Rediscovered GPL.

After owning, selling as second-hand and then repurchasing GPL on budget, it's taken me an age to actually get to where I wanted to be with it. However, I've just had to reformat the HD and reinstall, and so took the opportunity to look at GPL again. Installed it, patched it, (thanks Thom_j!) and for the first time downloaded and used the GP Engine swap utility. Now I know I'm being a complete lamer here, but by running the 2.5l engines an F1 Eagle chassis, setup as per Alison's X-files, and using her slowed drivers.ini file, I am _finally_ beginning to get it. After a day of driving today I've put in a 1:26.7 at Kyalami, (don't know how this compares, and don't care - it felt superb, and kept me competitive with the rest of the field.) Anyway - enough of the boring stuff, I've got some questions... 1] Never been brave enough to race through VROC, but have obviously read loads about it. Before embarking, is it possible to race FD (I think that's what they're called) class cars through VROC. 2] If so, will I be able to find any like-minded racers to run with, (ie - people who know they're not the quickest drivers, but aren't bothered by that, and just want to enjoy their driving.) 3] Like VROC, I've never ventured onto GPLRank - the full F1 cars were too much of a handful for me, so it felt pointless. Is there anywhere I can compare my lap times for FD cars? Thanks in advance to anyone who answers - I'm back off to Kyalami now, although I'm sure I'll be back with more q's! Cheers, Rick.

Join in on organised F2 and FD races with a good bunch of people on passworded servers with the VROC F2 club. Great fun :0) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vroc-f2 Jim "Rick Catton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3THE6.6400$[email hidden]... > After owning, selling as second-hand and then repurchasing GPL on budget, > it's taken me an age to actually get to where I wanted to be with it. > However, I've just had to reformat the HD and reinstall, and so took the > opportunity to look at GPL again. Installed it, patched it, (thanksThom_j!) > and for the first time downloaded and used the GP Engine swap utility. NowI > know I'm being a complete lamer here, but by running the 2.5l engines anF1 > Eagle chassis, setup as per Alison's X-files, and using her slowed > drivers.ini file, I am _finally_ beginning to get it. After a day ofdriving > today I've put in a 1:26.7 at Kyalami, (don't know how this compares, and > don't care - it felt superb, and kept me competitive with the rest of the > field.) Anyway - enough of the boring stuff, I've got some questions... > > 1] Never been brave enough to race through VROC, but have obviously read > loads about it. Before embarking, is it possible to race FD (I thinkthat's

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> what they're called) class cars through VROC. > 2] If so, will I be able to find any like-minded racers to run with, (ie - > people who know they're not the quickest drivers, but aren't bothered by > that, and just want to enjoy their driving.) > 3] Like VROC, I've never ventured onto GPLRank - the full F1 cars were too > much of a handful for me, so it felt pointless. Is there anywhere I can > compare my lap times for FD cars? > > Thanks in advance to anyone who answers - I'm back off to Kyalami now, > although I'm sure I'll be back with more q's! > > Cheers, > > Rick. > > >

"Rick Catton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3THE6.6400 > > 1] Never been brave enough to race through VROC, but have obviously read > loads about it. Before embarking, is it possible to race FD (I thinkthat's > what they're called) class cars through VROC. > 2] If so, will I be able to find any like-minded racers to run with, (ie - > people who know they're not the quickest drivers, but aren't bothered by > that, and just want to enjoy their driving.) The place you want to be is the VROC-F2 club. We race both F2 and FD cars several times a week. Club events on Saturdays attract upwards of 60 drivers. You can find out more about the club here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vroc-f2 . The club is particularly aimed at the newer online racer. Most evenings the club servers are set up for passworded races for club members. This keeps the races rather more relaxed than in the general pick up races on VROC. > 3] Like VROC, I've never ventured onto GPLRank - the full F1 cars were too > much of a handful for me, so it felt pointless. Is there anywhere I can > compare my lap times for FD cars? > Check out the F2/FD hotlap site here: http://www.simracing.dk/jc/ . You'll find replays and setups for some really fast laps. Just to give you an idea, the world record FD lap listed at Kyalami is 1:21.78 by Rick Prydden driving a Ferrari. A number of people have submitted FD GPL Ranks. Do a search on FD at GPL Rank to see some ranks. Looking at the really fast F2/FD drivers, Gary Simpson has an FD GPLRank of -7.05 with a fastest lap at Kyalami of 1:21.90. Cheers Phil -- http://www.legendscentral.com http://www.geocities.com/f2_festival GPL Handicaps: F1 -3.60 secs, F2 +115.11 secs

