Supercars 17 - Barbagallo R7-8

The beloved Super Sprint of Australia's West Coast proved to be a joy and heartache at the same time.  Much work was done to the track to make it better.  Some of it was and some of it not so much.

Race 1:

Gurton Buster had the pole (as usual) and lead the field into turn one after a mulligan.  Zack felt it necessary to roll Darrel upside down.  That week off really pent him up I guess.

The opening essess were effectively the end of my race as Winterbottom screwed up my run out of one and continued to apply pressure.

The result was a pile of cars and no 4th gear for me.  

Darrel and Zack were making some inroads into the field early on.

However, the 61 would run wide attempting the essess.

His return to the racing surface was very close as he made Zack extremely nervous.

Not but a lap later would he be faced with trouble in the same spot.  James Moffett ran him afoul while Hamilton attempted to stay on his line.

He could have continued on with little more than an increased blood pressure, Michael Caruso barreled right into him, destroying his car.  A real team effort for these two.  Siting personal issues, Darrel had to excuse himself from the second race.

Not much further up the field, Zack and I were going back and forth.

Without a 4th gear, I couldn't get away and he kept fighting back.  It really was more of a frustration for us both since neither could really take advantage.  We didn't wreck, though.

That would happen to me several times a lap or so later as my tires cooked considerably.  I also had a slight sideswipe from a certain someone.  Not that it did much to hurt my race at this point.

Zack was then free to start making up places in the field but would ultimately end in a DNF after a series of unfortunate events.

Buster was then able to walk away with an easy W.

Race 2:

The start was a little different this time with AI on the front grid.

The racing proved to be dramatic and enjoyable for the first few laps.

Once we cleared them, we were just about to start our own game of cat and mouse when the 008 swung around from an awkward run off the curb.

I thought I might have some chance until I way over-ran 7 and then suddenly just spun around when coming back.  I think it was the huge grip variance from paint and asphalt.

The spin was harmless as was the connection with the tires.  But I got stuck on this damn official and had to call a tow.  Unbelievable.  This would also mean that I was short on fuel and would have to pit again.

Meanwhile, Webster was making up ground.  While much was due to skill, the AI were dropping off considerably.

Sandy was also taking advantage when he lost a motor, likely from overheating.  He was well into the top 10 at the time.  Very unfortunate.

With all my gears, Zack and I did some short, friendly passing.

Podiums for the three of us thanks to the lackluster AI with Jamie extending his championship lead.

We now go to Winton where a few additional changes will be taking place to the track for "modernization" purposes.

Race 1

Track: Barbagallo Raceway

Session: Practice

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	013	T Nadz	51.274
2	008	J Zolecki	51.764
3	888	C Lowndes	52.184
4	1	J Whincup	52.444
5	2	G Tander	52.642
6	8	J Bright	52.735
7	5	M Winterbottom	52.746
8	21	D Wood	52.825
9	14	F Coulthard	52.937
10	6	C Mostert	52.942
11	33	S McLaughlin	53.095
12	9	W Davison	53.118
13	15	R Kelly	53.213
14	222	N Percat	53.231
15	16	S Pye	53.238
16	97	S Van Gisbergen	53.239
17	18	J Perkins	53.373
18	360	J Moffat	53.388
19	17	D Wall	53.748
20	22	J Courtney	53.790
21	061	D Hamilton	53.859
22	55	D Reynolds	53.923
23	47	T Slade	54.007
24	23	R Ingall	54.139
25	023	Z Webster	54.219
26	4	L Holdsworth	54.413
27	36	M Caruso	54.688
28	34	R Dahlgren	54.798
29	7	T Kelly	54.808
30	021	T Bear	55.360

Weather: Cloudy, 79 °F, Northeast 16 mph

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	008	J Zolecki	51.295
2	1	J Whincup	51.725
3	9	W Davison	52.141
4	5	M Winterbottom	52.143
5	14	F Coulthard	52.185
6	6	C Mostert	52.230
7	888	C Lowndes	52.232
8	8	J Bright	52.287
9	2	G Tander	52.299
10	013	T Nadz	52.379
11	15	R Kelly	52.502
12	97	S Van Gisbergen	52.554
13	21	D Wood	52.564
14	18	J Perkins	52.688
15	47	T Slade	52.720
16	55	D Reynolds	52.774
17	33	S McLaughlin	52.810
18	16	S Pye	52.838
19	222	N Percat	53.006
20	4	L Holdsworth	53.503
21	22	J Courtney	53.539
22	23	R Ingall	53.686
23	17	D Wall	53.693
24	7	T Kelly	53.740
25	360	J Moffat	53.749
26	34	R Dahlgren	53.930
27	36	M Caruso	54.309
28	021	T Bear	--
29	061	D Hamilton	--
30	023	Z Webster	--

Weather: Cloudy, 79 °F, North 11 mph

Session: Happy Hour

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	008	J Zolecki	52.490
2	8	J Bright	53.055
3	013	T Nadz	53.168
4	2	G Tander	53.296
5	97	S Van Gisbergen	53.327
6	5	M Winterbottom	53.522
7	888	C Lowndes	53.537
8	16	S Pye	53.610
9	14	F Coulthard	53.742
10	21	D Wood	53.802
11	9	W Davison	53.861
12	55	D Reynolds	53.938
13	6	C Mostert	54.143
14	222	N Percat	54.179
15	18	J Perkins	54.186
16	47	T Slade	54.213
17	33	S McLaughlin	54.306
18	023	Z Webster	54.396
19	15	R Kelly	54.409
20	4	L Holdsworth	54.451
21	360	J Moffat	54.598
22	22	J Courtney	54.644
23	23	R Ingall	55.065
24	17	D Wall	55.210
25	1	J Whincup	55.224
26	34	R Dahlgren	55.321
27	061	D Hamilton	55.543
28	7	T Kelly	55.745
29	36	M Caruso	55.750
30	021	T Bear	56.576

