2009 RD Touring Car Championship (RACE On)

[Danny Asbury]

Joao, I appreciate the response. I do remember our incident at Birmiingham, something I was actually very mad about. I usually do file official stewards inquaries for such incidents. My reason for not doing anything official here at Racedepartment is two fold, 1) I'm still pretty new and I don't wanna get on anyone's bad side, 2) I have absolutely no idea of how to make a youtube video. It's something I plan to learn in the future, but without that skill, I have to just take my incidents and roll with them. The comments I made yesterday were pretty general and weren't pointed at anyone in particularly. I just feel that there are some drivers out there that need to realize it's a 55 minute race.

Again, I'm mad at no one individually, just a little dissappointed at the driving standard I've seen in the RDTCC. The American Racing club has been much better in terms of fairness. But I'll see you guys next weekend for the final round!

 

[Michael van Scheppingen]

Jaoa,

No worries m8. I was not complaining about my suspension damage and bumps.
I actually enjoy the races very much. And frustration is a part of the game you have to deal with \o/

See you next race

 

[Roland Ehnström]

The formation lap was initially ok, but for some reason everyone was doing a emergency stop on the straight. People were sliding and crashing. Not nice at all.

Yep, I saw it and I've looked at it in the replay to see what happened. As the pole-sitter ("pace car"), I kept exactly 100 km/h going on to the main straight and waited until about half-way to the start-line before I gave full throttle (the general league rules say the leader can speed up "as he likes" after the final corner). The cars closest behind me also kept their pace perfectly and didn't start accelerating before I did. However, some cars 4-5 positions behind had left too big a gap to the car in front efter the chicane, and started speeding up to close this gap, going 120-130 km/h. The cars behind them then thought the race was already on, and gave full throttle, some speeding up to 160 km/h and beyond when I was still going 100. Needless to say they soon needed to brake HARD!

I see three possible solutions to this small problem:

A) Have drivers pay more attention to what the cars 4-5 positions in front are doing (not just looking at the driver directly in front).

or

B) Change the rule so that the pole-sitter must start accelerating directly from the apex of the final corner, rather than between the final corner and the start/finish line.

or

C) Standing starts. This is my favorite option, as it's much more spectacular yet often safer than a rolling start. And it feels more like a proper start of a motor race to an old-fashined european racer like me.

 

[Christopher Aponte]

for this rolling start, i do keep finding it strange why it fails a bit before the start finish, but I think it has to do with a problem...people tend to create a big gap during formation and just closes it as fast as they can during the final corner and thinking that the leader might have started already....this results into those emergency stopping and crashing.
the best tip I can give (i do this always...always ) is to close the gap at least 2 corners before the final corner, that way is to avoid the crashing on the straight...

as for standing start.....standing start are great, but only with everyone being safe and wise....but that won't happen as I know for sure in 90% of the standing start, especially in group 1 with past touring car experience, crashes will happen going into T1....and then you will hear people complain and the admins heaving a big headache sorting these incidents.
the best to avoid this all is using rolling start

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Actually the problems are caused by the leader. As in the briefing of every event the rules are stated pretty clear:

• First lap of the race will be a single file formation lap. The race leader remains a speed of 100 km/h (60 mph) during the formation lap and the rest of the field follows without swaying. If you spin during the formation lap you follow the field in last position. The race starts when the leader accelerates out of the final corner. No overtaking before the start/finish line.

In other words just flat it going out of the last corner. The majority of the drivers keeps this rule with all nasty stuff as result as we saw yesterday because the leading car is not speeding up properly

 

[Konrad Stanczak]

A) Have drivers pay more attention to what the cars 4-5 positions in front are doing (not just looking at the driver directly in front).

Not a solution. The view is often blocked up to 3 cars in front. And secondly bear in mind that some people reduce the number of visible cars to improve framerate.

 

[Billy Davies]

I was one of the unlucky cars caught out by all of the sudden emergency braking over the start/finish line after the formation lap in group 1. As a result I had suspension damage and had to nurse a broken car for the entire race. Completely ruined it for me and a few others. I think I ended up in the back of Ola Garmer - for this I'm sorry, but it was unavoidable by that stage.

After that the racing was ok for a while but then I made a mistake.. not content with just driving in the back of Ola at the start, I missed my braking point into T1 on lap 8/9 or something swerved to avoid Bram but still cut across Ola to make contact for a second time in 1 race.

So, my apologies to Ola for making your race more difficult and no doubt frustrating than it should have been.

 

[João Andias]

....1) I'm still pretty new and I don't wanna get on anyone's bad side...

Your reason 1) is interesting, prudent I admit, but if we think a bit about it…

• Let’s imagine for a minute this club had 3 sets of (unofficial) rules, one for the administrators, one for the “old guard” and another for the recent members :tongue: ... Some “deaf ears" here &there, some “under–the-carpet” (good old) INET plain abuse and the such… :eek:

Would you want to be part of such club?

