Is there anything that pairs more perfectly with the nostalgia of vintage sim racing than a classic H-shifter?
Some weeks ago SHH published there newest product. THORN. The THORN is the new SHH Shifter. Sixth evolution and fully renovated. A completely new shifter in the mechanical part (no need for sequential plate anymore!), shorter travel in SEQ mode, new electronics and new types of H plates available.
In a thrilling update from our last chat, SHH has upped the ante by offering not one, but two THORN shifters! The first of these gems will be up for grabs after the grand finale of our GTR Championship.
Here's the deal: racers who've revved their engines through at least 4 of the 6 adrenaline-pumping race weekends will find themselves in the raffle for this spectacular prize draw.
And for those speedsters who already boast a top-tier shifter or simply don't need a new addition to their racing rig, there's a chance to play the hero. By stepping back, you'll not only pass the baton but also boost the odds for your fellow competitors to clinch this covetable prize.
Many many thanks to SSH!
Learn more about SHH and their sponsorship for prizes at THR.
The 2024 season of historic Assetto Corsa simracing at THR started on 21st January 2024 with the biggest endurance race in THR history. An enormous field of 114 drivers from 6 communities shared 48 Prototype race cars from the mid-1960's and embarked on a grueling 6 hour race with two classes around a period-correct representation of the world's most famous endurance race track. Using a quadruple time progression multiplier, participants got a compressed taste of what it would feel like to conduct a 24 hour race.
A huge thank you goes out from the entire THRacing team to our friends and fellow competitors that joined us on track from the following communities:
Cockpit Racing Simulation (CRS)
Revival Series (RS)
VintageAC (VAC)
Virtual Racing e.V. (VR)
virtueller Asphalt (vA)
... and teams from several other communities who joined on short notice
Our special thanks in particular go to:
Gero from the Virtual Racing e.V. community (VR) for making the German live broadcast possible, and to Dennis, Guido, Florian and Sebastian from VR for entertaining the German-speaking audience with their awesome German live broadcast with interviews
Syndicate Motorsports community for stepping in 4 days before the event to make an English live broadcast possible, wherein PirateLaserBeam and King-Kodiak entertained the international audience with a great English live broadcast that even bridged the delay with a hugely creative pre-event coverage, as well as conducting a lot of exciting interviews including the victory lane interviews
All participants and broadcasters for staying with us throughout the 1:42h delay caused by technical issues before we all finally managed to get underway and had an amazing race together, both on and off the track
3DRAP for kindly sponsoring the post-race raffle
ALL OF YOU made this evening special for us!
Yours, THR Orga Team
[Continue reading for the full report on the event with plenty of screenshots, videos & official results]
Triumph and Turmoil: The Bremgarten Saga Unfolds in THR's 6th GPL Championship
As the engines roared to life at the historic Bremgarten circuit in Bern, Switzerland, the stage was set for the 5th of 9 adrenaline-fueled race weekends marking THR's 6th GPL Championship. The 7.274 km track, notorious for its unforgiving turns and exhilarating straights, was the battleground for a diverse grid of 1967 racing legends: 8 Lotus 49s, a solo Honda RA300, a McLaren M5A, an Eagle T1G, and 4 Ferrari 312s, each poised for glory under the clear Swiss skies, with only the wind at 9.0 kph for company.
From the get-go, the starting grid read like a who's who of virtual racing royalty. Simone Porcu, in pole position, led the charge in his Lotus 49, with Pete Bondurant and Stefano Bucci hot on his heels, igniting a fierce contest that had spectators on the edge of their seats. The stage was rife with potential for both triumph and heartbreak, as drivers like Phil Noobson and Adam Keefe sought to carve their names into the annals of THR history.
The race was a dramatic symphony of speed, strategy, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. Simone Porcu, with a performance that was nothing short of majestic, dominated lap after lap, maintaining the lead with the poise and precision of a seasoned maestro, culminating in the fastest lap of the race, clocked at an awe-inspiring 1:59.509.
Yet, the race was not without its share of turmoil. Technical issues and repairs forced several unscheduled pit stops, turning strategies on their heads and testing the resilience of the competitors. Stefano Bucci, Florian Masse, FMG, Elia Porcu, Mika Hakala, and pitman, each faced their own battles against fate, with pit stops that were a testament to their relentless spirit, albeit not part of the planned race strategy.
The track claimed its share of contenders, with heavy crashes sidelining some of the fiercest competitors, a stark reminder of the razor-thin margin between glory and despair in the world of high-speed racing.
As the dust settled, the race at Bremgarten was not just a display of raw speed, but a narrative of human endeavor, mechanical marvels, and the unpredictable drama that is the essence of THR's GPL Championship. With four more race weekends on the horizon, the championship is wide open, a tantalizing prospect for racers and fans alike, eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this electrifying saga.
English Broadcast: Many thanks to @piratelaserbeam @kingkodiak1980 from Syndicate Motorsports for stepping in at the last second and taking over the English Broadcast. https://youtube.com/live/J3D8e5wfTfw If you want to be live on Youtube for an Interview, please just enter the Stage channel https://discord.com/channels/520541726851727361/1198323315740258395 and raise your hand.
