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Post by Glenn Sidman on Jan 4, 2015 6:18:32 GMT
Looking at the upcoming tracks whoever set the next three races should be shot! LOL, I just ran a few laps at Oulton Park International and would concur on that one!! Watch out for those tire "barrels", they are filled with plutonium. I've raced Oulton one time and that was in an L79 nearly two years ago. Swore I'd never go back... but I guess it's time to put on the big boy pants and learn how to drive.
Never tried Suzuka in a V8. That will be interesting and I think it will actually be good, but I am almost always wrong about everything. Something my Wife's been trying to get across to me for a long time now.
I like Brands Hatch. Not sure why. It's truly awful in the V8, just a constant battle to keep it straight, but I've done well there so I have to like it.
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jimd
New Member
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Post by jimd on Jan 8, 2015 23:20:52 GMT
I don't know if it has always been this way, but this should not be called the V8 Supercars Americas. It might be at a good timeslot for America, but the Aussies must have figured out it's a great place to farm some iRating. Some time back in 2011, a group of us (about 10 people or so) started getting together every week to race the Falcon in a North America time friendly weekly session. This was because while the Australians could find plenty of weekly races, they were slim to none for us over here, probably because of lack of exposure by the media. Over time the core group of us grew to about 20 - 25 people a week, a large majority were still from the Americas (North Central and South). As the main split broadcast on Mondays became more popular and the iRatings required to participate in the top split skyrocketed, those who were regular second split runners started gravitating towards our weekly races to use as practice for the Monday main event. This really increased when iRacing went to allowing 4 races per week before average points took over your results. Some time in 2013 I believe, Jay Kennedy stopped the weekly Monday broadcasts, and a season later Kane and JD started broadcasting the Friday night races. Many of the people who used to run the V8 just to be in a broadcasted race started running in our Friday races, driving our SoF up and bringing with it the "elbows out" mentality that has pervaded our once friendly series. So now, it's still called the Americas race because Scott Brakenridge, Mike Budzien, and I call it that. Scott and Mike did a lot of the work to get the series organized back in 2011 and 2012, and I've been maintaining the points since mid-2012 (I think?) Yes, it's mostly Australians now, but it's our little pet project. I have no misconceptions that the three of us are necessary for the series to continue, in fact when I'm late or lazy in doing the weekly points, someone in the TeamSpeak chat on Friday night mentions how they've already calculated them, but for now it is what it is. Do I miss what we had? Yes; it was a small community of people you knew and could (for the most part) trust to race you cleanly, and you knew who to stay away from. When something happened we normally corrected the situation on track immediately. We were all very friendly, joked a lot, and had a great time. Now because of the growth (we've had 147 individuals participate in just the first 3 weeks of the current season) it's become more anonymous and people aren't so quick to show others the respect they should. As a final note, I don't think the Aussies are "farming" anything. The Friday night race has become the default SoF race for the entire V8 series now, mainly because of the broadcast.
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Post by jasonb on Jan 9, 2015 0:33:10 GMT
The more I think about it, the more I think that the drop in quality racing in the lower splits is probably related to growing pains in the series. The series appears to have had an influx of new racers (myself included). It's a tough car to get to know and drive. I suspect as time goes on, drivers will get used to the cars, or get frustrated and leave for easier racing. I hope anyway. It's not bad, IMO it's mostly those frustrating 1st lap troubles when everyone is still nervous and adrenalin is running high.
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Post by Greg on Jan 9, 2015 2:30:23 GMT
Thanks for the update Jim. Its been a while (too long) since I last raced the V8 Americas race. I used to be part of the small community back a few years ago and I stopped racing before JD and Kane started broadcasting. The reasons I stopped have nothing to do with the what you said, but mostly because I have the great group here and I have abandoned all official series because of it. This group we have here reminds me of what the V8 Americas used to be.
I didn't realize that broadcast has stopped for the Monday race, interesting. I am assuming that the top guys (Madison, and others) still race that time slot?
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Post by tony kloosterman on Jan 9, 2015 3:03:15 GMT
Can you spell C*L*U*S*T*E*R======
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Post by jasonb on Jan 9, 2015 3:12:15 GMT
Yeah Tony, you had a rough race. When you spun behind me in the last corner, (lap 17) was that because of me? If so I apologize. I was trying to get over to the left to let you by, but I looked in my mirror and you were off-track.
Anyway, I had a decent race. Spent a lot of time watching Tim's bumper. There were a few spots I could gain pretty good on him, but with no good place to pass. In the good passing places (for this track) he was faster than me. There were a couple times I probably could have passed him (and 1 that I really mis-judged), but they were iffy and I didn't want to ruin both our races. Otherwise it was a pretty good race. I think I over-drove my tires badly, by the end of the race I was having a terrible time staying on the track, and had a few offs.
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Post by tony kloosterman on Jan 9, 2015 3:15:10 GMT
No worries, i have to take responsibility for anything that happens to me on track. I have to do a better job of sizing up the situation. Not your fault at all.
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Post by jasonb on Jan 9, 2015 3:32:02 GMT
Maybe, but there wasn't much you could do when you got tagged in the hairpin. I was a couple spots behind at that point, but got a good view.
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Tim B
New Member
car goes vrooommmm
Posts: 23
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Post by Tim B on Jan 9, 2015 3:42:27 GMT
this was a close one, you guys scared the crap out of me this race LOL
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Tim B
New Member
car goes vrooommmm
Posts: 23
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Post by Tim B on Jan 9, 2015 3:49:33 GMT
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Post by jasonb on Jan 9, 2015 3:54:31 GMT
Yeah, I completely mis judged that. Got my tires on the grass and couldn't slow down. Spent the entire time trying to slow down or turn, or something to keep from getting you. If my mic had been keyed, you would have heard some little kid squeeking....... This was a spot I thought hard about attempting a pass, but didn't have a good enough run. You braked a bit earlier than I expected. I locked up a bit and ended up diving outside and going off track.
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Post by Tony Mino on Jan 9, 2015 5:10:20 GMT
Sounds like having a migraine tonight was a rather fortuitous occurrence. One second though...nope...it wasn't. I caught the last half of you guys race as a spectator and I saw Jason almost plow into Tim. It looked like you rebounded nice though, Jason. I saw you pull back up and challenge Tim again before the end of the race.
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Tim B
New Member
car goes vrooommmm
Posts: 23
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Post by Tim B on Jan 9, 2015 14:18:59 GMT
Yeah, I completely mis judged that. Got my tires on the grass and couldn't slow down. Spent the entire time trying to slow down or turn, or something to keep from getting you. If my mic had been keyed, you would have heard some little kid squeeking....... This was a spot I thought hard about attempting a pass, but didn't have a good enough run. You braked a bit earlier than I expected. I locked up a bit and ended up diving outside and going off track. I was waiting for you to shoot in a couple of times, i do brake early tho and that's a common thing with me, feel free next time i tend to give way to people
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Post by jasonb on Jan 9, 2015 19:47:22 GMT
lol I tend to be a bit timid about passing. The best opportunities I had would have been borderline dive bombing anyway.
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Post by Greg on Jan 10, 2015 3:18:32 GMT
I almost raced tonight, ended up watching the second split for a little bit. Good thing I didn't decide to race because my iRatting would have just got me into the top split, and this is not the track I wanted to get back into the V8 Americas on . Maybe Suzuka, turned a few laps there tonight and it should make for a decent race.
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