[BAracer]

Lock down has relaxed in Canberra...we have a proxy race series!

Here we go...

[Cgyracer]

Good luck you guys in Australia.   Tough tracks in that race series down there.

[BAracer]

So Round 1 got downgraded to Round 0 and a loosener for the drivers as they acknowledged their rustiness after lock down. It also teased out an issue with magnetic downforce with their track braids. 

But the new Round 1 is planned for Sunday 24/10/21, when the Aus/GB/USA battle will commence!

[Cgyracer]

Good luck Jeremy!  That is serious enemy territory down there!  I got 2nd in that series a several years ago but I caught them by surprise and I know they are building serious fast cars now!  Those guys are dialed in on those tracks!
Rob

[BAracer]

Big, heavy cars with strange tyres seems to be the way to go.

I have been following your friend Brumos RSR...small and light!

[BAracer]

Round 1 is done and dusted. Auslot thread with all the results and videos here...

Touring Car Proxy 2021 Round 1

So it's not going well for me at the moment, that's my Civic in the far distance in the finishing grid picture. Local advice, and previous results, suggested urethanes were the way to go on these Canberra tracks. But not having a similar track to set the car up on, especially with unfamiliar tyres, meant that I was always going to be on the back foot for this first season. 

Video evidence seems to indicate not enough grip in the corners, so lots of oversteer, although straight line speed seems to be there or thereabouts. Not sure whether any more tyre grip will materialise as the series progresses, but with six minutes of racing now under it's belt, hopefully the gear mesh will be starting to bed in and consequently reduce friction in the drive train. Initial thoughts are that the car is too light, although I did read that urethane tyres don't respond to ballast in the same way rubber tyres do.

It's all good learning, and the plan is to continue with the Civic over a number of series and introduce upgrades each year to try an maximise it's performance...but we shall see.

[BAracer]

Touring Car Proxy Round 2

Not a rewarding track for 'small & light' cars!

However...the post-race analysis video review of my Civic referred to it as "looks fast". Now, watching my car from the otherside of the planet on a small screen, I'll take "looks fast". But the results do back up the subsequent comment "but not fast enough".

Our Alan is up ahead of me with his mid-size Megane, but up front, it looks like a Calibra take over, although worryingly, I think I can see a Honda Civic immediately behind them. I need to see what spec that car is!

[BAracer]

Touring Car Proxy Round 3

Little Steps... 

This round seems to have mixed up the bunch a bit. Pleased to see my Honda four places higher than the last round, with Nonfractal's Megane doing likewise and tormenting me by still staying out of reach! 

Not sure whether the improvement has come from the gear mesh wearing in or the tyres maturing nicely. Either way, I've started thinking about alternatives for next year (unless the Civic continues this steady rise up the grid!)

[Cgyracer]

Nice to see Jimmy and Lance at the top.  Baby steps that’s for sure Jeremy!   Looking good!
Rob

[BAracer]

Thanks CGY, but I think you must be looking at a different proxy series to me...

Latest two rounds: -

Touring Car Proxy Round 4

Touring Car Proxy Round 5

My car is reliably slow and steady towards the rear of the pack, NonFractal's is in a very healthy mid-table position. 

BTCC cars don't seem to be the touring car to run in this series, DTM's hold all the geometric advantages. But it's great fun to see your little car racing round a track on the opposite side of the planet, regardless of grid position!