"Strait out of the box"

  • Thread starter Der Alta
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Der Alta

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DerAlta
I posted this up on the compendium over the weekend. I felt the need to post it here to encourage others to attempt this or similar feats.

The scheme behind the Idea.
Way back last summer, I was given the idea of racing the PD Digital cup in a car right from the dealer. Simply purchase the car and go. No oil change or tires. I was discussing the plan I had for the Tommy Kaira ZZS in the PD Cup with another racer. While talking, he bought one and jumped into the race. That was when I realized he had started it without changing the tires or oil. This stuck in the back of my mind until now.

It's taken me quite some time to narrow it down to a few cars that I think can do it. The hardest piece I've faced it planning for the oil degradation. If I pick a car that just barely wins at the first race, I'll be up the creek by the last race. So I figure I'll get easy wins at the first three races, be on par for the middle 4 and the last three will be tough races. I'm hoping I can amass enough points to skip SSR-11, and Tokyo R246. That means I should have some pretty close racing at 5 tracks.

Car Selection
I was able to eliminate many different cars right off the bat, as they were either too fast or too slow. I had a pretty good idea about what power range I needed to be in. 400-600hp. The 6 that I settled on to test were the Ruf RGT, Shelby Cobra, Viper GTS, Zonda C12, Motor Sport Elise, and the TVR Speed 6. The Shelby, and Viper were simply too rough on tires and didn't have the power to push their weight around the track with the speed of the other cars. The MS Elise was sadly under powered.

Testing Phase
The Ruf gave me a win at TM2, with a 30 + second lead. The Zonda blew the pack away. I was surprised as this car's ability as I was expecting the understeer commonly associated with this car. The TVR seemed to be a good match (350hp). Not a complete blow out, but a comfortable win at TM2. This means I should have a challenge over the whole series. So I settled on the TVR Speed 6, strait out of the box.

As a standard, I'm not going to qualify for any races, just start from the basement of the grid. Also I'm sticking to standard OLR rules. No intentional AI contact, No wall riding, and two tires on track at all times (rumble strips are consider part of the track). Also, ASM and TCS = 0.

Trial Mountain II
At the first pit stop I had enough of a lead to maintain a 1.5 second lead at pit exit. At the second pit stop I was carrying a 20+ seconds going in, and holding a 3.492 second lead at the first quadrant after the pit stop. Third pit stop showed 23.091 coming in and 7.716 after. Lap 16 was where I encountered lap traffic (Skyline). On lap 18, I lapped two more AI, and lapped the AI when he pitted on my lap 19. And I lapped the Jag just before I crossed the finish line.

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: lap 17
Corvette Z06: every 2 laps
Jaguar XKR: 4 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 4 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 4 laps
Me: 4 laps

Results:
Total Time: 32'56.581
Fast Lap: 1'33.364

Elise 190: + 47.478
Corvette Z06: +1 lap
Jaguar XKR: +1 lap
Lancer Evo VI RS: +1 lap
Skyline Vspec II R32: +1 lap

Midfield II
This one was handled fairly easily. By lap 4 (first pit stop) I was leading by 2.542 at the first quadrant after the pit stop. The Lancer tailed me for another lapped until he pitted. I hit lap traffic on lap 15.

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: didn't pit
Corvette Z06: every other lap
Jaguar XKR: 4 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 5 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 5 laps
Me: 4 laps

Results:
Total Time: 28'33.759
Fast Lap: 1'20.440

Elise 190: + 45.563
Lancer Evo VI RS: +1 lap
Corvette Z06: +1 lap
Jaguar XKR: +1 lap
Skyline Vspec II R32: +1 lap

Rome Circuit II
Nothing eventful here. I drove hard, and pitted often.

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: didn't pit
Corvette Z06: every other lap
Jaguar XKR: 5 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 5 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 5 laps
Me: 5 laps

Results:
Total Time: 32'55.962
Fast Lap: 1'34.091

Elise 190: + 1'05.244
Corvette Z06: + 1 lap
Jaguar XKR: + 1 lap
Lancer Evo VI RS: + 1 lap
Skyline Vspec II R32: + 1 lap

Special Stage Route 5 - II
The only note worth mentioning is my oil light came on at lap 20 (193.2 miles, and 361 HP)

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: didn't pit
Corvette Z06: every other lap
Jaguar XKR: 4 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 5 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 5 laps
Me: 5 laps

