Let me start by dispelling some myths about this race - 24hrs is not a short time to be sitting in front of a tv screen, even if you do break it up, and yes a playstation can be left on for nearly two weeks without exploding.
Original plan was to complete this race over a few days, but after starting on Tuesday, march 29 at 10 am, it became clear this was going to change. At about 11 I got a call into work - I worked the rest of the week, friends came to stay over the weekend, and i worked all the next week. Time to drive was limited, so my trusty old ps2 stayed on pause 24/7 until I finished the race at 10pm on Sunday, april 10. Didn't even get hot, but I prayed for no power failures or accidental unpluggings!
The race then.... (sorry no pics)
Grid: Opel Calibra TC 94
AMG Mercedes 190E EVOII TC92
Nissan C-WEST RAZO SILVIA (JGTC) 01
BMW M3 GTR Race Car 01
Spoon S2000 Race Car 00
AMG Merc 190E EVOII TC92 (that's me!!!)
Tyres: R1 Superhards front and rear.
Lap1: A few things become clear quite quickly. As far as pace goes I will have no trouble, the Calibra is about 5 seconds behind after a slow opening lap warming my tyres - I shadowed it before passing at the karussell. The S2000 is the dog of the field. We shall see how they compare after the 1st stop. I chose R1's front and rear because the oversteer is too pronounced for my liking with softer fronts. anyway, it helps me refine my style if I coast through corners to conserve the rears.
Lap2: Actually seems like the M3 GTR is the closest on pace, about 15 seconds behind. The field is spreading quickly.
Lap5: I pit and am out again before the GTR pits as well! The calibra also pits - seems like a straightforward race. I used 46 litres of fuel - a little over half a tank.
Lap10: Have been very consistent - all laps within 5-10 seconds of each other. Fastest lap so far: 7:06.557. I might push for a sub 7 minute lap next stint.
Close - 7:02.624. Those last couple of seconds are hard to shave off, I have pulled a sub 7 minute time before a few times with softer tyres, but with R1's?
Lap19: 7:02.299
Lap22: 7:01.400
Lap23: 7:01.111
Lap 32: 7:00.220 - baulked slightly by lapping 3 cars including M3, so i am an entire lap ahead.
Lap40: First major mistake - I'm a bit tired and miss the pit entry - have to backtrack a little as I don't have enough fuel for another lap!
6hr Update: About 1.5 laps ahead, 51 laps down, so heading for about 200 laps all up.
Yah!!! Lap 52: 6:59.692. A few small mistakes, so there is still time to be made up, mainly in the the twisty forest section where you can be slow or wide - a very fine line.
Lap 85/86: Miss pit entry and go through first 2 chicanes before I realise - lose at least a minute here.
12hr Update: On lap 100 - about 2.5 laps ahead. a few mistakes here and there, mostly fatigue.
Lap 112: 6:57.941. A clean lap, except for running wide in the double right after the downhill esses in the forest. Felt fast. I'm thinking a 6:55.xxx would be the limit of my capabilities if I put together a clean, fast lap without any
mistakes.
Lap 117: 6:57.456. Only minute, tiny mistakes now. I think this will be hard to beat.
Lap 128: 6:56.707. Very clean and smooth, didn't feel overly fast, but obviously was.
18hr Update: 149 laps down, still on target for 200. The sub 7 minute times are coming with ease now. I'm 4.5 laps ahead of P2.
FINISH: 199 laps complete. 6 laps ahead of the M3, don't care about the rest. I was crashing all over the place for the last few hours, hence I didn't reach 200 laps. Thank god that's over (and i'm not religious). my ps2 has earnt a rest. 👍
Original plan was to complete this race over a few days, but after starting on Tuesday, march 29 at 10 am, it became clear this was going to change. At about 11 I got a call into work - I worked the rest of the week, friends came to stay over the weekend, and i worked all the next week. Time to drive was limited, so my trusty old ps2 stayed on pause 24/7 until I finished the race at 10pm on Sunday, april 10. Didn't even get hot, but I prayed for no power failures or accidental unpluggings!
The race then.... (sorry no pics)
Grid: Opel Calibra TC 94
AMG Mercedes 190E EVOII TC92
Nissan C-WEST RAZO SILVIA (JGTC) 01
BMW M3 GTR Race Car 01
Spoon S2000 Race Car 00
AMG Merc 190E EVOII TC92 (that's me!!!)
Tyres: R1 Superhards front and rear.
Lap1: A few things become clear quite quickly. As far as pace goes I will have no trouble, the Calibra is about 5 seconds behind after a slow opening lap warming my tyres - I shadowed it before passing at the karussell. The S2000 is the dog of the field. We shall see how they compare after the 1st stop. I chose R1's front and rear because the oversteer is too pronounced for my liking with softer fronts. anyway, it helps me refine my style if I coast through corners to conserve the rears.
Lap2: Actually seems like the M3 GTR is the closest on pace, about 15 seconds behind. The field is spreading quickly.
Lap5: I pit and am out again before the GTR pits as well! The calibra also pits - seems like a straightforward race. I used 46 litres of fuel - a little over half a tank.
Lap10: Have been very consistent - all laps within 5-10 seconds of each other. Fastest lap so far: 7:06.557. I might push for a sub 7 minute lap next stint.
Close - 7:02.624. Those last couple of seconds are hard to shave off, I have pulled a sub 7 minute time before a few times with softer tyres, but with R1's?
Lap19: 7:02.299
Lap22: 7:01.400
Lap23: 7:01.111
Lap 32: 7:00.220 - baulked slightly by lapping 3 cars including M3, so i am an entire lap ahead.
Lap40: First major mistake - I'm a bit tired and miss the pit entry - have to backtrack a little as I don't have enough fuel for another lap!
6hr Update: About 1.5 laps ahead, 51 laps down, so heading for about 200 laps all up.
Yah!!! Lap 52: 6:59.692. A few small mistakes, so there is still time to be made up, mainly in the the twisty forest section where you can be slow or wide - a very fine line.
Lap 85/86: Miss pit entry and go through first 2 chicanes before I realise - lose at least a minute here.
12hr Update: On lap 100 - about 2.5 laps ahead. a few mistakes here and there, mostly fatigue.
Lap 112: 6:57.941. A clean lap, except for running wide in the double right after the downhill esses in the forest. Felt fast. I'm thinking a 6:55.xxx would be the limit of my capabilities if I put together a clean, fast lap without any
mistakes.Lap 117: 6:57.456. Only minute, tiny mistakes now. I think this will be hard to beat.
Lap 128: 6:56.707. Very clean and smooth, didn't feel overly fast, but obviously was.
18hr Update: 149 laps down, still on target for 200. The sub 7 minute times are coming with ease now. I'm 4.5 laps ahead of P2.
FINISH: 199 laps complete. 6 laps ahead of the M3, don't care about the rest. I was crashing all over the place for the last few hours, hence I didn't reach 200 laps. Thank god that's over (and i'm not religious). my ps2 has earnt a rest. 👍
Would have made a write-up but i didnt seem to need to as i was pulling out 5 seconds a lap so it wasnt that eventful though.
... It does highlight the need for a save feature though - could you imagine if it had died with 10 minutes to go... 
