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Round 1 Laguna Seca
The first race of in new season of a new championship was held in Monterey, California and there was action right from the start...
LMP1 Class Results
snmf1 & ablougabla
The LMP1s of snmf1, ablougabla and LoneInquistor had a dramatic race at Laguna. With LoneInquisitor lining up on pole position and with all the GT2 cars between himself and his rivals, it was a great chance to storm away into the distance. However this didn't work out for him and, following a number of incidents, it was decided that the race should restart (in their current order).
Therefore at the restart, snmf1 led the way off the line with ablougabla second and LoneInquisitor pushed down to third. In an unusual incident, LoneInquisitor drove into the side of Jam 13UN's GT2 F430 GT, in what can only be described as a breakdown in communication and giving him slight damage to his front bumper. This badly affected his handling and couldn't keep pace with the other cars in his class. His damage meant that he also had numerous other incidents which ruined his race further.
This left snmf1 and ablougabla to fight for the LMP1 win. snmf1 led the way calmy from the start but ablougabla was a constant threat to the talented driver. snmf1 was absorbing any pressure that ablougabla was putting on him with apparent ease, whilst ablougabla seemed to have more pace but also seemed to be frightened to make a move in fear of an incident, which could wreck their races.
At the start of lap 6, the two drivers were practically nose to tail with ablougabla now exerting some serious pressure on snmf1. It seemed only a matter of time before snmf1 would be forced into a mistake. The mistake came at turn 5, when snm ran wide slightly, presenting a slight opportunity for ablougabla. He got a good run out of the corner and started to pull alongside snmf1. However, snm started drifting across ablougabla towards the lift side of the track, across ablougabla's line. There was contact between the drivers, and ablougabla was speared into the left hand wall near the famous bridge before turn 6. He got serious damage, whilst snmf1 got none and continued. It is true that there was no call from ablougabla to tell snm that he was there, so it would have been very difficult for him to know that his rival was pulling alongside him.
This was the most controversial incident in the race, and is currently being investigated. [Edit: snmf1 receives penalty for causing an accident. He will start Sebring from the pit lane]
ablougabla lagged out of the race with connection problems a few laps later, leaving snmf1 to romp away to victory. With no other challenges, all he had to do was negotiate his way past the GT2 cars, which he did with skill and crossed the line for a deserved victory. LoneInquisitor finished in second. ablougabla secured the fastest lap. With ablougabla not finishing, and M4D MUST4NG not starting the race, they were the two early leaders (Lone and snm were both on 12 points) in what promised to be a great LMP1 battle.
Therefore at the restart, snmf1 led the way off the line with ablougabla second and LoneInquisitor pushed down to third. In an unusual incident, LoneInquisitor drove into the side of Jam 13UN's GT2 F430 GT, in what can only be described as a breakdown in communication and giving him slight damage to his front bumper. This badly affected his handling and couldn't keep pace with the other cars in his class. His damage meant that he also had numerous other incidents which ruined his race further.
This left snmf1 and ablougabla to fight for the LMP1 win. snmf1 led the way calmy from the start but ablougabla was a constant threat to the talented driver. snmf1 was absorbing any pressure that ablougabla was putting on him with apparent ease, whilst ablougabla seemed to have more pace but also seemed to be frightened to make a move in fear of an incident, which could wreck their races.
At the start of lap 6, the two drivers were practically nose to tail with ablougabla now exerting some serious pressure on snmf1. It seemed only a matter of time before snmf1 would be forced into a mistake. The mistake came at turn 5, when snm ran wide slightly, presenting a slight opportunity for ablougabla. He got a good run out of the corner and started to pull alongside snmf1. However, snm started drifting across ablougabla towards the lift side of the track, across ablougabla's line. There was contact between the drivers, and ablougabla was speared into the left hand wall near the famous bridge before turn 6. He got serious damage, whilst snmf1 got none and continued. It is true that there was no call from ablougabla to tell snm that he was there, so it would have been very difficult for him to know that his rival was pulling alongside him.
