New pics: Twin Ring Motegi & Infineon Raceway

[JohnBM01]

I actually think Sears Point is pretty nice. Nice environment for the so-called "wine and cheese" crowd. The "wine and cheese" deal is the informal name given to traditional road racers, but hell. Better than Budweiser and pork rinds. Anyhow, I didn't know Sears Point had wonderfully green grass. It kind of had a sand-like color or something. I heard that from this "NoCal" track, you can travel 40 or something miles from Sears Point down to San Francisco. Am I right?

You know, it's not a bad track for almost any type of car. It's maybe too much of a challenge for some up-and-coming Sunday Cup racers. But I think classic American muscle would accent this track very well. But if you don't like old cars at this track, that's okay. The ALMS raced here for... about as long as the organization was formed in 1999. So shiny, newer sportscars and GT racers have fought tooth and nail here. And for my ALMS fans, remember. It's the site where the very first LMP2 (formerly LMP675) knocked off the LMP1 teams. And it was James Weaver taking down the Audis. With all the new LMPs and GTPs, you can have your own fun at Sears Point.

As far as Twin Ring Motegi goes, I'm sorry. I don't know as I should about Motegi's road course. I'm sure Super Taikyu and the JGTC have raced here, and I count both as sportscar racing even if only certain variations. Motegi's road course is a very nice one. It may not have the history Suzuka or maybe Fuji has, but for sure, it is a solid race track. Some of you racing fans in Japan who love Japanese racing, you'll probably know more about racing at Motegi than most of us Americans.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Well I can tell you that Motegi is owned by Honda and the Oval is the only one of its kind in Japan. Theoretically, you could run a Formula1 race on the road track and a CART/IRL race on the oval. As it's in Japan, the facilities are naturally top-notch and it's one of the most modern race tracks in the world, I believe.

Anyway, on the Infineon scenery issue, I was just hoping it would'nr be stuck out in the middle of a desert somewhere. Sure, scenery isn't exactly big on a racer's to-do list, but from the shots, Sears' Point looked a little drab ... Anyway, will the second course (skip the pair of big corners in the middle, called "The Chute" in The350's map) be used for racing as well? If it's there, why shouldn't it be used?

 

[Cosmic]

Looks good but after the delay I lost intrest in GT4.

 

[The359]

Looks good but after the delay I lost intrest in GT4.

Then....why are you still here?

 

[RoadBeef]

John:

Yes, the track is in the wine country. It look a bit arid because when PD modeled the track, a whole crapload of dirt-moving had just been finished, so on the infield of many corners there is nothing but just plain dirt there. Outside the track walls (like up on the Sears hill beside the raceway) there is plenty of grass. A few distant scenery viewpoints look arid because when you look south from Sears, you see nothing but marshland considering the raceway's very close proximity to the top of the San Francisco Bay. Also, the track is roughly 30 miles from the Golden Gate bridge. The ALMS has been known for attracting people to their race each year by having the LMP's drive flat across across the Golden Gate days before the race weekend! Cool stuff indeed.

(By the way, I was in attendence when the MG-Lola's won that race! It was awesome. I sat in the terraced seats of Turn 7.)

Do you race?:

The track position is on the southern tip of the Sonoma and Napa "wine countries." It's flat to one side, hilly to the other, and it's not sand. Any beige land you see as scenery is just tall grass.

Plus, there should not be much reason why PD wouldn't allow for the Chute to be used... they've alluded to and shown us that they want to bring back the shorter circuits, so it would (I hate using this word) behoove them to include the Chute as yet another nifty track configuration alternative for the slower cars.

 

[the Interceptor]

These pics do look strange. Are you sure this is GT4 and not Forza or something else?

Cheers,
the Interceptor

 

[GT-one TS020]

The Toyoyta is wrong!!!!
The esso sposored car is suppose to be #1 not #3 👎
nice pics anyway

 

[soldiaboy]

nice pics, the volvo looks bad, I hope its not GT4

 

[Lofberg]

the first pic with that boxy over-look tower in the background looks awful

 

[The359]

The Toyoyta is wrong!!!!
The esso sposored car is suppose to be #1 not #3 👎
nice pics anyway

Wrong.

Car #1 - Zent:

Car #2 - Venture Safenet:

Car #3 - Esso Ultron:

 

[-Fred-]

Hopefully we're getting the full Sears Point Raceway, and not just the NASCAR section.

