RTCC 2013 – Stage 2 Results and Write Up
Hockenheimring has played host to all kinds of Ruff Gaming events, all which have been exciting from lights out to the chequered flags, with accidents, overtaking and downright racing chaos, so it was the ideal track to host round 2 of the Ruff Gaming Touring Car Championship 2013.
Last week saw SMB91, the newest member of the rabble, storming to victory, taking pole and winning both races in the process! So was it just beginners luck or does he have what it takes to win the championship? Or will one of the old guard fight back?! Just to add a little more realism and difficulty, qualifying and race 3 will be set at sunrise with race 4 concluding in the mid afternoon.
Once we finally got everyone in the race lobby qualifying got underway with the early pace being set by SMB1, Womblemk3 and The Mehwarrior. Qualifying is always a sensible affair (more to do with the fact cars are ghosted…..) so no real drama. The Mehwarrior managed to beat Womblemk3 to the 2nd place but once again it was SMB91 who took the pole, nearly 2 seconds faster than 2nd place! All 14 racers managed to finish the session, however both thetaffman and wackybar failed to set a clean qualifying lap so would start from the back! Full qualifying results can be seen below!
Race 3 and with the sun just climbing up over the horizon, the cars revved impatiently on the grid waiting for the lights to go out. Lights out and the cars began heading towards the first right hander, scene of many previous incidents across Ruff Gaming Forza competitions, would there be another?!
The BMW once again powered off the line allowing taffman to gain positions from his back row start. As all 14 cars ploughed into the corner, some cars took to the quick grass to avoid major accidents and with a few bumps and scrapes all 14 cars came out the other side. Out the front womblemk3, SMB91 and The Mehwarrior began fighting for position, with SMB91 heading the charge. Further back on the grid more action was taking place, with Ruffian Stew first clattering into the back of me and then holding up myself, Pgtips, Wackybar and Nash Effect using some more ‘unconventional’ tactics! Plenty of contact, what you expect from touring cars as everyone jostled for the prime position to overtake Stew, if they dared to try. It wasn’t long before Ruffian Stew made the mistake which allowed everyone through. The most poignant incident came when Wackybar, exiting the pits after contact with the wall, accidentally caught SMB91, which allowed Womblemk3 to storm past and take the lead. The incident also resulted in Wackybar having to retire from the race as his car was too damaged to continue. From there on in, it was a quiet race with Womblemk3 taking his first win of the RTCC and SMB91 close behind! The Mehwarrior rounded off the top 3, full race results can be seen below.
Race 4…the reverse grid order that caused so much mayhem and chaos last week, would it prove the same again? As the lights went out, the BMW’s once again shot off the line, making their way up the grid, as everyone once again dived towards the first corner. Amazingly everyone made it through again with thetaffman taking an early lead, but first lap chaos is always around the corner in any Ruff Gaming championship….. Around turn 5/6 contact to Raingod Zippo sent him spinning, with other people having to take avoiding action but who was the contact with….his team mate T3RRAF0RM! With damaged cars left right and centre, I was close behind Ruffian Stew and completely by accident and in no way revenge for the race 1 contact, crashed into him, sending us both spinning off the track. Returning to the track I had Raingod and T3RRAF0RM hunting me down in formation and struggling with my lack of aero from the crash was fair game to their attempts….but I wasn’t going to lie down and make it easy for them, I managed to hold them off for a good 3 laps, with Raingod asking Stew how much he would pay him to remove me from the race….. Up the front, Darkestfrost was holding off the challenge from SMB91 and Womblemk3, until an early downshift caused minor engine problem, however the damage was done and soon both SMB91 and Womblemk3 passed him. One notable achievement of everyone in the race was for the first time a race finished without anyone being lapped, just goes to show the improvement of everyone involved. SMB91 held on to take his 3 victory of the competition with Womblemk3 breathing down his neck all the way. Darkestfrost rounded out the top 3 with an impressive drive. Full race results are below but I’d like to mention Nash Effect who had a quietly effective race and took 8th position, his best finish this competition.
Big thanks to all involved and look forward to the next stage which is:
Circuit de Catalunya National Circuit
12th Dec 2013
5 Qualifying Laps
15 Laps each Race
Qualifying Results
1. SMB91 – 1.35.533
2. The Mehwarrior – 1.37.252
3. Womblemk3 – 1.37.410
4. T3RRAF0RM – 1.37.791
5. Boosterdq26 – 1.38.240
6. mikethemute – 1.39.664
7. Darkestfrost – 1.39.855
8. Raingod Zippo – 1.41.043
9. Iceman D18 – 1.41.200
10. Nash Effect – 1.43.786
11. Pgtips77 – 1.44.224
12. Ruffian Stew – 1.42.318
13. thetaffman – 1.39.311 (Unclean)
14. Wackybar – 1.42.162 (Unclean)
Race 3 Results
1. Womblemk3
2. SMB91
3. The Mehwarrior
4. Boosterdq26
5. T3RRAF0RM
6. thetaffman
7. mikethemute
8. Darkestfrost
9. Raingod Zippo
10. Iceman D18
11. Pgtips77
12. Nash Effect
13. Ruffian Stew
14. Wackybar
Race 4 Results
1. SMB91
2. Womblemk3
3. Darkestfrost
4. Boosterdq26
5. mikethemute
6. thetaffman
7. The Mehwarrior
8. Nash Effect
9. Raingod Zippo
10. Pgtips77
11. T3RRAF0RM
12. Iceman D18
13. Wackybar
14. Ruffian Stew
Catch you all next Thursday for some more action!
Over and Out
Iceman
