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Dijon 4-class Driver's Meeting Notes
Champion Motorsports Série Internationale Du Mans Driver Meeting Notes
EVENT: Série Internationale Du Mans (4-class) Round 9
Date: 24-July-08
Venue: Dijon GTL
Server ID: Champion ILMS
Server IP: 207.179.212.205
Fast Lap Tracker: CMS Dijon Série Internationale Du Mans (4-class)
ILMS Mod Version: 2.2
ALL DRIVERS MUST HAVE:
• VERSION 2.2 (plus the v2.2 BMW Patch) INSTALLED!
• THE July ‘08 ADD-ON SKINS PACK!
Make sure that you test your version 2.2 installation BEFORE you try to join the server Thursday night! Administrators will not be available to assist those who have not made the effort to test their updated ILMS installation and connection before race night!
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Official Practice: 8:00 PM Eastern (120-minutes)
Qualifying: 10:00 PM Eastern (15-minutes)
Warm Up 10:20 Eastern (5-minutes)
Race: 10:30 PM Eastern
Race Length: 90-minutes
Special Notes (Updated):
Despite the fact that most of our newest drivers participated in the GT Challenge Series race last week, this week’s race is a different animal. Therefore in addition to the previous “Rookie Orientation” notes that were provided last week we have added a few new pointers for this week’s notes.
So to you new drivers; please make sure to take a moment or two to review this new information and refresh yourself with the previous information.
• If you have not done so yet, you need to spend a few minutes reviewing the ILMS Driver’s Handbook before you sign on to race.
“Rookie Orientation”
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
So how was your race last week? Did you leave a good first impression? Did you receive a good first impression from the other drivers? Was it fun and exciting, hectic, crazy or were you plagued by a bit a bad luck? Well however your race turned out you’d better cinch those belts up extra tight this week because this week’s race is a brand new ball game.
First of all this week’s race is 90-minutes, which is 15 minutes longer than last week’s race. So be sure to make your first “pit stop” before the race starts. ;-) That said, in spite of your familiarity with the mod, for most of you this is going to be your first ever on-track experience with four different competition classes. So if you thought last week’s race, competing with two classes, was a bit hectic you’re in for a real thrill this week.
If you’ve ever driven in Southern California traffic then you sort of get the idea because after the first few opening laps you will spend the next 85 minutes feeling like you are constantly surrounded by traffic. Most of us will spend the time either being passed or passing someone else or at least trying to pass someone else. In fact it may even feel like you can never catch a break, because just when you’re about to pass another driver for position some driver in a different class will be right on your ass, flashing his or her lights trying to get around you or moving more slowly in front of you.
Near the end of the race when the pace can either be a nice easy cruise to the finish line or an absolutely frenetic struggle for just one more position, you may find yourself unwilling to give up any track space for fear of loosing your advantage. And if the driver trying to get by you, or the one you’re trying to get by, isn’t giving ground or letting you focus on your race or letting you through as you chase down your opponent, the emotional intensity of the moment is going to soar. It’s going to be a real blast, but sadly this is also the time when stupid stuff happens. So the first and number one rule this week is, BE PATIENT!
Remember, you signed up for a multi-class racing series and that means everything you’ve ever watched on TV or witnessed in person or read about multi-class racing will be presented to you on a golden platter this week. And if you don’t keep your wits about you, instead of opportunity you may just find your head on that platter.
Aside from the 6-hour enduros, which of course can be physically demanding, but are still limited to just two classes, these four-class series races are the most challenging races you’re likely to participate in. It takes a keen eye and a sharp mind to keep track of who’s who and where you are within the standings of your own class. Lets look at some of the challenges for each class.
• P1 drivers; This straight was made for you guys, you can really let it all hang out this week. However the problem is that between turn 1 and the last turn before the straight, you’re only going to be about as fast as the fastest P2 cars. In fact you may find yourself fighting for every inch of ground with the P2 cars in between the first and third sectors. Again the key is to be patient. You have nearly 100 more HP than the P2 cars, so even with all the extra weight you’re going to walk away from the P2 cars if you can hold on long enough to make it back to the main straight. However as the drivers turning the fastest laps you are also charged with making sure each and every pass you make will be a clean one. Remember, as the drivers who will most-likely be initiating the most passes it will be your responsibility to make sure all those passes you make will be clean and safe.
