Week 13: Playing The Lottery (Race 2: Willow Springs)

Welcome back.

Wednesday 7th June, 2023

The first three days of Week 13 were like a massive American Road-Trip - starting off at Lime Rock Park, then heading to Willow Springs, then heading onward to VIRginia International Raceway.

Raceday

Willow Springs was a wild old race-day - having only been on iRacing for less than 24 hours, numbers were low - and after quickly learning the track - I was quickly picking up pace.

Going straight into the race, I'd qualify 8th - but from what I had seen in practice - even the smallest of mistakes could be incredibly costly.

With 7th up ahead starting from the pits - and a further two more taking themselves out at turn 1 - I was already 5th - now I just had to keep it on track and my head down.

After two faster drivers behind managed to nip by - I was starting Lap 2 in 6th - a pretty solid start.

Later that lap (Lap 2), P2 ahead then spun out - but as he did so, I lost 6th place to the driver behind, who then proceeded to spin out himself the very next corner - I returned to the Top 5.

The race then calmed down a little until Lap 4, when P3 would then spin out- promoting everyone behind him up a position - I was now in P4 - and one mistake away from a podium.

And sure enough, at the end of Lap 6 - the moment came - newly-promoted P3 hit the kerb on the apex at the final corner flew off wide, came back on (wildly) - and whilst he escaped - he'd later go off at the top of the circuit (presumably under pressure after losing a lot of time from going off.

I too was under pressure from the driver behind - but eventually on the start/finish starting lap (Lap 8) he managed to get past.

For the next three laps the race calmed down - until I entered the "mountainous section" a little too hot and went on a wild ride - spinning out with just 3 laps to go.

Fortunately, on the lap I spun, I had and 11-second gap to the car behind, so managed to quickly whip the car around and carry on - like nothing had happened.

by some miracle, on Lap 12, P2 slid off in turn one and reset to the pits - handing me the position on Lap 13/15 - from there it was just about bringing her home.

With a 12 second gap behind, I had no pressure behind and cruise home to a well-earnt 3rd place!

Track	2022	2023
Lime Rock Park	✓	​✓
Willow Springs	​X	​✓
​VIRginia International Raceway	​X	​✓
​MotorLand Aragon	​X	​✓
​Oulton Park	​​✓	​​✓
Okayama (DNS - 2023 ) (Only long layout)	​​✓	​​✓
Summit Point	​​✓	​​✓
​Rudskogen & Laguna Seca	​​✓	​X

Lime Rock Park	(Dec.) 2022	(Jun.) 2023
Quali.	4th (45.135)	​7th (45.061)
Fastest Lap	​44.653	​44.598
Ave. Lap	​47.212	49.182
Race Position	​5th (From 14th)	7th (From 23rd)