dylansan
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For years my parents have been teaching me about cars. They would tell me what each car was, and then when I saw one I was expected to name it. In fact, most of the time I could. Now I've got my drivers license, and $10,000 to spend. I don't have a racing license, any experience, or even a car yet. Today, I am going to start my career, as someone I've always dreamed of being. But first, I need some training.
PART 1 - The Beginning:
Training:
My first stop was the License Center. I decided I needed to get some idea of what it was like to drive at high speeds. As of yet the fastest car I've driven was a Mazda Demio from 1999. It was time to get some more experience.
B License Tests:
I figured for now I could get off just earning the first License, which is B. Listening to the catchy music playing in the office, I sign up for lessons, and away I go.
1 - Acceleration and Braking: 1:
I almost broke out laughing when I found out what car I was to be driving. It was exactly like mine, but in a much better color. I was jealous. Well anyway, I parked my butt in the seat and waited for my instructor. "Alright," I thought, "This can't be too hard. After all I've driven this car before." As I listen to the instructor's, um, instructions, I start the car and prepare for the beginning of my dream.
After bringing my revs up to 5000, I ease onto the gas and accelerate to about 43 MPH before slowing down into the checkered zone. "10.648" my instructor tells me. "Not bad for a first. Have you had lessons before?" "Well," I explain, "No, but I have paid attention to the techniques real drivers use, and have looked up information about it." She smiled and asked if I wanted to move on to the next test. Actually, I think I need a bit more practice. She smiled again and we repeated the test, this time with 10.243. Youre certainly improving. she told me. One more time? I asked, and with a wink she kindly said, Go ahead. I took off well this time, and stopped in the box with a 09.874. As cool music played from the car radio, I asked how I was doing. She told me that I got the best possible mark on it, which is gold. Hmm, I wondered, Maybe Im doing well because I have a car just like this that I use as my daily-driver. Do you really? She asked, Because I was thinking of getting one too.
2 Acceleration and Braking: 2:
When I decided that I had enough of the Demio, a bright red Mitsubishi caught my eye. I was almost in shock when the instructor, whos name I found out to be Molly, told me I would be driving it next. Already? I ask, I mean, uh, I just drove the Demio and Im already driving this? Trust me, she said, You can handle it. These cars get faster and faster, so be prepared to be racing some very fine machines. With that comment I had a very good feeling about this school.
I started up the car and did exactly as before. On my first run, I finished with an 11.398, then 10.999 after a few more runs. I was getting better, which is what I was hoping for when I came to the License Center.
3 Basics of Cornering: 1:
I had a strange feeling when we started this test. I wasnt expecting to get to cornering so fast. Still, I approached with eagerness, and it showed. You look excited, Molly said, You must be having fun. I certainly was. After Molly told me about Out-In-Out cornering, I felt like I would have no trouble on this test. I already had some idea of racing line from watching racing on TV. I was also confident about the car. I always thought that a Del Sol would be a fun car, so it was good that I would be cornering it instead of racing in a straight line.
I felt the car wanting to be driven as soon as I stepped inside. With confidence, I put my foot down and took the first corner of the Deep Forest Course at 60 MPH. Not a good choice, I could feel the car pull me to the outside, and as very odd music played on the radio, Molly told me, in the kindest voice possible, that I had failed. Obviously, I wasnt kicked out or anything, but I wanted to try again. Molly happily agreed, but first, she told me, Try not to focus on what speed youre going at. Just do what feels right. Feeling stuck in a Wendys Commercial, I repeated the test, and with a perfect line, managed a 30.877. Good, Molly told me, Another Gold. Thats 3 for 3.
4 Basics of Cornering: 2:
When I saw that I was driving a Nissan, I asked Molly, Why are all the cars Japanese so far? She politely answered, I think Japan supplied us with almost everything for this school, but there are some other cars. I was to do the same thing as last time, but with more caution, as this car is FR. I knew that FR meant Front Engine-Rear Wheel Drive, but I didnt know at the time that it would cause oversteer. Still, for a first time of 30.371, I didnt do too badly. I tried to get gold one more time, and did, with a quick time of 29.758.
I was progressing quickly, and was beginning to get more and more excited at the start of each test.
5 1 Lap Guide Run (Tsukuba):
My excitement only grew when I found out I would be doing a whole lap on one of my favorite tracks, Tsukuba. Without questioning how we were at Tsukuba in the US, I got in my Mini, and to my surprise, Molly didnt follow me. Instead she got in an odd Nissan Skyline in front of me. So, were doing a guide run, which means you need to follow me to get your racing line right, She informed me over the radio set up in our cars. Startled, I replied, OK.
Knowing a mistake could send me sailing into the car ahead of me, I took my first lap cautiously, but still used everything I had learned so far. I didnt want to overdo it on my first time out, so I thought my first lap would just be to get used to the car. Still, I managed a silver with a time of 128.398 on my first run. Molly was obviously impressed. Thats the sign of a true racer. You dont push it too far on your first time. If you want to succeed in racing, you must know how to learn the car and the course before you get aggressive. I knew this was good advice, and I was glad that I had done it right.
Even so, I felt like I knew the car much better even after just that one lap. I still didnt want to make a mistake, so I still took it relatively slow, all the while staring at the sexy rear end of the Skyline ahead of me. After earning a time nearly a second faster on my next try, and a few more silvers, I figured out which corners I could improve and worked on those. One corner, I found out with Mollys help, could be taken at full throttle. So once more I tried, and earned my fifth gold, at 126.917.
6 Acceleration and Braking: 3:
Once again, we moved to the Test Track to test my timing. Upon crawling into the odd Renault, I noticed two things. First, I could barely see the stopping zone, and secondly, the music that plays in my radio every time we start a test was getting very annoying. Determined to get through these beginner tests as quickly as possible, my gas pedal hit the floor and we both Jolted backwards relatively quickly. How was I supposed to know a Renault Megane would have that kind of acceleration? Molly laughed and we continued to the end where I parked the obscure butt in the checkered zone. 23.532, Molly read.
I needed to do a little well, a lot better to get gold. On my next try, I got more wheelspin, but overcorrected and still ended up going slow. At the finish, I braked later than before and ended just at the edge of the Box. 23.018, Molly said, Very close. Try again? So I did. This time I got very little wheelspin and just barely made it into the box at the end. I was sure my time would be gold, and it was, at 22.633.
7 Acceleration and Braking: 4:
So far the cars that I have driven werent extraordinary. I was expecting a Nissan Z or other average car for the next test, but I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a silver and blue Dodge Viper sitting there, waiting for me. I got in carefully, and with the steering wheel and pedals glowing at me, and engine whining to come out, I grabbed on and went for the ride.
