CMS and LMPC's

The mail carrier arrived this morning carrying my awaited copy of Ross Bentley’s Speed Secrets. I have had my head in it all day. I am hoping to glean some new understanding which will help me turn a quicker lap tonight in the LMPC at Birmingham, Barber Motorsports Park.
I mentioned that quite a few drivers found Tremblant a difficult track. Well this one is a real challenge. There are 4 blind corners and one kink that drops down 2 to 3 meters and it is has some high speed corners with short straights making it a high down force track. The track is narrow but has forgiving run offs. Any laps of concentration will punish the driver involved. I have done about 200 laps here and I am starting to turn in relatively consistent laps in the mid 1:19’s and a few down in the 1:18’s. From what I have observed in practice from the faster drivers in the series this is pretty good. So my mental prep is to not distract myself with anything not to do with the job at hand, really one slight loss of attention on this technical track and it 360’s.
I have been bested by some guys that take a full fuel load and run the whole race hoping to make no mistakes and save their tires. To do this on this track will mean they will have to do the race at least 4 to 5 minutes slower than someone that takes a pit stop. As usual I will plan on one stop as I can’t consistently drive slow enough. I have done a lot of strategy planning and without any errors I can pit and beat them by a few minutes. The pit lane is very long and slow but they will have to go really slow to add 8 to 10 extra laps to one tank fill.
Doing a quick over view of the book I see there will be a lot to absorb and practice. Just the first chapter on the car has prompted me to rethink my kit setup. Time for a redesign and time for a walk and meditation on the requirements for a perfect race
Regards

Hi guys
I did not mean to leave this long a gap between race reports. So here is a short update of the past week. Well a long update actually.

Birmingham LMPC
I mentioned that I would be participating in the CMS NA race at Birmingham driving the LMPC and was really looking forward to it. It is a new track build in 2003 and in my humble estimation a real cracker. The top 4 LMPC’s qualified within .499 seconds. I was 4th. Unfortunately I had graphic problems which hampered my race. That said I did finish and recorded my first podium of the season with a 3rd of the 7 class entries. From stop and go frames with cars jumping around in front of me and my trying to guess where they would be when they reappeared. I thought about quitting but I had put in a lot of practice laps and figured if I crashed and totally destroyed the car I would be finished but I always made it back to the pit for repairs which were minor but time consuming. It was like being in a Star Trek transported that was on the blink.
The track has a lot of blind corners and they are a challenge and took out a lot of drivers who had not thoroughly done their practice laps. A lot of guys were easy pickings as they slowed down to manage the difficult track. I ran the car in second down twice only to loose it when my screen would freeze.
I figure I may have turn off something important when shutting down some things in the Task Manager, and I ignored the warning signs that presented themselves.

Spa 997
Not much to say about this race at CMS WD where I was too late to qualify and I started 21st finished 18th and in the first lap was held back by a back marker in a LMP2 who seemed to be just cruising for a while till he sorted out what ever he was up to. That let most of the GT2 class get a head by a ½ lap before he took off. That is a big gap at Spa. It was a good warm up for the next race and I had my graphics problem sorted.

Spa LMPC
I also was able to participated in the all LMPC 2½ hour race last Sunday at RC and had a blast. It got a bit tough going into the dark for the last hour. It was a 4 stop race and early on Ian Farrow tried a brain dead pass on me and I had to head for the pits for a flat. It meant that my pit stop strategy was ruined and I spent the last 5 laps cruising around but I had a lap between me and the car behind me so I managed to finish 9th. I planned to just drive like it was an endurance race and I hoped I couldn’t go to far wrong. Due to my usual poor qualifying I started in 19th so I was very happy with that result. I was amazed how short I was braking into Les Combes in the dark as we all remarked how we lost the brake marker. I had a few good battles so it was a very enjoyable race and finished with 2 L left in the tank.


Brazil F1 1994
Well CMS had a fun race and after 21/2 hours a Spa I was crazy enough to do a short 45 minute race an Interlogos. Had a blast for half the race but collected an off track driver near the end and the damage just slowed me down. What an amazing car. It stops on a dime as they say. Again a useless QLY in 16th but managed a 7th finish.
When I awoke Monday morning my arms and legs were aching from the 6 hours of driving.

