Retro Cool @ Valencia, Thursday, 08 May 2014

[Dennis Phelan]

Server name: RACEDEPARTMENT.COM RETC
Car: Retro Cool (no Mini Cooper)
Track: Valencia
Weather: Dry
Games: Retro Pack

19:00 GMT: Practice
19:30 GMT: Qualification
19:40 GMT: Warmup
19:50 GMT: Race (2 x 12 laps)
Please note the change in times

RD Club Rules: Click Here
Server and TeamSpeak Passwords:
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Entry List:

1. Dennis Phelan
2. David Kingshott
3. Justin Swan
4. Björn Golda
   
5. Arunas Linkevicius
   
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Server is UP!

 

[David Kingshott]

I love these cars should be good for this

 

[Justin Swan]

In the hope that the numbers go up, I'm in

 

[Björn]

I'm in as well - might even go for a Volvo this time

 

[Arunas]

Volvo time! I'm in

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

I can't promise, so i'll sign up late or just join the server and ask if it's ok.

 

[Dennis Phelan]

It's OK.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Yeah, sign me up

 

[Krisztián Tóth]

sign me up pls!

 

[Björn]

Welp, two valuable lessons learned I guess

Let's start at the beginning, though - testet the P1800, which was okay but didn't seem much faster than the more comfortable BMW. Hopped into the Amazon.. well, that's quite one to handle
Got a setup that rendered it a bit more stable and managed to qualify 3rd.

The start was okay, though something seemed off.. Going into the first corner, it dawned on me - my force feedback was gone. Now that would be one interesting ride - had quite some problems during the race as I couldn't react to oversteer as fast as I would have liked to - which resulted in me going off a few times. Had to let Kristián and Kennett pass and struggled to hang on to Kennett afterwards.
However, I kind of adopted to the new "feel", regained some seconds on him and was even able to pass him after a small off on his side. Finished 4th.

Lesson #1: You'll miss FFB once it's gone. Especially in some cars

I tried to re-plug the wheel for race #2 which somewhat made it reinitialise, however Race 07 refused to use it afterwards as I couldn't get into gear at the start - sorry guys :/

Lesson #2: Don't re-connect wheels while ingame

Now back to watching! Arunas should be back at #1 by now, I guess

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

A bit more care on track limits is still required. Nothing like last friday but still... (Dennis, please, don't use time on this, nothing so bad) Otherwise nice evening, dropped out of race2 to check replay..

 

[Krisztián Tóth]

Both race was very nice fun, nice battles, thanks guys! Dennis sorry for the hit!

 

[Justin Swan]

@Björn Golda you can unplug and plug in again but make sure you go into controller settings and reload your controller profile before entering the track

 

[Dennis Phelan]

@Krisztián Tóth , no problem with the hit. I had avoided one in R1, just picked the wrong direction. I was having fun being close to you so I waited. Again, NP.

I had a right tidy car to race, a fun one to drive!

R1: All well until 3/4 done and tires started to turn greasy, temps were good and only 15% tread was gone. I don't know if it's normal for they babies or not.

R2: I got the launch right! Soon after in T1[maybe L2,3] Justin and Krisztián are on my inside and it could be a massive bombing mission so I gave room and ran wide instead. Dropping back is a natural thing when you're slow but at the half way point Kris was again right in front, slowing to give me soe me fun? Best racing of the week so far at that point until tires again turned greasy and Kris pulled away.

Thanks for the run with these cars, not fast but fun, frustrating at times too

 

[Justin Swan]

Did NOT read the sign up correctly and was horrified to see the mini cooper wasn't part of the selection. I hate driving the other 'hover craft' in this class and can never manage to master these animals. I tried the BMW in practice and YEP! hovering all over the track lol. I didn't want to be a sore loser and quit out so I tried the Volvo....wow! a bigger hover craft . After some laps I started getting a feel for this beast and found my laptimes somewhere closer to the front runners than I ever imagined I would! You can imagine my surprise at qualifying in 2nd place....

Throughout the race I began to realise there is a certain discipline to handling these cars, a certain satisfaction at getting that throttle steering right with the correct amount of opposite steer, something @Arunas Linkevicius was doing lap after lap in a league of his own and untouchable in the race. I learned something about these cars last night and something I can hopefully build on with the right setup (used default last night as I had no knowledge of these cars).

So to finish second place while feeling like a total rookie was a shock and is no disrespect to the other drivers at all, something clicked last night and I just managed to drive to car how it is supposed to be driven (for 50% of the time).. I need to commit to that throttle steering a little more instead of reverting to FWD thinking and I think I may be able to get into the league that Arunas was in

 

[Arunas]

Great Thursday! I just love Volvo boat!
Never thought that I can be so competitive in this tarmac rally style driving It was big surprise of P1 in qual and in both races. Even Justin couldn't match my Volvo!
But being an alien on the track isn't very fun I will never do it again
That for great racing! See you next time
Hope to return in time and participate in Mini Friday event..