- 1,051
- London
- JohnsonCapote
Well, good evening folks. The time has come for me to begin my challenge to win every single enduro race with a touring car of some description. By using an even more underpowered car than normal, but utilising the extra downforce and handling that will result from the racing modifications etc, good close racing should be a given over the next few weeks as I run through the enduros in various cars that were never actually built to race so hard 
Some basic ground rules for the challenge:
- Whatever car I use must qualify as a 'touring car' by having been raced in a touring car series of some description around the world. So even if it isn't a traditional four-door saloon 'touring' car, if it has competed in a touring car discipline, it's in.
- I can only use the same tyres as my opponents, i.e. in races against street cars, I can only use sports tyres.
- I'll set my car's state of tune to be substantially down on power on my opponents, to ensure close races and no overkills as a result of my often-superior handling etc.
So without further ado, time to get going!
The first stop on this road brings back unhappy memories for me. In May 2010, on my new gamesave (at the time), I took a Nissan SilEighty there with the express aim of defeating the Lotus Elise 111S. I came incredibly close - but a fatal error a few laps from the end cost me victory. The whole document can be found here if you fancy reading it - the finale isn't pretty stuff. And ever since then the little '2' in the box next to the race name has bugged me. So now I'm back to resolve unfinished business - hence the title. So, on a cold November evening, I welcome you to...
Trial Mountain 30 Lap Challenge
OR
Unfinished Business, Part 1
Hat tip to AMG for the track map as always
30 Laps, 74.1 Miles.
The opposition are a rag-tag bunch of average humdrum cars, with the odd performance badge failing to mask the fact that there's not a huge amount of serious potency on display - all except one other car. I'll leave you to guess which one...
1. Renault Megane 2.0 16V
2. Lotus Elise 111S
3. BMW 323ti Compact
4. MGF 1.8i VVC
5. Toyota Celica MS Version '99
Okay, so maybe I'm being harsh on the Toyota and MGF, but trust me, based on previous performance, the Lotus is the king of this hill. Since he saw me off last time, he's had it all his own way - until now. After much careful testing, I step up to the plate with my weapon of choice - a car with a legendary reputation for giant-killing.
Car: 1967 Rover Mini 1.3 [R]
Engine: Inline 4-cylinder OHV
Horsepower: 103hp
Weight: 642kg
Drivetrain: FF
Tyres: Sports all round.
(And before you say 'hey, that's not a saloon car at all! That's some fubsy little hatch!' - it's qualified as a touring car racer by the fact it made it's name in the British Touring Car Championship in the late 60s, regularly making a mockery of fire-breathing Camaros, Mustangs and Falcons despite cedeing nearly 400hp to their opponents in some cases).
Nerves are running high on the grid. I've got to beat myself as much as I have to beat the field, and that infernal Lotus. My little Mini is hungry for action, so who are we to stop him? Lights are up, ready for a start - and away we go!
Part 1: Laps 1-15
Those who were pointing and laughing at the Mini in the pits will be positively howling with laughter, as I'm left choking on exhaust fumes from the rest of the field. Despite a turbo and other performance mods, the tiny 1.3l engine is still the wrong side of asthmatic, and it positively wheezes through the first few corners. But as soon as we hit turn 4 I let him off the lease, and by God does this car fly through the corners! In the space of a few corners I've closed right back up to the field. Still wanna write me off?
I swarm the rear bumper of the Celica through turn 6, and slip up the inside through Turn 7 and latch onto the back bumper of the MGF. Well, partially - I am still cedeing nearly 100hp in some cases to the PD-enhanced rivals. Turn 8 has been my nemesis before, but I hit upon a brilliant way of taking it on lap 1, which draws me right back alongside the MGF going up the hill. The MGF seems to be getting annoyed by my antics, and tried to bully me into submission as we charge through the Turn 10 checkpoint, but I complete the move through turn 11, as well as sliding up alongside the BMW for the first time! Talk about irony, eh?
