Blog A Day - Day 11: An Absolutely Astonishing Start To Week 13!
- Kabort Motorsport
- Dec 11, 2024
- 7 min read
Tuesday 10th December, 2024 - 10:30pm
It may have been just a few hours to midnight - but Truswell was eager to squeeze in as many races as he could before the track changed for the following day.
The plan was to get points on the table for the "Week 13: Funny Weather" Series (GT3 VS GT4 VS BMW M2 Class) - even if points weren't counted, it's best to race, just in case.
Truswell had an absolutely stellar race - despite not qualifying, he was on pole for the GT4 class - leading away 4 other GT4 cars...
Okay, two didn't start and a further one started from the pits - and the last started in front of me, but I was MEANT to lead them away...
Admittedly, the start wasn't one of Truswell's finest - getting mugged by a sea of M2's as the rolling start got underway.
Truswell came for only one reason: to finish. Despite dropping to 4th/4th - Truswell did exactly as he came to do - he finished, and finished 3rd.
First race of Week 13 and he's already got a bronze trophy. Result.
Tuesday 10th December, 2024 - 11:45pm
The "Symkhana" series intregued me.
Renault Clio and Toyota GT86 race-cars on a mixed-surface rallycross track - what could POSSIBLY go wrong?!
It looked like absolute chaos - and chaos I was down for.
After finishing the Funny Weather race, I hopped in the last Symkhana of the day - the next race (tomorrow) would be held at a track I don't own - and I was curious as to the anarchy I was missing out on.
It turns out, I was missing on SO much - I'm absolutely gutted I didn't save the replay as it was just - chaos. cars left, right and centre.
Despite not having any pace and only learning the track a mere 30 minutes before the session, I managed to somehow go from 14th to a rather respectful 8th - even after clouting walls and other cars - picking up some significant steering damage in the process.
I will definietly be returning to this series once it returns to a free track - and I'll be sure to nab a replay!
Day 1 - Tuesday
Series | Track | Result |
(W13) GT3 Challenge | Mugello | DNR |
13th Wk. Ridiculousness | Daytona | DNR |
Funny Weather Series | Nurb. Nords | 1st -->3rd |
Symkhana | Daytona RX Short | 14th --> 8th |
DNR = Did Not Race
Wednesday 11th December, 2024 - 04:45am
With over an hour of updates still left to install (I hadn't done yesterday) - I turned on my PC at 4, got an extra hour of beauty sleep before waking up an hour later fresh-faced and ready for a morning of racing action - just like iRacing was.
This morning, there were 2 races I could do: Funny Weather (Nurburgring) and 13th Week Ridiculousness (Spa).
With slightly less importance on entries - at 6:15am, I joined the Spa session in my brand spanking new, 0-hour old, 0-mile Honda NSX EVO II GT3. "Love At First Launch: A Honda/Acura Love Story"
It was "love at first launch" - I turned her on - NO NO NO NO NO, WE ARE NOT DOING THAT!!!!
Let's try that again, I push her butt- ROBIN!
Third Time - I gently apply pressure to the "X" button on my Logitech G920 wheel, which in turn switches the ignition on to the Honda - which I refuse to call an Acura.
As this is the first time I've ever started the ignition on this car (THAT'S BETTER!), I'm in awe as she purrs into life - first "BOSCH" appears, then an in-car display accompanied by the melody of the V6 starting up, then idilling.
As a racer, the dashboard/display has to be perfect, as it's essentially an "information hub" - ground control - if you will as you go around at full-speed, and just like the GT3's I've fallen in love with before, the display too, was perfectly laid out - just to my liking.
I exit the pits and roar up through Eau Rouge and Radillion at this point, the tyres are still cold - but by the time I get to Les Combes, I should get a first understanding of how she handles.
I chuck the NSX down two gears before throwing the car into to the right hand bend of Les Combes - she complies. The steering is sharp, snappy, responsive.
It's how the Ferrari 296 and Lamborghini Huracan won my heart - engine at the rear, nimble steering - the NSX was no different.
