RLR Season 6

Race 8 at Rain Light Racing and we are off to a track you may have heard of, Spa-Francorchamps, for a 2-hour enduro! I could waffle on about it whilst enjoying a beer and frites, but lets save ourselves some time and jump straight into a chocolate degustation aka Qualifacations.

Maverick is back! After successfully testing for the Red Bull Honda Team in Hungary, he was looking surprisingly fresh. Webley worked very hard to shake things up, sitting just 0.062 off as the Quali timer came to an end. Maverick claiming P1 with an impressive 2:16.625. N. Hendersen also looked solid in P3. T. Spence was the quickest of the PRO-AM drivers in P7, M. Turbott the lead AM driver with P20.

Green lights and it’s a smooth start from the RLR drivers! All very composed and no major disasters. Welbey and Hendo used their superior horse power, both drivers overtaking Maverick. Newcomer M. Clark looked impressive claiming a spot or two as well.

10 minutes in and the broadcasters suffered some technically issues at the exact time as yours disconnected the usb from his GT Neo. N. Firth again out of luck, losing 10 positions as he pulled over to reconnect his wheel. The broadcaster quick paid their ISP bill and we were back.

Crossland up into P4 with an overtake on Dawson. Maverick also rounding up Henderson to move into P2. W. Dixon has been a quite achiever the last couple of weeks, claiming some good results and again looking solid.

30 minutes down and some of the closest racing on track is between the mid-pack. G. Rowe again in the mix and working over the back of T. Spence’s McLaren. Makryllos and Haase also battling close behind.

Let’s jump ahead to the halfway mark, the heavens have opened and it’s a roll of the dice for drivers as the pit for tyres and fuel! Cool as a cucumber Hendo was sitting pretty in P3 and brave enough to stay out of dry tyres for as long as possible. Things looked promising for dry tyres, some driver’s gambled and put on a new set. That of course is when the rain began to fall again! This time even heavier.

Hendo took the wet tyres and even though it looked like it could be the wrong call, it very quickly proved to be the right one! Disney on ice comes to mind, dry tyres now suffering massively. Those on the wets looking a lot more comfortable and lapping some 8 to 10 seconds a lap quicker.
  

The waffles and Belgian chocolate is calling so we are going to start wrapping this review up early. Hendo, the man the myth the legend pulled out a +1 lap lead overall! Chequered flags are out and it’s Hendo with the race win! Maverick P2 and S. Wharerau in P3. Special mention to P. Dawson, the nicest driver on the grid claiming P4. D. Kim had a stellar drive claiming top spot for the PRO-AM drivers. M. Turbott proving to be the best of the AM drivers yet again.

Thanks again for reading yet another Firthy Race Review! Next up, 1 hour of Bathurst!

Race 7! Brake out the braai and prepare the killer salami, it’s time for Kyalami. Just north of Johannesburg, Kyalami is home to a 4.5km racing circuit of pure goodness. Boasting a solid 4.6 star google rating, local Louis VDV says it’s the best track in the whole wide world.

Qualifiaction got underway and with Maverick still away on holidays, there were a few drivers looking to capitalise. Webley is always at the point end and claimed top spot, setting the benchmark in his Mustang with a 1:39.962. G. Rowe was the best of the PRO-AM as he continued to show good form. M. Turbott the best of the AM drivers.

Green lights and it’s business as usual for Webley. It didn’t take him long to build a 1.5 second. N. Firth again losing positions early, his mojo has gone missing the last couple of weeks, cracking under the pressure of some impressive drivers. Crossland’s Simblacks’ Honda has been a car to watch as he continues to look fast.

That quick Honda though bite hard again, there’s no doubting Crossy’s but the Honda has been an arm wrestle of epic proportions. Meanwhile N. Firth’s day also went from bad to worse, wearing a 5 second penalty for contact early on.

Alright, onto the good stuff. 30 Minutes down, 1 Hour to go and Maddie T has closed the gap on race leader Webley. Maddie hungry for a win and looking very quick indeed. Gunther Rowe sitting happily in 3rd with a gap in front and behind.