As soon as Molly got in, I realized that this car would not be easy to control. Between wheelspin and braking, it would be very tough. And when I learned that we would be reaching 125 MPH, I wasnt exactly what you would call, ready. I accelerated slowly to prevent wheelspin, and braked early to make sure I made it. I didnt make it. I went way past the cones and failed. After several more runs with minimal wheelspin and missing the end by a lot, I found one spot where I ended up right in the braking zone. The first time that I didnt fail completely, I finished at 26.949. Youre a natural! Molly said excitedly, Most people take very long just to finish this test, or just give up and get another job. I think youre going to do very well in racing. Would you, um, like to go see a movie later? Sure, I said, Talladega Nights?
8 Basics of Cornering: 3:
Although I was excited about my date, I knew I had to concentrate on my driving for the rest of the License Center. This test was rather odd however. The car accelerated by itself until the start location, where I took the wheel and guided it around the corner. Molly was smiling the whole time, so I figured I should think of it as fun. After I accelerated, I quickly swooped around the corner and got 15.356, a gold, on my first try. Now I know what Molly meant by natural.
Maneuver around the cones:
After getting a gold so easily, I decided to take a quick break. Sitting in the lobby with a cool drink, I spotted a cute Daihatsu in a small area filled with cones. Whats that for? I asked. Oh, do you want to try it? Molly said, You have to stop in the finish line without hitting any cones in the process. Its a way for drivers to take a break for a bit. It sounded fun, so I hopped in and drove through the maze of cones, looking for a path. On my first try I stopped too early and finished 16.232 seconds after I started. The Copen was small, so I decided to try squeezing through a straighter path. I clipped a cone on the left and soon after, I found myself listening to some very odd music again. Once more I tried, heading more to the right, then turning left towards the end. If I didnt win this time, I was just going to head to the next test. But then I finished with 11.882, which was enough of a confidence-boost to get me to try one more time. On this last try, following a similar path, I finished with 11.783 seconds on the clock.
9 Basics of Cornering: 4:
Despite the Movie Molly and I were going to see, she was still a great instructor. Before this test, she warned me, This car might understeer off onto the curb if you arent careful, and that might cause you to spin. With the advice noted, I did well, and finished at 12.785. This was still a bit far from the gold, so I took my next few tries to figure out how late I could get on the brakes before understeer. It wasnt all that good. On my next try, however, I earned the gold with 12.448.
10 1 Lap Guide Run (Laguna Seca):
Another Guide Run awaited me, and I couldnt wait. I wanted to prove myself in a car like this Citroen. After 3 laps of going off track, and 1 lap of sliding into a bad position, the first lap I finished was a gold, at 213.944. Cool! Molly said, Maybe you should be driving the Pace Car. We both laughed. I knew I would like Molly.
11 Basics of Dirt Driving: 1:
Molly and I got into the Celica and I listened as she told me what to do. This was a more difficult test, and I wasnt as sure as I was on the other tests. Still, I gave it my best shot. On the first corner, I took it slow, and swung around to the finish line very carefully. 18.839 Bronze. It wasnt great, but I liked this music better than silver anyway. On my second shot, I didnt let off on the gas on the first corner, but still braked too soon on the second. 18.315 was my time, and still bronze. Molly told me that my line through the second corner was flawless, but the first could be faster. I tried once more, and with the annoying yet jazzy music playing in the background, a silver was awarded for my time of 17.716. Molly gave me one last piece of advice, Dont slide as much around the first corner, you only need to slide enough to aim you in the right direction at the exit. You might also want to shift down in the second turn to avoid bogging down. Keeping this knowledge in mind, I finally managed to finish at 17.395, a very good gold.
12 Basics of Dirt Driving: 2:
After Molly congratulated me on such a good time, I moved on to a much faster event. I was given a Monstrous Peugeot and was told to take a very fast right-hander. Molly told me to make use of the brakes, so for my first run, I used them very well - too well. I slid sideways and fortunately didnt hit anything. I expected Molly to be upset but she was surprisingly calm. Maybe because there was no chance of anything happening to the car or us? After we calmed down, I tried again and braked BEFORE turning. This easily slid me in the right direction and I finished with 18.776 seconds later. Twice more I tried, and on the third try landed a solid silver. By now Molly knew that I wasnt about to stop, so I continued, braking less and less each time, until I received gold, at 17.478.
13 Basics of Cornering : 5:
Hopping into the odd Fiat, I immediately noticed that we were back in Japan again. Ah well, its a good track. I thought. You know, youre the only one who hasnt said this car was ugly, Molly said, surprised. Ugly? You kidding? I love Fiats. I replied with a grin. When we started, I took the corner very slow. I wanted to make sure I knew how wide it was. I really didnt want to damage this fine automobile, even if it was impossible. After that, I took it a bit faster and easily earned gold with 22.567. Looks like Fiats are your true calling. Molly said with a laugh. Oh boy! I thought, un-sarcastically.
14 Basics of Cornering: 6:
This was going to be a bit trickier. This corner was much stranger and would take some practice, especially in this very odd-handling car. My first run obviously wasnt great and ended with 18.877 seconds on the clock. On my next run, 18.664 was my time, and I was hoping for gold on my next try. While I didnt get gold, I improved by a lot, with 18.241. Next was gold for sure. And it was, at 18.056. It wasnt by much, but it was still a gold, and I was happy.
15 1 Lap Guide Run (Infineon Raceway):
Ew, PT Cruiser, One of very few cars that you cant learn to love. Taking this car around the track lap after lap would be bad, but not that bad since I got to drive on a great track. For the first try, I stayed close behind the Pace Car, and wouldnt you know it, I got a time of 218.289 on my first try, AKA gold. Looks like PT cruisers might be your true calling too she said, and shot me a sarcastic glance. We both laughed.
16 Graduation Test:
The final test, the one which gave me a B-Class Racing License, seemed easy enough. Before I started, Molly told me, Looks can be deceiving. Most people think they can get it on the first try, but it takes them several tries before they even pass. I doubt Ill get it on the first try I said, but Ill get it. I took the first corner flat-out and carefully maneuvered around the hairpin. Suddenly, 23.619 was somehow displayed on my windshield, and Molly hugged me and gave me my license. As a reward she explained, we usually give people a ride in a helicopter to look at the last track while we give them the license. You up for it? Of course! I yelled, a little louder than I expected.
The license:
With a perfect view of the final hairpin, I was given a certificate, that basically allowed me into more difficult events later on. Molly and I headed to the movies soon after, only to find out it was sold out. "I heard it wasn't that great anyway," I said, "so maybe we should just go get some Coffee or something?" At the coffee shop, we had plenty to talk about. We were talking about what my future plans were, when out of the blue, she told me about a huge garage full of tons of rare, and some not-so-rare cars. She told me that if I wanted to use a few of them, I could. Her father was willing to let me have a 2002 Volkswagen Lupo, 2003 Mazda Kusabi, and 1963 Honda S500. From then on, Molly and I were like a duo, and we both owned the cars. Although I didn't know why her father would give us these cars, I was glad to have them, and we kept them safe in a gigantic warehouse. Maybe someday I would be able to fill it up.
