- 10,687
- Everywhere
After very minor tweaking and tire choice I took my 512HP Razo to Grand Valley to see if the "big boys" could keep up.
I ran a few qualifying laps to check the other cars' pit schedules and lap times. I kept coming up 1 to 1.8 seconds behind the Raybrig's fastest time so I figured it should be a competetive race. I also took the time to figure out just where I was faster and slower than the AI, so I would know where to focus my attention for improvement. I planned to throw on T2s for the fronts as the T3s I ran in qualifying went red after about 7 laps. I also backed off of the TCS and ASM a bit more, but I think that's all I changed from the default settings. So now with what I would imagine would be a much slippier car I changed the oil once more (every lap counts ...) and lined up for the nearly 2 hour race I was to endure.
The first lap was really expensive. Every car needed new fenders and paint all around. I think I saw some side mirrors go flying off in the first two corners as well. But into the second lap everyone started to string out and the possitions began to solidify ... or, had they ...
The two Skylines, Calsonic and Loctite, were bringing up the rear just a few seconds behind the Denso Supra and myself. But only a second or two in front of me was the Arta NSX led nearly five seconds by the Raybrig NSX, who we all know is a cheating bastard (probably has NOS hidden under the seat). In the first two laps he got over FIVE SECONDS ahead of me? How can this be? He shouldn't be more than three seconds up. And on lap three he gained another second or more. Time to hunker down and leave the slow pokes behind - I've got a date with the Raybrig and I'm late! Time to adjust my lines now that the pack has split up.
On lap four I got my fastest time for what would be nearly the first fourty laps; 1:52.158. YES! And I gained on the Raybrig! Another lap under 1:53 and I gain again but not as much. He must be running 1:53s, or really near to it. The next three laps are 1:53.high and I'm losing tenths of seconds, but the Raybrig pits on seven and I roar on past. Now I'm seeing the Arta's splits well over ten seconds down and climbing.
Hoping for a ten lap pit schedule I cruise on to lap ten and realize my tires are still good to go for at least two more. By this time the Raybrig has caught the Arta either by sheer power or the Arta taking its pit. Having amazingly consistant lap times by lap twelve I contemplated going for fifteen, then as I slid uncomfortably around the exit of the final S I decided twelve was good enough.
Out on thirteen I was behind the Raybrig, but just two laps later he pits again and I blast off for a bigger lead. I continued to gain more ground on the two NSXes who continued to swap second and third and the three of us absolutely ran off and left the two GT-Rs and the Supra (who all had become inconsequential in the first three laps).
Round and round and round she goes, where she stops nobody knows. (laps 14 through 38 are exceedingly consistant - quite rare for me)
Lap thirty-nine ... 1:52.171 ... drat ... so close.
Lap fourty . . . . . 1:51:768 ... dra... wait, YEAH!!!
Lap fourty-one ... 1:53.404. Pay no attention to the wildly off lap time (:
Lap fourty-two ... 1:51.931. Well, close again, but I don't think I'm going to beat that time, so might as well stop killing myself over it.
For some reason I felt the need to take note that on lap 48 the Raybrig was down 17.202 and on lap 49 the Arta was down 22.716. They swapped possitions while the Raybrig was stopped for tea and crumpits. This was also the lap I took my final pit. It was do or die now baby!
Well I had lots of faith in myself, knowing the Raybrig was in the pit with another one coming, and the Arta was running low on tires and looking forward to one, if not two more pits. Turns out it was two, in case you're wondering.
My lap times fell off a bit - maybe 1 to 1.5 seconds slower. The NSX brothers gained consistantly on my now 489HP C-West after their last pits but were still 53.7 (Arta) and 54.2 (Raybrig) down at the finish. The Denso was 1:20.3 down, and the GT-R fellas I lapped back around 30 or so, +1 each.
1:56:01.942
I broke two hours, which is what was required to win. I think I read somewhere that 1:57 was the time to beat, and that looks to be pretty accurate as the Arta NSX ran 1:56:55.707.
