- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
Vertex GT Sprint Series | Season Finished | Bambi, CWM, Mercedes-Benz crowned champions!
- Thread starter NoirAntares
- 224 comments
- 9,980 views
- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
Spotters guide time!
- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
ROUND 5 RACE REPORT
Bathurst is always quite the experience and this race is no exception to that. A tense qualifying saw two last minute swaps to the Racing: Soft tires for Noir and Affliction, the former getting pole before the latter stole it at the very last minute. This set the tone for the race as the top two cars were now stuck on the slower Racing: Medium tire while everyone else behind them still had the Softs available to them.
The early laps saw the whole field running in a train, with the midfield gradually branching out and separating themselves. There wasn't much action until the #99 of mikey, who started on Softs, started to make moves up the field, eventually finding his way up to 3rd. A few laps later, the two AMGs of Affliction and Bambi had an awkward moment into The Chase, resulting in damage for the #9 and giving the #99 the lead of the race.
Late in the race, Bambi, who had now switched to his set of Soft tires after the early damage, was now back in contention for the lead, chasing down race leader Mikey. The pursuit didn't last long, however, as Mikey suffered damage and had to pit to repairs, but not before a very awkward moment down the Conrod Straight between the pair. Filo, who started in 11th, had also made his way up the field and was challenging for a podium position. Noir, who had opted for the rare no-stop strategy, was holding down the fort in 3rd, trying to protect his podium position, which he eventually got promoted to 2nd after penalties were applied.
Incidents on track are a common thing in Bathurst, but for this race, it seemed to follow the Starscream Enterprises BMWs, both drivers incurring penalties from incidents around the kink at the end of Conrod and into The Chase. And to add to that, a strange event in the race involving network issues caused Fred to completely disappear from the viewpoints of several drivers, causing very tense moments when two drivers who could not see each other on their viewpoints to appear as if they were battling close for other drivers!
In the end, it was a great drive from the championship leader and Bathurst specialist Bambi, figuratively putting a hand on the Drivers Championship. On the Teams Championship side, it was Clockwork Motorsport who benefited from clean, solid drives from both drivers, earning themselves redemption from their messy race at Kyoto.
DRR_Affliction - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 9/24): 30s Time Penalty
TNR_FILO - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 11/24): 30s Time Penalty
Neuttyy - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 14/24): 30s Time Penalty
herimopp89 - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 10/24): 30s Time Penalty
Fred_dude - 10s Time Penalty
- Forcing the #32 off-track (Lap 19/24): 10s Time Penalty
Note: The #32 had an overlap on the outside going into the kink at the end of the Conrod Straight but the #11 didn't leave enough space, causing the two cars to touch and the #32 to lose control after getting on the grass on the outside and into the right side of the track. No damage to either car but the incident resulted in a significant time loss for the #32.
mikey_2412 - 40s Time Penalty + Warning
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 16/24): 30s Time Penalty
- Forcing the #13 off-track (Lap 20/24): 10s Time Penalty
- Illegal Blocking (Lap 19/24): Warning
Note 1: The #13 and #99 had gone into The Chase side by side, but the #13 was pushed out into the grass after the #99 took an unnecessarily wide line in defense. The move was deemed too aggressive, resulting in a penalty.
Note 2: A damaged #99 was caught by the #9 in the middle of Conrod Straight but the former made an abrupt move to the middle of the road while the latter was moving to pass on the right-hand side of the road, forcing the #9 to brake. However, the #99 did leave enough room on the inside going into The Chase that the #9 did not take advantage of. A warning is issued to the #99 to avoid any further incidents of blocking cars while driving a damaged car.