If I was in any doubt that a Lotus was in the field, I'm not now - the gap from the lead back to me at the end of lap 1 is over 3 seconds, and the leading red dot in the distance is already pulling away from the field. The train is leaving the station, and I'm determined not to miss it! I hang tough with the BMW through the opening corners, before setting up a pass in T4 and completing it with a lovely swinging arc through T5. Just as T8-10 is an area of strength for the AI, so T4-7 is an area of strength for me, and I'll use that to my advantage as the race wears on. 👍 I chase down the two leaders now, with the Renault trying to prove that it does have geniune performance credentials by valiantly hanging with the Lotus for a lap or two. But inevitably it falls away, and I can't let it hold me up, so I fly up on two wheels and take the position on the rumble strips through T10. Time to roll my sleeves up - it's game on from here
The next few laps are incredibly tough, as I literally have to run my Mini to the very ragged edge (and then some) to close the 3s gap to the leading Lotus. I close up a few tenths through T4-7, the Lotus makes up a lot of that time through T8-10. It's so close, and I can't afford a single mistake - I'm tensed and I've got my game face on, and we're only 5 laps in. If this is how it'll be for the whole race, it's gonna be a long 50 minutes or so
But slowly I chip away at his lead, and a couple of storming laps culminates in a 1'40.795 on lap 6, a frankly stonking lap considering sub-1'41 laptimes in my little Mini are near impossible on sports tyres! :shock: And so the first of many duels in this race begins, as I shadow him through the first part of lap 7, before lining up a shot at him through T5 - and executing it to perfection! I take the lead for the first time!
No time to rest on my laurels though, as I've still got to fend off the Lotus down the long back straight, but after letting him take the outside into T8, I nail the apex and put a little distance between myself and him up the hill. My rich vein of form continues for the next few laps, and I swiftly begin to build a lead up as I keep nailing down blisteringly fast laps - I'd estimate the gap to be about 5s by lap 11. 👍
I'm already feeling the effects of this huge speed, and inevitably it can't last. Mistakes begin to creep in, so I let off a little and sit on my lead through the next few laps. However, big mistake - that Lotus isn't messing around, and as soon as I lift off my pace even in the slightest, that 5s lead is shrinking down. And I find out to my cost that you can't just turn on fast laptimes at the flick of a switch. Suddenly the Lotus is in my mirrors again, and in the blink of an eye he's back by into the lead again through turn 10!
I then go to up the pace again, but as I said before, this is more difficult than I thought - surely I haven't run out of puff after just 10 laps?! It looks perhaps that way, as the Lotus lays out a comfortable 1-2s gap through the next few laps. It closes up to under half a second by lap 14, and I go for a wild lunge in Turn 10, which partially works, until I completly outbrake myself for turn 11, and hand the lead back to the Lotus
As we hit halfway, it's advantage Lotus right now, but the race is still right in the balance...
Standings after 1/2 Distance
1. Lotus Elise 111S
2. Rover Mini 1.3 [R] +1.785s
3. Renault Megane 2.0 16V +22s
4. Toyota Celica MS Version '99 +35s
5. BMW 323ti Compact +42s
6. MGF 1.8i VVC +50s
Part 2: Laps 16-30
You may have noticed that I've not mentioned anything about pitting yet. Normally I'd pit around lap 15, but my front tyres are only pale green right now, so I decide to chance it and push a few more laps. The Lotus isn't due to stop until lap 19, so I keep pace with him as the rear of his Elise starts to slide a lot more as his tyres wear. However, though my tyres aren't particularly worn, I'm loosing just enough grip to mean I can't take advantage of his errors, compounded by a lunge I make into T8 on lap 16 where my car looses grip and understeers into the bank, costing me valuable time.
I also slide badly into T11, and with the Lotus starting to pull away a little, I decide to cut my losses and pit at the end of lap 16. Pit strategy won't win me this race, but it could easily loose me it, so best to get my head down, get some fresh tyres on and go again.