I know I wouldn’t and I bet you wouldn’t too.

So if after an incident report I come to the conclusion that there were sets of different rules depending of the people involved, I would just move away… there are other clubs, there are other things to do.:wink:

​

• Ok, obviously don’t mistake this with the fact that after a while people know each one’s virtual racing style very well, the more aggressive virtual racers, the more gentleman like and such like (all within the rules) …

As we virtual race here with our real names, when someone new to the club claims, a known club member did a very “odd” thing, the people will take it with the natural grain of salt, but that doesn’t mean the people responsible don’t have to look into it.​

Yes, most of the times it is always a misunderstanding, which is why people are encouraged to not only see the replay first, but also to try to settle the things by PM before going the “official” way.

​

• Also notice that the old imature excuse of "it is just game", it is all "fun & virtual" and the likes won't help either...

Yes it is all "just" that, but the truce of it is that the majority of the pole involved in this hobby (virtual racing), abdicate of their "real time" to practice and participate in these events (time they might otherwise be expending with their families for instances), and when this happens

...Pff thanks to a certain guy. Taps me before the first corner and sends me in the wall. Damage unrepairable.
Hope yourself have a nice race.

It can all be very hard to "dijest" :frown:
​

So if you make an "enemy" of some one you reported (it never happened with me, at least that I know of), so be it as not only we can't please everyone, but also (and more importantly) you might be "saving" others the folowing event...

​

• Another reason to place an incident report, this one nicer, is that it might lead to learning…

For instances, yet regarding our incident in Birmingham; obviously I still think my conduct was correct, on other side, I’m sure (or at least I suspect), you naturally think otherwise. If league administrators had looked into it (a "neutral" party if there is such), either I or you, or both could have learned a bit more from the all situation.
​

Obviously even without the incident report I learned to pay more attention to a class detail, I learned that although by far the majority of this league racers use FWD cars, a few use RWD ones… who have different lines when going into and out of some corners.


​

By now the league administrators must be screaming; “shut-up now you fanatic! If you continue like this I will have my mail-box bursting with incident reports..." Ok I will finish it, I won't continue to give more reasons, will just finish with this...

2) I have absolutely no idea of how to make a youtube video. It's something I plan to learn in the future, but without that skill, I have to just take my incidents and roll with them...

Yes I understand your position and as it is known I “agree” more or less with it. The thing is the league/club administrator already explained the "why’s" the things are what they are. By participation in this league, we agree and must comply with all its rules & “how to’s”,so...:wink:

It is a "problem" with an answer that is both simple and easy… Google for “Fraps” and the likes
Btw, I bet you don’t have to use YouTube either; that is just a way of saying, "up-load the file somewhere and point us to where it is”.:wink:​

 

[Ola Garmer]

I was one of the unlucky cars caught out by all of the sudden emergency braking over the start/finish line after the formation lap in group 1. As a result I had suspension damage and had to nurse a broken car for the entire race. Completely ruined it for me and a few others. I think I ended up in the back of Ola Garmer - for this I'm sorry, but it was unavoidable by that stage.

After that the racing was ok for a while but then I made a mistake.. not content with just driving in the back of Ola at the start, I missed my braking point into T1 on lap 8/9 or something swerved to avoid Bram but still cut across Ola to make contact for a second time in 1 race.

So, my apologies to Ola for making your race more difficult and no doubt frustrating than it should have been.

Was that you on the start/finish-line? No problem! I think I lost a good quarter of my car at the inpact though...:wink: The second time I saw someone badly missing his brakingpoint in my rear view mirror and managed to adjust my direction a little bit... Otherwise I think both of us would have got an DNF... Better luck for both of us next time.

//Ola

 

[Caramidaru Andrei Bogdan]

João Andias:

Nice post m8.and i agree with u...
i was in GR3 adn i lpa 3/4 Stefan Werner bumped me on the sand, was mad during the race,because he dind;t waited me,was going to report him,but after the race he PM me and did his apoligiz...so was very nice off him to do that...and i was angry no more.

In this league i would like to see that the administrators limit the new members a bitt(inclundig me if that is the cas) cause they tend to have more agresive driving,and ruin the fun of others....
I'm still a newbie...cause after allot ,allot of practice i can get close to the times from 1GR, but still i don;t have expirience running in a race with a grup of 3-4cars, in can;t do consistent lap times, the strategy wrong....but slowly i will gane all that...hopefully...

evrybody do it more calmly

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Group 3

Not a fun race today. I've given myself quite a lot of time to calm down, so I'm a little more clairvoyant now. That being said, the driving going on out there is bad, plain and simple. I was spun on 3 separate occasions, and was run into 2 other times but I managed to save spins. There are a few guys in the FWD that are very clean, but it would seem that at least 60% of the field drive with the mindset that if they can't get around someone, spin them. Toward the end of the race I was finally able to go against some highly respectful drivers, but they were in BMWs also, so they took extra precautions not to hit other drivers.

