- 1,008
- GTP_Luxy
So I set out to race the Nurburgring 4hrs endurance race last night. Since I only saw one write-up on it, I thought I'd do my own with a little more detail 
I had a few objectives for myself ... I wanted to run it in a German car, to win by as small a margin as I could, and hopefully to have a fairly close field (i.e. not to have to compete with one AI car that outran the rest of the field).
So, I started off just entering and re-entering to see what kinds of cars I'd be up against. The most common ones were: NSX-R, EVO VIII, M3, Mustang SVT, S4, Clio V6, Elise 111R, Corvette Grandsport, Camaro SS. All were in the range of 0.200-0.220 ps/kg as far as power-to-weight. I searched through the german dealers. All the new Mercedes had to high a PWR, as did the RUFs, and most of the Audis. I considered an Audi S3 and Golf R32, but settled on the classic Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91.
With an oil change and Stage 1 Lightweight, it looks good:
246ps, 1219kg, 0.200 ps/kg
Attempt #1
The field:
1. ASL Garaiya
2. BMW M3
3. Mustang SVT Cobra R
4. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
5. Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione ('91)
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec: 153pts
I passed the first four cars by the time I got to Adenauer Forst. By the end of lap 2, it was clear that I wasn't going to be competitive with the Garaiya. The Lancia pitted at the end of lap 2, the Evo and I on lap 4, the M3 and Mustang on lap 5, and the Garaiya on lap 6, in the lead by 2'40.xxx. I'm losing about 0'25.xxx a lap, and I'm going to have to make a lot more stops. Game over
I went and looked up the Garaiya's specs, which were 208ps, 800kg, 0.260 ps/kg. Well better than mine, and his light weight allowed him to go a lot further on a set of tires
My best lap of the 6 I ran was 8'08.xxx.
Attempt #2
The field:
1. Lotus Elise 111R
2. BMW M3
3. Mustang SVT Cobra R
4. BMW M Coupe
5. Mercedes CLK 55 AMG
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec: 138pts
Again, by Adenauer Forst, I'm up to 2nd, about +2.000 behind the Elise. By the end of lap 1, I'm +0'19.xxx down on the Elise. If he doesn't have to pit at the end of lap 2, my chances are shot. He doesn't and I'm down +0'52.xxx (had an off at Metzgesfeld). Game over, again
The 111R is 192ps, 860kg, 0.224 ps/kg. Shouldn't be out of my league, but I've never gotten close enough to see where or how he's pulling out that massive gap
Attempt #3
The field:
1. Audi S4
2. Ford Focus RS
3. Fiat Turbo Coupe Plus
4. Opel Speedster Turbo
5. FPV F6 Typhoon
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec points: 158pts
The Speedster Turbo (200px, 1005kg, 0.199 ps/kg) isn't as good on paper as the Elise, and it and the S4 (344ps, 1660kg, 0.207 ps/kg) are the only possible competition in this field. Worth having a go ...
After lap 2, I'm down +0'22.728, with lap 2 being an 8'05.969. Game over, for the third time (in hindsight, I might have given up too soon on this one, but at this point, I'd spent almost 3 hours choosing and testing, I had more than 200km on the clock, and I could see that I was going to be up late, as it's already 9:30pm).
I've learned my lesson, I'm going to find a field without any of those little suckers
Attempt #4
The field:
1. Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
2. Mercedes CLK 55 AMG
3. Clio Renault Sport V6
4. Jaguar S-Type R
5. Chevrolet Corvette Grandsport (C4)
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec: 125pts
Here's how it ended up:
1. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91 4:02'22.634
2. Chevrolet Corvette Grandsport (C4) +0'58.xxx
3. Jaguar S-Type R +?'??.???
4. Clio Renault Sport V6 +?'??.???
5. Mercedes CLK 55 AMG +?'??.???
6. Alfa Romeo 147 GTA +?'??.???
I finished with 235ps (back up to 246 after an oil change), and a pwr of 0.193 ps/kg
Pit schedules looked like:
Me: 5, 9, 14, 19, 24
Corvette: 6, 12, 17, 24
Jag: 5, ?, 14, 20, 25
Clio: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28
CLK: 5, ?, 14, 20, 25
Alfa: 3, 6, ?, 15, ?, 22, ?, 28
I saw a big drop in power after I took over from Fritz on lap 15. My later laps (especially lap 28 were much better than my early ones, but I couldn't match my best lap again). I think I could have hit 7'57's near the end with full power.