Rick Catton <[email hidden]> wrote on 22 Apr 2001: <snip> >2] If so, will I be able to find any like-minded racers to run with, >(ie - people who know they're not the quickest drivers, but aren't >bothered by that, and just want to enjoy their driving.)<snip> All the stuff with regard to FDs has been answered excellently already in this thread (I'll just say that I'm glad the initial controversy over them has turned out so sensibly), but as for this point: surely the vast majority of people would prefer a good clean(ish) fight to a flag-to-flag stroll. Speaking personally, one of my favourite races ever was at Spa - a crash left me in about 6th place with 4 laps to go. For whatever reason, I was absolutely "on it" (by my standards - think 3:19) that day, and overtook the fifth-place man's Brabham around the outside of Stavelot (heart-stopping, that one!). Near the end of the penultimate lap, I pressured the fourth-place bloke (another Brabham) into a mistake, and was through. So, at the start of the last lap, I was around 6 seconds back from a podium place. All or nothing time. I took every risk I could, speedshifted every time (good job it was an Eagle and not a Lotus!), and generally did the eleven-tenths thing. I was catching the Ferrari in front of me hand over fist, and worked out (well, you need something to do along the Masta straight) that I'd catch him just before La Source. Which I did. He ran a little wide, and I nipped inside. It would be a straight sprint to the line. Floored the throttle - and bang went the camshaft. Damn. No Shift-R as it was a Pro race, so I had to sit there and watch four cars go through. I ended up eighth, but so what? It was a fabulous race. I've rambled on a bit here, haven't I? Oh well, just take it from me: 95% of GPL drivers are a hell of a lot more interested in fun than records. A clean 1:32 driver will be a lot more welcome at Monza than someone who does one 1:28 and then drives into the car in front. As they say on the King of Shaves packets: "Important: enjoy!". -- David. (GPLRank handicap: -5.92; Monsters of GPLRank h/cap +287.71) The GPL Scrapyard: http://scrapyard.9ug.com "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll, really" - Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh.

Ok back again Rick...lol Hopefully you can get yourself hooked up with Michael Barlow, Alison Hine or Ron A from Australia so you can try to get on their F2 or F3 Vroc club!! They are nice, friendly and are very tolerant with newbies online!! If you have any problems drumming these folks up via email just re me and I will try to help you..ok?? Cheers Nice Guy Thom_j. <g> "Rick Catton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3THE6.6400$[email hidden]... | After owning, selling as second-hand and then repurchasing GPL on budget, | it's taken me an age to actually get to where I wanted to be with it. | However, I've just had to reformat the HD and reinstall, and so took the | opportunity to look at GPL again. Installed it, patched it, (thanksThom_j!) | and for the first time downloaded and used the GP Engine swap utility. NowI | know I'm being a complete lamer here, but by running the 2.5l engines anF1 | Eagle chassis, setup as per Alison's X-files, and using her slowed | drivers.ini file, I am _finally_ beginning to get it. After a day ofdriving | today I've put in a 1:26.7 at Kyalami, (don't know how this compares, and | don't care - it felt superb, and kept me competitive with the rest of the | field.) Anyway - enough of the boring stuff, I've got some questions... | | 1] Never been brave enough to race through VROC, but have obviously read | loads about it. Before embarking, is it possible to race FD (I thinkthat's

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| what they're called) class cars through VROC. | 2] If so, will I be able to find any like-minded racers to run with, (ie - | people who know they're not the quickest drivers, but aren't bothered by | that, and just want to enjoy their driving.) | 3] Like VROC, I've never ventured onto GPLRank - the full F1 cars were too | much of a handful for me, so it felt pointless. Is there anywhere I can | compare my lap times for FD cars? | | Thanks in advance to anyone who answers - I'm back off to Kyalami now, | although I'm sure I'll be back with more q's! | | Cheers, | | Rick. | | |

Ooops Rick I see many helped you a.s.a.p and the F2 Club is the place!! "Rick Catton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:3THE6.6400$[email hidden]... | After owning, selling as second-hand and then repurchasing GPL on budget,<sniiped

Thom j. wrote in message ... >Ok back again Rick...lol Hopefully you can get yourself hooked up >with Michael Barlow, Alison Hine or Ron A from Australia so you >can try to get on their F2 or F3 Vroc club!! They are nice, friendly >and are very tolerant with newbies online!! >If you have any problems drumming these folks up via email just re >me and I will try to help you..ok?? Cheers Nice Guy Thom_j. <g> um... I joined up with the F2 VROC club some time last year but have only made one or two practice races. Out side of that I have no other affiliation with the VROC F2 Club. I wish there was a VROC F3 club as that's what I love in GPL. The GPVL has just started their first season of F2 and I'm beginning to enjoy that, so maybe I should think about doing some VROC F2 racing. Alison Hine has done a whole lot for the GPL community, probably more then anyone will ever realize. I bet that if Alison where to condense some things and expand on a few others of the VROC web site, she could easily write a novel on the subject. <hint to anyone that writes, and I'll buy the first "signed" book off the press>. Ron (been so long since I've seen him that I don't remember his last name) has also helped out quite a bit in the F2/F3 community as far as creating nice stable setups. In fact I think it was Ron that first told me about the ability to race the trainers online. I'm not the fastest F3 driver but because I love the F3's I'm out there as often as I can be. In a couple F3 clubs I run in, we have some dedicated F1 drivers that tried the F3's just to try something different. From what I understand they wish they have taken the slow F3's more serious earlier because they are having a blast with them. Shame more F1 drivers don't realize that it's not the speed that makes for good racing! Mark Seery has wrote a very good article about the F3 class, you can read it on the Zero Gee News "Race Reports" page (http://bovineracing.com/zgrace_reports.htm) I'm more then willing to help anyone having problems with the F3's (and maybe F2 as well), Driving, Setups, Sounds, et.. all you have to do is ask, and I'm sure Alison and Ron will do the same.

