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Schwarzwald Liga B
rating: ** participants: 12 Level: 20
Cape Ring (full course) (2,000) 7.84 = 255 hp
(2,500) 8.96 = 279 hp
(3,500) 10.54 = 332 hp (4,300) 11.35 = 380 hp
Nürburgring Nordschliefe (2,000) 7.58 = 264 hp (2,500) 8.14 = 307 hp (3,500) 9.67 = 362 hp (4,300)
10.72 = 401 hp
Drivetrain doesn't matter much in these races, though front-drives
should receive more extensive tuning (better suspension, drivetrain, and brake tuning) than rear or all-wheel drives.
There are a few to watch
for, located in the Opponents section below. Start the Audi R8 no higher than 3rd place, and the above math should
work just fine. Only the 570 horsepower 2010 AMG Benz SLS should be started as low as possible, or kept off the grid
entirely, although grids without the SLS are hard to find.
In fact the second grid we can dial up is perfect for Cape Ring.
Anybody else can be started anywhere else,
including BMW's Ms. BMWs are faster than the rest of the grid, but not as fast as the Audi and AMG.
Description Here we are in the Extreme Hall. First
race, we get shoved off to wherever Cape Ring is supposed to be (I prefer to think it's in South Africa), and then to Germany
itself.
Power gets amped upwards as it should, but this doesn't mean the SLB is going to be super-tough. This
is not really an "Extreme" set of races, in my opinion. The trick is to keep the fastest cars away from top positions at the
beginning of the race. If you don't do this, then you WILL have an Extreme set of races! You'll need a lot more power,
too.
Opponents A lot of these guys are on the same page; they're
all heavy coupes, sedans, wagons, and a couple sports cars. The Audi R8 and AMG SLS are the fastest, and can be conceived
in the same manner as the Opel Speedster and Opel Speedster Turbo during Schwarzwald Liga A.
Only the AMG is an ultimate threat, one which could spoil both races, The Audi will only
do so if it starts on Pole or 2nd place. So start the Audi no higher than 3rd, and the AMG as low as you can. The others listed
below (the BMWs) can be started on any position, even Pole. They are faster than others, but won't pull way ahead like the
Audi and AMG.
Das Auto
HP Wgt. Ratio
2010 AMG Benz SLS 570 3,570 6.26
2007 Audi R8 4.2 FSI R 439
3,438 7.18 2005 BMW M5
501 4,088 8.16 2008 BMW M5 2003 BMW M3 GTR 412 2,975
7.22 2007 BMW M3 Coupe 465
3,648 7.84
Anybody not listed won't really matter much, at either track. Both races (Cape
Ring and the Nürburgring) are long enough that the AMG SLS will eventually pass everyone else, no question,
even if it's started in last place. As mentioned, it's a good idea to start the Audi R8 no higher than 3rd place, with
the AMG as low as possible (12th place is a nice start for that guy).
CAPE RING Most of this track
is too narrow or awkward for the faster Ai to make a pass, assuming we get ahead of them. And if they do get ahead
of us again, we can easily pwn them around the 'ring' part. They don't seem to have realized that it's possible to take most
of the ring flat-out, with full-throttle. Or actually, I believe they're all using traction controls which slow them down.
Whatever. Since they slow down here so much, this is the reason why we won't need much power. If the 2010 AMG SLS
shows up at Cape Ring, it will become a constant threat during latter laps, except during the ring part. If it manages to
get ahead of us and get a good lead, we can pretty much kiss our precious win goodbye.
Nürburgring Again, a vast portion of this track is narrow and tight, and our enemy won't be able to get ahead of us; they'll
need to wait for straight sections. Or straiter sections. I have calculated for significantly more power here than
at Cape Ring, because even if we get a strong lead, multiple seconds ahead, there's still that chance the AMG will catch up
to us.
BE CAREFUL with slacking here, too. I've done some races
in which a not-so-obvious car (like the '04 Mercedes Benz SL600) stated on Pole, and got a lead so strong, it was impossible
to catch. It's a good idea to use unorthodox racing lines to get around the AI at Nürburgring as early as possible.
Parts Suggested Soft Sport Tires
Fixed or Height-adjustable Sport Suspension
(and as usual, those with stellar handling can go with stock parts).
Brake Balancer, for cars which can't handle braking into
the first hairpin at Cape Ring, starting at the yellow-colored Agip banner located on the right wall. If your car can't do
this without excessive understeer once it's in the turn, do some brake balancing.
Close-ratio gears for most at Cape Ring. Stock or full-custom
gearing might be more appropriate at Nürburgring.
Drivetrain parts as needed. Most lower-powered autos will need twin clutch, flywheels, and carbon driveshaft.
Limited-slip tuning is often optional, since we don't necessarily need loads of power at either track.
Cars Used '01 Volkswagen Lupo
GTI (2,000) '98 Mercedes-Benz A160 Avantgarde (2,100) '00
Volkswagen New Beetle 2.0 (2,400) '05 BMW 330i
(3,500) '00 Mercedes-Benz SL 600 (4,300)
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Like the Wind GRIDS *click here*
Like the Wind
Level: 21
participants: 12
rating: ***
Daytona Road Course
(1,800, GT1) 3.13 = 575 hp
(2,200, GT1) 3.67 = 599 hp
(2,100, GT2) 3.36 = 625 hp
(2,500, GT2) 3.78 = 660 hp
(2,700, GT2) 3.97 = 680 hp
(2,700 GT3) 3.70 = 729 hp
(2,900 GT3) 3.84 = 755 hp
Indianapolis Speedway
(1,800, GT1) 3.11 = 578 hp
(2,200, GT1) 3.40 = 647 hp
(2,100, GT2) 2.74 = 765 hp
(2,500, GT2) 2.97 = 840 hp
(2,700, GT2) 3.13 = 861 hp
There are three classes of cars used for the ratios above, based partially on old real-life rules from the FIA.
GT1 are top-notch winged cars, never to be found upon our streets. These
are all the cars we'll be competing against, basically: '91 Mazda 787B, Pescarolo Courage, '89 Sauber Mercedes C9, and so
on. If we choose to enter one of these beasts, we'll need to seriously limit our car's power.
GT2 are often based on real-life autos, but have been heavily
modified with wings, spoilers, and such. These have frontal aerodynamics which can be set up to 50 at best.
GT3 includes those which are closer to everyday street cars (even if they're
never seen on actual streets) and these include lesser aerodynamics, less than 20 so far. If you enter one of these cars,
you'll only be able to finish the first race at Daytona.
Daytona: Group 1 (the very fastest opponents) can
be started 4th place at the highest, unless we drive a car competent enough that Group
1 can be started on 3rd.
An example: if we enter a GT1 (fully-winged
prototype racer) of our own. If so, start these better cars no higher than 2nd for conservative race or
on pole for an 3XtR3me set!
Indianapolis: add +50 hp
to those with lesser aerodynamics (topping at 35 up front) and/or blockier shapes. A lot of these automobiles won't be
able to accept this sort of power, of course.