German Broadcast: Also many thanks to Dennis Manojlovic & Guido Wille (first 3h) and Sebastian Gerhart & Florian Maak (second 3h) from Virtual Racing for hosting the German Broadcast. Special thanks to Gero from Virtual Racing who gave us the opportunity to use their capable Streaming machine! https://youtube.com/live/cRevfUnux2g Falls ihr ein Interview geben wollt, dann begebt Euch in den "Interview Warteraum" https://discord.com/channels/520541726851727361/1064639139187806258 Die Kommentatoren werden Euch dann in den Channel für den Livestream ziehen.
Support THR If you would like to help cover our costs a little, or simply like what we have put together here for you, then we would be happy about a Paypal donation :Paypal: : https://paypal.me/THRacingTHR
A new addition is Pimax, who asked me a few days ago if we would like to become an affiliate partner. You can find the details in the channel linked above.
I (and the whole Orga Team) whish you all a great experience, a great race and a lot of fun. See you on track!
In the past weeks, there's been a flurry of activity with the registrations pouring in for the THR's 4th Endurance Race. We're absolutely thrilled to see such a fantastic turnout of teams and drivers - it's beyond our expectations! We achieved some incredible numbers:
THR-Endurance-Infoboard
We have created an Info Board from the registration data the drivers gave us.
The infoboard contains information about the track, the cars, the teams and their drivers. Also the lap times of the Qualifying, a Spotterguide and some more useful information to be the best companion during the race.
After completing registration, we transferred the data of the drivers and teams to the official entry list and then started qualifying on Monday, January 15, 2024.
As the chill of winter settles in, the racing community at THR has been ablaze with the competitive spirit, courtesy of the "Winter of Speed: A Duel of Legends" Time Attack series. This thrilling event featured two iconic cars: the Chaparral 2F at the Spa 1967 circuit and the Cooper T81B at Feldbergring, both embodying chapters of motorsport's storied past.
Marcus Jäger, a name synonymous with skill and speed in THR's racing circles, has emerged victorious in both challenges. In the WING Challenge, Jäger maneuvered the Chaparral 2F, a beacon of aerodynamic revolution, to a stunning 3:35.135 at Spa. Following this, he showcased his versatility at the Feldbergring, piloting the Cooper T81B, a relic of Formula One's glorious past, to a time of 3:41.478 in the PURE Challenge.
These Time Attacks were held concurrently with the testing for the upcoming endurance race, creating a unique scenario. The majority of drivers focused on acquainting themselves with the endurance cars, clocking an impressive 60,000 km in test runs. This scenario presented a challenge, dividing the drivers' focus and time. However, a few, including Jäger, managed to excel in the Time Attacks while also preparing for the endurance event.
Jäger's achievement is particularly noteworthy, as he has consistently delivered top-tier performances in previous Time Attacks. This dual victory in the "Winter of Speed" series further cements his reputation as a formidable competitor in THR's racing events.
As we extend our heartiest congratulations to Marcus Jäger for this exceptional accomplishment, it's also a moment to reflect on the essence of these Time Attacks. They are not just races against the clock; they are tributes to the cars and circuits that have shaped the history of motorsport. Participants in these events are not just racers; they are custodians of racing history, honoring the legacy of legends with every lap.
In conclusion, THR's "Winter of Speed" has been more than a showcase of speed and skill. It has been a celebration of motorsport's rich history, and Marcus Jäger's victories stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of competition and reverence for racing's past.
At the official events, 109 different drivers raced with us. The drivers drove 70,000 laps in 27 different cars on 25 different tracks.
In total, more than 333,000 km were driven, which means more than 8 circumnavigations of the globe.
On Top of that we had some exciting special events: For example the marvelous 4 hour Endurance race at the Deutschlandring in which 7 communities fought for the win. Microlin and Alfoyb did an amazing job as our commentators for the English Broadcast and Dennis and Thomas delivered an awesome German Stream. Or the celebration race of THRs 5th Anniversary in which we drove a Full Length GP in the GPL cars at Fuji.
We have exceeded the number of 2.100 members in Discord. Our Youtube Channel has 550 followers. More than 400 users have subsribed to our website, and 396 people follow our Facebook News.
It was also a great pleasure to met the guys from 3DRAP at the Simracing Expo in Dortmund and it is also great that the offered some nice prices which we raffled througout the year.
2023 was a good year for THR. We have found a good framework for our championships that allows us to reduce the administrative workload.
Overall, it was a lot of fun running THR, even if I didn't really feel like sitting in the car myself 😉
Currently we host two Time Attacks to fill the Christmas Break and our next Endurance Race is scheduled for the 21st of January.
I suspect that we will have a lot of fun together again in 2024.
As the year draws to a close, I seize this moment to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you. Our community continues to expand, with our starting grids almost always bustling. It's inspiring to see how members support each other through technical challenges or by answering questions for help in Discord.
A remarkable aspect of our journey is the familiarity we've developed with each other. It's like knowing every driver's unique racing style, strengths, and weaknesses, akin to a real-life racing league.
A heartfelt thank you for being an integral part of THR.
