Neal Johnson Wins The WD GT Challenge @ Road America.

[Joe Owens]

The World Division had a good turnout for the GT Challenge event at the popular Road America track with entries from the US and Europe competing. The field was filled with mainly GT cars,but two GTC drivers were also there.
Hein Houweling took the pole with Neal Johnson in second spot. Hein was very fast in qualifying [2:03.351],but the fastest lap spot during the race was taken by Neal Johnson [2:05.080]. The event overall winner in an AlonsoJohnson Racing 997 GT was Neal Johnson,and in second Podium place was Hein Houweling driving an Howling Racing 997 GT,and last but not least on the overall podium was James Sharkus driving a Drunken Squirrel Racing 997 GT.

In the GTC class,Paul Hamilton driving his Miskatonic Motorsports 997 GTC,took the class win over Joe Owens who was driving his TeamUK 997 GTC.

Server Replay
Results
Standings

Some Pics:

[blackcat77]

Thanks to Neal for coming over to the NA server where I was putting in a few laps and inviting me to join the WD race. Worked out pretty well for me...

[Joe Owens]

Thanks to Neal for coming over to the NA server where I was putting in a few laps and inviting me to join the WD race. Worked out pretty well for me...

Yep even with the setup you gave me I had nothing for you,glad you enjoyed it.
I have a stable setup just need more speed now,buts thats proberly age,lol.
Joe.

[HenryHudson]

The Champion Motorsport Aston Martin's were practicing over on the NA Server when teammate TimC requested their attendance at the World CT Race. As the #74 Vetoquinol Aston Martin is still in the hands of the paint department, HenryH jumped into PhilipBs spare #05 Powerade Grape Aston Martin for the show. Henry was able to put down a personal best of 2:06.725 in qualifying, but a malfunction in the launch control caused the car to bog down at the green and all the GTs streamed by. It appeared that one of the Ford GT found a patch of that icegrass coming out of T1 and came across the track where Henry nailed him solidy and then bounced headon into the walls-of-death that line this track. This resulted in an overwhelming number of red dots on the HUD and a quick end of the race.

Once released from the infield care center, HenryH went up on the spotters tower and hooked in with his teammates. TimC was running strong with a couple of misteps but no damage when first HeinH and the NealJ had issues and TimC took lead when his connection gremlins struck again whilst leading by 12 seconds with about 15 minutes to go. PhilipB had icegrass issues also and retired on L10.

Congratulations to NealJ and PaulH for their class wins.

[Tanner Berry]

Started out on this track running around 2:18's, slowly working my way to a 2:12 before I jumped into practice today. Big thanks to Tim Collier for the very valuable setup advice, been struggling with how to correct those twitches for ages and it feels so good to know where to go to remedy that toothache
After I found out how to put a good stable Ford underneath me I managed to bring my times down to the 2:08 mark and felt confident taking on Road America for the first time.

Lap 1 was trouble, I could hear countless profanities coming from the window of Scotts Ford as I whipped by narrowly missing his rear quarter as he went around, but it put me out in the grass and cycled me back to the rear of the pack. It was then just a product of the adrenaline that got me into trouble as I went too deep and got fresh with a wall in a big way, had to pit at the end of lap 1 to fix what I had done to the poor car

Ran the next 15 laps just digging, felt great all was well, until I put a front left tire in the grass coming out of the last turn, quite surprised how quickly it chucked my car out and into the wall haha! Needless to say that was it for me.

I can see why you guys love this track, pretty intense for sure. Looking forward to Thursday, gotta try and keep my emotions in check for the next one

[TimCollier]

Having a Sunday without any plans was the perfect opportunity to run the World Divison race at Road America, a place that I absolutely love. Some setup work on Saturday night had me running 2:06's with mediums, and 2:05's with softs, and a tough decision on strategy...and the World Division race was the perfect place to try it out.

I knew Hein and Neal would be faster before I even joined on, and qualifying went as expected with the two of them taking the front row. Hein's 2:03 qual lap was incredible!!