It was fun only for the fact that I hadn't driven my Razo before, nore had I sat through an entire Endurance in quite a long time. My only stops were every three laps to jot down my lap times. I'm hoping to get a Spoon S2000 from this endurance and I've run it three times already. This was the most enjoyable so far, but I haven't gotten my S2000 yet. I'll probably run it again witth the Razo (baring no one has a suggestion otherwise) but move to T4s on the front and T5s on the back and 8 or 9 laps per pit.
Lap Splits
2:01.402
1:53.882
1:53.069
1:52.158
1:52.503
1:53.357
1:53.834
1:53.730
1:54.122
1:54.113
1:54.160
2:04.043 < pit in
2:12.212 > pit out
1:52.530
1:52.755
1:53.172
1:52.233
1:52.637
1:52.819
1:53.485
1:54.198
1:55.342
1:56.198
2:05.849 < pit in
2:13.279 > pit out
1:52.348
1:52.493
1:53.411
1:52.655
1:53.941
1:52.877
1:53.215
1:54.652
1:53.858
1:55.721
2:09.741 < pit in
2:12.864 > pit out
1:53.626
1:52.171
1:51.768
1:53.404
1:51.931
?:??.???
1:54.659
1:54.622
1:55.179
1:57.434
2:09.026 < pit in
?:??.??? > pit out
1:53.029
1:53.402
1:52.032
1:54.037
1:53.853
1:53.753
1:53.947
1:56.195
1:54.365
1:54.734
1:57.819
Average lap including pits 1:56.017
Average lap excluding pits 1:54.017
(Asuming pits cost 30 seconds)
Now that I'm done and I look back at my lap times, I wonder if pitting on 10 laps would have saved me timed. If so, it would have been just a hand full of seconds.
I ran a few qualifying laps to check the other cars' pit schedules and lap times. I kept coming up 1 to 1.8 seconds behind the Raybrig's fastest time so I figured it should be a competetive race. I also took the time to figure out just where I was faster and slower than the AI, so I would know where to focus my attention for improvement. I planned to throw on T2s for the fronts as the T3s I ran in qualifying went red after about 7 laps. I also backed off of the TCS and ASM a bit more, but I think that's all I changed from the default settings. So now with what I would imagine would be a much slippier car I changed the oil once more (every lap counts ...) and lined up for the nearly 2 hour race I was to endure.
The first lap was really expensive. Every car needed new fenders and paint all around. I think I saw some side mirrors go flying off in the first two corners as well. But into the second lap everyone started to string out and the possitions began to solidify ... or, had they ...
The two Skylines, Calsonic and Loctite, were bringing up the rear just a few seconds behind the Denso Supra and myself. But only a second or two in front of me was the Arta NSX led nearly five seconds by the Raybrig NSX, who we all know is a cheating bastard (probably has NOS hidden under the seat). In the first two laps he got over FIVE SECONDS ahead of me? How can this be? He shouldn't be more than three seconds up. And on lap three he gained another second or more. Time to hunker down and leave the slow pokes behind - I've got a date with the Raybrig and I'm late! Time to adjust my lines now that the pack has split up.
On lap four I got my fastest time for what would be nearly the first fourty laps; 1:52.158. YES! And I gained on the Raybrig! Another lap under 1:53 and I gain again but not as much. He must be running 1:53s, or really near to it. The next three laps are 1:53.high and I'm losing tenths of seconds, but the Raybrig pits on seven and I roar on past. Now I'm seeing the Arta's splits well over ten seconds down and climbing.
Hoping for a ten lap pit schedule I cruise on to lap ten and realize my tires are still good to go for at least two more. By this time the Raybrig has caught the Arta either by sheer power or the Arta taking its pit. Having amazingly consistant lap times by lap twelve I contemplated going for fifteen, then as I slid uncomfortably around the exit of the final S I decided twelve was good enough.
