Brett
Premium
- 8,632
- Oklahoma
Well I decided a stock Lotus Elise 190 with tyres and an oil change and it would have been, if and only if something terrible did not happen; but we will get to that later in on this story.
The Lotus Elise was fresh off a run in the PD Cup and still needed some more running . . . not to mention I just love driving this car. But after my success in the PD Cup and taking of the Championship in the series, Team Lotus thought it would be a good idea to party for most of the week, even though the Seattle Endurance was scheduled not even a week away from the finish of the PD Cup--which finished Sunday. So while the team was having fun getting wasted beyond belief, I was sweating bullets about the upcoming race. I did not think the car would be ready and it barely was.
The field for the race includes:
1. Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R
2. Dodge Viper GTS
3. Corvette Grand Sport
4. Chevrolet Camaro Z28
5. Shelby Cobra
6. Lotus Elise 190 (Me)
Practice for the race was on Wednesday, and the team was just then sobering up from their party. So they had to tear the car apart and replace everything that needed replacing. It took them all of Wednesday to do this and still had the engine to do. Since the engine also needed to be replace it would have to be done on Thursday and shipped from the factory in Britain. So this means I would also miss qualifying. Now I am really sweating bullets because I have had no practice and have no idea what tyres to run. Well Thursday rolls around and the engine for the car arrives in the wee hours of the night. The mechanics barely get the car ready for the start of the race and so I decide on T3 tyres for the race.
So all of the field heads out for the parade lap, and we come around through the chicane and to the start line and the race starts. The race starts is a joke for me in P6. All of the field takes off and leaves my 192 horsepower car. But that is okay. I figure with exceptional handling and great pit strategy I can win the race.
At the start of Lap 2, I took P5 from the Z28 Camaro. But he retakes P5 because of the sheer horsepower and torque advantage he has over me. Being at such a disadvantage with horsepower and torque really hurt me at Seattle, since you really need the torque to get out of the slow corners and then the horsepower to move the car as you are under full throttle through much of this track. But throughout Lap 2, the Elise did great battle with the Z28 and finally overcomes the hefty Z28 towards the end of Lap 2.
At the end of Lap 2, the Cobra makes his first pit stop. Seems to be pitting extremely early. Problems maybe? The brakes working too hard? Don't really care though, since he is not a team car or me.
At the hairpin on Lap 3, the Elise overtakes the Cobra, which seems to have a big problem through this corner. But again the sheer power of the Cobra is just too much for the little Elise and I lose P4 at the back straight.
At this point, I know the Elise can outbrake and outhandle every car on the track; so it is just a matter if I can keep a consistent pace and hope my pit strategy works.
When the Cobra pits yet again at the end of the 4th lap, it makes me realize he is either having some major problems or is on some extremely too soft tyres. This lets me regain P4 and the pit boss comfirms my thoughts on the soft tyres.
This tells me the Cobra will not be a problem for the rest of the race.
The Mustang--leader at this point--pits in on Lap 7, along with the Viper GTS and the Corvette Grand Sport. This allows me to take P2 and P3 from the Viper GTS and Corvette Grand Sport respectively. Though P2 is only temporary as the Viper GTS barrels into me on Lap 9 in the hairpin. This causes me to lose much momentum and speed, both of which are very important to have a chance in this low power car.
The Corvette Grand Sport makes a run or two at my rear bumper, but is never really a threat and the leaders pit yet again on Lap 14. This gives me a chance to do my best Michael Schumacher impersonation and put as much space and time as I can between myself and the two leaders. At this point I figure my pit schedule will be between Laps 20 and 24. So I have a pretty decent amount of laps to try and emulate Schumi.
Instead of pitting on Lap 14, the Grand Sport Corvette changes his pit schedule and pits in on Lap 15. Though this is of no real significance, as I have a significant lead over the 'Vette.
So I try my best to be like Schumi and the Mustang and Viper GTS pit in on Lap 21. I decide my tyres are still in pretty good shape and stay out a couple of laps. This was a mistake, as it cost me a precious seven seconds and consequently the lead of the race, since I was only handed a two second lead when the Mustang and Viper GTS pitted.
But now with my one scheduled pit stop done, I was home free to sprint to the finish as the winner.
Lap 28 comes up and the leaders pit it for more tyres. They have built up a large enough space to keep the lead, only a slight lead though, and I dog them as much as I can before they take off because of their huge power advantage.
Though this serves as only information, the Z28 Camaro pits in on Lap 28 and this is the Camaro first and only stop of the race, at least that is the only stop the pit boss informed me of the Camaro taking.