Grid placement doesn't matter as much at Indianapolis,
since drafting comes much more into play. Including too many Group 1 types can get obnoxious though, as they'll start constantly
punting and rubbing up against us.
A good grid to try for those who're having trouble is the very first one after starting
the game. Grid 1 starts a Toyota 7 on pole, and a Suzuki Escudo on 2nd. This is as easy as it gets. The next "easy" grid
takes about 18 reloads, which starts a C60 Hybride-Judd on pole, with the '98 Nissan R390 GT1 on 2nd, '70 Toyota
7 on 3rd, and so on.
Description
Time to buckle up into your favorite rocketship-on-wheels. Like The Wind is a set of races which originated
back in GT3. The original had us doing something like 20 laps around the Test Course, and in GT4 this got cut down to 5 laps,
I think. Thankfully the races we're doing now allow some more variety, and more driving challenge. Not
that 20 laps around a giant oval can't be considered "challenging" in its own way.
The difference between GT3 and 4, compared to 5, is that now we have to do more than set
a tall gearbox + catch some drafts. GT5's Like The Wind requires some time tuning the entire car: brakes,
tires, aerodynamics, suspension, drivetrain, maybe even traction controls for those who need them. All of this is truer for
Daytona than it is of Indy, since Indianapolis won't require as much attention to handling. Still, if you don't show up to
Indianapolis with something that's got worthy aerodynamics, you won't win this race.
Money starts to get really sweet now, as it should for the caliber of racing being dealt with. 70,000
credits for 5 laps is nowhere near GT2 money, but compared to what we've been earning so far, it's definitely an improvement.
Fact of interest: most race series in GT5 have seen cutbacks--3 races during the Clubman Cup instead
of 5, for instance. Like the Wind is perhaps the only set of races which has seen PD add a track!
Opponents
We've got a similar cast of characters to the grids found in Gran Turismo All Stars, except only the very
best are now represented: FIA/GT1s, LMPs, and Group Cs. But then PD has gotten cute, and also added
one of the most famous cheater cars of all time, that's right, the Excuseo is here, with all 929 of its horsepower.
Well here, let's look at the two groups involved in Like The Wind. I have tried to find out their very
fastest speeds at Daytona, as well. These speeds are not absolute, and some cars may be able to go faster than posted.
But this is what I've observed.
Group 1
'08 Audi R8 Playstation Team Oreca 233 mph (RPM Limit)
'04 Courage Judd GV5 220 mph
'89 Nissan R89C
209 mph
'92 Nissan R92CP
232 mph (RPM Limit)
'03 Pescarolo Courage C60 212 mph
Pescarolo Courage Judd 208
mph
'88 Minolta Toyota 88C-V 233 mph (RPM Limit)
'92 Peugeot 905
202 mph
'xx Sauber Mercedes C9 232 mph (RPM Limit)
Group 2
'99 BMW V12 LMR 228
mph
'04 Gillet Vertigo
196 mph (RPM Limit)
'91 Mazda 787B 221
mph (RPM Limit)
'98 Nissan R390 GT1 196
mph
'98 Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trial Car
194 mph
'70 Toyota 7
194 mph *
As usual, nothing is set in stone, especially at Daytona. The fastest Group 1 can sometimes bottleneck
behind that stubborn, clumsy Escudo, for instance
Daytona
I've recommended starting Group 1 no higher than 4th place here, unless you've got something which can excel. In
some cases, we can wind up getting an early lead simply because (as usual) the Ai slows down too much during certain
parts of this track, like hairpins and the Bus Stop dual-chicane. The faster cars will also get stuck behind slower ones.
But even if an early lead is gained, there's still a chance that the best cars might get by whoever is slowing them down,
so stretch that lead as much as far as possible!
Indianapolis Speedway
Unlike Daytona (and unlike all the previous versions of Like The Wind in earlier games) Indianapolis will
require something better than the VW Nardo I initially drove. I remember entering the Saleen S7 at the Test Curse of
GT4, fer crissakes! This is possible in that game, since aerodynamically-derived downforce is not as much of a
factor at that giant track. Now it is. You'll need something worthy, or you won't win here, and might not even break the top
seven.
The AI also performs better at Indy than it traditionally has so far in the game. The annoying thing is
often it will get lower into the four turns, blocking us from easy positions! And because of this, there are times
when brakes are going to be needed, and in some cases taking an outside line might be better than going all the way in.
Drivers that get underdogged down those straights, especially while
using a lot of GT2 machines, can try waiting until Lap 5 to make that ultimate move. Let a car or two get in front down
the backstraight, and then out-brake 'em into Turn 3. Keep speed above 190 during turns 3 and 4, and hopefully you'll
wind up getting enough of a lead across the finish.
Parts
Hard Racing Tires
Medium Racing Tires can be used for those who have poor aerodynamics, can't quite make
the recommended power, etc. Or for those Group 2s which need some help at either track. Good rule of thumb: At Daytona, if
a car can't brake into Horseshoe (Turn 3) from the shadow cast by the second lamppost without excessive understeer,
it needs to be on medium tires.
Some oddities (like the Nissan GT-R R35 Touring Car) can use hard tires
at Daytona, but mediums at Indianapolis. Their extra traction makes them stellar at the first track, but their blockier shape
(and lesser aerodynamics) hurts at Indy.
Transmission set for over 250 mph (402 km/h), whether this is a default unit, or fully-customized
part.
Full Aerodynamics at Indianapolis; the higher the better.
Brake Balancer
Full-custom
Suspension. And for those who are having understeer troubles at Indy (especially in a front-engine car), here's a
tune I found at GT Planet. It was designed for NASCAR, but just worked wonders for my Corvette C5-R
Ride Height: Front -27 Rear -21. Spring Rate: Front: 16.1 Rear: 15.4. Dampers (extension):
Front: 6 Rear: 7. Dampers (compression): Front: 6 Rear: 6. Anti-roll Bars: Front: 2 Rear: 3
Whee Aignment- Camber Angle: Front: 1.8 Rear: 0.5 Toe Angle: Front: -0.17 Rear: -0.11
Cars
'91 Mazda 787B (1,830 pounds, GT1)
'89 Nissan R89C (2,200 pounds, GT1)
'97 BMW McLaren F1 GTR (2,100 pounds, GT2)
'09 Pagani Zonda R (2,500 pounds, GT2)
Nissan GT-R R35 TC (2,700, GT2)
'02 Cadillac Cien (2,700 pounds, GT3)
'01 Volkswagen W12 Nardo (2,900 pounds, GT3)
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NASCAR Series
Level: 21
Opponents: 12
rating: ***
Indianapolis Superspeedway: 620 hp
Grand Valley Speedway: 675 hp
High Speed Ring: 652 hp
Laguna Seca: 665 hp
Daytona Speedway: 835 hp (or whatever the car maxes at)
Description
So here it is, the NASCAR Series. One of the more controversial moves added by Polyphony Digital
back in 2010 was to go all-out for NASCAR, which features a group of cars built to the same specifications, the
same weight, the same engines and gearboxes, etc. And most of the time, these cars aren't even road racing; they're going
around oval-shaped tracks like Daytona.
