A Thrilling Week On iRacing (Pt 3: ESR Promo Race)
- Kabort Motorsport
- Jul 21, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 25, 2023
Good evening! I hope you are all well.
Prologue
As they always say, the best place to begin any story (or indeed blog) - is the very beginning.
I first heard about ESR - Or Evolution Sim Racing on the 3rd July when the series organiser, James Bostock posted on Facebook about there being just one seat left in his Thursday Night Ferrari 488 GT3 League.
I was instantly sold - a single-make series (league) in my favourite GT3? Yes Please and it didn't stop there either...
- Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo (Favourite car on service)
- Thursday Night (no clashes with work or other leagues) - 49 Drivers signed up (thus far) (BIG Grid)
(Upon writing this, after Round 2, it's increased to 52)
- 2 Races per round - Round 2, Top-15 reverse start - No Damage (keeps drivers running) - keeping more cars on track (reducing retirements)
No sooner had I finished reading, I commented on the post to see if the seat was still available - and, as luck would have it, it was. I immediately leapt into the Discord server - checked out my competition (iRating) and signed up on the spot. Usually I'm the last of the runners, rounding up the rear - but this league was different - I was right in amongst it - amongst drivers my own skill level - if this was an official race, I would be almost guaranteed to be paired/in a split with these drivers.
Also in the server was a driver called Richard - coincidentally, I knew Richard - we were supposed to do a league called the "iRacing British GT Championship" held by Varano Motorsport - but the series got cancelled after only 3 teams and 8 drivers signed up/registered to race.
I completely lost contact with Richard - and had no idea he'd be in the server - so it was a lovely surprise to see him and we instantly hooked up and made a team.
The Race Layout
If x50 Ferrari GT3's weren't enough - the race had also been scheduled in a chaotic - but thrilling manner - everyone qualifying at the same time.
This meant, even if you were rapid, if you got stuck in traffic - you could possibly miss out on pole.
Then, in race 2, the Top 15 finishers from the first race get inverted - so 15th gets pole position - meaning the faster guys have to work their way through the field - thus meaning - if there was someone who finished 15th - despite a poor first race - they had a chance to pick up some points and prove themselves in the second one.
The first race would be a 20-minute sprint - the second a 30 minute race requiring a pit-stop.
The Promo Race (6th July, 2023)
iRacing sometimes struggles to get even 20 drivers into a race at times - so to have 30 - 50 drivers signed up to a league says good things - about the league and it's reputation - it also increased the chances of finding someone my own pace to battle against.
Right from the off, Richard was a fair bit quicker than me - in practice, he managed to finish 5th with a 1:29.778, whilst I finished down in 12th with a 1:30.182
I felt bad I was so off the pace...but little did I know, qualifying would come with a little surprise.
Qualifying
As the flag fell on qualifying, Fleuty would qualify 9th with a 1:29.959 - but how would I fair? In a rather unexpected turn of events, I qualified 8th with a 1:29.939, 0.2 faster than Fleuty (9th) - Race 1 was about to get very interesting.
7th: 1:29.802
8th: 1:29.939 (Me)
9th: 1:29.958 (Fleuty)
10th: 1:29.973
Race 1
For a 24-strong grid, Lap 1 was a incredibly clean - only two going off ahead of me, promoting me into 6th by the second lap - and the two cars beside me (on my inside into one corner) made contact, promoting Fleuty into 7th behind me.
At the start of Lap 3, the driver in 5th pulled over to let us (my and Fleuty) both by Later that same lap, Fleuty showed his nose - and being my team-mate, I didn't fight it and let him by.
Later the same lap, Fleuty showed his nose - as my team mate, I did the right thing and stayed out of his way - unfortunately losing another position (behind Fleuty) in the process. Whilst Fleuty went off to catch the leaders - I had a big job on my hands - from Lap 4 until the very last lap, I was enrolled into the Ministry Of Defence and held off Newton for 10 laps - despite him examining every last corner of my diffuser and exhaust system. Checo would be proud.
The race was non-stop drama as P3 then spun out - promoting Fleuty up to 4th, Reiser up to 5th, and me back up to 6th
Despite a few laps in 5th, Fleuty returned to not only 4th - but 3rd after the two cars ahead (3rd and 4th collided)
Nobody wanted to finish 3rd as starting Lap 12, P3 & P4 would make contact, P4 spinning out - and P3 seemingly dissapearing into thin air (possible disqualification for incident points? Maybe disconnected from session?)
With two laps to go, Kabort managed to hold on to a 3rd and 5th - I knew this wouldn't reflect my pace in the real season (this only being a promo race) - but it was nice to dream.
Race 2
With the grid reversed for Race 2 - both myself and Fleuty had some serious work to do from 11th and 13th respectably.
Fleuty had deja vu as the two cars behind me collided and he was instantly put on my tail.
I'd eventually finish the first lap in 9th, Fleuty 11th (someone spun at the final corner), only I'd be able to pass.
Whilst he did be able to get back past, a car ahead did further spin - I'd stay 9th, Fleuty would be promoted to 10th.
On Lap 5, Fleuty showed his nose - and I knew what I had to do - it was FLE 9th, TRU 10th.
By Lap 6, Fleuty managed to gain another position - 8th whilst I had fallen to 12th.
Someone dived down the inside at the hairpin, and the driver behind managed to nip through.
Fleuty didn't get far - only as getting as far as a tight two-car battle for 8th,
whilst just behind him a massive four-car battle for 10th raged on.
With contact being made between the Sky Car and the car/driver behind, Fleuty and the driver ahead were able to break away in a battle for 6th - a 1 second + gap between Fleuty and the car behind.
8th and 9th were in their own battle, whilst the four car battle for 10th yet still continued onto another lap - although it had increased to 5 as Robin Aston was thrown into the mix after an earlier mistake on Lap 7 (hence Fleuty's position increase)
Following the contact, Reiser lead a 9-Car battle for 6th. Just what I came to the league for.
Fleuty wasn't hanging around as he made short work of (Robin) Aston (Grey) as he got wide on the exit of Turn 2.
On Lap 10, Fleuty would "Discard" 6th place - him entering the Top 5 - and promoting everyone up one position.
On Lap 11, 9th and 10th would collide - P9 spinning in the middle of a massive pack of cars - including me.
Aston would dart left - I would dart right and get wiped out as Van Rens rolled backwards straight into my path
Aston claimed 8th starting Lap 12 - I'd claim 10th - for the accident I had - it was a lucky escape - although I'd further fall to 11th.
Fleuty would finish the second promo race in 3rd place after an INCREDIBLY lucky last-lap disaster for the leaders
I'd eventually recover to 9th - only claiming two positions on the final lap - but it set a good precedence for the season.
The next blog that proceeds this:
(8th July - 13th July)
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