Half way through and the pit crews are looking busy. Maddie went for the undercut on Webley and it paid off! Maddie into P1 with 43 minutes remaining. Rowe was comfortable in 3rd, until he took a big bite of the Kyalami sausage! The read end of his Mustang kicking out wildly, but he did well to save it and his potential podium finish.

Some mid-pack battle ensued, but it was impossible to take your eyes off the battle for 1st. Webley closed the gap and was right on Maddie heading down mine shaft, Maddie running deep under brakes. Webley looked to have the job done on Maddie but contact! The two drivers touched ever so slightly and Webley was the driver sent into the wall. Webley’s Mustang now looking like the front end of a cheap AU Falcon due for the scrap heap.

Let’s call it there, Maddie T claimed P1. G. Rowe said thank you very much earning a well deserved P2. Makryllos P3 and Webley doing well to hang on to P4. P. Davidson claimed the AM bragging rights.

Thanks for reading another review and sorry the delay! 

Race 6 of Season 6 at Rain Light Racing, welcome to the 2 hours Enduro at Oulton Park. A tight technical track with plenty of bumps, 17 turns, all packed into just 4.3km’s. Oulton Park has a strong 4.8 star google rating with plenty of pundits raving about Smokey Joes burgers and chips. One important thing to note before we begin is the absence of Maverick. The unbeaten championship leader is on holiday in Hungary, could it be a coincidence that the F1 was on, rumour has it he could even be in contract negotiations.

Righto it’s Quali time. A massive opportunity for drivers with Mav away, B. Webley no doubt looking for a win, Webley has been rapid all season. The PRO-AM/AM session got underway, and it didn’t take long for M. Haase to set a cracking time, showing Donington was no fluke. The PRO’s got their chance in the final 15 minutes, Makryllos was the only PRO to top Haase’s time! Makryllos in P1 with a 1:32.442, P2 Haase +0.023 and P3 Wharerau +0.053. Insanely close!

Green lights and away we go! Oulton Park is a tricky beast at the best of times, compress 24 cars all looking to make gains and something is bound to happen. T2 and T. Spence lost the rear end, N. Firth following closely, the two drivers wiping out. Everyone else got through smoothly, until Hislop’s! Webley overshot the chicane taking to the grass after hitting the brakes late. Webley was quick to redress, giving Haase P1. S. Wharerau and K. Makryllos reacted to the incident and made contact, Wharerau spun losing a heap of places.

A couple of laps down and it was M. Haase proving he’s not just a one lap specialist, opening up a 1.8 second lead. Webley and Makryllos caught between duelling and not letting Haase run away with it. A tight group from P4 to P9 also formed, Maddie lead that group, J. Moss also amongst it and looking promising.

Makryllos was the first of the front runners to make a big mistake, running wide at T4, the island bend. If you don’t pull up on the grass before the hair pin it can spell the end, however Makryllos managed to we’ve between the gap in the tyre wall. No damage to his Ferrari, but a massive loss of places.

Let’s jump forward to the half way mark and not mention Maddie accidentally turning her ignition off. After Makryllos began losing places and sliding backwards, P. Dawson, J. Moss, G Rowe, S, Wharerau and W. Dixon were all presenting a great battle for a podium place. Pitstops happened and there were a few positional changes. J. Moss closed the gap on Dawson in P3. It didn’t take long as a hungry Moss got the job done on Dawson. Jordan looking solid in P3.

Webley managed to take the lead and must have been thanking Mav for heading to Hungary on holiday, a driver that has been on the cusp of P1 several times and truly deserving of it. It’d take a fairytale to deny Webley.

5 Minutes to go and Moss closed the gap on Haase, only 0.9 behind and starting to believe. Haase was still hanging in there only 2 seconds behind Webley, Webley surely with the win on the cards. Back-to-back 1:35’s and it looks as though Webley has a problem, Haase now right on his tail.

