How was your race?

So at last I have started a post even though half way through the season.....
Post here how your race night went (quail race 1 2 and 3).
The good the bad and the ugly but please keep it relevant....cheers

Firstly, thanks to Craig for helping sign me in quickly and letting me race at short notice for Road Atlanta. It may end up being the only round I get to contest but was happy to be a part of it. I'll be honest and open about my views here, not wanting to upset or offend but also to offer some constructive criticism about how it looked from a newcomer mid-series

With a shared tune and an updated old paint job from the previous season with relevant vinyls applied, I was happy to qualify 5th, could've been ahead of Ganz but never hooked the lap together in the moment.

The new race start procedures are different, with a rolling staggered start. Not sure everyone got the memo on this, despite being discussed heavily in the party beforehand, the top 5 were all closely packed to the line as intended, but behind me was a large gap and complaints of people overtaking before the line were heard in the party.

Calls for a safety car soon followed with an accident although the party seemed to die just before this call, causing some cars to race through the pack whilst others were slowing making for some confusing moments. Nothing could be done about that except maybe others to read the situation better, if cars are going half pace and you're passing them, maybe question why as it's unlikely you've suddenly found several seconds pace over your rivals.

Seems the restart procedures have some clarification, not everyone waited until the line to 'go' and were already gaining ground on those ahead who were waiting to get going. I'd suggest the leader takes control of the pace and is able to decide when to go after a set point on track (for example after the chicane at Road Atlanta) just as every race series does on real life. Once the safety car is to pit it is up to the leader to dictate the pace and when he goes.

As a result it seems an accordion of cars came together into turn one, I didn't clearly see the incident between Craig & Braders, except they looked to be side by side going into the corner. Instant calls of race punishment in the party and arguing didn't help, both individuals ought to have been quiet and agreed to review AFTER the race (with independent stewarding given the people involved to prevent any bias). If there's a replay saved then it needs to be watched from all angles, Craig, Braders and whoever is firstly behind them.

Anyways, after this I was able to get by Ganz and give chase to Spartan and Braders. Still getting used to the car after a long time not using tourers, initially slowly dropping time and holding off the ever rapid Ganz in his BMW, once I found my limits and more of the cars I was able to start slowly taking time out of the top two but never enough to catch them. With Braders now leading until an error sent him wide with only a handful of laps to go it suddenly became a son/father 1-2 and managed to hold that until the line. Happy with that for sure

Reverse grid for race 2 was always going to ensure some close on track action. The usual argy-bargy ensued and cars lost ground, from the back of the pack I was able to keep Spartan behind and also got past Braders, whilst getting a run on Ganz down the hill into the final chicane, I braked fractionally too late and ended up collecting a couple of cars ahead so my apologies to those, one was definitely Stug but I did push him back in the right direction and stopped to let everyone go by. So dead last now at this point, Mr T was scarpering at the front with Craig and Braders mid pack. Sadly Spartan lagged whilst right ahead of me sending him into the tyres on the outside of turn one, but it at least cleared my way to make some ground

A massive mid pack battle ahead with all sorts of cars and names, too many to remember. Able to pick my way through and get some lucky places too due to others misfortune I found myself behind sabean heading into the final chicane. Able to carry more speed onto the straight and lining him up under braking several changes of direction by him didn't help and ended up with minor contact, wasn't too impressed with that kind of weaving which could've caused an accident in such close competition but nothing came of it except sabean ran deep into the chicane and I took the place. Then creamed and Birchy ahead, with his wild and loose Volvo fighting to keep it on track, a run out of turn one and Birchy being generous enough to back up meant I was 4th, somehow we dropped Creamed (a mistake perhaps?) and the charge for Mr T ensued. Sadly just not enough laps, one or two more and perhaps could've got him but happy with that and feeling faster in the car - once again taking time out of the top 2 with Braders taking the win from Craig.

Round 3 was a mid pack start, 8th from memory, and the usual elbows out on lap one with a big hit at the first chicane opened the road up and I found myself cruising through it all in 2nd place with only Nitem4re ahead. With not a scratch on the car, I felt like Lightning McQueen when there's the big wreck and he jumps over it all with his tongue flailing.