"Drum Roll Please!" Drrrrrrrummmmmm'rat'tat'tat! Splang!{cymbal..lol} See Rick I knew Michael B aka Mr F3 would come to the rescue...<G> Thanx Michael! You're always there when needed!! U is a Good Guy 2! Cheers Thom_j. "Michael Barlow" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:nGUE6.30935$[email hidden]...

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| | Thom j. wrote in message ... | >Ok back again Rick...lol Hopefully you can get yourself hooked up | >with Michael Barlow, Alison Hine or Ron A from Australia so you | >can try to get on their F2 or F3 Vroc club!! They are nice, friendly | >and are very tolerant with newbies online!! | >If you have any problems drumming these folks up via email just re | >me and I will try to help you..ok?? Cheers Nice Guy Thom_j. <g> | | um... I joined up with the F2 VROC club some time last year but have | only made one or two practice races. Out side of that I have no other | affiliation with the VROC F2 Club. I wish there was a VROC F3 club as | that's what I love in GPL. The GPVL has just started their first season

of | F2 and I'm beginning to enjoy that, so maybe I should think about doingsome | VROC F2 racing. Alison Hine has done a whole lot for the GPL community, | probably more then anyone will ever realize. I bet that if Alison whereto | condense some things and expand on a few others of the VROC web site, she | could easily write a novel on the subject. <hint to anyone that writes,and | I'll buy the first "signed" book off the press>. Ron (been so long since | I've seen him that I don't remember his last name) has also helped outquite | a bit in the F2/F3 community as far as creating nice stable setups. Infact | I think it was Ron that first told me about the ability to race thetrainers | online. | | I'm not the fastest F3 driver but because I love the F3's I'm outthere | as often as I can be. In a couple F3 clubs I run in, we have somededicated | F1 drivers that tried the F3's just to try something different. From whatI | understand they wish they have taken the slow F3's more serious earlier | because they are having a blast with them. Shame more F1 drivers don't | realize that it's not the speed that makes for good racing! Mark Seeryhas | wrote a very good article about the F3 class, you can read it on the Zero | Gee News "Race Reports" page (http://bovineracing.com/zgrace_reports.htm) | | I'm more then willing to help anyone having problems with the F3's(and | maybe F2 as well), Driving, Setups, Sounds, et.. all you have to do isask, | and I'm sure Alison and Ron will do the same. | |

Thanks very much to all who replied - much appreciated. I have now signed up with the Yahoo VROC F2 group and will be plucking up the courage to give it a whirl over the next few days. Look out for me trailing around at the back sometime soon! Thanks again, all, Rick.

Sorry, but had to report back on positive feedback... Went to VROC F2 Club chat in VROC tonight, and after a few teething problems got to see the servers available. Got chatting to Dave and J Socorro, (sp right, I hope,) and ended up having a novice race at Kyalami. After practise I was 2nd of the 3 of us, and at the start, got the jump on Dave. Into turn 2 I ran wide got a tap from behind - put all 3 of us out, but managed to regain track still in first. Went on to record a victory in my maiden outing. Now, please don't think I'm bragging - I think the gods were smiling on me tonight. I just wanted to thank all those who offered support and suggestions over the last couple of days, and to let them know that their efforts weren't in vain. A massive thanks to all involved - not least my two opponents. Must go now - need to regulate breathing and pulse, dry palms of hands and print out that screen grab of the results! Cheers, Rick.

Ok Rick, We have you powerless & under our control now!!! Ur hooked **big time** pardner!! hahaha... Didnt take you long at all!!! <g> Cheers Thom_j. "Rick Catton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:ZO1F6.4443$[email hidden]... | Sorry, but had to report back on positive feedback... | | Went to VROC F2 Club chat in VROC tonight, and after a few teethingproblems

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| got to see the servers available. Got chatting to Dave and J Socorro, (sp | right, I hope,) and ended up having a novice race at Kyalami. | | After practise I was 2nd of the 3 of us, and at the start, got the jump on | Dave. Into turn 2 I ran wide got a tap from behind - put all 3 of us out, | but managed to regain track still in first. Went on to record a victory in | my maiden outing. | | Now, please don't think I'm bragging - I think the gods were smiling on me | tonight. I just wanted to thank all those who offered support and | suggestions over the last couple of days, and to let them know that their | efforts weren't in vain. | | A massive thanks to all involved - not least my two opponents. | | Must go now - need to regulate breathing and pulse, dry palms of hands and | print out that screen grab of the results! | | Cheers, | | Rick. | | |

"Rick Catton" <[email hidden]> wrote: >After practise I was 2nd of the 3 of us Congratulations, Rick. Now go practice Keimola, which is this Saturday's club race, and get ready to run with 15 to 18 other drivers! Chris Noto, see Noto at tee dee ess dot net