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Grand Valley 300 km grids *Click Here*
Grand Valley 300km
rating: **1/2
Opponents: 12
Level: 25
-SPORTS Class-
(1,500) 11.27 -- 133 hp (2,500) 11.62 -- 215 hp (3,000)
11.90 -- 252 hp (3,500) 12.91 -- 271 hp
Racing against Class 3
(2,000) 12.19 -- 164 hp
(2,600) 13.68 -- 190 hp
(2,500) 9.52 -- 252 hp
(3,500) 12.41 -- 282 hp
Racing against CLASS 3
(2,100) 9.54 -- 220 hp
(3,000) 12.59 -- 239 hp
(3,500) 13.25 -- 264 hp
Sports Class includes those models known to be excellent with cornering, and will generally
survive this event with very little tuning. This class includes those which do not suffer as many lost seconds as tires
wear out. If 2:16s were the norm for instance, they'll be making 2:20s with about 75% front tire wear. Their tires generally
wear out more evenly if they are front engine/rear-drive.
Choosing this class means fighting within inches down the main straight, losing the lead perhaps before the
first pit stop.
>> Keep in mind that those toward
the lower end of the Sports Car weight (less than 1,800 pounds) will not experience as much tire wear as those toward the
heavier end. It might be possible to do the entire race without a pit stop, though I have never experimented with this!
Add 5 to 10 horsepower to front-drives
when using Sports Class.
Tuner Class includes models known to have some issues with cornering, and will generally need some tuning
(suspension, drivetrain, brakes, etc.) to make better lap times. As their tires wear below 25% or so, lap times will
begin to suffer more severely. Choosing the Tuner Class means maintaining a slight lead during most of the race,
but also driving as mistake-free as possible.
The above ratios should be used when racing against the best car of its class. So if
racing against Class 2's '92 NSX for instance, use the power above. If racing against a lesser car of Class
2, some power gets removed. See below in the Opponents section for more details.
For a comprehensive list of grids, Performance Points (pp) requirements, leaderboards
(etc.) click this link. Though I don't go by pp, I'm already noticing how my results are similar to what other "fair" gamers
have come up with.
Description
Now to do one of the first endurance races in the history of Gran Turismo. Enduros used to be held
at Trial Mountain, Special Stage Route 5, and Rome in the past, but none of these tracks sponsor endurances anymore,
mostly due to the inclusion of real-life tracks. The 300 km is a great race because it's not going to wreck your
entire day, you don't have to plan to have your buddy come over and take shifts or anything such. It is realistic to get this
one done in just over two hours, assuming at least one break.
On the other hand, have a look at the power requirements up above. Ugh. Yeah. This is going to be a pretty
slow race, not the action-packed malaise it used to be, no matter what class gets chosen. But there's a huge
list of cars in our garages, maybe even including some front-drives, which have been waiting for their chance to
shred. When was the last time we've been able to endurance-race a front-drive in Gran Turismo? Probably not since
GT2, I'm guessing.
One of the most pertinent things about the 300 km (and other enduros) will be tire wear.
This has not been a factor for us so far at all, even during the Extreme Series. For the entire game so far, tire wear has
actually been off! Only during the Extremes has PD turned it on, and notice how minimal that wear was, compared
to GT4. It's because PD made sure that tires last longer now, and
are more consistent with in real-life. During GT4, a set of hard slicks might last anywhere from 10 to 15 laps, depending
on how heavy our car is, its weight distribution (mid-engine cars will cook their rear tires faster
than front-engine ones), driving style, and driving aggressiveness.
In GT5, tire wear is not as much of a problem, PD has basically nerfed this factor a little too much in
my opinion. We can drive harder for longer, without fear of suddenly winding up on a set of smoking, red-hot shoes. But it's
still a good idea to plan ahead for what's to come.
Opponents
First rule of thumb for any enduro is that opponents in GT5 have an adaptive strategy, which
means their lap times will improve initially, but they will also decrease as tire wear sets in more seriously, starting
at about lap 20.
I have found there is plenty of close-racing to be had, no matter how hard I drive! I might still
get ahead of the entire field early on, and might be multiple seconds in front of them during those first few laps.
This happens especially if the best opponents start downfield. If so, don't restart the race with less
power.
The field you've chosen to race against, whether it's Class 1, 2, or 3 will catch up. They
tend to drive early laps cautiously, or sometimes they bottleneck behind slower machines. Usually after
a half-dozen laps or so, they'll begin to lower their times, assuming they've managed to break free of any traffic. And then
after their pit stop, they'll begin driving even harder!!! It's those latter laps which will sometimes be the most
nail-biting.
After looking at GTSail's Grand Valley 300km Competition thread, I've come up with four different classes of cars, which are listed below. I'm sure Mr. Sail won't mind if I just copy/paste
the info he's got up at GTPlanet.
AI Pit Stops and Lap Times
The first number following each car's name & year is the approximate lap that car will pit. Next
to this is each car's best observed lap time, but keep in mind that they'll be averaging roughly a second and
a half slower than this. As their tires wear, these lap times can rise even further.
As they get into laps 20 and beyond, their times will keep rising, to the point that they'll be averaging roughly 4 seconds
slower than what's posted below.
Before doing the GV 300 km, it's important to do a few practice laps around Grand Valley Speedway on an
empty track. Tires and settings should be chosen so that you are achieving at least a second to 1 1/2 seconds
slower than what the AI can do at best, if you are interested in a closer race. So when entering a race in which
the Toyota MR2 shows up, build a car that can do roughly 2:13.000 with your best driving, not 2:12.510.
An optional step is to do a mock race: maybe 8 or 9 laps. More power can be
removed if the race continues to feel too easy.
Class 1
Honda NSX Type R '02--------------- 41 2.10.498 I've done races with an '02 NSX on the grid. Yes this car is faster than Class 2 in theory, and
for many early laps it does make good lap times. Overall, the '02 begins to slow. To race against one of these, use Class
2 mathematics.
Class 2
Honda NSX Type R '92--------------- 40 2.11.088
Toyota MR2 GT-S '97--------------- 31 2.12.510
Mazda
RX-7 Spirit R Type A------- 48 2.13.689 (-12 hp)
Impreza
Sedan WRX spec C '04----- 42 2.13.778 (-12 hp)
Honda S2000
'06 2:13.836 (-12 hp)
Nissan Fairlady Z Z34 '08---------- 36
2.14.019 (-12 hp)
Subaru Impreza WRX STi (1.8i...) '07*
N/A
*The "1.8i" Impreza does not show up on GTSail's lists, yet is one of the faster cars
on the track. This is basically the premium '07 Impreza 5-door hatchback. I have observed this car during B-spec keeping
up with both NSX cars, so it should at least go in Class 2.