Out on thirteen I was behind the Raybrig, but just two laps later he pits again and I blast off for a bigger lead. I continued to gain more ground on the two NSXes who continued to swap second and third and the three of us absolutely ran off and left the two GT-Rs and the Supra (who all had become inconsequential in the first three laps).
Round and round and round she goes, where she stops nobody knows. (laps 14 through 38 are exceedingly consistant - quite rare for me)
Lap thirty-nine ... 1:52.171 ... drat ... so close.
Lap fourty . . . . . 1:51:768 ... dra... wait, YEAH!!!
Lap fourty-one ... 1:53.404. Pay no attention to the wildly off lap time (:
Lap fourty-two ... 1:51.931. Well, close again, but I don't think I'm going to beat that time, so might as well stop killing myself over it.
For some reason I felt the need to take note that on lap 48 the Raybrig was down 17.202 and on lap 49 the Arta was down 22.716. They swapped possitions while the Raybrig was stopped for tea and crumpits. This was also the lap I took my final pit. It was do or die now baby!
Well I had lots of faith in myself, knowing the Raybrig was in the pit with another one coming, and the Arta was running low on tires and looking forward to one, if not two more pits. Turns out it was two, in case you're wondering.
My lap times fell off a bit - maybe 1 to 1.5 seconds slower. The NSX brothers gained consistantly on my now 489HP C-West after their last pits but were still 53.7 (Arta) and 54.2 (Raybrig) down at the finish. The Denso was 1:20.3 down, and the GT-R fellas I lapped back around 30 or so, +1 each.
1:56:01.942
I broke two hours, which is what was required to win. I think I read somewhere that 1:57 was the time to beat, and that looks to be pretty accurate as the Arta NSX ran 1:56:55.707.
It was fun only for the fact that I hadn't driven my Razo before, nore had I sat through an entire Endurance in quite a long time. My only stops were every three laps to jot down my lap times. I'm hoping to get a Spoon S2000 from this endurance and I've run it three times already. This was the most enjoyable so far, but I haven't gotten my S2000 yet. I'll probably run it again witth the Razo (baring no one has a suggestion otherwise) but move to T4s on the front and T5s on the back and 8 or 9 laps per pit.
Lap Splits
2:01.402
1:53.882
1:53.069
1:52.158
1:52.503
1:53.357
1:53.834
1:53.730
1:54.122
1:54.113
1:54.160
2:04.043 < pit in
2:12.212 > pit out
1:52.530
1:52.755
1:53.172
1:52.233
1:52.637
1:52.819
1:53.485
1:54.198
1:55.342
1:56.198
2:05.849 < pit in
2:13.279 > pit out
1:52.348
1:52.493
1:53.411
1:52.655
1:53.941
1:52.877
1:53.215
1:54.652
1:53.858
1:55.721
2:09.741 < pit in
2:12.864 > pit out
1:53.626
1:52.171
1:51.768
1:53.404
1:51.931
?:??.???
1:54.659
1:54.622
1:55.179
1:57.434
2:09.026 < pit in
?:??.??? > pit out
1:53.029
1:53.402
1:52.032
1:54.037
1:53.853
1:53.753
1:53.947
1:56.195
1:54.365
1:54.734
1:57.819
Average lap including pits 1:56.017
Average lap excluding pits 1:54.017
(Asuming pits cost 30 seconds)
Now that I'm done and I look back at my lap times, I wonder if pitting on 10 laps would have saved me timed. If so, it would have been just a hand full of seconds.
Just wish the "Razo's" HP didn't vary so much between upgrades! Changing to the smaller turbo drops the HP clear back to 409 from 512. Probably not enough to win this thing but then again...
...UB57 
Rain again overnite so can't work on the Yard. Thought I'd give this one a shot w/409HP.
of 1'52.626!!! My biggest diappointment 
for finding Another Great Race!!!...UB57 
👍 
