Tokyo R246 300km. 200 A-spec points in stock Toyota Wedsport Celica (JGTC)

Tokyo R246 300km​

This is the 3rd running of the Tokyo R246 Enduro for me, and the previous attempts for lower A-spec points can be found in: Smallhorses' A-Spec Endurance Companion, but neither warranted a report to itself as I'd used an overkill car (albeit the only unused one I had available at the time) first time through, and I forgot to save the replay for the more exciting Mitsubishi FTO Super Touring Car race!
This time round though, the gloves are off, I'm gunning for a full complement of A-spec points, and what follows is that story!

(More of my stand-alone reports can also be found here: Smallhorses' Race Report Link Dump.)

Car:

Toyota Wedsport Celica (JGTC) '03 (R1 tyres, Downforce F/R 25/41 ) / FR / 307HP / 1050kg / 3.4kg/HP
from the JGTC300 category, which, when pitted against the following lineup of JGTC500 machines yields:
200 A-spec points!

Grid:-

1st

Nissan Pennzoil Zexel GT-R (JGTC) '01
2nd

Honda Mobil 1 NSX (JGTC) '01
3rd

Honda Takata Dome NSX (JGTC) '03
4th

Toyota au Cerumo Supra (JGTC) '01
5th

Nissan Xanavi Hiroto GT-R (JGTC) '01
6th

Toyota Wedsport Celica (JGTC) '03​

​

Race Highlights:-

Laps 1 - 10:

Predictably left trailing by the more powerful JGTC500 cars from the start, but under braking, (oh my word... I think you'll hear a bit about the brakes on the Celica!) for turn 1, I'm able to close up to the pack, and hang on round to turn 7 where I slip past the Xanavi GT-R. He's able to go past down the long mainstraight on Aoyama Dori, National Road #246, before we begin lap 2. He's able to keep me behind going into lap 3, so I'm still holding 6th place, but he loses 5th place to me at turn 7 again, only to blow by on the straight once more. What I'm losing on the straights I'm gaining in braking though, the Celica stopping like it's hit a wall each time the brake pedal is depressed!

Go by Xanavi GT-R at turn 7 and get a good run at the Supra down to turn 10 where he's cleanly outbraked, but he retakes 4th place on the straight, while the Xanavi GT-R is too far back to mount a challenge. I pass the Supra into turn 7 on lap 5 again and this time I'm able to pull away so I can maintain 4th place into lap 6. Wouldn't you know it?... the Takata NSX is passed cleanly into turn 7 and 3rd place is mine! Just over 1.5s behind the leader beginning lap 7, and I'm somehow able to negotiate turn 1 cleanly after receiving a nudge from behind under braking from the Takata NSX. Take 2nd from the Mobil 1 NSX under braking (Did I mention how good the Celica's brakes are yet?!!! ) for turn 7 on lap 7. This leaves me tailing the Pennzoil GT-R through lap 8, and we pull out a little gap over the chasing pack. My fastlap time drops to 1'42.156 and that's then dropped to 1'42.118 ending lap 10, but I'm still in 2nd place about 1s behind the leader.

Laps 11 - 20:

I'm forced to follow the Pennzoil GT-R around for a few laps, staying within a second of him, but since he's now on warmer tyres, he's somewhat more difficult to pass than the other cars. The opportunity comes when he's cleanly outbraked at turn 10 on lap 14, and while I make no attempts to block him down the straight, keeping off the usual AI line, he twice pulls right up to the back of the Celica, and drops back without passing before turn 1, leaving me with the lead and a new fast lap of 1'41.752.

By lap 16 the Mobil 1 NSX is flying, catching and passing the Pennzoil GT-R at turn 1 and closing up on my Celica through the remainder of the lap. He goes by on the straight beginning lap 17, and relegating me to 2nd place which also doesn't last long as the Pennzoil GT-R also strolls by, and I'm down to 3rd. At turn 7 on lap 18, I nick back 2nd place from the Mobil 1 NSX who lost the lead to the Pennzoil GT-R at turn 1. As I try to outbrake the Pennzoil GT-R for the lead at turn 1 on lap 19, I overcook it slightly, and though I don't make contact with cars or walls, I run wide allowing the Mobil 1 NSX back through into 2nd place. I hang with the leaders until the end of lap 20, by which time I've decided that my front tyres which're beginning to show signs of orangeness, won't last another 10 laps for a single stop race, and I'll be making 2 stops, dividing the race neatly into 3 x 20 lap sessions.