My Mini shoots out of the pits hungry for action, and the gap now stands at 21s to the leader. It may as well be just us 2 on the track - the 3rd place Renault is nearly 30s behind the two of us by this stage anyway. 👎 So with no pressure from behind, I set about trying to get my rhythm back from earlier in the race. By lap 18 I've trimmed a second off the lead, and a lap later it's down to 17.5s as the Lotus hits the pits, having arguably pushed his tyres a lap or two too far. This is the PD AI we're talking about though, someone that knows as much about pit strategy as I do about flirting with attractive women
I fly through the turn 12 chicane with one eye on the pits...he's gotta be around here somewhere...until suddenly a red shape shoots out of the pits literally right in front of me! It literally couldn't be any closer! Are you feeling lucky on cold tyres, Elise?
Actually, I shouldn't be so cocky, as the Elise is a tenacious little sod even on cold tyres - I try for a pass through T4, but he hangs tough and aggressively holds the inside through T5. I go to crossover on him through T6, but again he has the inside for the next corner, and gaps me down the straight 👎 Frustratingly I can't take advantage, and I still trail by lap 21, with his tyres now well up to temperature. I go for an all-or-nothing move through T4 on this lap, and make it stick, however he returns the favour by dive-bombing me down the inside at T5 just as I swing in to hit the apex! Bodywork crunches and I swerve off course, and he quickly shoots away into a 1.5s lead in the confusion
It's fair to say I didn't appreciate that, and he's bought himself some valuable time with that move as I have to chip slowly into his lead for a few laps. However, I keep repeating a mantra n1nj4ofshr3d said to me in a previous enduro race report - 'Don't let them get in your head, and stay aggressive.' The Lotus hasn't won yet, and he's not psyching me out of this one.
The laps count down, and the Lotus' lead erodes away slowly. I sense a chance on lap 24, and go for a lunge down the inside through T6, making it cleanly through T7! Now to hold him behind me down the straight...he moves to my right, and I block. He's happy to tailgate me down the straight, but I hold my nerve and keep him at bay. My palms are greasy now, and my shoulders are sore from tensing. This really is on a knife edge.
Something tells me this race isn't over yet, and I'm right. The Lotus gets another chance on lap 26, as I miss the apex to T5 and understeer into the wall, allowing him to close up, before doing exactly the same thing at T8 and biffing the verge down there! He swarms back by, and once again makes a run for the hills. :censored:ing 🤬, I'm thinking, surely I haven't 🤬 it again?!
Time to refocus for one more mammoth effort. Through lap 27 I'm shadowing his every move, waiting for my chance to strike. I'm well aware that if I 🤬 up my bid for the lead, it could be game over, so I have to choose my chance carefully - I don't know how many of them I'll get. And then as we fly through the opening corners of lap 28, the door opens just a little for me at T4, and I throw my gutsy Mini through it. She clings on for dear life, and slides past the Lotus, completing the move before T5 and not allowing him any chance to come back!
And with that the Lotus' resistance is utterly broken. I'm half a second up by the back straight, and over a second clear by the start finish line. Two laps to go, and his spirit was snapped, at last. My form from earlier in the race returns, and me and my brilliant little Mini are flying through the corners. The Lotus fades quickly after that, trailing by nearly 3 seconds as the white flag flies in the air. I've done it - he's thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at me, and I've ridden it out and gone for the jugular. I swing through the chicane for the final time, and the chequered flag is out - victory is mine!
Final Results
1. Rover Mini 1.3 [R] 51'54.300
2. Lotus Elise 111S +4.554s
3. Renault Megane 2.0 16V +49.283s
4. Toyota Celica MS Version '99 +1'09.764s
5. MGF 1.8i VVC +1'20.448
6. BMW 323ti Compact +1'27.694
I slump in my chair and relax at last. Though it wasn't the most action-packed of battles, it was hugely tense and kept me driving to my very limit for practically the whole race. I literally could not relax at all. In the end I defeated my demons, beat that infernal Lotus in a head-to-head duel and won a decent haul of credits as well as a rather tasty Denso Supra GT racecar to tear around in - job well done I'd say! And all from behind the wheel of my plucky little Mini, who once again proved it's giant-killing credentials
I'm off to bed for some much needed sleep, in the meantime, goodnight and thanks for reading! :
Some basic ground rules for the challenge:
- Whatever car I use must qualify as a 'touring car' by having been raced in a touring car series of some description around the world. So even if it isn't a traditional four-door saloon 'touring' car, if it has competed in a touring car discipline, it's in.
