Mini Cooper S @ GP 200 Int'l - Tue 3rd July 2012

Stuart Thomson · Jun 28, 2012

Server name: RACEDEPARTMENT.COM MINI
Class: Austin Mini Cooper S (Default)
Track: GP 200 International (Download)

Practice start time: GMT 19.00
Qualification start time: GMT 19.30 (single lap)
Race start time: GMT 19.40 (16 laps)
Qualification start time: GMT 20.00 (single lap)
Race start time: GMT 20.10 (16 laps)

Note1: You must download and install this livery pack (Download) Install to: \GTL\GameData\Teams\TC-65\Mini Cooper S
Note2: If you do not have a livery in the pack, you must use a default skin.

Server password: click here
Racing rules: click here

Entry List:

Stuart Thomson
Tim Ling
Jack Smith
Andreas Scholz
Rupe Wilson
Roland Warmenhoven
Paul M Jones
Peter van Zanten
Hans Sneep
Jacob Boonstra
Warren Dawes
Senad Subasic
Neil Gault
David Cuthill
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver
Driver

Rules:
This is being held in our Club, using Club Rules, and should be driven in that spirit.

Rupe Wilson · Jul 3, 2012

Senad Subasic said:
Yellow line is the track boundary I presume? Gonna be tricky.

I asked same question last night ... the orange and white curbs mark the edge of track not the yellow line,,, in other words full use of the tarmac... ...

Carlos Diaz · Jul 3, 2012

A bit bummed that I can't make it tonite.

Stuart Thomson · Jul 3, 2012

@Senad Subasic - Well, as long as 2 wheels are inside the orange line, you're OK.

The span between the yellow/orange line and the kerbs are less than a Mini's track, so concentrating on keeping 2 wheels on the black stuff should be good enough. And you will be upsetting the car over the kerbs going any wider anyway.

Report deliberate cutters as always, of course, but if people cut in "fun" races then good luck to them in their pyrrhic victory.

I find I end up cutting more when there's someone right in front of me because I take "avoidance" lines.

Senad Subasic · Jul 3, 2012

Not cutting for cutting's sake, it just flows better not following the yellow lines 100%.

Stuart Thomson · Jul 3, 2012

Well, as I said - it's only the inner wheels that have to stay inside. That should be good enough.

Howard Jacks · Jul 3, 2012

I'm coming, at least for practice

Paul M Jones · Jul 3, 2012

I'm out.

Warren Dawes · Jul 4, 2012

Great car and track combo this one, what a shame the dreaded early race end bug surfaced again

. I think that if the race was allowed to run the full 16 laps we may even have seen some tyre wear influence with this track.

Anyway, it was still lots of fun, and good to be able to finally join the GTL group again and shake off some of my rust.

Race 1: QP4 and dropped to P5 after the start, damned good by my starting standards in the mini. Unfortunately, going through the fast sweeping chicane half way through lap 1, I was following Howard who drifted off the track on the right, putting me almost alongside him as he re-entered. He then moved left for the next right hander, so I veered left to avoid him and spun off into the wall and sand trap.

That left me last.
I had a ton of fun working my way through the field, although often it was a case of avoiding the cars re-joining after their crashes (there seemed to be lots of those

). I caught up to Howard again and we were having a ding dong scrap for P2 when the Session decided to call it quits.

Race 2: QP4 again. Another slothful start and back to P6 (I've had worse). This time I saw Roland go off behind me, in identical fashion to my Race 1 crash, and I was looking in my rear view mirror to see if I contributed when I missed the right hand uphill turn and slammed into the wall, then bogging it in the sand. Back to last again, but this time the car was obviously damaged and handling strangely, making my driving messy while I adjusted. Apologies to those around me at the time, hope I didn't cause any concerns. I had some very enjoyable racing with Neil, Hans, Peter, and Andreas for a few laps, but eventually pulled away and tried to bridge the large gap to the leading bunch. Just when I could finally see Jack ahead, I ploughed off into the wall yet again. I finally hobbled to the finish in P6 when the agreed 11 lap race finished.

Thanks to all who joined, it was good fun. Thanks to Stu for another well thought out event. Thanks also for my nice green / white livery Stu, glad I got to use it at last.

Jack Smith · Jul 4, 2012

I always love undulating woman and racing tracks. Tonight I got atleast one of them.

Race 1. Had a good setup ( Warren Goodwood ) and a feel for the track. Jumped to fourth after the start and soon found myself in 2nd momentarily ...feeling great... but rolled it on the roof coming out of the last corner. Shortly after, rolling good again and rolled it on the roof again....now last place. Had some thrilling racing with the guys at the back with several position changes and all good clean stuff....I may have slowed Peter somewhat trying to get up to speed again but tried to leave him some wiggle room.

Race 2. Another good start for me and went from 10th to 5th rather quickly. Looks good on the resume anyway. Things don't often work out that easily but tonight it did. Raced with a pack of three for several laps with several close encounters of the mini kind... Stu, Howard, and Rupe. Had a fantastic battle with Howard for fourth spot but he passed me on the home straight to seal the deal. I see I bumped Howard on a passing move..drifted a bit wide exiting.. sorry Howard.

One of the best tracks Stu, wd podiums, cheers all drivers.

