Mav

Raging headache all day, tried sleeping it off after work, switching PC on to find it wants to install 11 updates received and getting stuck, Jnr then saying he has an error when joining the server, wasn't the best preparation for this meeting!! With Jnr sorted, and my PC now playing ball, it was 8pm so I thought I would have at least 15-20 minutes to practice. Each setup I tried was poor, so I just kept tweaking until I stopped spinning on the bends. Just about sorted a steady setup and the server was cut at 8:10pm!! Oh well, I'll just go with what I had. Heat 1, and very first bend I lead, but Tyzer bulldozed his way past leaving me scrapping with the other whites. Ended up spinning and was then running last. Passed cars as they spun and found myself in 9th and running well. I could see Dode catching me, tried to stay tight on the last bend but a well judged hit sent me wide enough for Dode to get through and pinch 9th from me. Happy in 10th though. Heat 2, more confident but made a change to the setup, not sure if it was for the better or not! With only 12 cars in I hoped to make top ten again, and it was only thanks to Ricky and Wardy spinning late on that I was able to get back to 10th after another spin myself. Heat 3, another tweak and this time the car went really well. I held my own in the early laps and even dropping to 7th I worked my way back to 4th. Then I started to believe I could do this, and pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, ended up taking out LeeK (Sorry m8) and lost more time than I gained, ending up again in 10th for the third race running. Sat waiting for the Consi, and to my surprise I was listed as a Final Qualifier! I was apprehensive about it as I knew I had overstepped my boundries in the last heat and I didn't want to ruin anyone race as it was the final. Lined up on pole thinking my plan of attack, started the roller and I was away! "Starring at Sexberium for one bend only.............MAV!", yep that's all my lead lasted. A silly error shortly after and I was in 22nd and out of it. rueing my luck I set off and chuntered to myself how stupid I was, not realising that I was passing cars that had come to grief and I was now sat in 16th place. Seeing a gaggle of cars ahead I just hoped they would mess each other up, but they waited to the last bend, all piled in and I kept tight, passing them all I thought, until a couple out dragged me to the line. After crossing the line I was 12th, and was chuffed to be in that place and chuffed not to have been lapped. It wasn't until after the meeting that I found out that 12th scored 2 points, so even more chuffed with myself!! Grand National, and who forgot to save the setup I used for the final?? Yep Plonker! Anyway guessed at what I tweaked and away we went. Having raced some of the whites earlier I thought it best to let them go off and I would follow. To my surprise no one came to challenge us from behind, so we kept going. Tyzer was out front and I was now second. Looking in my mirrors I could see Tinman coming, so I just moved over to let him go, no point in getting into hits and losing out. It was at this point that I saw that us 3 were well clear of the rest. Yes I thought 3rd place - don't screw it up and hit the humps or spin! With three to go Tinman caught Tyzer and went past, Tyzer hit back straight away spinning them both. I managed to miss them and get by. I was now leading!! Oh my god, I began to shake, one lap to go board was coming up but Tyzer had recovered well and was right behind me. Should I try and hold him off and go for the win, should I just let him through and take 2nd?? Whilst I was swerving all over the track trying to decide, Tyzer forced his way past. Last lap, should I do him and possibly myself too? or should I just settle for 2nd now? Exiting the bend and I started to spin, so that kinda decided for me. Too excited again, but managed to hold it and just negociate the last bend, crossing the line in 2nd - Jubilation!!! I done it - The boy done good!! So after a poor build up to the evening, it all ended well. 12 points in the bag and not upset anyone along the way - RESULT!!

Mav #641 Blue Mav_Jnr #285 Yellow

With my dislike of NIR added to my dislike of tarmac, tonight's meetings wasn't going to be great for me! Practice was difficult to get a rhythm going, so trying different things didn't bear fruit. My 2012 setup just didn't seem to go well at all, but a few tweaks and I was comfortable. I nearly contemplated a new rule for myself, that if Ricky James was ever faster than me in any practice sessions, then I would book out - Just couldn't live with the embarrassment, even with not racing last season and Ricky did! So lining up for my first race I wasn't confident at all, but once racing I was holding my own following a battle between Lloydy #8, Kane #238 & Wardie #180. I didn't want to get involved so hung back all the time, but finally passed Lloydy to get a credible 8th place - Nice surprise start to the evening! After that I have Mav Jnr to thank for my demise, for the next three races it was he who caused my exit in all three races! Damn that boy!!! The consolation was a torrid affair, Ricky seeming driving head on into Jnr, causing me to hit Ricky's stranded car, slowing me significantly to allow Spike #221 to catch up and take the 4th and final qualifying spot from me on the last lap. Somehow I was relieved because I think I would have been a hazard in the final and not enjoyed it if things went wrong, which they could easily do on the evidence of the evening so far. The GN was no better for me, showing how bad I was as the top three in the race were all blues. And so ended an expected disappointing evening but happy to have scored 3 points. Well Done to HHunter #52, a dominant display in the final by all accounts, and an upgrading to yellow. I still think he will win a final from yellow before the month is out. Onto Stoke (I don't think so!) and Belle Vue next week

I pm'd the race manager directly after the race, and hence why I am unsure of how he kept the win.