- I can only use the same tyres as my opponents, i.e. in races against street cars, I can only use sports tyres.
- I'll set my car's state of tune to be substantially down on power on my opponents, to ensure close races and no overkills as a result of my often-superior handling etc.
So without further ado, time to get going!
The first stop on this road brings back unhappy memories for me. In May 2010, on my new gamesave (at the time), I took a Nissan SilEighty there with the express aim of defeating the Lotus Elise 111S. I came incredibly close - but a fatal error a few laps from the end cost me victory. The whole document can be found here if you fancy reading it - the finale isn't pretty stuff. And ever since then the little '2' in the box next to the race name has bugged me. So now I'm back to resolve unfinished business - hence the title. So, on a cold November evening, I welcome you to...
Trial Mountain 30 Lap Challenge
OR
Unfinished Business, Part 1
Hat tip to AMG for the track map as always
30 Laps, 74.1 Miles.
The opposition are a rag-tag bunch of average humdrum cars, with the odd performance badge failing to mask the fact that there's not a huge amount of serious potency on display - all except one other car. I'll leave you to guess which one...
1. Renault Megane 2.0 16V
2. Lotus Elise 111S
3. BMW 323ti Compact
4. MGF 1.8i VVC
5. Toyota Celica MS Version '99
Okay, so maybe I'm being harsh on the Toyota and MGF, but trust me, based on previous performance, the Lotus is the king of this hill. Since he saw me off last time, he's had it all his own way - until now. After much careful testing, I step up to the plate with my weapon of choice - a car with a legendary reputation for giant-killing.
Car: 1967 Rover Mini 1.3 [R]
Engine: Inline 4-cylinder OHV
Horsepower: 103hp
Weight: 642kg
Drivetrain: FF
Tyres: Sports all round.
(And before you say 'hey, that's not a saloon car at all! That's some fubsy little hatch!' - it's qualified as a touring car racer by the fact it made it's name in the British Touring Car Championship in the late 60s, regularly making a mockery of fire-breathing Camaros, Mustangs and Falcons despite cedeing nearly 400hp to their opponents in some cases
).Nerves are running high on the grid. I've got to beat myself as much as I have to beat the field, and that infernal Lotus. My little Mini is hungry for action, so who are we to stop him? Lights are up, ready for a start - and away we go!
Part 1: Laps 1-15
Those who were pointing and laughing at the Mini in the pits will be positively howling with laughter, as I'm left choking on exhaust fumes from the rest of the field. Despite a turbo and other performance mods, the tiny 1.3l engine is still the wrong side of asthmatic, and it positively wheezes through the first few corners. But as soon as we hit turn 4 I let him off the lease, and by God does this car fly through the corners! In the space of a few corners I've closed right back up to the field. Still wanna write me off?
I swarm the rear bumper of the Celica through turn 6, and slip up the inside through Turn 7 and latch onto the back bumper of the MGF. Well, partially - I am still cedeing nearly 100hp in some cases to the PD-enhanced rivals. Turn 8 has been my nemesis before, but I hit upon a brilliant way of taking it on lap 1, which draws me right back alongside the MGF going up the hill. The MGF seems to be getting annoyed by my antics, and tried to bully me into submission as we charge through the Turn 10 checkpoint, but I complete the move through turn 11, as well as sliding up alongside the BMW for the first time! Talk about irony, eh?