Class 3
Nissan Skyline GTR R34 '00-------- 41
2.14.686
Mazda RX-8 Type S '07----------- 46 2.14.703
Mazda RX-7 Type RS
'98------------ 45 2.14.738
Impreza Sedan WRX STi Vers VI '99 45
2.14.997
Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STI '02 46 (Lap time N/A, but 2:14-ish)
Sub Impreza
Coupe WRX typeR STi--- 45 2.15.925
Impreza Coupe 22B-STi '98--------- 46
2.15.950
Fairlady Z Version ST '02---------- 46
2.15.973
Fairlady Z Version S '07----------- 41
2.16.111
Mits Lancer EVO X GSR PP '07----- 41 2.16.236
Fairlady Z Version
S '02----------- 46 2.16.318
Class 4
Nissan Silvia spec-R Aero--------- 44
2.16.442
Nissan Skyline R33 GTR '95--------- 42 2.16.758
Nissan
Skyline Coupe 350GT-------- 40 2.17.129
Mits Lancer EVO IV GSR '96-------
45 2.17.482
Impreza Sedan WRX '94----------- 46
2.17.270
Nissan 350Z Gran Turismo 4 Ltd '05 45 2.17.300
Subaru Legacy B4 2.0GT spec.B-----
45 2.17.411
Fairlady Z 300ZX Ver.S TT 2seater 38 2.17.818
Toyota Supra
RZ '97-------------- 40 2.17.621
Nissan Skyline GTR R32 '89--------
44 2.17.777
Mits Lancer EVO IX '05------------ 43 2.17.779
Subaru Legacy
B4 2.0GT spec.B '03 46 2.17.870
Mits Lancer EVO IX GSR '05------- 44 2.18.300
Nissan
300ZX 2seater Z32 '98------ 39 2.18.483
Nissan 300ZX 2by2 Z32 '98-------- 36
2.18.546
Toyota Soarer 430SCV '01-------- 32 2.18.400
GTO Twin Turbo MR '98-----------
40 2.18.622
Nissan Stagea 25t RS FOUR S '98-- 43 2.18.536
Honda Accord Coupe EX '03------- 40
2.19.438
Mits GTO Twin Turbo MR '95------- 40 2.19.666
Subaru Legacy B4 Blitzen '00 ----- 45
2.19.700
Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon------- 45 2.19.725
Toyota Celica GT-FOUR '98----------
46 2.20.036
Mazdaspeed Atenza '05------------ 44
2.20.4xx
Toyota Supra 3.0GT Turbo A '88...?? 2:20.956
Infiniti
G35 Coupe '06-------------- 44 2.21.830
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
GSR '92 ?? 2:22.201
Class 1:
Grids # 3 and #7 are good ones to choose it might seem, since there are two Honda NSXes on each grid.
In reality, the '92 NSX can't keep up with the '02. The '92 sometimes gets stuck behind Subarus and Mazdas as well,
while the '02 zooms far ahead.
Grid #29 also has both cars showing up, but in this case they're both started downfield instead of in front of us. Overall,
I have experienced little extra challenge with dual-NSX grids.
Class 2:
There aren't as many choices: grids 2, 4, and 5 are some early Class 2 grids, but in any of
these we'll only be racing one car from this class, for the entire race.
Grid 12 has a nice assortment of Class 3, but also two Class 2s: the '04 Subaru Impreza Spec C and
the '06 Honda S2000.
Between 5 and 18 are a few grids: one starts a '07 Impreza on 3rd, and the '04 Impreza Spec C on 9th. There are also
a couple grids with Toyota MR2s on them, but I have found these mid-engine cars will mostly dominate unless they're started
very low, so I avoid these..
Grid 25 seems to be the best, featuring
the '08 Z-car, '02 Mazda RX-7 Sprit R, and the Honda S2000. Though the Honda is slower than the others, it also starts
on 2nd place, getting a nice early jump in lap times! Sometimes, others (like the '98 Subaru Impreza) will join in with
these leaders.
Class 3,
Grid 11 features a total of four Class 3 members, though we'll only be competing
against maybe two of them: the '98 Mazda RX-7, and '02 Subaru Impreza sedan. Then again, I recently did a race in which
all four cars bottled behind my New Beetle, essentially any one of them could've taken the lead if I screwed up.
Grid 16 has three, though only two of them matter: the '99 Subaru Impreza sedan, '07 Mazda
RX-8, and '07 Nissan Fairlady Z. The Z-car tends to bottleneck early, unfortunately, and probably won't catch up.
Class 4
Unfortunately, there are no pure Class 4 grids to be found.
Parts
NO OIL CHANGE! Unless you want to lose power mid-race for some reason. Otherwise, bring
a car that you know has already broken down its engine oil.
Another option is to enter a zero-mileage car, or one which is still breaking in its engine, as long
as you know how much power this engine will end up with.. Such a car will gain power as the race progresses, so
it's possible to start the race slightly underpowered, then wind up with recommended power toward the end,
Hard, Medium, or Soft Sport tires (note: the competition always uses softs)
Whatever tire type gets chosen, try and keep that same type of tire after pit stop,
especially if the race has been close so far. If the car's been on mediums, try to stay on mediums, unless you've fallen drastically behind
the leader(s). If the race has been close, but softs get chosen, chances are the car will now be too fast during
the second half, especially if it's less than 3,000 pounds.
Conversely, if the race is too easy, hard tires can be tried to create more challenge. Some folks
over at GTP have even shod Comfort tires!
GT5 Version 2.08 (the latest version of this game) has some wonky tire-wear results. No matter which grade
of tire, soft, medium, or hard, at least one pit stop will be needed; taking two during a close race usually means death.
Problem is, the AI also takes just one pit stop. Excessive tire wear is not really an issue the way it was in GT4, but handling
is. If your car handles poorly, yet is less than 3,000 pounds, soft tires might be the answer. Those with some mild handling
issues can go with mediums, and those with top traits (and slippery aerodynamics) can be on hards.
Stock or Close Gears. Full-custom gears should be reserved for those that truly need
them. Stock gears (whatever box the car came with) will be able to get slightly better fuel economy, in theory. Close gears
will burn more gas, because engine revs will be kept closer to redline at all times, but they will also provide better acceleration.
In theory.
Drivetrain parts as needed. Single-plate clutch, one of the flywheels perhaps, and any
other parts that are needed.