So the restart gets under way, Nitem4re ahead was tentative into the chicane so I went round the outside and took the lead. I could see a chain of 3 Volvos behind with Ganz in the mix, lots of sideways RWD action with smoke in the mirror but I kept it clean and pulled away. Faster than my qualifying lap each time meant a big lead followed and by around Lap 8 I backed off and settled down, sounded a fun battle behind but I was comfortable to take the lonely win.

Not sure what happened but an incident with Craig and Braders once again resulted in penalties being called for mid race is never good. Regardless I carried on my way and victory folllwed... this time, I was able to save the replay as I'd cleared space after the two previous races. So, rather than get involved in the politics I went to watch what happened - sadly replays do not show cars which have lagged/quit out so a bizarre looking crash for Stug on lap one had me scratching my head before realising there would have been another car involved. This is what caused the multi car pile up and lifted me up to 2nd (first on the replay as Nitem4re was not showing). So I followed the video through, mostly watching Spartan to see how his drive went from the back of the pack, looked to be some good racing, the usual kind of manoeuvres from some but a close race due to the mixed grid causing cars to bunch up.

I then got to the incident between Ganz, Craig and Braders. This is how I viewed this, Ganz was slower out of the final turn, this gave Craig and Braders a chance to go 3 abreast into the first corner, nobody looked willing to give up their place and all tried to tough it out into the corner. Perhaps Ganz didn't know Braders was alongside too, Craig looks to back out but only temporarily as the later braking Braders goes by, level with the BMW and the Honda half a car length or more back at this point. In that position I'd have expected Craig to back out, Braders was clearly ahead and fairly so, whilst Ganz took his normal line as he had a right to do so being effectively the lead car in the pack and with Craig not challenging into the corner.

It then appears all cars converge again, with Braders by the wall and nowhere to go that way, Ganz coming into the apex from the wide line and Craig in the middle but slightly further back. Ganz was very lucky not to have been spun by the resulting contact whilst Craig ended up being pushed wide as the two cars ahead squished together. Replay is shared by myself with the description SSRC Race 3

I sent a quick hand held video to Braders, to say "here's the view I've just seen, personally it doesn't look like you did anything wrong". To wake and see that today he has been DSQ from race 3, if anything that was a racing incident with blame lying at all 3 participants feet, each could've done something to avoid it but as racers, nobody wanted to yield.

I would hope that the replay has been viewed by others and the decision was a joint one, as if not then the bias lends itself to show that the decision isn't fair and impartial.

Anyways, I was happy to take away 5th on the grid, with 2nd, 4th and a win with fastest lap too giving the biggest points haul of anyone regardless of penalties imposed. Thanks for letting me race, much appreciated- I will try to make future rounds if available but that may not be often on a Sunday. The series certainly has potential but it does seem there's a lot of disquiet at the minute, with rule changes and build changes mid season.

Good luck with it and hopefully all is resolved for the next race and Season 3 takes a step up with lessons learnt

Thanks for the write up nothelle good to read your perspective on a number of different issues in last night's events.
From my perspective and after viewing race footage of the 3 car incident between ganz Craig and braders I have to say and this is a completely unbiased point of view from a race steward that it's nothing more than a racing incident braders clearly had left braking to the last minute to gain ground on ganz and Craig but nothing untoward and if anything one of the 3 should have maybe backed to avoid an incident.
From my point of view on the racing it's self quali was disappointing only managing 10th.
Race one was not too bad and finished 7th leaving me to start 7th in race two.after having a shunt costing me several places I finished 11th which meant starting 2nd for the final race.
So the start of race 3 climbing up the hill behind nightmare I came out of his slipstream and went on the inside only to be pushed into the tyres causing a massive spin bouncing off the tyres into oncoming traffic.
Safety car was called and I went into the pits on the following lap only to be left by the entire group before I could catch back up to everyone leaving me 1500ft behind which meant hop lapping the rest of the race wasn't happy in all honesty and very disappointing but hey holets hope these issues are resolved for future events and let's all move forward because at the end of the day we all love racing!