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For the penultimate round of the Retro GT series, expectations were high. With both teams and all drivers seemingly improving round on round, it was now crunch time. Results were needed. In the VPR Bluebirds, qualifying was perhaps a little disappointing. Mutley once again made it into A lobby, but 12th on the grid was 7 places lower than he managed the previous week. StaticSh33p and A55ASSIN both qualified in the mid pack of B lobby, 4th and 7th respectively. For race one, there was some improvement. Mutley kept his nose clean as incidents happened around him, and as a result moved up to finish 8th. StaticSh33p held station in B lobby to finish 4th, whilst A55ASSIN moved up to finish directly behind in 5th. Race two, and the boys in (dark) blue (cars) really upped that ante, with all 3 drivers standing on the podium at the end of the evening! Mutley benefited from a reversed top 10 grid, started 3rd, and was fighting for the lead at points, before crossing the line in 2nd. StaticSh33p and A55ASSIN each moved up two positions from their first race results, meaning StaticSh33p would also stand on the middle step of the podium, with A55ASSIN just one step lower in 3rd. As the lone CTech Lancia once again, this is how Team Principle AnonCaliga described his evening: “Race one, started 10th and constantly caught the pack ahead in every corner but the Lancia just didn’t have the top end to pass the group once caught and then as they got onto the straights they simply drove right out of my life until I would again catch them at the next corner. Managed to move up to 9th and finish the first race one place ahead of where I started. Unfortunately due to finishing 9th meant I fell into the lobby drop three and so moved to lobby D to begin race two, however with no host for a fourth lobby we got to stay in lobby C but treated as D lobby. Race two and starting in 12th position or 1st position in lobby D. Basically a mirror image of race one, each time I’d close up on the pack at the corners and bends or on many occasions come along side and drive around other cars on the corners but as soon as the corner would open up the lack of straight line speed hurt me badly. Acceleration was great in the car and on many occasions I had passed a good few cars in the corners and accelerated away but if the following straight was any great length then the Lancia’s advantage would soon be reeled back in by the other cars with better top end speeds. Coming off the top of Eau Rouge into Raidillon was a particular strong area for the Lancia as it would leave any chasing cars well behind and any cars ahead would soon be caught and I’d be able to come alongside for a drag race along the Kemmel Straight but just as we’d approach Les Combes the higher top end car would usually have just crept ahead and so the whole cycle would begin again”. Just one more round to go before the curtain falls on the series. Sebring hosts the finale, as VPR and CTech look to finish strongly. Article By: J Hastings Comments are closed.
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May 2019
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