Round 6 - Laguna Seca - Post Race Chat

After not a lot of practice. i had wheel problems just before qualifying... so i mucked around during qualifying getting the wheel mappings as close to what they were....

Race 1 - When the light went green... kwik-kiwi went nowhere! all the mappings i had saved were gone again.... 12 laps is a long race watching everyone else

Race 2 - Couldn't get into a rhythm and just cruised around

Race 3 - Felt more comfortable and had a reasonable run....

I really enjoyed this series and learnt a lot.... Thanks Benny for the chance to run a series,,,
I also took on-board that having a track we all know, produced a more enjoyable round.. (but then Diablo Hills was a blast!!).... but the highlight for me was Hidden Valley...... just because i knew the track, it took away some of that "i haven't practised" issue

Thanks to all who participated in the series.............

kwik-kiwi

Well had no practice as usual and used Webber's setup.

I had no problems with it or anything. Set the 2nd fastest lap and not bad for no practice at all.

Race 1 - This was my last practice just to get used to the car. I had a good start and JD out braked me but ran deep. I did a criss cross when we both lost traction and spun.

Finished 3rd after a lot of further spins etc.

Race 2 - Managed to get out of turn 1 in 2nd place starting from 4th. Then managed to pass Dano and take the lead.

I led from start to finish and that was one fun race! Webber had me on the limit and i managed to make it passed the line in 1st place!

Great racing last night! My only regret is that I didn't join the series sooner. Cars sound great, look great, and handle well.

Race one, I had done about 10 laps of practice at the beginning of the week, which seemed to be give a real advantage in qualy. Got away from the line effectively and could see a writhing mass of cars close behind. Two corners later and suddenly Dano emerges from the ashes behind, but by then I was clear. I enjoyed watching the timesheet as the race went on and could see a couple of spins from pretty much everyone except Benny, who got a well deserved second. Towards the end I had a couple of moments as the tyres were worn but still finished in 1st, a very enjoyable win.

Race two, reverse grid, 4th after T1. Profited from kwik going off soon after the start and losing speed to close behind Mini and Dano. I was being very careful to give Dano plenty of space as I knew about the showdown with Benny, so it took a few laps before he ran wide before the final bend and he outbraked himself trying to defend. Then the chase was on - Mini was just down the road but he was having the drive of his life! He was throwing down qualy laps and it was all I could do to gradually close the gap. Alas it was not enough and he sailed through. Dano third behind.

Race three, final one ever in these cars. Mini had a typical Mini start - for about 1 second before his diff decided the other side of the track looked just fine. I knew I would be hitting the wall if I went left, and another driver if I went right, so just went straight up his clacker for a gentle speed boost. That made for a close couple of corners, where I ran wide at T2 and just had enough momentum to keep it going in front of JD. After letting Benny through to have a go at Dano, the two of them were going at it hammer and tongs for a couple laps, before Benny got it all wrong heading into the last corner and was straight to the scene of the accident, speared into the wall. Meanwhile I was swapping places with KK, the series champion, who was having a well deserved relaxed race. Going into the dipper he crossed it up and I had nowhere to go but run into him in an undignified fashion, spinning the poor bloke out. After a few more corners Kwik lost it in an acceleration zone freeing me to hound Dano. It wasn't enough - he sailed through in first.

Well done all for all the three races - good, competitive racing. Though I am AFK for two or three days, I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in the V8 quick race thingo.

Great Finish to the championship
Didn’t practice at all again but knew the track this time. Had planned to jump on server about 7 and get the car sorted but due to my own mistakes cost myself that time fixing the server as I didn’t set it up correctly not only once but twice. Sorry about that
Made it time for qual chucked my Hidden Valley Setup at the car and first flying lap found did a 1m25.5 which from what I saw of the practice times put me right up the pointy end with only Webber in front of me. Second lap dropped into the mid 24’s. Was happy with that loaded up with fuel and went back out with fuel and mediums to test race pace for the rest of the session. Ended up third and actually dropped my time further in race trim so was really happy.

