Just a quick note guys... I appreciate the photos, but if you're going to post them here can you keep them to a maximum width of 600 pixels please.
First things first I wanted to address the crash at turn one. Obviously there is a bit of confusion as two different people have two different takes on the same incident. I say takes, they seem to have two completely different replays too.
Anyway, this is how I saw it.
First off, this is the rough braking marker for turn one from the grid. Bear in mind I started from the first row. I also made the apex of turn one. Crispy hasnt started to brake yet as you can see, and he went slightly deep in the first corner:
Dhandes, you started farther away from turn one, eigth on the grid. You also had a tow from the cars infront, and this is where your brake lights came on. I noted that on the brake indicator no brake force had been applied yet. At this point you were literally overcoming the deadzone. You were a car length ahead of the braking point, and it was probably a car length or two later where and significant braking force came into effect.
I also noticed that both Rotorist and Burr hit the brakes at almost the same spot. They both overshot the first turn but were out wide so didnt make any contact. Meanwhile, Sparky made a poor start and was way way back when the accident happened. I took a shot of his car at the moment Dhandes inpacted ChaCha.
Also, since Dhandes showed Sparky had received damage, I followed him around the lap. I didnt notice any noticable lag whist doing so, and I expected him to pit.. which he didnt
And nor did he on lap two
So in conclusion, from my perspective there was definitely some kind of lag involved. The actual replay showed although Dhandes braked too late, his car slowed down much much quicker than should be physically possible. Shortly after his car lagged into ChaCha. Sparky however never came close. But none of these things are in any way conclusive.
I cant make any ruling either way obviously. Dhandes replay is clear to see as is mine and a few peoples I asked for a second opinion. I cant be sure who was at fault, so no action will be taken.
One thing that is consistant through all of the race incidents is,.. well, Dhandes. I'm not for one second implying that its any way your fault, but I have to start considering the possibility that its actually you who is experiencing, or creating lag.
The only thing I can suggest is to check and re check your connection. Make sure no one else in the house is using the internet during races, place your PS3 in a DMZ or port forward for GT. Make sure you use an ethernet cable, reset your modem before coming online, clear cache... anything. Everything! Just be 100% sure your connection is the best you can get. 👍
Right, I put together a few photos this week. I enjoyed the combo so much I thought it approprite. Loving the 350zRS. Will definitely be revisiting this car so you can all look forward to that.
Ooh one thing before I go into the race report: Congratulations to
Crispy for his first overall series win 👍 He's been on the podium a few times and was probably worried he was always going to be the brides maid
Well done mate. Second place was a tie between myself and Paganis. Obviously being the series host I gave myself second!
Haha! Only joking. Traditionally the decision goes to whoever had the most race wins. Neither of us won a race so I went with the margain at which we lost.
Follow? lol. When I came second I was 6seconds behind the leader. When Paganis came second he was 13seconds behind the leader. Thus I performed slightly better.
Subsequent draws in points will follow this model.
Anyway FUJI!!!!
Yep Fuji. I love Fuji. Fuji Fuji Fuji
I was really looking forward to racing here. To be honest its one of the very few occasions I've been here since prologue. Very fast circuit requiring immense amounts of concentration. The race started off great from where I was. Starting second on the grid I made a decent start and held my nerve to the first apex. Right on the back of Douqa I was hastling him straight out of the trap. We jostled for a few laps and I knew it was going to be a good race.
We were tightly grouped at the front and the competition was fierce. I was driving on the edge to try and break away
It was only the first few laps but mistakes were starting to creep in already. Fuji is a hard mistress
I think it was lap 4 when I had a MASSIVE off! Huge i tell ya!! Did a full 360 totally out of control and almost ended up in the wall. Thankfully I managed to downshift and regain traction. Just!
It left me having to make up time and push hard. Put in some great laps to be fair. I think by the end of the race I'd acheived the fastest lap of 1'43.038. Properly chuffed with that. I was also happy to see I wasnt the only one making mistakes
It allowed me to catch up again, and also take oppertunity of the rare occasion of driving through smoke
A few laps on we started to encounter backmarkers. Douqa and Crispy who were a little ways ahead seemed to get through with no problem. I however got stuck behind Burr who re entered the track and almost collected me. He managed to swerve around the track in the slowest complex costing me valuable seconds. It did give me a chance to do my favourite thing and flash the high beams though
Since I'd lost time I decided to pit
I came out with CaptainD close behind so I gave it the beans. I was managing to close the gap slightly to the leaders but realisticly I didnt think I could get any higher than 3rd. Then this happened!!!!
In this photo I have actually captured the exaxt moment of cat attack. Or as I like to call it, racing drivers excuse!!
I pounced on the oppertunity (pun definetely intended) and dove into battle with Crispy
We were 2 laps away from the finish and neither of us wanted to give up that second place. A great battle ensued with clean close racing. On the final lap we were closing on traffic fast!! I thought it would be a hinderence but it actually helped my cause. On exiting the final corner of the race Crispy was close! But Burr was just ahead and he unwittingly dragged me to my second place. Crispy missed out on second by just .05 of a second!
Up next was Daytona. Another favourite from prologue I was looking forward to it immensly! I put in a few practice laps and the leaderboard told me I had pole. Imagine my surprise when I started the race and my car was sitting in last!
I didnt want to restart incase it messed up the grid even more. Instead I just put my head down and started to make up positions. I took 3 guys out of my grid box and the leaders were tantilisingly close
I managed to keep up progress through the field and rounding the corner to start lap 2 I'd slipstreamed past Burr and was aiming for Captain D
Captain D and I had a great battle. 7 laps of clean close racing at full speed. I was having a whale of a time. I'd put one up the inside
Next lap I'd put one round the outside
I even stuck one on him through the bus stop
There were a few hairy moments mind. Coming into turn one sideways isnt ideal for example!
But all the while, and even travelling at 175mph just inches apart, we never flinched
Soon enough we'd all but caught the lead pack and I could smell the exhaust fumes. And VICTORY!!!!!
But alas, on this fateful lap Captain D got his braking slightly wrong into the dreaded bus stop.
I was travelling much too fast and much too close to avoid the accident completely. And when Cap D bounced back over the track I had to take a avoiding action and take to the grass. Stranded out on the green stuff I watched the leaders pull out a lead. I did make some progress as I told you in an earlier post. But I was destined to come home in 5th
And there you have it. Another successful concours series. Thanks to all you guys who make it what it is 👍
Please check the opening post for new race schedules and race results
Haha!
I was fortunate enough to be just behind Captains D and R when they had the little incident at the bus stop. When I noticed that they both pitted, I figured either one of 2 things: they would have to pit again (making 2 stops) or they would finish on greasy wheels. So I tried to conserve tires for a few laps and stretched my first set to 15 laps. Knowing that I'm not quite as fast as either Captain, I figured the best I could do was make it a one stopper and then try to overtake at the end. It worked 
👍
; then to the pits; fell to 11th, akmuq dropped out and I managed to claw back to 8th of 10 cars running. 
)
It was a real shame as we were having an enjoyable, close battle and making advances on the leaders. The Concours racing is a great series, congratulations Captain!👍