A lot of us had mixed feelings about the inclusion of these 3,400-pound tanks, which barely resemble the
cars they're supposed to represent. In the earlier days of NASCAR (up to the 1980s), each car had its differences: a Ford Thunderbird
had a different shape and engine size than an Oldsmobile Cutlass, and each of these cars at least resembled the shape
of their civilian versions, sometimes with engines of comparable size. Nowadays, all these cars are the same, except
for their paint schemes. I scoff whenever I see the name "Camry" in particular, since no Camry has ever been released on the
streets with rear drive, or a V8 engine.
But hell, I'm enjoying the NASCAR Series. These "Sprint Cup" autos are fun, and the fact that they're
all the same means everybody's on the same page. We can still easily outdrive 'em though, unless we limit our power. At 500,000
credits apiece, it is also a relief to know we're not going to go bankrupt to finance this set of races. We'll leave the championship
with a profit if we do it right.
Opponents
One of the things that's awesome about this set of races is we won't have to hunt for that perfect grid.
;-) Everybody here is the exactly the same; I doubt PD even bothered to tweak each car's settings
differently.
Each track also presents its own sort of challenges. Real-life Sprint Cup cars are made for ovals for
instance, and don't do particularly well if any sort of braking or intense cornering is involved. So it's fun taking
one of these to a course like Grand Valley or High Speed Ring. From track to track, we'll need to alter our strategy, to survive
and win.
Indianapolis Speedway -- This first race features NASCAR
in its prime, yet there's not much to it, since the AI drives rather timidly, braking into turns and not really giving their
"all" like we can. Those who aced Jeff Gordon NASCAR School will have no problems getting far ahead of everyone else.
On the other hand, one of the things they do right at this track is they know how to follow our draft
once we're in the lead. They will move left to right (and so on) if we try to keep them from catching up to us.
Grand Valley Speedway -- Here is our first road circuit,
and now we get a chance to see how really BADLY these "stock cars" do on an actual twisty course. Real-life Sprint Cup cars
occasionally do race road circuits (like Mosport and Infineon) and they always look out of their element while doing
so.
Now we can see why. 700 horsepower going through 4 gears feels great on a big oval, but awkward at
slow/fast course like Grand Valley. Nextel sprinters are in their element once they're at speed, but incredibly clumsy
during Grand Valley's slower turns. To be fair, it's the mandatory stability control which makes them feel like high-speed
hippos. As our car's ASC twitches and re-calculates, it actually makes our job tougher, not easier. The drivers
we're up against also aren't afraid to bump into us, and rub against us and each other! But of course, that's what
these virtual tanks are made for. Banging into each other, cock-blocking, and other such nonsense which gets frowned upon
during GT racing is completely acceptable for NASCAR.
BIG HINT: make sure to tune 1st gear for Grand Valley, and also Laguna Seca. Since we've only got
4 speeds to choose from, we're gonna need a good 1st! I've got a set of gears like so
1st: 2.150 2nd: 1.445 3rd:
1.110 4th: 0.925
Fnl: 4015
High Speed Ring -- Power falls even further for
this track. They do drive with more confidence than they did during many GT races, but it's still way too easy to take certain
turns at higher speeds, not braking like they do, and passing multiple cars if they bottleneck each other. On the other hand,
I've calculated power so that we won't be able to also pass them down straight areas. Following somebody else usually will
allow us to hold our position, nothing more.
Laguna Seca -- Now we really need to pay attention, as the
Sprint Cuppers start feeling more like something from a roller coaster. This, so far, was my least favorite track to
race my M&Ms Camry around. The bulk of the grid is super-easy to get by during those first few turns, and the stability
control which constantly causes my car to wobble and unnaturally twitch is super-annoying. Ugh. But then there's...
Daytona Speedway -- The final showdown, and now we get to
stretch our legs at 200+ mph again. Finally, here is a race in Gran Turismo 5 which requires all of the power
our car can put out. Every race so far has ranged from downright easy to mildly challenging so far, but at Daytona,
the AI finally gives their all. So hang on, and remember the rules Jeff taught us so long ago.
Parts Needed
Hard Racing Tires
Power limiter
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European Championship GRIDS *click here*
European Championship
rating: ***
participants: 12
Level: 22
TUNER CLASS
Rome
(2,000) 9.01 = 220 hp
(2,500) 10.33 = 242 hp
(3,000) 11.62 = 258 hp
(3,500) 12.82 = 273 hp
Deep Forest
(2,000) 11.11 = 180 hp
(2,500) 12.07 = 205 hp
(3,000) 13.33 = 225 hp
(3,500) 14.52 = 241 hp
Monza Circuit
(2,000) 7.84 = 255 hp
(2,500) 8.93 = 280 hp
(3,000) 10.09 = 298 hp
(3,500) 10.90 = 321 hp
HISTORIC CLASS
Rome
(1,400) 6.66 -- 210 hp
(2,500) 9.37 -- 267 hp
Deep Forest
(1,400) 7.86 -- 178 hp
(2,500) 10.77 -- 232 hp
Monza
(1,400) 6.19 -- 226 hp
(2,500) 8.74 -- 286 hp
Tuner Class represents typical Euro hatchbacks, sedans, most front-drives and weaker
rear-drives, all of which usually demand some modest tuning to succeed.
Historic Class is any car typically older than 1990, or models which would
not have ABS brakes in real-life. When entering this class, search for easier grids comprised solely of Class C opponents,
and/or slower Class Bs.
A third class (Sports) might possibly get made someday, although not very many sports cars have the lack
of power this class would demand.
I have broken the Ai into three classes: A, B, and C. There are a few jackrabbits to watch for, most of
them are obvious sports cars: Lotuses and TVRs top this list, and fall under Class A. Start
these folks behind you at Rome and Monza, and no higher than 3rd place at Deep Forest. If they begin higher than
this they can still be caught, but this becomes harder (sometimes impossible) to do. Cars with super-confident braking
and cornering can be tried, this is the only situation that'll work with Class A starting in front.
There is also a lesser Class B. These can be started anywhere
from Pole to 4th place, depending which car we're talking about. Some of them won't be catchable if they start on Pole, for
instance (see below).
At Rome and Monza, power can be removed according to how low Class
B starts on the grid. After calculating power up above, additional power can be removed by following the instructions below
in the Opponents' Class B section. This is a work in progress at the moment, though some results have been posted.
In some cases at Deep Forest, middle-grade Class B (Ford Focus, Alfa GT) can be started as high as
2nd place, deduct up to 25 horsepower to make things fair for most cars.
This assumes Class A is not much of a threat, of course. More than 25 can be removed if we're driving a great-handler.
A grid almost entirely full of Class C, the slowest
of all, is the very first one which shows up after the PS3 has been turned on. Subtract up to 50 horsepower for cars with confident handling (not applicable
for most Historics). Less can be subtracted for those with some sort of issue, or issues.