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 9/24): 30s Time Penalty
TNR_FILO - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 11/24): 30s Time Penalty
Neuttyy - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 14/24): 30s Time Penalty
herimopp89 - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 10/24): 30s Time Penalty
Fred_dude - 10s Time Penalty
- Forcing the #32 off-track (Lap 19/24): 10s Time Penalty
Note: The #32 had an overlap on the outside going into the kink at the end of the Conrod Straight but the #11 didn't leave enough space, causing the two cars to touch and the #32 to lose control after getting on the grass on the outside and into the right side of the track. No damage to either car but the incident resulted in a significant time loss for the #32.
mikey_2412 - 40s Time Penalty + Warning
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 16/24): 30s Time Penalty
- Forcing the #13 off-track (Lap 20/24): 10s Time Penalty
- Illegal Blocking (Lap 19/24): Warning
Note 1: The #13 and #99 had gone into The Chase side by side, but the #13 was pushed out into the grass after the #99 took an unnecessarily wide line in defense. The move was deemed too aggressive, resulting in a penalty.
Note 2: A damaged #99 was caught by the #9 in the middle of Conrod Straight but the former made an abrupt move to the middle of the road while the latter was moving to pass on the right-hand side of the road, forcing the #9 to brake. However, the #99 did leave enough room on the inside going into The Chase that the #9 did not take advantage of. A warning is issued to the #99 to avoid any further incidents of blocking cars while driving a damaged car.
Bathurst is always quite the experience and this race is no exception to that. A tense qualifying saw two last minute swaps to the Racing: Soft tires for Noir and Affliction, the former getting pole before the latter stole it at the very last minute. This set the tone for the race as the top two cars were now stuck on the slower Racing: Medium tire while everyone else behind them still had the Softs available to them.
The early laps saw the whole field running in a train, with the midfield gradually branching out and separating themselves. There wasn't much action until the #99 of mikey, who started on Softs, started to make moves up the field, eventually finding his way up to 3rd. A few laps later, the two AMGs of Affliction and Bambi had an awkward moment into The Chase, resulting in damage for the #9 and giving the #99 the lead of the race.
Late in the race, Bambi, who had now switched to his set of Soft tires after the early damage, was now back in contention for the lead, chasing down race leader Mikey. The pursuit didn't last long, however, as Mikey suffered damage and had to pit to repairs, but not before a very awkward moment down the Conrod Straight between the pair. Filo, who started in 11th, had also made his way up the field and was challenging for a podium position. Noir, who had opted for the rare no-stop strategy, was holding down the fort in 3rd, trying to protect his podium position, which he eventually got promoted to 2nd after penalties were applied.
Incidents on track are a common thing in Bathurst, but for this race, it seemed to follow the Starscream Enterprises BMWs, both drivers incurring penalties from incidents around the kink at the end of Conrod and into The Chase. And to add to that, a strange event in the race involving network issues caused Fred to completely disappear from the viewpoints of several drivers, causing very tense moments when two drivers who could not see each other on their viewpoints to appear as if they were battling close for other drivers!
In the end, it was a great drive from the championship leader and Bathurst specialist Bambi, figuratively putting a hand on the Drivers Championship. On the Teams Championship side, it was Clockwork Motorsport who benefited from clean, solid drives from both drivers, earning themselves redemption from their messy race at Kyoto.
- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
Five brilliant races in just under two months. I cannot even find the words to tell you all how grateful I am that you made this series what it is. This has been the most competitive, talented grid of drivers I've been around and I can't be happier. I'll save the longer speech for afterwards, you guys know what time it is.
One last race to end this season on a high, let's do this!
Reminder that we will be still be observing the new rules for calling out damage. Drivers will only allowed to type out "D" or any derivatives to indicate damage when they are involved with an accident with another car. Cars that call out "D" after a single car accident will be subject to review and possible penalties. The rules surrounding the start of an FCY remain unchanged, requiring at least 3 cars to have called out damage.
For all the drivers involved, please confirm your attendance using this form.
NOTE 1: ONLY CONFIRMATIONS THRU THE ENTRY FORM WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
NOTE 2: Full-time drivers confirming attendance take priority. In the case of a full-time driver confirming absence, their spot is given to whichever Reserve driver confirms the earliest.
One last race to end this season on a high, let's do this!
Reminder that we will be still be observing the new rules for calling out damage. Drivers will only allowed to type out "D" or any derivatives to indicate damage when they are involved with an accident with another car. Cars that call out "D" after a single car accident will be subject to review and possible penalties. The rules surrounding the start of an FCY remain unchanged, requiring at least 3 cars to have called out damage.