• P2 drivers; Man, have you’ve got a real challenge this week because the main straight at Dijon is just long enough so that you probably will not be able to out run the GT1 cars. Typically the superior horsepower of the GT1 cars gives them a distinct straight line advantage. In fact in full Mulsanne straight trim the GT1 cars are quite capable of exceeding 200 mph. However once they get to the end of the straight they’re going to be braking about a second before you will. Consequently if you find yourself riding in the draft of a GT1 car DO NOT, repeat DO NOT get caught off guard by how early the GT cars will be braking!
Another thing to keep in mind is that if, or when you find yourself following a GT1 car down the straight simply move to the inside as if you were going to make a pass and just brake where you normally brake. There’s really nothing more to it than that, of course you might want to think about braking just a wee bit harder, but in either case if you do this you will easily and more importantly, cleanly complete the pass. Trust me, no GT1 driver wants to be punted off the track by a P2 driver who is unprepared for the braking differences between the classes. They just want to get on with their races in the same way you do. Nevertheless this is a race after all, so you can’t exactly expect the GT1 drivers to slow down and wait for you to catch up either. If you can’t stick with them, then find a way to improve your exit speed out of the last corner or be patient and find a nice safe turn in which to make your pass attempt.
• GT1 drivers; You’re facing an interesting dilemma this week too because you’re faster on the straights than the P2 cars, but only slightly faster than the GT2 cars in the turns. Lol! So your challenge will be in knowing when and where to pick your fights. And just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should. Even though you don’t have to wait for the P2 cars to catch up, it’s best not to fight the P2 cars too hard for position. It’s better to let them go by cleanly and quickly than it is to risk being punted off the track and into a barrier. Remember the only other cars you should be concerned with are the other GT1 cars.
• GT2 drivers; Your race should be just about like last week only more of it. You may wind up sticking close to a few of the GT1 cars in the twisty bits of the track, but once you get to the straight you might as well pick a side and stay there. Still, your race within the race will be very, very interesting because you’ve got to win your race while being constantly passed by some other car in one of three other classes. It’s not easy, but you’ll probably discover that you guys have some of the most pronounced opportunities for gaining ground on your fellow GT2 competitors because of the traffic. Think about it, it’s kind of hard to maintain good lap times if you’re constantly taking the outside line through the corners right?
Okay four classes and four very different and unique driving situations. As we said, the most important factor is to be patient. Think before you act and look before you leap and above all remember that you’ll have an hour and a half of racing before you’ll cross the finish line. So don’t let your ego take over and do something that may jeopardize your race.
BTW: If you haven’t done so we strongly suggest that you spend a few minutes driving the “other cars” on this track. If you’re a GT driver test drive an LMP car and if you’re an LMP driver test drive the GT car, yes, again. Just a few laps is all it takes and knowing what the other drivers are up against will be the key to your own survival.
Everything that was discussed last week applies to this week, but read it again anyway and when you do consider how it will be with four different classes on the track at the same time.
• No chatting, during qualifying and especially during the race, except for the standard “Pit In” and “Pit Out” messages. During practice keep the chat to an absolute minimum. If you need to chat with somebody type /w < The person’s name as it appears on the ‘Monitor’ screen. > < Your message.>
Example: /w Drew McLean Nice lap time!
• If you have an issue with another driver, save it for Saturday morning. – No, not Friday morning, Saturday morning. You should give yourself a full 24 hours at least to calm down before you do something stupid like engage in a chat rage, which will get you immediately booted from the server and possibly sent packing later. Nor should you start a flame war in the forums over some on-track incident. There are proper channels for incidents and that is why you need to read the ILMS Driver’s Handbook.
• Be courteous at all times. If you can’t be civil you don’t need to be racing with Champion Motorsports. We take our racing seriously enough to make sure it stays clean, but only because a clean race is a fun race. We have drivers from all parts of the globe and of all skill levels participating. So do not take to the track with the idea that you can bully your way through or past other drivers or berate other drivers for incidents or transgressions, real or perceived. Everyone makes mistakes and we don’t need or want any ‘prima donnas’. If you want to impress us consider this; Nothing impresses us more that a driver who races hard, but more importantly, races clean and is also considerate of others both on and off the track. FYI: We've already ejected one new driver due to his poor forum behavior and he hadn't even run a single race yet. So please understand, we take this quite seriously.
• Obey the rules. For example DO NOT drive straight out of the pit lane and directly into the racing line. Whenever you're on an out lap, there is no need for you to race with the cars that are already on the track or impede another driver’s lap in any way. Yield the racing line to the drivers who are already on the track until you're fully up to speed and ready to begin your first timed lap. The “Golden Rule” is still a good one and it especially works in these situations.
