The IGR Imola 350k

I'm not much of a quiter but getting bumped out 3x in 3 following laps is enough.

Congrats to both podiums and sorry for being a bother for the nGT leader for a couple of laps.

I am really dissapointed with this race, not because I expected a better spot (today I realised I'm not too keen on Imola), but because right after the time was up (126 mins !!), in the last lap, my engine broke down and let me out of the race with a DNF.

I would have liked to finish after driving for so long and being so tired, I won't say what part of my body is hurting me right now (ouch!).

See you

Man, tough race. Very physical track, which is why I am very pleased to come in second, especially against the best in sports car racing here at R2P, Milan and Claus. They were tough competition today and being able to compete with them in the Vette on a not so Vette-friendly track makes me quite happy about the car and its potential. Hell, all I wanted to do today was finish a damn sports car race since I have been on a streak of DNFs, but getting second...man that's awesome :).

Lotta fun racing with Milan in this race. Claus zoomed away from us early on so it was mainly the two if us battling. We kept it close most of the time and the traffic kept us closer. But it seemed like his car was better on the long runs and could run very effectively outside of traffic. I needed that traffic to stir things up a bit because I just could not keep up with him over the long run.

The first two stints were remarkably similar. We stayed close, got closer with traffic, and he raced away to about a 3 second gap later in the run...only to have me gain some time on him on the first pit stop. On the final stop, Milan didn't take tires and got a 10 second advantage on me. With about 15 laps to go, I hurried my ass to catch up to him and ran some nice 1.43s...sufficient in catching him with about 5 laps to go. While I got to him, I could really do anything about it. This is not a very pass-friendly track so I needed him to make a mistake somewhere. No way in hell could I beat him out of corners because of that Ferrari power. But he did make a mistake in the right-handed sweepers. He got a little wide and into the grass and couldn't control it. I just barely got by and grabbed second and never looked back.

Grats to Claus and Marko and to Milan on the championship. Kudos to the slower traffic as well...you guys were very courteous in my eyes today.

Cya'll next time!

Hard one!

In qualy I've been satisfied with second.
Race was a looong battle with Conor, All the time he was behind me.
Only after my stops I could done clean laps but this time my strategy was different.
Before my second pit stop in 51th. lap I decide to not change the tyres (mediums) only watching to catch Claus time who was 15-20 seconds ahead whole second stint.
My calculations was that no new tyres could helped me about 20-22 seconds, enough for the lead ;).
But.... I messed in the pit table and lose 10 seconds while trying to find options to no-change tyres, lol, then during refueling I nervously pressed ignition button that cost me few more seconds until I shut down engine again.
All in all I exited from pit just 13 seconds behind Claus and 7 sec. ahead of Conor.
Well, with old tyres that was not good situation, and my plan was ruined.
Conor rapidly closing me and 3 laps to go I did small error and almost lose the car, Conor luckily escaped me and the game was over. At the end 3rd, k.

Grats Claus and Conor, that was intensive race.
Bravo Marko.

See you in Spa.

Grats To Clause and the rest of the GT podium
Grtas to Marko and the rest of the nGT podium

After quite some time out of a GT car I decided to run this race, It felt really good to do an indurance race again.

Thank you to kent and the rest on the nGT field for allowing easy passes.

I view this race as a win win situation as finished this race on the same lap as Clause.

Cheers,
Cya next time.

Had a blast for first race in something like 3 months. Finishing 7th at such a difficult track is a big win for me!

My god you guys have stepped up your game while I was gone!

Lost connection... bah

Well , thats about it then... Can't say my race was going well anyway , strange setup and late minute entry didn't help and i want to say sorry to those who got affected when i joined in the middle of the qualifying session. Did my best to get back home before the Q starts but some delays on the way home didn't help.

It was difficult to get into rhythm and had a poor 1st stint , 2nd felt a bit better but then had a disconnect on lap 50 or so... Discouraging end to a difficult race but thats the way it goes sometimes... :|

Grats to CJ for a nice drive and winning the GT class... cheers to Marko for the win on nGT class , damn i hope it's snowing in Spa. I need all the help i can get now for the final race :D.

Thx all and good job GT cars ,some tight situations there but everyone kept it cool and clean , thx for your patience.

Cya in the big finale... The Butt Killer 400.

-----
Samuel

The following morning:

Time for a normal post-race. I never liked Imola and the Saleen was no option for me here. So I took the Lambo. The 1st stint was fine. No problems and some good racing with Dennis and Tom. Tom got behind a bit after the 1st stop but I had Dennis in my sight for the whole 2nd stint. My med/med tyres were holding on very well so I decided to take only fuel on my 2nd stop. I just had to try something to get a better result. But just before it was time to pit I had a major lag. A kind that usually means race over but after about 10 secs everything turned back to normal. But it made me lose a postion to Tom and more important, precious time I needed for my 3rd stint. I did the stop and got ahead of Dennis, David and Tom and was running in 5th for a while. But the lead to Dennis was only 8 secs when I left the pits so I knew I would be in trouble if the guys behind me all had taken new tyres. And yes .... trouble came. To make a long story short ... I was bumped twice by an imho far too eager David and finally Tom did the same at the uphill chicane. 3x in 3 following laps. Frustrated I hit ESC and left.

Thanks for you email Tom and for your intention to wait for me after that bump. That's the kind of sportmanship I really appreciate.

This was the worst race for me in last few months.So many mistakes and errors.
First I got very pissed in qual , went out for a lap , it was fine half a lap(no one in front off me)and then I came to some GT and NGT witch spined just in front off me(so I lost there half a sec , maybe more)and yes lost a pole by 0.1sec :) Grats Kent good lap.

I would like to complain about some GT drivers that was 5-6sec off the pace in their class and was blocking some of ngt's.
If you are not ready for a race , don't bother to race at any cost , you could easily ruin someone's race.

Race started hmm with no grip at the front :) , so I lost one or two places in the first turn.After few laps grip was somewhere near good :), and Kent was ahead for about 5sec or so.
Good pace Kent ,it lasted many laps until I closed enough to your back.I discovered that my FPS was lower that usual , I think because changeable weather , so I was a bit slower when someone was in front off me or I just think that was :)
Had a many good overtakes with Kent , then my mistake and all againt. It was fun!
Kent as I saw you was very fast when I was behind you , still you lost some speed when I passed you.Why is that (is that because of my suggested FPS problem , or something else ) ?

Had I few contacts with Dennis M. , Didn't know why , I was racing my racing line ,and you roughly tried to pass me in the middle of the turn , and on the inside , so you hit me in the back and off the track in to the sand , damaging my car.As you know we do not have to move , when you GT cars came,you must find your way around.By that mean it was not my intention to block you or to race with GT cars.And sorry for that spin(I saw you again in the mirror , and lost some concentration and also my back :( )

Too bad Samuel for your disconnect, you lost there some points( I think )
This was very hard race , frustrating.
About Spa :) I really like Spa , and enjoy riding it.So if it doesn't snow for me it should be a hard and good race :)
looking foreword.

Grats Claus on GT win , and well done Kent , well deserved 2 place.

@Milan
Hvala Milane , cestitke na tvojoj GT pobedi!

Cya all at the great Spa

Good shakedown for todays GTX event to get Imola under the skin again. Was pushing in start to get a gap I would need later when the fuel economy of the 575 and Vette would come into play, but somehow I even increased the lead abit after first stop, lost some at 2nd stop, but after that it was just a matter of getting to the line in one piece.