Some of the bullheadedness of the FWD guys needs to stop. It makes the races unenjoyable. I'll back off so to not hit the guy in front, but then some guy in one of the FWDs will just blow through me. It's ridiculous. I've yet to touch anyone in the RDTCC, but I'm getting rear ended on a regular basis. It's very frustrating, because I'm usually one of the faster cars. It makes it almost impossible to advance into the higher groups. To be honest, the only reason I'll show up next week is to show my reliability as a driver so to get into other leagues in the future. But the over aggressive driving really needs to stop. Just because you may be faster than the car in front on a few corners does not give you the right to beat said car off the circuit.

I'm looking forward to getting into ALL RWD events, maybe people drive safer.

If you are punted off every week, how come i have never received one incident report from you Danny? Its easy to post and it requires a little bit more time to report it. However the first one doesnt help, the second one does.

We use the rule, no report = no penalty. So if you don't send us anything, its obviously not as bad as you say it is. (send it )

 

[Martijn van Bommel]

Group 2:

Qually: only just managed to get 2nd place,fronttyres were melting faster than an icecream.lol.

Race: After a long wait behind Markus he finaly put his right foot down and we were off.
I bump him accedentaly a few times comming on to the start/finish straight because i assumed he would open the throttle after the last chicane,sorry for that mate.
Had a great fight with Markus for several laps,some "love bumps" but all was fair,with Linus right behind us laughing his eyeballs out because we were burning our tyres,hahahahaha.
Finaly i could slipstream on the straight to pass Markus at t1.
I was hoping that i could pull a little gap but the tyres were going down fast so now he was chacing me all the way up to the pitstops.
He pitted 1 lap before me,and Linus was the last one of our 3some to make his pitstop.
Dont ask me why but i had this fantastic ideer to just change the front tyres........:doublethumb:.
Even when i was rumbling through the pitlane i was wondering if that would be a good ideer,but i didnt change my pitsettings so no new reartyres...
I would have had enough time to do so but i just took the gamble,.....and got smacked in the face by it.
After Linus had made his pitstop i was some 11 sec in front but the rear just slidded all over the place.
I tried and tried to hold it together and find a pace that would suit the rear end as Linus was closing in fast.
Even with a sliding car i almost pulled it off....almost.
On the very last lap after some great moments, Linus made a pass and i just couldnt answer,within half a lap he pulled a 2 sec gap to grap the victory.
Well done Linus and Markus,had a great evening with you guys.
Great fights,really enjoyed myself(except my own tyre mistake offcourse), and hope to continiou that with you guys in group 1 next sunday.

Cheers

 

[Billy Davies]

Was that you on the start/finish-line? No problem!
//Ola

Yeah it was I'm afraid. Saw your brake lights come on and stamped on mine... the rest was like slow motion. KABOOM!! Car destroyer.

The second one I had a lap of being just rubbish, no excuses. You caught the worst of it, sorry.

 

[Bob Hutchins]

Race report: G2.

When I entered practice and saw the temps, I knew it was going to be a race where tyres were going to get hammered. Into quali and the temps started at 100 degrees and just went up. Managed to do a PB, 1:48.8, but this only got me 15th. I was happy with this and set about thinking of race strategy. I decided to fill up my tank and see how the tyres would hold up but I knew it was going to be a 2 stop but possible a 3 stop strategy for the race. As it turned out I did 3 stops just to be safe.

On to the race, a bit of confusion at the start as Michael V forgot about the rolling start and took off. Before long though he sloted back into place and we all headed round. As we existed the last corner where I thought you should start accelerating the guys upfront were still rolling at pace lap speed. Then I could see just ahead a car spining and other taking avoiding actions. Now as I also had cars behind me I thought it best not to do anything crazy like brake hard, but I did come off the throtle and made my way through some cars that had nearly stopped on track. I did overtake some cars before the start finsih line but to be honest there wasn't much I could do about it as if I had braked and stopped myself it would have resulted in cars hitting me also. I just wish the guy leading the train would do a better job of it and read the rules which govern the rolling start.

