Istanbul Post Race

[blackcat77]

My standard of how much fun I'm having in a race is how short the race seems. I'd swear that race didn't last more than 15 minutes. What an absolutely amazing contest -- Terry and I were about as close as you could get. I was turning laps a full second under the PB I'd set in practice and still could not catch up. But that's okay -- that was as much fun as I've had in a race in a long time.

Congrats to Tom for the third step on the podium and to Ced for a great fourth place. Congrats to whoever won P2 -- afraid I didn't notice who it was.

[Greg 'GP' Haley]

p2 winner?? wasn't me

really hated missing this one--of the tilke tracks, i rate turkey highest. some of the corners at istanbul are absolutely amazing, a real challenge to go 10/10ths lap after lap.. glad you guys had a great battle and nice race. should get my box back tuesday or wednesday.

on another front, that 'delta wing' indy car looks like it should be out here at bonneville on the salt during speed week, not blasting around indy and long beach. kindof disappointed, after all the hype.. maybe it'll grow on me after it gets beyond prototype stage--early days, i know

go usa mens hockey, eh!

greg

[Jeff S.]

Sorry to leave so abruptly after the race. I hit the wrong button then couldn't get back in the session. Oh well, it was time for supper anyway.
Ok race. Had fun racing with Susan, Bob and Ced at different times during the race. Congrats to the podium finishers.
Istanbul is a great track (good choice). I'm still struggling with these cars or maybe it's just the Creation in particular that is troublesome. GT's should be fun on this course. See ya next week.
Jeff

[JABowders]

Red Weasel Racing Reports

Race Line: Istanbul

Wow, what a race. The Weasels came with their game face on. Gary was able to post an incredible Qual time, we had a pair of P1s separating us. But with the Green that separation disappeared fast. As we poured it on, in the early laps Gary was going into the finial turns a little hot and I was able to capitalize on it and Weaseled by him to take the P2 lead and we started to stretch our legs. Found ourselves running P4 and P5 overall and man it was some intense racing. And we would stay nose to tail separated by about 1.5 seconds lap after lap, the 30 minute warning popped up and it was time to pit, my chosen soft tires were starting to show a bit of wear. I signaled for pitting and Gary followed me in and it was going to be a race of pit crews. I saw his car drop and with a small billow of smoke Gary was off…I sat there in the pit and watched his car shrink in the distance and my pit crew finally decided to finish their ice cream and release me.

I was still yelling in the Team Radio as I left pit road and rejoined the track. Focused on reclaiming the lead, I was able to reclaim the lost time and I was on Gary’s tail..when I suffered from Aero-Stupid. Yes, Aero-Stupid, I got in behind Gary and when I felt comfortable I was rudely reminded you don’t have a lot of down force when you get that close to a car in tight turns. So with a skid and a curse I bounced back though the kitty litter to rejoin the track and I was off like a shot only to smoke the next turn and slide into the guard rail causing just a bit of damage to my left front. Now I was screaming into the team radio again, but that was short lived as I calmed myself and focused on catch up. The time that separated us wasn’t that much and I had enough time to complete my charge to reclaim the P2 lead. But it was not to be within one more lap I would spin in the last turn avoiding a spun car. The deficit was now just over 30 seconds, but I was not going to go down without a fight, lap after lap I shaved 2 to 3 seconds of the separation, refocused on my marks I set a Personal Best late in the race as I was running Gary down.

But as the 1 minute warning flashed I realized I was not going to make it unless there was divine intervention, nothing as obvious as a meteor slamming into his car, or the track surface open up to swallow his car (this phenomenon has happened in NASCAR racing twice in as many years the most recent was the Daytona 500) So as the checkers fell Gary would hold off my charge to claim the P2 victory.

I was a little apprehensive about the track before the race, but afterwards I have to admit that this was a great track for these cars.

Well done everyone.

James
Head Weasel

[JABowders]

Feb 22, 2010 3:55:58 GMT -5 Greg 'GP' Haley said:

on another front, that 'delta wing' indy car looks like it should be out here at bonneville on the salt during speed week, not blasting around indy and long beach. kindof disappointed, after all the hype.. maybe it'll grow on me after it gets beyond prototype stage--early days, i know

They make a point of Highlighting that thing and ignore all the Dodges.


James
Head Weasel

[greds04]

I was very apprehensive about this track, it has some corners that look simple enough, but will catch you out, like Rouen.

I managed to pull a great qual time in the P1 race trim times, which surprised me because I thought for sure that James would have me pegged on that, then when we got going I had a good start and launched my way to 4th from a 6th place grid position. It wasn't long before I was being hounded though, Ced made it past when I out braked myself into the esses, then i did it again on the following lap and James got by in the inside.

I stuck onto James for the remainder of the first half of the race, he had better top end but I could gain the ground back in the corners, and I was being closely followed by Tom I think, he was really trying to make a pass in places I wouldn't be brave enough to try, just seemed to have him pipped by corner speed and braking, Then when it came time to stop it was a godsend as the right hand side tires were in the yellow and making the car twitchy (I think chasing James as hard as I was and being in his draft was putting more wear on them).

When I followed James into the pits I thought he maybe going for just fuel, but fortunately he was getting all new tires as well, I took on a new set of hard compounds and enough fuel to last the race and a few extra laps just in case, then made it out of the pits with about 3 seconds over James...not that it would make any difference because James was hounding me again no more than 2-3 laps later.

Then when I thought James had me for sure, it looked like he was going to fly down the left inside of me at the second left hander, but then I saw the car jink left and suddenly snap right, I thought he broke something on the car. It gave me some breathing room, and I wanted to catch up and retake 5th, but I figured it must have been a P1 ahead, as I wasn't gaining any ground.

I think this has been one of the toughest races I have had since the last season, was great battling with James again(just like the last season, and the pit stop didn't end the fight either, it's how racing should be.

Congrats to the podium winners and the rest of the field for great racing.

[Ced Collins]

Like some have mentioned I had a big ? about this track. But for some reason when I got online it was game on. I guess I was up for this one because it reminded me of what I was capable of. Q'd P4 and was looking to try to keep an eye out on the top 3 of Terry, Paul and Tom. Then some P2 jumped me...lol. Gary got a great launch and I found myself making up ground. Finally got past him and set my sights on Tom. Bet he was wondering what that funny looking car he had never seen before behind him was. ;D We had a great battle and I finally got passed him. 3rd place you say...must be an alternate reality. Short lived as my Traction Control (my foot) failed and I looped it and went from 3rd to 7th. So I had to battle back through an awesome P2 battle that was going on only to run Tom down again. This time a little after halfway I decided to do a classic Brawn/Shui and dive into the pits. Get tires and fuel and come back out to wait for Toms pit. Wait...Wait...Wait. Tom pitted, but only to stop. Which is legal...I smell a rules change comming....ROFL. .

Great run for the LSR Acura. (Great choice Paul)