If I was in any doubt that a Lotus was in the field, I'm not now - the gap from the lead back to me at the end of lap 1 is over 3 seconds, and the leading red dot in the distance is already pulling away from the field. The train is leaving the station, and I'm determined not to miss it! I hang tough with the BMW through the opening corners, before setting up a pass in T4 and completing it with a lovely swinging arc through T5. Just as T8-10 is an area of strength for the AI, so T4-7 is an area of strength for me, and I'll use that to my advantage as the race wears on. 👍 I chase down the two leaders now, with the Renault trying to prove that it does have geniune performance credentials by valiantly hanging with the Lotus for a lap or two. But inevitably it falls away, and I can't let it hold me up, so I fly up on two wheels and take the position on the rumble strips through T10. Time to roll my sleeves up - it's game on from here
The next few laps are incredibly tough, as I literally have to run my Mini to the very ragged edge (and then some) to close the 3s gap to the leading Lotus. I close up a few tenths through T4-7, the Lotus makes up a lot of that time through T8-10. It's so close, and I can't afford a single mistake - I'm tensed and I've got my game face on, and we're only 5 laps in. If this is how it'll be for the whole race, it's gonna be a long 50 minutes or so
But slowly I chip away at his lead, and a couple of storming laps culminates in a 1'40.795 on lap 6, a frankly stonking lap considering sub-1'41 laptimes in my little Mini are near impossible on sports tyres! :shock: And so the first of many duels in this race begins, as I shadow him through the first part of lap 7, before lining up a shot at him through T5 - and executing it to perfection! I take the lead for the first time!
No time to rest on my laurels though, as I've still got to fend off the Lotus down the long back straight, but after letting him take the outside into T8, I nail the apex and put a little distance between myself and him up the hill. My rich vein of form continues for the next few laps, and I swiftly begin to build a lead up as I keep nailing down blisteringly fast laps - I'd estimate the gap to be about 5s by lap 11. 👍
I'm already feeling the effects of this huge speed, and inevitably it can't last. Mistakes begin to creep in, so I let off a little and sit on my lead through the next few laps. However, big mistake - that Lotus isn't messing around, and as soon as I lift off my pace even in the slightest, that 5s lead is shrinking down. And I find out to my cost that you can't just turn on fast laptimes at the flick of a switch. Suddenly the Lotus is in my mirrors again, and in the blink of an eye he's back by into the lead again through turn 10!
I then go to up the pace again, but as I said before, this is more difficult than I thought - surely I haven't run out of puff after just 10 laps?! It looks perhaps that way, as the Lotus lays out a comfortable 1-2s gap through the next few laps. It closes up to under half a second by lap 14, and I go for a wild lunge in Turn 10, which partially works, until I completly outbrake myself for turn 11, and hand the lead back to the Lotus
As we hit halfway, it's advantage Lotus right now, but the race is still right in the balance...Standings after 1/2 Distance
1. Lotus Elise 111S
2. Rover Mini 1.3 [R] +1.785s
3. Renault Megane 2.0 16V +22s
4. Toyota Celica MS Version '99 +35s
5. BMW 323ti Compact +42s
6. MGF 1.8i VVC +50s
Part 2: Laps 16-30
You may have noticed that I've not mentioned anything about pitting yet. Normally I'd pit around lap 15, but my front tyres are only pale green right now, so I decide to chance it and push a few more laps. The Lotus isn't due to stop until lap 19, so I keep pace with him as the rear of his Elise starts to slide a lot more as his tyres wear. However, though my tyres aren't particularly worn, I'm loosing just enough grip to mean I can't take advantage of his errors, compounded by a lunge I make into T8 on lap 16 where my car looses grip and understeers into the bank, costing me valuable time.
I also slide badly into T11, and with the Lotus starting to pull away a little, I decide to cut my losses and pit at the end of lap 16. Pit strategy won't win me this race, but it could easily loose me it, so best to get my head down, get some fresh tyres on and go again. My Mini shoots out of the pits hungry for action, and the gap now stands at 21s to the leader. It may as well be just us 2 on the track - the 3rd place Renault is nearly 30s behind the two of us by this stage anyway. 👎 So with no pressure from behind, I set about trying to get my rhythm back from earlier in the race. By lap 18 I've trimmed a second off the lead, and a lap later it's down to 17.5s as the Lotus hits the pits, having arguably pushed his tyres a lap or two too far. This is the PD AI we're talking about though, someone that knows as much about pit strategy as I do about flirting with attractive women
I fly through the turn 12 chicane with one eye on the pits...he's gotta be around here somewhere...until suddenly a red shape shoots out of the pits literally right in front of me! It literally couldn't be any closer! Are you feeling lucky on cold tyres, Elise?
