GTsail
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4 Hour Endurance Race at the 'Ring:
As everyone knows, winning the 4 hour race at the 'Ring is not too difficult because the AI drives poorly and slows down too much for many of its turns.
However, since I really enjoy driving the 'Ring, I ran the race anyway in a car that was equal to the competition. After a nice easy race where I lapped the entire field, I decided to try again with a slower car that would make winning more of a challenge.
I also wanted to use a premium car that other GT fans could purchase (without a UCD search) if they wanted to give it a try.
So I've tested a few cars and found one that seems suitable:
At my local Nissan dealer, I found a very nice Nissan Skyline GTR Vspec II Nur R34 '02 for $61,000.
I take the Skyline to my local tuner, and have them install the following parts:
Race medium tires, sport catalytic converter
Custom suspension,custom transmission, LSD
Sport clutch, sport flywheel, sport air filter
I skip the oil change because I don't want the HP boost.
After these changes my Nissan Skyline has 344HP, weights 1560kg and shows a PP value of 475.
I fly the Nissan and my pit crew to Germany and check out today's competition at the 'Ring. Already on the track are the following:
RUF CTR Yellow Bird
Amuse Carbon R R34
High End Performance G37
NISMO 380RS Super Leggera
Mine's BNR34 Skyline GTR N1 base
HKS CT230R '08
Gran Turismo Skyline GTR '01
Amuse S2000 GT1 '04
Option Stream Z
RUF CTR2 '96
Mine's BNR34 Skyline GTR Vspec N1
Note: I had to skip a few lineups because I did not want to run against either the Amuse S2000 Turbo or the Audi R8 LMS Race Car.
The flap drops and we're off!
After the start I intentionally drop back to last place so I can get a good look at my competition as I pass each one during the race!
I'm quickly able to pass the 11th place Option Stream Z going thru turn # 3. Immediately following, I pass the Mine's Vspec BNR34 going thru turn #5. On the 'Ring proper, I pass the Gran Turismo Skyline GTR going thru Hatzenbach. Further along on lap one, I pass the High End G37 going thru Schwalbenschwanz. I end lap # 1 in 8th place some 34 seconds behind the leader (who is unknown at this point).
Just after the S/F line on lap #2 the High End G37 blasts past me and I'm dropped to 9th place. I out-brake the G37 going into turn number one, so I quickly retake 8th place in the race! At the end of lap 2 I'm still in 8th place, 37 seconds behind the leader.
Going thru Aremburg on lap # 3 I'm able to pass both the Amuse S2000 GT1 and the HKS CT230R, so I'm now in 6th place. The 5th place Amuse Carbon R is just ahead sso I pass him going thru the lovely Adenaur Forst and take over 5th place in the race. A bit further along I see a swerving RUF Yellow Bird, so I expect to be able to advance another spot shortly. The Yellow Bird throws up a cloud of tire smoke in Bergwerk, does a 180, and gets passed without incident. I'm now in 4th place, some 15 seconds behind the leading NISMO 380RS Super Leg. I get passed by the HKS CT230R going down the final straight and then quickly repass the HKS in the Hohenrain esses.
The HKS passes me right back just after we cross the S/F line to begin lap # 4. I re-pass the HKS going into turn # 1, so by the first checkpoint on lap # 4 I can see that I'm in 4th place some 19 seconds behind the leading NISMO 380RS. By the end of lap # 4, during which I maintained the gap to the leader, I see that I'm still 19 seconds behind the NISMO 380RS. And the 5th place HKS CT230R is still breathing down my neck!
I pit at the end of lap # 5 for a new set of tires and half a tank of fuel. As I pit, I notice that the leading NISMO 380RS does not, and neither does the 3rd place Amuse S2000 GT1. The HKS CT230R, who was right behind me, drives past the pits and takes over 2nd place in the race.
When I exit the pits in 4th place to begin lap # 6, I see that I'm 60 seconds behind the leader. By the Karussel on lap # 6 I've narrowed the NISMO 380RS' lead to 50 seconds. I catch the 3rd place Amuse S2000 GT1 going into the Kleine-Karussel, so I take over 3rd place in the race. As I get to the Bilstein overpass, the HKS CT230R takes over 1st place in the race by drafting past the NISMO 380RS. Their margin over me is 38 seconds. The two leading cars pit at the end of the lap, so as I begin lap # 7 I take over the lead of the race for the first time!!