Truly remarkable up front, 2 hours of racing and nothing in it for the top 3, it doesn’t get any better. Or does it, Webley got wide heading up Hilltop and Haase got the run putting his car into a prime position for Hislop’s. Hasse got the job done! It’s a bloody miracle. A little tap on the rear of Haase saw Webley back off, Moss’ eyes must have been beaming with joy, but Webley did well to defend P2. Seriously, go back and watch the last 5 minutes of the race if you haven’t already.

P1 for Mitchy Haase! A well-deserved win for a driver that’s clearly been putting a lot of effort behind the scenes. Heartbreak for Webley as yet another race win slips through his fingers, hang in there mate the win is coming! A solid drive from J. Moss earned him P3. Special mention to M. Turbott, the AM driver clenched P10, a great result.

Wow, what a race, well done all! Thanks for reading yet another Firthy’s Race Review, see you next week.

Race 5 and it’s a 60-minute Sprint at Donington Park! Donington has a famous Castle which is called Castle Donington. Donington Park has a race circuit which is called Donington Park Circuit, it’s fitting really. Overall the circuit has a 4.7 star google rating, one karen however, also name Karen gave Donington Park a slamming 1 start review exclaiming “If the weather isn’t great it’s always super muddy and disgusting. I’m not coming back again.” Lucky we’ve come to Donington for the racing Karen.

RLR Qualifications got underway with the PRO-AM and AM drivers hitting the track first. M. Haase wasted no time setting a HUGE time early with a 1:26.237! More than a few PRO drivers took note and eventually got their chance, Mav, Webley, Crossland and Makryllos however were the only PROs to top Haase’s time! Well done, Haase. Mav claimed P1 with a blistering 1:25.875.

Green lights and away we go! Mav got stellar start and gave an early sign of things to come. A little bit of shoulder-to-shoulder racing from Maddie and N. Firth back in 9th and 10th, showing they aren’t afraid to trade paint. A massive train of cars formed from P1 all the way back to P11.

M. Turbott looked the goods, the AM driver’s Porsche pulling a gap of 2.5 seconds on last season’s AM champion A. Kraemer. M. Haase was having a great time up in P6, a group of McClarens quickly surrounding him and making their move, Haase however was up to the challenge and began to look for an opportunity to counter.

G. Rowe’s Mustang had a good result at Snetterton and was eager to do well again, A. Hughes though had other ideas latching on to Rowe and applying the pressure. A battle that looks to go down to the wire.

Halfway through and Maddie was all over the back of N. Firth, the pressure starting to get to him as his McClaren struggled for grip. Hendo and P. Dawson were also on the prowl as Firth struggled, the battle of 2 quickly becoming 4.

A big mistake at the chicane saw Firth lose 3 spots, Hendo, Maddie and Dawson making gains. The 4 drivers fell off the lead pack, a gap of 5 seconds opening up behind M. Haase in P8. M. Haase slowly falling off the back of S. Wharerau but still looking comfortable.

It was looking like one of the races for Maverick, driving one handed and chatting to the broadcasting team while holding onto a 4 second lead. Makryllos, Webley and Vik Chan unable to keep up, all separated by a comfortable gap.

Back to the battle for the Top 10, and it’s Maddie and Hendo making contact, Dawson and Firth sailing by into P9 and P10. Firth looked eager to claim P9 back and small error from Dawson handed it to him. Dawson’s Bentley lost traction at the final turn, spinning out and suffering light damage.

Webley no longer looked comfortable in P3 after running wide and taking an excursion on the grass. V. Chan now only 0.6 behind with 10 minutes to go. Webley did very well to hang! Further back Crossland was giving Deighton a ton of pressure, Crossland showing great form.

Okay let’s wrap this race review up. No surprises and it’s Mav Verstappen in P1. Makryllos comfortably claimed P2, while Webley held onto P3 by the skin of his teeth. M. Haase backed up his Quali pace with a very solid P8 to take out the PRO-AM class, M. Turbott claimed AM bragging rights in P20. A. Hughes was unable to get past G. Rowe, what an epic battle that was so special mention to those lads.

You’ve done well to get to the end, thanks for rerading yet another Firthy’s Race Review.

