Post NorisRing

good race tonite , apart from the unfortunate disco it was shaping up to be my best race to date.. certainly the most enjoyable. After the initial bump and grind thru the chicane on lap 1 i emerged in pos 13 or something (apologies to V8 video player who found a stationary volvo at the chicane entry and left him nowhere to go)
Settled down a bit and started trying to make up positions... which again came mainly from others misfortune until i arrived at the back of the battle for fourth position with Wally leading from racer. gca and myself. I tried and tried to find a way around grpc but pace was almost idendical and it was impossible to pass... i certailnly gave it a few red hot goes but to no avail. Now something wierd happened with Wally as i was attemting a pass... Wal, your car disappeared as i came up the inside and the you were behind me heading for the fence.... on the replay it appears i rubbed you as i passed and put you in the wall?... i hope i didnt stuff your race... particularly as i got d'ced in the next couple of laps anyway.
Congrats to the podium and wd to all that made it... i really liked that track

Finally a good result, glad I switched to the old 2 weeks ago no troubles at all.
Qualifying
9th, I hadn't done much practice at all but I think I matched my best lap from practice so that was good enough.
Race
4th, Given my lack of practice I didn't have an idea how the car would go over the distance. I put in about 10 laps extra fuel and ran hard tyres. My start wasn't great settled into 10th. I really just progressed through the field I guess mostly through others mistakes. I ended up behind racer at some point and just worked away at catching him. I think running the hard tyres was a good choice I was able to do the whole race at pretty much the same pace. I had a bit of a problem with a certain lets say quick lapped car but I may follow that up with the appropriate person. So basically I managed to catch Racer but couldn't quite get on the podium.

What a race!!

Qualifying

Hadn't done very much practice here during the week so i wasn;t really expecting to go very well. Im usually on every night churning out laps. I chucked the softs on and emptied the tank a bit and managed to get a 57 flat. Good enough for 4th spot. Very happy with that.

Race

Got a super start over the two Volvos around me and made it out of T1 in 3rd place behind CortyGT in the M3. We had a great push down to the chicane, going side by side into it but he had the position on me and i had to back off.
Corty was flying, but i was keeping up with him. He was never more than 2seconds ahead and i was following him like a hawk. I wasn't super familiar with braking and downshift points, only the race can give you that sometimes, and following the M3 made me learn very fast.

Stevo was worrying me a bit as he was only 2 or so behind aswell. I feel kinda bad that Stevo ran into a wall on pit straight. I took my eyes off the screen for a couple seconds cos there was a big shout on the Cricket. When i looked back i was heading towards a sticking out wall on the left, i quickly turned away from it and then saw Stevo ram into it behind me. Sorry if i led you into it man, ive been in your spot before. BL.

Corty drove very well and it was great fun following him. I couldn't make up any ground on him even on the straight i could only close a little so i just had to put as much pressure on him as i could. Lap 16 coming into the chicane, i saw him get a little loose and braked a bit later so i could get close. Exiting the turn the M3 over corrected and he spun it around sending me into 2ND place!!! But behind Shano 16 seconds up the road.

From here on i just drove the wheels off the car, trying desperately to keep Racer69 as far behind me as possible. Here's the thing. Anytime Racer has been behind me, as soon as i am within his sights, like 5 seconds or so, its inevitable that he is gonna catch up and pass me. It's a known fact. So i thought if i can keep him at least 10 seconds back, then i have a chance of staying ahead. So that was my race. From lap 16 onwards i was just trying to keep my 11-13 second lead on the M3. By lap 23, Shano was 19 seconds ahead.

To my surprise, and after having accepted that the best i could do would be 2nd place, on lap 33 i see Shano sitting on the side of the road with a broken car. I zoomed past taking the lead from him. BL man, was not nice to see. By this time GrpCa ad passed Racer, so now i had another super fast guy on my ass. I did my best to keep him at bey and managed to do it. He was never less than 11 seconds behind me until later in the race, when i came into some traffic.

By the finish line GrpcA was 10 seconds behind me and i had won the race. VERY happy with my race. I made not one mistake the whole 44 laps and kept Racer and GrpcA behind me. Which is more satisfying then the win really. Even 2nd place would have been awesome.

Thanks for the race guys. BL to Stevo Corty and Shano. Would have been alot different had these guys not come to grief.

