Wed 20:30-21:30 UK Time - CLOSED - Suspended until further noticePS4

[Sick Cylinder]

Important Changes for new series:
Manual Pit Stops - take extra care when entering and leaving the pits
Note - No compulsory pit stop in this series
Tyre Wear - Authentic
Qualification - Reduced to 15 minutes

Dear Racers - in the new series we are reliving the year 1968 when Frank Gardner won the BSCC (British Saloon Car Championship) driving a Mark One Ford Escort Twin Cam for the Alan Mann Team in their famous red and gold colours.

Star drivers @AndreasR (SimbaLora) and @rj5992 will be in Alan Mann replica Escorts. They and the other Star drivers (Pro+ and Pro) will endeavour to triumph over the Amateur drivers (Am+ and Am) who will use the more powerful, but less nimble 1966 Mustang.

Note if any Am+ or Am driver does not have the Mustang (DLC Fun Pack) they should compete in an Escort - please notify me (Sick Cylinder) so that I can assign a race number from the bottom of the table.

In 1968 the BSCC was split into 4 classes: under 1 litre (A), Up to 1300cc (B), Up to 2 litres (C) and over 2 litres (D). Australian Driver Frank Gardner won the BSCC driving a 1594cc Ford FVA powered Escort Mark One with 210bhp. He dominated class C and even scored several overall victories, using his great skill and the nimble handling of his Escort to beat the class D Ford Falcon's which had more than double the power. (Note we are using the Mustang as a substitute for the Falcon as this is not in the game. The Falcon became the dominant class D car in Britain because it was allowed to race at a lighter weight than the mechanically similar Mustang - in fact, so light that it was nicknamed "The Plastic Bomb".

Note 1968 was Frank Gardner's second BSCC title - his first was in 1967 driving a Falcon. After Ford withdrew from racing, Frank switched to a Chevrolet Camaro and took a third BSCC title in 1973. His other titles include European Formula 5000 Champion 1972 and Australian Sports Sedan Champion 1977.

Below - 1966 BSCC Champion John Fitzpatrick shows how to drive a Ford Escort!



Below Part One of Touring Car Legends originally broadcast on ITV4 in 2014 - sadly many of the older legends interviewed have since passed away. It provides a good introduction to BSCC (BTCC) racing. Parts 2 and 3 on the Monday thread.

 

[John Wells]

Harsk has the dlc now, Sick.

 

[upuaut]

Important Changes for new series:
Manual Pit Stops - take extra care when entering and leaving the pits
Note - No compulsory pit stop in this series
Tyre Wear - Authentic
Qualification - Reduced to 15 minutes

Manual Pit Stops - 👍
No compulsory pit stop in this series -
Tyre Wear - Authentic - 👍
Qualification - Reduced to 15 minutes - If Q are reduced, so race can be extended to ~45

 

[IfAndOr]

No compulsory pit stop in this series -

That's only because the series that are currently being replicated didn't have compulsory pit stops. I expect they'll return.
You can always stop if you want to.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

Qualification - Reduced to 15 minutes - If Q are reduced, so race can be extended to ~45

Recently we have been over running our 1 hour target with 20 minutes qualification and 30 minutes race. It should be easier to keep the meeting length down to one hour with a reduction to 15 minutes qualification.

I know some of the good drivers like long races, but for others it is difficult to maintain concentration - I think 30 minutes remains a good compromise.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

Harsk has the dlc now, Sick.

Is that correct @Harsk100 ?

 

[John Wells]

Is that correct @Harsk100 ?

I'm sure he said PSN group chat Sick.

Harsk have you got DLC?

 

[Harsk100]

I'm sure he said PSN group chat Sick.

Harsk have you got DLC?

I'm not sure now.

Unfortunately, I was doing a personal task and I had run out of time. So, I could not join you guys today. I'm very sorry!

 

[IfAndOr]

Well that's cleared that up then.

 

[slthree]

Question for the experts:

Is it normal to drift in the Mustang?

I was practicing and I noticed that I was sliding out a lot on two or three of the turns. It wasn't completely sliding off the track. It was more like drifting, although I wasn't doing it intentionally since I don't know how to drift.

So, I'm wondering if this is normal for this car or if I'm doing something wrong.

BTW, thank you @Sick Cylinder for introducing me to cars I wouldn't normally drive. This Mustang brings me waaaaaay back, lots of good memories!

 

[IfAndOr]

Is it normal to drift in the Mustang?

It probably is a bit of a wilder ride. It'll go fast on the straights though.

Have you tried the stable setting at all? Might help to stop reduce the slides.

 

[slthree]

Stable did help some. I may be the problem as I'm likely braking too late.

But, darn, the car feels so good.

I'll practice more so I don't embarrass myself

EDIT: do you think downshifting to 2nd gear when I could come off throttle in 3rd could be contributing to the drifting?