Fixed or Height-adjustable Sport Suspension for the majority. Full-customized
parts can be used for those tuners that really need some help (especially for latter laps when tires are worn). Standard
dealer's parts will only be needed for those with the absolute best handling.
Cars Used:
SPORTS Class '96 Lotus Elise (1,500 pounds / Class
2)
'94 Mitsubishi FTO GR (2,500 pounds / Class 2) '91 Mazda Efini RX-7 Type R (3,000 / Class 2) '07
Subaru Impreza WRX STi wagon (3,500 / Class 2)
'02 Ford Focus RS
(2,000 pounds / Class 3)
'04 Honda Integra Type R (2,600 pounds / Class 3)
TUNER Class
2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser (2,500 pounds / Class 2)
1997 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Coupe (3,500 pounds / Class 2)
2002 MINI Cooper (2,100 pounds / Class 3)
1996 Subaru Legacy wagon (3,000 pounds / Class 3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roadster 4-Hour Endurance rating:
*** Opponents: 12 Level:
26 (2,000) 13.79 -- 145 hp
(2,200) 14.47 -- 152 hp The ratios above include an oil change, which means during early laps you'll have more power than you will for
the bulk of this race, when the oil's viscosity begins to break down. Don't worry, the race can still be won with this method.
If you don't want to get an oil change and deal with this shift of power, subtract 7 horsepower.
The problem with not getting this done beforehand is you may have trouble catching up to any early leaders, who manage to
break away from the pack. The above ratios do not include
any engine rebuilds. There
are two generations of MX-5: NA and NB. NA cars have their headlights hidden, while NBs do not. Newer NBs (from 2000 and up)
are generally faster than the others, though I've seen some earlier '90s-era NBs do well too. Make sure to start any
NBs as far downfield as you can. They will hold their positions for a long time, whereas if they are started near or on Pole,
they will become uncatchable unless you add power. If no faster NBs show up, some power should be deducted, I'm guessing 10 horsepower. Description: The Roadster
4-Hour first appeared in GT4, and is one of the many enduros I never got around to doing. Tsukuba is one of my least favorite
tracks, and let's face it, racing a low-powered rear-drive around for 4 hours in a game that didn't properly
portray oversteer characteristics doesn't sound like very much fun to me. But things have changed, and here I am. One of the best things about this race is that we don't have to plan too
heavily. The same car we drove long ago during the NR-A Roadster Cup can be chosen again, and although this endurance requires
more power than that 5-lap sprint, our budget will barely be impacted by any parts we'll need. Strategy I have found that my best driving yielded an average of 1:11.xxx,
with 1:11.214 as my fastest lap in a 2,200 pound car, and 1:11.319 in the lighter 2,000 pound '93 V-special. I was able to manage
those lower 1:11 lap times for longer though, than I was in the heavier '89. than the heavier one did. In the heavier car, lap times began to fall into the 1:12s, and a few 1:13s
if a minor screw-up occurred, starting at about Lap 40, whereas I was able to sustain 1:11s deep into the 70s and 80s in a
lighter car. In all cases, this will happen because each car's engine lost some power as oil broke down, and also
tire wear becomes a factor starting at about Lap 80 or so. No matter what though, even if you get a strong lead
early during this race somehow, chances are the Ai will never leave your mirrors, this I can guarantee. At least one pit stop will be required, anywhere between 2 hours and 3:20. I took mine at 2:40 / Lap 133 in
the heavier car, and at Lap 118 in the lighter car. The Roadster endurance
surprised me, because by Lap 80 or so (in the heavier '89 MX-5), my lap times had fallen firmly into the 1:13s,
with an occasional 1:14.xxx, no matter how hard I tried. The race had become sleepy, as I predicted. An NA-series car
was roughly 4 seconds behind, which was getting followed by an NB. The NB stayed behind the NA for multiple laps,
probably 15 or so. Finally, it passed the NA. No problem. It's still 4 seconds back there. But then it
began to catch up. By Lap 105, it was right behind; I could hear its tires going over rumble strips. A second NB joined in,
but neither of these guys attempted to pass me. It was as if they were waiting for me to screw up instead!
When I did a second race in the lighter '89, this same pattern repeated (sleepy race, with one NA holding its position for
multiple laps), except that two NBs crept up from nowhere this time! This is PD's twist apparently: the Ai isn't super aggressive; instead, they're super patient, waiting until I made
a wrong move and munched some grass, so they could pounce all over my 1st place spot. The pressure was on. It's stuff like this that surprised me, and here's the reason the 4-Hour Roadster event is a 3-star race instead
of the 2 stars I was predicting. Everybody began to
pit just after 3:20.xxx, (again) as I predicted. I was still in 1st place, with a huge 30+ second lead. But
then I noticed the NBs began catching up. Lap by lap, no matter what, they'd deduct roughly a second or so from my gap. The
last 20 minutes were me ... trying not to screw up, trying to keep my lap times consistent (they were back to 1:12.xxx again
in either car). Trying to keep cool. A couple of things that help
in this race, just as they may have helped during the 300km 1). You won't need a full tank of gas. As you pit, your crew will want to know how much you'll be
needing, but they'll try to fill your tank by default, You won't need this much. I've found that taking somewhere between
20 to 30 liters is good. The Ai on the other hand is forced to take a full tank, and this means they'll be sitting in
those pits for an entire lap or so. We can save time by taking only what we need. 2). Make sure you slow down massively into Tsukuba's pit lane. If you don't, the game will kick
you out of the lane, as though there is some regulatory speed we're not supposed to surpass. Yeah, that happened to me. 3). I am recommending soft comfort tires for this race, even though
the Ai is on soft sports. This is because I find that comfort tires offer more of a sporting drive than sports do,
especially in such a low-powered environment. Despite my recommendation, it's still a good idea to buy a full rack of sport
tires too (hard, medium, and soft), just in case. If for some reason you're falling behind while using comforts, switch to
sports during the pit stop. Opponents Our opponents have shown up with somewhere between 143 to 165 horsepower, which is the
same as they had before. Nothing to fear. During the Roadster Cup, power was low, and we needed to wring all we could get
from our Roadster in just 5 laps. Now, we're looking at somewhere over 200 laps. Youch. One of the main differences between this race and the 5-lap sprint we did long ago is now we've got a standing start
to deal with. And once we're rolling, notice that the Ai isn't as timid with their lap times. This is because they're using
soft sport tires, whereas during the NR-A Roadster Cup they were using hard sports. The Ai seems to have an adaptive strategy with their driving, too. During early laps they'll be slow, and now's the
time to get up front if we can. From laps 3 through maybe 40, their lap times will improve, with barely any fluctuations.
