SimHQ.com - Motorsports Zone: Feature: The Closing Duel

After watching the incredibly exciting conclusion to the race, I thought we needed to highlight the event within the event with a separate write-up. Here are the two drivers points-of-view of the closing laps. Neither Vikz or Gareth have read the other drivers comments prior to publication, so they are reading it for the first time the same as you. Thanks guys for capturing the moments so eloquently.

- "guod"

The Closing Laps
by Gareth "Goon" Evans

"guod" asked us to watch the last five laps again, and add some comments, but for me it was the events that lead up to the last five laps that made the race and added to the pressure!

I had reported back (after eating) a little early, because Thomas wasn't sure about taking a double stint late in the Swedish evening. So I took over with around 2 hours 30 minutes on the clock, thinking I'd get a quick double stint off and hand over to "SpyDoc" to finish the race. I set off (I think "Jer" was out in front at the time) and began circulating. It was pretty uneventful, and I pitted for fuel and tyres and set off for my second stint. It was during this stint that we were thinking there was a way we might finish ahead of Team No Clue Racing (Again, I can't remember if we were ahead at this time. The rest of the DimWits were on channel (Thomas, "SpyDoc", "RudeBoy" and "SteV8") and discussing what they thought Team No Clue might do (Talking whilst racing is surprisingly hard, and I had little input to this! I didn't care, I just wanted them to tell me what to do, and I'd do my best to perform!) Consensus was that "Jer" would pit again and they would do a driver swap.

"Jer" did indeed pit and hand over the car to Vikz. The chase continued. I can't remember the gap, but the others were discussing it and there was a slim chance we could stay ahead to the chequered flag. A slim chance.

The question was, where could we steal some time and stay ahead? We abandoned our driver swap, and I would start my third stint. We had an estimate of fuel burn over time, and someone stood by to tell me how much fuel to splash in to the tank to get to the end. The only other thing I could think of was to not change tyres (I had hards on the rear which were holding up quite well) and have more than a good chance of maintaining track position. At least we had the option of trying to keep Vikz behind us!

I've never changed pit strategy on the fly in rFactor, much less opted to leave the tyres on. So there was a frantic few laps of trying to work out how to do this in the pit menu, whilst still negotiating the banking at 200MPH! I managed it just in time, called that I was about to pit, and got a figure for the fuel volume to request. TeamSpeak was acting up, and my team found it hard to hear me, although I could hear them clearly. I was in no position to discuss the no tyre change, and did not want the others to take part of the blame if I stuck it in the wall.

The final pit stop

So, with half an hour to go, I pitted and sat there watching Vikz sail past. I zoomed back onto the race course again, having fuelled up to the finish in 14 seconds. I think one or two comments were made on TeamSpeak about the unexpected briefness of the stop, and once on the relative ease of the banking I told the team I had not changed the tyres. There was a back and forth trying to make out my flakey TeamSpeak...

"What did he say?"

"Not sure"

"I dunno, I think he said he didn't change the tyres"

**silence**

"Oh man! Go! Go!"

At least that's how I remember it, I was busy at the time!

Vikz stopped for fuel again not long after, and the indications from the team were that he had also changed tyres.

All the cards had now been laid on the table, we'd seen each others hand, and there was nothing else to do now but race to the end. The pressure was unbelievable. I hadn't raced online for months, and never on banking. As an added incentive, I was not racing just for myself, but bringing the conclusion to a great group effort. I could only hope I had the nerve to defend my position (firmly but fairly) and not end either of our team's race with a stupid mistake.

I daren't look at the display of the gap to Vikz. I daren't look at the display of the tyres. I daren't look at the display of the time remaining. I think I switched LCD mode to the the driver aids display and left it there.

The final 5 laps were about to begin.

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