 

[IfAndOr]

do you think downshifting to 2nd gear when I could come off throttle in 3rd could be contributing to the drifting?

Could well be, it probably won't help anyway. It's a big torquey engine, leave it in a higher gear and let it do its thing. Let the Escorts do all the shifting.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

Do you think downshifting to 2nd gear when I could come off throttle in 3rd could be contributing to the drifting?

Don't change down gears on the Mustang until the revs have fallen a lot i.e. at the end of the braking zone - this will help prevent excessive engine braking. It steers with the brakes and throttle - brake to initiate the turn then back on the power very early to continue / finish the turn - very easy to say, but hard to be consistent and difficult to time the braking, turn in and throttle at the hairpin.

A wonderful car - well worth the price of the Fun Pack just for that one car!

 

[Tavilha]

The Mustang will only turn decently if you drift it. But beware of tyre temps... if you overdo it, it'll prance, kick and stomp you to death. If you have good throttle control, you can use lower gears and higher revs, where the NA engines have the most power.

On another note, I have to say I took on a new challenge on pcars 2. Sadly, it's exactly at the same time as Sick's races - wednesdays at 8:30pm... I'm sorry for the late notice, but I'll be away for a few weeks.
If you still have a place (regular or reserve) upon my return in mid november, I'll be glad to join the grid again, as this is a wonderful group of people that come together around cars and racing games.

Cheers!

 

[Sick Cylinder]

On another note, I have to say I took on a new challenge on pcars 2. Sadly, it's exactly at the same time as Sick's races - wednesdays at 8:30pm... I'm sorry for the late notice, but I'll be away for a few weeks.

If you still have a place (regular or reserve) upon my return in mid november, I'll be glad to join the grid again, as this is a wonderful group of people that come together around cars and racing games.

Cheers!

There will be a place for you @Tavilha

As a result of the absence of Tavilha from the series and the importance of having Alan Mann Team lookalike Escorts on the grid - please could @rj5992 use Escort number 74. I am moving @RagingBullLC to Escort number 15.

@Harsk100 I understand that you have the DLC now - if so please use Mustang number 3. If you haven't got this car, please use Escort number 48.

Revised blank points table below:

Note - due to a strange game design choice by SMS @IanBell when we race multi-class online the game puts the Escorts behind the Mustangs even though the fastest Escort Drivers will achieve the fastest lap times.

 

[IfAndOr]

the game puts the Escorts behind the Mustangs

Even more short track action then. Don't go letting those Escorts through.

I've tried both cars and I was around 3 to 4 seconds slower in the Escort. So it should be quite interesting tonight! Hopefully a bit of a mix of cars and abilities in the finishing results.

On another note, I have to say I took on a new challenge on pcars 2

Is that what I was watching on your stream last week with the NSX? Looked quite exciting. Good luck. 👍

 

[IBZ6L20VT]

Sad to see you leaving temporarily @Tavilha.

It won’t be the same without you.

 

[Harsk100]

I don't have DLC unfortunately, so I will be using Ford Escort #48 instead.

 

[AndreasR]

inofficial results from Brands Hatch Indy (Round 1)

 

[Sick Cylinder]

 

[WiSchmo]

I thinks it's great that we have an updated table after every race now, @Sick Cylinder

But what exactly do the P, C and O columns stand for?

 

[rj5992]

P, C and O

I think it's Points, Classification within class and Overall classification. Looks like that to me anyway.

 

[upuaut]

I thinks it's great that we have an updated table after every race now, @Sick Cylinder

But what exactly do the P, C and O columns stand for?

O - your overal position after race
C - your position in your class
P - points

 

[rj5992]

Just noticed the last race in the table. Are we able to run more than 6 cars at Lydden Hill?

 

[slthree]

@rj5992 This is my official apology for the incident on lap 20

I'm glad I waited until I could see the replay before saying anything because, at first, I thought you wrecked me. But, my lack of experience showed before and I wasn't making the same mistake.

You had a beautiful inside line on that tough uphill right hand turn just before the straight. I was outside and I just kept turning down to the right, like a magnet in your car was pulling me toward you. I then wrecked us.

I apologise for not holding my line wide. Lesson hopefully learned by me.

@Napalm_LT I believe this was my problem with you. When you had what appeared to be a clear passing opportunity, I changed my line and on you. So, contact was my fault

EDIT: One other thing @rj5992 Because of your experience, you likely knew, without ever having to watch the replay, that it was my fault we wrecked. You never said a single thing in our PS messaging to call me out for that. Thank you for being classy and that is another lesson I take away from this race.

 

[WiSchmo]

As usual, here is yesterday's replay from my cockpit:



Oh boy, what a struggle! I always wondered what it feels like to drive a 2019 Williams F1 car? Now I know! I expected that this will be a tough one from the get go, and so it proved.