Results:
Total Time: 32'06.817
Fast Lap: 1'29.836

Elise 190: + 1'08.288
Corvette Z06: + 1 lap
Jaguar XKR: + 1 lap
Lancer Evo VI RS: + 1 lap
Skyline Vspec II R32: + 1 lap

Seattle Circuit - II
This is a soul less track that I am cursed on. The Vette was simply hooked-up on this track. It slaughtered the time clock. Easily blowing the competition away. In my previous two runs of this series, I lost both times at Seattle. Much like the rumored "dumbing down" of American cars that PD did, I think they may have done that to this particular track. I'll review my old PD cup races here and see if I can match the Vette's time in the same car. Even light throttle touches threw the back of the car out sideways. Yet the AI launched out of the corners. My braking distances were increased and the AI's were considerably shorter than mine. Aggravation doesn't cover it. I'll be happy when I get to race around Manhattan instead of Seattle (GT4...)

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: didn't pit
Corvette Z06: Every other lap
Jaguar XKR: 5 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 6 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 5 laps
Me: 4 laps

Results:
Total Time: 36'44.274
Fast Lap: 1'44.862 (lap 20, oddly enough)

Corvette Z06: + 29.297
Elise 190: + 50.709
Jaguar XKR: + 1'08.827
Lancer Evo VI RS: + 1'21.956
Skyline Vspec II R32: + 1'52.270 ( was only moments behind him)

Apricot Hill - II
I mixed up my pitting schedule and took my first pit on lap 3. I should have waited until lap 4.

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: lap 16
Corvette Z06: every other lap
Jaguar XKR: 3 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 4 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 4 laps
Me: Lap 3, 6, 10, 14 and 17

Results:
Total Time: 32'18.109
Fast Lap: 1'29.134

Elise 190: + 52.550
Corvette Z06: + 1 lap
Jaguar XKR: + 1 lap
Lancer Evo VI RS: + 1 lap
Skyline Vspec II R32: + 1 lap

Deep Forest Raceway - II
Again, nothing eventful here. I drove hard, and pitted often.

Pit Schedule
Elise 190: didn't pit
Corvette Z06: every other lap
Jaguar XKR: 4 laps
Lancer Evo VI RS: 5 laps
Skyline Vspec II R32: 5 laps
Me: 4 laps

Results:
Total Time: I didn't write this down...
Fast Lap: 1'21.247

Elise 190: + 30.342
Corvette Z06: + 1 lap
Jaguar XKR: + 1 lap
Lancer Evo VI RS: + 1 lap
Skyline Vspec II R32: + 1 lap

Special Stage Route 11 - II
I used a little known trick at this race. I'm currently at 70 pts. and the Elise in second place is at 40. If I qualify in first place, I can skip the race, as well as skip the next two races, and win the series. Instead of qualifying, I decided to cheat a bit differently. Realizing the Vette would be qualifying as well and he's doing it on T8's put me in a bind. I couldn't match his qualifying times with me running normal tires. So instead, I started the race and pushed through the the pack up to second place. I then exited the race. I didn't win any points, but the rest of the points were spread across the AI cars. The Vette was out in front, so he won 10 points. The Elise was in last place, so he got stiffed with only 1 point. I remained at 70 points, and the Elise totaled up 41 points. This leaves me with two races to go, and a 29 point lead.

Grand Valley Raceway - II
I pulled the same trick again, and pushed through to second place, the exited the race. The point standings now rearranged to leave me at my previous 70, the Elise stayed in second with 43 and the Vette was now at 40.

Tokyo R246 - II
I exited out of this one early and pick up the Toyota GT-One and subsequently dump it for cash. I've already got one, and it's rarely used to any extent. The game didn't announce the final point standings, so I've no idea who came in second. Without knowing the final position of the cars when I quit, I can only assume that the Vette took second place with 50 points and the followed by the Elise with 49 (second place = 6 points). Not bad considering the Vette pitted every 2 laps through out the entire series.

Thoughts:
I still hate Seattle.

Thanks for watching the show.

AO
 
Great write up. I enjoy reading your write ups. I should get around doing one myself. By the way, what car did you use? I once did the PD cup with a Elise 190 that had an oil change, but failed to win because of the sudden rise in AI skill at SSR11 and onwards. Maybe with your trick I could had won.
 
D'oh! I edited this down a bit from the one I posted on the compendium. Looks like I edited out the paragraph detailing the car selection...

AO
 
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