Spa-Francorchamps nGTx

Spa being my favorite track I wanted so badly to produce a good finish. Wasnt expecting rain during qualifying but was able to manage 3rd place start. Made some last minute tweaks to make the med\hard tire combo keep me in the low .22s.

First half of the race had a scary start with me having a late jump at the light and allowing eric to breeze by. At the approach to the corner after the rouge straight someone almost took me out the first corner with a very late braking attempt on COLD brakes. We missed contact by inches it seems like.

Heading downhill towards pouhon I saw Kent facing the wrong direction and Steve head for the sand. I take it some contact happen there.

From then on it was a hard chase to regain my spot back from Eric who was looking very good and competative until braking for the bus stop chicane.

Eric got in the soft stuff after blachmont and was slow heading in so I broke hard on the outside only to have Eric turn into me. Wasnt sure if we touched before that but it looked like the rear end locked up. Very common to happen there in the GTC.

From then on it was a hard but no gain attempt to catch brian, I hoped to gain an edge during pit taking only fuel but odviously Brian was using the same strategy. Towards the end the rear tires starting giving me problems getting the car very very sideways but I kept pushing hard in hopes something would go my way but it was not to be.

Was very happy taking 2nd place after a bad stint of races, but still wouldve like to have a taste of that checkered flag seeing the practice lap times, I knew I had a chance.

Well done Brian on your flawless win and too bad eric had tire wear issues because we were having a great time.

Seeya at the next one.

That was very interesting.

The flooded qual session kinda had me lost. Car felt decent enough though it was a little sensative with max wings. Trouble for me was I had way too much brake pressure and with only 10 minutes and Spa I couldn't come back in and adjust it. Still I managed to know 1 second off my lap through 2 sectors but time ran out on me as I exited La Source and I had to settle for 2nd on the grid behind Brian who had a great lap.

I joined the grid with about 30 seconds to spare before the green and I did my usual routine preparing for the start when I glanced over at engine life and saw it was down to 57%! I checked the time and I had under 10 seconds so I escaped and rejoined the grid with only a few seconds to spare. Then I looked at engine life again and it was down to 24% WTF!

Needless to say I was now frazzled and totally not ready for teh start which was now happening. I still managed a good start and took it easy through Eua Rouge and followed Brian through Les Combes and Rivage. In Rivage I noticed my engine was already down to 23% and as I braked for the following left hander my mind was elsewhere. I climbed the curbing and around the rear started, I corrected in a attempt to save it but the just resulted in a tank slap into teh outside guardrail. The car bounced off and spun back across the track somehow avoiding contact with anyone and settled against the other guardrail. I waited for all to pass, and waited even longer since there were still 2 cars to pass me.....once I realized the stewards wouldn't be coming I got turned around and rejoined.

I was having fun making my way back up the field until I caught Ray Nelson. I took the inside on him into Pouhon hoping to force a early brake or a mistake but Ray was having none of that and held his line nicely. As I went back to the throttle I tapped Ray and around he went. I braked intending to wait for him as an apology when I realized all that would do is cause a hazzard and surely wouldn't make him feel any better about it. After dropping back 2 positions I continued on.

Again, my apologies Ray, I could have swore we had enough space between us.

A lap or so later I caught back up to Brain Cox in Eau Rouge and he went wide left up the hill and fearing he would come back across off the curbing I chose to go extra wide right on exit. Well I know better than that and ended up in the wall at pit exit taking damage and losing another position AGAIN!

By now it is lap 11 and my engine is down to 13% I was real close to just escaping but really did not want the DNF so I figured I would just continue until the engine blew, in fact I drove it harded for a lap or so encouraging it LOL

I pitted lap 15 from 4th and rejoined in 7th with Steve exiting the pits ahead of me. Steve had a nice 7 second lead on me but that gap was coming down quickly, not sure what was going on with him but eventually I caught him and he slid through Les Combes handing me 5 unchallenged.

I was so far behind Eric and Hernan that I just short shifted the last 4 laps praying the engine would last. Somehow it did and I crossed the finish line with 4% left. I floor the throttle and watch the engine blow in less than 2 seconds LOL

Grats to Brian on the win, well done! Also to Aaron and Hernan forthe podiums.

I have a feeling I know why I advanced to 4th place and I wont complain about that after a horrible race.

Well wet qual was fun.Was very careful just to get a time so happy with 13th in 1st online qual.

Wanted to have clean start and not cause any problems. Stayed away from trouble past a few cars that had gone off track, made my way to 11th by end of first lap.
Race went fairly quiet for me, was having real trouble with Rouge, which caught me on lap 14 and got some bad damage.Didn't want DNF for my first race so limped back to pits , and waited for the repairs (which took a while LOL). Carried on to finish 11th.

Well done to Podium

I was disqualified....
Not impressed.

@ Eric; I know you're new to R2P, but I think a good reading of the codes and regs page, plus "the Race2Play way" page might be helpful in understanding your experience here to date. There are certain constraints to on and off-track behavior here that, while they may take a bit of adjusting-to at first, make for a better racing environment over the long run for everyone. Give it a chance and I think you'll see that's the case.

