Vikz

Six minutes to go as we started lap 285.

We had The Dimwit A car in our sights, tyre wear playing a huge role now. The No Clue car was on fresh rubber while The Dimwit A car on was on tyres which had done the best part of 40 laps.

After some quick calculations from my teammate "Jer", we figured we’d be doing another 4-5 laps. We were six seconds behind and looked like we would catch up in a lap or two at the current pace both cars were running.

As I got closer, I noticed that I had a massive advantage under braking and acceleration because of the tyres and started plotting as to where I could get by.

I knew from a few laps back, before the pit stops, that "Goon" was not easily rattled. My pass earlier on him at the end of the main straight had been hairy to say the least and there was no way I was going to try that again.

Even with the massive speed differential between the two cars in the infield section of the Daytona Road course, there are very few passing opportunities as it is full of medium speed corners.

I settled on trying to get a good exit out of the Turn 6 heading on to the straight hoping to jump in his slipstream and drafting by before the chicane.

Gareth

Pretty soon Vikz is in my mirrors, and I despair at how fast the little dot resolves to an Audi R8. I concentrate on keeping my line, but the tyres are going away, and the traction control is kicking in more and more often. It's robbing me of some acceleration, but at least it's one less thing to worry about.

Now the DimWits are now acting as spotters as we roar around the track.

"Stay on the middle line 'Goon'!"

"Here he comes"

"He's going high!"

"Now he's low"

"Middle line! Middle line!"

My knuckles are white, teeth clenched and I'm trembling in my chair. I'm trying to relax and let the car have it's head on the banking, but so much is at stake.

To be honest, at this point I knew the game was up, and it was just a matter of time before Vikz was past. I resolved that he wouldn't get past without trying, and that it wouldn't be a mistake on my part that let him through.

Vikz

I pulled in about 2-3 seconds in the infield section on Lap 285 and by the time we got through the chicane heading for the start finish line to start lap 286,

I was on his gearbox. Braked slightly early for T1 as I didn’t know "Goon’s" braking points too well and I didn’t want to bump into him. Got a great exit out of T3 and almost charged up the inside of the fast left T4, but that would have been too risky.

"Patience laddie", I said to myself and stayed a car length behind "Goon". He held his line perfectly, a hard thing to do with such worn tyres. I figured I would get at least one opportunity in the remaining three laps and I had to make it stick.

Gareth

At Turn 1 I concentrated on covering the inside line.

Vikz moves wide to maybe chop back tight on the exit, but I get good drive out of the corner. He's still behind!

It's a matter of keeping my line, and not going too deep on the brakes.

Somewhere out on the back straight, Vikz drops back to regroup, and I think maybe his tyres are going off.

I rue my error in forgetting to map the rFactor key that deploys the thumb tacks!