Qually in 2nd place much to my suprise, managed a PB on that lap.

Race was going great in 2nd place, knew I no chance of keeping up with Shano (way to quick) so decided to just cruise. Made a tiny mistake touching a wall and blew a tyre. forgot to turn of "repair damage" and spent 40 or so seconds in pits.
Was trying my hardest to come back through the field, pegged a few off untill I very easily caught Dv_8 but he was a lap ahead. I didnt want to compromise his race so I was waiting for a good chance to pass as I was much quicker.
For some reason Dv_8 gave me no room at all when attempting to pass by running me out of room into corners. On my 3rd or 4th attempt he pushed me into a wall coming into turn 2 on the outside, come off the wall tried the under cut then got pushed into the tyres on the inside of turn 2 flipping my car on its roof.
END OF RACE !! Thanks a lot !!
Dv_8, you could have let me go from the start as I was much quicker and it would'nt have affected your race at all, instead you picked a fight and tried your hardest to keep me behind and resulted in my race ruined and could of been yours ruined too.
I try to be as considerable as I can to everyone on track and I expect it back.
This one goes in the memory bank.

I think its best left to Wally to decide. All I'm going to say is your a lap down you gave me a couple of hits in the rear and I wasn't too pleased. I will admit I didn't give you enough room on one occasion. You hitting the tyres wasn't my fault.

Sorry about T3 Billy Bob, but there was nowhere to go since I wasn't expecting a slow Volvo pulling across the line. Brakes were max and couldn't have swerved without taking out other drivers. Glad you managed to have an epic race regardless.

Redressed, then a couple of laps later, same chicane, there was a spun driver who decided he was going to pull right across the driving line coinciding with when my car wanted to be there. It didn't end well for my front bumper.

I had a not so epic race thereafter, consisting of having a couple good battles through the field, and then driving alone for 30 laps or so!

I wasn't a huge fan of this track in the BMW M1, and my opinion hasn't improved with the M3. Bring on anywhere else. Congrats Shayn on first TCL victory!

edit - Wally, any way of finding out the championship standings?

That was a good fun race!!

Quali: Went pretty well, was alittle surprised to see my name in 5th as it just didnt feel like a quick race car but was happy to be near the front as i knew the hairpin could be a crashfest.

Race: Got a great getaway and was down into 3rd into T1, it took about 3-4laps for not only my tyres to come up to pressure but i just couldn't find a rhythm at all.
I fell back to what must have been 8th or something but once i found my rhythm i caught back up to an absolute ding dong battle going on with Racer & Wally... The 3 of us went at it for about 5 laps before Billy Bob had caught us and made it a 4way battle!! We were racing door to door, bumper to bumper for another 5-10laps i think... I didn't see one touch, massive effort boys... that will be one replay i'll be checking out!! After i cleared Racer, Wally & Billybob (BL about the dropout Billy, you had great pace in the Volvo)...

I was now in 3rd chasing Shayn & Shano, next lap Shano is sitting in the middle of the track having a picnic of some sorts?? haha Badluck team mate, mega mega pace in the Volvo... So now i was 2nd, chasing Shayn for the last 10-15laps... He drove very consistent, no way i could catch him at all... WD!! A great victory Shayn!!

I'm happy with the 2nd as it was a tough but very fun race!!

I'm gonna miss the next two rounds as i be away holidaying at PI & the F1 GP so have fun guys, see you in a few weeks

Qual: Position 12th, I was happy with that as I did a 58.44 which was my PB for this track.

Race: Was having a really good and consistent race, doing 59s to a minute. Was in 7th position due to others misfortunes but hey that was were I was until disater struck, no power to my wheel. I just stopped, (hope everyone heard me on TS although I now realise when I was speaking I was under the desk fiddling with the usb) got it going only to get around the corner and it stopped again but only for a few seconds. By this time I had lost 4 positions, now in 11th and with not many laps left I relised I could not catch David or Video in front on me. Will admit I did curse my wheel and just wanted to smash it.

On lap 35 I went wide and nearly hit the wall but in turning away from it I did hit the side of Shano. Very sorry about that.

With about 2 laps to go I was in 10th due to Shano dropping out. (I checked the replay, it wasn't from me hitting him thankfully) and both Video and David had to pit. Bad luck guys and I hope this doesn't sound like bad sportsmanship but yeh, I was back to 8th position.