As for my race, I probably wouldn't have entered if I hadn't seen I was 2nd in the standings. West races are a bit late for me if it's been a long day (and most are of late), but I figured I'd give it a go. Told myself to be sure to get a little practice in, but of course didn't, so I was pretty unprepared. Only had an RSR set that understeered like crazy with the RS, which lacks a bit of downforce for faster circuits like Spa. Got one lap in online, started wholesale setup tweaking then bam - straight to a soaking wet Q session. Uh-oh!

Had no idea what to do for that, so just dumped fuel, tossed on soft wets and a couple of clicks of wing and went out. Hung on for dear life and somehow ended up tip-toeing to 4th. Was very pleased at that, since I'd have bet on being towards the back while splashing around. Still, was kind of hoping for a monsoon-wet race; that would've been epic.

Got lucky at the start with Aaron's slow getaway, and slotted into 3rd behind Kent. That didn't last long though; got a bit out of shape when Kent had his uncharacteristic slip in the no-name left after Rivage, and Eric got close to me heading down into Pouhon. Was close, but I just had the lead on the outside going in and he got into my left rear fender and sent me into the gravel. Didn't hit anything else though, so I was able to rejoin down the order a bit, somewhat less than happy but good to go.

Soon became evident my wholesale setup changes had gone a touch too far, leaving me with a loose car that was deadly over the curbing. Had to make the best of it though, so I just jammed the brake bias way forward to keep it in line on entry. Had a great dice with Brian C. for a good part of the first stint. He had a lot of pace on me in the twisty bits from Rivage to Blanchimont but it's tough to pass in there, and the RS was holding it's own through the straighter bits. We traded position and a spec of paint or two along the way; hard racing, but clean and close - good stuff!

Realized I'd forgotten to set my pit strategy until partway through my in-lap, so I lost a good bit of time fiddling with that while trying to drive and even went off at the chicane since I'd forgotten where the pit entry was. DOH!

Waffled on changing tires, but decided to stay on the worn med/hards I had. Coming out on cooled-down tires the car was super loose for a bit, then just settled into general ugliness... ;-) Saw Kent coming and planned to just let him by, but didn't have to when I went off at Les Combes from watching the mirror instead of my braking marker. DOH #2! Brian C. was next in line, and coming fast. I figured he had fresh rubber and if he got to me I'd be done. I'd forgotten how long the pit lap is at Spa and how that affects overall race time, so I'd thought we would end up doing one more lap than we did. I was certain Brian would get me on the last lap, and he would have if there had been one more - I was one happy camper to see the checkers come out as I entered Fagnes with a couple of seconds still in hand. Only had about .4 sec left at the finish - close one!

'Grats to the podium and especially to Brian for owning us all and to Kent for persevering. If I'd started at 24% I wouldn't have lasted till the pitstop. I'd have had a meltdown from sheer worrying... ;-)

Indeed props to Kent for saving that motor. I had a feeling something wasnt right with his car. His pace is usually much faster here at spa.

Thanks guys :)

I have always done well at Spa but didnt consider a win in this race even with some guys not able to run in the RSR/GTC.

Quali: Done a decent lap to earn pole in the wet.

Race: Got an ok start but Kent got a slightly better start and it was lucky the 1st corner was so close. Saw Kent (bad luck with engine) spin off in my mirror a few corners later which took a bit of pressure off. My car felt great and was able to get the hammer down and try and pull a gap by the time the pit stops arrived because i wasnt 100% sure what to do about tyres. Hammond behind had other ideas and he maintained the 3 secs gap i had on him. He must of had an off because my lead increased to about 7 secs.

Still wasnt sure what to do with tyres come mid race as my lead was up to 17secs which gave me enough time to change tyres but i was reluctant to risk track position. Decided to carry on until i needed to refuel and not change tyres.

After the stops i still had a decent gap on Aaron but he started to peg me back and i was slightly concerned he had new rubber. Fortunately for me i didnt run of fuel :) and crossed the line a lap earlier than i was expecting.

I hate rain. I have no experience in rain and am still figuring out what to do in a rain situation, so went from a top 3 in practice to starting 14th... oh well..

I was happy with my improved race pace and figured coming from back would be a good experience. Got a great launch in the start, but no one else did, so still got stuck back in the back by the time we got to Eau Rouge. I knew that I couldnt win on the first lap, so I didnt try... soon found myself in the top ten due to others misfortune. Had a great clean battle with Steve B for most of the 1st stint. I didnt want to wreck either of us, so was sure to be careful. Got spun in the last turn before the starting line, so Steve got away.. ended up back in 11th again. My pit window was close, so went a couple more laps and pitted. Tried to do the Michael Schumacher - Quick out lap thing - to hopefully make up some spots and it seemed to work. After the pits rotated through, I was in 7th. Just ran out of time getting to Steve B again. My second stint was awesome as far as I was concerned.. Ran fast laps and my concentration was all there... My race pace in improving, so although my finish place doesnt really show, I am happy with how it went...
See you next round