rec.autos.simulators

by **Jon Becke** » Sat, 22 Jul 2000 04:00:00

Last night at about 1:30am, I led a race!!!

Perhaps I should explain I've only had GPL a week, and have only
played it about 7 or 8 times...

I ran practice at Monza, and ended up 4th on the grid in my trusty
Lotus with a 1:30.93.

I got the most stupendously good start ever seen by the human eye, and
went past the front row like they were off having a cup of tea or
something.

Into the first turn and went as deep as I thought possible - now with
some green car or other looking to sneak inside. Big fistful of
courage and I planted the throttle, hitting wild oversteer at
160mph... touch the edge of the grass and I'm leaving them.

Into the second corner, flat out - drifting left, somehow the green
car is still there in the mirror - how did he get better drive than me
out of that corner?

The distance to turn three is being eaten up at an alarming rate -
wait... wait... wait... dig those anchors in.... the car lurches onto
it's bump stops as I scream down the gears - looking for second trying
to stay straight and not lock up.

The green car's driver must be related to William Wallace or something
- he slithers alongside looking for the apex, four wheel drifting. I
hunt for stability and boot it... we're alongside each other going for
the apex - and he gets all squirrely and our wheels interlock
momentarily....

Wendy..... I can see our house from heeeeeeerrrrrrreeeeeee.........
sky ground sky ground sky ground CRASH SMASH SCRAPE CRUNCH.

As if in a dream a dark blue car flies past about 30 feet in the air -
shedding wheels as it flickflacks into the concrete... the green car
is on fire twenty yards away as we slide along the tarmac - at least
the stupid b*st*rd didn't get away with it.

So yes... my first experience of leading a race lasted until the third
corner.

Felt ***y fantastic for that twenty seconds though...

Jon Beckett

by **Luis Sot** » Sat, 22 Jul 2000 04:00:00

1:30.93 at Monza after only a week is pretty outstanding!!!!
L.S.

> Last night at about 1:30am, I led a race!!!

> Perhaps I should explain I've only had GPL a week, and have only
> played it about 7 or 8 times...

> I ran practice at Monza, and ended up 4th on the grid in my trusty
> Lotus with a 1:30.93.

> I got the most stupendously good start ever seen by the human eye, and
> went past the front row like they were off having a cup of tea or
> something.

> Into the first turn and went as deep as I thought possible - now with
> some green car or other looking to sneak inside. Big fistful of
> courage and I planted the throttle, hitting wild oversteer at
> 160mph... touch the edge of the grass and I'm leaving them.

> Into the second corner, flat out - drifting left, somehow the green
> car is still there in the mirror - how did he get better drive than me
> out of that corner?

> The distance to turn three is being eaten up at an alarming rate -
> wait... wait... wait... dig those anchors in.... the car lurches onto
> it's bump stops as I scream down the gears - looking for second trying
> to stay straight and not lock up.

> The green car's driver must be related to William Wallace or something
> - he slithers alongside looking for the apex, four wheel drifting. I
> hunt for stability and boot it... we're alongside each other going for
> the apex - and he gets all squirrely and our wheels interlock
> momentarily....

> Wendy..... I can see our house from heeeeeeerrrrrrreeeeeee.........
> sky ground sky ground sky ground CRASH SMASH SCRAPE CRUNCH.

> As if in a dream a dark blue car flies past about 30 feet in the air -
> shedding wheels as it flickflacks into the concrete... the green car
> is on fire twenty yards away as we slide along the tarmac - at least
> the stupid b*st*rd didn't get away with it.

> So yes... my first experience of leading a race lasted until the third
> corner.

> Felt ***y fantastic for that twenty seconds though...

> Jon Beckett

by **Bendit** » Sat, 22 Jul 2000 04:00:00

>1:30.93 at Monza after only a week is pretty outstanding!!!!

I've now had it for a week and my best is 1:30.20. Only in a Lotus or a
Ferrari, though. More importantly, I'm starting to get my times consistent.
But, I still can't trail-brake smoothly, and Monza is a pretty easy track to
get 1:30's at, even for a beginner. Watkins Glen, on the other hand, I
completely suck at. I managed a 1:06.53, but I can't put together more than
3 laps without spinning out, or running off onto the grass, especially on
the last 90 degree turn. This is one track where trail-braking is very
useful, so I guess it's just practice, practice, practice, and hopefully
I'll learn the technique. Whatever happens, this is too much fun!

Bendito;

by **Jonathan Becke** » Sat, 22 Jul 2000 04:00:00

...and with a Joystick :-)

It was down to car setup. Most of the time I've been playing with it,
I've been trying to make the car keep me on the track, rather than the
other way around :-) hehehe

I was really looking for a 1:29 - but I need the wheel and pedals for
that.

by **pjgt..** » Sat, 22 Jul 2000 04:00:00