USA F3k: Oschersleben

A nice return to racing for me! I will admit that i only had 20 minutes of practice on this track and going into qualifying i was satisfied with 10th. The race started and a lot of bumping was going on! I tried to hold my line but i was still being hit. There was bumping on all sides though so i was glad to just survive. Once the race was properly underway i buckled down and started to pick off the field one by one. I really started to learn the car/track well right before my first pit stop so i knew that i would find myself at least in the top 5.

I dove into pits (luckily i made note on the lap before my pit where the pitlane started!) and came out chasing Ryan. I thought that he had left his pit stop but it turns out he had not pitted yet. I was soon trying to get Rob and luckily got by him. In the final 6 laps i found myself being outpaced by Steve Parsons but with 3-4 laps to go i was in the zone and catching him. Unfortunately Dennis Cummings ended up getting in the way of that and would not move for the blue flag. I figured he had someone chasing him down but i had to force my hand to try to get past. We ended up tangling barely but the damage caused my front end to get loose later on in the lap. I lost control and luckily recovered and finished the race. I found out that Steve Blankenship had lost his fuel right before the start/finish line so i gathered a 3rd place!

All and all.. not a bad race!

I wasn`t feeling it tonight. I went ahead and ran a few laps then got outta there so I wouldn`t be in the way. I`ll try to be more enthusiastic about last place next week.

Congrats podium.
Shot myself in the foot by jumping the start and getting a stop and go. First time ever in an online race for me :( That was the longest delay I have seen in Race07, guess I just couldn't wait to get lapped by TB ;/
Nice 20 lap practice session for me after that. Stayed out of the way and only gained spots thanks to DNF or crash damage I assume.
Pleased to get into the top 10, but still a lousy night.
See you next time.
RA

Not a great qual lap, got held up on what turned out to be my best lap but only good enough for 5th on the grid.

Spun my tires the stalled it and lost a position and really slid my way around lap 1 follwing Ericm who had gotten by me with my bad start. Very shortly after Eric went off and I was back in 5th again with 2-3-4 just ahead.

Once I found my rhyth I started closing in on Rob until I got with 1 second. But then I made some mistakes, these cars can get tail happy real fast. At about lap 12 Rob made a mistake and I got by him, the same lap I saw Steve enter the pits so now I am in 3rd with 2nd about 3 seconds up the road.

Lap 15 I pitted and as usual, I just sat there wondering what the crew was doing. As I sat there I looked up and saw I was in the lead. Then I saw Tristan come by as my crew finished. I crossed the pit line with Tristan just ahead and I was in 2nd :) That was about the time the crew said I was caught speeding? Well that about did me in, but it got worse.

I entered the pit the next time by and the crappy AI took over and drove my car to the pit stall. Nothing happened? Then after about 10 seconds the car reved and rolled forward about 2 feet and the penalty timer started, shit this is worse than I thought!

I rejoined in 8th with very cold and worn tires, the first 3 laps back were horrible and I wasn't making any ground on Garret, but then the tires got up to temp and I started taking some sizable chunks out of his lead on me. Someone else had stopped late so I gained a spot to 7th as I was closing on Garret. I could also see that Tristan was closing in on me and I kept thinking "man I hope he doesn't catch me I need all the time left to catch Garret.

Well I caught Garret in the final corner of the final lap, but in my effort to get a run at him I spun the wheels and off the track I went. Turns out I got lucky and Steve ran out of fuel so I got another position to finsh 6th.

Grats to Tristan with a blistering pace, well done!

During practice this evening, I found significant ride height changes coupled with a low diff. locking percentage on power netted me at least two seconds in pace. Suddenly, modulating the power out of corners became cake; as most of you know, these cars are otherwise murderously twitchy under power. Well, and twichy in general, period. So yeah... I was a happy chappy.

No more pitstops!!

Officially cemented my status as a pitstop moron with this one..

Wasn't sure about consumption rate since I hadn't had time to check it, but thought Race07 had been pretty good in that respect so far. So I put in 15 laps fuel, figuring to stop at half distance, but got the low fuel warning at the end of lap 12. Without knowing how early the warning comes and not being sure of being able to run two more full laps, I pitted at the end of 13. Came out pretty much freaking out and sure I wouldn't make the end; had a bit of a meltdown for a few laps until I just decided to drive it until it quit. Got the warning again with three to go, so I backed way out and tried to make it, but ran dry in the final corner. The fuel load actually would have been OK if I had run another lap before pitting, which I could've - just lack of prep biting me in my deserving arse! ;-)

Aside from that, it was a pretty good outing. Hadn't gone under a 19 before entering, so I was happy with my qualy and race pace. Got a decent start, picking up a spot for 3rd and got by Scott for 2nd when he went wide into the long right before the chicane; that's probably the only way I'd have gotten around since this track is very tough to pass on. Settled in after that until the fuel snafu sunk me, and never was even tempted to try to go after Tristan. Only way I was getting near him was if he got taken out by lapped traffic or hit by an asteroid. Both about equally likely!