Sharyn

na all good shaz was my fault stupid computer kept droppin back to windows.... not kewl... sorry aboput the tap....

yeah everything was goin well until the world stopped lol... aLL GOOD CONGRATS TO TOP 3 AND ALL

oh the volvo was humming beautifully too... maybe best i ever done so far....

Qualified in 15th, got a good start and avoided the first lap shenanigans, got up to 13th and then gradually worked my way into 9th, mostly by passing dead cars.

Low fuel light came on with 6 laps to go and just 4 laps in the tank, despite starting a 44 lap race with 46 laps in the tank. Perhaps i shouldn't cut it so fine. I did another 3 laps and came in for just 5L.

Foolishly put new fronts on as the old ones were hot and a bit worn, so stop took 15s, dropping me down to 10th.

my report for the race or should i say 1 lap got turned around and went for the flick spin then seen would u like to update itunes god dammmmmmmmmmmmmm heard the bang sorry webber i watched replay and in my efforts to rejoin in a hurry i got ya seen david or partenhope that was closer to inside wall but didnt see u on the outside wall wall did on replay sorry m8 hate taking out anyone let alone someone that is a clean racer hope i didnt affect your championship point

A really fun nights racing from my point of view.

I was only 10th fastest in qualifying, there was nothing particularly wrong i didn't feel, the rest of you were just going too fast!

I got a really good start and kept to the inside at the first turn, and after the incidents at turn 2 i ended the first lap in something like 5th or 6th. After a few laps i was behind Wally in 4th and proceeded to have a great battle. I'd be all over Wally under brakes, but he would have the pace on the straight, and was putting his car in all the right places to keep me behind. Then GrpC and later Billybob joined in the fun, it was superb. Places swapped and changed a number of times, i fell back to 6th and then the three ahead got tangled up at turn 2/3 and i jumped back to third.

GrpC eventually overhauled me and over the last 10 or so laps i had DV8 gradually closing on me towards the end. I couldn't ease off at all the by the end he was very close, a great chase.

Overall a really fun race, i didn't really have any mistakes and the battle with Wally, GrpC and billybob was superb fun.

Well done Shayn on the win, you really deserve and no doubt there is more to come.

Shano (or going by your avatar, i mean Slug ), really bad luck, you were dominant and are driving so well at the moment


The racing on Sunday nights (and Thursdays) in TCL lately has been so competitive, the DTM series alone has had 5 different winners from the first 6 races. Everyone deserves a round of applause. The driving and behaviour, from my perspective, has been superb and i look forward to many more battles

Webber wrote:Sorry about T3 Billy Bob, but there was nowhere to go since I wasn't expecting a slow Volvo pulling across the line. Brakes were max and couldn't have swerved without taking out other drivers.

No problem at all... i went in too quick and nudged GCA's rear quarter and had to stay off the throttle for fear of spinning him... I think really in that situation a redress is not really required as you were part of the chain reaction that i started anyway..... but thanks anyways

Oh... it wasnt V8 video player i was in the way of during that incident it was sonofa.. so very sorry dude. I probably should not have spun back around to rejoin.. perhaps the officials can review Lap 1.

Wally, GCA. and Racer... that scrap makes for an awsome replay which i watched many times from various cars and views... at one point GCA and myself managed to enter... negotiate and exit the chicane without a touch...for me thats probably as good as it gets (apart from a win of course) sensational!

And for what its worth I think a lapped car is perfectly entitled to race for the lead lap and it you find yourself in a situation like that you should really treat it as a race for position.

peter308 wrote:in my efforts to rejoin in a hurry i got ya

Not a problem. It was an accident. You obviously haven't been watching that closely by the way, I've got a long way before being as clean as racer, group c, etc!

Echoing racer's comments on the wide variety of winners and close racing through the field. Wally, you've done good with the weights system.

No official complaints have been made regarding possible penalties in this race.
However regarding incidents with two drivers who know who they are.

Someone who is approached by a faster car that due to incident is a lap down.
Has the right to hold his line... however, personally if it was myself and no position was threatened, I would probably let him/her through.

On the other car's account though was a different story. stupid attempts in stupid places usually end up in tears, which they did. For a front runner to drive like that was really dissapointing to say the least. I will be asking the DSO to monitor your next event.

That's it now unless i get a formal complaint.
W26