Part 2: First Races:
I really wanted to start driving, but I didnt want to race just yet. I asked Molly if I could take a drive in the Lupo around Tsukuba or something. Of course she agreed, and we both took a few laps. After paying $5 to get in, Molly went first. For the first 2 laps, she just cruised around the track. She used plenty of brakes, but didnt set any new records. Her best lap just cruising was 118.343.She seemed to keep turning more than needed and had to turn back to the outside at the end of the corner. After those two laps, she took 2 more laps at a fast pace. She learned the car very quickly, and I began to wonder if she had driven it before. Hows the car feel? I asked. Great! Well, its great for a Volkswagen Lupo. After all her laps, her best lap showed up like this:
T1:18.032
T2:40.990
L3:117.065
Hmm, Molly thought, I have an idea. Why dont we make a leader board for ourselves? We could track our best times on each track? It sounded like a good idea, so I added her best times to the chart, and then took my four runs.
My first lap was not all that great. Believe it or not, I wasnt used to slower cars. Still, I gave it my best shot, but ended up with a lot more braking than I really needed. By the second lap, I was going 76 MPH, and took the first corner with the best line I could seem to get out of the car without slowing down too much. I sort of missed the apex of the next corner, but somehow I made up for it by taking the next corner without slowing down. The next hairpin was almost too easy, but it felt a little weird. I decided to take it a little slower on the next lap. So I told Molly, This one doesnt count! I pitted on that lap, and we both decided it would be better to turn off the Driving Aids. I had one lap left, so with a very swift motion of the car, and very good lines, my last lap looked like this:
T1:17.769
T2:40.500
L4:116.253
Maybe the next time we come here you should get another chance without the Aids.
Beginner Events:
At last we decided to do some racing against real people. Although we would still be doing some laps against each other, I would mostly be the one racing in events. Molly still had to work at the License center, but when she had time she would sometimes do some racing. We decided to enter a very average race cup, the Sunday Cup. While very many cars are eligible, including the highest performance race cars, it really was not that special when you won it in an F1 car. All our other opponents were rather slow, but our Lupo wasnt much better. The first race took place at Autumn Ring Mini. This place looked like Fall all the time, but it was a very short, hilly track.
The lineup consisted of a 2000 Fiat Punto HGT Abarth, 2003 Peugeot 106 S16, 2003 Scion xB, 2001 VW Polo GTI, and 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 2.0 Twinspark.
I didnt know if my car would be any faster, but I did sort of want a challenge for my first race. I felt like the Licenses were too easy, so I wanted to get a taste of competition.
In the first turn, I didnt use the brakes until I realized I was understeering a bit. After the S-bends, I passed the Alfa and the Polo at the same time, but traded paint with the other Volkswagen. We both knew that these cars were indestructible, but he still didnt like it. I had barely passed him when he passed me right back on the strait. The Alfa passed me back soon after as well. I followed him closely until the end of the lap, and made my move by going around him in the last corner. He bumped me at the exit, but I didnt mind. By the S-bends, I was going much faster than the Polo, and easily passed him just at the end of the first sector. With a bit of sliding, I ran side by side through two turns, right next to the Scion. I finally passed him right under the first bridge. In the next left-hander, he tried to squeeze by on the outside, but I easily out-accelerated him to the next corner. By now, there were two cars ahead, and I could tell they were pretty far ahead. I finished the race at a solid 3rd place, and considering the circumstances, that wasnt bad. I won a nifty $300 for 3rd place, which was OK, but I wanted a win.
The thing with these races, is that everyone will gladly race again if you want to. They never get tired. However, you must wait a day before they can. I entered the race again the next day, and this time, I managed to improve to second place. I went through the first few S-bends only hitting the brakes once. This allowed me to pass the Alfa Romeo, Polo, and Scion before the bridges. For the rest of the lap I spent my time catching up to the Peugeot. I eventually passed it in the long right hander leading uphill. He bumped me around the last corner, and I really had no chance to catch the Fiat as well. $500 was rewarded this time. I would try again later, but until then, I wanted to try out the rest of the races. If I couldnt keep up, I would have to buy some parts.
I then took a trip to the driving park Beginner Course, a small oval track with a little inward chicane. This m, the Peugeot and Polo were replaced with a 2003 MG TF160, and 1989 Mazda MX5 Miata. The race was full of contact, but I managed to win. I hit every car when I passed them, and passed the Fiat at the last second. I went back to the Autumn Ring to try one last time, and my opponents were another Peugeot, just like the last one, Honda CR-X, Fiat Barchetta, Renault Megane, and MINI COOPER. Once again, I passed the first three cars in the S-bends, and the CR-X in the last right hander on the first lap. On the first turn in the second lap, we did some ballet. He passed me on the inside, then we switched and I passed him on the inside. I followed the Peugeot until the last turn, got the inside, and shoved him right out of my way as I crossed the finish line.
With two of the Sunday Cups races down, I wanted to take a breather, so I asked if Molly had a camera. Surprisingly, she told me she was a professional photographer, and took pictures as another small hobby. From then on I let her take all the pictures. Before taking some pictures, I got an e-mail informing me, Opera Paris would like you to come to our track for some driving. It is only a small fee to get in, and you can have as much practice time as you want. I kept that in the back of my mind. Now, we wanted to take pictures of our cars, so I went to the GTauto service shop. I got a car wash, and also decided that the stock rims were getting bland. I wanted to keep the general feel of the wheels, so we picked out the FALKEN 001 set of rims. We traveled, very quickly, to Piazza San Marco, with the Lupo, and took the S500 to Sagano. I let Molly do her thing, and the following pictures came out:
I really wanted to finish up the Sunday Cup. I also wanted to finish them without hitting all the cars. I showed up at the High-Speed Ring to find a 1983 Honda BALLADE SPORTS CR-X 1.5i, which I would kind of like to own someday, a 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 1997 MGF, 2000 Chrysler PT-Cruiser, and 2003 Renault Megane 2.0 16V. I then realized I had taken the S500. I decided to try it anyway, even though I knew it wouldnt do all that well. After taking off the Driving Aids, I just cruised around the track, getting used to the car. In the future, this would be my project car. I wanted to make it faster than these cars. I won $100 just for finishing, and drove home to switch to the Lupo. I entered the same race again, and was up against a 2001 VW Polo GTI, a 2000 Fiat Punto HGT Abarth, a 2000 Daihatsu STORIA X4, a pink 2001 Honda Fit W, and a 2002 MINI COOPER.