We'll need to be doing our best to catch up with them, especially with the crappy tires I'm recommending. Parts Soft Comfort tires,
with a set of Hard, Medium, and Soft Sports for backup. Fixed Sport Suspension Close-ratio
transmission is optional. Personally I like choosing one so I have more to do during those 4 hours. :-) Single-plate clutch + lighter flywheel (either one), carbon driveshaft ABS Brakes optional, though if you go without ABS it's best to use sport tires instead of comforts.
Cars Used: '93 Mazda MX-5 Miata V-Special
II (2,000 pounds) '89 Mazda MX-5 (non-premium version, 2,200 pounds) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laguna Seca 200 Miles Grids CLICK HERE
Laguna Seca 200 Miles
Sports Car Class (1,500) 9.43
--- 159 hp (3,000) 11.41 -- 263 hp Tuned Car Class (2,400) 9.30 -- 258 hp
There are two classes being structured above. Most cars that (sane) drivers choose will fall under
the Sports Car Class, and keep in mind that this class does not include just 2-seaters, it merely includes
those which can survive with minimal tuning. In this case, ratios have been set to compete against the very best. Tuned Car Class includes those vehicles which really
are being more tuned extensively. These will be the ones who really have some handling or drivability problems,
many which can't be solved entirely by full-custom tuning. VW Beetle, Mazda Protege, Opel Vectra, and probably many of the
worst muscle cars. Most entering this class should not go up against the very best. In fact, I wouldn't include anything
better than the '69 Corvette Convertible if you go this route. Many in this class will need more than one pit stop, because
they'll be going through tires more quickly than those in the Sports Car Class. Similar to the Muscle Car Championship, the above ratios currently include the very best possible:
the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, and the 2004 Chevrolet Corvette. If neither of these are included, less power
will be needed. The very first grid we can dial up does include both of these cars, by the way, starting behind us, and there
are other grids which put them in different places. Click this link for more details on grid placements, and also read the more-detailed descriptions below in the Opponents section. For extra challenge, start
yourself at the very back of the pack, in last place, by slowing down just as the race starts!
Description The first step to getting
started in the Laguna Seca 200 is to dial up a good grid to race against. In this case, we want to have the best grid possible,
for whichever class we choose to enter. We've got 200 miles ahead of us (321.86 km). Are we interested in running all these
miles, all these kilometers, without any challenge? Of course not. Step One is to have a look back at the Muscle Car Championship from the Professional League.
The same cars which showed up in that set of races is going to show up again now. Everything from pushovers like the Ford
Taurus SHO (along with a few of the more cantankerous '60s-era muscle cars) to the ultra-powerful Dodge Vipers,
late-model Corvettes, and so on. The difference between the Laguna Seca 200 and the Muscle Car Championship though, is that
there will always be somebody competent who shows up to race against us. It is more difficult to find a grid full of
slackers, now that there are 200 miles to separate everybody instead of 11.2.
...Which is a good thing for us. Bring on that challenge! And if you're like me, you want as many
of those better cars to show up as possible, so the challenge will be guaranteed for as long as possible. They may not
all compete against us at the same time, but then again, maybe they might. It all depends.
The second step is to have a look at the Opponents section
below, written up by axeltramp over at GTPlanet. It is similar to the Grand Valley 300 km list from GTSail, and lists
all the autos which can possibly show up, the approximate lap they will pit, and their fastest observed lap times.
We can use the lap time part to do a little homework, driving around an empty Laguna Seca in the practice section of GT5,
and getting our car running laps which are one to three seconds slower
than what's posted. Note: Unlike the Grand Valley 300km, many cars which show up to
Laguna Seca will be able to consistently drive these faster times, lap after lap. The "one to three second" rule is
a way of making our race vary in difficulty: from mildly challenging, to aggravatingly nerve-racking! If your car
is three seconds slower than what's posted, and somebody gets by you, good luck winning after this. OTOH, you might still
have the option to equip softer tires in such a situation. The AI also has a habit of getting slowed down by larger blocks
of traffic, which you WILL wind up seeing, by the way. Step three: buy all three sport tire types (soft, medium, and hard) if you haven't already.
And select the tire which will get you those target lap times. If you want to do a race in which the 2010 Camaro SS shows
up, and your car is easily running 1:38s with soft tires (an entire second faster than the Camaro), try putting some
mediums on there. If you're still too fast, try replacing that aftermarket clutch / flywheel kit with factory parts, and so
on. We want to be hitting somewhere between 1:41.5xx to 1:43.5xx consistently, if we want to go against this guy.
Opponents Let's have a look at our
opponents. Right off, you may notice that during the Extreme-series American Championship, Fords were usually the fastest,
and Chevys were always losers. But things have changed. The Ford GTs are overqualified for this event, and have apparently been
ousted. Now it's Chevrolet who's got the upper hand. In fact, the ratios above were created with the very fastest
Chevrolets showing up. Less power will be needed if they're not around. Again, here is that link over at GT Planet. Like GTSail's page, this one includes an abundance of information: leaderboards, grid assignments, stories, race reports, pit
stops & lap times...and more. axeltramp allowed me to copy/paste the info below to make things even more convenient.
