Snaeper's Photo Race Reports! Race #4 FULL Now posted!

[uMadson?]

Interesting race reports. Looking forward to more of your interesting adventures. 👍

 

[Snaeper]

Race Report #4​

Bringing 'em back into fashion: Shufflin' Suzi!​

INTRO

Back from the dead baby! Had some heated races with some aggressive (a little too aggressive as you'll come to see) guys in a shuffle lobby. Out of the three races I placed 3rd, 1st and 1st... which goes to show you how bad they were.

This happened just a few hours ago and I got it all captured up!

The Players:
FC Mazda RX-7 GT-X(?)
Celica ST185 GT-Four RC
Nissan 180SX Type-X (White) <---- Me
Hyundai HCDX Concept
Lancia Stratos
Nissan 180SX Type-X
Peugeot 206 RC <---- Host
Skyline GTS-t Type M
Skyline GTS-t Type M

NOTE: I'm going to add the story in a bit, but I'm going to post the pictures for now! Stay tuned! (I'd write the story but it's late and it would be a mess).

Story posted!

So I joined the room with a pretty size-able group and got stuck with a fairly decent car. Out of the three races I did, this was my worst finish with the second one coming soon and the third one being a walkaway since I started dead last yet manage to pass everyone and retain a dominant lead over 5 of the 8 laps in the race (I didn't capture that one purely because me leading that long in that long of a race would've been redundant and boring).

START!

So I remember the host (or someone) going "Man you got the Lancia, good luck with that." He wouldn't end up finishing the race...

The start was fairly smooth, the field splitting into two groups with me tailing the end of the first. The Lancia... well you can see what happened there.

Lancia cuts up, RX-7 shows how tail-happy the car is on Comforts, the host does the first of many dive bombs to gain position. I wasn't a fan of his driving style. Lots of smoke and a close pack, this shot sums up the whole race, which isn't a bad thing!

The Pug takes third behind the GT-Four and Hyundai. The RX-7 gets too happy through the esses right in front of me. He would luckily dive off track to let me go about my way.

The hosts Pug proves that it's certainly a quick little car and makes work of the Celica, the whole field seems up to this pace at the moment and we round the corners to head for the hairpin. The RX-7 has completely faded.

After a relatively uneventful hairpin, I decide to do some dive bombing myself and squeeze all four wheels under the Celica and Pug, making a two-for-one pass on the both of them as my SX has a much better amount of balanced grip... and I can drive on Comforts...

The lighter colored Skyline GTS (must... resist... GT-R...) follows my lead and the Pug gets the worst of it (he deserves every push IMO) and the Celi and I come out side by side as we head into the second turn.

We managed to keep side by side all the way down the straightaway since his car was up on power and had the traction to stick through the turn preceding the stretch. As we came into the sweeper, he did his best to defend against me but I did my best to fight back. There wasn't a lot of room for mistakes though, as there was 6-7 cars ready to capitalize. It was my lack of errors and defensive and observant driving that allowed me to do so well in these races. Although it's not like I was perfect...

Speaking of errors, the Hyundai thought he could use the runoff area as an extended turn and got a penalty for his efforts, he was moving fast enough to still get away however. Meanwhile the Celica still fought me off...

But took the chicanes a bit too hard and as he turned into the track to block my passing him... he instead activated the collision avoidance system to allow me and (sadly) the rough and touchy Skyline to pass right through. The Skyline used my rear tires to help him through the turn... he liked using other people's tires quite a bit.

So the GTS knocked me out of the way a little and made the pass, the Celica and Pug remain in hot pursuit as we all chase the Hyundai who still had a tolerable lead despite his error. The rest of the field stays hungry but the Lancia has already dropped off and the RX-7 scoops the poop in the rear (this is a parade reference in case you don't get it).

Second lap, first turn. The Pug dive bombs again as does the GTS albeit he didn't have anyone to "catch" him and thus slides way up wide allowing me, the Celica and the 206 under him. Our leader remains tantalizingly close, but we simply don't have the sheer speed to catch him.

The Celica, Pug and Skyline battle me all the way up the hill with the second 180SX in range.

The Pug traded paint with me a lot

The Skyline liked rubbing fenders too! But what's this?!?!?! Our leader has made a crucial error in keeping the traction of his tires!

To add insult to injury, he gets a penalty for his inadvertent off track excursion. The Pug and Skyline lead us as we parade by.

"Hey buddy, two can play that game." This is my favorite shot of standards I think I've ever taken.

