The Most Confusing Motor Racing Event of All Time

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Zolon32

Zolon32

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Zolon32
In days gone by the likes of Stirling Moss, Jim Clark etc raced for the love of racing, much as we do, but probably with a touch greater talent, if I'm honest.


They would knock off a saloon car race in the morning, take to the track for an F1 race in the afternoon, and test a LeMans prototype after tea. Then they'd do a rally next weekend. They raced everything, whenever the opportunity presented itself.





It is in this spirit that the group henceforth to be known as:


the People's Automotive Union for Leasure time fun


give you THE GREATEST MOTOR RACING EVENT OF ALL TIME! (probably).​





Starting on 24th October 2022 this is an eleven week race-fest (with two weeks off over Christmas) during which 22 categories of car are to be raced by two teams.




The format will be simple:



Twenty minutes of qualifying, during which the track conditions will continually improve. This will give everyone plenty of time to find a free space, and to battle against ever better lap times. The grid will be fluid until the last driver has crossed the line for the last time.


The race itself will last approximately twenty-five minutes.



The same procedure will take place for the second race, but with a different category of car.






HANDICAPPING.

Some categories will have only one type of machine available, others will have two or more.

Where there is more than one type, the team which is leading will be handicapped slightly, in that their highest scorer racing that week will be denied use of the fastest car available. If a team has more than 15% more points than the second team, then two of their drivers will be denied the use of the fastest car.






Eleven weeks of racing is quite a commitment, and there will be people who know that they will miss three or more meetings. If that is the case, then they are perfectly welcome to come along and race as a guest. Their presence won't have any effect on the scoring for those taking part in the competition proper.






Still reading? You'll want to know all about the first meeting then.








Monday 24th October 2022, 8:00pm BST.


Ginetta G40 Junior at Dubai National, followed by CanAm at Dubai GP.



The setting will be winter, and qualifying will start wet, drying out as the session progresses. Both races will be in fine, dry weather.





Monday 31st October, 8:00pm GMT.


Open wheeler week, with F5s, followed by Formula Renaults, at Silverstone GP.


The setting will spring, with an early, cloudy start for qualifying, but weather improving and time speeded up, to end the session considerably warmer than it begins. Both races will be in fine, dry weather.











Monday 7th November, 8:00pm GMT.


First of the handicap races. Group 5 cars, the Zakspeed Capri, and BMW 320, at Brno. Second race will be the C1s from Porsche and Sauber (Not LM/LH versions). Spring, heavy cloud, overcast, light cloud, clear.




​
Monday 14th November, 8:00pm GMT.





It's road cars, groups B, then F. Porsche 911, Ford GT and Ferrari 458 in Gr B, and Honda and Renault in Gr F. Road cars need road, so this event will take place in sunny old Scotland. The setting will be summer, but with a damp start to qualifying in both classes.







Monday 21st November, 8:00pm GMT.


We're off across the water to Road America. A tricky circuit that flows once you get it, but isn't at all easy to get. The cars will be the Porsche 908 and Lotus 40 from Vintage Proto B, followed by the V8 Supercars.


It will be summer, but with a cool start to both qualifying sessions.







Monday 28th November, 8:00pm GMT.


Oulton Park International (even though it's all in England!?), early Autumn, with the Aston and Mustangs (you can use either) from Gt 4, followed by BMW 2002 Stanceworks. Again, a cool start to qualifying, and the race will be overcast.

There is no handicap car in either race, so you can use any one of the three cars in the first race, and everyone will be in the Stanceworks for the second.


​


Monday 5th December, 8:00pm GMT.


First race has no handicap car; it's a straight battle in the GTO Lamborghini around Sonoma National. It will be summer, but bizarrely, it will snow at the beginning of the second qualifying session, and race, which are for the Audi and Renault from Gr B.

For that second race the start will be rolling, due to the fact that we have one 4WD and one 2WD.

Now, I've just got to try to sort out which one is the quickest handicap car.






​
Monday 12th December, 8:00pm GMT.


It's Spa time. Not a relaxing soak, or a sweat in a sauna, but a wonderful blast around the sweeping, undulating ribbon in Belgium. It'll be summer, but with a wet start to qualifying for the first race, which will involve The Lotus 49C from 1970 (handicap car), and Lotus 72D, from 1972, both of which are to be found in the Vintage F1 C category.


The second race, for which it will be dry throughout, including qualification, features the Gr6 cars, with the Alpine being the handicap motor. Those in the top three may use only it, everyone else has the choice as to which Gr6 car they want.







Monday 19th December, 8:00pm GMT.


It's winter in Japan, at Sakkito, but it will be completely dry. In the first race, on the GP version of the circuit,you will have your pick from the full LMP2 list. Fabulous motors, fabulous track.


Second race will be at the same place, but the very different experience of thrashing the Clio Cup cars around the Sakkito National circuit.






