- 203
- UK
- FLK_255
After sitting in my garage for a while I took my fully modded VW Golf IV R32 (436bhp) to this race. After making a few tweaks to the initial setup beforehand I then started the race not bothering to qualify as usual for endurances. New York has to be one of my favourite street courses, having clocked up hours and hours in time trials on this track I was looking forward to this race knowing the track so well. It's 90 degree bends also reminds me of the Pheonix F1 circuit which was an equally excellent track in Microprose's F1GP racing game.
By the end of the first lap I had slowly made my way up to third place outbreaking the TVR Speed Six and the SL65 into the first bend, as I braked for the third turn the AI ploughed into me knocking and then spinning me around, by the time I was back on course I was fifth. The rest of the lap I fought back to third and outbraked the SL65 into the 1st bend, next was the Six Speed which could out pace me even in slipstream down the start/finish straight. Again outbreaking the TVR into I went first at turn six making distance through the next few bends before the straight leading up to the large circular bend. The TVR was catching down the main straight, as I approached turn 3 I took a tight inside line, the AI shot past into the wall yet again, the TVR seemed eager to prove how rubbish the AI is in GT4. (rant)For god sake F1 Grand Prix (Microprose, 1992) can do better than this PD, while I'm yaking about it the AI even tried to drive me into the walls on the straights when side-by-side, again said 1992 F1 game's AI was fully aware of me being alongside, even through multiple bends ffs! (/rant) By lap ten I was maintaining a 3-4 second gap to the TVR Speed Six (thanks in part to it's kamikazi-love of turn 3's concrete wall) until I pitted at the end of lap 12. I rejoined in 3rd place behind the now 2nd placed AMG SL65 and 17 odd seconds behind the Speed Six. I gradually clawed my way back to 12 seconds behind by the end of lap 17, the TVR got stuck behind a backmarker allowing me to eat into the gap between us getting it down to 8 seconds as the Speed Six pitted at the end of the following lap, lap 18. The Speed Six emerged 16.3 seconds behind me and I was hoping that I'd be able to push and extend the gap further to offset it's 6 lap pitting pitting advantage.
By lap 20 I was able to extend to a 21 second gap, with my pit window coming soon I realised I'd have to push all through the race. Pitting at the end of lap 24 I had pulled the gap out to 31 seconds, as I exited the pits to my relief I was in front still with the Speed Six 8 seconds behind me. By the end of lap 30 I was over 15 seconds ahead. The TVR did better for the next few laps and I was only 20 seconds ahead as I pitted at the end of lap 36, the TVR Speed 6 pitted in as I exited and later rejoined 26 seconds behind me. Now midway on lap 38 I had a 31 second lead, a win was looking good but it could still be close! Up to my next stop at the end of lap 49 I continued to edge out more lead and was 55 seconds ahead by the time I entered the pit lane, I still had a comfortable 35 second lead by the time I came out.
I pitted end of lap 61 with a 1 minute 23 second lead, the Speed Six must have pitted on lap 54, which I obviously missed and came out under a minute ahead, I'd probably have to pit for tyres again though before the end of the 76 lap race. The gap stabilised at 1 minute 4 seconds until making my last stop at the end of lap 69, I short fueled and also switched from sport hards to mediums for the last stint. I came out of the pits 43.1 seconds ahead the TVR Speed Six with a sure win in hand. The Speed Six made it's final stop on lap 73, leaving me to chase my time to the finishing line.
If the AI had driven better this race could have been a lot more difficult as the Speed Six and the T350C could outpace me and the others on the straights.
Result:
1st VW Golf IV R32 '03 (Me) Time: 2:18'01.361
2nd TVR Cerbera Speed Six '97 Time: -1.38.113
3rd Mercedes SL65 AMG (R230) '04 Time: x
4th TVR T350C '03 Time: x
5th Lotus Motor Sport Elise '99 Time: x
6th Aston Martin V8 Vantage '99 Time: x
Best Lap 1'44.496 (Lap 73)
A-Spec Points 114
By the end of the first lap I had slowly made my way up to third place outbreaking the TVR Speed Six and the SL65 into the first bend, as I braked for the third turn the AI ploughed into me knocking and then spinning me around, by the time I was back on course I was fifth. The rest of the lap I fought back to third and outbraked the SL65 into the 1st bend, next was the Six Speed which could out pace me even in slipstream down the start/finish straight. Again outbreaking the TVR into I went first at turn six making distance through the next few bends before the straight leading up to the large circular bend. The TVR was catching down the main straight, as I approached turn 3 I took a tight inside line, the AI shot past into the wall yet again, the TVR seemed eager to prove how rubbish the AI is in GT4. (rant)For god sake F1 Grand Prix (Microprose, 1992) can do better than this PD, while I'm yaking about it the AI even tried to drive me into the walls on the straights when side-by-side, again said 1992 F1 game's AI was fully aware of me being alongside, even through multiple bends ffs! (/rant) By lap ten I was maintaining a 3-4 second gap to the TVR Speed Six (thanks in part to it's kamikazi-love of turn 3's concrete wall) until I pitted at the end of lap 12. I rejoined in 3rd place behind the now 2nd placed AMG SL65 and 17 odd seconds behind the Speed Six. I gradually clawed my way back to 12 seconds behind by the end of lap 17, the TVR got stuck behind a backmarker allowing me to eat into the gap between us getting it down to 8 seconds as the Speed Six pitted at the end of the following lap, lap 18. The Speed Six emerged 16.3 seconds behind me and I was hoping that I'd be able to push and extend the gap further to offset it's 6 lap pitting pitting advantage.
By lap 20 I was able to extend to a 21 second gap, with my pit window coming soon I realised I'd have to push all through the race. Pitting at the end of lap 24 I had pulled the gap out to 31 seconds, as I exited the pits to my relief I was in front still with the Speed Six 8 seconds behind me. By the end of lap 30 I was over 15 seconds ahead. The TVR did better for the next few laps and I was only 20 seconds ahead as I pitted at the end of lap 36, the TVR Speed 6 pitted in as I exited and later rejoined 26 seconds behind me. Now midway on lap 38 I had a 31 second lead, a win was looking good but it could still be close! Up to my next stop at the end of lap 49 I continued to edge out more lead and was 55 seconds ahead by the time I entered the pit lane, I still had a comfortable 35 second lead by the time I came out.
I pitted end of lap 61 with a 1 minute 23 second lead, the Speed Six must have pitted on lap 54, which I obviously missed and came out under a minute ahead, I'd probably have to pit for tyres again though before the end of the 76 lap race. The gap stabilised at 1 minute 4 seconds until making my last stop at the end of lap 69, I short fueled and also switched from sport hards to mediums for the last stint. I came out of the pits 43.1 seconds ahead the TVR Speed Six with a sure win in hand. The Speed Six made it's final stop on lap 73, leaving me to chase my time to the finishing line.
If the AI had driven better this race could have been a lot more difficult as the Speed Six and the T350C could outpace me and the others on the straights.
Result:
1st VW Golf IV R32 '03 (Me) Time: 2:18'01.361
2nd TVR Cerbera Speed Six '97 Time: -1.38.113
3rd Mercedes SL65 AMG (R230) '04 Time: x
4th TVR T350C '03 Time: x
5th Lotus Motor Sport Elise '99 Time: x
6th Aston Martin V8 Vantage '99 Time: x
Best Lap 1'44.496 (Lap 73)
A-Spec Points 114
I don't own the R32 yet so I wasn't sure.