NOTE 1: ONLY CONFIRMATIONS THRU THE ENTRY FORM WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
NOTE 2: Full-time drivers confirming attendance take priority. In the case of a full-time driver confirming absence, their spot is given to whichever Reserve driver confirms the earliest.
- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
It's been a wonderful time making these, and I'm more than happy to bring to you all the spotters guide for the finale of the Vertex GT Sprint Series.
- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
ROUND 6 RACE REPORT
Coming into the finale at Suzuka, all championships were up for grabs. The Drivers Championship had Bambi coming in with a healthy lead over Affliction and Noir, who were the only ones mathematically in contention, CWM headed the Teams Championship but the other teams inside the top 4 all remained in contention, while the Manufacturers Championship pretty much came down to a final showdown between Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.
Having kept himself in contention with 3 poles but not a single win to his name, Noir looked to end the season on a high, taking pole position but directly ahead of both his championship rivals. The race began and the pace of the #26 in qualifying proved to be decisive even in the race, resisting an early attack from the #81 AMG before steadily increasing his lead, trying to make the most of his RS tires. Meanwhile, the Teams championship took a turn for the worst for NURC when the #24 went off track early and fell back to the tail end of the points.
The top 3 ran steady for most of the race, the RS-equipped Noir and Affliction building a gap to the RM-equipped field led by Bambi, who himself was building a gap to the midfield, who were having an impressive scrap between Filo, Weather, Fred and Xephos. The battle between the four cars became a race-long affair, with the on-track action evolving into a strategic battle as the race progressed. The battle was eventually won by the #32 Lexus, finishing 4th and more importantly jumping up to 4th in the final standings after finishing two places ahead of Fred in the #11 BMW, who was bested by Filo's #65 Nissan by less than a second.
The #26 Lexus was strong all race, and the battle for the win turned into the battle for 2nd as the #9, now on the RS tires chased down the #81 on the RM. The championship leader caught up to the #81 with laps to spare to the end, but Bambi, having been in a prime position to take the Drivers title since the start of the race, decided to consolidate his points and followed the #81 home in 3rd to help claim the Manufacturers title for Mercedes. In the end, Noir scored his first win of the season in a dominant performance, becoming the first driver to achieve a grand slam for the season, overtaking Affliction in the points to finish 2nd, and securing CWM's teams championship.
Coming into the finale at Suzuka, all championships were up for grabs. The Drivers Championship had Bambi coming in with a healthy lead over Affliction and Noir, who were the only ones mathematically in contention, CWM headed the Teams Championship but the other teams inside the top 4 all remained in contention, while the Manufacturers Championship pretty much came down to a final showdown between Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.
Having kept himself in contention with 3 poles but not a single win to his name, Noir looked to end the season on a high, taking pole position but directly ahead of both his championship rivals. The race began and the pace of the #26 in qualifying proved to be decisive even in the race, resisting an early attack from the #81 AMG before steadily increasing his lead, trying to make the most of his RS tires. Meanwhile, the Teams championship took a turn for the worst for NURC when the #24 went off track early and fell back to the tail end of the points.
The top 3 ran steady for most of the race, the RS-equipped Noir and Affliction building a gap to the RM-equipped field led by Bambi, who himself was building a gap to the midfield, who were having an impressive scrap between Filo, Weather, Fred and Xephos. The battle between the four cars became a race-long affair, with the on-track action evolving into a strategic battle as the race progressed. The battle was eventually won by the #32 Lexus, finishing 4th and more importantly jumping up to 4th in the final standings after finishing two places ahead of Fred in the #11 BMW, who was bested by Filo's #65 Nissan by less than a second.
The #26 Lexus was strong all race, and the battle for the win turned into the battle for 2nd as the #9, now on the RS tires chased down the #81 on the RM. The championship leader caught up to the #81 with laps to spare to the end, but Bambi, having been in a prime position to take the Drivers title since the start of the race, decided to consolidate his points and followed the #81 home in 3rd to help claim the Manufacturers title for Mercedes. In the end, Noir scored his first win of the season in a dominant performance, becoming the first driver to achieve a grand slam for the season, overtaking Affliction in the points to finish 2nd, and securing CWM's teams championship.