At the start of the race I got a small amount of wheelspin, and drafted the cars ahead all the way around the first corner. By the end of the first corner, I was going significantly faster than them, and passed the STORIA in the next corner. While passing the Pink Fit, the STORIA somehow gained speed and zoomed past me. I drafted the Polo for a bit then took the inside line and squeezed by with no contact. I traded invisible paint with the STORIA, and it accelerated ahead of me. With the MINI COOPER to my right, and the STORIA up ahead, the MINI pulled ahead, and the Polo and Fit came up from behind. I was as far back behind as when I started. This time, I was about to take a turn, so while they were all braking, trying to avoid each other, I took it full throttle, and passed the Fit and Polo. I hit the MINI pretty hard, but on the strait we both turned slightly towards each other and ended up taking most of the strait glued together. He passed me right at the line, but I followed him closely, and got right around him in the left-hander. Although he pressed me right into the wall, I still got ahead, and had so much speed I rammed the Punto very hard and sent myself off the track. Even in the grass I
was on the gas, and although I was passed by the Polo and MINI, I passed them right back in the right-hand corner. I went a bit too fast and ended up in the grass again, but this allowed me to powerslide right into my racing line. The MINI bumped me from behind, and by the end of the tunnel, I was side-by-side with the Fiat. I passed him on the outside in the entry to the last sweeper, and the STORIA, which had me very annoyed throughout this race, was 0.216 seconds behind me by the end of the race.
While the race wasnt very clean, it was certainly entertaining. There wasnt so much as a scratch on my car, although it was probably a bit dirty. I didnt mind though. I just entered the next Sunday Cup race. With $600 more in my pocket, I headed to the race at Clubman Stage Route 5 Reverse. Against a bunch of dark colored cars, I would have a bit of trouble seeing on this one. I passed the Scion on the first lap, and the Fit on the next lap. I was not happy with that, so I tried again. This time I got 5th place. Even worse. I would have to get a faster car or make this one faster to win this race. Then I got an idea. I was also given a Mazda KUSABI for my licenses, so I thought I could use that for the Clubman Stage race. For now though, I just took a trip to Motegis West Short Course. In 3 laps, I hoped to pass everyone. I wanted to use the slower car to win this race, rather than the KUSABI. Although I didnt win, I felt like I could do better. After claiming my money, I tried again, and once again only came in 3rd. I sill felt as though I could do better though. 3rd once again. I wanted badly to try again, but I had had enough for now.
After a while, we got to know each other even better. She was like the perfect person for me. To make a story that is already long, and is getting longer, shorter, we got married. It was an odd marriage though, because when we did, it meant we were bound to have the same lifestyle for a very long time. We were going to race together until we retired. Like I said, we were a team, and her career and mine were now one.
Before I finished up the Sunday Cup, I wanted to try something different. Looking at the event listing, I found that there was a challenge for FR cars. I thought it would be a good time to buy a car with our money. After looking for used cars, I found a 1981 Toyota CELICA XX 2800GT. With 151 HP, it was a perfect car for the FR event. For $8130, we bought it. The color was confident two-tone and matched our personality. We entered the race at Seattle and immediately turned off the Aids. Seattle was a hilly track, but I hoped the Celica could handle it. It could, but it wasnt all that fast. I lost by quite a bit. I heard though that a simple oil change could increase the power by plenty.
But first, I had an idea. I entered the Sunday Cup again, and added 200 lbs to the car. In the first corner, the Miata and the Scion waved their butts in my face while I thought about when to pass them. In the open area I was side by side with the Mazda, and our sides scraped. As payback, I pushed him aside and plotted my move against the Scion xB. In the chicane, I passed him just barely, even though he had to slow down to let me in. I understeered a bit and had to slow down more, but recovered and saw three pairs of taillights up ahead. In the tunnel, I passed an MG and an Alfa Romeo. On the strait, I passed the Punto, but felt bad because I outclassed them. I slowed down and pulled to the left. The Alfa Romeo, MG, and Punto passed me, but the Alfa was well behind me by the tunnel. I majestically swung by the MG and the Punto in a swift sweep in the tunnel, before finishing the race in 1st place. $600 was awarded, although I didnt really think I deserved it.
In the next race, at Motegi, I entered with the hope that I could eventually come back and win it in the Lupo. As a substitute, I just hit the brakes. Once I stopped, I accelerated again and started really racing. In the first lap, I went through the sand trap in the chicane. This was a disadvantage in the long run. Unfortunately for the other cars, this wasnt a long run. In the next lap I drafted the big yellow Italian box and passed it just before the chicane. While the CR-X was busy attacking the Peugeot, I passed and was left with a red hatchback to pass. I did just that by the end of the lap, and thought I was ahead, when I noticed a black blob ahead. It was the Fiat Barchetta I took the whole lap to catch up, and just nearly passed him after the chicane. I almost knocked him off the track, but missed, and then almost flew off the track myself. Luckily I won, and $600 was my reward. The driver of the Fiat, obviously impressed, convinced everyone to get me a classic Autobianchi A112 Abarth. It wasnt beautiful, but it would be a cool little car to use for our leaderboard.
Hey, that reminds me!
We headed back to Tsukuba with our Abarth and turned off the driving Aids. I let Molly go first again, and after one lap of cruising, she pushed the car to its limits. She went off track, but remained confident. After almost going off again, she set her pace down to a fast pace, but not pushing it. By lap 3, she was still a bit slower than her times when cruising. This car just wasnt meant to be pushed. She adopted a steady pace and kept going. By the end of lap 5, her times were much faster. I let her do 2 more laps after that, and since she pushed a bit too hard on those laps, her best was:
T1: 18.884
T2: 42.616
L5: 120.748.
By some unexplainable circumstance, her times for laps 5 and 7 were exactly the same. Her sector times were better in lap 5 though.
Now it was my turn. On lap one, I set the bar, but often braked late and missed the apex entirely. I learned from this lap that the rumble strips often slowed me down. With a time of 119.615, I had a lot of work ahead. For the next lap, I didnt improve, but after that, I got a good roll going and managed a 119.459. During the next lap, I tapped the brakes more than necessary and wasted time, but I made up for it by keeping a great line. I messed up a bit on the sweeper, but I still kept good speed and my next lap luckily didnt suffer too badly. My next lap was the best of the day, by hitting the apex late, and trail braking. After that lap of 119.269, Things went a bit downhill. I didnt improve for the next lap, but I was ahead until I messed up the second to last corner and then later went in the grass. My next lap was lame because of this, but the same happened again when I accidentally shifted to 2nd on the 2nd to last corner. Check the leaderboard for our times.
I think the reason Molly wasnt doing so great is because she was a driving instructor. Well, actually, the other way around. She knows the techniques, but if she could put them in action flawlessly, she wouldnt be an instructor. She would have been in my place, building up her career like I plan to do. Hopefully she will improve plenty by the time
I retire.
It was fun, and now I had the terrible urge to finish some more license tests.
leaderboard:
MORE TO COME
PART 1 - The Beginning:
Training:
My first stop was the License Center. I decided I needed to get some idea of what it was like to drive at high speeds. As of yet the fastest car I've driven was a Mazda Demio from 1999. It was time to get some more experience.