Well that is about it. I guess the point is I had, baring the graphics problems, 4 good race without serious incidents. When it gets tough I just chant my new mantra “Race Craft, Race Craft, Race Craft”
I am not sure if the info I have been getting from Speed Secrets has helped but things seem to be improving.

Later guys

Michael, could you write me a little about the GT2 LeMans Series CMS, can you give some important links

what days and at what time of the race
at what distance they are played
are there any fees for the league

thnx

Hi Artur
Champion Motor Sport is an open League with the server based in Texas. In the most part it is populated by fair and good drivers. For your interest they have races on Sundays timed to correspond with you guys in Europe called the Lemans World Division which run for 75 minutes. There is no fee and all are welcome to join. If you join I am sure you will find some stiff completion to challenge your skills amongst the European and North and South American drivers that race.

Races are held on Sundays at 8:05pm UK time zone / 9:05pm CET time zone / 2:05pm Cent US time zone. All events are 75min in length, and you must complete 70% of race distance to score points.

The forum is open so you can look around and read the posts of the drivers that usually write in with pre and post race comments. Rules and procedures are also open to view.
Here are a few links. They have an introduction for new players that register and give a little history about them self’s so you know a little about your fellow competitors.

The league uses a rule at the start of all races where they designate a section of the track as an orange zone used to control the aggression at the start of races that usually ensues in most leagues. If you contact anyone or cause and accident in this zone automatic penalties are applied. Usually you do not get to qualify in the next race and loose some points. No arguments are taken. I know. It seems a bit strange at first but it is nice to get through the first section without incidents that can ruin race you have spent hours preparing for.

The next race is coming Sunday at Montreal. Registration is straight forward and I am sure you can be racing by Sunday if you choose to.

Champion Motor Sport
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General Forum
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Lemans World Division forum
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This is the master post giving the schedule of the future races
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This should get you started Artur.

CMS is quiet a nice place, I wish I had more time so I could participate in their le mans series. These races are straight forward, without driver swaps; perfect for a sunday evening.

Thanks for your reports Michael. It's nice to read that you're making progress. I am certain that Speed Secrets can help you.

Sorry
I don't know what I was thinking the races are all 90 minutes not 75 as I stated.

thanks Michael for info

event hours and days are cool
I will closer look at the topics, maybe I will join to a few events for the relax ;-)
of course I will use 997 with WCC skin

BTW
I wonder, how big pings will I have

Your welcome Artur
I was conversing with a new member to join the North American Series at practice last night, he is located in Australia and he mentioned how he had been looking for a series such as CMS organizes. He said it was hard to find an online series that has a 1 stint/driver race using the Endurance mod and was excited to have joined and happy with his experience there so far. I am not sure about using the WCC skin as they have not updated the skin pack for some time but you can run it by the Administrators.
I am hoping to drive this coming Sunday but my wife seems to be making plans that include my participation so I my miss this one at Montreal. I consider it a home race having lived in Montreal for many years. The track is part of the islands cycle path when not in use by cars so I have done a lot of laps there on my bike. I saw Senna win there in 1988 and Kubica in 2008, two very good racers, but in fact I prefer watching from home on the TV. There as a few very fast guys driving 997's in the WD series so good luck with your future races.

Hi guys, here is a copy of my CMS comments and race report on the 90 minute race last night a Laguna Seca. I qualified 3rd in class and 10th on the grid. I finished 4th in class and 10th of the remanding drivers. Laguna Seca is a rough place to maneuver through traffic and the GT1’s and 2’s where all driving hard and it was a take no prisoner’s event. Great clean racing, with the inevitable bump and grind a track like this will produce. The race went by in a blink and when it ended I was disappointed it was over.

