ATC 60 Lap GP
Thursday, June 25 2009 @ 02:14 AM BST
The ATC 60 lap GP comes back with a LFS classic combo, the XFG and XRG at Blackwood.
With an extremely close qualification session the race was always going to be tight and as everyone tumbled into T1 the pole sitter, ATCgAg, ran wide allowing T7RThreeJump through into first and the jump starting ATCFranky500 (drive through to be served) to get alongside, forcing the pack bunching up behind as everyone thundered through the first chicane.
Down the back straight there was some furious slip streaming as ATCGag was closley followed by ATCDadge, T7RBBO, LRVoid, LRBeppo (the sole XRG), LRAero and ATCWiddow in a close group blasted down to the fast right hander.
Everyone squeezed each other through the turn but
no one really gained any positions and so as the racers piled through the last third of the lap we saw T7RBBO managing to hold of the LR team group, ATCFranky500 pull into the pit lane to serve his drive through penalty for the jump start and T7RThreeJump
made the most of the awesome start by pulling out over two second on the following pack.
The second lap saw ATCWiddow battling with HUGHES, D.Kheireddine and catching team LR's Aero and Beppo. ATCFranky500 had rejoined in a lonely last place while at the opposite end of the race T7RBBO had gained third place courtesy of a mistake from ATCgAg leaving LRVoid in no mans land between the groups as everyone pilled onto the third lap of the sixty.
The following laps saw T7RThreeJump and ATCDadge pull away from the chasing pack, ATCgAg retake T7RBBO and set off after the two leaders who were, at this point, sprinting gazzle like into the distance. An unfortunate lost connection for LRVoid who was involved in a battle royal with D.Kheireddine, ATCWiddow, HUGHES and the now charging ATCFranky500 trying to make up for his premature start and penalty. LRAero was just ahead of the fight and smugly watching the children fight behind him with LRBeppo doing his best for the XRG drivers trying to chase down the leading group.
As lap ten flashed by the order was T7RThreeJump and ATCDadge manfully swapping fastest laps. ATCgAg trailing behind, not gaining but not loosing out. T7RBBO clinging onto the leaders with a grip that would kill a horse. LRBeppo and LRVoid as close as team mates should really get without booking a hotel room, followed by a closely watching ATCWiddow. Then a tussling D.Kheireddine, ATCFranky500 and a slightly lonesome HUGHES with E.Lynch following behind like an unwanted little brother....LRVoid had rejoined the server clearly incensed with rage at his ISP as he slowly lapped the Blackwood track.
A mistake by LRBeppo, running onto the grass at the exit of the last turn caused the battle for sixth place to hot up as a group of five drivers hammered away at each other for the position which then slimmed down the three as ATCWiddow, ATCFranky500 and D.Kheireddine swapped paint and fluids in the fight for position.
Then disaster, another timeout, this time the unlucky driver was HUGHES. He was able to compose himself enough to rejoin for a few seconds but the emotion was too much for him and he left moments later.Mean while back on the ranch. Lap 20 rolled up with some sleeping beast starting to awaken, T7RBBO and D.Kheireddine were starting their moves toward the front with ATCFranky500 starting to look like he was making a great come back from his earlier mistake.
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There were also worrying signs for the two leaders as they both started to cough and wheeze like a pair of asthmatic pensioners shuffling towards the stair lift and as lap 25 came crawling past it was clear that ATCDadge had pushed his little XFG engine too much and he lost out to ATCgAg and T7RBBO who then set off after the still leading T7RThreeJump.
D.Kheireddine was quietly moving up in fifth followed by ATCFranky500, LRAero, ATCWiddow, LRBeppo, E.Lynch, a late starting dt.Dans L and connection troubled LRVoid.As the laps ticked into thirties and forties T7RBBO and D.Kheireddine were starting to gain some serious pace, after battling with an heroic ATCgAg they set about catching the leader, T7RThreeJump, who was also starting to slow as he had just pushed to hard and his XFG could no longer carry his enormous weight round Blackwood any faster.
With five laps of the sixty to go and backsides long since numb, D.Kheireddine and T7RBBO had made their way to the front with a deceptive turn of speed and were fighting it out for the win. ATCgAg was in third after humanely dispatching the limping T7RThreeJump who was in forth but ATCFranky500 was gaining fast at every sector, things were not looking for the unlucky and already numb T7R members bottom. LRBeppo had just shown a sorry looking ATCDadge and his poorly XFG who was boss, leaving LRAero, ATCWiddow (who at this point had run out of DrPepper), dt.Danas L and LRVoid.The top four had also not pitted leaving room for errors and massive potential place gains for some and losses still possible at this late stage of the race. T7RThreeJump made the most of a mistake as he ran wide and into the gravel and then into the pit lane for his stop leaving the three little piggies to make their move as everyone else had already got their pit over and done with.
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ATCgAg was next to blink on lap 51 allowing ATCFranky500 to gain time. D.Kheireddine was the next in but, ARGH, disaster! He left the turn into the pit lane too late and crossed the entry lines and costing him a fifth teen second penalty, his only hope was to continue with his now blistering pace and hope T7RBBO also made a similar error......alas it was not to be as the T7R driver pitted at the last possible moment and cleanly.
ATCgAg and ATCFranky500 were no involved in the glory for the final step on the podium with ATCgAg reaching for it like the last chocolate bar in the packet, unfortunately the other person reaching for that chocolaty goodness was ATCFranky500 who cruelly snatched it away on the second to last turn to steal third place away.
LR|VoiD - Lap 31 cut pit entry +15 seconds time penalty
dt.Danas L. - Lap 42 cut pit entry +15 seconds time penalty
D. Kheireddine - Lap 57 cut pit entry +15 seconds time penalty
dt.Danas L. - Lap 42 cut pit entry +15 seconds time penalty
D. Kheireddine - Lap 57 cut pit entry +15 seconds time penalty