Having eagerly awaited this meeting I was optimistic that it was to be a fun meeting and a great ice breaker for the new 2014 season. The F2's was a good meeting and going from that I had hoped that the F1's would be the same, however there seems to be a different mind set from drivers which takes a bit of getting used too!! Having now watched the replays, the meeting seemed to be quite good, although at the time pieces of the meeting were annoying and I reacted accordingly. ie Something happens to you and you immediately want to do it back as you believe it wasn't your fault and the person who has done it is a t***er. Revenge is the only outcome that will then satisfy you. For example, bad re-joins. If you go out, especially in a points position, your immediate thought is to get back into the race so you spin round and boot it. once booted the car snakes all over. But you don't care as long as other cars behind do not get past. Now that happens in real life, but with the chance of being hurt, having a badly damaged car or stalling isn't an issue in rFactor. So as much as you cry out "Bad Re-join" these things are going to happen. Yes people should take more care, but lets be honest whose blood doesn't boil when you are taken out? Being careful is the last thing on your mind! It is a very difficult area to determine what was deliberate ie driving at cars in an attempt to get going again or what is a genuine attempt to get back into the race ie seeing space but not getting away quickly enough or re-losing control. Our instinct and character determine what will happen after we have spun out, but the rest of us, if taken out ourselves by it, should believe that "yes it was me this time, but next time it should be someone else!" Still very difficult not to let your blood boil when it happens to you too!! I feel that's this is how most people approach rFactor (Do to them what they do to you BUT HARDER), which is a shame because I feel that if you accept the bad then the good will come eventually and the racing would be terrific. I found myself getting more feisty as the meeting went on and looking at my results they got worse in comparison, so if I race to enjoy and accept that from time to time bad things will happen, then hopefully the decent results will come my way. That's the theory anyway! Not sure how HHunter #62 was allowed to keep his Heat 3 win, when he violated three rFactor rules even before the green flag dropped! Firstly he moved before we all clicked in and I actually landed on top of his car, pushing mine to the side, then once the green was shown to move he raced past #107 who was white to start the race as pole. But having already won his previous heat he should have started at the back of the grade, not pole. Finally he jumped the start gaining a huge advantage over the rest of the field, especially how he led the whites round quickly and were way ahead of the yellows, then to go before the "Go" was called!! Finally to Matty #300, I am unsure of your reasonings in the Grand National, because watching the replay we were side by side when we made contact, with the slightest glance making your car spin, but as we progressed I righted your car and you lost a small amount of time and no places - you were 15th at the time and I was 10th. I am not saying I wasn't to blame, but it seemed more of a "racing incident"; So I'm at ait of a loss as to why Anyway - Next Stop - Sexberium

Five good hard fought races, with good driving, a few incidents - A most enjoyable evenings racing. Can't grumble at 6th, 6th, 13th & 6th Highlight of the night for me was racing with TomD and DanSkin. Managed to hold my own against them for several laps, well chuffed with myself! Well Done Lloydy #8 for the final win. Like to mention LeeK #39 too, who got spun out in the early laps of the final, then caught up with me after I had spun out, both in 17th and 18th and racing hard. We had a great battle for what seemed ages, but LeeK finally pulled away from me and by race end he was credited in 10th - A superb drive!

Nickname: Mav_Jnr Number: 285 Grade: White (UKDirt F1) Real Life Driver: Richard Earl #285 Added DANSKIN : Please change my grade to "White" as you have announced the new grades on another thread - Thanks Sorted

Nickname: Mav Number: 525 Grade: Yellow (UKDirt F1) Real Life Driver: John Lawn #441 Added

Drivers Name: 435 Steve Temple - DKB Your Number: 641 Your Name/Nickname: Mav Current league/grade: UKDirt - Blue (If 2014 grades not been announced)

Not retired, I'm retreaded and ready to rumble!!!!

Can you please add 2012 skins for Mav_Jnr #285 - Thank you.

Shale Skins for 2014. 525murS.zip

Tarmac Car for 2014 - 525faldT.zip Shale Car to come.

Can you put my last seasons (all of 2 races!) skins in please. Thanks

Did you mean 20th January??

Is the F1 Points Tables / Hall of Fame etc going to be updated for the end of the season on UKDirt Website?