CMS Laguna Seca
Wow that was a blast. Other than a few mistakes one of my best races this year regardless of the end result. I know I may have had a few bumps with the odd fender and sorry Tom for the clip in the rear into T11 I didn’t recognize you were a bit damaged and I guess I over did it with the late braking. I found some of the back markers a bit unforgiving into some of the corners which caused me some grief but I am sure I held up a few guys that were on a tear. “What goes around comes around”. That has to be a racing saying?
I really like the track and will have to mark it on my fav list beside Birmingham for this year. I enjoyed the battles I encountered with the GT1s and LMPCs that seemed to last the night.
Congrats to the Class-y winners Dwayne, Scott, Cory and Daron, as it was an endless battle on this close twisty track. Of the 66 laps I ran I think I was driving free for about 3 of them. Constant traffic and planning. My first spin exiting out of T3 in lap 4 pushing to stay ahead of Lenny put me behind the 8 Ball and I tried, at times too hard, to catch up. There were times when Don Lenny Wayne and I were dicing it out in a constant changing pack. Great fun and a little wild at times. I recall all of us boxing Paul’s GT2 in as we headed down the hill into T1. He wisely did some early braking to remove himself from what must have looked like impending doom. That was how it was and it was great fun.
I again failed in my attempt to tell the pit to forget the damage which was minor and just fuel and tires please but they held me for 55 seconds, which nullified my gains in the first stint. My last run to catch Ignacio left me sitting in a pool of sweat. For the last 8 laps I was matching my Qly times with yellow tires! Three times I caught him and was then set back by dicing P2’s. I missed a brake point in my last dive to late brake into T11 to get by the GT2 of Cody and catch Ignacio and 9th place but I had a stream of perspiration enter my eye exiting T10 and was blind. Sorry to Cody, Steve and Terry for any inconvenience as you all seemed to have missed each other.
Silverstone’s long straights may take away some of the advantage that the PC’s have in the corners and I think it will be a LMP “Challenge” to stay up with the GT1s. I am just loving the PC as I begin to sort out how to drive the unforgiving beast. I noted this is the start of my second year driving and racing in rfactor and finally some of my experience is beginning to have an effect. This had to be the best race I have participated in on line for shear fun.
Thanks all

A BIG congratulations to you all on your second place and first team podium finish at Road America

nice, bravo

I was there and I registered a week before the Laguna, but I stuck in activation...
I tried to sign to 2012 but I had this message:
"Artur Szykula, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation."
so I went to GT@Watkins at simracingpl last sunday

but I want to join and race CMS ;-), to who I must write email to activate my account?

You must introduce yourself Artur. Have a look here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Great reports Michael. I'm enjoying to read them.

Hi Artur
Can you tell me when you registered and I can check with Brian Farmer the admin for the World Division series and see if he can help or make a suggestion to solve your registration problems. They are usually very efficient but there have been quite a few new racers coming to the league which may be the problem. If you can give me some info I will PM Brian and tell him of your problems and he will surely help.

ok

first I will try to introduce myself...
then I will see if there is a problem still

I registered at SLS already at CMS

Race report RaceConect Nordschleife 052212-1

I am happy the series has changed to the Enduro mod so I can use my experience and car setups for a car I like to drive. The Porsche 997 RSR. Every car was from the GT2 class, it was choose your weapon and all drivers beware. Goran Gunjevic won and was over half a lap ahead of me in 5th.
Ya that was a disappointment, only a 5th. I was as high as 2nd for a second. I was dreaming of the anthem and flag rising and blew an easy turn, bingo, I was 4th. Got jumped in the pit by Kuba who came in for fuel only and must have been driving Hard Tires I guess. He jumped me in the pits and I tried too hard a times to catch him and I made a few aero changes to the bodywork on the go. It was fun and next time same set and less wing and softer springs may go faster?
I am yet a grade A student but much of what I have attempted on the advice of Ross Bentley has helped improve my driving craft. Smoother steering helps driving near the tires, traction limit, every race. Well on most corners. There are some that still stump me.
I got a good start from 9th and held my position through the first corners. I drove the primary line through and came out 7th and was 2nd 2 laps later. If the race had of ended here I would have been a hero. Mind you only to myself, but I can’t help it, I have always hope for me.
My set up was good through the twisty bits and real fast on the high speed turns and braking points but had too much DF on the straight bits. I guess I will try a little less wing and see if I can adapt.
Any way it was fun and I was really into the 997. At some corners I felt I was using the car and not just holding on for dear life wondering if it will turn in or not? I feel I am now in a position to know the future. In all cases of, “on the go aero design changes”, I knew before I made the mistake, that it would be one.

Hey, that's nice to read. Too bad for the last bit, but that's what makes or breaks a race. If I find it, I can link you to a setup for the nordschleife. You should be reaching about 260 to 270 on the final straight, but this doesn't really matter. Some prefer more wing through the twisty bits and some go for higher straight-line speed. What do your lap times look like?