At the start, Kevin Wood starting 4th to the left got a great jump and I followed him into T1 and took chase. Over the next 15 laps, Kevin and I played "here, take the spot" a couple of times each when one of us would get loose or a wheel off in the grass, and at one point I made a big slip and fell back 6 seconds. With Henry talking me through it, I put my head down and concentrated on clean laps when the track was clear and started putting down 2:05's to my surprise, with a 2:05.3 fast lap! Catching up to Kevin was one thing, but passing was another, and in one attempt heading downhill I pulled to the left and tried to outbrake Kevin into the turn. He pulled in behind me and then after the next turn I proceeded to give the position back. It was cat and mouse until Kevin put a wheel off at the kink and we kept a gap of around 2 seconds until I pulled in for gas and tires (or since this is the World Division, petrol and tyres).

The pit stop went very smooth, and on the next lap Kevin pitted and as I went by Kevin at pit exit the gap was about the same and Kevin took chase. We were running 2-3 after Hein's problem earlier in the race leaving Neal all alone in first, and then Kevin fell back and had to pit, I assume from an incident at the kink. So with Neal ahead by 18 seconds, and now Hein in third some 30 seconds back, it was a matter of don't make a mistake. Then I found Neal in the tire barrier just before the carousel, and took over first....definitely don't make a mistake now!!! Neal was 12 seconds back, and even with a damaged car was still pulling 2:06-2:07...just be consistent, don't make a mistake, just drive the car....Henry and Philip were coaxing me through it, making sure I didn't let up too much or push too hard.

With 25 minutes to go, my internet dropped out for a moment, removing me from the server and then bringing me back....that was close. Then with about 5 laps to go, my internet dropped me for good and the win was gone.

The car felt good, not great, and I'm thinking that losing half a second a lap to get a little more grip is the better option, so that's my plan this week in prep for Thursday. Oh yeah....after that race, I ripped out my modem, router and re-arranged the entire network at the house using a different phone jack. The disco's didn't happen again the rest of the night, and speeds seem better than before. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Chalk it up to an electrical problem....but that win sure would have been awesome. Maybe next time. Thanks everyone...enjoyed the race. Kevin, it was fun dicing it up with you.

[sheshnwoody]

This was a fun race, despite exiting to monitor 2 laps before end, after losing my rear wing in last turn!

Started out great...jumped Tim at the start, but as I expected...he reeled in...let me swim out...reeled me in...let me swim out...reeled in and finally tossed me into the icebox for fileting! Those sure were some fun laps, I am lucky you slipped up a few times otherwise it would have been ship sailed! Nice to be in contention for 2nd or 3rd for a while there, but after the pit, I was trying to get closer to Tim and just lost the rear end in the kink...major damage to front end...limped back to pits and wound up in some other trouble. Got into Scott just before T8...'It was like Hollywood describing his aerial manuveur in Top Gun...he went like this, I went like that...where'd who gooooooo?'...I tried to miss Scott, but his tail was wagging side to side and I got airborn after a direct hit and spun like a top unfortunately back into the track from the grass, which forced Neal off (sorry to Neal and Scott). Then if that wasn't enough, I eventually rear ended Joe Owens just before uphill left hander under bridge, Sorry Joe. I truly couldn't tell you were slowing for turn or me...I desparately tried at last second to avoid you, but....couldn't!

Sorry about your connection Tim...was fun while it lasted!

The Vette is a little more my flavor than the Aston, think I will keep it for a while ! The Aston was a handful. Looking forward to RA again!

[jimmyjam]

Well I got home and on the Sim with 3 minutes to go in warm up, Whew!
Threw in what I thought was a decent set running 06"s & 07's!
Dropped the green and away went everyone else, I soon found out what I had was a very mediocre setup 2 seconds off the leaders. Oh well

About seven laps in I was moseying around daydreaming in the carousel wondering to myself " I wonder how many people have gone off in the Kink?"
About the time I said ki I had forgotten my turning point and next thing i know, I'm doing the Riverdance trying to keep it off the inside wall! Almost!
Smash Boom Bang, red and yellow damage.
March on soldier!
Let's just get some laps in and what do you know the attrition bug started to rear it's ugly head 6th, 5th,4th 3rd,what the heck is going on? Then Tim's disco fever put me second. Now I see Hein is around 20 seconds back with around 10 minutes to go. With about 1 minute left he went blazing past my wounded Porsche like it was standing still. 3rd place that's crazy and a testament to trying to finish the race.
You never Know?

Neil, Hein, Tim and Kevin Wood were all awesome!

Tim sorry about you disco,hopefully you got figured out!

I love this track so much I would race wheelchairs around it!

[Joe Owens]