Division 2 season 10

Hey stu, how many laps for monza, it doesn't say

After an absence last season, it was great to get back on the track with some quality drivers, even though I was miles off the pace and hadn't turned a wheel of this car prior to pre-race practice.

I knew I would be running towards the rear, so just took it as it came and tried to run my own race without any expectations while trying to come to grips with the car and not make too many mistakes.
The fact I got to have an actual race with some people was a bonus.

Can't say i'm a huge fan of the car at this stage, but maybe it will grow on me. Trial Mtn has some weird elevation changes which I think unsettled the car in alot of places which I didn't like much.

Qualified in last place (someone has to, right?) and managed to keep up with a few guys; natman, stumbles, dutch, ttr? while they battled with each other. But a few costly mistakes and a lack of pace made sure I didn't get past them.
I survived the early carnage too Stu. That was so funny; all I could do was hold my breath and drive into a cloud of smoke. I couldn't believe it when me and Stumbles came out the other side unscathed.

Special mentions go to:
Stumbles - We ran together for a bit but you were driving well and consistently and ended up just driving away from me.

Dutch - we had a good run. I have to apologise for a couple of hits I gave you; one where you came onto the front straight slow and I ran up your backside, no harm done. And another where I got on the grass onto the front straight and got into an uncontrollable slide. You were on my right and it felt like I T-boned you, once again thankfully I didn't take you out.
On the last lap I saw you coming on my inside just out of the short tunnel, I thought "he's gonna have a crack here!", so I tried to give you some room, but I think your cool head prevailed and you pulled out of it as we went into the fast right-hander before the crest.

Good fun, thanks everyone

Couldnt agree more - the windy bit before the back straight, entering the last tunnel and the chicane onto the main straight are all killers. Elevation changes, and if you get a bit off line, you lose multiple seconds from momentum loss.

That's what makes trial mtn so exciting haha.... I think ill struggle at Indy road and grand valley reverse... But its all for fun, no need to win everything

Race Report

I'd been freaking out all afternoon about the race as I kept losing power to the flat all day. I'd been trying to run my car in for the race by doing a B-Spec enduro, but every time I got 25-30 laps in, the whole apartment would go out and I'd have to restart the enduro again. And again. And again! Hahahahaha!

I'd done a bit of practice, but wasn't hoping for much in qualy, not with 297bhp. I got as high as eightth, but started on the grid in 11th which I was pretty happy with.

Until I got a false start check and went nowhere when the lights turned green! LOL, I wasn't too displeased, I figured there was going to be some argy-bargy into turn one, or everyone would tip-toe around their first lap, so it didn't take me long to range up onto the back of Flood. When the drama on the start of lap 2 happened, I bounced off Dutch who was sandwiched between CJ and left his rear quarter panel worse for wear. I headed straight for the wall and all of a sudden I had Stumbles right infront of me facing the wall - I'm thankful I ghosted him, but that left us both at the back of the field (nothing new for me, LOL).

From here I figured all was lost, but I was pretty determined to catch up again and with Stumbles pushing me pretty hard, I knew I couldn't afford to make a single mistake or he'd be all over me like a wet rag. 2 laps later I caught up with the mangled rear bumper of Dutch and he was having a magnificent battle with Flood which went on for about a lap before Flood went wide coming onto the main straight and spun out. Dutch's pink rotary was looking worse for wear by this stage, but hhe was putting in some good laps and we were beginning to catch the pack ahead of us.

I was surprised to see Joe make an error onto the back straight - and overtook him easily enough but he clung to my bumper for the next few laps whilst latched onto Dutch who pressured natman into a mistake on the famous main straight entry...

It wasn't to end there though as I finally thought it time to make a move and I grew a bit hesitant - lap 9, on the hairpin just before the last tunnel I went wide and missed a gear coming out - it was enough for Joe to pounce and take a position back.

And then I made the fatal Trial Mountain main straight error... Flood grabbed a position and I was back in 11th!

From here I had an awesome couple of laps dicing with Dutch and Flood whilst Joe took advantage of the scrapping to eke out a bit of a lead over us. I knew it was only a matter of time before one of us did the old "tyre on the gravel" trip again and sure enough it was Flood.

Dutch however wasn't putting a foot wrong. He put that pink Mazda in all the right spots and it was a real struggle keeping up with him. By lap 13 he'd caught and passed Joe who was beginning to struggle with tyres (we all were at that stage). The tell-tale signs of lurid drifts were dead giveaways.

By lap 14, I thought I was looking at myself as Stu came spearing out of the pits on fresh tyres. Whattaya know? A yellow RX-7 with chrome rims! Twins!

It was then that Dutch finally made his first spin (wahoo! He's human!) and I was struggling for grip. Stu was going to pull away and Barra was ranging up behind me, both of them on fresh tyres - thankfully it was time for me to pit!

From here, the excitement pretty much tapered off as I re-entered the track in clear air, about 7 seconds clear of Flood and Stumbles and about 10 seconds behind CJ.

