Well done goes to Slambo for some excellent driving last night in the Silver room. I was bitterly disappointed in race 1 with a total of 4 spins and 1 pitl ane overshoot (probably because I was so angry with myself I tried to go into the pits at 160km/h). After the first spin I knew the race was pretty much over but by the 3rd spin I had to force myself not to rage quit. Race 2 saw me head the field off the line and whilst I kept a reasonable pace Blindman and Slambo kept my measure and put the pressure on behind me. I wasn't going to make it easy for them and pushed on as hard as I could to stay ahead (which worked for quite a while) . Slambo would catch me then I'd make a gap, then he'd catch me again and I'd make another gap. On the last lap Blindman and Slambo made a courageous pass on the inside which stuck and down the back straight I followed in tow coming a very close third behind Slambo who was bumping Blindman to try and hurry him up. Coming through the last turn towards the finish line I saw that both Blindman and Slambo had alot of speed coming through the turn (in an effort to battle one another for the victory), so I tactically decided to brake a little earlier to give myself a fast and clear run out of the turn - which almost paid off, seeing me jump into 2nd place (only 0.05sec behind Slambo). That move brought back some confidence but still fell short from washing that awful taste of dissatisfaction from race 1. Anyway, onwards and upwards. You're only as good as your last race, and I haven't raced my last race yet Now to look ahead to GVE, another difficult track where the pace will be high.
Big congrats to slambo, you dominated! First race basically went to plan, I knew I couldn't overtake CAGM on the track so was pacing and hoping to do it via the pits, but he pit when I was going too, so decided to go 1 more lap, but CAGM was too quick. 2nd race I got a pretty decent start, but picked a bad line into turn 1 and with nowhere to go. So ended up coming out of turn 1 in last spot. Unfortunately, with the power between my rotor and Hatfield BRZ I really struggled to pass after coming out of the pits in race 2 and lost a lot of time (and wasted a lot of rubber too). Otherwise, I would have been throwing my hat into the last lap shenanigans too. Gary kept me honest on the 2nd race. Fairest racer award would have to go to gary, we went side by side from the middle hair pin all the way to the hairpin leading to the back straight with no contact. Bad luck Blindman at the end. Well done Doogle to do that in race 2 after the problems in race 1. Hatfield, I've gotta say you placed your car pretty well (very annoying! haha), hardest person for me to overtake all night. Sorry about interrupting your last minute practice. P.S. CAGM whats this about lack of pace and your championship being over?!?! Mr 1st place in race 1 (well done!) and 2nd in championship
@skywalker I was in the RX7 too. Yeah I had to place it well since I did 0 stop. Np about the practice stuff.
Apologies to all for my whinging. After increasing my controller sensitivity I managed to find some consistency as well as 1 to 2 tenths in lap time. I honestly did not expect to place in the top 5 in race 1 but I thought I may have been a chance in race 2 with the extra 5 hp and starting on the front 2 rows of the grid. Turns out I ran a perfect race keeping her off the grass and away from the walls while pumping out 54's. Everything went my way in that race from making up 3-5s in the pit through a perfect brake in to the narrow pit entry to several people taking themselves out. Race 2 didn't go to plan after an off field incident at turn 1 early in the race. I simply couldn't find a rhythm and put out any decent laps with my fastest being a 54.8 the slowest FL posted by anyone in race 2. Also I had the intentions to pit but I wanted a clear pit so people wouldn't cost me time by the time it was clear it was lap 14 so I risked it all and didn't stop. Ended up getting caught by Doogle and Slambo with several laps to go. I tried to hold them off to give blindman his best chance of his 1st podium in the series (The only one who is yet to podium in silver) turns out I didn't quite do enough with blind man getting caught on the last lap and getting passed on the last corner. Off to grand valley we go a track which I seem to have decent pace at but in saying that I though that about Tsukuba to, till I jumped into one of doogles practice rooms and saw the times he was pumping out.