There is one grid which is entirely C, though this one takes a long time to locate.
Description
Off we go to Europe, after our stay in America. Boy we're just whirling around the globe, right?
And the best thing is the money really gets sweeter: over 80,000 credits per win!
The European Championship is a 3-system deal: Rome, Deep Forest, and Monza, though it's not a true
championship, since all three races are done individually. It's possible to use the same German we used during Scwharzwald
Liga B, although we won't need the same power. The EC requires less, actually. Actually, you might want to think "Schwarzwald
Liga A", not B.
Opponents
The European Championship throws a hodgepodge car-types now. Front-drives, rear-drives, all-wheel
drives, sedans, coupes, hatches, sports cars, and even one bona fide SUV, the Range Rover Stormer. The rear-drive sports cars
are the ones to watch for most of all.
Class A are the very fastest. They can make their way toward the front of the pack, even
if they start at the rear. Keep them as low as possible at Rome and Monza, unless you've got something which can keep up, okay?
CLASS A
'94 TVR Griffith 500 340 hp 2,336
6.87
'02 TVR Tamora
345 hp 2,336 6.77
'09 Lotus Evora 324 hp
2,931 9.05
'02 Lotus Esprit V8 353 hp 3,041
8.62
'98 Lotus Esprit V8 SE 353 hp 3,041 8.62
Now for Class B. These folks can be a threat mostly if they start near the front
of the pack: Pole, 2nd or 3rd place. There's a chance they may still be dangerous if they start lower than this, but we can
usually get ahead of them during initial laps, and keep them at bay during later ones. So start them no higher than
3rd or 4th if they're toward the top of the list below. Those toward the bottom (Peugeot, Ford, Volvo, Audi S3, etc.) can
be started anywhere. Generally, the lower on the list below, the less of a threat.
The horsepower number next to each car represents how much should get removed IF that car starts on 4th place. Remove an additional 2 hp for each position below 4th place. So if the Lotus starts on 5th place, -2 hp get removed. If it starts on 6th, -4, and so on.
CLASS B
'87 Lotus Turbo HC ? 2,521
0 hp
'91 TVR V8S
296 2,314 7.82 -2 hp
'03 BMW M3 CSL
-2 hp
'03 Renault Clio Sport V6 (and V6 Phase 2) -2 hp
'08 BMW Z4 M Coupe
'02 Ford Focus RS
'04 Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6 ? ?
?
'85 Peugeot Turbo
'09 Audi TTS Coupe
'84 Ford RS200
? ? ?
'02 Audi S3
-18 hp
''02 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA -18 hp
'03 Volvo S60 T-5 Sport
-20 hp
*note that the BMW M3 CSL in Class B is NOT the regular M3. There's a difference, though the
M3 is one of the better Class C's.
CLASS C is any car not listed. They are unlisted because they rarely excel,
and are mostly unimportant. Class C, ironically, makes the best cars for us to race. Class C includes a few sleepers
though, mostly heavier luxury cars with big engines. An example is the '02 AMG Benz CLK 55. If this one starts on pole
position, it can be hard to catch. It is heavy, but its powerful engine will help it launch far ahead of the others during
straight sections. There might also be some Jaguars or other Benzes which can get a huge lead within a couple laps, so watch
for these sort of grids.
ROME can be a tricky race, especially if it's got some Class A
and tougher Bs. Class A can be started pretty low on the grid. We might get ahead of everyone else during Laps 1,
2, and 3, yet it'll be that Lotus or TVR (maybe something lesser) which crowds those mirrors all the sudden
during Laps 4 and 5.
DEEP FOREST is the odd track here, since most of it is off-camber
turns, bouncy grids, and hills. The Ai doesn't like this very much; all of this causes their traction controls to go haywire
during much of the track. And this makes it easy to get an early lead, even if some Class A and/or B started in front. It
can be a gamble now...sometimes drivers will remain way up front, the enemy getting bottlenecked behind an Audi,
perhaps. Other times, they will manage to get by these roadblocks, catch and pass us, and so on.
....Because of this, it can be difficult to calculate power here. Downplay it further than I'm recommending,
and there's a chance a Class A (or faster B) will get a strong lead, impossible to catch.
MONZA is the final race, and again, horsepower becomes much
more important, though we still won't need globs of it. That Ferrari in your garage will still be collecting dust. Monza can
be a tricky track because sometimes it's hard to gauge how well our car will do here. If Class A (and some faster Bs)
show up, they will usually catch up after they get past any traffic. Sometimes one of these will get ahead, and become impossible
to catch, other times it'll be us that's impossible to catch.
But most of the time, I find that Monza is a track with some very close finishes. I'm usually able
to get by them during those chicanes and curves, but they always catch up during straights. During the main straight
I am usually neck-and-neck with them during Laps 4 and 5, sometimes earlier. If they win, it's often because of
a tiny mistake on my part. Maybe too much of an understeer moment during one particular turn, for instance.
Parts
Medium Sport tires (Hard Sports can be used for some extra challenge, especially for
sports {or sporty} car types with top-notch handling traits).
Fixed Sport Suspension (go stock if needed) for Tuner Class
Height-Adjustable Suspension for Historic class
Close-ratio gears in most cases, though some cars won't be able to make it down longer
straights, so these can have their factory boxes. A need for full-custom gearing is going to be extremely rare. Only for some historics,
possibly, like the '66 Beetle.
Single-plate clutch for most. Flywheels and carbon driveshaft can vary.
Limited-Slip Device, mostly for Historic Class autos. I set my Lotus Elan rather aggressively, like
25-30-20. The front-driver Mini required 10-50-5, though the Decel rating can
be bumped a few notches to make the car not swivel in so hard while braking.
Brake Balancer for some. Those cars which can't brake into Turn 4 at Rome (the sharp
right kink) at 100 meters might need a balancer, but this depends. Some poor-brakers might have other advantages elsewhere.
Cars
'01 Volkswagen Lupo GTI (2,000, Tuner)
'00 Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 (2,400, Tuner)
'04 BMW 120d (2,700, Tuner)
'03 Volvo S60 T-5 Sport (3,500, Tuner)
'62 Lotus Elan S2 (1,400, Historic)
'61 Jaguar E-Type Coupe (2,500, Historic)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
German Touring Car Championship
Level: 22
Participants: 12
rating: *
All Tracks
(2,200) 6.39 -- 344 hp (2,500) 6,73 -- 372
hp (3,000) 7.14 -- 420 hp
Description
This race packs a bunch of cars which participate in the DTM: Deutche Tourenwagen Masters. Note that not
all who appear in this race are German though. There are 5 laps of Cape Ring, 8 laps of Nurburgring GP/D, and 1 lap of the
big version of the BIGGEST ring, Unfortunately, we cannot enter something of our own, like an ordinary, highly-modified street car;
an Audi S3 or whatever. Here is why...
The reason this race gets just one star is because of how ridiculously easy it is. I'm removing power
to the point that the horsepower graph is as flat as a board on its right side, yet I'm still winding up with a huge
margin by the time we're at the ring. That's just not right.