By lap 18 however, I'd caught Joe, driving erratically and miles off the pace. Surely he'd pitted?! He can't have buggered up his tyres so badly in 3-4 laps....

But yes, Joe's tyres were about as knackered as nanna's undies and I waited for him to make a mistake. Joe's one of the fastest guys I ever met, a speed demon from the days of Prologue and I didn't want to push my way through. I was surprised when he backed off the gas and politely let me through. Big kudos!

But that was effectively it for me. CJ had stretched away by about 15 seconds and Stumbles was beginning to push me, only 3 or 3.5 seconds behind. I kept it all tidy and tried as hard as I could not to overdrive the car, keeping about 5% in reserve, hoping that he'd wear through his rubber faster than he could catch me.

Thankfully I began to pull away and was clear about 6-7 seconds by the end of the race, but I was over a minute down on the race leaders. I was rapt - I was hoping for a finish in the top 10 and ended up 8th, more than I could have expected! Congrats to N64 and beannie - you guys killed it out front! Watching your speed through the first chicane (175km/h average) compared to my own 160km/h it was evident you had your fingers on the pulse!

Big thanks to Stu who has really extended a great hand of friendship towards me on behalf of everyone here at the forum and were it not for his constant contact and G'days, I probably would have been a non-starter. It's been awesome making some new friends and racing again with guys like Dutch and Joe who I haven't been on track with for a long time.

Here's to an even better Round 2!

Cheerskis!

Thank you aero, though i'm sure beannie is the king of that first chicane!

two pivotal areas, i beleive, are important at Trial rev

first chicane, and right hander into small tunnel at end of the back straight.

get those two right and you should be set for a good lap

hey guys

First of all, the qualifiers Gary got it!


As for the race, all good.. you never know could have happened to anyone. Just looking forward to the Sunday race again.

Thanks all for your messages and encouragement !!

Great race:

The was second in qualifying.

My strategy was simple - keep the position i'm in without trying too hard.

First few laps was tough keeping it all together - with Venda and Gary - my two major challengers were exceptional in battling it out - very very tough race. This is the time when your knowledge of the track and things learnt from practice sessions makes a huge difference. When the pressure's mounting on you , you focus and do your bit to stay on track - helped of course by the skills you have learnt in a subconscious manner to say at best.

I think if I remember Venda and someone else got passed me early , my mistake on one of the corners -

Then it was time to go full gear - I focused hard, and boy where the results good enough.. I got back behind Gary and continued to push past.

Gary pitted first. I still had in going in me to continue another lap and then pit. I made it back on track before Gary could catch me.


At this time .. the lap count was 14 . I was leading ahead Gary by 3 seconds.

Over time.. the lap count was 26 - YES 26!! , I was leading ahead Gary by 6-7 seconds.

And then, it was all over - like a lighting flash came the "Disconnect from Server" message - was not good staring at it for another 5 mins either in disappointment.

,

Congratulations to the Gary, Vendalism and Disturboed !

Will be a good race this Sunday as it can be yet another anyone's race on a fresh track. I am not good on this track though lol

Ummm... Sid, I think you may have promoted yourself a division here

Damnit! Sorry wrong entry.. two separate windows open and at work *excuse*

Finally had a chance to watch the race replay last night..even thou i was last(almost)and thinking i should move down the divisions it actually wasn't that bad - my laps were not fast but i was holding my ground for 15laps until i hit the wall leading onto the front straight (Twice!) this obviously did not do the tyres any favours and along with the stupid decision not to pit i finished the race exactly where i should have been.

Thanks for the kind words Aero!..back in the day i spent alot more time practicing/racing etc so my lack of speed now will hopefully just be a reflection of less seat time and not old age setting in!!

Hope to be abit more competitve at Indy (anyone going to pit? lol)
Cheers guy's - it's fun racing in a league again thanks

I tell ya Joe, you were pulling away from me and Dutch before I pitted, you would have finished in front of me quite easily if you had've made one stop. I'd be surprised if you don't get get a top 5 finish this season, I know you've got the speed, just a matter of blowing out those cobwebs!

Unless I can work miracles, Indy is shaping up to be an absolute shocker for me, being a consistent 2.5 seconds off the pace isn't good enough, despite aussie's awesome help. I'm hoping to get as many laps in as possible tomorrow, try and find that lost time.

Cheers, Jono

What is the pace?

Haha thanks Stu. I have done about a dozen laps and managed a 45.something. Need a bit more practice though

I can't even break into the 45's LOL. Mid to high 46s for me, reckon I might struggle this round!

sorry for the RQ.. saw some really silly behavior in turn 1, then was knocked sideways onto the grass in turn 2 went from second to last.. (oh well.. sucked it up and continued) Then was rear ended and knocked into the sand in turn 5 lap 2.. :-/ best for me to RQ than to drive angry and ruin someone else's night I like to give as good as I get, but if I mess up and put someone off the track, I redress. really disappointed, after putting in the practice and hoping for a good close night..GL to the drivers still racing.