Everyone's pit stops have shuffled the order of the race cars so the 2nd place car is now the Mine's BNR34 N1, the 3rd place car is now the RUF CTR2, the 4th place car is the Mine's Vspec BNR34, the 5th place car is the HKS CT230R, the 6th place car is the NISMO 380RS, the 7th place car is the Amuse Carbon R, and the 8th place car is the Amuse S2000 GT1. Some cars seem to stop every 5 laps, while other are on 6 lap stints.
The Mine's BNR34 N1 is right on my tail, so I only have a 2 second lead during the early stages of lap # 7. I've increased my lead to about 3 seconds as I start down the final straight on lap 7, but this is eliminated by both the 2nd place Mine's BNR N1 and the 3rd place RUF CTR2. Both cars blast past me as I cross the S/F line to begin lap # 8.
The RUF also passes the Mine's BNR34, so he leads into turn one. Going thru turn # 5 I pass the Mine's BNR N1 myself, an take up the chase after the leading RUF CTR2 who now has a 2 second lead over my Nissan Skyline (which is great fun to drive, so I'm enjoying the race). As we begin driving down the final straight, I'm just about in the leading RUF's draft, but unfortunately, I just miss it, so the RUF just power's away down the straight without giving me any help! The 3rd place Mine's BNR34 N1, who was a couple of seconds back, easily catches me on the long straight, but due to swerving on my part, doesn't get past until we cross the S/F line to begin lap # 9.
At this point the leading RUF CTR2 has pulled out a 5 second lead over me.
I re-take 2nd place by passing the Mine's BNR N1 going thru Aremburg. The rest of the lap goes well, but I never get closer than 1.5 seconds to the leading RUF CTR2.
Once again as I cross the S/F line to begin lap # 10, the 3rd place Mine's BNR34 streaks on by. I quickly re-pass the BNR34 in turn one and once again take up the chase after the leading RUF who has now pulled out a 6 second lead. The leading RUF slows considerably going into Wehrseifen, so I slide past and take over the lead of the race again! I'm sure that the RUF is starting to feel the effects of its worn tires! Going thru Galgenkopf I have to brake hard in order to miss the RUF Yellow Bird, who is slowly coming back onto the track after some lawn-mowing! I lose my momentum, which makes me nervous since I only have a 3.5 second lead over the RUF CTR2 in 2nd. I can only hope that the Yellow Bird will get in the way of the following cars. No such luck! By the Bilstein overpass, I get passed by both the RUF CTR2 and the Mine's BNR34 Skyline again. So I get to follow them both into the pits at the end of lap # 10. I see that the RUF Yellow Bird pits as well. While we're in the pits, the HKS CT230R drives by and takes over the lead of the race.
The NISMO 380RS and the Amuse S2000 GT1 do so as well (drives past the pits), so when I exit the pits I've fallen back to 4th place in the race. The first checkpoint shows that the leading HKS CT230R has a 42 second lead over me. Looking back I see that the Mine's BNR34 Skyline is in 5th place and the RUF CTR2 is in 6th place. I drive smoothly on lap 11.
When I begin lap # 12 I've narrowed the leader's margin to 36 seconds. On lap 12, I catch and pass the 3rd place Amuse S2000, and going into the Kleine-Karussel I'm able to catch and pass the 2nd place NISMO 380RS (who are both slowing since they are on the last lap of their 6 lap stints). I'm now 27 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R.
When I begin lap # 13 I pass the HKS CT230R who is in the pits and regain 1st place in the race. The NISMO 380RS pits as well, so the RUF CTR2 takes over 2nd place inthe race and is shown as 12 seconds behind me. The two Mine's are in 3rd and 4th. The HKS CT230R has fallen to 5th place, with the NISMO 380RS in 6th.