Weather: Clear, 84 °F, Northwest 10 mph

Session: Race

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	1	008	J Zolecki	95.580	29	29*	185	Running
2	3	9	W Davison	-50.09	29	0	170	Running
3	8	8	J Bright	-52.36	29	0	165	Running
4	2	1	J Whincup	-50.02	29	0	160	Running
5	14	18	J Perkins	-1L	28	0	155	Running
6	16	55	D Reynolds	-1L	28	0	150	Running
7	13	21	D Wood	-1L	28	0	146	Running
8	5	14	F Coulthard	-1L	28	0	142	Running
9	18	16	S Pye	-1L	28	0	138	Running
10	6	6	C Mostert	-1L	28	0	134	Running
11	10	013	T Nadz	-1L	28	0	130	Running
12	19	222	N Percat	-1L	28	0	127	Running
13	15	47	T Slade	-1L	28	0	124	Running
14	4	5	M Winterbottom	-1L	28	0	121	Running
15	17	33	S McLaughlin	-1L	28	0	118	Running
16	20	4	L Holdsworth	-1L	28	0	115	Running
17	22	23	R Ingall	-1L	28	0	112	Running
18	21	22	J Courtney	-1L	28	0	109	Running
19	25	360	J Moffat	-1L	28	0	106	Running
20	27	36	M Caruso	-2L	27	0	103	Running
21	9	2	G Tander	-2L	27	0	100	Running
22	23	17	D Wall	-3L	26	0	97	Running
23	28	021	T Bear	-3L	26	0	94	Running
24	24	7	T Kelly	-4L	25	0	91	Running
25	11	15	R Kelly	-4L	25	0	88	Valve
26	12	97	S Van Gisbergen	-4L	25	0	85	Accident
27	30	023	Z Webster	-5L	24	0	82	Accident
28	26	34	R Dahlgren	-8L	21	0	79	Accident
29	7	888	C Lowndes	-12L	17	0	76	Engine
30	29	061	D Hamilton	-22L	7	0	73	Retired

Caution Flags: 0 (0 laps)

Lead Changes: 0 (1 driver)

Weather: Clear, 84 °F, Northwest 9 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 2x

AI Strength: 95%

Race 2

Session: Qualifying

P	#	DRIVER	TIME
1	1	J Whincup	51.809
2	5	M Winterbottom	51.899
3	008	J Zolecki	51.964
4	888	C Lowndes	51.986
5	14	F Coulthard	52.111
6	9	W Davison	52.134
7	013	T Nadz	52.224
8	8	J Bright	52.287
9	97	S Van Gisbergen	52.338
10	6	C Mostert	52.352
11	15	R Kelly	52.761
12	21	D Wood	52.801
13	2	G Tander	52.825
14	16	S Pye	52.827
15	55	D Reynolds	52.973
16	18	J Perkins	53.084
17	33	S McLaughlin	53.112
18	22	J Courtney	53.234
19	222	N Percat	53.256
20	34	R Dahlgren	53.367
21	23	R Ingall	53.449
22	4	L Holdsworth	53.483
23	47	T Slade	53.537
24	360	J Moffat	53.547
25	17	D Wall	53.794
26	36	M Caruso	53.965
27	7	T Kelly	54.006
28	023	Z Webster	--
29	021	T Bear	--

Weather: Cloudy, 85 °F, West 4 mph

Session: Race

F	S	#	DRIVER	INTERVAL	LAPS	LED	POINTS	STATUS
1	3	008	J Zolecki	96.585	29	24*	185	Running
2	7	013	T Nadz	-1L	28	2	175	Running
3	28	023	Z Webster	-1L	28	0	165	Running
4	6	9	W Davison	-2L	27	0	160	Running
5	12	21	D Wood	-2L	27	0	155	Running
6	13	2	G Tander	-2L	27	0	150	Running
7	15	55	D Reynolds	-2L	27	0	146	Running
8	2	5	M Winterbottom	-2L	27	0	142	Running
9	14	16	S Pye	-2L	27	0	138	Running
10	5	14	F Coulthard	-2L	27	0	134	Running
11	17	33	S McLaughlin	-2L	27	0	130	Running
12	9	97	S Van Gisbergen	-2L	27	0	127	Running
13	8	8	J Bright	-2L	27	0	124	Running
14	21	23	R Ingall	-2L	27	0	121	Running
15	16	18	J Perkins	-2L	27	0	118	Running
16	19	222	N Percat	-2L	27	0	115	Running
17	11	15	R Kelly	-2L	27	0	112	Running
18	10	6	C Mostert	-2L	27	0	109	Running
19	23	47	T Slade	-2L	27	0	106	Running
20	4	888	C Lowndes	-2L	27	0	103	Running
21	18	22	J Courtney	-3L	26	0	100	Running
22	20	34	R Dahlgren	-3L	26	0	97	Running
23	24	360	J Moffat	-3L	26	0	94	Running
24	22	4	L Holdsworth	-3L	26	0	91	Running
25	25	17	D Wall	-3L	26	0	88	Running
26	27	7	T Kelly	-3L	26	0	85	Running
27	1	1	J Whincup	-3L	26	3	87	Running
28	26	36	M Caruso	-3L	26	0	79	Running
29	29	021	T Bear	-14L	15	0	76	Accident

Caution Flags: 0 (0 laps)

Lead Changes: 4 (3 drivers)

Weather: Cloudy, 85 °F, Southeast 8 mph

Pitstop Frequency: 3x

AI Strength: 95%