Duamnas round 1 post race chat

Hi Guys

Had a great time racing last night

Thanks to all the showed up and special thanks to Dave and Nib for making this possible.

I think for our first race with this mod in a enduro everyone did a great job.

my report:
It started with alot of discussion on the 24hr endurance motor package with alot of guys ducking out in warmup to change engines The start was pretty good from my vantage point (will have a look at the replay to make sure all behaved) and I was running 2nd for a while until RS2000 came flying past. then I settled in to try and figure how many stops and if I should change my tires. On lap 21 I had a breif stint in the lead as robzee and rs pitted. In my first stop I only took fule which put me back up with the leaders when I rejoined. Unfortunatly I could not keep with them and I watched them slowly drive away over the night. Around lap 36 rob pitted as he hadnt changed tires in his stop (either had I but mine were still ok) so I got back 2nd position until I pitted on 46ish and decied I better put new tires on this time. Then on lap 56 rob pitted again so I was back in 2nd with about 15-20mins to go. I knew if I could go without a stop I would have 2nd. I started to short shift in the hope I might get another lap or 2 out of the tank. With about 10mins to go rob came over vent in a slightly nervous voice asking how I was going on fuel. according to my dash I had around 6 laps left so it was going to be close. Fortuantly for Robzee with 3mins to go I was runnign on fumes and had to pit and I finished in 3rd.

Thanks to all the GT cars who did a great job letting me through (sometimes I think you guys were to easy on me) specially Barney who finished 3rd outright and not many laps from the LMP cars.

See you in Sebring

Ash

That start was chaos for some people i saw, got second off corner 2 (that was cool) but forgot to unplug my wheel and re collaborate it, so i had to hold it about 45degress to the left to keep it in a straight line.......fixed that after a spin then that stupid invention we call a ping shot up and didnt come back down, so the saying what goes up must come down isnt true....the race last night sounded pretty good

Great job Ash, well organised and officiated. I thought 2 hours was a little long especially when doing lap after lap on your own but that's just my opinion.
I started from the rear and all seemed fine that i could see.

The thing that really pissed me off last night was the Blue Flag not sure what the problem was but i checked the server and it was set for Black Flaqg only, so maybe it's a Mod glitch, anyway i can only say it has put me off running these again because it became ridiculous especially during the night session, Headlights would no sooner appear in your rear view and as you worked out if it was a GT1 car or LMP1 you have recieved the Blue Flag and in what seemed like less than second you were served a penalty, The faster car was still behind and in some cases actually travelling slower but the penalty was still applied. We'll have to find a resolution to this in order for the GT1 cars to be able to run. I was finding that I'd drive out onto the grass as soon as a car came up behind just to avoid a Stop Go Penalty. Really spoiled what otherwise was a great night.

I didn't seem to have the same problem with the blue flag, Dave. I was given adequate time to allow the lapping car to pass, I thought. They usually managed to get past within a turn or two of the flag appearing, and I didn't receive any penalties.

My only problem was probably my own fault. I received a drive-through penalty fro speeding in my first pit-stop, which I did on the next lap. I thought I was being careful to stay under the pit limit, and yet I received a stop-go penalty. It's possible I didn't quite get under the limit before entering the limited zone, I guess. Maybe I'm too used to the Queensland approach to speeding, but the pit limit does seem a bit too rigidly enforced to me and 55 did seem ridiculously slow for the track. Oh well. It's all a learning experience.

But overall it was a great fun race, and many thanks to Ash for organising it. I thought 2 hours was an ok length, and I probably could have gone longer I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

I felt bad for Tas though missing out due to technical problems. Not to mention the fellows that went to the wrong server. A few more cars on the track might not have felt so lonely. Hopefully it's just teething troubles, and the next race will run a lot smoother.

Congratulations, Ash, on organising this series. Also congrats to RS2000 for the win. I got off to a good start and managed to avoid the trouble but was constantly checking the mirrors for a fast approaching RS. We pitted together on the 22nd lap and I came out ahead, but not for long... RS's pit crew must have slotted in the sprint engine while he was fueling up lol
My 3rd pit stop was a splash and dash and I was hoping that Ash had to do the same.
I was very impressed with all the GT1 drivers! All were totally aware of closing traffic and made passing a safe and easy job. Thanks guys!

Hi Almac
Glad to hear you didn't have the Blue Flag issues, guess you were lucky.

I believe given that we have a pretty good group who do thier utmost to ensure that racing room is given to faster cars (Ash & RobZee even comment on how good the GT1 guys were) that there is no need for a Blue Flag and that's exactly why the server had the Flag Rules reduced to Black only, I'm determined to find out what went wrong and why this happened. I really want to avoid any repeat of what happened to Rims at Homebush in the V8's last season.

I agree Dave

Think we might turn them off for next race. Can we still have black flags if we turn off blue?
Another thing I think we should add its the option to use the differnt tires. Is this easy to do Dave or NIb?

Ash

Well done to all who had the chance to race, sounds like i missed a fun race with once again very few issues between drivers. Well done Ash for your work and congrats to RS for another win.

Congrats to the all the drivers who finished, the only problem i had was losing the connection when we went from warmup to race. But hopeful of having my internet dramas sorted before the start of the V8 Championship.