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5) '04 -----------------------------
53 -------- 1:39.840
Chevrolet Camaro SS '10 ------------------------------------ 50 -------- 1:40.557 Chevrolet Corvette
Stingray L46 350 (C3) '69 -------------- 47 ------- 1.40.696
Dodge Viper GTS '02 --------------------------------------- 34/68 ------- 1:40.845 *pre v2.08
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible (C3) '69 ---------- 51 ------- 1:41.430
Chrysler 300C '05 -------------------------------------------- 46 ------- 1:41.750
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5) '00 ---------------------------- 55 --------- 1:41.789
Dodge Viper GTS '99 ----------------------------------------- 49 -------- 1:41.430
Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z Concept '88 ---------------------- 50 ------- 1:42.347
Dodge SRT4 '03 ----------------------------------------------- 47 ------- 1:42.710
Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96 ---------------- 53 ------- 1:42.852 Dodge Challenger R/T
'70 ------------------------------------ 47 ------- 1:42.956
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Coupe '97 ---------------------------- 52 ------- 1:43.117
Chrysler Prowler '02 ----------------------------------------- 51 ------- 1:43.797
Chevrolet Camaro SS '69 ------------------------------------ 48 ------- 1:43.832
Mercury Cougar XR-7 '67 ------------------------------------- 49 ------- 1:44.129
Dodge Challenger SRT8 '08 ---------------------------------- 50 ------- 1:44.363
Chevrolet Camaro SS '00 ------------------------------------- 55 ------- 1.44.732
Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R '00 ------------------------------- 52 ------- 1:44.788
Shelby GT350R '65 -------------------------------------------- 57 ------- 1:45.114
Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 (C4) '90 ---------------------------- 49 ------- 1:45.171
Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 '70 ------------------------------- 44 ------- 1:46.118
Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO '64 --------------------------- 50 ------- 1:46.128
Dodge Charger Super Bee 426 Hemi '71--------------------- 44 ------- 1:46.146
Pontiac GTO 5.7 Coupe '04 ----------------------------------- 51 ------- 1:46.259
Buick GNX '87 ------------------------------------------------- 51 ------- 1:46.754
Plymouth Superbird '70 --------------------------------------- 48 ------- 1:46.863
Chevrolet Corvette Coupe (C2) '63 -------------------------- 55 ------- 1:47.679
Ford Mustang GT '05 ------------------------------------------ 52 ------- 1:48.063
Ford Taurus SHO '98 ------------------------------------------ 57 ------- 1:48.447
Ford Mustang V8 Coupe GT Premium '07 -------------------- 55 ------- 1:49.131
Plymouth Cuda 440 Six Pack '71 ----------------------------- 64 ------- 1:49.726
Wow. That's a huge list, and the thing is, a lot of these cars seem like they'll make good sparring
partners. Unfortunately, there are a lot of grids which include a bunch of medium-level or slower cars, but one superstar,
meaning we'll eventually be competing with only that one superstar. Again, Grids #1, #10, and #15 are good for getting both top cars (2010 Camaro and 2004
Corvette) on the board. #1 might only feature
the Corvette as a competitor. Technically the Camaro is nearly as fast, but it bottlenecks early sometimes, and will never
catch up if it does so. Grid
#5 might be a good one to choose. It features a '00 Corvette on Pole, with the '02 Dodge Viper and '10 Camaro SS up front
as well. Will these three compete for long time? Untested as of now. Grid #10 has both cars, but starts one of them on Pole, and the other on 2nd place. You
may need more power to catch these guys if you choose Grid #10 instead of #1. Grid #15 seems to be the best, since it starts the Camaro SS on Pole, and the Corvette downfield.
For sure, both you and the Corvette have a super game of catch-up ahead of them. During the one race I did (with Grid 1), it seemed as though the Prowler, '00 Corvette, and '70
Challenger were running closely.
Parts NO oil change Hard, Medium, and Soft sport tires Factory transmission in most cases, for
those interested in better fuel economy, which saves time during the pit stop. Close-ratio units can be used for those
with super-tall gears, and full-custom gears should be reserved for those who can't solve some sort of problem with fixed
boxes.
Drivetrain parts as needed. We can use clutch, flywheel, and driveshaft
parts to fine-tune our lap times as we practice. Limited-slips should be reserved for cars with real traction
issues, of course.
Fixed or height-adjustable suspension for most in the Sports Car
Class. Cars with the absolute best handling can go with stock parts. Full-custom suspension for many within the Tuned Car Class.
Brake balancer only for those with super-horrible handling
issues (excessive understeer, for instance) that can help lessen these issues with better braking.
Cars '96 Lotus Elise
(1,500 pounds, limited 0 hp, med. sport tires, Sports Class) '03 Audi A3 3.2 Quattro
(3,000 pounds, limited 11 hp, med. tires, Sports Class) '07 BMW 135i Coupe (3,000
pounds, limited 57 hp, med. tires, Sports Class) '00
Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 (2,400 pounds, soft tires, full-custom suspension)
------------------------------------------------------------
Indy 500
rating: ****
participants: 12
Level: 28
GT1 (2,000) 3.34 -- 599 hp
GT2 (2,100) 2.84 -- 740 hp (2,500) 2.54 -- 983
hp
GT1 = these are full Lemans Prototype racing cars, just
like the ones in the game. Those from FIA's Groups C and GT1 classes (Bentley, Toyota TS020, etc.) are also part of this class.
Some Historics (like Ford GT40s and Chaparrals) might also be welcome here, although I haven't driven any of these personally.
GT2 = these sometimes resemble actual rides which can drive actual streets: BMW/McLaren
F1, Pagani Zonda LM, Jaguar XJ220 LM, and so on. They haven't quite got the aerodynamic profile of the GT1s, which means
they can't corner as effortlessly. More power is given to them. BE CAREFUL entering heavier GT2s. Heed the warning directly
below...
Entries at the heavier end of the GT2 weight chart
may eat their tires too fast. Try doing some practice laps (or a pretend race). If the car cannot last 40 laps without
tires and/or fuel consider looking for some other car.
NOTE
to self: Will the Formula GT work? A couple drivers might be interested in this car.
Description
Indianapolis was built in 1909 and has the distinction of being the highest-capacity sports venue in the world, with
the ability to seat 400,000. So we'd better please all these people with our skillz.
One of the main differences between this endurance race and all the others so far is the track itself, which allows
everyone to always move fast. At a track with actual corners, esses, hairpins, and so on, certain cars will have
advantages that the Ai might not. For years, they've sucked with braking, for instance. They've been putting their transmissions
into 1st gear out of hairpins while we've been choosing 2nd. They've been burdened by traction controls. Because of all this,
many fair racers all over the world have been running cars which are sometimes powered much lower than the competition. Well...none
of this is true here at Indianapolis.
Now, the idea is not to severely underdog our car with power, the idea is mostly to keep up.
Though I am still underdogging the cars I enter, it's not by much. On the other hand, PD makes a lot of odd decisions
for this 500 miler. They still haven't tuned anybody's transmission appropriately, which means throughout the entire
race, they never can attain as high a speed as we can down those straights.
And once you get good at this track, it's possible to take all four turns mostly flat-out with fuel, not braking or slowing
down much at all, only lifting off the gas sometimes as the right rear tire wears down to 25% or so.
Opponents
Not very many top racing cars compete in this series, surprisingly. The game features lots of Group C, GT1, and LMP full
racers, yet only seven of them actually show up to compete. Where is the very dangerous Sauber Mercedes? The Jaguar XJR-9?
The Bentley Speed 8? Where are all the Japanese?
Then again, it seems PD is focusing on only the open-top cars, not those with closed cockpits. Fair enough.
As
seen in other Gran Turismo 5 races, not only are their transmissions tuned too short, not only are some of them constantly hitting
their rev-limiters as they draft, the AI still does not know how to corner properly. They're still in
the habit of slowing down a little too much, brake-tapping into most turns, and taking all four curves with mostly out-middle-out
lines while we get further inwards. Because of this, again and again they might blow by us down some straight areas,
but it's always possible to out-steer them into Indy's four curves.