B License Tests:
I figured for now I could get off just earning the first License, which is B. Listening to the catchy music playing in the office, I sign up for lessons, and away I go.
1 - Acceleration and Braking: 1:
I almost broke out laughing when I found out what car I was to be driving. It was exactly like mine, but in a much better color. I was jealous. Well anyway, I parked my butt in the seat and waited for my instructor. "Alright," I thought, "This can't be too hard. After all I've driven this car before." As I listen to the instructor's, um, instructions, I start the car and prepare for the beginning of my dream.
After bringing my revs up to 5000, I ease onto the gas and accelerate to about 43 MPH before slowing down into the checkered zone. "10.648" my instructor tells me. "Not bad for a first. Have you had lessons before?" "Well," I explain, "No, but I have paid attention to the techniques real drivers use, and have looked up information about it." She smiled and asked if I wanted to move on to the next test. Actually, I think I need a bit more practice. She smiled again and we repeated the test, this time with 10.243. Youre certainly improving. she told me. One more time? I asked, and with a wink she kindly said, Go ahead. I took off well this time, and stopped in the box with a 09.874. As cool music played from the car radio, I asked how I was doing. She told me that I got the best possible mark on it, which is gold. Hmm, I wondered, Maybe Im doing well because I have a car just like this that I use as my daily-driver. Do you really? She asked, Because I was thinking of getting one too.
2 Acceleration and Braking: 2:
When I decided that I had enough of the Demio, a bright red Mitsubishi caught my eye. I was almost in shock when the instructor, whos name I found out to be Molly, told me I would be driving it next. Already? I ask, I mean, uh, I just drove the Demio and Im already driving this? Trust me, she said, You can handle it. These cars get faster and faster, so be prepared to be racing some very fine machines. With that comment I had a very good feeling about this school.
I started up the car and did exactly as before. On my first run, I finished with an 11.398, then 10.999 after a few more runs. I was getting better, which is what I was hoping for when I came to the License Center.
3 Basics of Cornering: 1:
I had a strange feeling when we started this test. I wasnt expecting to get to cornering so fast. Still, I approached with eagerness, and it showed. You look excited, Molly said, You must be having fun. I certainly was. After Molly told me about Out-In-Out cornering, I felt like I would have no trouble on this test. I already had some idea of racing line from watching racing on TV. I was also confident about the car. I always thought that a Del Sol would be a fun car, so it was good that I would be cornering it instead of racing in a straight line.
I felt the car wanting to be driven as soon as I stepped inside. With confidence, I put my foot down and took the first corner of the Deep Forest Course at 60 MPH. Not a good choice, I could feel the car pull me to the outside, and as very odd music played on the radio, Molly told me, in the kindest voice possible, that I had failed. Obviously, I wasnt kicked out or anything, but I wanted to try again. Molly happily agreed, but first, she told me, Try not to focus on what speed youre going at. Just do what feels right. Feeling stuck in a Wendys Commercial, I repeated the test, and with a perfect line, managed a 30.877. Good, Molly told me, Another Gold. Thats 3 for 3.
4 Basics of Cornering: 2:
When I saw that I was driving a Nissan, I asked Molly, Why are all the cars Japanese so far? She politely answered, I think Japan supplied us with almost everything for this school, but there are some other cars. I was to do the same thing as last time, but with more caution, as this car is FR. I knew that FR meant Front Engine-Rear Wheel Drive, but I didnt know at the time that it would cause oversteer. Still, for a first time of 30.371, I didnt do too badly. I tried to get gold one more time, and did, with a quick time of 29.758.
I was progressing quickly, and was beginning to get more and more excited at the start of each test.
5 1 Lap Guide Run (Tsukuba):
My excitement only grew when I found out I would be doing a whole lap on one of my favorite tracks, Tsukuba. Without questioning how we were at Tsukuba in the US, I got in my Mini, and to my surprise, Molly didnt follow me. Instead she got in an odd Nissan Skyline in front of me. So, were doing a guide run, which means you need to follow me to get your racing line right, She informed me over the radio set up in our cars. Startled, I replied, OK.
Knowing a mistake could send me sailing into the car ahead of me, I took my first lap cautiously, but still used everything I had learned so far. I didnt want to overdo it on my first time out, so I thought my first lap would just be to get used to the car. Still, I managed a silver with a time of 128.398 on my first run. Molly was obviously impressed. Thats the sign of a true racer. You dont push it too far on your first time. If you want to succeed in racing, you must know how to learn the car and the course before you get aggressive. I knew this was good advice, and I was glad that I had done it right.
Even so, I felt like I knew the car much better even after just that one lap. I still didnt want to make a mistake, so I still took it relatively slow, all the while staring at the sexy rear end of the Skyline ahead of me. After earning a time nearly a second faster on my next try, and a few more silvers, I figured out which corners I could improve and worked on those. One corner, I found out with Mollys help, could be taken at full throttle. So once more I tried, and earned my fifth gold, at 126.917.
6 Acceleration and Braking: 3:
Once again, we moved to the Test Track to test my timing. Upon crawling into the odd Renault, I noticed two things. First, I could barely see the stopping zone, and secondly, the music that plays in my radio every time we start a test was getting very annoying. Determined to get through these beginner tests as quickly as possible, my gas pedal hit the floor and we both Jolted backwards relatively quickly. How was I supposed to know a Renault Megane would have that kind of acceleration? Molly laughed and we continued to the end where I parked the obscure butt in the checkered zone. 23.532, Molly read.
I needed to do a little well, a lot better to get gold. On my next try, I got more wheelspin, but overcorrected and still ended up going slow. At the finish, I braked later than before and ended just at the edge of the Box. 23.018, Molly said, Very close. Try again? So I did. This time I got very little wheelspin and just barely made it into the box at the end. I was sure my time would be gold, and it was, at 22.633.
7 Acceleration and Braking: 4:
So far the cars that I have driven werent extraordinary. I was expecting a Nissan Z or other average car for the next test, but I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a silver and blue Dodge Viper sitting there, waiting for me. I got in carefully, and with the steering wheel and pedals glowing at me, and engine whining to come out, I grabbed on and went for the ride.
As soon as Molly got in, I realized that this car would not be easy to control. Between wheelspin and braking, it would be very tough. And when I learned that we would be reaching 125 MPH, I wasnt exactly what you would call, ready. I accelerated slowly to prevent wheelspin, and braked early to make sure I made it. I didnt make it. I went way past the cones and failed. After several more runs with minimal wheelspin and missing the end by a lot, I found one spot where I ended up right in the braking zone. The first time that I didnt fail completely, I finished at 26.949. Youre a natural! Molly said excitedly, Most people take very long just to finish this test, or just give up and get another job. I think youre going to do very well in racing. Would you, um, like to go see a movie later? Sure, I said, Talladega Nights?