The rest of lap 13 goes well so I begin lap # 14 with a 11.7 second lead over the RUF CTR2. I maintain my pace, and therefore begin lap # 15 with a lead of 12.7 seconds. I pit at the end of lap 15 for new tires and fuel with a lead of 16 seconds over the 2nd place Mine's BNR N1 Skyline, who has passed the RUF CTR2 going down the final straight. During my re-fueling, the next 3 cars all pit. However, the 4th car does not, so the HKS CT230R climbs back into 1st place in the race.
When I exit the pits to begin lap # 16, I'm in 2nd place some 25 seconds behind the leading HKS. In 3rd is the NISMO 380RS (who did not pit) and in 4th is the Amuse S2000 GT1. When the other cars finish their pit stops, I see that the RUF CTR2 is back in 5th place. I drive a decent lap 16, so by the end I'm only 20 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R.
Lap 17 goes smoothly and I narrow the HKS's lead to 15 seconds.
By the end of lap # 18, I'm only 9 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R as it enters the pits! I drive right on past and take over the lead of the race! Yeah!
Looking back I see the race order get shuffled again. The RUF CTR2 has regained 2nd place and is 27 seconds behind me. The Mine's are in 3rd and 4th. And the HKS CT230R has fallen back to 5th place with the NISMO 380RS in 6th. At the end of lap # 19 I still lead the RUF CTR2 by 25 seconds.
On lap 20, as I get to the end of the Kesselchen straight, I come upon the RUF Yellow Bird, who is sitting stationary in the middle of the track! I take evasive action and just miss hitting the wayward Yellow Bird, but end up off track doing some grass-mowing of my own before I'm able to regain control of my Nissan!
The Yellow Bird was stopped in the final high-speed left-hander, which meant that he was very hard to see until I was almost upon him. I lose a bit of my momentum but see that my lead is still 25 seconds over the 2nd place RUF CTR2 as I enter the pits at the end of the lap.
Once again the next 3 cars all pit, but the 4th car drives past and takes over the lead of the race. Checking the grid I see that it is the HKS CT230R.
I exit the pits and give chase. By the first checkpoint on lap # 21 I see that I'm 21 seconds behind the leading HKS. Looking back (which is not a good thing if the Yellow Bird is ahead of you on the track), I see that the RUF CTR2 is 3rd, with the Mine's in 4th and 5th, and the NISMO 380RS in 6th. By the end of lap 21, the HKS's lead is still 22 seconds over my Nissan.
As I begin lap # 23 I see that I'm still 20 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R.
When I begin lap # 24, I'm only 15 seconds behind the leading HKS. During lap 24, I cut further into the HKS's lead (its tires are worn), so when it pits at the end of the lap, I'm only 10 seconds back.
When I cross the S/F line to begin lap # 25 I regain 1st place in the race! At the 2nd checkpoint, I check the lineup grid and see that the RUF CTR2 is in 2nd place some 14 seconds behind me. The Mine's are in 3rd and 4th, with the HKS CT230R in 5th and the NISMO 380RS in 6th. With only 8 minutes left, and on worn tires, I pit one last time at the end of lap # 25 with a 15 second lead over the RUF CTR2.
When I exit the pits I see that I have a 8 second lead over the 2nd place HKS CT230R. I have to keep pushing my Nissan for one final lap because the 2nd place HKS gets within 7 seconds of my Nissan.
After 4 hours, 1 minute and 16 seconds,
VICTORY IS MINE!
Following me closely across the line is the HKS CT230R who is 8 seconds back.
3rd - RUF CTR2 '96
4th - Option Stream Z
5th - Mine's BNR34 Vspec
6th - Mine's BNR34 N1 base
7th - NISMO 380RS Super Leg
8th - Amuse S2000 GT1
9th - High End G37
10th - Amuse Carbon R
11th - Gran Turismo Sky GTR
12th - RUF Yellow Bird
Great fun!
Post race notes:
The Nissan Skyline GTR is an easy car to drive so I could have pushed it harder than I did, though an extra off course excursion might have ensued.
All the other cars have a lot more horsepower, so they always knock 2 to 3 seconds off your lead in each of the three long straights (the S/F straight, the final long straight, and the Kesselchen straight), you just have to get the time back in the twisty stuff.
Enjoy the racing!