One of the things I did to make the first race more challenging is I removed all that power, and
then I slowed to a crawl at Cape Ring's beginning. Once my car was in last place, NOW is my green light. The AI drives
the other two tracks better, but it's still way too easy to blow them away. This sucks. Sometimes winning sucks.
Opponents:
As usual, our friendly opponents drive nowhere near to the edge of madness like we can. It's all too easy
to destroy them during turns, so that by the time a straight shows up they're so far behind. I can't conceive of using anything
less than racing tires on an actual racing car, and so this means lots of power-limiting shall be in our engine's future.
On the other hand, as a highly-regulated racing series, all the cars in this race are balanced for speed
and handling, and nobody ever rushes far ahead of the others. Limit your power, and some tight racing can be had.
Parts:
Medium Sport Tires at Cape Ring
Hard Racing Tires at other two tracks
No Brake Balancer
Power Limiter!
Cars Used:
'00 Vauxhal Astra Super Touring Car (2,200)
'02 Abt Audi TT-R Touring Car (2,500) '08 Lexus IS F Racing Concept (3,000)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Super GT
Level: 22
Participants: 12
rating: ***
Super GT, JGTC
Suzuka Circuit, Weather Change
(2,500) 6.70 -- 373hp (3,000) 6.93 -- 433 hp
Fuji Speedway F
(2,500) 6.14 -- 407 hp (3,000) 6.30 -- 476 hp
Tokyo Route 246
(2,500) 5.89 -- 424 hp (3,000) 6.06 -- 495 hp
Race-Modified (RM), Tuning Cars, Front aerodynamics 20 or less
Suzuka Circuit, Weather Change*
(2,400) 5.35 -- 451 hp
(3,000) 5.92 -- 507 hp
Fuji Speedway F
(2,400) 5.13 -- 468 hp
(3,000) 5.34 -- 562 hp
(2,400) 4.55 -- 527 hp
(3,000) 4.93 -- 608 hp
Rear Wing Only (RWO)
Suzuka Circuit, Weather Change*
(2,400) 5.09 -- 471 hp
(3,000) 5.63 -- 532 hp
(3,500) 6.27 -- 558 hp
Fuji Speedway F
(2,400) 4.60 -- 522 hp
(3,000) 5.61 -- 535 hp
(3,500) 6.22 -- 563 hp
Tokyo Route 246
(2,400) 4.44 -- 540 hp (estimated)
(3,000) 5.03 --596 hp
(3,500) 5.79 -- 609 hp
NASCAR CAMRY
Suzuka Circuit: 535 hp
Fuji Speedway F: 576 hp
Tokyo Route 246: 600 hp
Three classes are structured here. The first class is
easy, these are the actual Super GT and older JGTC racing cars, many of which appear in this series. Frontal aerodynamics
run up to 35 at the most.
The second class is for cars which possess mild
front aerodynamics of 20 or less. These are tuner cars with actual frontal aero-numbers. So examples here are the '05
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX GSR [RM], '08 Lexus IS F [RM], or the Amuse S2000 GT1.
* Note that sometimes, cars fitted with full wing & spoiler kits from GT Auto, including front
spoiler, extensions, and rear wing can use the RM/Tuner class. Sometimes they'll need the Rear Wing Only class. Tires can
also vary between hard and medium racing slicks.
The final class includes those which can only accept a rear wing from GT Auto. Since
these don't have the benefit of better front aerodynamics, they get more power to survive. In most cases these should
be on medium tires.
Not every car in those two lower classes will be able to
do all three tracks though. A lot of JDMs won't be able to make the necessary power at Fuji and/or Tokyo, so
do a little research.
Honda NSXs are slightly faster than everyone else, with Nismo GT-Rs and Z-cars being secondary.
Here is how they've been arranged to create the ratios above...
Suzuka: Honda NSX no higher than 5th. Nismos: No higher
than 3rd (unless it rains, then any front-engine/rear-drives can safely start on pole).
Fuji Speedway: Honda NSX: no higher than 4th, Nismos: No
higher than 2nd
Tokyo (full aero): Honda NSX: no higher than 4th, Nismos: No higher
than 2nd
Tokyo (RWO): Honda NSX: no higher than 5th, Nismos: no higher
than 2nd.
Nismos can be started on Pole at Tokyo, if you add 10 horsepower.
This won't work against Hondas, though.
(note: need to reset the ratios for RM/3,000 pound class,
starting NSX on 5th and GT-R 3rd at Fuji and Tokyo. All other weight classes have been set)
* At Suzuka there's the possibility of rain, which causes everybody to drive much slower. Remove 50 to 70 horsepower if rain is 100% or close to it. Those with fuller aerodynamics should
get more removed than those which have fixed front aerodynamics which can't be adjusted higher than 10. If your car has all-wheel
drive, remove an additional 25 horsepower.
Description
Now we have what used to be called JGTC: Japanese Grand Touring Championship. Super GT is pretty much
the same thing with a new name. Three races, 10 laps each. And some super-intense action.
Best part: unless entering an actual full racing car, there is usually little worry about tweaking
down that power limiter in many cases. We won't run into a situation similar to what happened during the German Car Championship,
unless we enter one of the cars which appears in this series.
Another advantage: ever tried to have GT Auto rebuild the engine of an actual racing car? Or
rebuild a (let's say) Denso Sard Supra, or any full racing machine? Yeah, that gets expensive quick. In comparison,
rebuilding something from the everyday driver's level, like the Subaru Impreza Wagon I just entered, is relatively painless.
At this point in our Extreme-level careers we should have a decent bank account going, and it's easy to destroy this
if we keep tearing apart one of the top racers.
Opponents
Like the German Touring Car and NASCAR events, everybody is evenly paced, since real-life regulations
cause this to happen. Still, there are some opponents who do go faster than others. NSX teams are top
of this list. They are slightly faster than the others, probably due to their super-slippery shapes, but this is mostly true
at Suzuka. At the other two tracks you'll notice them getting ahead of others, but then getting dogged by them too.
Suzuka Circuit
There is a new situation facing us at this very first track: the possibility of bad weather.
There's a chance it'll be sunny as usual, but it can also be drab and overcast, or it can be rainy. Weather rarely changes
drastically during this 10-lap melee. So if it's grey and looks like it'll rain, it won't actually do so if it isn't
already raining at the start. Or if it starts to rain, the race is rarely long enough to cause everybody to change tires.
Rain can be at 100%, which is difficult to drive through. Visibility will be next to nil while drafting
some other car(s), if you're using the in-car view, so some of you may get around this by using the behind-car, roof, or bumper
views. Traction and grip will also be diminished, even if we've got full rain tires equipped. Note that if rain isn't
so heavy then visibility will be easier to deal with, as well as drivability.
Notice also, if it's raining during the entry menu (where we can choose to tune, or watch replays) it'll
be raining during the race. If it's sunny during this menu, it'll be sunny during the race. Once we're in the race,
the little oval icon which is toward the top left of your screen further defines what is going on. Like I said though,
any drastic changes during these 10 laps are rare.