Anyway onto the race, as I said i did pass a couple of cars before the start finish line and had a little duel with Fabio into T1 which I managed to get by. On lap 2 and following a group of cars around very closely there was a little bit of pushing going into the final chicane which resulted in Michael V getting out of shape. This caused me to lift to avoid him and resulted in Fabio getting by. On lap three after watching the car behind I missed my braking spot going into T8, the slow left hander, which caused a bit of a coming together between me and Fabio. I carried on as I thought it was a racing incident and got down to seeing how the tyres would hold up for the rest of the race. I now had Mika behind pressing me hard and as he seemed to be quick out of the final chicane he was picking up my slipstream and looking to make a pass at T1. This I managed to hold off for several laps and was eying up a move on Remco who had now falling back a couple place. I was now it 9th fending off the advances of Mika who kept looking for a move into T1, I think he was hoping I might out brake myself, but at the same time was unable to pull upto Remco enough to gain an advantage, both in Honda's. On lap 9 Mika made his move as I went a bit wide at T3 which gave Mika a clear run up the inside into T4. We did touch going into T4 which put me on the grass a little and lost me a few seconds as trying to get back on track with very worn & hot tyres wasn't easy. Now on lap 10 with buring rubber I made a mistake coming out of T2 which put me on the grass and a tap onto the tyre barrier. I now have Hugo hot on my tail and with over shooting the final chicane Hugo goes through. At this point I decide to pit as the front tyres are very worn and very hot and the driving was getting extremely slippery. I also noticed a few other pitting at the same time which was comforting as I thought I was not the only one have tyre issues. The pitstop went alright, stopped on my mark and got took off as soon as the jack man put me down. I also just managed to beat Vincent out and this is where the fun really started not that I didn't have fun before.

I thought I would try and take it a bit easier in this stint to see if I could make the tyres last longer than the first stint although I did start on a full tank. Vincent had other ideas and started to push me hard. As is the case Vincent seemed to be quicker out of the last chicane and draft me up the start finsh straight but I was able to defend going into T1. This carried on for several laps and I thought to myself, if this carries on the tyres won't last the distance, but I kept on defending and now decided if another stop is required then so be it. On lap 15 Vincent went for it at T1 and managed to pull off the overtake but I was not going to give in that easy as I knew I was faster than him in certain parts of the track. For the next couple of laps we battled hard with me now putting on the pressure but as hard as I tried I couldn't make a pass stick. We now also had some late pitstopers join the party, Mika & Remco, & as we approched T8 during the braking I just touched Vincent which unsettled him a bit but did wait until he rejoined the track to resume our battle. This unfortunately let Mika & Remco through but we resumed where we left of although now in 10th & 11th. As the laps counted down I kept up the pressure on Vincent but also knowing by this time I would need that 2nd pitstop for tyres but also knowing that I could push hard in the last stint were others might be taking it easy due to being on very worn rubber. On lap 18 Vincent went in for his 2nd stop and as I still had some rubber left decided to push on for another couple of laps hoping I might be able to jump him in the pits. Overt the next couple of laps I could see Hugo reducing the gap to me but I new I was going to pit on lap 20 by which time he was right on my tail.

After another good pitstop I came out in 18th spot but crucially ahead of Vincent who I did manage to jump through the pitstops liked I'd hoped. Now with around 8 or 9 laps left I put the hammer down and knew if I didn't make any mistakes I could get a postion or 2 before the end of the race. First up was Terry who I could see was struggling with worn tyres and then it was Michael V who again looked like he was nursing very worn rubber. With a few more taking late pitstops this resulted in me bringing it home in 13th position which, given the extrem conditions and the fact I took 2 pitstops, was very happy with.

Thx to Vincent for making this a very fun race and the clean battle we had. Grats to the podium & the winner. See ya next time for the last round at Mid Ohio.

 

[Stefan Werner]

i was in GR3 adn i lpa 3/4 Stefan Werner bumped me on the sand, was mad during the race,because he dind;t waited me,was going to report him,but after the race he PM me and did his apoligiz...so was very nice off him to do that...and i was angry no more.

Not sure if you have me confused with someone else, but when you rejoined I was parked facing the wrong way waiting for traffic to clear. I rejoined in 14th, 5 or 6 positions down on you. I never passed you, so I am not sure when you wanted me to wait.

Any ways, it was very bad driving on my part and I do apologize for the incident. Should you or anyone else I may have gotten tangled with wish to make a report, I can assure you that I won't get mad. I really don't understand worries of getting on some ones bad side. I think we are all old enough to take responsibility for our actions.

 

[Andreas Löffler]

Made a "Action-Vid" from Group 1 :tv: it was really impossible to get all in one vid so it´s a bit of my point of view. Hope you enjoy it, wish you amusing 10 minutes.

 

[Rami Kaukola]

Video is next page

 

[Hugo Hekkenberg]

Great vids guys ray:

 

[Yuri Braham]

Very nice Video's tnx gents.

 

[Danny Asbury]

If you are punted off every week, how come i have never received one incident report from you Danny? Its easy to post and it requires a little bit more time to report it. However the first one doesnt help, the second one does.

We use the rule, no report = no penalty. So if you don't send us anything, its obviously not as bad as you say it is. (send it )

I'll send them in the future, Bram. People have been nice enough to show me how to do the videos! But, trust me bud, I don't embellish. What I wrote is an understatement.