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- FLK_255
Nurburgring 4 Hour Endurance
This was initially a test run for the Focus RS plus modifications but after seeing the possibility of a win here I decided to carry on despite the Focus still needing more time spending on it's setup.
Tyres fitted were Sports Hard tyres on both front and rear. Upgraded parts fitted are an original supension kit, fully customisable transmission, triple-plate clutch, racing flywheel and a 1.5-way LSD fitted as the standard LSD on the Focus (if it is modelled in GT4) was a little weak in earlier tests. Finally no ballast was used and I was still on original oil (90 miles old).
Grid Line Up:
Renault Clio Sport V6 Phase 2 '03
Mazda RX8 Type S (J) '03
Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96
BMW M3 '04
BMW M Coupe '98
Ford Focus RS '02 (Me)
Circuit Map:
Renault Clio Sport V6 Phase 2 '03
Mazda RX8 Type S (J) '03
Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96
BMW M3 '04
BMW M Coupe '98
Ford Focus RS '02 (Me)
Circuit Map:
Race Report
Hour 1
Being a test run my first lap was a bit scrappy on the odd overtake. I passed the M Coupe first a Hatzenbach to take fifth position and next up was the M3 which I outbraked into Adenaur Forst for fourth place. The Clio meanwhile was leading a was 6 seconds ahead and looking quite quick despite being on cold tyres.
The Focus was a bit twitchy and I slid around most of Drei-Fach Rachts luckily not losing much time, ahead of me was my next target the Corvette which followed the leading Clio from the RX8. At Bergwerk I had a look down the inside of the Corvette but went no further, it wasn't until the run up to Mutkurve that I managed to pass and take third place. I soon
lost third at Steilstreke outbraking myself and running wide onto the grass. With the Corvette now 2-3 seconds ahead I was 11.409 behind the leading Clio as I passed T7 at Hohe Acht. Running wide again at Sprunghugel combined with the Corvette having longer legs, as did the Clio and RX8 on the straights saw me drop back further before the end of the lap.
At T4 under the bridge at Aremburg the Clio now had a 13 second advantage from me in third as began to reel the Corvette back in. The Focus now on warm tyres was still tail-happy and unbalanced, which was not helping my progress as I couldn't really attack the corners confidently. I loss rear traction at Drei-Fach Rachts again but ventured onto the grass this time but kept the car in the right direction. By Ex-Muhle I'd caught up with the Corvette and RX-8 with the Clio still around 14 seconds ahead. Running wide again at Steilstreke I managed to stay mostly on track this time losing on a second or so to the Corvette. The gap to the Clio at T10 Dottinger Hohe was now 19.355 and I'd failed to lower the 3 second gap to the Corvette who now further extended the gap down the straight. Next lap I'd also be due for a pitstop.
On the third lap the Clio was now up to speed and had extended the gap to 23 seconds by the time I reached T5 past Bergwerk, I'd also caught up with the Corvette again as we passed the time split. The RX8 had also sped up and had pulled away from us. This time I made it cleanly around Steilstreke and made a pass on the Corvette at the Karussel, I stayed high alongside but the Corvette on the inside managed to fend me off. I hassled the Corvette up to Hedwigs Hohe but fell back slightly through Wippermann. At the end of the lap the Corvette was 3 seconds ahead easily outpacing me from Galgenkopf and at the end of the lap I pitted taking just new front tyres, I rejoined in 5th behind the BMW M3. The Clio was now 54.871 seconds ahead as I caught some air on the crested approach to Flugplatz. I caught the M3 at the Karussel but the Focus would not go on the low line as it would spin out so I'd have to keep high of the concrete which seemed a little slower.
The gap to the Clio had gone above 54 seconds but at T8 the gap was now down to 51 seconds. I also had a wake up as the Focus snap oversteered just past T8 putting me on the grass. I managed to save this losing little speed and had time to set up a clean entry into the first Pflanzgarten. Catching the M3 at Galgenkopf I caught sight of the Clio for it to spin off in the sweeping right turn on obviously red rears. This would have bumped me up to 4th place but before the straightaway was even on us the M3 collected the back of the Clio promoting me into 3rd place.