The writers’ strike is over so here’s a delayed Race 4 review! Given the delay this is going to be short and sweet, which is ideal because Snetterton is famous for looking like a man’s appendage, and even though the race promised to be a 120 enduro it only went half the time due to poor server performance. Established in 1953, Snetterton Circuit maintains a strong 4.8 star google review, Terry spent a weekend there not long ago and was well impressed stating, “Great venue, good racing, adequate facilities!”

Qualifications got underway with the AM and PRO-AM drivers pushing hard in their 15-minute stint. An improving M. Haase set the pace with a 1:46.372 followed closely by G. Rowe and C. McConnell. The PRO’s then got there chance to respond, and it didn’t take long to see some big names battle for the front row. The top 3 were ridiculously close! B. Webley snagged P1 with 1:45.720, Mav P2 +0.012 and Crossy P3 0.035 behind. Insane.

Race time and it’s green, green, green. Calamity from the get-go, S. Whaerau uncharacteristically misjudge the T1 brake marker and after some rubbing with Maddie speared into K. Makryllos send himself and Kostas off onto the grass.

Webley looked comfortable up front leading Mav and Crossy at the pointy end. G. Rowe’s Mustang made gains holding P7. K. Worcester in P15 didn’t make it easy for Makryllos, showing some pace and wide shoulders as Makryllos pushed hard to recover.

Crossy was looking super strong in P3, then, let’s say a rabbit jumped out in front of him and being a good lad, he sacrificed his Honda losing traction and taking to the grass. Big heart but massive damage to the rear end of the NSX.

Maddie was the big benefactor slotting into P3. G. Rowe now in P5, the Guerilla Racing Mustang Team was frothing in the pits. Another Mustang of note was C. McConnell, performing well and find himself in P7.

This foreplay has gone on too long so let’s skip ahead and get to the climax of the race. After leading for 57 minutes Webley was sweating bullets, Mav within 1 second the whole race, and with 3 minutes to go Mav made a massive move into the final turn, Webley shattered and maybe caught celebrating the win too early. Either way Webley did a stellar job all race!

So Mav P1, Webley P2 and Maddie in P3. G. Rowe took the honours for the PRO-AM class in P5! K. Warchester took out the AM class with P17. Well done drivers and well done RLR for putting on a show to what could have been a very disappointing finish.

Thanks for reading Firthy’s Race Review

Race 3 of Season 6, RLR takes on none other than Silverstone Circuit. Built upon a former RAF bomber station which was active between 1943 and 1946, Silverstone is now the jewel in the crown for British Motorsport. Silverstone has 4.7 google review from 20,611 reviews, one pundit Keith taking it upon himself to write a review longer than this one, clearly not happy about visitor parking and the cost of a cheeky pint served up a harsh 2-star review, harden up Keith and enjoy the race.

No parking troubles at this virtual race, all drivers arrived in time for Qualification. The point end was very busy indeed! Webley landed a blow on Maverick sneaking P1, so he thought, Mav getting once last lap in to pinch it off him with a 1:57.395. Webley P2, Makryllos P3 and a very quick Simblacks Honda driven by S. Crossland snagged P4 on his final lap. Craig McConnel was the front runner for the PRO-AM category in P14. Some early rain making it difficult for PRO-AM and AM drivers as the track was only quick for most of their stint.

Green lights and away we go! Mav got off to a flier, Crossland also as he quickly took P3 away from Makryllos. Tracy and Spence made early contact, add in an odd moment for Moss and some contact bringing 3 to 4 cars into an awkward tangle, McConnell, Dixon and a few others losing positions because of it. A little bit of frustration early on but none the less drivers pushed on. K, Worcester made a few places, his patriotic Australian Mustang looked quick!

V. Chan was back in town after missing the first 2 races, his Audi lost in transit it would seem but showing up for Silverstone. The nose of his R8 reminding the Top 5 he’s no slouch, lapping well and following the lead group closely. It was quite apparent Crossland was wearing his red undies, looking extremely racy, however the Honda did Honda things snapping and sending him off at track leaving a trail of skid marks. Crossy gathered it back up and rejoined behind Hemi-Bateman in P9.

