Round 3: Road America - Full Course (Apr 6)

[jeromef1]

Race Time of day: 2021-04-03 09:40 1x
Race Length: 45 minutes
Max Incidents: Drive through at 10x, DSQ at 15x
Max Fuel: 90% for LMP2, 55% for GTE
Start: Rolling
Fast Repair: 0

 

[rrusso]

My main concern here is if the P2 will be allowed to overtake at Kink

Because when they do that GTE had no way to do the corner and could cause a lot of accidents

 

[jeromef1]

My main concern here is if the P2 will be allowed to overtake at Kink

Because when they do that GTE had no way to do the corner and could cause a lot of accidents

That's something we can cover through the meeting

 

[teddywoods72]

HosTed session is scheduled to launch, Monday @ 7PM ET.
Length: 5 Hours.
Starting State: 50% Usage
Static Conditions.

La sesión está programada para iniciarse el lunes a las 7 p.m. ET.
Duración: 5 horas.
Estado inicial de la pista: 50% de uso
Condiciones estáticas.

 

[westracing01]

I'm with Rafael on this. Not so much that we need to ban LMP2's from passing at the kink, but I know my car is on the absolute edge through there. There is no margin.

I thought about this the last time we were here... Is there a procedure if an entire class, or the majority of a class, are wiped out in a L1 wreck? I've seen the leader bin it there on the first lap are wipe out 8-10 cars cutting the class down to 3 cars still raceable.

I think we got very lucky at Sebring with that LMP2 wreck into T1 because the car hit the inside wall and bounced clear across the race track out the way. With how much smoke got thrown up I couldn't see a damn thing going into the corner which is why I called "Big wreck in T1" over the radio so the GTE field wouldn't just blindly plow into it. If that LMP2 was sitting in the middle of the racing line, I would never have seen it until it was already too late.

 

[Jen-BTL Motorsports]

Michael, thanks too for that call out last week. It was very helpful As it was before crew chief called it out for me.
maybe we should have A bigger class gap? my other league has a 15 sec rule. We had a major LMP2 wreck in turn 1 at the Glen but with that much of a gap, it was clear by the time GTE came through. just a thought.
FWIW, I don’t think we should ban passing in particular corners but as a general rule, the LMP2 drivers need to know where the GTE is on edge. If you can get the pass completed before the turn in, it works. Otherwise, it’s usually faster and safer to make the pass on corner exit. Especially the kink. ideally you would have the pass 100% done before the curbing on the left. I think the passing etiquette is laid out well in the league rules-one of the reasons I wanted to run with you all.

 

[westracing01]

I agree with that assessment Jen. I don't want to say, "No passing here" as that's silly. I believe most of the LMP2 drivers fully understand that the Kink is a no go zone by default. You either make the pass completely before GTE turn in, or you have to wait. For the first two races it's been pretty good so far with the LMP2's and I certainly do not want to imply that it's all on them to make it safe, as that is not the case. We have just as much responsibility as they do. There are a handful or corners throughout the season that leap to mind as potentially troublesome places and this is really the first one as it is absolutely one lane only.

To me, it seems like my car is a little more nervous through there than it has been in the past and that just means that the margin for error is even less... Not that there has ever been much margin for error in a 150+mph corner.

We'll see how it plays out in practice tonight.

 

[jeromef1]

@LMP2/GTE Sportscar Series 2021/S2 practice tonight for tomorrow's race!!

 

[Jen-BTL Motorsports]

Well that was a fun race even though I completely miffed it going into 5. Congrats to the winners, podiums and to James who chased me the first half of the race.. was looking forward to continuing the battle post pit stop but oh well. hopefully next race

 

[TCRacing4x]

jeromef1 Congrats race winners Ross and Quero

 

[dsquirek]

Well I threw literally everything I had at it, congrats to Ross on the win you earned that one!

I'm a little confused as to why an lmp2 had to stick its nose in the last few corners with nothing to gain while the GTE leaders we battling it out, but that's multi-class I guess.

Got a very good shot of the GTE finish at the line:

 

[westracing01]

If the fans watching that one weren't entertained I don't know what to say. That was absolutely a barn burner from drop of the flag.

Congrats to the podium and I want to thank Don. I think he backed out it a little after the contact. Why that LMP2 was trying to make a move when the closest car behind him was back in Milwaukee I don't know, but I was trying to defend the inside against Don, make it clear to the LMP2 that he had to wait, try to keep some kind of fuel in the car... AND still get a good exit running a super tight line.

That was as hard fought as you're going to see anywhere. That one was my best drive... EVER. To best Don and Team Radicals is no small feat. Wish I had a trophy to hang on my wall for this one.

Two things, probably be more later, but as of the moment...

1) I ran out of fuel coming up the hill.

2) I post my setups for ESS in the Ford GTE thread on the iRacing forum. What I'm running is no secret. The Ford isn't in IMSA so I don't post those, but the methodology is the same. This track was 3.5 wing, just shy of 30mm of rake... And some Diff magic. Getting the adjustable rear diff in this car finally made all the difference in being able to run the aero package I felt was needed and keep the rear end under me.

Make no mistake, I gambled a little on the setup hoping it would warm up and the track would take rubber so it'd slick off a little. I think green flag was 78* and that was right where I wanted it with what I planned to run.

 

[rrusso]

Well...what can I say... Michael was a beast today! The way u defend on that last lap...even with a contact at Corvette and Canada Corner...that was amazing...super happy with ur result...didn't have the pace to follow u guys and after the pits a lock at Canada Corner "ended" with my chances...but is important to have good results in tracks where u aren't so good. Let's see what will happen at Long Beach. Last but not least...a tough start with Cope...we both played hard there and we both messed up with the incidents...because of that first lap

 

[jeromef1]

Very frustrating race for me

First, thanks to my teammate TCRacing4x for the killing setup!

For this race, I decided to turn on my camera for the GSRC broadcast and when the race started, I had soooo many lag spike, especially on the last corner.

At the race start, I had a lag spike which made my ran wide and spun my car. I ended up last and was catching the pack like a train!

When I was catching up Desjardins, leader of LMP2 caught me last sector and put pressure on me (little bit of impatience there ), and I decide to take a wide line on last corner to let them go, and... Another lag spike... Ran wide and spun again at the same place... I decided to park my car, I think I could have been a real danger in this race

Very frustrating because I love road america. Can we change Long Beach for Road America!?

 

[westracing01]

I know Don races hard, but I have to say he gave me room and I gave him room... Not one extra inch, well, except when that LMP2 passed us at T5, but still...

Yes Jerome... We can race here anytime you want

Longbeach ought to be interesting... I love multi-class. Traffic giveth, and traffic taketh away. With that said, there needs to be a little more heads up driving from the LMP2 crowd. Overall it has been good, there's a just a little lacking in knowing when to go and when not to especially with regard to the gaps between the cars. What I mean is, if the battle in front of you is hot, be it for 1st or 10th, and you don't have anyone within seconds either in front or behind, roll out of it, especially at a place like this.

I do not want to sound like the normal iRacing forum garbage where the GTE's are God's gift and the LMP2's need to bow down to their will, as that is not the case at all. All I'm saying is there were a couple of instances where discretion would've been a better move. There was a lot of that in the race as it was and overall, the LMP2's have been quite good, which is what we all have come to expect from PRL.