I qualify 6th in my group and 13th overall. Qualifying leaves me bewildered how I'm supposed to match the the Mustang's pace, but other people are doing it, so it must be possible. At the start, @upuaut, who didn't know about Monday's first corner controversy, passes me into Druid's Bend. @Harsk100 says "Thank you very much!" and dives for the opening left by @upuaut's pass, but has to back off into Graham Hill Bend to avoid a collision. He gets a better exit out of the corner, though, and puts his car next to mine on the back straight. I ride the curb hard into Surtees to leave him racing room, which results in a near spin. But it's not all bad: Various other drivers want to test the offroad abilities of their cars, so I end the 1st lap actually gaining a position.
On the 2nd lap, I'm so focused on defending my position from a charging @RagingBullLC () that I almost run into the back of @rj5992. Close call, this one! Watching you throwing your Escort into Druids Bend on the next lap, @rj5992, I now realize what you mean by "Hopes and Prayers (and a massive dab of brakes on corner entry to swing the back end out)"
Thanks to a slow down penalty, @IBZ6L20VT is right on my tail and gets much better traction for the main straight at the end of lap 3. I know the position is lost and stay to the right side of the track to at least make him go the long way round. He doesn't want to, comes close, closer, too close. I barely register the contact, if there is any, but see him spinning wildly in my mirror.
At the end of lap 6, @Harsk100 decides the track needs a little redecorating and drags a commercial board with him for a couple of meters. This allows me to catch up and chase him for a little bit, until two laps later, he suddenly decelerates on the back straight (a slow down penalty probably). This totally catches me out and I slam into the back of him hard. Watch me jerk my steering wheel to the left and almost avoid the collision! We continue our cat and mouse game some more, now with me being chased. Kudos to @Harsk100 for some great racing: I think he was faster then me but waited for a mistake, which I duly make when I run wide coming out of Clark Curve on lap 14.
Having nobody around me anymore, I enjoy the backs of many Mustangs (and some other Escorts, I have to admit) and repeat my Clark Curve mistake a couple more times, during one of which @John Wells slips by. At the beginning of lap 25, I let @Oldbass47 pass through. He's being chased hard by @IBZ6L20VT and @rj5992, like an elephant by a pack of hungry hyenas.
Another big moment happens just at the 1min mark: @slthree has an argument with his throttle pedal, and his Mustangs swerves madly left and right coming out of Clark Curve, indicating the pedal might be winning. Our paths cross and his car is catapulted over the track, flipping and spinning like a figure skater. I'm mighty impressed by the power that rests somewhere deep inside my little Escort and hope I can channel some of it onto forward motion to be a little faster in the next race

Special treat: At the end of lap 11, race leader @Don Mejillone is lapping @Harsk100 and me on the main straight. Just watch how much more speed he has! We are like cones on an obstacle course!

 

[slthree]

Another big moment happens just at the 1min mark: @slthree has an argument with his throttle pedal, and his Mustangs swerves madly left and right coming out of Clark Curve, indicating the pedal might be winning. Our paths cross and his car is catapulted over the track, flipping and spinning like a figure skater.

This is fantastic, Willi! Quite clever. I was like a turtle upside down on its shell. Sinking feeling, indeed!

I'm mighty impressed by the power that rests somewhere deep inside my little Escort

You guys should feel honored that you are SO fast, Sick knew you would still dominate in that car.

It was refreshing to see the field so spread out because of the multi-class nature. I really enjoyed racing near and seeing the fact guys later in the race. Because I am so slow, I never get to see you guys on track after the first lap.

I hope there's more of this to come.

 

[rj5992]

One other thing @rj5992 Because of your experience, you likely knew, without ever having to watch the replay, that it was my fault we wrecked. You never said a single thing in our PS messaging to call me out for that. Thank you for being classy and that is another lesson I take away from this race.

Haha yeah, I remember seeing your back end step out when I was at your 3/4 and was hoping you could catch it in time. Don't worry about it, these things happen! I especially didn't mind as it put me back on the same stretch of tarmac as @IBZ6L20VT after his earlier incidents so cancelled out his misfortune.

Watching you throwing your Escort into Druids Bend on the next lap, @rj5992, I now realize what you mean by "Hopes and Prayers (and a massive dab of brakes on corner entry to swing the back end out)"

Great write up as ever! Haha that was a bit more than I intended to be honest. Wanted to make sure I got past both you and your turn in point under braking so that I was visible to you and that didn't leave much room to make the corner! You can see how it compromised my exit on your video.

 

[IfAndOr]

I got past both you and your turn in point under braking so that I was visible to you and that didn't leave much room to make the corner!

I saw that on Willi's stream, nicely done. 👍


I also saw this.

(Harsk) suddenly decelerates on the back straight (a slow down penalty probably) I slam into the back of him hard..

Watching for a while I've got to say the track limit penalties spoiled it considerably. You don't know if you're slowing down enough to loose them or if anyone else it trying to do the same thing. Which I'd agree was the cause of your accident.