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Post by Joe Miller on May 13, 2020 2:57:07 GMT
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gui
Junior Member
Posts: 10
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Post by gui on May 13, 2020 3:28:52 GMT
That was a much needed victory, wow. I used a previous setup that could have worked at Toronto as a base and had good practice laps last week, with qualifying going even better with pole on the very first lap (then missed on a 1:09.7 after getting caught up with a slower car). The race had an odd start with the game giving us the green flag as Martin and I were rounding the last corner, definitely not a safe place for it to be triggered. Race was going OK, holding back a little then not putting much of a fight against Martin as he could have been on a different pit strategy. Only 4 laps later I retook the lead as he spun headed to the finish line and it was just cruising.
With less than a handful laps later with a struggling car that braked in front of me on the racing line. Without time to do much except for trying to slam the brakes, I saw my wing was still attached and I kept going trying to figure out the new driving needed to keep it going for the next 30 laps. Pitting for repairs and my refueling would have been too early and the repair was an incognito, so I sucked it up and tried to adapt and not lose too much time, but the car was still losing about .75-1s a lap from its potential and I could not pull away. I seem to have pitted after everyone and came out with just 2s to spare ahead of Joe but I was fortunately able to keep it until the end, avoiding major drama.
Thank you guys for hosting the race and I am looking forward to the next one! I will sorely miss these cars. |
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Post by Matthew Overton on May 13, 2020 3:44:28 GMT
Congratulations to Gui, Joe and Tom for their podium finishes. Same to Jerry for heading up the top of the order for the Seniors. This was the best race I have had at Laguna - normally a real mess of a time for me. Q was about as fast as my practices - though I was starting to wonder as I could not seem to get myself into the track in the pre-Q practice. The start of the race was difficult, as the green dropped just as I was coming through the final corner and of course, everyone wanted to get racing!
First laps were tough sledding as I was hot on the tail of Rob W and he seemed to be struggling with the cold tires, so made a move to take advantage. He defended stoutly with some side to side contact and I was past. From there, it was a familiar scenario - chasing down Jerry H. As the laps ticked off, I was closing down on him when he dived for the pit at exactly 1/2 way. I was too late and went for an additional lap, which went well and so made the snap call for 'just one more'. Well, that went south with a snap out of the final turn that resulted in me nosing into the pit wall, bouncing back and carrying on. Car handling fine 'phew', into the pit (sorry chief). All good until I realised I had not turned off damage repair, so a good 30 seconds watching Jerry come by and head down the track. Bother. From there it was working hard to keep a variety of folks from closing me down, with Rob W coming close in the final laps, but not quite.
I have been enjoying this mod in AMS much more than rF, go figure. Looking forward to our final session, and the opportunity redeem the miserable result from Michigan, when I was launched over the track wall and got stuck in a virtual swamp :{
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Post by Martin Rossi on May 13, 2020 3:51:27 GMT
I congratulate Gui for the race, Joe and Tom for the podium and all the other runners who were present in this beautiful race, unfortunately, as it was a disaster on the road, I was able to fight for the race and it ends up being just a eighth place which leaves me with little chance of a championship, the truth was that I had a very fast car but I didn't know how to take advantage of it, after taking the lead on lap four and getting away from Gui a little I had to slow down and control the race but I kept pushing and it had its consequence, bad for me but well that's the way the races are and I always give everything to go for the victory this time it didn't come out, I congratulate the league again for this beautiful championship and we'll see you in the next race
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Post by Tony Boynton on May 13, 2020 21:23:13 GMT
Gui said: "... until less than a handful laps later with a struggling car that braked in front of me on the racing line."
My appologies, Gui, I slid off track coming out of turn 9 and instead of staying off track until you passed, I came back on slowly right in from of you. I thought I might edge back on, hoping you would be passing without a problem, but that cou ldn't have been a worse decision on my part, you didn't have time to avoid hitting the rear of my car. I'm just glad it didn't end your race.
-Tony
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Post by Jerry Hamilton on May 17, 2020 0:09:30 GMT
I put in a lot of laps to get ready for this race. I wanted to do well for a couple reasons; the first is Laguna is one of my home tracks from my SCCA racing days (my last race there was right after they changed the layout). The second is that I have a shot at catching Mr. Overton for first place in the old farts group. I was disappointed with my P6 qualification because I didn’t match my practice time.  The start, however, went well. In my SCCA multi-class races it wasn’t unusual for the green to fly with cars going through the last turn. So it wasn’t a surprise. I just tried to hang on to Mr. Miller ahead. That worked well until lap 3. Mr. Lebeuf, up ahead, spun and was crosswise in T- 2 (Andretti Hairpin) trying to get off track. Avoiding him I locked up a brake, did a slight detour off track, and lost contact with the lead group (Tom, thanks for moving off track). There was no doubt that Tom was going to hound me until he got back by. And he did. On the same lap going into the Corkscrew Tom flew by on the outside  , but ended up crosswise in front of me, and I took an off-road detour to get by. Four laps later he tried again in the Corkscrew. This time he went by on the inside but ran off track and I regained the lead again. Tom hounded me for another 12 laps. By then I was closing on Mr. Whited. Entering Andretti Hairpin, with Jason just ahead, I saw that Tom was setup for a pass and went wide through the corner to let him by. Then I set off after Jason. A couple corners later I got past Mr. Rossi who was raising dust off track. On the next corner I went off into the dirt and he re-took the position. Two corners later Martin crashed going through the Corkscrew. That put me in P5 still chasing Jason. On lap 19 I noted that Mr. Overton was closing from behind. I made it to the pit stop still in P5. The second half of racing was more relaxed. Matthew was a ways behind me and I just concentrated on turning consistent laps. On lap 27 I saw Mr. Whited up ahead. I chased after him for nine laps. On lap 36 Jason slid to a halt in the middle of the Andretti Hairpin and I went off track on the inside to get by. Jason, thanks for not moving. Six laps later the checker waved at me in P4. A good finish at a home track.  Congrats to all intrepid drivers taking the green and taking on the Corkscrew. |
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The start, however, went well. In my SCCA multi-class races it wasn’t unusual for the green to fly with cars going through the last turn. So it wasn’t a surprise. I just tried to hang on to Mr. Miller ahead.
, but ended up crosswise in front of me, and I took an off-road detour to get by. Four laps later he tried again in the Corkscrew. This time he went by on the inside but ran off track and I regained the lead again.