GTsail
As everyone knows, winning the 4 hour race at the 'Ring is not too difficult because the AI drives poorly and slows down too much for many of its turns.
However, since I really enjoy driving the 'Ring, I ran the race anyway in a car that was equal to the competition. After a nice easy race where I lapped the entire field, I decided to try again with a slower car that would make winning more of a challenge.
I also wanted to use a premium car that other GT fans could purchase (without a UCD search) if they wanted to give it a try.
So I've tested a few cars and found one that seems suitable:
At my local Nissan dealer, I found a very nice Nissan Skyline GTR Vspec II Nur R34 '02 for $61,000.
I take the Skyline to my local tuner, and have them install the following parts:
Race medium tires, sport catalytic converter
Custom suspension,custom transmission, LSD
Sport clutch, sport flywheel, sport air filter
I skip the oil change because I don't want the HP boost.
After these changes my Nissan Skyline has 344HP, weights 1560kg and shows a PP value of 475.
I fly the Nissan and my pit crew to Germany and check out today's competition at the 'Ring. Already on the track are the following:
RUF CTR Yellow Bird
Amuse Carbon R R34
High End Performance G37
NISMO 380RS Super Leggera
Mine's BNR34 Skyline GTR N1 base
HKS CT230R '08
Gran Turismo Skyline GTR '01
Amuse S2000 GT1 '04
Option Stream Z
RUF CTR2 '96
Mine's BNR34 Skyline GTR Vspec N1
Note: I had to skip a few lineups because I did not want to run against either the Amuse S2000 Turbo or the Audi R8 LMS Race Car.
The flap drops and we're off!
After the start I intentionally drop back to last place so I can get a good look at my competition as I pass each one during the race!
I'm quickly able to pass the 11th place Option Stream Z going thru turn # 3. Immediately following, I pass the Mine's Vspec BNR34 going thru turn #5. On the 'Ring proper, I pass the Gran Turismo Skyline GTR going thru Hatzenbach. Further along on lap one, I pass the High End G37 going thru Schwalbenschwanz. I end lap # 1 in 8th place some 34 seconds behind the leader (who is unknown at this point).
Just after the S/F line on lap #2 the High End G37 blasts past me and I'm dropped to 9th place. I out-brake the G37 going into turn number one, so I quickly retake 8th place in the race! At the end of lap 2 I'm still in 8th place, 37 seconds behind the leader.
Going thru Aremburg on lap # 3 I'm able to pass both the Amuse S2000 GT1 and the HKS CT230R, so I'm now in 6th place. The 5th place Amuse Carbon R is just ahead sso I pass him going thru the lovely Adenaur Forst and take over 5th place in the race. A bit further along I see a swerving RUF Yellow Bird, so I expect to be able to advance another spot shortly. The Yellow Bird throws up a cloud of tire smoke in Bergwerk, does a 180, and gets passed without incident. I'm now in 4th place, some 15 seconds behind the leading NISMO 380RS Super Leg. I get passed by the HKS CT230R going down the final straight and then quickly repass the HKS in the Hohenrain esses.
The HKS passes me right back just after we cross the S/F line to begin lap # 4. I re-pass the HKS going into turn # 1, so by the first checkpoint on lap # 4 I can see that I'm in 4th place some 19 seconds behind the leading NISMO 380RS. By the end of lap # 4, during which I maintained the gap to the leader, I see that I'm still 19 seconds behind the NISMO 380RS. And the 5th place HKS CT230R is still breathing down my neck!
I pit at the end of lap # 5 for a new set of tires and half a tank of fuel. As I pit, I notice that the leading NISMO 380RS does not, and neither does the 3rd place Amuse S2000 GT1. The HKS CT230R, who was right behind me, drives past the pits and takes over 2nd place in the race.
When I exit the pits in 4th place to begin lap # 6, I see that I'm 60 seconds behind the leader. By the Karussel on lap # 6 I've narrowed the NISMO 380RS' lead to 50 seconds. I catch the 3rd place Amuse S2000 GT1 going into the Kleine-Karussel, so I take over 3rd place in the race. As I get to the Bilstein overpass, the HKS CT230R takes over 1st place in the race by drafting past the NISMO 380RS. Their margin over me is 38 seconds. The two leading cars pit at the end of the lap, so as I begin lap # 7 I take over the lead of the race for the first time!!
