SNAIL Michelin Pilot Challenge 2024, "PS5 Users Only", GS/GT4 Monthly Series on Friday Nights 9pm EST, **Recruiting New Drivers**Open 

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2024 Michelin Pilot Challenge - Presented by SNAIL
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Event #5 / Race #1 Recap

Event #5 - Nurburgring GP
Friday March 7, 2025

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Preamble:

It was a short 2-week turnaround between the events at Mount Panorama and at the Nurburgring GP. I came into the event unsure how prepare I was and was still experimenting with a a few things on the car the day before the race.

The changes to the grid are as follows:

Qualifying Table:
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Drivers put down some really quick laps in Qualifying with 6 of them getting into the 2:03, including 4 McLarens. But it was @Bologna_Duc 's Corvette that claim pole in this event by edging out @JDMKING13 's McLaren by less than 1/10th of a second. For a few minutes, I thought I might put myself on the front row but @bublyman bumped me out by a mere 0.004.

Chevrolet / @Bologna_Duc become the 1st manufacturer / driver to claim 2 poles this season. McLaren, AMG and BMW each have 1.

Event #5 / Race #1:

LAP #1:
It's lights out at a very overcast Nurburgring. It'll be @Bologna_Duc and @JDMKING13 on the first row and the McLaren's of @bublyman and @Buffalo_DRD on the 2nd row. It's full throttle to the very dangerous Turn 1.
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@Bologna_Duc gets off quick and maintains his 1st position. By turn 1, he's completely surrounded by McLaren's as he tried to create a little space for himself. A few small bumps but we did pretty good as a group in making sure we all got away cleanly through this very tight corner.

LAP #1:
Everybody is trying to get themselves into the best possible position as we settle into this race. @DublDee , @radliffracing and @socalnatv are currently 7th, 8th and 9th and are going 3-wide at the start of sector #2. @DublDee is in a tight spot and his right wheels aren't on asphalt therefore putting him in a vulnerable spot.
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LAP#1:
By the next corner, @bublyman is already applying intense pressure on @Bologna_Duc . And in the background we see @DublDee head off the track for a spin that would drop him from 7th to 16th.
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LAP #1:
Still on lap #1, as we all make our way through the chicane the first time around, it was @Buffalo_DRD 's turn to make a critical error. I was feeling early nerves and clean pressure by @llNovall but a lack of concentration did me in here. Not once in my practices leading up to the race did I spin out here. Too eager on the throttle, lesson learned. I would drop from 5th to 14th position. @llNovall moves into the top 5.
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Lap #3 - Lead Change:
@Bologna_Duc does well defending a relentless @bublyman for the first few laps. However @bublyman manages to get by him at the hairpin of lap #3. At this point of the race, @JDMKING13 is in 3rd , @Noob01_lmdead in 4th, @llNovall in 5th and just behind him is @socalnatv in 6th.
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LAP #3:
And so the hunted becomes the hunter. Just as @Bologna_Duc felt the early pressure from @bublyman , the roles are reversed and it's now his turn to give chase to @bublyman. Just prior, @Noob01_lmdead managed to pull ahead of @JDMKING13 and into 3rd.
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Lap #5:
As I review the replay, 1/3 through the race, it seems that asides from the battle between @bublyman and @Bologna_Duc at the front, most cars have a little separation of about 1.5 seconds between them. The only other close racing is between @llNovall , @JDMKING13 and @socalnatv battling for 4th position currently held by @llNovall .
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LAP #7:
At the 2nd half of the grid, @Dragonwhisky is in 9th being chased by @Fudman420 , @Worst_Driver and @Buffalo_DRD . We ran in this order forever it seems. I couldn't quite pull in @Worst_Driver. @Worst_Driver managed to get right on @Fudman420 a few times but couldn't overtake him. @Dragonwhisky was stringing together some consistent, mistake free laps.
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LAP #10:
This pic from Lap 10 gives a perspective on the spacing of the cars. After losing his lead back on Lap 3, @Bologna_Duc is still fully engaged with @bublyman exiting the hairpin. And on the right, entering the hairpin, @llNovall has been asking (and getting) a lot out of his BMW. He managed to catch up with @Noob01_lmdead currently in 3rd. @socalnatv is riding in 5th a little further back.
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LAP #11:
Towards the back of the grid, @cesarr64 was running in 14th position when we went too deep into the sand which allowed @DublDee to take the position.
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Lap #13:
With a little over a lap to go, the grid is still pretty spaced out. But at the very front, (somewhat visible in this pic) @Bologna_Duc is still making @bublyman work pretty hard to keep his lead and @llNovall has not yet given up on trying to get himself on the podium. This has been a pretty hot battle and @Noob01_lmdead has been up to the challenge. On a side note, as soon as our event is complete here at the Nurburgring, track staff will need to replace this post at the chicane because it took a massive amount of abuse Friday night.
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LAP #14:
@bublyman sees the checkered flag and can finally take a deep breath. @Bologna_Duc applied a ton of pressure for 11 straight laps and was in a position to reclaim the lead with the slightest of mistakes by @bublyman .