The anticipation of having a good meeting was heightened when I was quick and consistent in practice. Always liked Skegness, but you have to have the co-operation from the other drivers to make it race worthy and not a free for all bumper fest. First heat had my back end taken after being in the points, finished last but one. Second heat, made a great start and actually passed the whites without losing out to them or making them go wrong! From then on I was away. Its a mixture of feelings when you are leading, but so rewarding when you cross the line in first - Well Chuffed. Third heat was a dice with Big Al, who just caught my bumper as he was pushed causing me to spin. Al got away and had a great finish an I got back to 8th. Was really hoping for my first ever final win, but after passing Menace cleanly he drilled me next bend and then those that crashed out earlier started to make a nuisance of themselves when being lapped. Bailey caught me and walloped me hard, no need I thought so I decided to have a go back next bend. Didn't get it right and we both went fencewards and I thought not trying that again! Next bend I followed Bailey with no intention of hitting him, but got hit myself which put me into Bailey. He lost time and I lost big time as I had to pull off due to suspension damage. So two finals two DNF's! Grand National got a good start and was away. Started to catch 454, but then in my mirror Bailey loomed large!! He drilled me and followed me in, both hit the fence and bounced out. So next bend he tried it again but I had already gone sideways. I slid into a parked car and Bailey was gone. I can only assume he blames me for the hit in the final and this was his way of repaying me. I dropped down the order but managed a good 7th place to end my three week stint on. With my commitments elsewhere, I doubt I will be back next season. When people race fair, there is nothing to beat the thrill of racing, but when people decide that they are better than the game, that's when it becomes pointless to race. Take out those drivers and I believe the racing would be spot on and every grade would enjoy the racing, and I would certainly try and make next season!!

My sincere apologies to all for the Grand Final, especially as I came in as a reserve. I was driving out my skin for the first 13 laps and doing so well, I was really chuffed, then I went wide and hit a stationery car in the fence and all went pete tong after that. So sorry to have ruined anyones race, not happy with myself at all GN was going better, confidence was growing as the race went on - 10th into the last lap only to get caught out by a car hitting the tyre and DanSkin then hitting my back bumper (again - twice in two weeks on the last lap!! lol) causes me to spin. Devastated to have then finished 12th! I thought that's a nil score, but looking at the points totals I scored 2 points - Not sure how I scored 2 points? On looking at the F1 Rules, if 1 GN run then 12th is 3 points? ◦GN (if 1 race): 16, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Its bye the bye, another meeting done, another one to cause me heartache over, so will think about next weeks meeting over the weekend - have a feeling it wont be "racing" anyway, so probably better off not trying it!!

Mixed night of racing, but the two important races of the evening I enjoyed very much. Unfortunate in the heats to have my back end tapped putting me down the order, but that's racing, even if one was meant! The WOS was an added extra for me, and starting 24th gave me no illusions that it would be a difficult race, and so it was right from "Go" as fellow shale newbie "Crewesader" left turned me straight into the inner wall!! lol Missed the inner tyre and away I went. Kept going best I could and was extremely pleased to finish in 10th place. Congrats to Robin #87 who I think lapped me twice!! As for the final, that was a brilliant race, so intense. 10 blues made it a lottery at the start but once we all got going the race was challenging but exciting. No idea how I did it but finished 6th. Really pleased to see Dave #488 had taken the chequered - Well Done m8 Found myself on pole blue for the GN and thought "If Dave can do it so can I!" but as the go was called my screen went warpy, cars everywhere and I was very near the back before it settled down again. Once I got going well, I climbed the places but having my back end taken twice relegated me down to 18th by race end, which was a disappointing way to end the evening. However I take the positives, pleased to have finally scored points and would be looking forward to next week had it not been Hednesford (Don't go well on tarmac, especially a big tarmac track!)

Yeah, nearly a winning one too! Now my other season is over, I thought I would come and chill out with wheels and pedals for the last three meetings - Not a permanent return

WAHOO - 100th in the points table

No its not Ricky. That's the novice car that you can see on your screen. I have just amended the file so that the replays look better BTW KrisH244 if I have done wrong, then please do what needs to be done.

Oh I think you did!!! BTW - My Grand National = First 17 laps Last Bend Crossed the Line Why Dan But Now Well Done but I owe you one!!

Awaiting Counter to update my account. If he does by 8:30pm I would like a booking please Mav #641 - Blue grade (A very bad and out of touch one!!)

Hi Watto, I would guess you are on windows 7 now, and it needs to install it to C:\Program Files (x86)\Hasbro Interactive\NASCAR Heat\NHeat.exe) If it doesn't work then you can downloads Nascar Heat Essentials and try it from there.