By the way, "out-middle-out" does become a viable racing line, but only later in the race, when we're free of traffic.
They also have a habit of driving initial laps harder than latter ones. During the first 25 laps or so, it
can be hard for us to break away from traffic. We can out-corner them, but they'll typically catch up during straights,
even if we succeed in keeping them from drafting. Then... all the sudden they begin to fall behind.
This is because they've chosen medium tires. Starting about 30 laps in, these tires begin to lose their
grip apparently, and need to get more cautious with their cornering. During my first try at the Indy 500, I accidently chose
hard tires, yet this turned out to be the better decision, because hards tend to keep their adhesiveness, even as they've
worn almost all the way.
Let's meet the enemy!
'01 Audi R8 230
mph *
'01 Audi R8 (Team Playstation) 233 mph *
'06 Audi R10 TDI
234 mph *
'99 BMW V12 LMR
235 mph *
'05 Pescarolo C60 Hybride-Judd 231 mph *
'04 Pescarolo Courage - Judd GV5: 209 mph *
'03 Pescarolo Courage C60-Peugeot 209 mph *
* An asterisk means the car hit its absolute top speed during replay.
Though the Audi R8s are slightly slower than the Audi R10s and BMW, they are the biggest threat overall during the
long term. At least three of them typically show up. Part of the reason they are do better is because they don't downshift
as often into lower gears during turns. Some other cars do this regularly.
Pescarolos burn through slightly more of their fuel, compared to all the Germans. The fastest Pescarolo, the C60 Hybride-Judd,
also destroys its tires at a significantly faster rate than any of the others. Don't be afraid of the Hybride's claim of 905
horsepower. The Hybride-Judd never gets any advantage from its extra power.
Strategy
In real-life, the fastest around the Indy 500 was in 1996. Arie Luyendyk got a Reynard/Ford-Cosworth XB up
to 237 miles per hour. I only mention this because in the game, we can regularly go a little faster while drafting. My record
so far is 242 mph.
So far as pitstops go, they usually start coming in after Lap 40, which is about a half hour into the race. A total of
four stops are taken by them.
Fuel: it is recommended to drive until just a sliver is left if we're in the GT2 class
(GT1s won't use as much). Go ahead and take a full tank, everyone else does. It's more important to be staying out there
ON the track instead of having to come back in because not enough was taken. There aren't really any advantages to gain with
partial-fueling until the final laps of the race.
Tires: again, there isn't much to worry about. Typically, the right front tire will
wear out faster than the others in GT1 class, but with mid-engine GT2s it'll be right rear. Either way, lap times can be maintained, even
when these tires are almost fully-worn, there aren't too many adverse handling effects (unless the car's really
heavy). I was able to keep my speeds into Turns 1 and 3 over 190 mph at all times in the GT2 class, and even higher with GT1.
The AI tends to slow into the 170s and 180s once tire wear set in.
Parts Needed
Full rack of racing tires. Hards will be used most of all, though lighter cars can switch to mediums
if needed.
Aerodynamics keyed between 45 and 60 up front. If a car cannot make these sort of numbers, don't
even bother.
Transmission geared so the car can comfortably cruise over 240 mph without rev-limiting.
Cars Used
'01 Audi R8R (hybrid Audi Nuvolari V10 engine; 2,000 pounds, GT1)
'97 BMW McLaren F1 GTR
(2,100 pounds, GT2) '00 Chevrolet Corvette C5R (2,500 pounds, GT2)
The Corvette will
not work as a competitor, it drains its fuel too quickly. I've only included it as an upper limit for mathematical purposes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Suzuka 1000km
rating: ***
participants: 12
Laps: 172 Miles: 620.65
Pit
Stops: 23 to 25 laps (@7 stops in all)
---Group A---
(2,500) 5.65 -- 442 hp (2,700) 5.74 -- 470 hp
---Group B---
(2,500) 5.08 -- 492 hp (2,700) 5.40 -- 500 hp (3,000) 5.79
-- 512 hp
"Group A" includes those Premiums which can accept a race kit [RM] with adjustable aerodynamics,
which can be pushed to 35 up front. "Group B" includes those with lesser aerodynamics. Typically, this includes Premium cars which can't
accept a full RM kit. Their front spoiler (if we can install one at all) won't be adjustable, and it may or may not have a
low number. 20 or lower, usually. This group also contains Standards as well, though Standards should only be raced on
dry days if using the Cockpit view.
If a car's front spoiler can be pushed past 35 (for instance, one of the Super GTs or JGTC racers which
appear in this series) chances are less power will be needed than shown above, while using Group A.
The
highest weight of 3,000 pounds is not recommended due to excessive tire wear. This number is just to set an upper
limit for math's sake.
Oil change and engine rebuild are okay, for those drivers who want an early edge on
traffic. Just make sure that when the oil degrades, the car's power will wind up where it should.
It is best to keep any NSX away from pole position, starting no higher than 5th place. There are plenty of grids
which make this happen.
>>> Finally, while practicing
for this race, make sure your car can do somewhere between 2:07 and 2:08 reliably on fresh medium tires, on a dry track.
Description
Now we go off to Suzuka's full circuit, to drive a grand total of 1000 kilometers, which is roughly 621
miles. Suzuka Circuit is located in Suzuka City, and is owned by Honda. An ordinary (but highly-modified) car can handle the
Super GT, and this is also true for the Suzuka 1000km. Or... we can use a full racing car, touring car, one of the weaker
LMs, and so on. The big, major thing about this race which is different from all the other enduros
so far is that rain can fall, and we have a choice to make this happen or not, by entering and exiting the Parts/Settings
menu repeatedly, and seeing whether the track is anywhere from 0% to 100% wet. Though I used a Subaru during my first try
at the Suzuka 1000km, and this car would slay the others if rain was falling, you won't need an AWD to make this happen. The
AI slows down so much if it is raining, it's easy for rear-drives to also get around them as well.
Opponents
As noted above, it's the Honda NSX teams that'll be the most deadly here, and I recommend starting them no higher
than 5th place. Though some others will do well on occasion, for some reason it's the NSX which is much obviously quicker.
And this is despite the fact that NSXes are sometimes rated with the least power, compared to a few other Super
GTs.
Unfortunately, this makes the 1000km rather 1-sided. On the other hand, the AI still has its habit of being 'patient'
once they catch up to us, meaning that they won't try to pounce over our lead once they get into our mirrors. Instead, they'll
just hang back there, waiting for us to screw up. Because of this, sometimes if one car bottlenecks behind us in this way,
another might catch up. And another. I've seen as many as six cars forming a train behind me at times, sparring one another
back there.