As I thundered through Antoniusbuche the RX8 was now leading with a 23 second lead over me. Now on lap 5 the Clio pitted as I reached Hatzenbach while the RX8 had gain a second on me with the Corvette only a few seconds behind him. I was still struggling through Drei-Fach Rechts with rear traction so I think mediums will be going on the rear next stop. I then ran wide at Bergwerk losing a second to the M3 behind me then later I oversteered again on the undulations at T8 past Eiskurve, I definitely needed those rears on a softer compound.
As I sped out of Galgenkopf the RX8 now 25 seconds ahead was passed by the Corvette thus losing the lead. The RX8 and both the M3 and M Coupe pitted at the end of the lap. As I started lap 6 the RX8 rejoined right behind me and I was now 2nd placed 24 seconds behind the Corvette.
By the time I'd reached Eiskurve the gap to the Corvette was down to 17 seconds, I stayed high on the undulations this time which kept the Focus' rear in check. At the end of the lap the Corvette made it's first stop while I pitted for the second time changing the fronts for some fresh Sports Hard tyres and switching to Sports Medium at the rear, which I hoped would help solve the balance issues I'd been suffering.
I rejoined in 3rd and by the look of it the Corvette had just made it out in front of the RX8. Back on track I now had 14 seconds to make up to catch the leading pair. Although some distance behind and not really a threat the Clio now in fourth was quickly gaining on me (from the replay he was a full 9 seconds faster than anyone else) but if it weren't for the fact the Clio was useless at tyre management it would easily be leading this race. By T8 on lap 7 I was just 9 seconds behind the Corvette and RX8 and before they reached Antoniusbuche the RX8 had retaken the lead from the Corvette.
Into lap 8 the hour ended as I exited Hocheichen 7.222 seconds behind the RX8 and Corvette in third place.
Hour 2
Throughout lap 8 I closed in on the Corvette and at Dottinger Hohe I overtook after catching the long tail end of dirty air from the Corvette as we exited Galgenkopf, now in second place the RX8 was just 6 seconds further down the road. Not until later into lap 9 did I catch the RX8 at Kesselchen to then take the lead of the race. I managed to keep 1 to 2 seconds ahead until I was repassed at Dottinger Hohe by the RX8 which had caught my slipstream. I then made another stop keeping the worn in rears and just taking new fronts with a little splash of fuel. I rejoined 20 seconds adrift of the leading pair.
The gap was down to 17 seconds by the end of lap 10 as the RX-8 made another pitstop I was still unsure if I could win this as I pressed on, at least I was still close to the leaders at this point. I moved into 2nd place at the start of lap 10 and the Corvette was just 12 seconds ahead with the RX-8 rejoining about 4 seconds behinds me.
At Dottinger Hohe on lap 11 the Corvette was in the distance 5.7 seconds down the road and I should catch him if he doesn't pit before then by the end of the next lap where I was due for another stop also. At Wehrseifen I caught the Corvette and then retook the lead in the brake zone at the following corner, Breidscheid. At Bergwerk I went too high on the kerb and spun out thus losing 7 seconds and the lead to the Corvette which was not what I needed at this stage of the race! After some banzai driving I recaught the Corvette later into the lap at Galgenkopf and dragged each other down the straight.
Trying to overtake the Corvette into Antoniusbuche I went wide into a barrier stopping me dead as the Corvette sprinted away, I rejoined and pitted changing both sets of tyres and taking on fuel. The Corvette had also pitted so we came out close together and I had a 6 second gap to recover with the RX8 now 1st 15 seconds ahead.
The AI was so bad on cold tyres that I caught and passed the Corvette by the time we reached Wehrseifen and I then began to catch up with the RX8 now 12.5 seconds ahead of me. By lap 15 the second hour ended with me no clearer whether I can win or not after a few mistakes the RX8 has kept over 10 seconds ahead of me over the last three laps.
Half Distance Standings:
Laps Done: 15
1st: Mazda RX8 Type S (J) '03 Time: 2:00'56.960
2nd: Ford Focus RS '02 (Me) Time: -10.699s
3rd: Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96 Time: -19.000s*
4th: BMW M3 '04 Time: -42.000*
5th: Renault Clio Sport V6 Phase 2 '03 Time: -2'15.000*
6th: BMW M Coupe '98 Time: -3'12.000*
Hour 3
I managed to gain a second on the RX8 on lap 15 and as I pitted the RX8 appeared stationary in the road outside the pit enterance obviously having just spinned out and I followed it as it recovered into the pits. Again I kept the rears on only changing the worn fronts and fuel, having a shorter stop I rejoined just ahead of the RX8 with 15 seconds to make up to the now leading Corvette.
