FBMW: Goldenport

Allow me to be the first to congratulate all, and especially the podium guys. Awesome job.
Dispelling the notion that practice makes perfect, after about a 130 laps worth of practice, the best I could manage in practice was 1.04.3xx. In qualy I do an 04.6 which isn't bad but didn't put me up front. I started well, but I was bit optimistic with the wall, and while my team-mate Bob dove to the right of a slower car, I went left and realized I was about to tattoo the wall with my elbow so I had to lift. For a while I was in a good battle with teammates Bob & Mike, then while I was trying to give room I put two tires on the kerb and took off like the concorde. Somehow I managed to move, and figured at least I'd avoid a DNF. Well, I had a blast chasing my other teammate Gregg (who had also incurred damage) and while in some portions of the track I got closer, in others he got away. It was right down to the wire, and good clean racing. I have to admit that I had some difficulties adjusting with the mirrors (and I am not doing a deCesaris here), in the heat of the race I was having a bit of a rough time getting a perspective on where people where! If I hurt anyone because of a blindspot, I apologize. Great time, although I seem to be having a hard time squeezing more speed out of these cars. More wing, less wing-- I feel like I am always lost. Great job all.

I withdrew from this race this morning, figuring I had better give the wife some attention, and because I'd had zero practice. Then I had second thoughts after dinner, queued back up and got in about 20 minutes of practice before the kids went to bed. Lo and behold the wife promptly zonks out on the couch, and I join up with about 10 mins left in practice. I get loads of offers to my call for a setup from a generous crowd, and settle on teammate Bob Fay's, whose setups I've so far always been comfortable in. Made lots of mistakes trying to warm up as practice ran out, with my teammates looking over my shoulder. Got through quali mostly clean, though slow, for 15th on the grid, but I was finally getting comfortable. The first couple laps I was fortunate to be late to the multicar accidents, and had plenty of room to pick a clean path through on this extra-wide track. After about lap 4, the only other car I saw was Fernando, who pulled away at first, then had some offs, and finally retired I think. I ran all alone until the last 5 laps, when I started "reeling in" Ralph- I put that in quotes because it turns out he was a lap down. I was completely settled in at that point, and decided to go for it in the waning laps, and was momentarily perplexed when I didn't pick up a spot after passing him- took some of the sense of accomplishment out of the pass :)

This track has a great flow once you get used to it, nice piece of work. Fun race, hope I do as well when it's for points!

Congrats to the podium finishers..... Tristan I expected you to win it but, you did the next best thing 2nd. with the fastest lap. Good Job!

For some time now it seems like I am playing catch up with Barrett Erickson! I feel like he sees me coming then puts the hammer down. Good job Barrett because a top 10 finish with these guys is a hell of a drive.

As for me I needed the clearence of a Monster Truck to get over the curbs. In the end it was the curbs that whipped me like a rented mule! DNF

A solid end to a potentially better race. Qually was particularly strong, and I have a secret to admit... I was using the default setup. Somehow, it just clicked for me on this track! Using the Jiading setup here was *horrible*

I spun (with 1.5 laps to go, and I'm sure you can feel the heat of my frustration from your chairs!) at turn 4, the first of the double-apex right handers after the hairpin. My tires were going out, but I wasn't expecting it. Kept my foot in it and held the tail for a moment, but it was too much and it let go. Re-entered after looping, and finished 2nd. I've only myself to blame; I wasn't watching my tire temps.

Well done to Agustin, you turned up the heat in the closing laps. I've got my eyes on you, bub. ;-) Looking forward to further battles.

Fun race!

Not such a great experience for me - yet another short one. Really had minimal expectations since I hadn't laid eyes on the track or the V2 FBMW before joining the race, but at least hoped to stay out of trouble and finish one.

Qualified like crap and started 14th; no surprise but no problem either. Happy to settle in and watch others as it would help me learn the track.

No such luck! Threaded through multiple incidents in the first lap (think I saw 3 wrecks by the third turn) and felt like I'd wandered into a pickup race. Things settled down a bit by L2 and I was up 5 spots to 9th, following Bob and Tommy when Tommy got into Bob a bit, backed off and spun right in front of me. Whammo; busted car. Tried to drive it for a lap but it was bent pretty bad, so I pitted for repairs (1 minute's worth) which put me a lap down, then forgot these things don't have limiters and got a penalty. Nice - just said F..orget it and bailed; no point in driving around 2 laps down in a short race with no flags.