The car is a fantastic match for the track. Just the right amount of power and handles well. Very easy to drive. I might try this again without the lightweight, and maybe some ballast weight to see if I can make it a little closer.
It was a really fun race, by far the best one I've run so far 👍
I had a few objectives for myself ... I wanted to run it in a German car, to win by as small a margin as I could, and hopefully to have a fairly close field (i.e. not to have to compete with one AI car that outran the rest of the field).So, I started off just entering and re-entering to see what kinds of cars I'd be up against. The most common ones were: NSX-R, EVO VIII, M3, Mustang SVT, S4, Clio V6, Elise 111R, Corvette Grandsport, Camaro SS. All were in the range of 0.200-0.220 ps/kg as far as power-to-weight. I searched through the german dealers. All the new Mercedes had to high a PWR, as did the RUFs, and most of the Audis. I considered an Audi S3 and Golf R32, but settled on the classic Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91.
With an oil change and Stage 1 Lightweight, it looks good:
246ps, 1219kg, 0.200 ps/kg
Attempt #1
The field:
1. ASL Garaiya
2. BMW M3
3. Mustang SVT Cobra R
4. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
5. Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione ('91)
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec: 153pts
I passed the first four cars by the time I got to Adenauer Forst. By the end of lap 2, it was clear that I wasn't going to be competitive with the Garaiya. The Lancia pitted at the end of lap 2, the Evo and I on lap 4, the M3 and Mustang on lap 5, and the Garaiya on lap 6, in the lead by 2'40.xxx. I'm losing about 0'25.xxx a lap, and I'm going to have to make a lot more stops. Game over
I went and looked up the Garaiya's specs, which were 208ps, 800kg, 0.260 ps/kg. Well better than mine, and his light weight allowed him to go a lot further on a set of tires
My best lap of the 6 I ran was 8'08.xxx.
Attempt #2
The field:
1. Lotus Elise 111R
2. BMW M3
3. Mustang SVT Cobra R
4. BMW M Coupe
5. Mercedes CLK 55 AMG
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec: 138pts
Again, by Adenauer Forst, I'm up to 2nd, about +2.000 behind the Elise. By the end of lap 1, I'm +0'19.xxx down on the Elise. If he doesn't have to pit at the end of lap 2, my chances are shot. He doesn't and I'm down +0'52.xxx (had an off at Metzgesfeld). Game over, again
The 111R is 192ps, 860kg, 0.224 ps/kg. Shouldn't be out of my league, but I've never gotten close enough to see where or how he's pulling out that massive gap
Attempt #3
The field:
1. Audi S4
2. Ford Focus RS
3. Fiat Turbo Coupe Plus
4. Opel Speedster Turbo
5. FPV F6 Typhoon
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec points: 158pts
The Speedster Turbo (200px, 1005kg, 0.199 ps/kg) isn't as good on paper as the Elise, and it and the S4 (344ps, 1660kg, 0.207 ps/kg) are the only possible competition in this field. Worth having a go ...
After lap 2, I'm down +0'22.728, with lap 2 being an 8'05.969. Game over, for the third time (in hindsight, I might have given up too soon on this one, but at this point, I'd spent almost 3 hours choosing and testing, I had more than 200km on the clock, and I could see that I was going to be up late, as it's already 9:30pm).
I've learned my lesson, I'm going to find a field without any of those little suckers
Attempt #4
The field:
1. Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
2. Mercedes CLK 55 AMG
3. Clio Renault Sport V6
4. Jaguar S-Type R
5. Chevrolet Corvette Grandsport (C4)
6. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91
A-Spec: 125pts
Code:
Lap - Time (Place Gap, Nearest car) Comments
01 - 8'27.138 (1, -0'13.245, Clio) Out-braked the Jag at Wehrseifen for 1st, went wide at Pflanzgarten I
02 - 8'09.144 (1, -0'13.484, Clio) Had a big moment between Pflanzgarten I and II
03 - 8'05.915 (1, -0'14.250, Clio)
04 - 8'03.106 (1, -0'46.9xx, Clio) Alfa pits as I exit Aremberg, don't know what happend to the Clio :confused:
05 - 8'31.465 (1, -1'00.639, Corvette) The Clio pits as I exit Hatzenbach. I pitted with orange-red tires. It's a toss up if I lost more time by staying out for an extra lap.