 

[TwinTurboJay]

NASCAR, boooo

 

[mclaren777]

If they include a track as lame as Infineon, they definitely better have something awesome like Road Atlanta.

 

[The359]

What's wrong with Infineon? ALMS and Speed Touring/GT both race there...

 

[delobbo]

Infineon is a KICK ASS track. VERY technical and VERY fun to drive. And honestly I am shocked to see someone call it "lame" here...

just my $.02

delobbo
my garage
remastered remix
promo remixhttp://delobbo.com/music/blank_and_jones-flowtation_delobbo-mix.mp3http://delobbo.com/music/blank_and_jones-flowtation_delobbo-mix.mp3

 

[linoleum]

The sheer number of newly announced tracks and new vehicles will still not satisfy some gamers. Without a doubt GT4 will be much deeper, improved from GT3, that in itself will make me happy.

If they announced Le Mans tomorrow, someone would say, "Gee, they better have Taglio Florio <sp>!" If they announce Porsche tomorrow, someone will say, "Gee, they better have Ferrari". Remember when the Ring was the be all, end all of everyones Gran Turismo dreams?

 

[Nemo2]

i like how PCgames got the inside scoop on GT4, kinda ironic and yet sad too

 

[Ikari]

If they announced Le Mans tomorrow, someone would say, "Gee, they better have Taglio Florio <sp>!"

You mean the Targa Florio? http://www.targaflorio.info/circuiti.htm
Yeah, that would be sweet if they had Targa, but I'm happy with the Ring.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Surely you don't mean this one: http://www.targaflorio.info/giro.htm ? That's just a touch too long for GT4, I think ...

Anyway, thanks RoadBeef for the stuff on Infineon. I was afraid we'd be racing around a desert tat resembled the Nullabor or something ...

 

[hellnback]

A drag along the Nullabor Plain... lol

1000km of straight interrupted by the occasional 'chicane'.

I'm surprised a 'dragger' hasn't wanted this lol

 

[hellnback]

Road America is a great course from what I've seen, I think I would've rather that than Sears Point/Infineon, but I'll take this track instead of none of them...

 

[THEFiJiMAN]

The pictures definitely look a little grainy; but regardless some very cool tracks and cars. The Calibra is sexy... 👍 .

 

[homer110123d]

Something looks weird in those pics. The lighting on the Volvo looks bad. The CLK-DTM looks like it has less detail, and the lighting is strange in the last pic.

I agree w/ the volvo but the rest look fine

 

[Dorifto]

Ah man this is great we go up to Sears Point a bunch to drive my kart and to see the ALMS races! I can't wait to play on that course.

 

[Revolution 909]

Road Atlanta and Road America are two different tracks, hellnback.

I like all three of them cause fast, challenging and have a lot of height variations. Sure I would love to have Road Atlanta in the game.

Those first couple of turns there are pure magic, like something you find at the Nurburgring nordschleife or on a rollercoaster and not on a normal racetrack but that doesn't mean that Sears Point is a bad track.

It's probably going to be one of the better tracks in GT4.

 

[delobbo]

the elevation changes in Sears Point are amazing.... and plenty of technical off-camber areas that will prove to be quite challenging.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Hopefully we're getting the full Sears Point Raceway, and not just the NASCAR section.

Hopefully we'll get both sections. The NASCAR section looks pretty fast and the normal track looks a little more technical (I love technical tracks ...)

 

[delobbo]

I don't see why they wouldn't give us the technical section. I can see the GT4 developers LOVING this track...

 

[Pharaoh]

Any new tracks just add more variety to the game. Therefore Sears point is welcome addition. However, if I had my choice of sears point or Road Atlanta, Atlanta would have to win. Great undulations and plenty of technical corners. Road America would also get the nod over Sears point.

 

[delobbo]

Any new tracks just add more variety to the game. Therefore Sears point is welcome addition. However, if I had my choice of sears point or Road Atlanta, Atlanta would have to win. Great undulations and plenty of technical corners. Road America would also get the nod over Sears point.

having raced my car on Road America myself (in real life) - of course I would have to agree - it's a great track and I've also logged many many laps on the computer @ RA also... (in GT Racing for F1 2002). Great track. I also love Road Atlanta - and I would also put those two tracks above Sears Point...