Everyone's pit stops have shuffled the order of the race cars so the 2nd place car is now the Mine's BNR34 N1, the 3rd place car is now the RUF CTR2, the 4th place car is the Mine's Vspec BNR34, the 5th place car is the HKS CT230R, the 6th place car is the NISMO 380RS, the 7th place car is the Amuse Carbon R, and the 8th place car is the Amuse S2000 GT1. Some cars seem to stop every 5 laps, while other are on 6 lap stints.
The Mine's BNR34 N1 is right on my tail, so I only have a 2 second lead during the early stages of lap # 7. I've increased my lead to about 3 seconds as I start down the final straight on lap 7, but this is eliminated by both the 2nd place Mine's BNR N1 and the 3rd place RUF CTR2. Both cars blast past me as I cross the S/F line to begin lap # 8.
The RUF also passes the Mine's BNR34, so he leads into turn one. Going thru turn # 5 I pass the Mine's BNR N1 myself, an take up the chase after the leading RUF CTR2 who now has a 2 second lead over my Nissan Skyline (which is great fun to drive, so I'm enjoying the race). As we begin driving down the final straight, I'm just about in the leading RUF's draft, but unfortunately, I just miss it, so the RUF just power's away down the straight without giving me any help! The 3rd place Mine's BNR34 N1, who was a couple of seconds back, easily catches me on the long straight, but due to swerving on my part, doesn't get past until we cross the S/F line to begin lap # 9.
At this point the leading RUF CTR2 has pulled out a 5 second lead over me.
I re-take 2nd place by passing the Mine's BNR N1 going thru Aremburg. The rest of the lap goes well, but I never get closer than 1.5 seconds to the leading RUF CTR2.
Once again as I cross the S/F line to begin lap # 10, the 3rd place Mine's BNR34 streaks on by. I quickly re-pass the BNR34 in turn one and once again take up the chase after the leading RUF who has now pulled out a 6 second lead. The leading RUF slows considerably going into Wehrseifen, so I slide past and take over the lead of the race again! I'm sure that the RUF is starting to feel the effects of its worn tires! Going thru Galgenkopf I have to brake hard in order to miss the RUF Yellow Bird, who is slowly coming back onto the track after some lawn-mowing! I lose my momentum, which makes me nervous since I only have a 3.5 second lead over the RUF CTR2 in 2nd. I can only hope that the Yellow Bird will get in the way of the following cars. No such luck! By the Bilstein overpass, I get passed by both the RUF CTR2 and the Mine's BNR34 Skyline again. So I get to follow them both into the pits at the end of lap # 10. I see that the RUF Yellow Bird pits as well. While we're in the pits, the HKS CT230R drives by and takes over the lead of the race.
The NISMO 380RS and the Amuse S2000 GT1 do so as well (drives past the pits), so when I exit the pits I've fallen back to 4th place in the race. The first checkpoint shows that the leading HKS CT230R has a 42 second lead over me. Looking back I see that the Mine's BNR34 Skyline is in 5th place and the RUF CTR2 is in 6th place. I drive smoothly on lap 11.
When I begin lap # 12 I've narrowed the leader's margin to 36 seconds. On lap 12, I catch and pass the 3rd place Amuse S2000, and going into the Kleine-Karussel I'm able to catch and pass the 2nd place NISMO 380RS (who are both slowing since they are on the last lap of their 6 lap stints). I'm now 27 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R.
When I begin lap # 13 I pass the HKS CT230R who is in the pits and regain 1st place in the race. The NISMO 380RS pits as well, so the RUF CTR2 takes over 2nd place inthe race and is shown as 12 seconds behind me. The two Mine's are in 3rd and 4th. The HKS CT230R has fallen to 5th place, with the NISMO 380RS in 6th.