• One of the inherent challenges of this series and an intentional feature, is multiclass qualifying. (X4)Finding a clean lap will be much harder this week, but again this is an integral part of the strategy and challenge of participating in this series. Even if you don't qualify as well as you'd hoped, remember that this is a 90-minute race and a lot can happen in that time. So focus on your race and making sure you keep you car as damage free as possible so you can be there at the end. FYI: If you haven't read about the damage modeling yet, remember it's 100% and you'll need to review the Série Internationale Du Mans ReadMe file, the, "Damage Model" section.
• Lights: Lights are for seeing in the dark. They are not to be used like the business end of a bulldozer, especially during qualifying. A brief flash to say, "Go past me" or "Thanks" or "I'm about to lap you" is okay . Turning them on when it gets dark is okay, however turning them on a leaving them on in an attempt to say, "Get out of my way" is absolutely not acceptable. If you're in GT1 and you are on the same lap as the GT2 driver ahead of you, you may not use your lights to say, "Move over, I'm faster than you." Besides, if you were you wouldn't be following behind a GT2 car on the same lap would you? Just suck it up and wait to pass until you get to the straight.
• Lastly, always remember that you’re here to have fun. Never get so wrapped up in the racing that you forget your humanity. Of course there are times when we all get frustrated, but don’t do anything rash that would give the rest of our drivers a negative impression of your participation and/or membership status. Once that happens you’ve pretty much lost all respect and earning it back will be ten times as hard. This is your first and most important opportunity to demonstrate what sort of gentleman you can be. So make sure you finish the event with a good first impression, not so much as a driver, but as a new member of the Champion Motorsports community.
Orange Zone:
The Orange Zone for this race has been established from the starting grid though the exit of turn 4:
Make sure you review the Orange Zone procedures in the ILMS Driver’s Handbook
Formation Lap:
For you first time drivers; The race will start with a formation lap followed by a standing start. Any driver who causes an accident during the formation lap will be penalized for the infraction in accordance with the rules and regulations.
In addition to these rules a reminder was posted as part of the formation lap discussion earlier in the season that the ability to pre-heat your tires during the formation lap is limited. As a result it is very unlikely that anyone will be able build up enough heat in their tires up to get them up to their full operating temperature of 230°F (110°C). Therefore excessive weaving is discouraged in order to help avoid any formation lap incidents.Originally Posted by Formation Lap Rules
Generally an “incident” is regarded as contact made between two drivers. However all drivers are expected to maintain full control of their cars during the formation laps. While solo incidents during the formation lap are generally harmless and perhaps an embarrassment for the driver, all formation lap incidents, including solo incidents are frowned upon by the administrative staff.
Drivers are also encouraged to pre-heat their brakes during the second half of the formation lap. This is easily done by simply dragging your brakes during the latter half of the formation lap. Sudden and/or repeated stops are not necessary! This is another reason why the formation lap should be conducted in single-file because it gives each driver plenty of room for maneuvering should they need to avoid making contact with the driver in front of them.
And finally as the formation lap rules state; The pole-sitter should gradually slow well before the last turn prior to the start in order for the field to close ranks. BTW: This really in your best interest because the the more spread out the field is, the longer you’ll will be sitting on the grid waiting for the rest of the grid to form while your brakes and tires continue to grow colder and colder.
Race Start:
There is only one set of lights on this very long starting grid.
Therefore everyone should remember to turn on their HUD display at the start of the race and toggle to the 'Race Time Clock' menu. The character space used for the race clock will be blank just prior to the start of the race. At the moment the race starts the clock will appear and begin to count down since this is a timed event. Use the appearance of this clock as a virtual ‘green light’ to mark the start of the race.
The race time clock menu prior to the start of the race…
The race time clock menu once the race starts…
Remember, when the clock starts, so does the race.
SPECIAL CAUTION AREAS:
TURN 1
This is a wicked first turn. It’s hard enough driving through it by yourself let alone driving through it in heavy traffic, so be very, VERY careful!
TURN 4
Hopefully you’ve spent enough time practicing to know that this is one of the worst turns on the circuit. Again, it’s hard enough traversing it alone let alone fighting your way through it at speed with other cars all around you. Since the end of the Orange Zone is after this turn you’ll need to be extra cautious or risk suffering the serious repercussions of a post-race review and subsequent penalty.
Pit Entrance & Pit Lane Speed Limit Boundaries:
The pit entrance and pit lane speed limit boundaries for this track are clearly marked by the pit entry and pit exit lights.
Just be careful driving into the pits since this is a very narrow and very sharp turn. One wrong move and you could end your race right here.
Good luck and Happy Racing!
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