Season 12: Division 2 (Corner Carver's)

emmo46 · Oct 1, 2013

disturboed said: ↑

Wow, what a great race! That was actually fun this round, I really enjoyed it.

I connected early on to try and get a few laps in before qualy to set my rhythm but I had one loading bar on my list, so I exited and tried to rejoin. And then started 40 minutes of hell! I'd connect and the amount of loading bars under people kept increasing and I would get booted. So I reset and cleared everything and tried again. BOOM! Network compatibiltity error with room owner error! WTF I was just in there! Tried again and again, no go, exited game, no go, so reset router AGAIN! Tried one last time and I was in. Just as Stumbles was going to reset the track for qualy! So, no settling in for me, it was straight into it.

My strategy from the start was to start the race on itermediates so I could go longer in the wet before switching to the Sports tyres. This was solidified when I found out we were starting the race on a slightly drier track. I knew it was risky and would be off the pace a bit from those on the rain tyres, but I thought if I kept it clean it would be ok. Well, guess what, when checking the replay, somehow some way, I was actually on full wets! WTF? I didn't know this and drove to my strategy, but that was really weird.

I qualified fourth with a 2.57.7 or something like that which was ok. Got a good start, pulled alongside nugget, and then going into Turn 1 it was 4 wide with me on the outside. Got pushed a little wide but held it together and was one spot down going down the hill. Nuggett and Vend had a little dice after the first straight and when both went slightly wide on the first right hander I was able to slip up the inside and take them both, but promptly outbraked myself in the next RH corner letting them and also Db through. Bugger, down to 6th. I got a good run onto the back straight as Db was a bit slidey and passed him before the LH kink, I was carrying more speed through that section and was on Nuggetts bumper through the bus stop and pit straight. Couldn't get passed though and I made a small mistake on the sweeping LH opening the gap up a bit. Lap 3 and Nugget somehow got an almighty run along the straight after Eau Rouge even putting it on the grass, but made 3 spots in go (Vend got a shortcut penalty), Serg got a tankslapper right in front and let Vend and me through. Into 4th now. Good run through the back straight kink again and i was on Vend's tail, he overshot the braking point and i got through into 3rd in the bus stop.

Lap 4 Nugget got a shortcut penalty before the left sweeper and I got past into 2nd behind Stumbles, but I was quickly set upon and swallowed up by Vend & a miraculous dive by Nugget through the sweeper. Back to 4th. Lap 5 I got a good run through the 1st chicane and through the first RH pulling alongside Vend on the short downhill section. He inexplicably turned into me (he was on the preferred racing line - and it was before the corner), but I held firm and got passed. Stumbles was almost fully broadside through the corner and I was able to take him as well. Back into 2nd spot.

Positions 3-6 pitted the end of that lap. The guys further back had already pitted for inters. Nugget & I kept going (me thinking i was on inters too). Looking at the replay, my wet tyre wear was SO much better than everyone elses which is just weird cos normally I chew tyres like gum! The plan was to pit end of lap 8 or 9 depending on wear and track wetness, but by end lap 7 the wets were getting hot and jelly, so I pitted. Nugget continued to the following lap. Good pitstop and came out a bit further ahead, so the extra 2 laps I think helped a heap. Was only 1-2 seconds behind nugget when he came out of pits and the gap varied between that and about 9 seconds or so until the end of the race. I caught him twice (once when he had to go and open the door for his Mrs who didn't have her keys!!! PSML) but he kept pulling away, his pace as the track dried whas fantastic (shown by his fastest lap). I managed the gap back to 3rd pretty well, i felt no real pressure, but still had to concentrate till the end.

So finished in 2nd which I was pretty stoked about, considering my fastest lap was the slowest out of everyone!!! Weird eh? Congrats to Nugget on the Championship, well done mate, time to take it to the Div 1 guys! Also thanks to Stumbles for the hosting/captaincy. Bring on S13, hopefully I can be a bit more consistent this time around and have some pace right through the season, not just at 2 tracks!
Click to expand...

Well done Turbo, you seem to go well on the classic tracks, a win at the 'ring last season and this result at Spa are what I would be very pleased about. I fooled myself after our battles early in the season that with two rounds to go after the Suzuka Enduro that I was in a battle for 6th in the championship with you and Evil with perhaps Ad2 and Overdrivve nipping at our heels. Over the last two rounds you and Evil moved up the order while I and Overdrivve got no reward for our efforts, Poor Ad2 didn't even get to play for more than a couple of laps each race. You got nearly as many points in the last two races as I got all season, well done. Getting so many laps out of the full wets at Spa is also very impressive, mine turned ugly on lap four and I lost contact with the pack.
I look forward to battling with you all next season if I can get my head around the Citroen.