Sporting news
Well not much joy but a few accomplishments at the last race at Silverstone. I took the LMPC to the pole in class but was held up at the start by a quicker qualifying GT1 that just sat there at the green lights. I was jumped by 2 PC’s and 2 GT1s right from the get go. Got a bit frustrated pushed too hard, got past the GT1s and was 3rd in class but was out of the race with a bent rear suspension by lap 16. Got rear ended when I went a bit loose in a corner. My fault and I was happy the guy that hit me carried on but I took a rest on the pit wall. Still my first pole ever!
Last night at the practice race at Bahrain I Qualified 3rd in class but I was out front of the GT1 and PC’s by lap 3 till the last lap where I had to answer a phone call so DNF on last lap from 4th place and in the LMPC lead.
I am beginning to enjoy driving it in the Prototype Challenge series and I have come to grips with the style of, “easy does it”, to drive Oreca LMPC. Concentrating on two cars has helped me improve my driving as I have to adapt my style to each car and be aware of the things I do with each vehicle. Driving the mid engine PC has smoothed my driving style and with the instruction from Speed Secrets I have made a bit of a step.
CMS is organizing a 4 hour 1 swap race a Le Sarthe in August as one of their Fun events. I contacted Tony D’Andrea and we are going to do it as a team. Should be fun.
Regards

I will join to CMS World tonight at Monza :-)

997 is waiting for me ;-)

Don't miss our topic for CMS Le Mans: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



Artur I can send you a setup for Monza, you can try it.

ok, if you can, send me this set ;-)
tnx

I just checked sets from RA & Sebring

sent already ;)

set was very good, small changes to gears and I got P1 in GT2 ;-)

well done Artur! Good to hear that. Can you post the new setup in our team forum or send it to me via pm please?

Well done Artur at Monza last Sunday on the GT2 win.

Silverstone again and again I put the LMPC on the pole. That is twice I have accomplished that bit of fun having done it there last winter. I also had the LMPC fast lap and finished 2nd. So I had a sunny smile for the rest of yesterday.

Due to early morning commitments I enter the server a minute after qualification began but I had a few laps in from the night before and a previous race last winter so I was ready to go. I spent the 14 minutes before the prototype qualification applying the recommendation Brian Farmer had sent me as a help to conquering my disco woes and never gave much thought to my race strategy. I used the same setup I had at just used at Road America and much to my surprise 3 laps later I grabbed the LMPC pole.

I had a decent start and kept it cool and followed Roy Bessems’s Lambo around for quite a few laps though I was staying close I saw no chance in completing a pass and was focused on finishing. I was pressing him in the curves and he was moving away on the straights. He finally over cooked it at Stowes and I slipped by.

As it turns out my strategy was not too good. In my rush to prepare I was thinking a 90 minute race (Thursday’s North American series) and planned on 1 pit stop. It turns out that the tank will hold enough fuel to do 75 minutes but leaves you with a compromised tire strategy. Hamilton in the LMPC and Bessemes both driving a 1 stint race passed me as I sat in the pit box. It may have worked out but as luck would have it as I left the pit the young Vinicius Concalves had a senior moment at the pit exit. I was flying on full throttle when I realized his P2 was spinning across the track. It was too late to change direction to my left and stay on the track so I road it out through the weeds. There is a lot of pavement at Silverstone which slowed me down but scrubbed off a lot of that new rubber I had just gotten.

After the race I checked the gaps and that off had lost me around 18 seconds to Hamilton and 34 to Bessemes because of the off road excursion. Seeing Paul the LMPC winner was only 8+ seconds ahead at the end it just may have been a lot more fun for the both of us at the finish had I been able to stayed on track.

No complaints from me as I really enjoyed the race and I am looking forward to the next one at the walled arena of St Petersburg in September. I know you guys have had some issues with the CMS adimin’s as have I but it is the only place I can find that I can do stint length races every week in the endurance mod. I saw that Concalves could have stopped on the left side of the track instead of rolling out over the track and I could register a complaint but I have decided it was a race incident and it won’t change a thing.

Suzanne and I are off to France this Friday for 2 weeks so if you are in the area around Tours drop me a line and we can share a bottle of the red stuff.