Not to be outdone, V. Chan’s Audi proved that whatever the Honda can do Audi can do better, Vik’s Audi exiting stage left. No car damage but plenty of positions lost. K. Worcester found himself up into P12, some big gains early in this race for Ken.

Tragedy for Ken though, an odd moment and touch from J. Moss saw him losing places. Moss still finding his place amongst a new field of drivers. Back up front it was S. Crossland making places, quickly dispatching S. Wharerau and N. Firth to move into P5.

Mav looked comfortable all race in P1. Webley on the other hand in P2 had Makryllos’ 296 Ferrari all over the back of him. The gap between P2 and P3 no less than 1 second pretty much the entire race! I’ve mentioned this late in the review to keep Webley’s anxiety down, 3 days on but no doubt still sweating.

P1 goes to Mav Verstappen in the Redbull Honda, a seriously impressive start to the season and no doubt the benchmark driver. Webley held onto P2 with nerves of steel and Makryllos finishing in P3 only 0.273 behind after 60 minutes of racing. Driver of the day S. Crossland made a remarkable recovery, finishing in P5 and managing to catch up to Dawson in P4. T. Spence took out the PRO-AM with an impressive drive, M. Turbot claimed AM bragging rights.

Thanks for reading Firthy’s Race Review, make sure you grab some snacks and hydration before Race 4, 120 minutes of Snetterton! 

Race 2 of Season 6, Brands Hatch is the track and it’s a balmy summers day in England, temps hitting 10 degrees with only a light drizzle. Brands Hatch was originally a motorcycle circuit on farmland, however it quickly became popular and was home to Nigel Mansell's 1st F1 win, way back in 1985. Brands Hatch has a 4.8 star rating on google out of 6300+ reviews, which is surprising given how much the English like to have a whinge.

The rain had set in for Qualifications, but drivers had a good chance during free practice to make some tweaks to their setups. Something which would prove to be very important for race day. Another tight battle for P1 however once again, Mav Verstappen and the Red Bull Honda proved too strong. A huge fan of Brands Hatch and with a victory last time RLR visited, Maddie secured P2 with Webley not far behind in P3. G. Rowe’s Mustang secured an impressive P7 to be top of the PRO-Ams.

Race time and RLR suffered a major delay. The broadcasters cutting to a quick intermission as Race Directors scrambled to organise a delayed race start. Possibly a few JSO protestors doing a nudey run, possibly some server issues. Either way this called for a single file rolling start, Mav given the go ahead with Green Flags.

Like a bull out of the gates the lead pack was off, drivers scrambled to keep up. A fairly clean start again until M. Deighton in P4 got his wiggle on after hitting the curb, Crossland in the Simblacks car moving in for the overtake but running wide, spinning off on the grass, contact with Hendo and left stranded. T. Spence looked to take advantage but made massive contact with G. Rowe, Gunther’s Mustang left absolutely mangled.

Tracy, Firth, Dixon, McConnell, Kim and Dawson started a party of their own from P9 to P14. Tracy’s Honda looked a little spicy at T1, snapping as it lost grip, Tracy recovered well but Firthy took full advantage. Firth out in front turned in but some deadly choices from up the inside saw Firth spin out. Dixon close behind hit a stranded Firth to help point him the right way, both drivers able to stick with the battle all be it with a loss of positions.

1:24:8’s up front for Mav, 9 seconds ahead of Maddie with Webley very very close behind. The V8 of Webley’s Mustang doing it’s best to unsettle a fast-paced Maddie. Pit stops shook a few things up at as the race hit the halfway mark, but nothing crazy. The big game changer being who would pit earlier for tyres, who would go long and opt for the splash and dash.

Maddie was one driver eager to take advantage, her Ferrari 296 known for its fuel economy and minimum tyre deg. As the race unfolded Maddie looked to have made the right decision, with a solid chance of overcutting Mav.

