A Dream 24 Hours For Truswell (Pt 1.)
July 23rd, 2020 began as just another day for Truswell...but little did he know that it was about to about to be one of the biggest days in his iRacing career. Where The Tradition Began Between league races, MOFO occasionally hosts special, one-off sessions (races/practices) Sometimes experimenting with different formats for potential future seasons - and other times experimenting with lesser used content.
This tradition would start with season one's races being held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, before MOFO scrapped Thursday's races. The Second Season of MOFO's Skippy Series would be accompanied by rather formal practice sessions on Thursdays - offering practice sessions for huge events such as the 12hrs Of Monza by Creventic, Spa 24hrs and Le Mans 24hrs.
MOFO Would host the first "Wild Thursday Race" on 16th July (a week before the one on July 23rd), since I didn't have the The Williams Formula One Car that was needed, I sat this one out. At Oulton Park, things were certainly going to be messy
A Dream 24 Hours For Truswell
At exactly 8:08pm, on a beautiful Thursday evening in July, the green flag would wave at Watkins to start the practice session for the evening's race.
A small pack of eight Spec Racer Fords would stroll onto the circuit and familiarise themselves with the track - one of these would be Truswell.
With practice out of the way, it was time to qualify, and after a quick(ish) ten minute session, the grid was decided.
Wood would line up on pole behind the pace car with Christodoulou alongside, Herring and Conway would complete the second row, with rivals Daman and Truswell lining up behind in 5th and 6th.
Bradley and (Adam) Morgan would complete the grid.
The Porsche 911 Pace/Safety car would pull away to start the formation lap...tensions were raising - Bradley and Daman would spin during this, yet quickly catch up with no issue...
The green light shone, and the race was under way!
All 8 would pile into turn one, all making it around the corner Safely. Christodoulou would incredibly wide, before making a swift re-entry back onto the track... Daman would try and avoid the "Hot Wheels" car re-joining, but would hit into Bradley, spearing them both into the side of Christodoulou, then spinning all three of them out. Truswell witnessed this in fear and wonder, he shot up into the top 4.
This was short-lived as Morgan (white and blue) would have a better run out of the first corner and pass him.
Truswell would stay P5 for the rest of the lap.
As the leaders excited the first turn of the second lap, Herring - who got an early lead spun.... he'd quickly be joined by Morgan. Truswell was in 3rd. Truswell would have to do nowwas keep it clean, and out of the walls.
Starting the next lap, the leaders, Wood, (running a Ferrari Livery) and Conway (running a Rusty Livery) were engaged in battle - it was Truswell's time to pounce...but there was a problem...
Bradley and Daman would also leave the pits at this time, following their opening lap scuffle, it would be a long day for Truswell
All running the same setup, and all in rather slow cars, Truswell took a little while to not only pass Daman and Bradley, but then to catch the speedy leaders who were in an intense battle that'd rage throughout the entirety of the race
Truswell would also have to be wary of Morgan, who was all over his tail...but after going wide at turn one on lap 5, Morgan had all the advantage he needed....but Truswell would have the slipstream...
Following this, the entire pack would have a well-timed reunion.
Conway would lead the race, and the large cluster of cars, followed by second place man Wood and the backmarkers of Bradley and Daman with Morgan in third.
Forth to Sixth - Truswell, Christodoulou and Herring would bring up the rear.
After Wood backed off for a bit, allowing Conway to get a sizable lead, Conway would back off and allow Wood to catch back up - and even pass him.
But on Lap 6, Truswell's luck would finally turn in his favour - after a few laps of being stuck in position.
On entry to the final corner, third-placed-man Morgan would put a wheel on the grass, as he braked the car would snap to the left. pitching into the asphalt run off. It was a well-needed position.
At the beginning of the next lap, he'd lap last place, Daman - who'd been ahead of Truswell for a good few laps. Just the leaders and Bradley lay ahead - but as heard on the team radio - he was bored, so he decided to fight his close rival....
As this was happening, Christodoulou in 4th was getting an incredible advantageous slipstream off the two battling ahead
Daman and Truswell would unfortunately have a touch, Daman coming off worse, first going wide before spinning, whilst Truswell getting out scott-free.
After a phenomenal 11th lap which put him in the lead, Christodoulou would spin on the 12th lap of the race - a spin which would not only cost him the win, but allow Truswell to get back up in the podium places too.
The next lap after this - things were getting a little exciting for Truswell.
With six laps to go, and passing a mysteriously slow Wood (Wood realising his error after the pass was made) - Truswell was on for a great result - if he could catch Conway in the remaining laps...he'd be looking at his first win on iRacing - period.
Bradley and Wood were both incredibly racey - despite Bradley being a lap down - it was going to be a tense last few laps. Bradley would spin the next lap - putting Truswell directly behind Conway...
Wood would use the slipstream gained on Truswell to pass him - and hunt down Conway... it was a three way fight to the finish.
After a faultless race, Conway's reign would finally come to an end on lap 16. He'd go too hot into turn one, going wide - and after collecting a spun/spinning Daman - all hope was lost.
With Wood having to avoid Daman too, Truswell overtook the Ford-arri shortly after...putting him into the lead. Truswell now just needed to not put a foot wrong...
Conway would catch up to Wood - who was putting immense pressure on Truswell - the three way fight for the lead had returned - and with just three laps to go, every move was critical. Wood would stay pinned to the rear of Truswell, as 5th place (1 lap down) Christodoulou unlapped both - Conway would try and take both too, he'd manage it, but would end up tagging the right rear of Wood, pitching him into the Wall...
With Just two laps to go, Conway led from Truswell.
Disasterously, on the penultimate lap, Conway would spin at turn one, gifting the lead back to Truswell - this was going to be incredibly close.
Christodoulou would let the leading pair back past - and watch from a distance.
Lap 20 - the final lap - as hard as Wood tried, he couldn't get past Truswell, the young brit was just too strong.
Despite a divebomb from Christodoulou, Truswell had made it, around the last corner he came screaming at the top of his lungs - punching and waving his arms in the air in delight as he crossed the line in first. This would be his first win on iRacing - an achievement which was long time in the making...he'd spin at turn one, before being hit by Conway. He climbed onto his seat and let all his emotion out - and his fellow drivers were just as estatic - Joe Bradley in particular exclaiming
"Trussers Won! That's Fab!"
Race Results After 30 (Thirty) Minutes
1st - Robin Truswell (GBR)
2nd - Darren Wood (GBR)
3rd - Jake Conway (GBR)
4th - Simon Herring (GBR)
5th - Adam Christodoulou (GBR) (-1 Lap)
6th - Joe Bradley (-1 Lap)
7th - Nicholas Daman (-1 Lap)
DNF - Adam Morgan
After finishing his champange, and helping load the truck with the Team, Truswell would have to quickly leave the circuit as he'd have an Official Skippy race at Donington Park the following day.
TL: Bradley (5) and Daman (4) go for a formation-lap spin...
TM: Christodolou runs wide
TR: Christodoulou's very quick re-join 2nd Row, L: Daman hits into Bradley after Christodoulou joins very enthusiastically
2nd M: All three make contact
2nd M, R, 3rd L: Bradley has a huge impact with the inside wall after bouncing off the other two.
3rd M: Conway narrowly squeezes between Wood and Herring, taking the lead thereafter.
4th R: Morgan shortly taking 3rd from Truswell
5th L: The pack had a re-union mid-race