We can reset the weather which shows up by entering the race, and then backing out of it (returning to
the start menu). This allows us to equip different tires as well; so if there's some light rain going on, we can try using
Intermediate tires, and if a monsoon is going on, obviously we'll go for Rain tires.
The AI drives as typical: slowing down a little too much during key areas, like the S Curves, Hairpin,
and Casio Triangle. But they'll fly during other areas, especially larger curves which allow them to use their
aerodynamics to fuller advantage.
Fuji Speedway F
Here we are at the track which reminds me of a giant lo mein noodle. I have calculated power so
that they're slightly faster than we are down the main straight if they're drafting, but can just keep up if they're not.
There are a few areas, like the very first turn, and then the entire section from the 100R curve (turn 4, the giant righty)
to 400R (Turn 9) during which they've got their aerodynamic advantage. They will usually catch up.
But they don't try hard enough, as usual. They should be slaughtering us into Coca Cola (Turn 3, the sharp
left) for instance. They'll only do so if we screw up, allowing them to catch up.
Note that sometimes at Fuji, one random driver will destroy everyone else, and it's impossible to predict
who this will be....he'll just get so far ahead on that very first lap. Could be an NSX starting near Pole, or it could
be a GT-R starting downfield. Nothing we can really do about this except reset a different grid, add more power, or better
tires.
Tokyo Route 246
Though 246 is more about horsepower than the other two, there are some key areas where the Ai tends to
also do better than us because of their aerodynamic edge. Tokyo, unlike the other two tracks, cannot be finished by most "ordinary"
JDMs, which start their lives around 276 horsepower at best, so we may need something with higher horsepower to win here.
Tokyo is like Fuji though: the Hondas and Nismos won't just destroy the Lexus; SC430s can occasionally
keep up with these faster GTs. Anybody other than NSX, GT-R, and SC430 will usually fall behind, though.
Parts
Hard Racing Tires for most cars that can keep up, even Standards.
Medium Racing Tires for those exceptions that need help. Some GT Auto Wing Kit (NOT RM)
cars will need mediums for instance. It is difficult to say which will need them when, until you're in the
race. If your car can't make 2:09s at Suzuka around an empty track, consistent 1:44s around an empty Fuji, and high 1:43s
at Tokyo (without drafting), that's a good sign that mediums are needed.
GT Auto Wing/Spoiler Kit (some cars come with tweakable aerodynamics, and therefore won't
accept these).
Full-Custom Suspension (lesser parts can be used if your car's got super-confident handling
and/or traction).
Full-custom transmission, if needed.
Dual-clutch, and other drivetrain parts as needed.
Brake Balancer
Ballast for JGTCs and Super GTs that weigh less than 2,500 pounds (1134 kg) unless a
particular racer starts at or near 2,000. I have yet to find such a car at this time, though.
Cars Used
'06 Lexus BANDAI DIREZZA SC430 (2,500 pounds, Super GT) '08
Autobacs ARTA Garaiya (3,000 pounds, Super GT {186 kg ballast added})
'03 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. IX GSR [RM] (2,400 pounds, RM)
'07 Lexus IS F [RM] (3,000 pounds,
RM)
'99 Subaru Impreza Sport Wagon WRX STi Version VI (2,400 pounds, RWO)
'99 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec N1
(3,000 pounds, RWO)
'10 Lexus LFA
(3,500 pounds, RWO)
#18 Kyle Busch Toyota Camry
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Championship
rating: ***
Participants: 12
Level: 23
Indianapolis Speedway
(2,500, fully-winged) 4.74 -- 527 hp (3,000, fully-winged) 4.99 -- 601 hp
(2,500, partially-winged) 3.84 -- 650 hp
(3,200, partially-winged) 4.57 -- 700 hp
NASCAR: 652 hp
Laguna Seca
(2,500, fully-winged) 5.15 -- 488 hp (3,000, fully-winged) 5.30 -- 566 hp
(2,500), partially-winged) 4.04 -- 618 hp
(2,800), partially-winged) 4.33 -- 646 hp
(3,200, partially-winged) 4.81 -- 665 hp
NASCAR: 607 hp
There are ratios for fully-winged cars (full racing kits, with front
aerodynamics adjustable, anywhere from 35 to 50), partially-winged cars (only rear wing, maybe front spoiler from
GT Auto, with a max of 20 up front), and NASCAR automobiles.
In some cases the partially-winged cars will
be successful at Laguna Seca, but fail at Indy. Those with slippery shapes and actual adjustable front spoilers (or a fixed
number up front, such as 18) will have a better shot at Indy than those that don't have any aerodynamic info up front at
all.
There are a very few exotic sports cars (such
as the Saleen S7) which can survive Indy, even though aerodynamics are not numerically listed in their parts menus. These
sort of cars will need the best tires, brake, and suspension tuning though. It is also possible to use a hybrid
program to enhance those front aerodynamics. I've found that setting the front to 20 helps plenty.
The above ratios assume the best cars start no higher than 3rd place at Laguna Seca, especially
if your car is partially-winged. Fully winged cars can have the best started higher than 3rd, if you are desperate for some
extra challenge.
The best (Chaparrals, Ford GTs, Ford GT40 Mark IV, and Dodge Viper) can be started
anywhere at Indy, but if two (or more) of them start drafting early and you aren't there catching their drafts, even by the
end of Lap 1, it might be impossible to catch up. This is truer for partially-winged cars than it is fully-winged ones.
Description
As is expected by now, we're not only going fast, we're also making a lot money; almost 100,000 credits
per win, which is pretty sweet. One thing we're going to need during this series, in comparison to the Muscle Car Cup from
the Professional League? Horsepower. You got that right. Power, and lots of it. Fortunately a lot
of American cars have this, or can attain it.
Unfortunately, not all Americans can compete here. Even if they can make the numbers, they'll
be nowhere at Indy if they haven't got some slippery aerodynamics, and the ability to hold a line around Indy's slightly-banked
curves. Plymouth Super Bee? I don't think so.
But don't get bummed. You won't need a super-expensive Ford GT40 to win, a regular Ford GT will do,
and it doesn't have to be an LM. The raciest Corvettes and Vipers from the used car lot can also be tried, although pay
attention to how much ultimate power these guys make. There might also be a few cars (a few Camaros or Mustangs, etc.) that
can possibly win at Laguna Seca, since there are a few which can make over 600 horses.
Opponents
At either track one of our biggest concerns will be who is up front.
Even if power is suitable, Indianapolis can see the top cars draft one another, getting far ahead of the others. If they get
a strong lead early, good luck catching up to them. At Laguna Seca (where drafting does not come into play, but handling does)
those who handle this track's 11 turns well can also get an early, impossible-to-catch lead, which is why I recommend starting
them slightly behind Pole.
