Endurance Div.2: Race 8 - Oschersleben race report
After missing race 7 with PC problems, my vague hopes of a Div 2 NGT crown were all but mathematically gone. Only pride and team points to play for.
I've never performed very well here so I set my strategy to drive very conservatively and just take what the race offered me. It's all too easy to spin on this tight, twisty track.
Qualifying went well, a very good first session where I managed to avoid all the traffic saw me in NGT pole after 10 mins of the session. Subsequent attempts became more and more frustrating either with mistakes or traffic hampering my attempts at a better time. In the end it counted against me with NGT championship leader Dave Gymer nicking pole with about 5 mins to go and no chance of a reply.
Still, 2nd in class isn't bad and Mark Jonzo was a fraction behind in 3rd. A good team performance.
A horrific accident on the start/finish straight after the parade lap saw the field in disarray, luckily I was unaffected behind Dave Gymer as I set off to challenge for the lead.
Deciding not to push too hard on the first few laps I followed Dave, slowing pulling away from 3rd. On the 2nd lap, as a couple of the GT's who had suffered at the start started making their way past us, Dave became distracted and went wide on the last turn, I kept on the line and took over the lead, Mark unfortunately followed him off. So, I was in the lead with Willier about 2s behind.
Determined not to over-drive, I was sticking with my conservative brake points as Willier very slowly started to catch me over the next couple of laps. Just as I was considering re-thinking how hard to push, Willier span leaving me an incredible 16s in the lead. I was guessing this was Shark in the G3 BMW, no threat to me for points and a pretty difficult prospect to pass for the other NGT's!
Dave left the game after a pit-stop cock-up which left the vaguest sliver of hope for the title provided I didn't mess up the rest of the race.
Staying conservative, I gradually eeked out a little each lap to leave me a very comfortable winner in the NGT class, although I was struggling a little with worn tyres at the end.
Mark Jonzo ended up stubbornly staying on for 2nd, bringing a great haul of 18 points in the team standings (if the results hold up - Mark may well get penalised)
So, still mathematically possibly for me to win the title but it means I need to win the last two races and for Dave not to score at all. Realistically, all he needs do is turn up. Curse my faulty PSU!
After missing race 7 with PC problems, my vague hopes of a Div 2 NGT crown were all but mathematically gone. Only pride and team points to play for.
I've never performed very well here so I set my strategy to drive very conservatively and just take what the race offered me. It's all too easy to spin on this tight, twisty track.
Qualifying went well, a very good first session where I managed to avoid all the traffic saw me in NGT pole after 10 mins of the session. Subsequent attempts became more and more frustrating either with mistakes or traffic hampering my attempts at a better time. In the end it counted against me with NGT championship leader Dave Gymer nicking pole with about 5 mins to go and no chance of a reply.
Still, 2nd in class isn't bad and Mark Jonzo was a fraction behind in 3rd. A good team performance.
A horrific accident on the start/finish straight after the parade lap saw the field in disarray, luckily I was unaffected behind Dave Gymer as I set off to challenge for the lead.
Deciding not to push too hard on the first few laps I followed Dave, slowing pulling away from 3rd. On the 2nd lap, as a couple of the GT's who had suffered at the start started making their way past us, Dave became distracted and went wide on the last turn, I kept on the line and took over the lead, Mark unfortunately followed him off. So, I was in the lead with Willier about 2s behind.
Determined not to over-drive, I was sticking with my conservative brake points as Willier very slowly started to catch me over the next couple of laps. Just as I was considering re-thinking how hard to push, Willier span leaving me an incredible 16s in the lead. I was guessing this was Shark in the G3 BMW, no threat to me for points and a pretty difficult prospect to pass for the other NGT's!
Dave left the game after a pit-stop cock-up which left the vaguest sliver of hope for the title provided I didn't mess up the rest of the race.
Staying conservative, I gradually eeked out a little each lap to leave me a very comfortable winner in the NGT class, although I was struggling a little with worn tyres at the end.
Mark Jonzo ended up stubbornly staying on for 2nd, bringing a great haul of 18 points in the team standings (if the results hold up - Mark may well get penalised)
So, still mathematically possibly for me to win the title but it means I need to win the last two races and for Dave not to score at all. Realistically, all he needs do is turn up. Curse my faulty PSU!
posted by popabawa at
3:37 pm