@Noob01_lmdead managed to hold off @llNovall 's lengthy assault on him to finish 3rd and will join them on the podium. @llNovall and @socalnatv fill up the top 5 positions.
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Final Event #5 / Race #1 Results Table:
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Event #5 / Race #1 Broadcast:


Driver of the Race Award:
As I review the replay a few times to pull pictures and to record the broadcast, things stand out to me so I give a shout-out to the following drivers for their performance in Event #5 / Race #1:
  • @bublyman - I have to go with @bublyman for this one. @Bologna_Duc dialed up some intense pressure for 11 straight laps. So much that @bublyman needed to record the fastest lap of the race on lap 13 to fend him off.
Honorable mention to @Noob01_lmdead for the same reason. It's always easier chasing somebody than being chased so managing the lengthy attack by @llNovall shows the time you've spent in practice lobbies leading up to the race paid off.

Final Thoughts:
  • Some pictures might appear dark and I didn't want to over-expose them. It's always better to view them on tablet or PC if one is available.
  • With his win, @bublyman joins @Worst_Driver as the only drivers to win 2 races in this years series.
  • It's McLaren's 3rd win of the season (@JDMKING13 / @bublyman x2). Aston Martin (@Worst_Driver x2) and AMG (@DublDee / @THMP ) each have each have 2 wins while Chevrolet (@Bologna_Duc ) and BMW (@llNovall ) each have 1.
  • Shameless plug for the Snail's Sunday Night SPEC League. While I missed yesterday's action, it looks like there were 11 drivers in D1 and a further 9 in D2. Come join us.
That's how I interpreted Event #5 / Race #1.

DRD_Niagara
Director of Media Relations
 
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Hey folks, not sure if you guys were already aware but IMSA is actually showing today's race live on youtube for US viewers:



 
Last edited:
Hey folks, not sure if you guys were already aware but IMSA is actually showing today's race live on youtube for US viewers:




We need to get Sebring on GT7. So suprised it hasnt made it to the title with Daytona and Road Atlanta, and the IMSA relationship.
 
Does anyone watch Australian Supercar racing? Has @MrDonovan ever been?

The last 4 laps of this race are worth watching all the way thru (starting at 11:35mark). Some amazing racing and race craft including the "redress" incident. As I understand it this redress process is similar to what F1 now does where they give teams the chance to make a concession before the stewards step in and assess a penalty. Worth watching all the way to the finish.


Jumped on here today to mention the same thing - omfg the Supercars racing has been excellent this season👌👌

The last few years it’s often been a procession, but this year the cars are close, the stewards are just letting the boys race, and the door to door racing is so good!

They’re doing four sprint races to support the F1 this weekend - the first one in Thursday was phenomenal ❤️

Do yourself a favor, keep up with the series this year 👌👌
 
Unfortunately this series has synced with my Surf Life Saving roster this season, so I won’t be at the next round either 🥲

Have fun crew 🤙🐬
 
Does anyone watch Australian Supercar racing? Has @MrDonovan ever been?

The last 4 laps of this race are worth watching all the way thru (starting at 11:35mark). Some amazing racing and race craft including the "redress" incident. As I understand it this redress process is similar to what F1 now does where they give teams the chance to make a concession before the stewards step in and assess a penalty. Worth watching all the way to the finish.


I should also mention, I’m lucky enough to live 15min from this track.

They’ve recently started road car Track Nights. I’m definitely taking Mixi for some laps under lights 👌👌
 

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