Gezz wats my hp guna be for next race? On. 334hp it's defiantly lacking top end, battling with full power brzs they just started gapping me down the back straight lucky for me it was a short straight and didn't really affect lap speed to much. Not so much for the next track. A lot longer straights Still seems to keep up with the rx7s thou. I love blasting them off the start line made up 3 spots taking the outside of turn 1 on the reverse grid race. Race 2 was the Best race ive ever had, really found a rythem in those closing laps such a close finish. So awesome racing ya doogle so close at the end. And Pinoy was right there too. Again my apologies for blindman. My plan was to go wide at the entry and cut back in tight but our difference in corner speeds had me right on the back of you way quicker than I expected had to turn in real tight and I bounced of the inside curb causing me to slap into the side of ya. had to have crack thou I knew I had the extra grip and corner speed to pull it off should of been a 3 way finish. Bring on the next one
Here are all the penalties for the penultimate round of the HTO GT300 championship: @VARDZ with the final round being double points and with the championship on the line and fuji being a track where speed is everything how do you want penalties to work? I know in the actual Super GT series they remove all penalties if you had made a certain number of races throughout the season and halved for everyone else. I don't believe penalties should be completely removed but with full penalties theres a big incentive to say come 4th instead of 3rd at grand valley and loose 3 points to be a better chance at hauling in the maximum 56 points on offer at fuji.
Well actually in Super GT for the final race they penalize on championship position as well as normal ballast. but i dont agree with anymore changes for the rest of the season.
Straight from the ever reliable wikipedia: (Sarcasm) In 2009, the handicap system was changed in the final two races to combat sandbagging, discouraging a team from intentionally finishing poorly in qualifying or the race, as well as intentionally being slower in the race during the run to the end of the season. During the final two races, the ballast will initially be halved in the penultimate race, and then lifted altogether in final race for all teams that participated in every round. Teams missing only one round receive halved-ballast in the final race instead.
I really enjoyed the races last night, qualified third for race one behind Evil and Pat and managed to scrape around the outside of Evil through turn one and take the lead, from there is was a matter of watching the gap and stroking along to make the tyres last 22 laps for a comfortable win. For race two I became the tortoise, I started at the back but through others misadventures through the first lap I finished lap one in fourth. I had got further up but Evil re passed me. I stroked along and when Evil had a slow entry onto the back straight I was able to get up beside him and take third through the last turn. there was then a bit of a gap, (about 3 seconds I believe) to Pat and Kart who were scrabbling over the lead. After about 6 to 8 laps Kart had fallen back towards me and after he had a sloppy run out of the last corner I was able to pass him into turn 1. For the next four laps I only managed to chip a little bit into Pat's lead but then he pitted at the end of lap 12. I was going the full distance so watched the gap back to Evil, it grew a little each lap and by about lap 19 I knew I had enough in hand to keep ahead of Pat and kart who had both stopped for fresh tyres, I could see the little arrows battling for second place, looked like a great battle. Most of my race had been lonely but I don't mind that so much when I'm in the lead. I had the third fastest lap in race one but was second slowest in race two, Definitely the tortoise in race two but still managed the win. It has been a while since I had a win so I was very pleased last night. I hope I can clear Tuesdays and finish out the season.
I agree with mus that no changes should be made for the remainder of the season and we learn from it for the next time this series is run. As mus said maybe the penalties apply to the were you are situated on the points table going into the last round. Evil proved last night that he can still win with the max penalty and would have had emmo not been there( his first race of the season ) in a full powered supra. So prior to season 2 of the gt300 kicking off I will involve some wise heads and nut out the regulations that be set in stone and fair for all.
With the differences in the standing start between cars, I seem to be getting equal starts instead of my normal super start lol
That was great fun Luke, nothing better than 2 drivers with respect for each other racing side by side like that. At about the 17 or 18 minute mark, I thought I may have pulled off a win in the first race with a no-stop strategy, but the tyre degradation in those last few laps was just too much, and I got swamped lol. 2nd race was just great fun, especially battling with Luke for half the race.
Quick thread hijack. Keep fighting for the championships boys. All three championships will be included in this season's BJH Memorial Race of Champions eligibility.
Now now.. as the 2nd race shows, the 'win' was just a fluke It helped that the 3 of you behind me were fighting over 3rd.
[QUO="t_b_williams, post: 51305, member: 197"]Quick thread hijack. Keep fighting for the championships boys. All three championships will be included in this season's BJH Memorial Race of Champions eligibility.[/QUOTE] Was hoping we could get the overall champion through but all 4.... WOW cheers tb
