row - no way I was going to out drag them to T1
As it happed I got the drop on Miguel when he was late to start, but most of my advantage was lost in controlling the massive drift as I swerved to avoid him
Tucked in behind when he pulled clear and prayed Geoffers couldn't hastle me before the first go at the hairpin.
That was when I first realised the rediculous amount of power the 427's had over me! Geoffers was around me like a shot out of the hairpin, and it took until the crest of the hill to finaly pass him back with my superior speed.
I then threw my efforts away with 2 mistakes the following lap, the 2nd of which (not stopping in time for the first hairpin) allowed both Clive and Geoffers to get through.
I thought my race was over here as what gap I had been managing to the leading duo was now gone, and I was probably half a second down on Clive entering the main straight.
Over the next couple of laps I slipstreamed back upto Clive and Geoffers just as Clive made a pass stick, so settled in behind Geoff's Cobra waiting for a suitable occaision - This was duely presented at the end of the main straight and then Geoffers out-braked himself into the deal giving me the place nice and easy
It then took another lap or 2 to catch Clive - who promptly ran wide exiting turn 2 allowing me to sneak past unchallenged again
And that's where I probably would have finished if it wasn't for Ade outbraking himself into the final turn a few laps later while battling Miguel, and falling back enough that I could start catching his draft at the end of each straight.
Thanks to the No 10 cars huge speed advantage over the Cobra's I caught Ade enough that he simly couldn't escape me - Eventually I passed him on the outside of turn 2 (
) where it looked like he was leaving me room!
From there on I think I was racing in the tourist trophy as I spent the remainder of the race towing a big lumpy white thing around, a caravan in other words
My caravan seemed to be on a strange type of rubber towrope though as it would drop back slightly in the fastest sections and then bounce back under braking and in the corner exits
I don't know if the aero moddeling in GTR2 is clever enough to bump draft the leading car of a group, or if I just settled into lapping as cleanly as possible once I realised
Ade my caravan was going to stay behind me - but I subsequently posted the fastest lap with about 2 to go, I think Ade must have done his PB then too
All these shinanigans resulted in the pair of us catching Miguel who seemed to be slowing (tyres?) and I was right behind entering the final lap!
Exiting T1 and on the run down to T2 I carried more speed so dived up the inside - Miguel responded by braking incredibly late, although his resultant slide slowed us both and allowed Ade to gain somewhat.
I sat close behind Miguel then until the main straight where (once I'd caught up again) I passed him with ease and charged off towards the final corner, pretty certain no-one could challenge me before the exit.
I was wrong again as Miguel managed to nail his braking and shoved the Cobra up the inside at the last posible moment, so we exited side-by-side for the run to the flag!
Miguel's Cobra lept off initially while I bounced up and down in my seat begging and pleading with my car to accelerate faster
Eventually Miguel started to hit his maximum speed and I (now slotted behind and drafting for all I was worth!) was gaining, while Ade was practically in my boot!
I think I pulled out at about the 200 meter board for the pits and crossed the line about a nose ahead of Miguel's Cobra in the end
Well done to Ade and Miguel on a clean and well fought battle, and also to everyone else who made it to the end, great fun
