I participated in my first 24 hour online race November 25-26 2006.
Game used -
NASCAR 2003
Mod used -
GTP
Team -
WRRacing
Host of Race -
WOSEC
By chance I ran into
this video so I decided to look into WOSEC more considering I had the game and mod.
What do you know, I signup at WOSEC just 2 weeks before they run their 3rd annual 24 hrs of LeMans Race. I post a message asking does anybody need a driver. 3 teams offer me a ride.
For those not familiar with the GTP mod there is 4 classes of cars. Mazda 787B, Mercedes Sauber C9, a Porsche and Jaguar. All cars have different handling, braking, horsepower and fuel economy.
I was offered a ride from two teams running Mazdas and 1 team running Mercedes Saubers. My practice with all the cars made it clear the Mercedes was the class of the field. The Mazda 787b could only go 14 laps per fuel run while the Mercedes could do 16 or more easily. Also the Mercedes' top speed at LeMans was 213mph while the Mazda could only hit 197mph. The Mazda was lighter and made up time braking and cornering but LeMans is a speed track. I decided to go with WRRacing and the Mercedes.
One of the things I was worried about from the start was could I get up to speed safetly. I did not want to hold back the team. I looked into lap times and found out that the top teams could run 3:28-3:30 laps consistantly. This concerned me because at first I could only run 3:37-3:38 laps.
But with some help on the setup from my teammates at WRRacing and ALOT of practice I got my times down to the 3:33-34 range. 5 seconds a lap slower then the top teams but I wasn't too concerned. I quickly became the fastest driver on my team so I was happy. As long as I wasn't holding my team back everything was OK.
Before continuing on I think I should describe driving a GTP car around Le Mans '06 layout using NR2003. First off AIDS were not allowed at all. This means accelerating out of arnage and other slow turns was extremely difficult. The car is extremely tricky to drive through the Ford chicanes because the backend wanted to step out all the time. I countered this by using 3rd gear through it. I also never shifted lower then 2nd gear at any point which also helped with tire spin out of slow corners.
So all in all driving a GTP car at LeMans is definitly MUCH more difficult then driving any car there in GT4. Add damage on top of that and the stakes are very high.
Just one day before the race at the last practice session for the team only 4 drivers showed up. How is that bad? Well, WRRacing intended to field 2 cars for the race with 3 drivers a piece. The schedule for driver changes had been set and now it seemed 2 drivers would not show.
The team boss said he will withdraw the #18 car and have all 4 of us share the #17 car. I disagreed. I suggested 2 of us share each car until one of them drops out then the remaining drivers move and help out the remaining car. After all, our goal was to finish the race first, and then finish as high up the order as possible. And with the chances being very high that something would happen to one of the cars sometime along the run I thought this was a good idea.
The team boss agreed. So there you had it, 4 drivers, 2 cars. 12 hours of racing in a 24 hour time period for all the WRRacing drivers if the 2 missing drivers didnt show.
Before moving on I will explain how driver changes are accomplished in NR2003. Before the race we all create identical usernames and download identical paint schemes for both the #17 and #18 WRRACING cars. To do a driver change the rules state we must pit and come to a complete stop. Once we do this you exit out of your game by using ctrl-alt-del or pressing ctrl minus rapidly. NR2003 allows disconnected drivers to reenter online games. So your teammate will rejoin the IP address of the race under your user name. The game will allow him in the race from the pit stall but he will lose 1 lap. WOSEC mandates a minimum of 12 driver changes for 24 hour races to keep it fair.
The Day of The race finally arrives
WRRacing gathers on teamspeak 1 hour before the race. The server is open for practice but I dont feel like practicing, I'm ready for the race. But I give in and run a couple of laps and leave. Still no sign of the 2 missing WRRacing drivers.
But just 10 minutes before qualifying they both show up. WRRacing now has 6 drivers and things are looking up.
I was given the privledge of starting the race and qualifying the car. Qualifying begins and I turn in one of my better laps of 3:32.9 which puts me (WRRacing #17) in 11th place. WRRacing #18 is right behind me in 12th place with a fast 3.33.xxx lap.
But then the host makes a huge error and advances to race, deleting all the qualifying times.
We have to qualify again. No problem right?
I wreck in the next qualifying on the warmup lap.
I'm coming out of Mulsanne corner at 50mph and get on the gas earlier then normal to see what I can get away with. Bad move. I spin the tires and make considerable contact with the inside wall. I see pieces of the car fly onto the ground.
I move on and run my first Q lap. My top speed has been reduced from 212mph now to just 209. My first lap is a 3:35.xxx. I keep it steady for the next lap. I know I have to make up the time I lose on the straights somewhere. I wait until the Ford chicanes to make my move. I push it really hard through there and it pays off.
3:33.7
Good enough for 14th. WRRacing #18 does a bit better and qualifies 12th of 36. The pole sitter turns in an amazing 3:27.8 lap for the pole.
Now the moment.
36 cars start to roll for 1 warmup lap. When we get back to the front stretch we will be at full speed. On the pace lap some drivers are obviously very nervous. Some guys are accelerating quickly and braking hard. I almost make contact with the #10 Russian Ringrace car that is ahead of me. But in time it is all smoothed out. We get single file in preperation for the start.
WRRacing #18 mentions on the radio the scary truth: "Man, these tires are going to be ice cold for the start."
I look at my tire temps and they are around 100 degrees from driving at 55mph for 8 miles.
I'm even more nervous now.
Then one of the WRRacing drivers watching from a program that allows you to view the cars from an overhead map states: "I'm glad I'm not out there with all those cars all around me."
"I'll be fine." I remind myself
"I was chosen to start the car because the team boss has confidence in my skill."
Then I remember this is my first official GTP race. I've ran maybe 2 5 lap online races with the GTP mod, but nothing compared to the hundreds of NASCAR races I've ran. This was also my first race using NR2003 in months. Of course I never told anyone at WRRacing that.
But I had confidence I would be fine.
The Green flag dropped and we accelerate.
Heading into the first turn the #10 Russian Ringrace car was ahead of me and I was followed by the infamous 'Chilean Racing' Team. These guys were infamous for terrible driving in endurance races. It wouldnt take long before he caused trouble and it wouldnt be long before me and the #10 would meet eachother on the track.
But the Chilean Racing Car tried a foolish daring move just 3 turns and 20 seconds into the race. He tried to dive bomb me going into a sweeping left hand turn but instead locked up his brakes and spun out.
He was then T-Boned by the MAZDAR4SPD team causing massive damage to both cars.
Just 30 seconds into a 24 hour race I am almost taken out. Is there any chance WRRacing or 17 or 18 could survive a couple of laps let alone 24 hours!?
Stay tuned to find out. The 24 hour race has just started, much more to come.
This of course will be the biggest race of year for this club as well as Endurance GT. Rules for this race are coming together as we speak. 
) and The Porsche/Penske LMP2 cars should be there as well, and lets not forgot my personal favorites, the Pescarolos. That will make for a seriously deep field. 