There aren't very many cars which can appear in this race, and the main ones to worry about are the Chaparral
2J, or any Ford GT LM, at either track. The Dodge Viper can also be a problem
at times, yet is secondary to the others. Some others can make a showing here and there, but it's generally the Chappys
and the Fords. Start these guys no higher than 3rd place at Laguna Seca.
Below are their top speeds at Indy. Note that despite the fact the Chaparral's top-end is not ultimately the highest,
it manages to keep its average speed up there, so that it'll be on the front lines most of this race. And so will everyone
else, except the Chevys.
Ford GT LM 222
mph
Ford GT LM Spec II 221
mph
Panoz Esperante GTR-1 221 mph
Dodge Viper GTS-R 206 mph
'70 Chaparral 2J 205
mph
'67 Ford GT40 Mk. IV 203 mph
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R 196 mph
'63 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 191 mph
Parts
Racing Hard tires
Racing Medium or Soft tires can be used if your car doesn't have
suitable front aerodynamics, especially at Indy. Some cars with weaker aerodynamics will also need these tires at Laguna,
while others can safely go on hards. Usually, "supercar" types can use hards at Laguna Seca, while cars which are more ordinary
should be on mediums.
Height-adjustable sport suspension for most cars with numbered front aerodynamics.
Full-customized suspension for cars with poor or unnumbered aerodynamics up front.
Gearing can vary. Most cars can go factory-stock at Indy, but use close gearing at Laguna Seca.
Make sure your top gear is set somewhere between 220 and 240 at Indy. That's 354 to 386 km/h.
Twin clutch, flywheels, and driveshaft of your choice.
Limited-slip for those who need it (especially at Laguna Seca).
Brake Balancer.
Cars
'00 Chevrolet Corvette C5R (2,510 pounds, fully-winged) '00
Chevrolet Camaro LM (3,000 pounds, fully-winged)
'AEM S2000 (2,500
pounds, partially-winged) '02 Cadillac Cien
(2,700 pounds, partially-winged)
'97 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 (2,800 pounds, partially-winged {Laguna only})
'05 Ford GT (3,200 pounds, partially-winged)
'11 Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet Impala (NASCAR)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Formula GT
Level: 23
Dream Car Championship GRIDS (Click Here)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dream Car Championship
Level: 24
Participants: 12
Rating: ****
-FIA GT2 (50 max front aerodynamics)-
Indianapolis Speedway (10 laps)
(1,800) 4.06 -- 446 hp * (all ultra-lightweight ratios are currently theoretical) (2,100) 4.29 -- 490 hp
(2,600) 4.77 -- 544 hp
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Weather Change (10 laps)
(1,800) 4.22 -- 426 hp (2,100) 4.51 -- 466
hp
(2,600) 4.92 -- 535 hp
Tokyo Route 246 (10 laps)
(1,800 3.68 -- 489 hp (2,100) 3.92 -- 535
hp
(2,600) 4.39 -- 592 hp
Circuit de la Sarthe 2009, Weather Change (3 laps)
(1,800) 3.98 -- 452 hp (2,100) 4.00 -- 525 hp
(2,600) 4.11 -- 603 hp
Nürburgring 24H (3 laps)
(1,800) 4.14 -- 435 hp (2,100) 4.29 -- 490 hp
(2,600) 4.60 -- 565 hp
-FIA GT3 (35 max front aerodynamics)-
Indianapolis Speedway (10 laps)
(2,500) 4.37 -- 592 hp
(3,000) 4.60 -- 651 hp
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Weather Change (10 laps)
(2,500) 4.51 -- 551 hp
(3,000) 5.00 -- 600 hp
Tokyo Route 246 (10 laps)
(2,500) 3.85 -- 648 hp
(3,000) 4.26 -- 703 hp
Circuit de la Sarthe 2009, Weather Change (3 laps)
(2,500) 3.93 -- 636 hp
(3,000) 4.32 -- 695 hp
Nürburgring 24H (3 laps)
(2,500) 4.40 -- 567 hp
(3,000) 4.83 -- 621 hp
Start the best Dream Cars (Ford GTs and Pagani Zonda LM,) no higher than 4th place. They
can be started on 3rd, but then there's a chance not every race will be winnable. Route 246 becomes especially tougher.
There is also the '88 Jaguar XJR-9, but I choose not to include this monster along with all the others.
It does not belong.
It helps to save between each race, especially since Polyphony Digital never allows practice laps. Arrgh.
At the three 'weather' tracks, follow these rules
for removing power IF track wetness is higher than 40%. If so, the rest of the field will be on Intermediate or Rain
tires, driving slower than usual. These power deductions are for all-wheel drives and mid-engine / rear drives
only. Front-engine / rear-drives can go with their normal power.
Monza Sarthe
Nurb
AWD: - 60 hp -30 hp
-50 hp
MR: -30 hp -10
hp -30 hp
I am going for a dual-class system of cars we can enter here, derived from some
old FIA rules. FIA GT2 includes models which are closer to being prototypes, while FIA GT3 includes models which are closer to being
everyday sports cars. The main difference between these classifications from our perspective is downforce.
Those with lots of downforce (esp. tunable front spoilers that can get over 30) are in a different league than cars which
have less of this, let's say 20 or less up front.
I am not officially including FIA GT1 because these guys (many of which can
be found in GT All Stars) would simply destroy the Dream Car Championship. It would be like if we were the ones who entered
that '88 Jaguar.
HOWEVER, for those who go want to enter a GT1 (maybe y'all have no other choice)...
1). Remove 50 to 125 horsepower from the GT2 class after calculations.
-125 at Indy and -50 at all other tracks. More than -50 can be tried; problem is the alphas really
love to punt us while we're trying to brake. 2). Keep aerodynamics no higher than 50 up front.
3). It also helps to use a hybrid program to install a weaker engine,
rather than limiting the hell out of a super engine, which flattens the powerband.
The ratios above assume the absolute top jackrabbit, the '88 Jaguar XJR-9, is kept
OFF the grid. Ban this car (with its ridiculous 300+ extra
horsepower) or suffer the consequences.
Description
Here it is, the final bang of Gran Turismo 5's sprint races, and Polyphony Digital has certainly tried
to offer it up.
We might not need the very best to survive, and our actual "dream car" may or may not work
here. Let's be real: some guy's dream might be to hop into a Mitsubishi Minica. If you share this sort of dream, you'll never
win this series. So to keep it simple....
Look for something with somewhere close to 500 horses, for those with fully-tunable, sharp aerodynamics,
and anywhere from 550 to over 600 if its aero parts are weak. Either way, this car will need to have some sort
of aerodynamic edge. This could be an actual real-life race car, it could be one of PD's fantasy LM machines, it could be
a prototype, it could be a very powerful sports car, one which is buyable in real-life by anyone who's got the cash.
The best thing to do if there's any question mark is enter whatever you think might be your
dream car, try the first 10 laps at Indianapolis as an individual race (rather than a full championship). If you're unable
to keep up during this race, you can probably forget about doing the rest of them.