- 3,016
- Osaka
- CWM_NoirAntares
After what has easily been the most exciting two months of racing I've ever had in my entire league racing career, I just want to give everyone that has been involved with this series a big thank you. We owe it to everyone who participated and made every race as great as they have been, this series wouldn't have gotten anywhere without all of you.
Clockwork Motorsport began primarily as a racing team, and even in the present our focus is on competitive racing. However, we wanted to see if as hosts, we could provide the same high level and high quality racing that we've experienced in other leagues. Apex Endurance League was a promising first step that motivated us to continue, but we never expected the kind of support we would get from this talented field, which I dare say, is the best roster in any league here in GTP.
Rest assured, our efforts as organizers won't stop here, and we believe that our plans for the future would provide just as much competition as both Apex and Vertex have done. We are looking forward to see everyone on track in our future series.
- - - - -
VERTEX GT SPRINT SERIES
END OF SEASON AWARDS
With a very dominant record of 2 Wins and Podium Finishes in 5 out of 6 races, as well as holding the lead of the Drivers Championship from the Dragon Trail all the way to Suzuka, @Whitetail is the Vertex GT Sprint Series Drivers Champion.
With a combined result of 1 Win, 4 Pole Positions including 3 consecutive from Interlagos to Kyoto, 3 Podium Finishes and 1 Fastest Lap, @Antares26's and @Storm_SP17's efforts makes Clockwork Motorsport the Vertex GT Sprint Series Teams Champion.
With a dominant performance consisting of 4 Wins, 8 Podiums, 1 Pole Position and 2 Fastest Laps, and points scoring finishes for every race in the season spread across two teams, Mercedes-Benz wins the Vertex GT Sprint Series Manufacturers Championship.
Clockwork Motorsport began primarily as a racing team, and even in the present our focus is on competitive racing. However, we wanted to see if as hosts, we could provide the same high level and high quality racing that we've experienced in other leagues. Apex Endurance League was a promising first step that motivated us to continue, but we never expected the kind of support we would get from this talented field, which I dare say, is the best roster in any league here in GTP.
Rest assured, our efforts as organizers won't stop here, and we believe that our plans for the future would provide just as much competition as both Apex and Vertex have done. We are looking forward to see everyone on track in our future series.
- - - - -
VERTEX GT SPRINT SERIES
END OF SEASON AWARDS
With a very dominant record of 2 Wins and Podium Finishes in 5 out of 6 races, as well as holding the lead of the Drivers Championship from the Dragon Trail all the way to Suzuka, @Whitetail is the Vertex GT Sprint Series Drivers Champion.
With a combined result of 1 Win, 4 Pole Positions including 3 consecutive from Interlagos to Kyoto, 3 Podium Finishes and 1 Fastest Lap, @Antares26's and @Storm_SP17's efforts makes Clockwork Motorsport the Vertex GT Sprint Series Teams Champion.
With a dominant performance consisting of 4 Wins, 8 Podiums, 1 Pole Position and 2 Fastest Laps, and points scoring finishes for every race in the season spread across two teams, Mercedes-Benz wins the Vertex GT Sprint Series Manufacturers Championship.
DesertPenguin
(Banned)
- 10,691
- Long Island, New York
- DesertPenguin_
Production value 10/10!! 👍
This really was a great series, it's just a shame I'm not faster/there weren't more Am level drivers. You've got a really good format here so I see it lasting a long time
This really was a great series, it's just a shame I'm not faster/there weren't more Am level drivers. You've got a really good format here so I see it lasting a long time
- 629
- Daytona Beach
- LilChickenNugget
Scored more than I thought I would.
- 4,715
- Indiana
- CWM_Spirit
Sorry about the delay getting the final round's videos up. Thank you @Antares26 for organizing the series! I had a lot of fun participating and the depth of field really challenged me to be the best I can be each and every round. Thank you to @damonc84 for allowing me to run for New Union Race Club and to @Kross24 for being my teammate.
Hope to see you all around soon!
Hope to see you all around soon!