8 Basics of Cornering: 3:
Although I was excited about my date, I knew I had to concentrate on my driving for the rest of the License Center. This test was rather odd however. The car accelerated by itself until the start location, where I took the wheel and guided it around the corner. Molly was smiling the whole time, so I figured I should think of it as fun. After I accelerated, I quickly swooped around the corner and got 15.356, a gold, on my first try. Now I know what Molly meant by natural.
Maneuver around the cones:
After getting a gold so easily, I decided to take a quick break. Sitting in the lobby with a cool drink, I spotted a cute Daihatsu in a small area filled with cones. Whats that for? I asked. Oh, do you want to try it? Molly said, You have to stop in the finish line without hitting any cones in the process. Its a way for drivers to take a break for a bit. It sounded fun, so I hopped in and drove through the maze of cones, looking for a path. On my first try I stopped too early and finished 16.232 seconds after I started. The Copen was small, so I decided to try squeezing through a straighter path. I clipped a cone on the left and soon after, I found myself listening to some very odd music again. Once more I tried, heading more to the right, then turning left towards the end. If I didnt win this time, I was just going to head to the next test. But then I finished with 11.882, which was enough of a confidence-boost to get me to try one more time. On this last try, following a similar path, I finished with 11.783 seconds on the clock.
9 Basics of Cornering: 4:
Despite the Movie Molly and I were going to see, she was still a great instructor. Before this test, she warned me, This car might understeer off onto the curb if you arent careful, and that might cause you to spin. With the advice noted, I did well, and finished at 12.785. This was still a bit far from the gold, so I took my next few tries to figure out how late I could get on the brakes before understeer. It wasnt all that good. On my next try, however, I earned the gold with 12.448.
10 1 Lap Guide Run (Laguna Seca):
Another Guide Run awaited me, and I couldnt wait. I wanted to prove myself in a car like this Citroen. After 3 laps of going off track, and 1 lap of sliding into a bad position, the first lap I finished was a gold, at 213.944. Cool! Molly said, Maybe you should be driving the Pace Car. We both laughed. I knew I would like Molly.
11 Basics of Dirt Driving: 1:
Molly and I got into the Celica and I listened as she told me what to do. This was a more difficult test, and I wasnt as sure as I was on the other tests. Still, I gave it my best shot. On the first corner, I took it slow, and swung around to the finish line very carefully. 18.839 Bronze. It wasnt great, but I liked this music better than silver anyway. On my second shot, I didnt let off on the gas on the first corner, but still braked too soon on the second. 18.315 was my time, and still bronze. Molly told me that my line through the second corner was flawless, but the first could be faster. I tried once more, and with the annoying yet jazzy music playing in the background, a silver was awarded for my time of 17.716. Molly gave me one last piece of advice, Dont slide as much around the first corner, you only need to slide enough to aim you in the right direction at the exit. You might also want to shift down in the second turn to avoid bogging down. Keeping this knowledge in mind, I finally managed to finish at 17.395, a very good gold.
12 Basics of Dirt Driving: 2:
After Molly congratulated me on such a good time, I moved on to a much faster event. I was given a Monstrous Peugeot and was told to take a very fast right-hander. Molly told me to make use of the brakes, so for my first run, I used them very well - too well. I slid sideways and fortunately didnt hit anything. I expected Molly to be upset but she was surprisingly calm. Maybe because there was no chance of anything happening to the car or us? After we calmed down, I tried again and braked BEFORE turning. This easily slid me in the right direction and I finished with 18.776 seconds later. Twice more I tried, and on the third try landed a solid silver. By now Molly knew that I wasnt about to stop, so I continued, braking less and less each time, until I received gold, at 17.478.
13 Basics of Cornering : 5:
Hopping into the odd Fiat, I immediately noticed that we were back in Japan again. Ah well, its a good track. I thought. You know, youre the only one who hasnt said this car was ugly, Molly said, surprised. Ugly? You kidding? I love Fiats. I replied with a grin. When we started, I took the corner very slow. I wanted to make sure I knew how wide it was. I really didnt want to damage this fine automobile, even if it was impossible. After that, I took it a bit faster and easily earned gold with 22.567. Looks like Fiats are your true calling. Molly said with a laugh. Oh boy! I thought, un-sarcastically.
14 Basics of Cornering: 6:
This was going to be a bit trickier. This corner was much stranger and would take some practice, especially in this very odd-handling car. My first run obviously wasnt great and ended with 18.877 seconds on the clock. On my next run, 18.664 was my time, and I was hoping for gold on my next try. While I didnt get gold, I improved by a lot, with 18.241. Next was gold for sure. And it was, at 18.056. It wasnt by much, but it was still a gold, and I was happy.
15 1 Lap Guide Run (Infineon Raceway):
Ew, PT Cruiser, One of very few cars that you cant learn to love. Taking this car around the track lap after lap would be bad, but not that bad since I got to drive on a great track. For the first try, I stayed close behind the Pace Car, and wouldnt you know it, I got a time of 218.289 on my first try, AKA gold. Looks like PT cruisers might be your true calling too she said, and shot me a sarcastic glance. We both laughed.
16 Graduation Test:
The final test, the one which gave me a B-Class Racing License, seemed easy enough. Before I started, Molly told me, Looks can be deceiving. Most people think they can get it on the first try, but it takes them several tries before they even pass. I doubt Ill get it on the first try I said, but Ill get it. I took the first corner flat-out and carefully maneuvered around the hairpin. Suddenly, 23.619 was somehow displayed on my windshield, and Molly hugged me and gave me my license. As a reward she explained, we usually give people a ride in a helicopter to look at the last track while we give them the license. You up for it? Of course! I yelled, a little louder than I expected.
The license:
With a perfect view of the final hairpin, I was given a certificate, that basically allowed me into more difficult events later on. Molly and I headed to the movies soon after, only to find out it was sold out. "I heard it wasn't that great anyway," I said, "so maybe we should just go get some Coffee or something?" At the coffee shop, we had plenty to talk about. We were talking about what my future plans were, when out of the blue, she told me about a huge garage full of tons of rare, and some not-so-rare cars. She told me that if I wanted to use a few of them, I could. Her father was willing to let me have a 2002 Volkswagen Lupo, 2003 Mazda Kusabi, and 1963 Honda S500. From then on, Molly and I were like a duo, and we both owned the cars. Although I didn't know why her father would give us these cars, I was glad to have them, and we kept them safe in a gigantic warehouse. Maybe someday I would be able to fill it up.