The rest of lap 13 goes well so I begin lap # 14 with a 11.7 second lead over the RUF CTR2. I maintain my pace, and therefore begin lap # 15 with a lead of 12.7 seconds. I pit at the end of lap 15 for new tires and fuel with a lead of 16 seconds over the 2nd place Mine's BNR N1 Skyline, who has passed the RUF CTR2 going down the final straight. During my re-fueling, the next 3 cars all pit. However, the 4th car does not, so the HKS CT230R climbs back into 1st place in the race.
When I exit the pits to begin lap # 16, I'm in 2nd place some 25 seconds behind the leading HKS. In 3rd is the NISMO 380RS (who did not pit) and in 4th is the Amuse S2000 GT1. When the other cars finish their pit stops, I see that the RUF CTR2 is back in 5th place. I drive a decent lap 16, so by the end I'm only 20 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R.
Lap 17 goes smoothly and I narrow the HKS's lead to 15 seconds.
By the end of lap # 18, I'm only 9 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R as it enters the pits! I drive right on past and take over the lead of the race! Yeah!
Looking back I see the race order get shuffled again. The RUF CTR2 has regained 2nd place and is 27 seconds behind me. The Mine's are in 3rd and 4th. And the HKS CT230R has fallen back to 5th place with the NISMO 380RS in 6th. At the end of lap # 19 I still lead the RUF CTR2 by 25 seconds.
On lap 20, as I get to the end of the Kesselchen straight, I come upon the RUF Yellow Bird, who is sitting stationary in the middle of the track! I take evasive action and just miss hitting the wayward Yellow Bird, but end up off track doing some grass-mowing of my own before I'm able to regain control of my Nissan!
The Yellow Bird was stopped in the final high-speed left-hander, which meant that he was very hard to see until I was almost upon him. I lose a bit of my momentum but see that my lead is still 25 seconds over the 2nd place RUF CTR2 as I enter the pits at the end of the lap.
Once again the next 3 cars all pit, but the 4th car drives past and takes over the lead of the race. Checking the grid I see that it is the HKS CT230R.
I exit the pits and give chase. By the first checkpoint on lap # 21 I see that I'm 21 seconds behind the leading HKS. Looking back (which is not a good thing if the Yellow Bird is ahead of you on the track), I see that the RUF CTR2 is 3rd, with the Mine's in 4th and 5th, and the NISMO 380RS in 6th. By the end of lap 21, the HKS's lead is still 22 seconds over my Nissan.
As I begin lap # 23 I see that I'm still 20 seconds behind the leading HKS CT230R.
When I begin lap # 24, I'm only 15 seconds behind the leading HKS. During lap 24, I cut further into the HKS's lead (its tires are worn), so when it pits at the end of the lap, I'm only 10 seconds back.
When I cross the S/F line to begin lap # 25 I regain 1st place in the race! At the 2nd checkpoint, I check the lineup grid and see that the RUF CTR2 is in 2nd place some 14 seconds behind me. The Mine's are in 3rd and 4th, with the HKS CT230R in 5th and the NISMO 380RS in 6th. With only 8 minutes left, and on worn tires, I pit one last time at the end of lap # 25 with a 15 second lead over the RUF CTR2.
When I exit the pits I see that I have a 8 second lead over the 2nd place HKS CT230R. I have to keep pushing my Nissan for one final lap because the 2nd place HKS gets within 7 seconds of my Nissan.
After 4 hours, 1 minute and 16 seconds,
VICTORY IS MINE!
Following me closely across the line is the HKS CT230R who is 8 seconds back.
3rd - RUF CTR2 '96
4th - Option Stream Z
5th - Mine's BNR34 Vspec
6th - Mine's BNR34 N1 base
7th - NISMO 380RS Super Leg
8th - Amuse S2000 GT1
9th - High End G37
10th - Amuse Carbon R
11th - Gran Turismo Sky GTR
12th - RUF Yellow Bird
Great fun!
Post race notes:
The Nissan Skyline GTR is an easy car to drive so I could have pushed it harder than I did, though an extra off course excursion might have ensued.
All the other cars have a lot more horsepower, so they always knock 2 to 3 seconds off your lead in each of the three long straights (the S/F straight, the final long straight, and the Kesselchen straight), you just have to get the time back in the twisty stuff.
Enjoy the racing!
GTsail
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