Good and bad for me too. My overall result didn't reflect how i felt going into the race. Took pole with a 1.21.2xx which I was happy with. Good start in race 1 and immediately started to build a gap, got it to about 6 or 7 seconds and though I might back off a little to try and conserve my tyres. That was about lap 6. Big mistake as Emmo had moved into second spot and started to close the gap! A couple laps later there was a half-lose somewhere (cant remember where) and emmo got to within 1 second. From there it was elementary and 2 laps later he had me. I was shocked to see his speed through some corners, he must have had better tyres. I hung onto the back of him for dear life, and there was about 3 or 4 laps to go. Instead of taking him straight away under the draft I hung back a little and tried to pressure him into a mistake, but he kept it cool. The penultimate lap we were seperated by millimetres and at the final chicane he got a bit squirelly so I got right up underneath him by the top of the hill, ready to make my move down the straight for the final lap. Instead of following him around the bend I made the bonehead move of trying to go a little wider (OMG stupidest move ever) and of course it was too wide, BAM into wall, spun around, flick into another 180 spin and get going again, but Hatfield had passed me by that time. Managed to fend off a fast finishing Molch and Dbn to hang onto third. Race 2 again got a good start from 7th and made up a few places. Within 2 laps i was 4th. Was looking good to keep moving forward when I got bodyslammed by Hatfield who apparently couldn't see me during the race. The next 10 laps i was chasing him and passing him only to be pushed off track the same or next corner. It's not his fault, but my goodness its frustrating during the race! I ended up finishing in 4th as I couldn't get anywhere. It was Race 2 and I got my fastest lap of 1.20.9xx on lap 5.
Yeah, I really enjoyed that first race, race 2 was a bummer. You showed great pace to take pole and fastest lap again. Unfortunately DRZ is now 17 points ahead of me and 31 ahead of you so we really have our work cut out to pull that back
Great night for me. From practice and qualifying I knew I wasn't very fast compared to most but that I could be consistent. Come race time that consistency paid off. First race I was looking at a 3rd-5th place finish when molch made a mistake to drop back and then Dutch after passing me messed up the 2nd to last corner under pressure and finally turbo messed up the last corner with 1 lap remaining so 2nd it was. Race 2 I could not see nicko (who could also not see me) or turbo, but i said on mic that I couldn't see them before the race started and we went ahead anyway. I just kept going, passing those who made little errors until I was in third chasing down brew and dutch. I got brew with about 4 laps left and then started to catch Dutch who was running wide a couple times when finally on the last lap 2nd to last corner (again) he makes an error to gift me the win. Sorry to turbo and dave for apparent lag/invisible car issues.
Thats cool DRZ, coming onto the home straight we were side by side and I'm not sure if it was you or me but something happened and before I knew it I was on the grass and then into the wall - that saw race 2 go down the drain....but I didn't have the pace the leaders were setting so I wouldn't have been in contention anyway. As for race 1, I was very disappointed. The very first turn of the night after getting off the line OK from 7th and everyone bunched up ahead of me trying to "play nice" and get around the first corner with cold tyres I made a silly decision and tried to go a little wide to get around some of the pack and I can only put it down to braking far too late and I went straight off and into the wall. By the time I got back on track and going again I was in last place by at least 10 seconds if not more. All I could do was warm the tyres and then push as hard as I could to make some ground and wait for those to make similar errors - which eventually happened and I ended up getting back to 7th place (which made two 7th placings for the night). Both races almost seemed like time trials to me as alot of the time I was by myself or following someone from a distance (trying to gain ground), but it was still alot of fun and as its my first season of racing I am still finding my feet so never expected to really be competitive anyway. Congrats to Emmo and DRZ for the wins!
Unfortunately I miss the last 2 rounds as I am overseas Guess that means I have to win every week until then
It's alright mate, sh!t happens! I heard you say you couldn't see Nicko, but not me. You missing last two rounds too? I'm in the US from 15/3 arriving back on 25/3 so will miss the last 2 rounds as well!! Gutted I miss Bathurst enduro.
The way you came from 10th to 2nd in heat one and then from 9th to 1st in heat two, it's quite feasable you could win every round to round 5. That would make you the champion for sure.
So breaking news...my TV broke today...luckily I have a spare albeit a smaller spare. Hopefully this doesn't affect my performance (might have to sit closer)
Yeh,sorry emmo,at the time i had no idea all i saw was the blind spot indicator flash from side to side as i tried to catch it then as i caught it they disappeared,didn't feel anything or hear anything,same as when nicko jammed it up the inside of me at T4 in race 2 & shoved me off,just blinking blind spot for a sec then off the track.Molch actually did similar in R1 on last turn,i.e fishtailed alongside and sideswiped me,not intentionally &i had to lift/brake to catch and lost 4th spot.That's racing,unfortunately.When i came up on you,you were really driving the middle,which will get people trying things they shouldn't to get past in frustration,so yes maybe the stay out of trouble tactics aren't good,until the last lap if you're clear of ppl.