Part 2: First Races:
I really wanted to start driving, but I didnt want to race just yet. I asked Molly if I could take a drive in the Lupo around Tsukuba or something. Of course she agreed, and we both took a few laps. After paying $5 to get in, Molly went first. For the first 2 laps, she just cruised around the track. She used plenty of brakes, but didnt set any new records. Her best lap just cruising was 118.343.She seemed to keep turning more than needed and had to turn back to the outside at the end of the corner. After those two laps, she took 2 more laps at a fast pace. She learned the car very quickly, and I began to wonder if she had driven it before. Hows the car feel? I asked. Great! Well, its great for a Volkswagen Lupo. After all her laps, her best lap showed up like this:
T1:18.032
T2:40.990
L3:117.065
Hmm, Molly thought, I have an idea. Why dont we make a leader board for ourselves? We could track our best times on each track? It sounded like a good idea, so I added her best times to the chart, and then took my four runs.
My first lap was not all that great. Believe it or not, I wasnt used to slower cars. Still, I gave it my best shot, but ended up with a lot more braking than I really needed. By the second lap, I was going 76 MPH, and took the first corner with the best line I could seem to get out of the car without slowing down too much. I sort of missed the apex of the next corner, but somehow I made up for it by taking the next corner without slowing down. The next hairpin was almost too easy, but it felt a little weird. I decided to take it a little slower on the next lap. So I told Molly, This one doesnt count! I pitted on that lap, and we both decided it would be better to turn off the Driving Aids. I had one lap left, so with a very swift motion of the car, and very good lines, my last lap looked like this:
T1:17.769
T2:40.500
L4:116.253
Maybe the next time we come here you should get another chance without the Aids.
Beginner Events:
At last we decided to do some racing against real people. Although we would still be doing some laps against each other, I would mostly be the one racing in events. Molly still had to work at the License center, but when she had time she would sometimes do some racing. We decided to enter a very average race cup, the Sunday Cup. While very many cars are eligible, including the highest performance race cars, it really was not that special when you won it in an F1 car. All our other opponents were rather slow, but our Lupo wasnt much better. The first race took place at Autumn Ring Mini. This place looked like Fall all the time, but it was a very short, hilly track.
The lineup consisted of a 2000 Fiat Punto HGT Abarth, 2003 Peugeot 106 S16, 2003 Scion xB, 2001 VW Polo GTI, and 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 2.0 Twinspark.
I didnt know if my car would be any faster, but I did sort of want a challenge for my first race. I felt like the Licenses were too easy, so I wanted to get a taste of competition.
In the first turn, I didnt use the brakes until I realized I was understeering a bit. After the S-bends, I passed the Alfa and the Polo at the same time, but traded paint with the other Volkswagen. We both knew that these cars were indestructible, but he still didnt like it. I had barely passed him when he passed me right back on the strait. The Alfa passed me back soon after as well. I followed him closely until the end of the lap, and made my move by going around him in the last corner. He bumped me at the exit, but I didnt mind. By the S-bends, I was going much faster than the Polo, and easily passed him just at the end of the first sector. With a bit of sliding, I ran side by side through two turns, right next to the Scion. I finally passed him right under the first bridge. In the next left-hander, he tried to squeeze by on the outside, but I easily out-accelerated him to the next corner. By now, there were two cars ahead, and I could tell they were pretty far ahead. I finished the race at a solid 3rd place, and considering the circumstances, that wasnt bad. I won a nifty $300 for 3rd place, which was OK, but I wanted a win.
The thing with these races, is that everyone will gladly race again if you want to. They never get tired. However, you must wait a day before they can. I entered the race again the next day, and this time, I managed to improve to second place. I went through the first few S-bends only hitting the brakes once. This allowed me to pass the Alfa Romeo, Polo, and Scion before the bridges. For the rest of the lap I spent my time catching up to the Peugeot. I eventually passed it in the long right hander leading uphill. He bumped me around the last corner, and I really had no chance to catch the Fiat as well. $500 was rewarded this time. I would try again later, but until then, I wanted to try out the rest of the races. If I couldnt keep up, I would have to buy some parts.
I then took a trip to the driving park Beginner Course, a small oval track with a little inward chicane. This m, the Peugeot and Polo were replaced with a 2003 MG TF160, and 1989 Mazda MX5 Miata. The race was full of contact, but I managed to win. I hit every car when I passed them, and passed the Fiat at the last second. I went back to the Autumn Ring to try one last time, and my opponents were another Peugeot, just like the last one, Honda CR-X, Fiat Barchetta, Renault Megane, and MINI COOPER. Once again, I passed the first three cars in the S-bends, and the CR-X in the last right hander on the first lap. On the first turn in the second lap, we did some ballet. He passed me on the inside, then we switched and I passed him on the inside. I followed the Peugeot until the last turn, got the inside, and shoved him right out of my way as I crossed the finish line.
With two of the Sunday Cups races down, I wanted to take a breather, so I asked if Molly had a camera. Surprisingly, she told me she was a professional photographer, and took pictures as another small hobby. From then on I let her take all the pictures. Before taking some pictures, I got an e-mail informing me, Opera Paris would like you to come to our track for some driving. It is only a small fee to get in, and you can have as much practice time as you want. I kept that in the back of my mind. Now, we wanted to take pictures of our cars, so I went to the GTauto service shop. I got a car wash, and also decided that the stock rims were getting bland. I wanted to keep the general feel of the wheels, so we picked out the FALKEN 001 set of rims. We traveled, very quickly, to Piazza San Marco, with the Lupo, and took the S500 to Sagano. I let Molly do her thing, and the following pictures came out:
I really wanted to finish up the Sunday Cup. I also wanted to finish them without hitting all the cars. I showed up at the High-Speed Ring to find a 1983 Honda BALLADE SPORTS CR-X 1.5i, which I would kind of like to own someday, a 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 1997 MGF, 2000 Chrysler PT-Cruiser, and 2003 Renault Megane 2.0 16V. I then realized I had taken the S500. I decided to try it anyway, even though I knew it wouldnt do all that well. After taking off the Driving Aids, I just cruised around the track, getting used to the car. In the future, this would be my project car. I wanted to make it faster than these cars. I won $100 just for finishing, and drove home to switch to the Lupo. I entered the same race again, and was up against a 2001 VW Polo GTI, a 2000 Fiat Punto HGT Abarth, a 2000 Daihatsu STORIA X4, a pink 2001 Honda Fit W, and a 2002 MINI COOPER.
At the start of the race I got a small amount of wheelspin, and drafted the cars ahead all the way around the first corner. By the end of the first corner, I was going significantly faster than them, and passed the STORIA in the next corner. While passing the Pink Fit, the STORIA somehow gained speed and zoomed past me. I drafted the Polo for a bit then took the inside line and squeezed by with no contact. I traded invisible paint with the STORIA, and it accelerated ahead of me. With the MINI COOPER to my right, and the STORIA up ahead, the MINI pulled ahead, and the Polo and Fit came up from behind. I was as far back behind as when I started. This time, I was about to take a turn, so while they were all braking, trying to avoid each other, I took it full throttle, and passed the Fit and Polo. I hit the MINI pretty hard, but on the strait we both turned slightly towards each other and ended up taking most of the strait glued together. He passed me right at the line, but I followed him closely, and got right around him in the left-hander. Although he pressed me right into the wall, I still got ahead, and had so much speed I rammed the Punto very hard and sent myself off the track. Even in the grass I
was on the gas, and although I was passed by the Polo and MINI, I passed them right back in the right-hand corner. I went a bit too fast and ended up in the grass again, but this allowed me to powerslide right into my racing line. The MINI bumped me from behind, and by the end of the tunnel, I was side-by-side with the Fiat. I passed him on the outside in the entry to the last sweeper, and the STORIA, which had me very annoyed throughout this race, was 0.216 seconds behind me by the end of the race.