Howard Jacks · Jul 4, 2012

Hello, thanks for the racing last night. I'm not sure if I should of joined as it was a new track for me last night and I am aware my lines were poor and inconsistent, with more practice maybe I wouldn't be throwing it at the corner and cutting as well. I apologise to anyone who got stuck behind me, I saw quite a few cars go off in my mirrors, and in front! Race 1 seemed to self destruct with Warren going off after my wobble

someone rolling at the chicane and the the leaders tangling and I ended up leading for a while! Race2 had a great scrap holding on to Stuart, but I lost the place when I got ahead to a faster driver coming through! Good fun racing!

Senad Subasic · Jul 4, 2012

Awesome track, really enjoyed it. In practice at least.

Trouble started with quali. Started my hot lap. To get some extra time, wanted to take the wider line, right wheels over the line, for the first time. Wasn't a good idea. Parked it in the fence 50 metres ahead.

Then the race start. Good lucked. Tabbed for names. Clutch down. Revs perfect. 3. 2. 1. Lovely gradual clutch release. What's going on. I'm not moving. Am i in gear. No, I'm not. Yeah, that would do it.

After that, just some more of my atrocious driving. Caused Tim to go off, waited. Cut a bit, let someone by. Went off on my own a couple of times...

Was pretty awful here by the end, I was soaked through. I hate summer. And electronics that generate lots of heat. And summer.
Went away to cool down, and missed race 2. Sorry. Would've probably melted by the end anyway.

Thanks to Stuart, hope to see you all next week.

Stuart Thomson · Jul 4, 2012

Had a few bumps and bruises in R1, making my steering a bit of a lottery, but ended up getting a grip and was putting together some decent laps until the early finish curse struck.

After running so close for so long with Hans, Peter, Jacob & Roland, I thought I'd be dreaming of Orange minis.

Race 2 was shaping up to be a good one, Me & Howard very closely matched on times, and he not quite having enough slipstream to make a pass really stick. After 6 or so really tense laps, I locked up a little into T1 (iirc?) and I bumped him in the side a little, not enough to send him off, but still enough for me to lift off and let him through. Rupe also sneaked through while I was off throttle, and we were 3 cars long again, and looking good for a few more laps. Unfortunately, coming down the fast esses, my screen froze, and I was sittting there doing that fast shake, right in the middle of the track. I quit immediately to avoid any crashes.

I shouted out on TS, but got nothing back, so have to guess it was a PC freeze.

Neil has supplied some details about the track length, it certainly seems suspicious to me that we finish early on a track where the length is obviously wrong.

So - I'll change the gdb file on the server, I'll give you lot the details of what to change and where, and we'll give it another go as a test.

I think it's worthwhile if it fixes this track as that might mean possibly fixing a few others too (Vitus Nat/Portimao etc.)

Knut Omdal Tveito · Jul 4, 2012

Was really looking forward to this one so really bummed I missed it. A great track and I hope it's possible to fix the issues Stu

Peter van Zanten · Jul 4, 2012

Knut Omdal Tveito said:
Was really looking forward to this one so really bummed I missed it. A great track and I hope it's possible to fix the issues Stu

And than do the race 1 more because this was fun ,close racing and many accidents.
Thanx guy for a wonderful race event hope next week is the same

Warren Dawes · Jul 4, 2012

Senad Subasic said:
Then the race start. Good lucked. Tabbed for names. Clutch down. Revs perfect. 3. 2. 1. Lovely gradual clutch release. What's going on. I'm not moving. Am i in gear. No, I'm not. Yeah, that would do it.

That seemed like a popular way to start Race 1, the guy beside me on the grid did the same thing, didn't he Tim.

Neil Gault · Jul 4, 2012

Warren Dawes said:
That seemed like a popular way to start Race 1, the guy beside me on the grid did the same thing, didn't he Tim.

it all helped me as i started in P13 but was up to P8 before turn 1

Tim Ling · Jul 4, 2012

Great track, great fun. I spent a lot of time rolling the car, and circus driving on 2 wheels, then, in race 2 flipping the car in a vertical roll (6 times...approx 2000 degs.) and ending up in the stands.

Next time we use this track, can we use the Fulvia's???

Stuart Thomson · Jul 4, 2012

OK - did a search and found that Gamers Crib have a fixed gdb for GP200.

They don't actually address the apparent track length disparity.

We'll test it out next Thursday (Knut will work out a suitably tasty vehicle list for it) using the "fixed" gdb file.

I'll post the fixed *.gdb file up this evening.

Stuart Thomson · Jul 4, 2012

Just a quick update - I found a fixed *.gdb file for the Algarve track, and it changes the same parameters as the fixed *.gdb GP200 file.

There certainly seems to be a logical pattern emerging, which would be nice if we could get some of these great tracks back in use (Vitus, Algarve, GP200, Mont Tremblant 2009, etc.)

We'll see how we go next week.

Tim Ling · Jul 4, 2012

Stuart Thomson said:
OK - did a search and found that Gamers Crib have a fixed gdb for GP200.

They don't actually address the apparent track length disparity.

We'll test it out next Thursday (Knut will work out a suitably tasty vehicle list for it) using the "fixed" gdb file.

I'll post the fixed *.gdb file up this evening.

Bah humbug! Thursday