The Grand Sport Corvette pits on Lap 31, and this effectively puts it out of contention for my P3 spot, unless some kind of freak accident occurs.
Also at the end of my Lap 31, the Cobra pits in and I wave as I go by and put him a lap down. I think I may have laughed too because whoever thought up his pit strategy is very likely to get fired and very much deserved so.
Lap 31, I set my personal fastest lap of the race so far with a 1'44.451.
But now on my 32nd Lap, the Cobra catched me on the back straight and passes me. He holds me up some and costs me some time through the twisties after the back straight . . . I guess I should not have laughed at their team.
Now Lap 35 comes around and I know the leaders will pit for their last stop. At this point, I am trying my hardest to make up as much time as I can; so hopefully after I pass them while they are in the pits, I will have made up more ground and put more time between them and myself.
After passing the leaders and because of their pit stop, I now have about an eight second lead. Having only five laps left, this should be just about enough time to win the race. But only having eight seconds, I become slightly nervous just hoping I can hold off and take the win over this big horsepower cars.
Lap 36 and yet again I set a personal fastest lap with a 1'44.374.
But this is where I run into a problem and a problem that costs me the race. Right before the right hand corner that leads into the chicane before the start/finish line, my controller dies. I was like what the blooding hell is going on. This causes me to slam into the wall and lose the five to six second lead I had.
At first, I thought it may have been a one time problem; but this was not the case. The controller kept messing up, so thus my lead and more importantly my race was over. But before I just gave up--which never happened, I did finish the race--I switched controllers and still got problems.
Some how I managed to keep P3, but only by about four seconds. If it was not for the controllers messing up, I probably would have won by about two seconds, as I lost about a second a lap.
How Freakin' LAME!!!
Results of Race:
1. 1:1130.830 Mustang SVT Cobra R
2. +002.216 Viper GTS
3. +3036.130 Lotus Elise 190 (Me)
4. +040.627 Corvette Grand Sport
5. +139.086 Camaro Z28
6. +1 Lap Cobra
To say the least, I was having a blast before my race was prematurely ended because of mechanical failure. Though I would say, if I would have been able to run more consistently, then the race probably would not have been so close. Seattle is definitely not one of my favourite tracks, though I would not say I hate it; but this track just will never let me get into any kind of rhythm and just never let me be consistent.
The Lotus Elise was fresh off a run in the PD Cup and still needed some more running . . . not to mention I just love driving this car. But after my success in the PD Cup and taking of the Championship in the series, Team Lotus thought it would be a good idea to party for most of the week, even though the Seattle Endurance was scheduled not even a week away from the finish of the PD Cup--which finished Sunday. So while the team was having fun getting wasted beyond belief, I was sweating bullets about the upcoming race. I did not think the car would be ready and it barely was.
The field for the race includes:
1. Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R
2. Dodge Viper GTS
3. Corvette Grand Sport
4. Chevrolet Camaro Z28
5. Shelby Cobra
6. Lotus Elise 190 (Me)
Practice for the race was on Wednesday, and the team was just then sobering up from their party. So they had to tear the car apart and replace everything that needed replacing. It took them all of Wednesday to do this and still had the engine to do. Since the engine also needed to be replace it would have to be done on Thursday and shipped from the factory in Britain. So this means I would also miss qualifying. Now I am really sweating bullets because I have had no practice and have no idea what tyres to run. Well Thursday rolls around and the engine for the car arrives in the wee hours of the night. The mechanics barely get the car ready for the start of the race and so I decide on T3 tyres for the race.
So all of the field heads out for the parade lap, and we come around through the chicane and to the start line and the race starts. The race starts is a joke for me in P6. All of the field takes off and leaves my 192 horsepower car. But that is okay. I figure with exceptional handling and great pit strategy I can win the race.
At the start of Lap 2, I took P5 from the Z28 Camaro. But he retakes P5 because of the sheer horsepower and torque advantage he has over me. Being at such a disadvantage with horsepower and torque really hurt me at Seattle, since you really need the torque to get out of the slow corners and then the horsepower to move the car as you are under full throttle through much of this track. But throughout Lap 2, the Elise did great battle with the Z28 and finally overcomes the hefty Z28 towards the end of Lap 2.
At the end of Lap 2, the Cobra makes his first pit stop. Seems to be pitting extremely early. Problems maybe? The brakes working too hard? Don't really care though, since he is not a team car or me.
At the hairpin on Lap 3, the Elise overtakes the Cobra, which seems to have a big problem through this corner. But again the sheer power of the Cobra is just too much for the little Elise and I lose P4 at the back straight.