This was the most controversial incident in the race, and is currently being investigated. [Edit: snmf1 receives penalty for causing an accident. He will start Sebring from the pit lane]
ablougabla lagged out of the race with connection problems a few laps later, leaving snmf1 to romp away to victory. With no other challenges, all he had to do was negotiate his way past the GT2 cars, which he did with skill and crossed the line for a deserved victory. LoneInquisitor finished in second. ablougabla secured the fastest lap. With ablougabla not finishing, and M4D MUST4NG not starting the race, they were the two early leaders (Lone and snm were both on 12 points) in what promised to be a great LMP1 battle.
GT2 Class Results
TCR Polaris JS
TCR Polaris JS qualified on pole position in class (and second overall) in his #44 Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for the first race in this highly anticipated battle. Jam 13UN was second (third overall) in the #62 Risi Ferrari F430 GT and blackhawk501 was third (fourth overall) in his #58 Larbre Competition Viper GTS - R. However, TCR Polaris JS (like LoneInquisitor in LMP1) lost out because of the restart and began the race proper in second. As a result, this promoted Jam 13UN to pole, whilst blackhawk remained third.
Despite the unusual startline incident, Jam seemed unphased and led the opening stint of the race with TCR Polaris following at a safe distance behind him. Jam had good pace, despite being the only person on the grid to be using a steering wheel. His car seemed to be handling well and he held the fastest lap in GT2 after the first stint. blackhawk went off going into the first corner, and continued to fall back as the race progressed.
TCR Polaris JS had closed the gap to Jam and they were within 2 seconds of each other by the first pitstop. The pitstops went smoothly for both drivers but, on the tricky pit exit, Jam overcooked it slightly and slid off, leaving TCR Polaris to take the lead of the race. During the next stint of the race there was some extremely close racing between the pair, with a number of changes of lead in the class. Both drivers made some school boy errors. However, by the second pitstop, TCR Polaris was back in the lead. After this pitstop he put the hammer down and opened up a sizeable lead which he the maintained.
The rest of the race passed without any major incidents. blackhawk501 developed problems and ended up over 20 laps down on the leaders. The battle between TCR Polaris and Jam settled down and probably the most interesting battle was the one between LoneInquisitor and TCR Polaris, when TCR Polaris started catching Lone at around 2 seconds per lap, but he never got the gap lower than 30 seconds.
So, TCR Polaris took an early 5 point lead in this GT2 championship, but there was a long way to go and Jam undoubtedly had a say in TCR Polaris's plans of winning this particular battle.
Despite the unusual startline incident, Jam seemed unphased and led the opening stint of the race with TCR Polaris following at a safe distance behind him. Jam had good pace, despite being the only person on the grid to be using a steering wheel. His car seemed to be handling well and he held the fastest lap in GT2 after the first stint. blackhawk went off going into the first corner, and continued to fall back as the race progressed.
TCR Polaris JS had closed the gap to Jam and they were within 2 seconds of each other by the first pitstop. The pitstops went smoothly for both drivers but, on the tricky pit exit, Jam overcooked it slightly and slid off, leaving TCR Polaris to take the lead of the race. During the next stint of the race there was some extremely close racing between the pair, with a number of changes of lead in the class. Both drivers made some school boy errors. However, by the second pitstop, TCR Polaris was back in the lead. After this pitstop he put the hammer down and opened up a sizeable lead which he the maintained.
The rest of the race passed without any major incidents. blackhawk501 developed problems and ended up over 20 laps down on the leaders. The battle between TCR Polaris and Jam settled down and probably the most interesting battle was the one between LoneInquisitor and TCR Polaris, when TCR Polaris started catching Lone at around 2 seconds per lap, but he never got the gap lower than 30 seconds.
So, TCR Polaris took an early 5 point lead in this GT2 championship, but there was a long way to go and Jam undoubtedly had a say in TCR Polaris's plans of winning this particular battle.