While the race wasnt very clean, it was certainly entertaining. There wasnt so much as a scratch on my car, although it was probably a bit dirty. I didnt mind though. I just entered the next Sunday Cup race. With $600 more in my pocket, I headed to the race at Clubman Stage Route 5 Reverse. Against a bunch of dark colored cars, I would have a bit of trouble seeing on this one. I passed the Scion on the first lap, and the Fit on the next lap. I was not happy with that, so I tried again. This time I got 5th place. Even worse. I would have to get a faster car or make this one faster to win this race. Then I got an idea. I was also given a Mazda KUSABI for my licenses, so I thought I could use that for the Clubman Stage race. For now though, I just took a trip to Motegis West Short Course. In 3 laps, I hoped to pass everyone. I wanted to use the slower car to win this race, rather than the KUSABI. Although I didnt win, I felt like I could do better. After claiming my money, I tried again, and once again only came in 3rd. I sill felt as though I could do better though. 3rd once again. I wanted badly to try again, but I had had enough for now.
After a while, we got to know each other even better. She was like the perfect person for me. To make a story that is already long, and is getting longer, shorter, we got married. It was an odd marriage though, because when we did, it meant we were bound to have the same lifestyle for a very long time. We were going to race together until we retired. Like I said, we were a team, and her career and mine were now one.
Before I finished up the Sunday Cup, I wanted to try something different. Looking at the event listing, I found that there was a challenge for FR cars. I thought it would be a good time to buy a car with our money. After looking for used cars, I found a 1981 Toyota CELICA XX 2800GT. With 151 HP, it was a perfect car for the FR event. For $8130, we bought it. The color was confident two-tone and matched our personality. We entered the race at Seattle and immediately turned off the Aids. Seattle was a hilly track, but I hoped the Celica could handle it. It could, but it wasnt all that fast. I lost by quite a bit. I heard though that a simple oil change could increase the power by plenty.
But first, I had an idea. I entered the Sunday Cup again, and added 200 lbs to the car. In the first corner, the Miata and the Scion waved their butts in my face while I thought about when to pass them. In the open area I was side by side with the Mazda, and our sides scraped. As payback, I pushed him aside and plotted my move against the Scion xB. In the chicane, I passed him just barely, even though he had to slow down to let me in. I understeered a bit and had to slow down more, but recovered and saw three pairs of taillights up ahead. In the tunnel, I passed an MG and an Alfa Romeo. On the strait, I passed the Punto, but felt bad because I outclassed them. I slowed down and pulled to the left. The Alfa Romeo, MG, and Punto passed me, but the Alfa was well behind me by the tunnel. I majestically swung by the MG and the Punto in a swift sweep in the tunnel, before finishing the race in 1st place. $600 was awarded, although I didnt really think I deserved it.
In the next race, at Motegi, I entered with the hope that I could eventually come back and win it in the Lupo. As a substitute, I just hit the brakes. Once I stopped, I accelerated again and started really racing. In the first lap, I went through the sand trap in the chicane. This was a disadvantage in the long run. Unfortunately for the other cars, this wasnt a long run. In the next lap I drafted the big yellow Italian box and passed it just before the chicane. While the CR-X was busy attacking the Peugeot, I passed and was left with a red hatchback to pass. I did just that by the end of the lap, and thought I was ahead, when I noticed a black blob ahead. It was the Fiat Barchetta I took the whole lap to catch up, and just nearly passed him after the chicane. I almost knocked him off the track, but missed, and then almost flew off the track myself. Luckily I won, and $600 was my reward. The driver of the Fiat, obviously impressed, convinced everyone to get me a classic Autobianchi A112 Abarth. It wasnt beautiful, but it would be a cool little car to use for our leaderboard.
Hey, that reminds me!
We headed back to Tsukuba with our Abarth and turned off the driving Aids. I let Molly go first again, and after one lap of cruising, she pushed the car to its limits. She went off track, but remained confident. After almost going off again, she set her pace down to a fast pace, but not pushing it. By lap 3, she was still a bit slower than her times when cruising. This car just wasnt meant to be pushed. She adopted a steady pace and kept going. By the end of lap 5, her times were much faster. I let her do 2 more laps after that, and since she pushed a bit too hard on those laps, her best was:
T1: 18.884
T2: 42.616
L5: 120.748.
By some unexplainable circumstance, her times for laps 5 and 7 were exactly the same. Her sector times were better in lap 5 though.
Now it was my turn. On lap one, I set the bar, but often braked late and missed the apex entirely. I learned from this lap that the rumble strips often slowed me down. With a time of 119.615, I had a lot of work ahead. For the next lap, I didnt improve, but after that, I got a good roll going and managed a 119.459. During the next lap, I tapped the brakes more than necessary and wasted time, but I made up for it by keeping a great line. I messed up a bit on the sweeper, but I still kept good speed and my next lap luckily didnt suffer too badly. My next lap was the best of the day, by hitting the apex late, and trail braking. After that lap of 119.269, Things went a bit downhill. I didnt improve for the next lap, but I was ahead until I messed up the second to last corner and then later went in the grass. My next lap was lame because of this, but the same happened again when I accidentally shifted to 2nd on the 2nd to last corner. Check the leaderboard for our times.
I think the reason Molly wasnt doing so great is because she was a driving instructor. Well, actually, the other way around. She knows the techniques, but if she could put them in action flawlessly, she wouldnt be an instructor. She would have been in my place, building up her career like I plan to do. Hopefully she will improve plenty by the time
I retire.
It was fun, and now I had the terrible urge to finish some more license tests.
leaderboard:
Code:
Track: Car: Me Molly
Tsukuba Volkswagen Lupo '02
T1: 17.769 18.032
T2: 40.500 40.990
T3: 1'16.253 1'17.065
Tsukuba Autobianchi A112 Abarth '79
T1: 18.599 18.884
T2: 42.070 42.616
T3: 1'19.269 120.748MORE TO COME
Well when one of my exes used to watch the Young and the Restless, she always had a glass of wine (actually more than one glass 
) and some sort of snack. So now i'm sitting down to the 2nd episode of GTL: the Beginning and i've got a bottle of Yuengling and some soda crackers! Let the story begin!!! 
j/k 
)