At this point, I know the Elise can outbrake and outhandle every car on the track; so it is just a matter if I can keep a consistent pace and hope my pit strategy works.
When the Cobra pits yet again at the end of the 4th lap, it makes me realize he is either having some major problems or is on some extremely too soft tyres. This lets me regain P4 and the pit boss comfirms my thoughts on the soft tyres.
This tells me the Cobra will not be a problem for the rest of the race.
The Mustang--leader at this point--pits in on Lap 7, along with the Viper GTS and the Corvette Grand Sport. This allows me to take P2 and P3 from the Viper GTS and Corvette Grand Sport respectively. Though P2 is only temporary as the Viper GTS barrels into me on Lap 9 in the hairpin. This causes me to lose much momentum and speed, both of which are very important to have a chance in this low power car.
The Corvette Grand Sport makes a run or two at my rear bumper, but is never really a threat and the leaders pit yet again on Lap 14. This gives me a chance to do my best Michael Schumacher impersonation and put as much space and time as I can between myself and the two leaders. At this point I figure my pit schedule will be between Laps 20 and 24. So I have a pretty decent amount of laps to try and emulate Schumi.
Instead of pitting on Lap 14, the Grand Sport Corvette changes his pit schedule and pits in on Lap 15. Though this is of no real significance, as I have a significant lead over the 'Vette.
So I try my best to be like Schumi and the Mustang and Viper GTS pit in on Lap 21. I decide my tyres are still in pretty good shape and stay out a couple of laps. This was a mistake, as it cost me a precious seven seconds and consequently the lead of the race, since I was only handed a two second lead when the Mustang and Viper GTS pitted.
But now with my one scheduled pit stop done, I was home free to sprint to the finish as the winner.
Lap 28 comes up and the leaders pit it for more tyres. They have built up a large enough space to keep the lead, only a slight lead though, and I dog them as much as I can before they take off because of their huge power advantage.
Though this serves as only information, the Z28 Camaro pits in on Lap 28 and this is the Camaro first and only stop of the race, at least that is the only stop the pit boss informed me of the Camaro taking.
The Grand Sport Corvette pits on Lap 31, and this effectively puts it out of contention for my P3 spot, unless some kind of freak accident occurs.
Also at the end of my Lap 31, the Cobra pits in and I wave as I go by and put him a lap down. I think I may have laughed too because whoever thought up his pit strategy is very likely to get fired and very much deserved so.
Lap 31, I set my personal fastest lap of the race so far with a 1'44.451.
But now on my 32nd Lap, the Cobra catched me on the back straight and passes me. He holds me up some and costs me some time through the twisties after the back straight . . . I guess I should not have laughed at their team.
Now Lap 35 comes around and I know the leaders will pit for their last stop. At this point, I am trying my hardest to make up as much time as I can; so hopefully after I pass them while they are in the pits, I will have made up more ground and put more time between them and myself.
After passing the leaders and because of their pit stop, I now have about an eight second lead. Having only five laps left, this should be just about enough time to win the race. But only having eight seconds, I become slightly nervous just hoping I can hold off and take the win over this big horsepower cars.
Lap 36 and yet again I set a personal fastest lap with a 1'44.374.
But this is where I run into a problem and a problem that costs me the race. Right before the right hand corner that leads into the chicane before the start/finish line, my controller dies. I was like what the blooding hell is going on. This causes me to slam into the wall and lose the five to six second lead I had.
At first, I thought it may have been a one time problem; but this was not the case. The controller kept messing up, so thus my lead and more importantly my race was over. But before I just gave up--which never happened, I did finish the race--I switched controllers and still got problems.
Some how I managed to keep P3, but only by about four seconds. If it was not for the controllers messing up, I probably would have won by about two seconds, as I lost about a second a lap.
How Freakin' LAME!!!
Results of Race:
1. 1:1130.830 Mustang SVT Cobra R
2. +002.216 Viper GTS
3. +3036.130 Lotus Elise 190 (Me)
4. +040.627 Corvette Grand Sport
5. +139.086 Camaro Z28
6. +1 Lap Cobra
To say the least, I was having a blast before my race was prematurely ended because of mechanical failure. Though I would say, if I would have been able to run more consistently, then the race probably would not have been so close. Seattle is definitely not one of my favourite tracks, though I would not say I hate it; but this track just will never let me get into any kind of rhythm and just never let me be consistent.
Either way, they are a good set of guys, though neither of them always think with their heads, but instead their arses. 
At the moment though, I think I might just do some other series and try to get through more of the game, as I just restarted my game and am only at about 25% complete at the moment.