I had a bad start, (got invovled in someone elses accident,) then got a hit from behind, not their fault , and they did wait for me to get going,
had a couple of battles with dave, but i pushed too hard and spun,
when i pitted the first time i got a stop go, when i peformed my stop go my crew decided to do a wheel change and fuel (despite the tank being full) so put me 2 laps behind 2nd last gt,
at about 1 hour 15, i did my final pitstop, then a couple of laps later i forgot to break into the first courner, and killed the car,

well done to RS200 for the win and well done to all who turned up. I had graphic problems due to heat. Only had 18 FPS for most of the race. Made my eyes get tired. I was struggling to keep them open and pulled out about 22 min to go. You where all to fast for me anyway.

I though you may have seen miss daytona 24hr in your pit bay and decieded to spend the rest of the weekend with her

Ash

Wow, sounds like everyone had a great time! Sorry I couldn't make it Ash, I wen't to the ACDC concert here in Melbourne. I really like this mod and i'll try to make it to the next race.

graham2456 wrote:when i peformed my stop go my crew decided to do a wheel change and fuel (despite the tank being full) so put me 2 laps behind 2nd last gt,

Hi Graham,
when you get a stop go mate dont go into your Pit Bay, even though it is illuminated, just drive to the end of pit lane (dont cross the pit exit line where the lights are) then move over to one side to allow other cars thru, once you are stationary a timer should display it will count down from 10 and at zero you can cross the pit exit line and continue racing. This is a trap I think we've all fallen into at some point.

Hi Adnan I'm off to see Acca Dacca tonight hopefully will be as good as all the Hype

graham2456 wrote:had a couple of battles with dave, but i pushed too hard and spun,

Yeah really enjoyed those battles Graham, but I just couldn't get past you, great job mate well done, pity it went pear shaped at the end for you.

I had a good time, started 10th after changing my mind about the sprint engine at the last minute. From 10th the start was a bit of a mess, with some going and others not at the green, but managed to get through with only a small tap to the back of a Vette, Zalmas I think, sorry to whoever that was. Got to turn 1 and slowed down nice and early, but clearly not enough as I went into the back of HSV PETE about 30m before the corner. Really sorry for that HSV PETE. Cost us both, as I ended up dead last with PETE a spot or two ahead. From there it was a matter of plugging away steady laps and taking care of the engine. Did anyone's engine fail?
By the first pit I was up behind ROBZEE, and we pitted together. ROBZEEs stop was a little faster, but not much, so soon after we were nose to tail again. ROBZEE let me past to lead for a while, and I managed to inch away lap by lap. I did worry when ROBZEE and Ash went onto different strategies, as I couldn't keep a real eye on the gaps anymore, so I kept my head down and tried to get to the finish without losing concentration. I had a couple of little offs while thinking about pit stops and trying to figure out my fuel, but otherwise all went well. I have to say the GT1 cars did a great job with the LMP cars, thanks to everyone for clean racing and being really aware of everything around them. A great event, can't wait for the next one with more cars present!

A real bummer I couldn't do this race. Would have loved to have mixed it up around Daytona. Think the experience every one gained in running this round will put me on the back foot at Sebring but I'm sure it will be fun!!

I doubt it Billy

Believe it or not I actually enjoyed the race, in spite of the early set-backs and unwanted pit-stops.

The decision to stop and help HSV_Pete was the real turning-point, but I felt sorry that he'd somehow missed boosting his initial fuel load before lining up on the grid, same as me. (I know I set mine in the first race-start, and practised doing it each new session.)

After pushing Pete into the pits I got busted for speeding because I needed the limiter off to get him rolling and didn't get it on in time. When I came in for my S/G penalty the pit-crew went to work changing tyres and re-fuelling because I'd forgotten S/G procedure. I thought that meant I had to come in again to serve the S/G but as I was approaching pits I realised it had cleared so I cut back onto the track. That was an illegal move because I cut the grass and consequently got a drive-through penalty.

The next hour and a half went without a hitch, with a full tank and new rubber I set out to un-lap myself. By my next pit-stop I'd made it back to 7th and by not changing tyres I got back out quickly, losing only one position. Half an hour later I caught up to Zalmas, then Barney, putting me in 4th and I set out to put a gap on them because I knew I'd need more fuel to make the finish. When they pitted before me, with about 15 minutes to go, I was able to relax, that's when I grazed the wall exiting the chicane, causing way more damage than expected, then compounded the problem by driving past pit lane and did another slow lap before a 2 minute pit-stop to fix it. Got into a conversation leaving pits and turned my pit-limiter off a few metres early so I had to go back in for another drive-through. On the way out for the last time gman missed me by centimetres on his way to taking out the safety-car.

Congrats to the podium winners, and well done all who made it to the finish(or nearly), commiserations to Tas and John for their connection issues, nibiru for his grahyx prob, and sympathies to Adnan for going to acadaca.

I'd like more practise under race conditions before the next one, including the accelerated time, tyre-wear and fuel-burn, as well as all penalties. The blue-flags have to go, whatever it takes. I was lucky in that I was only overtaken a few times, but I made sure I didn't keep them close behind me for long.

Reading at all the comments above makes it clear that we all had a lot of fun and proves that things can only get better as we get more used to the modes we are racing.I believe that the respect we have for each other on the race track is the secret to making FARTCANS such a great team. Mind you being a GT1 driver and after thursday night ill ask Barney if we can both both put in an application to join the traffic police. I have a gut felling that if we show them a replay of the race we will pass with flying colours.