Laps 21 - 30:

Having pitted from 3rd place, I'm quickly dropped to 6th again as the remainder of the field pass my stationary car. Topped up fuel to 45 units and take on fresh tyres. By the end of my outlap I trail the leading Mobil 1 NSX by 36s.

That gap grows slightly as I warm my new tyres up, becoming 39s behind the Pennzoil GT-R by the start of lap 25. On lap 27, it's the Mobil 1 NSX in front again, and his lead is up to 41s. The AI pitstops begin at the end of lap 27, Mobil 1 NSX, followed by the Pennzoil GT-R, then the Supra and finally the Takata NSX all dive pitwards, leaving only the Xanavi GT-R out, and he takes over the lead. I move back up into 4th place as I pass the Supra & Takata NSX exiting the pits, but the Mobil 1 NSX and Pennzoil GT-R get out ahead of me. I have the advantage of being on a lighter fuel load, and warmer tyres, even if I am lacking in outright power, so the fight is on again!

Catch up to the Pennzoil GT-R and get a much better exit from turn 8 than him, getting ahead before the narrower Sotobori Dori section. The Xanavi GT-R pits in, having lead for a lap, and I move up into 2nd place as we pass the pits, hanging tightly onto the slipstream of the Mobil 1 NSX, who I then outbrake, using the fantastic stopping power of the Celica's brakes, into turn 1, to take the lead in the race for the first time! The replay ends just after this, but I'm able to pull away massively as their tyres warm up, ending lap 30 with a 7s lead over 2nd placed Pennzoil GT-R. 👍

Laps 31 - 40:

On warmer tyres I'm able to lap cleanly and pull away from the scrap for 2nd place, which beginning lap 34 is lead by the Mobil 1 NSX again, and he's now 16s behind. Laps 34 through 37 are ticked off in the low 1'42 to 1'43 range, and the gap to the 2nd placed Pennzoil GT-R has stabilised at around 17s. An impressive un-draft assisted 1'42.1xx on lap 39 grows the gap to 17.9s when I pit ending lap 40. Take on fresh tyres, top fuel back up to 44 units and get underway again as I'm dropped down to 4th, 5th and finally 6th place again. 👎

Laps 41 - 50:

Lap 41 is my outlap, and I complete it in 1'52.206, 14.2s behind the leading Pennzoil GT-R, which means there's under 15s separating the whole 6 car field with over 40 laps completed! I'm within sight of the 5th placed Takata NSX too. My first full flying lap on new tyres is a 1'43.613, and suddenly there's been a lead change that is unexpected! It's now the Supra that I'm trailing by 15s! A couple of mid-1'42s follow, only allowing the Supra to stretch the gap by a second and a half, and then entering lap 46 it's the Mobil 1 NSX who leads again, this time by 17.2s. There's a right old scrap going on for the lead by the looks of things! Take a couple of laps to get back into the groove after an overnight break at this point, a couple of mid-1'43 laps allow the Mobil 1 NSX's lead to grow to 18.7s, but a new fast lap of 1'41.521 on lap 48 shows I'mstraight back into the swing of things, and 17.2s behind the Pennzoil GT-R who is leading going into lap 49. Round out the latest 10 lap stint with a couple of high-1'42-ish laps, and the lead is once again with the Mobil 1 NSX, 18.3s ahead of my 6th placed Celica.