I have found that the competition will perform pit stops in a very predictable manner,
assuming the track is dry. If so, stops will often go like this:
24 / 48 / 72 /
96 / 120 / 144 / 168
Note that final stop. They've got just four laps to go yet they must come
into the pits!
Strategy
Though we should show up to the race with a full range of racing tires, note that the cars we're up against will be using
medium slicks at best, if there is no rain. While practicing for this race, make sure your car can do somewhere
between 2:07 and 2:08 reliably on fresh medium tires, and on a dry track.
Soft tires should only be used during some sort of late-race emergency (we've fallen way behind). Most of the time,
we'll be on mediums ourselves, to get that mixture of lap times + tire longevity. Hard tires might be okay if we've got
a car with a full aerodynamic kit and need to stay out on the track an extra lap or three. Otherwise, go mediums.
And about that rain. I have done several mock races and a few real ones, and have come to these conclusions. If the sky
is clear or overcast (0% Rain), chances are the entire race will be done on a dry track. If a race features a full
downpour (100% Rain), I have yet to see any variation from this.
It's those times when there's an intermediate amount of rain that we'll see some sudden, unexpected changes, which
is the closest thing the game will ever get to a yellow flag, since these changes will cause the entire field of GTs to go
for unscheduled pit stops as the track dries or gets wetter.
For instance, a day which starts with 43% rain might have even more rain as the laps get higher, or maybe it'll
have less rain. We cannot predict what will happen, which adds extra layers of suspense and planning. I did one race which
started with rain, and once the rain went away, it never came back. On my second try, it started at 43%, dropped to
0% for roughly 80 laps, but then picked up again on Lap 99. By the end of this race, the track was 64% wet.
If you notice that the rain has stopped, and the track continues to get dryer, now's the time to begin planning
that pit stop for slick tires. Especially as the track gets somewhere between 30% to 20% wet, you'll start to notice
other cars beginning to come into the pits. It's a good idea to get in there, as well. The reason is that Rain and
Intermediate Tires wear out extremely fast once the track is drying.
If it begins to rain after a period of dryness, but the track doesn't accumulate (it stays at 0%), this seems to be caused
by a glitch. If we're wanting rain to accumulate, we can press the Suspend Race button the next time we come
into the pits. When we reenter the game later on, this seems to kick-start things. It may take a few laps, but rain should
begin to gather onto the track eventually, assuming it keeps falling down.
One final thing about rain. While it's coming down, we won't be able to turn off our windshield wipers, which
is annoying and distracting. Don't worry though, as the track dries, they will automatically turn off by themselves.
Other than rain, fuel is
the one area where things will change the most, compared to earlier races: Grand Valley, Laguna Seca, and the Roadster 4-Hour
Endurance. Virtually any car powerful enough for the Suzuka 1000km will also be thirsty enough to require frequent fueling.
My Subaru Impreza Sport Wagon, for instance, would go through a 1/4 tank of gas about every 8 laps.
We can shave small amounts of time perhaps, by taking a few liters less than our pit crew suggests, but taking extremely
low amounts of fuel, as some may do during slower races to save time, is a stupid idea here at Suzuka. 23 to 25 lap stints
are what most of us will be aiming for. In general, that right there will drain roughly 75% of the tank!
Parts
Full assortment of Racing Tires (Mediums recommended most)
Brake Balancer
Full-custom suspension. We might not need this to win, but tweaking a car's handling just as
we'd like can make driving it so much more satisfying!
Transmission can vary. Again, go with full-custom transmission if you want that perfect, custom fit.
But this is not 100% necessary.
Twin clutch, and other assorted drivetrain parts.
Wing / spoiler kit, or RM kit from GT Auto, assuming your car's body is not already
modified for extra downforce. Some Standards can also be entered into the 1000km, but it's not recommended to race
them on rainy days.
Premium car (not Standard) for those who use the in-car view during rainy days.
Cars Used
'00 Chevrolet Corvette C5-R* (2,500 pounds, Group A) '07 Lexus IS F [RM]
(2,700 pounds, Group A)
'07 Subaru Impreza STI WRX (2,700
pounds, Group B) '04 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (3,000 pounds, Group B)
* The C5-R Vette used .35 front aerodynamics instead of its full .50. It's
possible the competition is using its default front spoiler of .20, but also possible they could be tweaked to .35 or
more. So .35 is the compromise I went for.
* The
2,500 pound GROUP B class is theoretical as of now. Eventually a car weighing exactly 2,500 will be raced.
------------------------------------------------------------
Nürburgring 4 Hour GRIDS
Nürburgring 4-Hour Endurance
rating: **
participants: 12
Level: 32
Racing against Group A
(3,000)
Racing against Group B
(1,500) 5.83 -- 257 hp (2,600) 7.20 -- 361 hp (2,800) 7.42
-- 377 hp (Untested. This was formerly 385, which I think might be too easy) (3,000) 7.38
-- 406 hp
The above ratios include Group B and C cars only (see Opponents section). If Group A is
included, add +TBA.
- The math above calculates a rather "casual" experience, which includes a possible
mistake into the grass or sand here and there. For those who wish to go HARDCORE, remove 10
hp or more.
-I have found that 3,000 pounds was going "too far" with the weight. The Corvette C5 I drove could not make it
past Lap 4 before seriously losing tire adhesion. So for now, anything above 2,800 shall be the driver's own risk!
-A grid of lesser cars (B and C) shows
up with just four reloads, and this is the grid I've used to set math so far. I also used Grid 9 (FT565 Audi TT
on pole, Amemiya RX-7 starts 2nd...) when I drove the '96 Elise.
-The reload after #4 is even better, in theory (haven't done it yet).
-If we're wanting to go up against faster Group
A automobiles though, these grids are more plentiful than pure B and Cs.
Description:
Welcome to the track once known as the "Green Hell." Win this race, and you'll be earning nearly a half-million credits. Today
we're going to be doing a lot of laps around the Green Hell, and personally I am looking forward to every one of them. Well,
maybe most of them, okay?
For this 4-hour event, GT5 gives us Nürburgring Type V, which is one of the mixed versions of this track.
We won't have to worry about weather or time changes, but we will need to know the full Nordschleife, along with Sudschleife
Version D, which we drove a few laps on during the Extreme-level German Touring Car Championship. Those of us who've concentrated
on the AMG Driving School, going for golds or at least silvers, and then have done those Extreme Series races several
times, already know what's coming. Now we just need a little more practice on the full version perhaps, and the
right car to tackle it.