I like these cars, though. They're very intense to drive on full tilt, since the speed difference between being On It and being ON IT is significant in hi-perf open wheelers. Sort have to drive 'em Alonzo-style; just snap the wheel over and use the pedals to guide the car through the corners. Very aggressive style needed, and an interesting contrast to the slower touring cars where momentum is everything. Still learning what they like setup wise, but as Tristan noted they do like open diff settings. I'd practiced with an 8-click F/R wing stagger (20/28), but had a good bit of high-speed push. I put on another click up front for Q and it helped, but I'd forgotten about the balance change once the race started and was hanging on for dear life the 1st couple of laps. Was OK after I softened my turn-in a bit, but probably scared Rob a few times early! Still couldn't see running anything as aggressive as Tristan's low wing stagger, but being able to hang onto very edgy cars is what makes the fast guys fast. Not so good reflexes here... ;-)

Well done guys, especially Tristan who was just killin' it - as usual!

Sorry Brandon for "not moving over for the blue flag".
People aren't suppose to "move over" We hold our line and the overtaker is suppose to go around. That point has been exhausted on here from what I read. Turn one complex isn't the place to "move over" any way......theres no room.
I saw you in my mirrors and knew you were coming,I would of given you enough room after the right hander.
I saw the replay and I wasn't
holding you up, you got close to me under braking into T1, I knew you were there so I braked a bit early, and I didn't see you make your move. We did touch, and when we did, I let you by, there and then. The last thing I wanted to do is hold you or anyone else up. So I'm sorry if thats how it looked, but I didn't do it purposly.
Please note the "Note" in 25.1 and all of 25.4.1

25.1 - Flag Observance

Flag Observance
All flag rules must be obeyed at all times. Full-course cautions are observed immediately, do not continue at racing speeds to 'race back to the caution'.

Note: Most series do not observe blue-flags as a mandatory 'move-over'. The blue-flag is advisory only, but all other flags are observed.

25.4.1 - Passing / Being Passed

General Passing
The responsibility for the decision to pass another car, and to do it safely, rests with the overtaking driver. The overtaken driver should be aware that he/she is being passed and must not impede that pass by blocking.

Once the trailing car has its front wheels next to the driver of the other vehicle, it is considered that the trailing car has the right to be there and that the leading driver must leave the trailing driver enough "racing room". "Racing room" is defined as 'at least three quarters of one car width'. In most cases, incidental side-to-side contact is considered to be "just a racing incident."

Being Lapped
Slower cars are not to move over for faster cars approaching. If you wish to assist; Hold your normal racing line (entry, apex, and exit of all corners) until a long straight. On that long straight allow the faster car to move off-line to initiate the pass at which time you can lift off the throttle to assist an easy and clean pass. Do not lift off the throttle until the faster car has initiated the pass by moving off-line.

This is not permission for a car being lapped to contest lead-lap cars, or cars in a different class. This policy is in place so slower cars stay predictable when a faster car approaches. Altering your normal racing line is unpredictable and the faster cars are unaware of your intentions. Allow the faster car to make the decisions.

The Exception
The exception to this policy is for Oval racing where it is more common to move off the racing line to allow faster cars to continue on. While it is not mandated that you move off line it shows good sportsmanship.

Tim, any comments?

Once again Brandon, I'm sorry if I hindered your
performance or finish, it wasn't on purpose.
DC

On that same note, I tried to "help" Tristan when he was lapping me after my pitstop and actually moved over into his path. He managed to avoid my mistake. Sorry about that, Tristan. I didn't realize how close it was until I watched the replay.

I qualy'd a bit lower than I had expected, but I'll take a T10 start anytime.
The start was nerve racking as these things are twitchy at best with cold tires! Someone up front lost it exiting the last right/left combo and collected me as they were coming back (backwards) onto the track. It sent me into the litter just before pit entry. I re-entered the track in last place. I was really pushing to try and catch back up and made a few offs before pitstops commenced at halfway.
I pitted in 8th and came out in 7th. It's nice to gain spots while sitting still! I took it easier on my second stint and gained another spot to 6th, most likely on Kent's dealings with the marshalls. I saw Kent coming and knew I could hold him off as time was running out. I saw him spin coming out of the final turn and Steve parked on the front straight handing me 5th. Enjoyed it, congrats to the podium.

That was a fun race, but once again too many silly mistakes all my own fault. Wish I could blame the car, the setup, someone else, my PC, but in the end it was all me.

I was happy with my qual time and it looked like it was going to be a good close race for 2-5 spots. Expected Tristan to checkout, but thought I'd have a realistic chance at 2nd or 3rd spot. But...

Didn't get a great start and slotted in behind Steve. Looked like Steve was getting adjusted to the fuel load early on, but once he figured it out, he took off.

Was having a good race, trying to figure out a safe way around Scott but that never happened, a little too much curb and off I went, fortunately no damage, slowly came back on track.

Pit stop was interesting, for some reason I couldn't turn OFF the Rev limiter and I was putting around for a few corners - in desparation I turned off the ignition and then quickly back on and hit starter and was off, no more rev limiter -- very strange.

But again, I made more mistakes, very lucky I got a 4th out of these one, not a race to remember but was still fun.

Congrats to Podium! Great job.