Firth, Dixon and Hendo stuck close in P8, 9 and 10. Firth eventually able to break free, his McClaren looking quick and focused on catching M. Deighton, S, Wharerau. The three McClaren drivers eventually forming an exciting battle with 10 minutes to go.

Catastrophe! The power unit on Maddie’s ISP dropped out, hardware failure robbing her of a solid result. It hurts but it happens. This set up a surprising battle for P3, as Firth and Deighton chased down S. Wharerau, but heavy contact saw the two drivers spin and hand P3 to Shane.

Some awesome battles further back but lets wrap this up, Mav across the line in P1, Makryllos in P2 (who by the way had an amazing comeback) and S. Wharerau in P3. T. Spence took the honours for PRO-AM, A. Kraemer the lead AM driver.

Thanks for reading Firthy’s Race Review, let’s hope the English weather is a little better for Race 3 at Silverstone!

Round 1 Race Report by Señor Neek Firth.
Welcome to Season 6 of Rain Light Racing! Our drivers were ready to go after a few sangrias or siestas. Either way, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was calling them with its 4.657 km of racetrack. Considered a bit of an all-rounder circuit, Catalunya boasts a 4.5-star rating on Google Reviews, with a total of 17,570+ reviews – seriously impressive.

Qualifications got off to a flying start, with G. Rowe and J. Wadsworth setting the pace for the PRO-AM and AM sessions. Rowe, no longer driving a brick, looked quick in the GT3 Mustang. The PROs were released with 15 minutes remaining in the session, and the driving was intense. Mav Verstappen continued to impress in the Honda-powered Red Bull. K. Makryllos thought he’d snatched pole with a cracking time, only to have Mav edge him out by 0.063 seconds! Amazingly close. Umbrella Maddie secured 3rd on the grid.

Our first race was a monster 120 minutes, meaning all drivers would be required to pit or risk running out of fuel. Pitting was the better option. GREEN lights! A field of 30 cars scrambled for prime position heading into Turn 1 – often a recipe for disaster. However, the drivers kept it very clean, displaying impressive driving skills.

Makryllos had an awkward moment as his car looked a little unsettled – perhaps due to contact or setup issues. Mav took advantage and opened up an early gap. Action was everywhere! Massive chains of cars battled it out, with positions changing from P2 to P6 and P7 to P14. Some great overtakes occurred, with Dixon in the CCWW car performing well, and Crossland in the Simblacks car making gains.

After 30 minutes, the gaps had grown. A noticeable lead pack formed, and N. Firth struggled to stay in touch. Maddie was too quick, settling her Ferrari 296 into a groove and making gains. Makryllos found himself down in P9 from P2 – lots of work to do if he wanted a podium.

One hour in, it was time for pit stops. Mav relayed to his team that the race was rather enjoyable as they changed his tires. Drivers hit the pits fairly well, in and out quickly. Dawson, however, regretted not painting his car white, as he appeared to have a “code brown” incident in the new Bentley.

As the sun began to set, drivers needed to focus to avoid penalties from potential track cuts. G. Rowe, M. Smith, W. Dixon, and A. Hughes drove like they were in a sprint race, bunched up and trading blows for some very entertaining viewing.

Makryllos knuckled down and gained places late in the race, working his way easily into P6. N. Firth seemed to have enjoyed a few too many cheeseburgers, and Crossland, a fan of both sitting ducks and cheeseburgers, also sneaked by.

If you’re still reading, well done! The editor asked me to shorten these reports a bit, so here we go. After 120 minutes, it was none other than Mav, the champion of Season 5, crossing the line with a dominating performance. Lastly, P. Tracy had what some would call the drive of the day, piling the pressure onto B. Webley in a solid run on the final corner, but it wasn’t enough. Webley took P2, and Tracy secured P3. Maddie wasn’t far behind in P4. G. Rowe took the PRO-AM honors, showing promise in his new Mustang – good things to come, it seems.

Thanks for reading Firthy’s Race Review! Next up is Brands Hatch, a favorite for many drivers and home to some of the best tea and scones. 🏁🍵