Caterham | Saturday Feb 11 | Cote D'Azur

[Forgetful]

DriverSports.org Rulebook:

Race Day: Saturday February 4 11 18 25, 2012

Car: Caterham Seven Fireblade '02

This event is being run with specific regulations for the car. See the Rulebook and Technical Regulations tab for full details.

Technical Regulations:

Tires: Sports Soft

Track: Cote D'Azur 3.35 km / 2.08 mi

Race Distance: 23 laps | 77.05km | 47.84 mi

Qualifying Deadline - 9:00 PM EST

• Pre-Qualifying Session Maximum Lap Count: 5
  
• Submit a Time

Drivers Meeting - Open 9:20 PM EST | Closed 9:30 PM EST

Proper Room Settings:

Schedule:

• February
  
  • Saturday 4. Circuito de Madrid - Mini 2.13 km / 1.32 mi | 45 laps | 95.85km | 59.40 mi
    
  • Saturday 11. Cote D'Azur 3.35 km / 2.08 mi | 23 laps | 77.05km | 47.84 mi
    
  • Saturday 18. TBA
    
  • Saturday 25. TBA

[clacksman]

Sports exhaust manifold is red again

[HWKII]

I will be there for this one, and should even be able to complete the race!
John should also be getting his first taste of Driversports.org racing as well.

[clacksman]

I will be there for this one, and should even be able to complete the race!
John should also be getting his first taste of Driversports.org racing as well.

Cool.

[clacksman]

Couple brief tests; 1'43.0, tune in GTData

[Forgetful]

Couple brief tests; 1'43.0, tune in GTData

Oh good, I'm not hopelessly off pace 43.5

[Forgetful]

in with a 43.008

[clacksman]

in

Second

[Forgetful]

So... shall we?

[clacksman]

eh, TTTC practice?

[Forgetful]

Throw up a lounge, I'll be there shortly

[clacksman]

aight

[HWKII]

*mumbles something about a 58 hour work week and goes to hang himself in the shower*

[jochenrindt]

Got to be honest, didn't want to run this one because I was Dreadfully off the pace...Best I could muster was a 1:50.xxx at best, and the posted tune in GTData was undriveable for me....Back end way too loose, couldn't keep together one lap...This is getting frustrating for me...I looked at previous replays from last winter, and I was always 1-2 secs. off most quickest pace for online events, but never 5-7 seconds or more....I've recently upgraded my 3 yr. old DFGT to a better, more accurate Fanatec RS3 wheel and have been driving manual exclusively now for 3-4 weeks, but I've got to admit, it seems I'm getting worse, not better...I've noticed in online races that everyone seems to drive these cars way too loose and constantly on the edge of out-of-control...I really wish that the online physics matched the practice room physics identically....It's very frustrating to get accustomed to a car's handling characteristics only to have it change noticeably when you go online...I'm really at a point where I'm seriously considering a more realistic physics-handling model environment like iracing...I just can't seem to get a handle on anyone's tune and drive it anywhere near a competitive time, and being a serious backmarker is just plain not fun...In the real world, I drive a 125cc TAG kart (Parilla Leopard, and Rotax), and I'm less than .8 secs off the fastest guys at the track...I'm also looking into a demo drive this summer in a Formula Vee which is a small, open wheel car with a 1600 flat 4 Volkswagen engine with 4 speed gear box....This game is really starting to kill my mojo, baby....

Anyway, that's my rant....Any thoughts or suggestions for getting me out of my slump would be appreciated...

Thanks for continuing to provide us with interesting combinations and events...

Franz in NJ

[clacksman]

Any thoughts or suggestions for getting me out of my slump would be appreciated

Quit practicing offline and make (or join) a lounge to practice in for a start. A few of us are usually on 7-9 eastern practicing something.
One update last year they made tire wear and fuel consumption available offline, but there's still the difference of not being able to roll a car online. After 15 months they're not likely about to make the physics truly match now.

Also, .8 off over what track length? If it's .8 on a half-mile lap, then that's the same as 4 seconds over 2.5 miles even though being "4 seconds off" looks a lot worse.

[timneyb]

Any thoughts or suggestions for getting me out of my slump would be appreciated

Quit practicing offline and make (or join) a lounge to practice in for a start. A few of us are usually on 7-9 eastern practicing something.
One update last year they made tire wear and fuel consumption available offline, but there's still the difference of not being able to roll a car online. After 15 months they're not likely about to make the physics truly match now.

Also, .8 off over what track length? If it's .8 on a half-mile lap, then that's the same as 4 seconds over 2.5 miles even though being "4 seconds off" looks a lot worse.

Second this. It takes longer to set up, but I always use my lounge to set up. The one thing I wish is that there was a ghost option in free run, but practicing on the physics used online is better than practice.

[jochenrindt]

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions...It just gets frustrating after putting alot of time in, only to have your doors completely blown off constantly...I use the practice area to break in cars, and I guess I should just let my team of B spec drivers do it for me, then just run online in the lounge...Second that Timney...wish the ghost was available in the online lounge, I'm always faster when chasing a ghost right out in front of me...I guess it's psychological I guess...Anyway, my home kart track is a half mile, 10 turn sprint roadcourse set in the parking lot of the famed Englishtown Raceway Park Drag Strip....I'm more like .5 to .6 off the fastest guys at the track, and a few times this past season I quallied for outside pole, driving against kids 16 and 17 years old, right at the 385lb weight limit....Not too bad for a 48 year old Karter....If anyone is ever interested, my kart videos are at my Youtube channel....username FastFritz63... Got about 65-70 helmet cam videos from various TAG and CR80 shifter races...Check it out!