06 - 8'12.010 (1, -0'49.115, Corvette) Jag pits as I'm in Flugplatz, CLK pits as I'm in Fuchsrohre
07 - 8'02.954 (1, -1'09.680, Clio) Corvette pits as I exit Hatzenbach
08 - 8'08.775 (1, -1'43.452, Clio) This lap was a mess, with multiple offs between Hohe Acht and Brunnchen
09 - 8'31.913 (1, -1'57.xxx, Clio) Clio pits (Fuchsrohe), Spun at Pflanzgarten I and again at Schwalbenschwanz
At this point, 1:05.'40.833 in, I'm far enough ahead that the race is a foregone conclusion. I decide that I could use a break, and I put Fritz in the driver's seat while I get a snack. I know he'll lose buckets and buckets of time, which ought to make the race a little more interesting.
As of the beginning of lap 10, here's what things look like:
1. Me
2. Corvette +1'32.994
3. Clio +2'17.025
4. Jag +2'40.149
5. CLK +3'33.397
6. Alfa +5'23.063
The Corvette and the Clio pit on lap 13.
When I take over again at the beginning of lap 15, I'm in second place, +0'18.xxx down on the Corvette. All the other positions are the same.
15 - 8'18.519 (2, +18.078, Corvette) The Jag pitted as I went through Flugplatz. Had a bit off at Aremberg and again at Kallenhardt. The CLK pits as I'm at Miss-Hit-Miss
16 - 8'13.696 (2, +0'17.856, Corvette) The Alfa pits as I exit Pflanzgarten I
17 - 8'06.578 (2, +0'08.478, Corvette) The Clio pits as I'm in Hatzenbach
18 - 8'07.018 (1, -0'36.367, Corvette) I out-braked the Corvette in to Steilstrecken-Kurve, the Corvette pits as I cross start/finish
19 - 8'41.097 (1, -0'38.xxx, Corvette) I put the Alfa a lap down at Schwalbenschwanz, I pitted.
20 - 8'15.412 (1, -0'22.xxx, Corvette)
21 - 8'09.973 (1, -0'26.071, Corvette) Clio pits (Aremberg), Jag pits (Metzgesfeld), CLK pits (Steilstrecken-Kurve
22 - 8'05.498 (1, -0'35.798, Corvette)
23 - 8'07.014 (1, ?'????.???, Corvette) Alfa pits (Adenauer Forst)
24 - 8'48.706 (1, -0'43.454, Corvette) I forgot to pit at the end of lap 23, and started the lap with orange tires :scared:, I pitted
25 - 8'18.656 (1, -0'55.784, Corvette) Corvette pits (start/finish), Clio pits (Miss-Hit-Miss)
26 - 8'16.950 (1, -0'56.293, Corvette) Jag pits (Ex-muhle), CLK pits (Pflanzgarten II), I looped it at Schwalbenschwanz
27 - 8'09.661 (1, -1'02.394, Corvette) Looped it at Galgenkopf, which was a shame, because it was one of my best laps
28 - 8'05.749 (1, ?'????.???, Corvette)
29 - 8'31.205 (1, +0'58.xxx, Corvette) Started lap on orange tires, Clio pits (Kesselchen), Alfa pits (Hohe Acht)
The end! It's now 1:40am, and I'm done with a total time of 4:02'22.634Here's how it ended up:
1. Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Evo II '91 4:02'22.634
2. Chevrolet Corvette Grandsport (C4) +0'58.xxx
3. Jaguar S-Type R +?'??.???
4. Clio Renault Sport V6 +?'??.???
5. Mercedes CLK 55 AMG +?'??.???
6. Alfa Romeo 147 GTA +?'??.???
I finished with 235ps (back up to 246 after an oil change), and a pwr of 0.193 ps/kg
Pit schedules looked like:
Me: 5, 9, 14, 19, 24
Corvette: 6, 12, 17, 24
Jag: 5, ?, 14, 20, 25
Clio: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28
CLK: 5, ?, 14, 20, 25
Alfa: 3, 6, ?, 15, ?, 22, ?, 28
I saw a big drop in power after I took over from Fritz on lap 15. My later laps (especially lap 28 were much better than my early ones, but I couldn't match my best lap again). I think I could have hit 7'57's near the end with full power.
The car is a fantastic match for the track. Just the right amount of power and handles well. Very easy to drive. I might try this again without the lightweight, and maybe some ballast weight to see if I can make it a little closer.
It was a really fun race, by far the best one I've run so far 👍
...O.G. 