CHRISTMAS!






Monday 9th January 2023 (might change), 8:00pm GMT.


Welcome back, to the Willow Springs raceway, where we'll be chasing around in the Renault Megane Trophy, and the wonderful Mercedes from Vintage Touring D. It will be Autumn, and quite cloudy, but dry.​







Monday 16th January 2023, 8:00pm GMT.


Mugello, in the summer. But what's this? It's snowing! Good job we will have the splendid WRX cars, Ford Focus and Citroen DS3 to deal with the slippery conditions. And, finally... Hopefully the handicap has kept things alive until the last of 22 races, when we will battle it out in the amazing BMW 320 Touring Car. Dry conditions, clear skies... let battle commence.







So, folks, don't be shy, if you don't think you can make it for at least eight meetings, go right ahead and put your name down as a casual. If you do think you can make it for at least eight meetings, then put your name into the hat, and wait with baited breath to see who you're teamed up with.​




Scoring will be 16 points for a win, 15 for second etc. Penalties and track limits will be on throughout. Tyre wear set to accelerated, fuel use on.


Starts will be standing, with the exception of the Group B race at Laguna, where the 2WD Maxi would be left on the line.








In almost all cases the cars are available with liveries which can be identified as being green, yellow, red or blue. One team will be asked to dress up in green/yellow and the other in red/blue. It will help when someone comes blasting up behind you.





So, that's just about it, I think. Over to you...



EDIT: T/C and ABS will be available, but that's it. No automatic tea-making machines in the car please...
 
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Signups:

Paul.
Hartur.
Half.
Don.
Reaggee.
Rich.
Duarte (Possible wildcard)
Mario (occasionally)
OldBass.
Zo.
 
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Zolon32
No automatic tea-making machines in the car please...
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Can I have a toaster? Although I suppose the crumbs could be a problem. And then there's the buttering to consider.

Some very interesting choices Mr Z.


Forewarned - My PS Plus runs out in early January. I'm hoping to probably renew it if there's a black Friday sale like last year. If it's still full price... hmm.
 
Hi Zolon,

I should be able to make at least 8 weeks, so please count me in!

I didn’t understand how handicaps will work, but I’m sure it will get clearer as we go week by week.

Just to confirm, the format each week will be quali - race - quali - race?
 
tal
I should be able to make at least 8 weeks, so please count me in!
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You are in Duarte. The handicap works by preventing the highest scoring driver of the highest scoring team from using the fastest car available in the race. For instance, in the Group 5 race, I believe the BMW will lap more quickly than the Capri. Therefore, if the yellow/green team are leading the competition when we get to that race, then the person who has scored most points for that team, among those who turn up at that meeting, won't be able to use the BMW.

If the team has more than 115% of the points the red/blue team have, then two drivers will be stuck with the Capri.

You are right about the Quali, race, quali, race thing.


half_sourly
I'm in.
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Cheers Half. I've printed your paddock pass.
 
Zolon32
Aargh, deepest apologies. I hate it when I do that!
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Heh, nice to know you still remember me, considering I've been away from the rig for a while!

This looks like a lot of fun! I hope I can make it (and probably will), but I'll let you know later on, just to be safe. If I can't commit, and if the grid doesn't fill up, I'll surely show up for a few wildcards!
 
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Re this new series, I'm going to need some information to get the scoreboards ready. Having teams complicates things a bit unless we decide beforehand how to deal with certain scenarios:
  • Do you want scoreboards for teams and individuals, or teams only?
    • If I understand the handicap system correctly, then only one driver of the leading team has to use a different car, so to determine who that is, I'd have to run individual scoreboards too, I think.
  • How do you want the team scores to work? Just the sum of the individual drivers' scores?
  • How many teams and who is in each team?
  • Have you decided what to do if someone from a team doesn't show for one night? Just nil for their contribution?
  • What if a driver drops out altogether?
  • If 'official' team drivers can't make it but others can, do we include them as straight subs (so I don't change names anywhere and the sub doesn't get an individual listing), or do we still just exclude the official driver and treat the sub as a non-scoring guest?

Then non-scoreboard stuff for my own understanding:
  • Presume handicapping will only start from week 2 and that week 1 will definitely be in the Ginetta G40 and CanAm?
  • Trust you will tell us somewhere before the next meeting which driver has the handicap and what car they have to use, and also what cars the rest of us have to use? I know you've listed cars but I don't know which you consider a handicap.
  • Presume if that handicapped driver does not turn up on the night (without prior warning) then the rest of the drivers stick to the cars you've allocated them? Else someone will have to drive in a car they didn't practice in.
 
Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned teams! They always add complications. :)


And could I perhaps suggest an addition @Zolon32? I know there will be 2 different cars, but to add an extra feature to one of the races perhaps there could be a compulsory pitstop (with everyone preferably leaving the strategy on default).
 
half_sourly
I'm going to need some information
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Information is my middle name Half. What the hell my parents were thinking of I don't know, but there you have it.