Both my races were a bit average,in R1 i spun out of 2nd while pushing too hard to catch turbo,back to last,but was happy to carve back through to eventually get 5th after being pushed wide on last corner by Molch,then race 2 lasted all of 3 & 1/2 corners,when nicko tried to pass at T4 & shoved me on the grass(no point protesting,he ended up last anyway),back to last about 5 secs behind 9th,so to get back for 5th again wasn't too bad,though i'm hoping it'll end up being my drop round!
Dbn26, bit rough to say I did similar as I saw it happen to Emmo right in front of me. Also I don't think I fishtailed into you at all.I would be happy to have the mods take a look at the replay and get a penalty if its deserved. I would really like some feedback if the move i made is not allowed so I know next time not too.
It's all good Dek, I admit I was throwing the toys out of the pram after heat two, but there was more to it than being bumped off the road. After my surprising win in heat 1 I started counting my chickens, figuring 4th place in heat two would give the round win I had been yearning for for so long. I took a conservative approach as the last thing I needed was to run off the track. I took it easy for the first part of the race just watching DRZ and found myself concentrating on counting points more than driving. So much so that when you caught me it was a total surprise, I was so focused on DRZ and our relative positions I didn't see you coming. At that time it was looking OK, DRZ was in 3rd and I was 5th, I was concerned he might forge to the front so I knew that I was going to have to try and wrestle 4th place from turbo or hope that he passed third place and I could follow him through to 4th. When you started nibbling my bumper my first reaction was to defend but that didn't contribute to my downfall, you had already got past cleanly despite my efforts to stop you and I was actually trying to regain the position when I saw you spear off to the left after the chicane, I thought this is good, but then you fishtailed back across the track as I got beside you and it was actually me that ended up off the track, I knew this was bad for my potential win. I had taken such care not to run off track only to end up there anyway, But hey, that's the luck. My efforts to save the car ended badly because although I managed to keep it straight on the grass, as soon as a wheel touched tarmac I was gone. That let not only Molch through but also Haze came from a long way back to push me back to 9th before I could get going again. You hadn't stopped to redress so that added to my heat but I realise now that you didn't know what had happened. I quickly assessed the situation and with DRZ still in 3rd, 9th place for me was still good enough but I set off to catch Haze in case DRZ moved to 2nd, which he did and then it became imperative that I catch Haze, I gained on him at a great rate and thought I might be able to get him. On the last lap Dutch was still leading and 8th was my only option and I nearly bust a gut trying to get to Haze but just missed out. Then I saw that DRZ had gotten past dutch and taken the win and the round, I was rather pissed off at this stage. I apologise for the rant at the end of the race, luckily I didn't have my mic plugged in or I might have been obliged to quit ROOZ after what I was saying under my breath. I have pondered the situation and I know I thought my way out of this win, I should have just driven as hard as I could like DRZ did and see what the outcome was instead of filling my head with permutations and watching what he was doing instead of concentrating on my own pace, that way I wouldn't have been beside you to get clobbered. In reality it was still my best result for a long time and definitely my best sprint result, so I gotta be happy with that, it was just the lost opportunity that got to me. Maybe Spa will be better. BTW, I know you had a lot more grief than I did (saw you in the grass early on) so I feel bad that I was so upset with getting hit, I've definitely had worse nights.
Never settle for anything. If you change the way you drive to be 'safe' then you have more chance to make a mistake as it is not how you normally do things. I keep pushing within my limits and drive the same every week. Pressure to the driver in front can do wonders. When I was running first in round 1 at nur gp/f I was stressed the whole time as the gap to second was staying steady. But when chasing others in the last rounds I am in the zone. Definitely easier to chase than to lead.
It wasn't as pronounced as mine! LOL Don't stress,It's all good mate,i knew it wasn't intentional,remember i said at the time over my mic just afer it happened"Oh,that's maybe a little bit much,Molch!All Good though",that's why i just mentioned it as an example of similar.If you watch the replay from my car on full car camera,you'll see that you do wiggle off of the rumble strip a bit and glance off my front end,mid corner,which made me lift(put the guages on to see),otherwise it would have been a side by side to the line,unless i ran wide or got pushed off on exit.I probably shouldn't have left any room for you to get in there anyway,so i think it would've been a racing incident anyway.Don't take offence,we're only discussing our races,not picking on anyone. Emmo has to watch the replay,from all drivers perspective to make sure of any recurrent cutting of corners,etc by anybody as the One of the Official Race Stewards,so he had watched what i was talking about & understood where i was coming from, as we've known and raced with each other for 3 seasons now. Anyway,as i said,don't stress,it was just chat,nothing more.You might've noticed most the older members chat & give a write up of their race, just as a social thing,so join in,that's what it's all about,not just the racing,but the social side of things.
Hey, yep no worries Dek . I am still in newbie phase when it comes to racing so really enjoying it but I just get so nervous around other cars and really trying to make sure I race clean. I might start writing a post up of my race also, it's fun reading everyone's perspective!
With that I am pretty sure Im out this sunday. Bought tickets to Soundwave and completely forgot it lines up with the race until today . I was really looking forward to putting my practice to use this race but I'll be jumping around to Greenday and Rob zombie at race time instead.
and I'll be missing tomorrow night on acount of Bruce Springsteen. See you guys come week 4, def keen to have a few practice nights on the lead up too