The Pug wiggles around the outside of the Skyline and I plant my nose right into his rear quarter to let him know I don't like his driving, either. Tandem power sliding, for the win.

My continued literal usage of the word "bumpers" and the Skyline inability to discern the lack of grip that comfort tires provide show himself to a spot in the grass as we exit the hairpin, him a little wider than myself. I take the lead for the first time in the race.

And a size-able one at that!

Though I play it safe through the turns and allow my two ferocious competitors to gain on me. The Celica and Hyundai have fallen from their first lap glory while the red 180 and the black Skyline step up to make this a Nissan vs. Peugeot battle.

I expect the Skyline to try to use me instead of his brakes and he doesn't disappoint, but by this time I've quickly learned the limit at how fast I can take my 180 into turns and use this advantage to keep him behind me. (Seriously people, learn how to brake and be respectful to those in front of you!!!)

Old habits die hard.

*Sigh*

And for a lead that is marginal, at best.

It doesn't even last that long, either! My 180 was pretty powerful on the straights. The Pug followed me closely and I KNEW what was going to happen next... I considered brake checking but that rarely works out in my favor. (When it does though, it's hilarious at how mad they start driving.)

I got hot in the turn and the Pug and GTS take aim under me.

But I wasn't the only one! Several cars decide to turn the race into an impromptu drift session while I fall back to third now chased by my red rival.

From this distance though, I can see just how rough the Skyline and Pug race, at their own ailment as they run each other a bit too roughly and allow the pair of us 180SX's to regain position.

I hatch a plan to run the Pug off the road....

But it was completely unnecessary as he takes himself off the road for me, possibly because I was so close to him and was getting on his nerves.

The GTS is now my only obstacle as the Pug is trapped behind the other 180. The other competitors desperately try to keep up... but to no avail.

Rounding on to the long stretch, I count on my straight-away speed to make the pass...

... and it comes through! Though I realize that it might not actually put me in the best position, since the Skyline likes to rough me up in the final chicane... damnit!

Because he starts roughing me before we even get to the chicanes! Cutting across and nearly plowing himself into my posterior! Jerk-face!

He runs wide though! The Pug and 180 take better lines, but all three line up behind me.

And I make my biggest mistake of the race at the worst possible time. I see two cars behind me that have not been kind or courteous all day and a third car that really likes to think I should just get out of his way when I'm in it (The red 180SX though the horn made him faster or something.)

So I sweat them running me over and I run myself over to avoid them... but I go into the chicanes too hot, I try to ebrake and rev... but this car does not have clutch/flywheel/driveshaft upgrades and I remember this when it's too late...

Damn.

The Pug makes a slick move around the GTS, I manage to recover and watch the 180SX drive off into the grass as he's a bit too excited by all of this.

Fin.​

Peugeot 206 RC
Skyline GTS-t
180SX GT-X White (Me)
180SX GT-X Red
and I'm afraid I cannot remember the rest of the finishing order, though I'm sure that the RX-7 came last and the Lancia was the only DNF.

 

[Snaeper]

I hate to bump, but I just wanted to let everyone know that the story for Race #4 is now up.

To validate the post... here's a picture of my racing suit combo that I've so far been pretty happy with!

. . . and with that I just realized that the accent on my helmet is pink. Great.

 

[uMadson?]

Just a normal day in a random online room, I see. *coughcoughrandomanddirtydriverscoughcough*

You should be a race commentator some day. 👍

 

[Snaeper]

Just a normal day in a random online room, I see. *coughcoughrandomanddirtydriverscoughcough*

You should be a race commentator some day. 👍

They were the most tolerable of dirty I think anyone can manage to be. To the point that I only left the room because they weren't providing much competition for me because if I ever got out ahead of the pack, I would just take off as long as I kept my driving clean.

And my dad is trying to open a premier dirt track here... maybe I should talk to him?

So I just watched the replay for the Kart Space race and it's going to be a challenge, but I accept!

 

[Snaeper]

So I'm semi-retiring my race reports. It's just a good deal of work to run through the race, take the pictures, upload them to the PS3, put them on the thumb stick, put them on the computer, upload them to the internet, figure out what order they are in, figure out how to make a good story and the post it.

I love doing it, but since it's hard to get it done consistently, especially the story part, I'm just gonna set it aside.

I have started a new project though, if anyone is interested it'll be taking place in the Photomode forum. It's for large group themed photos using various cars in GT creatively placed around for maximum effect. Should prove to be pretty awesome.

Here is ze thread.