FL: Mal Ross (#45)

Was back at Teamsport in Newcastle again last night, this time with a couple of colleagues and... wooo! Got my first win. 🏆

If I'm honest, that was largely down to the fact there were no ringers there. In fact, I did a good job of looking like the only ringer, being the only person with an avatar next to their name on the timing charts (meaning I was keen enough to have the Teamsport app and set up my profile).

Even so, I didn't have it all my own way. I may have got the fastest lap in session #1, but I was pipped in session #2. Add to that the fact that I was over a second slower than my previous visit and it doesn't sound that awesome. But a win's a win; I'll take it. 🙂

Looking at the above results for the second session, it's not clear why I say I was "pipped" in that session. Thing is, some of the other people were taking so long to come back to the karts for this session that I was switched into a kart nearer the pitlane exit. So instead of being in kart 51, I was in kart 39. And looking at the results screen in the bar afterwards, kart 39 was the one in second position. I'm also very confident that I was faster in that session than the first, so I can only conclude that "Carl Arkle" was in fact me.

Of course, they've buggered up my stats with this, but whatever. I know what I did.

Anyway, what else was of note? With the cold, the track was pretty slippery again, though I couldn't tell whether it was any better or worse than the last time. Lap times suggest it was worse, but that could just be me making excuses.

For once, I actually felt like I got the hang of the downstairs section. Stabbing the brake before each of the 90° left handers to drift the kart around them let me stay on the power more / get on the power earlier. Whether it actually was quicker, I don't know; don't have any telemetry to say. The hairpin before the spiral up-ramp, however, was something I never felt on top of. I just couldn't get the turn-in or the traction again and then one time I opted to stamp on the brakes to get it, I messed it up, spinning instead. And that was on a lap that had, to that point, felt epic. I was gutted.

Mind, that 'epic lap' was based on my wrong understanding of where the lap started and ended, timing-wise. I'd assumed that the timing started at the same place on the track where the boost button recharged was recharged i.e. the bottom of the up-ramp. Turns out, from watching YouTube videos of this circuit, that the start/finish line is actually just before you head down to the lower level. Next time I come here, I'll use that knowledge.

Next time I go karting, however, I'll be making a trip to Warden Law instead. As fun as Teamsport has been, the number of clear laps you actually get can be ridiculously low: about 3 per session this time, given all the red and yellow flags. It'll be good to get back on a circuit where the only thing that slows you down is either your own ability or having to overtake.