Finally managed to get several targets, at once, including the best one
of all (short of becoming World Champion, that is)!
The adventure starts with resetting my el-cheapo non-FF wheel...
..which wasn't set right, so that my tires were always locking up under
braking. At long last I was able to calibrate it so that it practically
gave no lockups at all. This means every yo-yo in a BRM can outbrake me,
but it's better than veering left-and-right and fighting to keep the car
under control for every other turn...
So, hop in the Lotus with Greger H's settings and head for the Glen. I
ain't no hotlapper at all, but after some tries beat my previous so-so
PB of 1:07.57 into a smashing (well, for this Joe Average ;) 1:06.59.
Hurray, broke my second Papy benchmark after Monza! (Ok,
earth-shattering it ain't but it would've been enough to put me in 3rd
on the real 1967 grid.)
In every other racing game, this would mean little, but this is GPL and
we all know how 'easy' this is when it just happens you're not an alien...
Great! Now, on to Monza and see if the new wheel setup helps to keep
control into Lesmo and Parabolica. And it does. After some tries I get
my 1:29.92 down into 1:29.80. Now let's see if I can qualify a bit
higher on the grid as well...
Whaddaya know, 1:29.62 and that leads to mah first pole as well! Jeez, I
can't seem to do anything wrong this evening. (Usually I manage to to
that quite well... ;) I immediately quit GPL and lock my monza.svg
file to make sure I don't have to start all over again next time. After
some tries - and failures, of course - it seems I can *just about* stay
in the Lotus's slipstream if I get a good start... Slipstreaming
efforts on lap 2 also get my PB down into 1:29.59 (woohoo, nice bonus
inbetween spins and parking lotsa Loti into bushes).
Unfortunately, unlike real life those darned two Lotuses of messrs Clark
& Hill always get just-about-perfect starts and beat me on take-off
every time.
After several tries I manage to figure out where Greger's setups make my
lowly Lotus just a smidgen faster than those two (one or two curves).
That should come in useful.. Here's another try, another start...
Darn, and another crappy getaway. It's not too bad but Clark & Hill are
gone again and Black Jack manages to pass me as well. Luckily, the Lotus
is just a bit faster than the Brabham at Monza and I sling past him
going into the Curva Grande. This is where Greger's setup pays off and I
can even get fairly close behind the Loti into the Lesmos.
Get a good exit there for a change and go slipstream behind Clark! Not
too close though, I've made *that* mistake before plenty of times...
Turning onto the straight going to Parabolica, I slingshot my car out of
the 'stream, passing Clark, passing Hill...
Unfortunately, the higher speed and somewhat meagre braking power due to
my wheel setup result in me sliding wide somewhat and Graham passes me
on the inside again. Darn! But I can squeeze back in just before Jimmy
and, more importantly, not too far behind the lead car. I *gun it* going
into the straight - we all know that having the lead here at Monza isn't
always an advantage and so does mr. Hill...
The plan works. I schwing out of the slipstream, take the lead and hurl
it into the Curva Grande! There's nary a hair's breadth between my inner
wheel and the curb, but Graham's behind this time. Here's where Greger's
setups pay off, I can keep on the gas and get away just a tiny bit going
into Lesmo 2. Please let me get a good exit for once..!
But the Lotus has good traction there, more than my usual Ferrari ride,
and I speed out fairly well, gaining another couple of inches on Graham
and Jimmy, still close behind. I'm actually in the lead now! Braking for
the Parabolica is a problem again but I can just keep the speed up.
Normally getting a good exit without too much sliding or wheelspin there
is an exception, but whahey, I even manage to do it twice in a row.
Hurtling down the straight I make sure those two Lotus aces can't
properly get into my slipstream (no way boys, not this time!) and roar
trough Grande to gain a couple of inches going into the Lesmos again.
('Now don't***this exit up again or they'll be in yer slipstream
going into Parabolica and it's all fer nowt!') Phew, good acceleration
again, they're not gaining, still only small black shapes in my mirrors!
I make sure I take it a little bit easy into the final set of curves,
(remembering all the times I didn't and slid off in the last lap..),
ease through Parabolica so that the Lotus can accelerate really smooth
and efficient one last time... Finally, the finish comes into view...
Tension mounts, in GPL I've *never* been first onto the last finish
Lotus engine I even get off the gas a bit into the final couple of
yards. Jimmy and Graham are still several car length's behind. Checkered
flag - and I've won my first race in Grand Prix Legends!
It's been a long time coming for a slowpoke like me, but the
satisfaction of winning in this sim is unlike any other, I guess. It's
the purest form of racing challenges.
Well, that's my story of today. I'm going to sleep now. Three GPL goals
in one session: Life doesn't get much better than this ;)
Regards, Rudy