Maybe next time...

Not too good for my 100th race at R2P. One too many times I put a wheel on the curb. Forget about it! Had trouble getting a groove back going again. I tried just a bit too hard and lost the back end and plowed the wall. Had to pit for repairs while I watched the rest of the field go by as I sat in the pits. Made a couple of spots back up, but with only 20 laps I ran out of time to get back anymore. Good thing the rest of my teammtes can drive. 3 CT Racing drivers finished in the top 10! Awesome job fellas. Let's hope I can gather it all back up for Montreal.

Congrats to the podium.

Here's a story from the other end of the field...

This was my second event at R2P and I was feeling more confident this time having spent lots of time with the FBMWs at Goldenport, managed to set new PBs in practice and felt I had more in store but just couldn't keep it on track to string together a lap in the 1:04s.

Come qualifying slid off on my out lap and spent most of it watching Tristan as I tried to see where I could be losing these 2-3 seconds. I did put in a lap at the end but no need to talk about that further.

Got a decent start, for me, i.e. I was not in last place by T1, and picked up several places on L1. Settled in behind Bert, getting close, then dropping back, then getting close again.

On lap 6 just out of the chicane someone spun and was coming back on and moved from the left to the right, Bert went around him on his right but I had to go around on his left, vague memories of Mika and Schu in Spa in 2000(?).

Unfortunately, my story ended on lap 7. Bert may have made a mistake in the last turn and I closed up, but in such a way I thought I would end up in his sidepod, so I tightened my line, however at the last second I realize this line intersected the pit wall, tried to dart away but it was too late, massive smash at full speed, got flung into the wall on the other side. I expected to see left front wheel gone but it was still there, then I noticed I did have a red spot on the damage, and later on the replay I saw my suspension lying in the road.

Maybe I could have gotten it fixed, but that'd mean limping around for a whole lap, and maybe getting in the way, and then be about 3 laps down, so I got out and watched from behind the wall.

So, 2 starts, 2 DNFs for me, at this point I just want to finish a race. Maybe third time will be the charm.

Sorry about that Jason. Hang in there, these things come and go.
As for my race, it was just about what I've come to expect with these cars. I love them but I am really struggling to be competitive. Being a new track just made it that much worse. My apologies for being a moving chicane.
Congrats to the podium and hoping to do better at Montreal.

'Grats to the podium.

Someone made a mistake with this track, right? i mean, those curbs are in there backwards, right? has anyone seen a real life track with the curb ramp set so that the perpendicular faces the cars?

anyway...

spent nearly the entire race chasing Peter Holt.

at about lap 6 Peter got by Francesco, and on the next lap Francesco made a slight bobble coming around the left hander after the back straight. i didn't have quite enough to beat him to the chicane, so i eased slightly and planned to follow him thru there. but he caught some of that "silly curb" and launched into the air. I went under him, but he came down right in front of Ralph, who was all over me at the time.

so i was back chasing Peter.

finally, on lap 13 i believe, i got a good run on him coming thru the last turn and got the pass.

that was a lot of fun racing Peter!

@Tommy, i thought that was Ralph behind me still that whole time. but you're right, we seem to have developed some kind of rivalry here over the last few races. good fun!

great racing with all you guys. looking froward to the next one.

Ahh nuts, I could keep Tristan and Agustin in sight for about 5 laps, but as they faded off into the distance I just ran around by myself in third place (boooring) until lap 15 when I came up on Bob Fay. Damn Bob, you are one hard dude to lap.
Kinda figured I could breeze by and maintain my gap to Chris (4th) but it took a lap and a half to get by while watching the gap shrink, once I finally did Bob was right on my tail, and I made a stupid mistake by getting on the gas too hard out of the second hard left hander and looped it :/

Oh well, if I couldn't finish on the podium I'm glad Chris did. After I slotted back in 5th I was a couple secs behind Malanga with 2 laps to go, thought maybe I could run him down so Chris and I would finish 3-4, but it seems that Tom has gotten quite a bit quicker as of late :-) Good on ya Tom, you deserved that top 5 in a tough field.