The Underdog Bites Back: A Stellar 48 Hours...(Pt. 1 - The League)

12th December, 2022

I didn't quite know where to start this blog, but I feel context is needed.

On 12th December, 2022, whilst scrolling through Facebook, I stumbled across an advert for a league. Most leagues nowadays require a certain iRating to enter and are at midnight (favouring American Time-zones) - but this league was different - racing kicking off at 9pm and having a very much "everyone welcome" sort of attitude.

Round 1 (12th - 13th December)

Admittedly, Round 1...didn't quite go to plan.

Practice: (12th Dec.): 11th/11th

Practice: (13th Dec.): 15th/23rd (21 completed laps)

Qualify: (13th Dec.): 17th/23rd

R1: 17th (spin/crash at turn 1) (-1 Lap Down)

R2: 22nd (spin/crash half-way through lap 1)

- Blew up engine (New Tyres)

- Stop/Go for speeding in pitlane (New Tyres) - (-3 Laps Down)

R3: 21st (Crash w/ backmarker whilst battling for 14th)

Round 2 (19th - 20th December)

Even without crashing, I knew I was in the rear-half of the field after how the two Road Atlanta practice sessions (and indeed qualifying) went - but Oulton Park surprised me...a lot.

Practice: (19th Dec.): 14th/19th (18 completed laps)

Practice: (20th Dec.): 27th/30th (29 completed laps)

Qualify: (13th Dec.): 23rd/30th (28 completed laps)

R1: 12th (From 17th)

R2: 15th (From 29th from the start of Lap 1)

R3: 12th (From 14th + A Stop/Go for a jump-start)

Race 1

Lap 1: 22nd --> 16th (Lap 1 crashes and shenanigans)

Lap 4: 16th --> 13th (two drivers ahead took themselves out, P15 crashed by himself)

Lap 5: 13th --> 12th (P3 had contact/spun at T1)

Lap 6: 12th --> 12th (gained a position due to crash ahead, but lost it on track)

Lap 7: 12th --> 14th (Tight battle led to drivers behind catching up and passing)

Lap 9: 14th --> 12th (one driver in battle crashed out - Lap 8, and another blew his engine (Lap 9, Final Lap)

R1: 12th (FINISHED ON LEAD LAP!)

Race 2

Started where I finished Race 1 (P12), made one position off the line, touched the grass on the inside of T1, slid outwards a little bit, got spun by then-P11, straight to stone-cold last. (29th).

As if by chance, at Turn 2, only the Top 6 made it through unscathed...

Off the line, P10 had an amazing start and made it three wide with P7 & P8, P7 being on the outer-most of the trio, eventually going slightly wide on exit of turn 1.

P7 would rejoin at turn 2/the kink of turn two - the speed difference between him and P9 would catch P9 out and he would spin in front of half a pack of cars between turns 2 & 3.

Prior to his own spin, P9 would initially lose three as they headed into turn one, but only two were properly lost after he spun me.

Only three behind P9 (P13, P14 and P15) would survive - P10 & P11 having already got past P9 by the time he spun. 4 cars were involved in the "main wreck" whilst two more were taken out in the aftermath.

After everything, I would have gone from 12th, to 29th, back up to 29th. But I had damage, and needed to pit.

Even after pitting - and potentially losing 2 positions (drivers leaving the pits in front of me), I made both up - someone crashed on Lap 2 (just after turn 1), and another crashed in front of me on the first lap out of the pits.

Starting Lap 3, I was in 17th - far off where I wanted to be - but certainly a lot better than where I was.

Starting the next lap, I was about half a minute (30+ seconds) behind P16. From here it'd be all about picking up the pieces.

And pick up the pieces I did. Later on Lap 4, P12, P13 and P14 all came together at one of the fastest sections of track - P14 driving off scott-free, whilst P13 and P14 had significant damage- P13's damage eventually forcing him to return to the pit-lane, gifting me 16th.

I thought I'd be happy with a Top 15 - and only on the final lap, P3 would dip two wheels on the grass on heading into turn 2/3 and spear into the wall - giving me a late Top 15 finish.

Race 3

To finish the day, I finished 12th once again - but not quite in the way I had imagined.

I started 14th (three spots up from 17th - my initial qualifying position) and...jump started - I knew I threw away a great race, and I was dissapointed in myself - but it had happened now, and there was nothing I could do other than serve my stop-go penalty.

Had I not jumped the start, I would have started Lap 2 in 12th - but it's a lesson learnt.

I eventually started Lap 3 (lap after my penalty) in 17th. Long way to go.

Other than gaining a place from a fatality on Lap 3, (pushing me up to 16th) - for the most part, it was a pretty uneventful race - it wouldn't be until about half-way through the race that I'd gain another position...or two. Once again as a result of a a death (as opposed to an on-track overtake)

Now in 14th, I said to myself "I need to make it to 12th to make this worth it"

Lap by lap, I was gaining on 13th - and eventually passed him (cleanly, on track) on Lap 7.

In typical...me...fashion, P12 crashed out on the penultimate Lap, leading to a P12, P15, P12 day - even with being spun out and jumping the start. I'd call that one hell of a day!