Author: Den

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Watkins Glen

Team Matra dominated The Glen.  Matra’s Gavin started on pole and lead the race from start to finish.  His teammate, Beltoise, finished second followed by Lotus driver Andretti.

Gavin’s first win of the season catapulted him to second place in the drivers’ championship.  Andretti and Hahne are tied for 3rd place, only 4 points behind Gavin.  Click here for season standings.

A summary of the race results follow:

1st Den (J. Gavin) 60/40/20/160/6
2nd Den (J. Beltoise) 60/40/40/160/5
3rd Steve (M. Andretti) 60/40/20/160/6
4th Terry (G. Eaton) 60/40/40/160/5
5th Steve (J. Rindt) 60/40/20/160/6
6th Terry (J. Surtees) 60/40/40/160/5

The final race of the season is scheduled for 11 Oct 2017 at the Mexico city circuit.

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Monza

For the first time in the Tabletop Racing Club’s history, 12 Drivers started on the grid at Monza!

Bruce McLaren held pole position ahead of this year’s crowded field.  He lead through two intensive laps.  Once again Beltoise challenged McLaren on the final lap.  This time, Beltiose achieved victory in a photo finish.  Rindt finished close behind in third place.

Two rookie drivers participated in the race.  Eric took charge of the Bonnier racing team and his drivers finished in fifth and sixth place.  Unfortunately, Joshua was not able to finish the race and his drivers were forced to retire.

Race results follow:

1st Den (J. Beltoise) 60/40/20/160/6
2nd John (B. McLaren) 80/40/40/160/5**
3rd Steve (J. Rindt) 60/40/20/160/6
4th Den (J. Gavin) 60/40/20/160/6
5th Eric H. (J. Bonnier) 40/40/40/180/5
6th Eric H. (Tresham) 40/40/60/180/4
7th Terry (J. Surtees) 80/60/40/160/4
8th Terry (G. Eaton) 80/40/40/160/4
9th Steve (M. Andretti) 60/40/20/160/6
DNF John (D. Bell) 60/60/60/200/5*
DNF Joshua (DeKlerk) 60/40/20/180/5
DNF Jashua (Hague) 60/40/40/160/5

With his win at Monza, Beltoise reached 60 points and secured the Championship.   With only two races to go, second and third places are still hotly contested.  Follow this link for the  season’s standings.

Note:  The race was held on the original 3M version of the track.  Due to the glossy vinyl service, the race photos were not usable.

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Nurburgring

Strategy and luck pay off at Nurburgring.

Hahne, Andretti, and Rindt bolted off the starting line taking an incredible early lead.  During the first two laps, BMW and Lotus battled.  Hahne crossed the finish line ahead of Rindt and Andretti on both laps, but started the last lap with one wear point.

The Race After Turn One

During the early stages of the race, the Matra drivers worked as a team and drove conservatively saving their tires.  Near the end of the second lap Beltoise began to make his run against the leaders.  He began the last lap with relatively fresh tires.

On the last lap, because of their deteriorating tires, Hahne, Andretti and Rindt slowed and were unable to exceed corner speed limits.  Meanwhile Beltoise exceeded most corners by at least 40mph (spending one wear and rolling on the chance table) and exceeded his top speed on the straights.  As a result he caught and passed the leaders on the back stretch, getting ahead of Hahne before the last corner.  Beltoise won the race followed by Hahne.  Andretti and Gavin raced side by side.  Andretti made it through the last corner first, but left the inside lane open.  As a result of Andretti mistake, Gavin crossed the finish line ahead of him securing 3rd place.

Race Results:

1st Den (J. Beltoise) 80/40/40/140/6
2nd Ray G. (H. Hauhne) 80/40/40/140/6**
3rd Den (J. Gavin) 40/40/40/140/6
4th Steve (M. Andretti) 80/40/20/140/6
5th Steve (J. Rindt) 80/40/20/160/6
6th Ray G. (J. Biden) 60/40/40/140/5

The win puts Beltoise in a commanding lead in the driver’s championship followed by Hahne and Andretti.  Matra holds onto the lead in the constructors championship while BMW threaten to take second place from Lotus.

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Silverstone

Matra and Lotus Battle at Silverstone

Hubert Hahne started on pole and lead the first lap.  Lotus driver Mario Andretti charged head on lap-2, but Hahne overtook him on the final lap.  Andretti found himself in a battle for second place with Matra driver Beltiose.  Hahne took the checkered flag at Silverstone for the second year in a row.  Beltiose passed Andretti on the final turn and secured the number two position on the podium.

The post race car inspection revealed that Jochem Rindt’s Lotus was in violation of formula rules and he was disqualified.

Click here for current season standings.

 

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Indy Oval

Racing at Indy is like playing a chess game while moving at 220 miles per hour.  Fuel strategy played a key role in this years race.  Three drivers (Gavin, Copper, and Mchaven) started the race with two fuel while the rest started with three.  Gavin pulled ahead of the pack and picked up a bonus point for lap 1, but pitted before crossing the start/finish line during lap 2.  The pack raced by the three cars that pitted at the end of lap-2 and continued a positional battle.  During the race, Surtees, Bell and Beltoise gained bonus points for leading laps.

At the end of lap-3, seven cars pitted.  Gavin, Copper, and Mchaven pushed to pass the pitted cars but could not catch them in time.  Their “start the race low on fuel” strategy did not payoff.