After practice and qualifying - I put the Honda at a solid 2nd position - the Lamborghini only winning over due to its mighty roar - but on handling - the NSX feels smaller and lighter than the Lambo - at the moment the NSX is the favourite for next month's iRacing Daytona 24 Hours.
The Race
On the grid, my crew-chief informs me that the average iRating of the 26-strong field was 1000.
After qualifying 6th (with a single lap of qualifying) my nerves were eased slightly.
All things considered, the race was pretty calm.
I'd stay in 6th until lap 2 - P4 ahead then spun at Les Combes, gifting me 5th.
The following lap, the leader had a half-spin at Bruxelles and was then collected to P2 - destroying the front end of P2's car - including the steering, forcing P2 to retire.
The former leader also pitted at the end of the lap, gifting me 3rd.
The pace of the McLaren ahead was just too much for me, and I eventually finished the 10 Lap/20 minute race in 3rd. I may not have had to do much - but I kept my nose clean and the laps consistent - and I got some nice bronzeware out of it. Back to back podiums during week 13? Yes please!
And I wasn't done there either!
After a successful outing in the Funny Weather Series yesterday - I was absolutely down to do it again - after all, it's all practice, research and information for the Nurburgring Endurance Series next year - the more prepared I can be for it - the better. If I can switch my driving style as easily and efficiently as my pit-crew change on to wet tyres - that could prove to be vital come race day - the quicker you can react and adapt to changable conditions the better - and who knows - if someone is slower to adapt their driving style to the conditions, it may eventually result in positions!
The Race
I would like to have said "it was a nail-biting qualifying session, seperated by mere tenths" - yet for the second race running - nobody qualified and I ended up on pole. That's "pole" 2/2 for me, with two other GT4's rounding up the three-strong GT4 pack.
This race saw a grand total of 12 cars take to the grid - 6 GT3's, and then 3 a piece for the GT4's and M2's.
It was absolutely Deja Vu, as P2 started ahead of me and P3 quickly found their way past me.
The only difference being, I wasn't mobbed by the M2's - although the M2 leader thought sending it around the outside of Foxhole - in the soaking wet - was a smart move - miraculously we both lived to tell the tale - at the expensive of two pairs of underwear and my race-suit.
I'd continue to soil my already ruined race-suit by taking a bit too much "courage" into courage curve - the dry-line, not the optimal in the soaking wet.
Lesson learnt - but it's why I do these races, better be taught by Barry R (barrier) in these unofficial races, than the real deal.
Barry "gently" guided me back on circuit with a strong warning, and I was on my way once more.
At this point, I was relieved I survived the Lap 1 ordeal, and also relieved as all I had to do was finish, and I'd be on the podium.
The GT4 pack would behave for a few more minutes before P2 in front of me got on the kerb at the exit of Eschbach, and the slippery painted red and white kerb did the rest - sending him straight into the armco, and a retirement.
Starting the final lap, I was in 4th overall and 2nd in class - P2 was far up the road and was matching/beating my pace - now, it was all about making it back to the finish. And not on the back of a flatbed.
Denisov had a last lap to forget. First going off at Metzgesfeld and then spinning on entry to Eschbach. The spin - and recovery thereafter was too much, with just a quarter of the lap to go, I took the lead and ever so carefully finished the lap to take home my first win since June last year (18 months/1 and half years/1 Yr, 6 Mo) - and first win at the Green Hell.
The ironic thing is - I now have unofficial wins at both Le Mans and Nurburgring - I'm yet to win either officially.
Whilst I just had to keep the car on the track and bring it home, a win is still a win - and sometimes - that's all you need to do - and all it takes.
Day 2 - Wednesday
Series | Track | Result |
(W13) GT3 Challenge | Thruxton (Unowned) | DNR |
13th Wk. Ridiculousness | Spa Francorchamps | 6th --> 3rd |
Funny Weather Series | Nurb. Nords | 1st --> 1st |
Symkhana | Hell RX (Unowned) | DNR |
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