Race 1
Fried the tyres up badly on the line and headed into turn one with only Kiwi behind me so I thought as I went to turn in was looking for him only to realise he didn’t make the start. On exit cars were everywhere and slowed down thinking will be a restart as with Kiwi not making the start and the carnage at turn 2. By the time I got going again and got though the understeer problems on cold tyres found myself nearly 16 secs down on Webber. Mini was coming up behind me as my tyres were just starting to work for me he was quicker on the corner leading up to cork screw but I was pretty much safe the rest of lap. Was shaping into a great battle as I was not going to surrender easy as I had seen Dano have to do a stop go and knew my chances of getting second in the championship would be greater by hanging on. On the corner where mini was faster than me a couple of laps later mini had a good run on me leading up to it and my earlier braking spot for this corner must have caught him out as I saw his car all locked up sideways behind me. From here just pushed hard with one of the most consist drives I have ever had finished I think 12 sec down at the end from webber who must have had a few moments as the gap was more like 22sec with a couple to go. Great Race Webber dominate performance

Race 2
Let everyone all settle Dano was leading with mini and Webber following had a couple of moments on colds and JD was closing in. Heading into turn 3 I locked a wheel and then turned in pretty hard and late and didn’t know if JD had just followed my mistake or ran wide because of my driving so Pulled off the track to let him past to be safe. Unfortunately as I pulled off Around turn 4 JD must have thought I had run wide and was waiting for me to re-enter and I was waiting for him to go past. Wasn’t the best place let you past sorry about that. After hounding Jd for a couple of laps (which I really enjoyed since normally not quicker enough to battle with him) managed to put a move on him heading into the second last corner Set back out after others and caught Dano with about 4 to go tried everything to get past had so much fun with you mate really enjoying the battles we have been having the last few rounds, but was unable to find a way through. Heading into the cork screw I locked a wheel and gave Dano a little tag (sorry) which then upset his run into next corner and he ran wide out on the dirt. Could have gone past when you ran wide but knew it was because of my tagging you the previous corner that through you rhythm out so dropped in behind a followed across the line ready to take you on in last race with points pretty even.

Race 3
After first few corner I was chasing down Webber with Dano out in front and Kiwi behind me. Got past Webber as we ran wide and on I think Lap two trying to pressure Dano into mistake forgot to change up a gear heading into the second last corner and then downshifted to first into that corner and on exit shot straight off the road into the wall bounce off straight back across the track into pit entry wall smashing the front spoiler off. Sorry guys I must have shot across straight in front of kiwi and webber was just a passenger . From here my chances of obtaining second in the championship were gone as my car had no mid corner speed just massive understeer. ( But the way Dano drove in the last race holding out Webber who was quicker than me would have made no difference anyways I wouldn’t have got past if I had of been right behind you for 12 laps). Was able to hold the gap to cars in front, but only for a lap or two before I would run wide pushing to hard. So decide to settle down and just finish.

Great night racing yet again

Congratulations To Kiwi on running a fantastic series took me awhile to get use to the cars but enjoyed every minute even when I was having an average driving night. During the championship found some great tracks that I had never been on and had some great battles along the way.
Congratulations to Kiwi on well deserved win in the championship you really did dominate us in the early rounds to set up and fantastic win. Dano great series mate you really did deserve second you drove better than me for most of the season. If you hadn’t of had you internet crash at the start of the first race of the first round causing you to miss the whole round, I wouldn’t have been close enough to even challenge you in this round.

Another great night of racing.

Race1

This started really badly.
Just before the lights went to turn green the game glitched or something for me and I wound up jumping the start.
I wasn't too worried as I made a good start any others were sliding off around me.
I pulled into the pit lane for my drive thru but suffered some brain fade apparently cos when I saw my pit crew waiting I pulled in for a stop. Doh!
Half way through I realised wtf am I doing?
So I went around again and did an actual drive thru.
By now I had no hope of catching anyone.

Race2

I made a good start and made it into 2nd behind Mini after 1st couple of corners.
I followed him closely for about 5 or 6 laps with Webber close behind apparently being nice to me. Thanks Webber.
But when Mini started to get away Webber stepped up his efforts a bit and got past me at the last corner.
I was happy to settle for 3rd as long as Benny was behind. but then Benny caught up and hounded me for the last 3 or 4 laps.
But I thankfully managed to hold on.

Race3

I'm a bit vague on the start but anyway the main theme was I was running first with Webber making serious efforts to get by.
He was up with me for a while and then made a small mistake, next up was Benny to have a go, that lasted a few laps and then he had is off.
Webber was back for a while on my tail. But then another small mistake and this time it was Kiwi up for a go.
Then I think it was Webber again and that's how we finished.


I've really enjoyed these cars and the tracks, more so the last few tracks.
Thanks Kiwi for running a great sunday night series. Maybe if rfactor hadn't crashed on me at the first event I could have been challenging you for the lead.