By lap 17 the gap was down to 9 seconds but as I exited Aremburg the Focus bizarrely oversteered as I accelerated losing me the deficit I'd just made up and putting me 17 seconds behind the Corvette with the RX8 now nearby in 3rd. By lap 18 I'd pulled the gap back to 12 seconds as I started the lap but by Eschbach I had caught the Corvette nearly as it must have slipped up on worn out rear tyres. I then passed the tail happy Corvette after T9 on the run up to Schwalbenschwanz in the braking zone to retake the lead. I lost the lead out of Antoniusbuche thanks to the Corvette ramming me and making me overshoot near the pits and we then both pitted at the end of the lap. I exited the pits ahead of the Corvette who had stopped for longer while the RX8 was now leading 9.5 seconds ahead of us.
The gap stayed around 10 seconds to the Rx8 as I pulled away from the Corvette and I didn't start to catch the RX8 until idway through lap 20 as it began to struggle on worn tyres. I passed the RX8 eventually as we passed Dottinger Hohe but hen lost the lead as we went uphill towards Antoniusbuche. I backed off slightly as the inevitable RX8 crash happened in front of me near the pits. I retook the lead as the RX8 slid uncomfortably into the pit lane enterance behind.
Early into the lap the Corvette now 22 seconds behind me passed the RX8 before it exited the pits, things were looking up now as I had a pitstop in hand over my rivals, now I just need to keep my pace up.
By lap 21 I pitted again and kept my rear tyres while changing the fronts. The Corvette was now behind by 24.719 seconds and I managed to exit ahead retaining the lead. The hour finished later on in the lap as I exited Breidscheid and I had a lead of around 4 seconds over the Corvette.
Hour 4
I gained 2 seconds on the Corvette over the next lap and then another 8 seconds on lap 23 as the Corvettes tyres began to fade thus extending my lead to over 14 seconds. Well disaster soon struck again as I took some kerb coming out of Aremburg and this caused me to spin out. The Focus really didn't like kerbs it seemed. The Corvette was now able to catch me and was only 2 seconds behind me after I recovered. Luckily the Corvette stayed off pace and by the time I stopped at the end of the lap the gap was back up to 11.8 seconds.
The Corvette pitted as well so I had to make up 24 seconds on the RX8 and Corvette to secure the win as they both had a pit window of 6 to 7 laps where I was only managing 3 laps per stop. I rejoined just ahead of the RX8, the Corvette left soon after but boy this will be close.
Driving hard for most of lap 25 I extended the gap from 1.5 seconds to 6.9 by the time I reached Antoniusbuche then the RX8 must have had an off moments later as it fell right back. It then pitted allowing the Corvette through which was well over 26 seconds away now, things were looking up!
On lap 27 as I pitted for the last time the gap was now up to 32 seconds over the Corvette with RX8 over 15 seconds behind it. I took new front tyres and a dash of fuel which would see me through to the end of the race which was 14 minutes away and I rejoined with 11 seconds between myself and the 2nd placed Corvette. I entered the final lap one lap later and I was ahead by 13.8 seconds.
After an easy coast to the finish line I crossed 18.2 seconds ahead of the Corvette to take 147 A-spec points, 300,000 credits and a Chaparral 2D Race Car '67 as prize winnings.
Final Standings:
Completed Laps: 29
1st: Ford Focus RS '02 (Me) Time: 4:03'38.186
2nd: Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96 Time: -18.225s
3rd: Mazda RX-8 Type S (J) '03 Time: -35.000s*
4th: BMW M3 '04 Time: -3'38.000*
5th: Renault Clio Sport V6 Phase 2 '03 Time: -5'46.000*
6th: BMW M Coupe '98 Time: -7'51.000*
Time marked by * denote my best guess based on map overlay position or rough estimate.
Best Lap: 8'09.207 (Lap 23)
Pitstop (laps): 9 (3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24,27)
A-Spec Points: 147
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