Laps 51 - 60:

10 laps to go, over 18s behind the leader and in last place. Not a promising position. Or is it? I'm home & dry as far as I can tell, since although I'm trailing the field, I've already made my 2nd stop, and the 5 imbeciles in front are all due another stop, some with as little as 4 laps of the race remaining! Lap in the mid-1'42s for a while, allowing the lead group headed at this point by the Mobil 1 NSX to pull away to a 20s advantage by the start of lap 54. The Mobil 1 NSX, Supra and Takata NSX all pit at the end of lap 54, the Mobil 1 NSX having held a 22s lead before going in. The Nissan pairing keep on going though, stopping together ending lap 55, the Pennzoil GT-R a lap later than expected, and the Xanavi GT-R a lap earlier than expected. The Pennzoil GT-R is able to rejoin the fray in 2nd place, and completes his outlap 23s behind my, now leading, Celica. Put in a series of mid to high-1'42 laps to steadily bring it home for the win, pulling away from the chasing pack who're on cold tyres

and full fuel tanks, with my optimal tyre temperature and near-empty fuel reserves! Romp home to the chequered flag with a lead of 32s over 2nd placed Pennzoil GT-R!

Result:

1st

Toyota Wedsport Celica (JGTC) '03
2nd

Nissan Pennzoil Zexel GT-R (JGTC) '01
3rd

Honda Mobil 1 NSX (JGTC) '01
4th

Toyota au Cerumo Supra (JGTC) '01
5th

Nissan Xanavi Hiroto GT-R (JGTC) '01
6th

Honda Takata Dome NSX (JGTC) '03​

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Toyota, Nissan, Honda. Toyota, Nissan, Honda. What kind of messed up finishing order is that!

And whats a NSX doing hanging around with box cars?


Anyway, congrats on the win, Smallhorses. Nice clean racing with some clever pitstop strategy! 💡

The Wedsport Celica looked great out there. 👍 I prefer the Mobil 1 NSX though.

VTiRoj

....And whats a NSX doing hanging around with box cars?

Click to expand...

It belongs to ASIMO! You can just about make him out in that picture!
If you want to see him more clearly, have a look at post #4 in this thread:
Polyphony Digital Cup, 100% clean, in a stock '73 Skyline!
About 2/3rds of the way down the Tokyo report there's a similar picture to this one, but it's a link to the full sized version at imageshack, and you can see ASIMO leaving work in the background!

Hahahaha!

You have to love ASIMO. Does this mean that he has the ability to drive now?

Lucky you didn't have to race him, eh? I bet he would of lapped you... in a stock Celica SS-II!!

wow.

wow .., damn, you have got to tell me do you do those races.., beating GT500 cars with a GT300.., heck is that even possible in real life??

Pro. I love this track, especially when you’re in an underpowered car compared to the opposition. It’s very gratifying to pull off quicker laps when you can’t even keep up with the more powerful cars down the straight while slipstreaming.

You’ve made me want to have another run at some races at Tokyo. Good job. 👍

Despite what you said earlier, I opted for the Swedish masseuse (and I've mailed her bill to you) euh....
On topic,

Yet another great report, 👍 this time I didnt bite my nails and you stuck to your promise not to PM me!!

AMG.

Great report, I wonder if the same results could be had with the GT300 MRS.

Judging by the result here:
Grand Valley 300km. 200 A-spec points in stock Toyota SuperAutobacs Apex MR-S (JGTC)

and the fact that the MR cars tend to get better tyre wear than the FRs, I'd certainly think the MR-S would put in a great challenge here.
I know that Vash666 was able to win this race in a stock ASL Garaiya JGTC300 car, which pretty similar to the MR-S. Check out the Stock car thread, which is linked in my signature for more details. 👍

Thanks for all the positive feedback folks!
I now only have 4 enduros that haven't been completed for the full 200 A-spec points in stock cars.
Roadster 4hr Enduro is impossible without mods, as is Super Speedway 150 miles.
I have got Motegi 8hr Enduro and Nurburgring 24hr Enduro which are begging to be done, although it'll be extremely tough to find a good stock combination for Motegi.
Nurb' I've already got an eye on. Watch this space....(well, the race reports forum at least!)

Great work, Nick! And another awesome and entertaining post 👍

Nice report.Also about the MR-S being able to win this race ive tried and i can only stay in 4th place,the rest of the cars where 13+seconds ahead
EDIT: Nevermind, the MR-S is a great car for this race!After only 1 lap im in 1st place!