DSP Race Pro WTCC MLR Series, Round 4 (3/23): Pau

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:02 am

Gang:

Tonight we are ready to run the 4th and Final Round of the DSP Race Pro WTCC Series, which will consist of 21 laps on the streets of Pau.

Please sign up below. The regular schedule will apply:

10:30pm edt the room will open and invites will be sent out; practice begins.

10:50 pm edt the practice session will end and be immediately followed by the qualifying session.

Then, a five minute break.

At 11:00 pm edt the flag will drop on the Final Round of the WTCC Series: Circuit de Pau for 21 laps with one mandatory pit stop. The pit stop can be taken on any lap except the final lap.

This race should be . . . interesting.

As with any street circuit, the problem is, where to pass? There really aren't (m)any places on the circuit where passing is possible, and of course no one wants to ruin someone else's race as well as his own by trying an impatient pass attempt in a difficult spot. The tightest, slowest corners are probably the safest bets for overtaking, if you just have to force the issue.

That means qualifying will be key, and any passing during the race will more than likely have to take place in the pits. When to come in? Take tires, or just take fuel? With a pit lane so short, there may be a big advantage to be gained by not taking tires. Or will some have to stop early, to repair damage, scrambling the field along this very short loop?

Pau is by far the shortest circuit we've run, and with no run off anywhere and nothing but walls and high curbs and sidewalks to screw you up, it makes me really curious to see how this race develops over the long haul.

The pits on this thing are almost invisible, but right along the starting grid you will see the road widen ever so slightly to the right. Get up on the sidewalk to get into the pits.

The standings for the DSP WTCC Series are as follows:

WTCC Series Standings

1. CP Zeppo / 15
2. Fshguy / 12
3. Ragehawk / 10
4. theycallhimsim / 10
6. J Cauthen / 8
7. spooky157 / 6
8. MixDJ1 / 5
9. Naples39 / 4
10. MacMac858 / 4
11. XXXIV / 4

I am hoping for a full grid for this race. This is the end for us in these WTCC cars, and I think we will have a lot more fun with the GT Club cars now that we're more accustomed to the game.

See you online, and good luck racing!

mixdj1 · Post by **mixdj1** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:24 am

I'll be there.

Fshguy · Post by **Fshguy** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:23 pm

Looks like I'll be there..

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:58 pm

I have hockey tickets tonight and I am pretty busy at work, but with any luck I should be able to make this finale.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:30 pm

I hate to say it, but if we don't get at least eight or nine racers, there's no point in running a long race. If need be, we can postpone to next week and run some short races poker night style tonight. I'd probably make the room public if there are only three or four of us.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:59 pm

I will try and make it tonite.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:03 pm

I will try to make it but I might not be getting out of here until too late. As of right now its about 80% likely I'll be there...

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:50 pm

Generally don't post because I'm not sure if I can make it or not, but I'm going to try.

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:30 pm

I would be there if I could connect.

J_Cauthen · Post by **J_Cauthen** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:38 pm

I'm im!

J_Cauthen · Post by **J_Cauthen** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:42 pm

DChaps wrote:I would be there if I could connect.

You're unable to join a private game, to which you receive an invite? I'm curious because I have a problem connecting to public games when there are already at least 6 cars in the room, but have never had a problem joining a private race, even when as many as 12 cars are involved.

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:36 pm

I can't make it tonight because of work but my schedule will clear up next week.

J_Cauthen · Post by **J_Cauthen** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:46 pm

Zeppo wrote:I hate to say it, but if we don't get at least eight or nine racers, there's no point in running a long race. If need be, we can postpone to next week and run some short races poker night style tonight. I'd probably make the room public if there are only three or four of us.

Sounds totally rational to me Zeppo.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:30 am

Sorry folks. I just wasn't feeling much like running a long race with only six cars, and after what happened to J Cauthen at Brands, I wasn't about to start qualifying without being sure everyone was truly ready. The only way the host can tell is by hearing people sound off and seeing that box go green in the timing list.

We did have a few fun short races, though.

Maybe we can get this race done next week. It seems like we may have lost that critical number of interested people to do the longs races, though. Is Momday not a good night for people? I could probably do most Tuesdays, but Wednesdays would be very spotty for me.

mixdj1 · Post by **mixdj1** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:47 am

Sorry I didn't make it last night. I was feeling pretty crappy and fell asleep on the couch. I definitely plan to show up next time.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:05 pm

Ugh. At the office till 1130 causing me to miss out on both Flyers-Devils and racing.

FYI, changing the day of the week is irrelevant to me. Monday is no better or worse than other nights. I know I am quite flaky at making these things, but I would still love to play with you guys whenever I get the chance.

spooky157 · Post by **spooky157** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:53 pm

Mondays are much better for me than Wednesdays but these last 2 weeks have been real bad for me. I hope everyone is still into this league idea. I'm looking forward to the GT series.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:16 pm

spooky157 wrote:I hope everyone is still into this league idea. I'm looking forward to the GT series.

I hope so too. Its too much fun when it works.

Though zep has me a little scared of practice

J_Cauthen · Post by **J_Cauthen** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:13 pm

I was in the room last night, but apparently no one could hear me. Zeppo, I know that you weren't even sure I was in the room. Once we did start our short practice race, I noticed a little bit of warping. I couldn't help but wonder if the problem was on my end, given my audio problems.

I totally destroyed my car early in the race and had some serious steering problems after my second wreck. I thought I had gotten over being intimidated by Pau, but I guess the pressure of live competition made my push beyond my ability.

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:24 pm

J_Cauthen wrote:I was in the room last night, but apparently no one could hear me. Zeppo, I know that you weren't even sure I was in the room. Once we did start our short practice race, I noticed a little bit of warping. I couldn't help but wonder if the problem was on my end, given my audio problems.

I totally destroyed my car early in the race and had some serious steering problems after my second wreck. I thought I had gotten over being intimidated by Pau, but I guess the pressure of live competition made my push beyond my ability.

Sorry to comment on this a bit late but I did notice some serious warping around with your car J. It was the main reason why we kept colliding (the minor reason being that I can't drive) as I just couldn't figure out how to get around you. Hopefully this isn't the case next week for yah. There was some decent racing there for awhile