DekGT5mad · Oct 1, 2013

BOOM! Network compatibiltity error with room owner error! WTF

Guarantee if you had've had time to check your network status it would've said "NAT -" Have a look next time it happens!

DekGT5mad · Oct 4, 2013

Corner Carvers
Round 7 Spa-Francorchamps/weather
The final race of the season was held in good spirits,with the pre-qually banter in good humour while Disturboed gained a good connection.Grid-1: S_Close 2: Stumbles01 3: Nugget-22 4: Disturboed 5: VENDALISM 6: emmo46 7: Dbn26 8: OverDrive
9: X-3vim00n 10: Ad2mny

Ready to Rumble
LtoR:Nugget-22,VENDALISM,emmo46 & Disturboed,4-wide into La Source,Lap 1
The field got off to an even start,Ven the only one to gain position heading to La Source,with some going in 4-wide,& after a slight touch or two,between emmo,Ven & Turbo,Turbo lost out,getting onto the vallelunga on exit,& was passed by Ven,Dbn & Evil passed emmo on the run to Eau Rouge which all made it through penalty free 1st time.S_Close led Stumbles,Nugget,Ven,Turbo,Dbn,Evil,emmo,Overdrive & Ad2mny up the Kemmel straight,& Ven got up the inside of Nugget,outbraking him into Les Combes(or "The Piff Paff Medley" as the modern GP drivers call it),but Nugget fought hard & both ran wide as they headed down to Virage,letting Turbo past for 3rd,but he overcooked it into Virage,& dropped to 6th behind Dbn,with Evil trying up the inside,finding himself on the wrong side of the next left heading to Pouhon.The rest of the lap was calm except for Dbn getting loose exiting Blanchimont & being passed by Turbo
Dbn26,Disturboed,X-3vilm00n racing out of Virage,with emmo46 & Overdrive chasing
That had S_Close from Stumbles with a short gap to Ven,Nugget,Turbo,Dbn,Evil,emmo,Overdrive & Ad2mny.Dbn was the 1st penalty taker at Radillion,& was passed by Evil,emmo & O/D by the end of Kemmel. Ahead S_C ran wide out of Les Combes,giving Stumbles the lead into Virage. At Les Fagnes O/D ran wide on exit,letting Dbn past,while the rest played nicely for the remainder of the lap,except for Dbn touching emmo into the bus stop,redressing & managing to hold off O/D. Then it all started happening at the front! Both Stumbles & S_C were the next Radillion penalty takers,allowing Nugget past into Les Combes,then a big fishtail by S_C heading downhill to Virage had Vendal & Turbo up the inside into Virage,despite a valiant fight to the next left,he had to backout & concede the place to Turbo. Ven then overcooked it into the bus stop,letting Turbo by for 3rd.The field was still close,with 1st going into La Source,while last was at the bus stop,unfortunately just as Ad2mny started to find his pace,he had a DSC as he went through Eau Rouge & Radillion,suddenly coasting slowly down Kemmel & disappearing half way to Les Combes. Nugget started to get a gap,but went way too hot into the left after Virage,& the penalty took him back to 4th,but Ven & Turbo touched into Pouhon,giving Nugget back 2nd,& he then caught Stumbles quickly,getting the lead back when Stumbles locked up into the bus stop.

Nugget get's back past Ven & Turbo at Pouhon
So that was the end of lap 4,& Dbn,O/D & emmo pitted,all changing to intermediate wets. Up ahead the battle was raging between Turbo,Ven & Stumbles,with Turbo & Ven getting past Stumbles between Virage & Pouhon,then Stumbles ran wide into Les Fagnes,slowing enough not to get a penalty,but allowing S_C by.Further back,Dbn was gaining on fresher tyres,towing O/D & emmo along until O/D ran wide out of Pouhon,hitting the wall,& getting a short penalty,but emmo got it wrong into Les Fagnes,getting a penalty himself & allowing O/D straight back through,but in a comedy of errors between the two O/D then made a mistake at Blanchimont,giving emmo a run,but he couldn't get alongside to gain the high ground. Now at the end of lap 5,Vendal,followed by Stumbles,S_C & Evil,pitted,with Stumbles getting a bad entrance hold after service,giving up 2 places to S_C & Evil.

