History of the GP2 Racing League.![]() Early days.24th July 1996. The European release date for Microprose's Formula 1 Grand Prix II. It was finally here. I had just previously discovered RAS (the newsgroup rec.autos.simulators) and had eagerly read every message about the game since it's US release a couple of weeks before. And now I was playing it. A great game for sure, but a lot more difficult than World Circuit (F1GP 1 in Europe). I needed some extra motivation to keep at it.Enter a rather inconspicuous message to RAS. Randall C. Harris plugging his future GP2 Website and asking whether there was an interest to form a GP2 Internet Racing League. I instinctively hit the reply button, because I knew this wasn't some over-enthusiastic teenager that wouldn't come up with the goods when push came to shove. This guy clearly was a dedicated, adult simracer (like most of us in this league). I got futher proof Randall was serious about the whole idea when I got a confirmation a couple of days later. Still later (Early August? -I've forgotten many of the actual dates) the page was up and the league was go, with a first race to coincide with the F1 race at Francorchamps. The format was different then, with qualification info to be submitted on Friday and a time within 107% of the league polesitter required to enter the main event (why don't we bring that back?? ;-)). August 25th rolls around and the GP2 Racing League faces it's first
major setback. There are just a handfull of entries for Francorchamps and
Monza. Bummer.
The Fab Four.Randall C. Harris makes the move that instantly elevates the GP2 Racing League above the rest of the (established) leagues and ultimately saves it. He turns to participating members Mark Mann, Greg Duncan, Bruce Kennewell and myself for advice. Cue the most intense E-Mail "conversation" I've ever participated in. Suggestions are made, debated, rejected... Finally, compromises are reached and the league continues with two classes: Amateur and Pro. Complete rules are posted.New advertisements are posted and interest picks up over Portugal to
over a 100 participants in Japan. Futher E-Mail debating takes place as
the new participants make futher suggestions (biggest suggestion being
that the original participants have too much of a points lead ;-)). The
League pages are overhauled for a fresher, more professional look. Randy
also implements the infamous and immensly successfull GP2 Racing League
Dating page; many new teams are formed.
The 10 Race Mini SeasonThe League as most people know it to date (New changes come in to effect for the '97 season. See the info and rules pages). Everything seems to be running smoothly. The rules are translated into several member languages. Behind the scenes Randy continues his policy of participation. New members and fresh idea's keep pouring into the League.This process is hugely accellerated as Team Vegemite introduces an own Usenet and IRC feed for the League on their Vegeserver. This facility would not have been possible without the involvement of Greg Duncan and the company he works for, Computer Law Services of Canberra, Australia. Both the newsgroup and IRC facilities provide vital information and entertainment to the League members and become one of the "Main Selling Points" of the GP2 Racing League. More people begin to take an active role in trying to make this League the Top Dog among GP2 Racing Leagues. All wine and roses then? -No, there was at least one dark cloud this season. In the days leading up to the Canadian GP Randy realises he's become bogged down with all the adminstrative work the League takes and decides he'll have to cancel at least one event to get back up to speed. Again League members rush to the rescue and lift the weight off Randy's shoulders. Special praise should go to Andreas Schiller, Bruce Kennewell, Sean Downey and Eralt Schuppers. The season went ahead as planned and was hugely succesfull (Hey!! We even made the Toronto Star!). Season results are posted as we speak. I hope you all had fun and continue to race with us. Pre-signup for '97 is now at over 490 participants. By way of a diversion Ben Welsh stages the GP2 Racing League E-mail
Cup. League members go "mano a mano" to see who's best. Check it out...
The future???Who know's?? You're helping to shape it. Post suggestions, gripes etc. to the ng (don't mail Randy direct, he's a busy man) and rest assured these will be read, noted and, if they're really good/important, acted upon.I hope that, after reading this, nobody get's the impression that this League is run by a inpenetrable inner circle of people. I like to think we're still as open minded as when we started. Because of the sheer volume of participants, the League may not seem as personal as it used to be, but I think it's still quite newbie friendly. Note:
Document compiled by Jan Verschueren. Proofreading and suggestions Mark Mann & Bruce Kennewell. (c)1997 GP2 Racing League. |