Opponents
Top cars to watch for are Ford GTs (and up to three of these can show up per race), and
also the Pagani Zonda LM. Start these no higher than 4th. 3rd can be tried too, although the chances of winning
all five races goes down substantially.
Some secondary machines are the GT by Citroën, Jaguar XJ220 LM, Nismo GT-R Concept LM,
and Honda NSX Concept LM. These four can keep up with the leaders sometimes, especially at Indianapolis,
Sarthe, and Route 246.
The Dream Car Championship is one of PD's more bizarre efforts, and mostly this has to do with the
list of opponents which show up, half of which are one level (very fast), while the other half are on a completely different
page (much slower). It's as though somebody threw a list of car names into a hat, and then picked them out at random. More
than half the cars which appear in this series won't even matter.
And I think I know what PD was going for: the feel of a dual-class system of competition.
In other words, when we watch many real-life GT-type race series, there are often more than one class of autos
out there, right? One class is usually slower than the other.
For our purposes, we're not going to bother competing against that lower class; we want to win.
And to win means to beat the very fastest. The list below details who's fast and who's not. It includes each car's top
observed speed at Indianapolis Speedway.
Jaguar XJR-9 LM: 226 mph
Ford GT LM Spec II: 223 mph
Pagani Zonda LM: 219 mph
Jaguar XJ220 LM: 205 mph*
GT by Citroën: 203 mph*
Nissan 350Z Concept: 196 mph*
Mazda RX-7 LM: 191 mph*
Honda NSX-R Prototype: 190 mph
Chevrolet Camaro LM: 190 mph*
Mazda RX-8 Concept LM: 188 mph*
Mitsubishi FTO Super Touring: 185 mph
*If a car has an asterisk next to its top speed, this means it reached its absolute RPM limit
during my observation.
In general, those at or near the top will be the fastest at other tracks too. Note that the Jaguar XJR-9,
the car that sits at the very top of this list, is the main jackrabbit, the one who's got roughly 300 horsepower
more than anybody else. Whoever threw those names into that hat didn't do enough research, apparently.
The best we can do to steal this Jag's thunder is to not include it at all, and not feel
guilty about this. There you go.
Indianapolis Speedway
A group of top cars will compete here equally, once that Jag is gone. Problem for them is: they tend
to take an out-middle-out line during all four turns of this track, while we can get down low on
those inner curbs, out-braking them every time. Depending on the car, we might not even need brakes, once we're ahead
of traffic! Drivers will occasionally bump-draft one another for extra speed. Sometimes this seems intentional,
other times, it's as if they tried to pass somebody but got their timing wrong!
Monza
The tricky thing about this track is that sometimes it can rain. If you're doing an individual race and
don't feel like dealing with some weather, this is easy. Just keep entering and exiting the parts / tuning menu
until the track is nice & dry.
On the other hand, if you want it to be sloshy and rainy, follow these tips, especially
if your car is a Standard.
Most cars in this game are Standard, not Premium, and this means no windshield wipers.
This assumes you are like me, and prefer to use the in-car camera. If so, and somebody's in front, this means you'll
be almost completely blind as water sprays all over the place. This is especially true if track-wetness is
high! But even once the driver gets ahead of traffic, visibility is still rather poor.
One option is to try switching to roof cam, bumper cam, or behind-car cam. Another option is to finally
turn on that Braking / Gear Change indicator, the one which flashes red when it thinks we should
start braking. Yes, this is cheating, but dude, I'm driving a very fast auto without windshield
wipers against a bunch of computer cars that apparently can see just fine. And it turns out the indicator works perfectly
at this track, especially into the first chicane area. If it starts flashing, this means it's time to brake, period. I tried
not braking once when it displayed its warning, only to find the nose of my precious Nardo faceplanting into some concrete.
Traction control is also a good idea, especially for some 2-wheel drives. Finally, taking out-in-out
still works for some turns, but sometimes it's also safest to do a middle-in-middle or some other unusual racing line. This
sort of cornering arc leaves some leeway, in case we don't brake enough or give a little too much gas (easy to do in something
with 500 to 600 horses, or close to it).
Keep in mind that rain only becomes a major concern if it's at or near 100%. If it's significantly less
than this (say, 40% or less) there'll be plenty of visibility, and most cars will have plenty of grip & traction.
Tokyo Route 246
Of all five tracks, Route 246 is the toughest, in my opinion, because of those damn walls. The AI also
tends to get pretty agro here, tapping bumpers and trying occasional nose-dives, as though they're trying to pit-maneuver
us. If one of the top cars gets a lead early at this track, and then manages to stay in the lead for a couple of turns, chances
are good the race will become impossible to win if this car can't be drafted down those front straights.
Circuit de la Sarthe 2009
This is another track which includes weather, so yeah, it helps to do a few practice races at this track
if you need to. Not sure why PD is now including weather, now that we're doing some of the very fastest races in the entire
game. Whatever.
The main thing about the 2009 version of this track, in comparison to the track we've been racing at up
til now, is some of its turns are shaped differently. These changes are subtle. The sharp bend where the Mulsanne starts has
a later braking zone, for instance. Nothing is drastically different, but it helps to know what's coming, if you've never
driven this version of Sarthe.
It also helps to really learn how to tackle Sarthe's curvy areas too. While heading into Porsche
Curves for instance, take an in-in-middle line into that first curve, especially if traffic's just about to pounce our position.
Nürburgring, 24H
The Dream Car Championship concludes at Nürburgring, but it's at the full version of this course,
not the shorter GP/F or Nordschleife versions, and (again) there is the possibility of different weather types going
on. Hooray. Again, if you're like me, and have never tried the 24H version of this track, it helps to get acquainted with
it because there are some differences, especially to the southern (D and F) parts of the track.
This final race is an appropriate end to what amounts to the main bulk of this game, before the endurance
races start. Bravo, PD.
Parts
Aerodynamics, especially up front. Cars with some sort of number up there are recommended,
even if this number can't be adjusted. 10 is the lowest recommended number I have tried.
Soft Racing Tires for those with weak aerodynamics (below 15) and/or handling issues,
mostly understeer issues.
Medium Racing Tires for those with intermediate aerodynamics (15 to 30).
Hard Racing Tires for those with top aerodynamics (above 30, max of 50), and top higher-speed handling
traits.
IF you somehow find yourself still blowing away the competition at the first race, try downgrading
your tires a step for Monza. In other words, if you're using soft slicks, try mediums for the next race.
Note that the AI occasionally uses "Super Soft Sport" tires. Apparently, they have access to
a tire-type which we do not have, not that it matters from our perspective.
All other parts can be whatever the car needs. In most cases of course, full-custom parts are best, but
it's still very possible to mix 'n' match sports parts, and even factory parts.
Cars Used
Theoretical Car (1,800, GT2) careful math deductions have been made! '97
BMW McLaren F1 GTR (2,100, GT2)
Chevrolet Camaro LM (2,600, GT2)
Amuse S2000 GT1 Turbo (2,500, GT3)
Volkswagen W12 Nardo (2,900, GT3)
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