Anyway, thanks again, and see you all soon in a lounge near you!

Franz in NJ

[clacksman]

I use the practice area to break in cars, and I guess I should just let my team of B spec drivers do it for me, then just run online in the lounge

Yup, B-spec is fantastic for getting cars ready. The miles do accrue in online races so doing Q race after Q race will also break it in, but 200 miles is a lot to do manually. Or one of use would send you a broken-in car, too.

Don't forget the oil changes and chassis refreshes.

[jochenrindt]

Thanks, I try to stay on top of the cars and break them in as the events come up, I guess I just spend too much time in Practice mode, when I should be online in lounges...I'll try that and see if I can adapt within a few days...

Thanks again!

[Wallhugger60]

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions...It just gets frustrating after putting alot of time in, only to have your doors completely blown off constantly...


Franz in NJ

I know exactly how you feel. If I'm not last I'm right there so frustrating is a good description. I haven't raced much with you, so I don't know your level, but I don't think it's as bad as you think. Like Clacks said we have practice lounges up during the week almost every night where we compare tunes if tuning is allowed, tweek them, and see what shakes out. Also, we do "Track Walks" if anyone needs them to see where the best racing line is including brake points and so on. They've been a huge help to me. Just ask to do one, it doesn't take long and any of the "fast guys" will be more than willing to help I'm sure. And I know for me that if I run alone too much I seem to develop bad habits which can be tough to break.

Another thing I try to do (don't always remember though) which you may already be doing is alot of times we'll run short practice races and I'll save them just to see what everyone else is doing as far as braking and throttle levels at certain points where I know I'm losing time to the other guys.

I know how discouraging it is always be at the back man. I've been involved now with most everyone here for a little over a year and while I know I'm much better than I was then, being up in the front would definitely help my self esteem lol. I just keep trying to run as mistake free as possible. At least then the front runners don't seem to get out of sight in the first lap.

I asked Clacks once if I should to drive the car or the tune and he said "Yup" lol. I couldn't drive anyone elses tune to save my butt. I think that;s because I didn't try to change my driving, I just expected the tune to make the car better. I still can't drive Racks tune nearly like he can, but at least I can keep it on the road now lol.

Anyway, I believe you're on my friends list and if I see ya or you see me feel free to drop in.

Wall

[no_affiliations]

I sat out the last couple due to being way too far off pace, myself - I can't do much more than reiterate what's been said so far, and add that if I'm online I'm almost always practicing for the next upcoming event - as Wallhugger mentioned, I'm pretty certain I slip into bad habits running solo, so I'd be more than happy to have some company on the track

I may try to post a time in the thread when I'm not sure if I want to submit a Q time, I think we may be on a similar pace and I don't mind running at the back too much if there's someone I can at least be close enough to that there's some excitement aside from trying not to wreck the leaders

[jochenrindt]

Hey Wall and No Afiliations, Thanks for the words of sympathy and encouragement....I'm ok with racing with someone in the back of the field, it just always seems that lately I'm out of sight of the lead pack, and somewhere in between them and the backfield as well....In a "no man's land" on my own so to speak, and it gets dull after awhile...I will try and hook up when I can in lounges, and I'll keep away from the practice mode for sure...Feel free to send friend requests and I'll add you two as soon as I get them...



Thanks again for the input and ideas!

[HWKII]

The thing to bear in mind too guys is that if everyone who is "off the pace" shows up, then two races develop, the guys who are extremely fast and talented and those of us who aren't quite there. Speaking from personal experience, finishing in last place having battled with 2 or 3 other cars through the whole race is way more exciting than sprinting off the to head of the pack and then time trialing for an hour. The more people who show up, the better the racing will be.

Even if you're using your own Lounge, the physics are better and will link up exactly with the race physics, so you're getting better practice in a lounge, even if by yourself. That said, I can spend 10-30 minutes on a track with Clacksman or Rackattack or Forgetful, just talking about the car and the track and get 0.5 to 1.0 second quicker a lap; don't underestimate the value of having someone to bounce ideas off of.

These are undoubtedly the hardest cars we've driven here; that's my fault, I was pushing for a Caterham series on Saturdays when I could actually race (work...) and I have now made half of one, and none of the other event... Damnable "real life"... I was angry last night because work got in the way of racing, on a day I was supposed to be off. Such is the life of a manager... Otherwise I'd have certainly been there, keep the midfield warm.

[jochenrindt]

Don't get me wrong....I love the Fireblade, ever since I found about them watching a UK TopGear episode a few years back....It seems like the closest thing to a Formula Vee or Formula 1600 car in GT5 (it's got the open wheels in the front that look kind of like a Formula Vee, and the light weight), but I was just dreadfully off pace....I'm gonna dedicate some real time to solely running practice in Online Lounges only, and I'm sure I'll adapt to that quickly I hope....

Thanks again, and maybe you'll see me around Monza tonite, trying to be the "best of the rest"!!!

[timneyb]

The thing to bear in mind too guys is that if everyone who is "off the pace" shows up, then two races develop, the guys who are extremely fast and talented and those of us who aren't quite there. Speaking from personal experience, finishing in last place having battled with 2 or 3 other cars through the whole race is way more exciting than sprinting off the to head of the pack and then time trialing for an hour. The more people who show up, the better the racing will be.

This... is what it's all about.

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