S_Close & X-3vilm00n exit pits while Stumbles sits waiting for release
As the group exited the pits,Dbn just made his way past,making quite an undercut,making it through to be in front of S_C in 4th. As Vendal ran through Eau Rouge & Radillion,he got a big tank slap on cold tyres,making him slow down the Kemmel straight after an amazing save.closing the gap between he & Dbn,then losing it all getting very loose under brakes into Les Combes,making 3rd to 6th nose to tail. Dbn tried hard up the inside at Pouhon,but Ven held on around the outside & holding Dbn off,despite a criss-cross attempt through Les Fagnes,heavy pressure at Blanchimont & even trying the outside line around the two left hand kinks leading to the bus stop. Up ahead Nugget & Turbo were still going strong,entering La Source as 3rd,4th & 5th were rounding the kink before the bus stop,a handy lead! Dbn was trying hard to pass Ven into the bus stop,but Ven held him off again,but was showing signs of the pressure here & there. Exiting Les Combes,Turbo got loose,fishtailing all the way to Virage,making the save of the race,and keeping his 2nd place,which surely flashed before his eyes while catching one VERY out of control NSX.

Disturboed starts a big Tank Slapper,making the save of the race

Back at the battle for 3rd Vendal was the next taker for an Eau Rouge-Radillion penalty,making him slow down the Kemmel straight,letting Dbn past,& putting Evil & S_C breathing down his neck.Turbo then decided his wets had done their job,pitted for sports/softs & coming out still holding 2nd as the chasing pack of Dbn,Vendal & Evil entered La Source on lap 8. Dbn then got his 2nd Radillion penalty,trying too hard to break away from Vendal & Stumbles had a big oversteer moment turning him at Radillion & to make matters worse a penalty too,taking his throttle at the wrong time,causing him to spear across onto the grass & into the wall, letting O/D past with a healthy gap. So at the end of lap 8 the order was Nugget +9secs-> Disturboed +26secs->Vendalism,Dbn26, & S_Close +4sec->OverDrive +5secs->Stumbles01 +15secs->emmo46.
Vendal,Dbn & Evil were still continuing to battle hard,which was playing into Vendal's hands,he being on sports/softs,Dbn & Evil on Intermediate wets. S_C was gaining on sports/softs until a mistake at Les Fagnes,getting a BIG penalty,catching O/D by surprise & nearly taking them both out,luckily they both continued,S_C gradually pulling away. That brought us to the end of lap 8 & Nugget finally pitted to lose his well worn Inters,exiting as Turbo came around La Source,with Ven,Dbn & Evil on the pit straight,S_C & O/D at the bus stop,Stumbles & emmo at the last left kink before the bus stop. Nugget & Turbo continued on their merry way,and behind the battle raged on through lap 9.Just as Ven started to pull away from Dbn & Evil,he lost it exiting Pouhon,ending up on the grass &in the wall on the left side approaching Les Fagnes. He almost recovered,but damage hindered him,letting Dbn by into Les Fagnes,& not able to fight Evil,who went around the outside of the left hand part of Les Fagnes,but with Ven climbing all over him again on the run out of Blanchimont to the bus stop,Evil pitted for sports/softs.Behind him O/D had a big lose at the last left kink,spinning onto the grass,and while trying to recover and pit,overshot,ending up doing a quick donut to turn around and enter the pits for sports/softs,losing position to Stumbles.

OverDrive performs a donut to pit after overshooting the entry from the grass
Up the front,Nugget was holding his gap to Turbo,while Ven & Dbn were still going at it hammer and tong,with S-C closing in. Dbn started really struggling with his rears towards the end of lap 9 & pitted for sports/softs,letting Stumbles & Evil past,but on much fresher tyres he was making the ground back in leaps and bounds,but a BIG 15sec bus stop penalty put paid to any chance of catching up to them,going from having them 1 cnr ahead in view to the Kemmel straight behind & them out of sight.By this stage the field was pretty strung out with gaps of +8,+8,+8,+12,+6,+12 & +20,putting 1min14secs between 1st & 9th,although emmo was now running competitive times. At the end of lap 12,Nugget even had enough time to pause on pit straight & coast while letting his Mrs in the front door!! He still kept a 4sec lead to Turbo.on lap 14 Stumbles touched the grass at the kink in the Kemmel straight,having a major lose,letting Evil past for 5th,but then kept it together to the flag with Dbn closing rapidly,but not rapidly enough,making the final order across the line,1: Nugget-22 2: Disturboed 3: VENDALISM 4:S_Close 5: X-3vilm00n 6: Stumbles01 7: Dbn26 8: emmo46 9: OverDrive with 10: Ad2mny-DSC,unfortunately for the second race running,costing him dearly in the championship.

Nugget gets out of the pits ahead of Disturboed

So congratulations to Nugget on a dominant performance at the final race,securing the championship. Great racing was had by all,and always in good spirit',making the main objective possible,FOR ALL TO ENJOY RACING IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT!
Congratulations also to S_Close on taking the rookie championship honours.
So until Season 13,May your races be clean and prosperous.

Special thanks to Ad2mny & Dbn26 for race reports,it's not an easy job & they both hope all felt equally mentioned and valued for their efforts on track.See ya's next season,possibly the last before GT6!!!!

All through La Source safely 1st time,better than F1's can do!!!