And once again, we can enter any car in the game, literally from Subaru 360 to Formula GT. Even if we narrow this list
down to more accurate competitive levels though, we're still possibly looking at a rather large portion of our garage.
Now we can narrow our list down even further once we begin to factor in weight, drivetrain type, handling characteristics,
and so on. We don't want to enter anything too big and goofy, too heavy, too quirky with odd handling traits, etc.
Good news is, we don't need mountains of power to compete here, even if we choose a grid which features the very best. Tuning
can also vary quite a lot. Some cars (sports cars usually) won't need much tuning at all, while others will require full-custom
parts all over. I have even heard it's possible to take a front drive to this race, although of course, only the best FFs
will survive.
Opponents:
It's like going back to the Tuning Car Grand Prix! The exact same template of cars is being used from that
series, with a few new faces like the Audi R8 LMS, and Infiniti Racing Concept. Again, we can pick and choose from the lists
below, finding grids which will work best for us, competitively and safely.
Unlike the TCGP, one huge difference our opponents will be dealing with is tire wear. And tire wear
gets increased by weight. Unfortunately, a lot of the cars which did well during the Expert Series (most Skylines, for instance,
along with some sleepers who dominated like the Amuse Carbon R and all of Nissan's Z-cars) are going to be left behind.
Other than that, we can stick to the same rules we used during the TCGP. Some grids are much easier than others,
and here's the list of cars which can show.
Group A
'04 Amuse S2000 GT1 Turbo '08
Audi R8 LMS
'86 RUF BTR
'87 RUF BTR "Yellowbird"
'08 HKS CT230R
Both the RUFs suffer from the same problems they did during the TCGP; in effect,
they'll occasionally take turns too hot and slide out, and there's a lot of turns for them to screw up in. But
when they're on their game, they'll catch up quickly. It's the Audi, the lightweight HKS, and the Amuse S2000
which are most dangerous here, but the rear-engine RUFs can't be discounted entirely either. The HKS was in Group B during
the TCGP, but now it's firmly in A, since its transmission won't limit its speed except during a couple of longer straight
areas.
We can do races with Group A present, or we can opt for a grid entirely full of B and C cars. Note that Groups A
and B are much smaller than they were for the Tuning Car Grand Prix. With lots more distance and laps to cover, only the strongest
now are tops. Group B.
AEM S2000'04 Amuse Carbon R
'04 Amuse S2000 GT1
(non turbo)
'07 HPA Motorsports F565 Twin Turbo TT
'03 Nismo Fairlady Z Z-tune
'96 RUF CTR2
'00
RUF RGT
If a car is not mentioned above, it is in Class C, which means it won't be anybody's sort of threat. Class C can sometimes
hold up faster cars during that first lap or two (while we get a sizable lead if we happen to break through traffic), but
otherwise C is nothing to fear.
A lot of Class B will defer to one another, too, so the list above is mainly a guideline, not a rule. For instance, if
an Amuse S2000 GT1 and a RUF CTR2 show up, they may battle for multiple laps. It'll be the Amuse (with its full-racing
bodywork) which will wind up leading though.
Strategy:
Tire Wear. Most of the AI will be coming for a pitstop every 5 laps. So in other words,
when you get to the end of Lap 5 (going into 6) that is when most of them will be coming in, and that is
when we should be thinking of heading in ourselves, unless we're driving something super-light, which doesn't burn its rubber
as quickly.
Unlike earlier endurance races, our opponents won't go all the way till their tires are nearly bald. In fact, they tend
to come in when their rubber is just over 50% worn, and still making decent lap times. If we stay out there, we'd better
make sure we've got some good tread left, otherwise the faster cars in the pack will quickly destroy any sort of positions
we've gained. At this point, roughly 45 minutes will have gone by, which is about typical for some real-life GT racing.
Fuel consumption is one area where we can gain some advantages. Again, we won't have to fuel up all
the way to full capacity every single time, yet this is just what our competition will do, even if they've only got two
laps to go! Still though, our gas situation is similar to the way it was at Suzuka -- do not skimp too
much on fueling. Try to do some math at some point, so you know how much you'll really need to stay out there at
full speeds. Nothing sucks more than running out of fuel just when things are getting good, and then having to crawl
back to the pits at a snail's pace.
On the other hand, there are races which can be won simply through fuel strategy. During my first full stint of 4 hours,
an Amuse S2000 GT1 nearly caught up to me at the very end. It would have probably won too, had it not spent so much time
taking unnecessary fuel, with just two laps to go.
Sometimes, the 'shape' of the entire race can begin with that very first turn. This means that as we
leave Turn 1 for the very first time, if we manage to get on the front lines, generally this is where we'll stay. This assumes
no drastic mistakes are made throughout the next four hours, of course. On the other hand, if we don't get on the front lines
after those first few turns, if we're still mid-pack (or worse) by the time (let's say) Fugplatz is being navigated, we're
going to have a hell of a time catching up. Catching up is possible, but it also can be aggravating!
This rule doesn't just apply to us; sometimes some of the faster cars can remain far behind if they don't make positions
during that first minute or so. Difference is, they rarely screw up, and eventually will catch up to us if we're leading.
Parts:
Full assortment of racing tires (though mediums are what's being used most often by 'them').
Full-Customized Transmission tuned just over 200 mph if you're racing against Group B, and 225
if you're racing against Group A.
Twin Clutch. Flywheel can vary, carbon drive shaft if applicable. Limited-slip
action if you need this. A lot of cars which have survived up till now without LSD might benefit from it here, even all-wheel
drives.
Full Custom Suspension. Not 100% necessary to win, but it's good to have that perfect feel as we're
bouncing all over this track.
Brake Balancer
Wing & Spoiler kits aren't 100% mandatory, but they help get into the spirit of making ordinary
cars look more "racy!" >:-D~
Cars Driven:
'96 Lotus Elise
(1,500 pounds, Class B Flyweight) '03 Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon 2.0 GT spec B (2,800 pounds, Class
B Upper Middleweight) '04 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (2,600 pounds / 234 miles, no maintenance performed. '00
Z06 engine hybrid)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Tsukuba 9 hours
Sorry to disappoint but I will never attempt nine hours at Tsukuba. It's not a bad track for sprint races,
but I can't imagine lap after lap during a nine hour endurance.
On top of this: no new faces. The same cars from Tuning Car Grand Prix and Nürburgring 4 Hours appear once
again, at a tiny track which PD uses way too often in GT4 and 5!
-----------------------------------------------------------
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