Scores for individuals and teams please.

Yep, team scores to be the sum of the team members. However, on some weeks not every racer from each team will score. That is, if we end up with seven members in each team, but only six from one team turn up on week two, while all seven turn up for the other team, then for that week only the first six home in the team with the extra racer score. The spare doesn't count. This principle will apply for each meeting.

There will be just two teams, with as many racers as we can in each. But not everyone has signed up yet, so the makeup of the teams might not be finalised until Monday.

If a driver drops out completely then that person's place will be filled by a theoretical driver, who will score the average score of the rest of the team. (Or perhaps a substitute if a suitable one is available, but we won't know that until it happens.)

People who aren't signed up to a team won't score. And they are not allowed to have any fun either.

half_sourly
non-scoreboard stuff
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The first two meetings have fixed cars, with no choice, hence no handicap.

I haven't declared which car is the handicap one for any of the meetings yet, because I'm not certain which are quicker. (i'm pretty confident that the Capri is slower than the BMW, but it's yet to be confirmed.)
I will make sure that any person who is going to be required to use the slower car knows of that requirement, and which car it relates to at the earliest opportunity, and in any case in plenty of time to practice.

The final point you raise is a good one (The rest are rubbish to be honest :)). When the driver, or drivers who are subject to the handicap for a particular team don't turn up, then the highest scoring driver(s) who do turn up must use the handicap car.


@tal @richroo (If you're in) @IfAndOr @Napalm_LT @Don Mejillone @Madbigdog

Please see replies to points raised by Half above.

Napalm_LT
it is not my favorite formate but I am inn.
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It's not your favourite format yet Napalm, but I hope you're going to love it. Welcome aboard.

See y'all on Monday. And don't worry about the CanAm, it's a pussycat.
 
Zolon32
who will score the average score of the rest of the team
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Hmmm. All fine (subject to trying it in practice) but don't like this part. It will interfere with automation in the calculations and require more manual input than I'm happy with. Can the replacement driver instead just take the place of the departing driver and score normally?
 
half_sourly
don't like this part.
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I don't want to cause you any undue grief Half. We'll cross this bridge when/if it arises. If a suitable substitute is at hand, then they can slip into place, if not, then the number of team members scoring at subsequent meetings will have to drop.
 
Hi Zolon, this is a very interesting concept. Although I am unable to join before the 3rd race (Nov 7th) and will most probably have to miss the Jan 2nd race, I hope to attend in all other racing mondays (if you have available grid spots). Cheers
 
IfAndOr
there could be a compulsory pitstop
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Sorry I missed this point earlier Paul. But I'm dismissing the idea anyway :) because I don't want anyone to fall foul of the underinflated tyre problem that seems to strike completely at random.

Hun200kmh
Hi Zolon, this is a very interesting concept. Although I am unable to join before the 3rd race (Nov 7th) and will most probably have to miss the Jan 2nd race, I hope to attend in all other racing mondays (if you have available grid spots). Cheers
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You know you'll be welcome any time you can make it Mario. I hope you're having a great time away.
 
@IfAndOr @richroo @tal @half_sourly @Don Mejillone @Napalm_LT @Hun200kmh @Madbigdog

Gents, this series has been giving me disturbed sleep. I'm troubled by issues relating to the "Teams" side of things. Getting the balance right, how it will pan out when people have to skip races and, finally, the fact that if there are two teams, then each of us is actually racing against only half the field. If the one in front, and the one behind are your team mates, then it would, for me, reduce the enjoyment. I guess I like doing battle.

So, like the UK government, I'm doing a 180 on that element of the series, and saying, it's every man (unless some of you are secretly girls) for himself.

Boy that's a weight off my shoulders.

The handicap will apply to the three drivers at the top of the standings.

Also, I'm planning on including a scheme which will minimise the losses suffered by people who have to skip the odd meeting. But I need to run that past the management before it's announced.


Have a good weekend y'all
 
Zolon32
So, like the UK government, I'm doing a 180 on that element of the series,
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Dear, oh Dear. I vote for a change of leadership. :lol:
Teams are highly taxing. It's difficult to find a triple lock that's suitable for any deficits.

Do we have a government at the moment, I loose track. I don't recognise any of the names anyway.
 
Napalm_LT
Is the a possibility to sort cars by class? I found Porsche only, what other are CanAm cars?
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Hi Napalm, you are right, there is only one CanAm car. For the first two meetings there is no choice of motor, we're all in the same ones. The first handicap meeting is at Brno on 7th November, with the Zakspeed Capri and the BMW 320 for the first race, then the Porsche and Sauber C1s in the second race. I haven't determined which of those will be denied to the fastest drivers yet, but will let people know as soon as I have.
 

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