Actually, I shouldn't be so cocky, as the Elise is a tenacious little sod even on cold tyres - I try for a pass through T4, but he hangs tough and aggressively holds the inside through T5. I go to crossover on him through T6, but again he has the inside for the next corner, and gaps me down the straight 👎 Frustratingly I can't take advantage, and I still trail by lap 21, with his tyres now well up to temperature. I go for an all-or-nothing move through T4 on this lap, and make it stick, however he returns the favour by dive-bombing me down the inside at T5 just as I swing in to hit the apex! Bodywork crunches and I swerve off course, and he quickly shoots away into a 1.5s lead in the confusion
It's fair to say I didn't appreciate that, and he's bought himself some valuable time with that move as I have to chip slowly into his lead for a few laps. However, I keep repeating a mantra n1nj4ofshr3d said to me in a previous enduro race report - 'Don't let them get in your head, and stay aggressive.' The Lotus hasn't won yet, and he's not psyching me out of this one.
The laps count down, and the Lotus' lead erodes away slowly. I sense a chance on lap 24, and go for a lunge down the inside through T6, making it cleanly through T7! Now to hold him behind me down the straight...he moves to my right, and I block. He's happy to tailgate me down the straight, but I hold my nerve and keep him at bay. My palms are greasy now, and my shoulders are sore from tensing. This really is on a knife edge.
Something tells me this race isn't over yet, and I'm right. The Lotus gets another chance on lap 26, as I miss the apex to T5 and understeer into the wall, allowing him to close up, before doing exactly the same thing at T8 and biffing the verge down there! He swarms back by, and once again makes a run for the hills. :censored:ing 🤬, I'm thinking, surely I haven't 🤬 it again?!
Time to refocus for one more mammoth effort. Through lap 27 I'm shadowing his every move, waiting for my chance to strike. I'm well aware that if I 🤬 up my bid for the lead, it could be game over, so I have to choose my chance carefully - I don't know how many of them I'll get. And then as we fly through the opening corners of lap 28, the door opens just a little for me at T4, and I throw my gutsy Mini through it. She clings on for dear life, and slides past the Lotus, completing the move before T5 and not allowing him any chance to come back!
And with that the Lotus' resistance is utterly broken. I'm half a second up by the back straight, and over a second clear by the start finish line. Two laps to go, and his spirit was snapped, at last. My form from earlier in the race returns, and me and my brilliant little Mini are flying through the corners. The Lotus fades quickly after that, trailing by nearly 3 seconds as the white flag flies in the air. I've done it - he's thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at me, and I've ridden it out and gone for the jugular. I swing through the chicane for the final time, and the chequered flag is out - victory is mine!
Final Results
1. Rover Mini 1.3 [R] 51'54.300
2. Lotus Elise 111S +4.554s
3. Renault Megane 2.0 16V +49.283s
4. Toyota Celica MS Version '99 +1'09.764s
5. MGF 1.8i VVC +1'20.448
6. BMW 323ti Compact +1'27.694
I slump in my chair and relax at last. Though it wasn't the most action-packed of battles, it was hugely tense and kept me driving to my very limit for practically the whole race. I literally could not relax at all. In the end I defeated my demons, beat that infernal Lotus in a head-to-head duel and won a decent haul of credits as well as a rather tasty Denso Supra GT racecar to tear around in - job well done I'd say! And all from behind the wheel of my plucky little Mini, who once again proved it's giant-killing credentials
I'm off to bed for some much needed sleep, in the meantime, goodnight and thanks for reading! :
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