Six of the Seven cars that pitted on lap-3 took on two fuel except Beltoise who took one.  Beltoise lead going down the back strait on lap-4 with McLaren on his heels.  McLaren spun going into the fourth corner.  Beltoise spent his remaining fuel, but was able to finish lap-5 and garner the win.

As a result of the win, Beltoise gained a considerable lead in the drivers championship.  McLaren and Andretti are tied for second while Gavin and Surtees are tied for third.  Hahne is fourth just a point behind the third place drivers.

Matra extended its lead in the constructors championship.  Lotus was not represented at Indy, but was able to remain in second.  McLaren passed Owen for third place.

Click here for detailed race results and here for season standings.

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Sarthe Lemans

Team manager John guided McLaren to its first win of the season.  Matra driver Gavin started on pole, but started slow and quickly fell back.  Lotus driver Jochem Rindt shot to the front and lead the first lap.  Bruce McLaren charged forward during lap 2 and held the lead.  McLaren and Matra Driver J. Beltoise finished side-by-side with  McLaren securing the win.  Rindt finished 3rd in his first race since recovering from injuries.

Race results:
1st John (B. McLaren) 60/40/40/160/6
2nd Den (J. Beltoise) 80/40/40/160/5
3rd Steve (J. Rindt) 80/40/20/160/5
4th Den (J. Gavin) 40/60/40/160/4
5th Steve (M. Andretti) 80/40/20/160/5
6th John (D. Bell) 40/40/40/140/6

Follow this link for season details.

Next race is on the Big oval in May!

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Spa

Matra wins two in a row!  Matra driver Beltoise started on pole.  Lotus driver Mario Andretti took the lead on the second lap, but dropped out of the race due to tire failure.  Beltoise finished first followed by Owen driver G. Eaton and BMW driver H. Hauhne.

Beltoise moves to first place in the individual championship and Matra now leads the manufacturers.

Race results:
1st Den (J. Beltoise) 80/40/40/160/5*
2nd Terry (G. Eaton) 80/40/40/160/4
3rd Ray G. (H. Hauhne) 80/40/40/160/5
4th Den (J. Gavin) 60/40/20/160/5
5th Steve (Attwood) 60/40/20/160/5
6th Ray G. (G. Mitter) 60/40/40/160/4
7th Terry (J. Surtees) 60/40/40/160/5
DNF Steve (M. Andretti) 80/40/20/160/6*

Click here for Season standings.

Next race is Lemans on 19 April 2017.

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Monaco

Lotus driver Jochem Rindt lead the first three laps of the race, but crashed on the last lap.  Jack Brabham also crashed.  Both drivers suffered minor injuries.  Matra driver Beltoise worked his way from 7th to finish first.  Bruce McLaren finished second followed by Johny Gavin.  Season points leader Mario Andretti finished fourth.

Race Results:
1st Den (J. Beltoise) 80/40/40/140/5
2nd John (B. McLaren) 60/40/40/160/6
3rd Den (J. Gavin) 60/40/40/160/5
4th Steve (M. Andretti) 80/40/20/140/6
5th Tom (J. Ickx) 60/60/40/140/5
6th Terry (J. Surtees) 80/40/40/160/5
7th Terry (G. Eaton) 60/40/40/140/5
8th John (D. Bell) 40/40/40/140/6
CR1 Steve (J. Rindt) 80/40/20/140/6
CR1 Tom (J. Brabham) 60/60/40/140/5

Visit the season standings page for more details.

 

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Race Report – Speed Circuit 2017 Kyalami

Lotus driver Mario Andretti led the field of 14 drivers for all three laps securing the win.  John Surtees finished 2nd followed by Jochem Rindt.  In his debut outing, Rich’s driver, Sam Tingle finished in 4th place.

Jackie Stewart Before Wing Callapsed

Wing failures caused Ferrari driver Chris Amon and Brabham driver Jack Brabham to drop out of the race.  Jackie Stewart crashed when his front wing collapsed.  Severely injured, Jackie Stewart is not expected to race again.  Wings are not allowed in the next race.

Race results:
1st Steve (M. Andretti) 80/40/20/160/5**
2nd Terry (J. Surtees) 60/40/40/160/5
3rd Steve (J. Rindt) 80/40/20/160/5
4th Rich (S. Tingle)  60/40/40/160/5
5th Ray G. (H. Hauhne) 80/40/40/160/5
6th Terry (G. Eaton) 80/60/40/160/4
7th Adam (P. Rodriguez) 60/40/40/160/4
8th Den (J. Beltoise) 40/40/40/160/5
9th Tom (J. Ickx) 40/60/40/160/5
10th Ray G. (G. Mitter) 60/40/40/160/4
11th Rich (J. Love) 80/20/40/140/6
DNF Tom (J. Brabham) 40/60/40/160/5 – Wing Failure
DNF Adam (C. Amon) 80/60/40/160/4 – Wing Failure
CRS Den (J. Stewart) 80/60/40/160/4 – Career Ending Injury

Click here for season standings.

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Speed Circuit Series 7 Begins 25 Jan 2017 – First Race Kyalami!

The seventh season of Speed Circuit starts on 25 Jan 2017 with the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.  This year, we will be using teams from the 1969 Grand Prix season.  Our reigning Champion, Steve, gets first pick from the teams, but after that it is first come first served.

Here is a link to the wiki on the real 1969 F1 Season:  1969 F1.

Remember to review the Kyalami track guide.

See you at the race!