- 1,494
- Portland / Or /
- Barefoot_Driver
This race has been a gaping hole in my A-Spec line up for quite a while. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first was my dislike for the track. I've never found a rhythm I like. Even using the "magic driving line" in a car I like I've never found a rhythm. The second reason was the other races which beckoned. After I completed the Nascar series Suzuka was the only hole left and no excuse left.
When doing an endurance race I prefer to drive a car I'm comfortable with. I've already used the Fireblade for: Grand Valley 300km, Leguna Seca 200 mile, Nuerbergring 4 Hr, and Tsukuba 9hr, all on comparable tyres. During those races I developed a tune that EivlEvo has reviewed. Since his review I put the 'blade aside and worked on other cars and races. But for Suzuka I pulled it out of the garage.
First I needed a good tune for this track. I double checked that I had my most up to date tune equiped and reread EivlEvos' review and set to work. These are my notes:
***
Tranny: top speed 310kph. 1st long and balance 2 thru 4.
LSD: 13/20/18
RH: -2/-2
Springs: 6.5/5.2
Dampers: 6/7//3/4
ARB: 5/4
Camber: 1.0/0.6
Toe: -0.05/+0.10
Oil is black. Gave it an engine overhaul.
Toe: -0.03/*
Tranny: reset to default.
Final gear: 3.139
1: 5.025. 2: 3.607. 3: 2.841. 4: 2.308. 5: 1.926. 6: 1.649
Perfect. Max out at 245kph with drafting and 230 or so alone.
Damping: */6//*/3
Much better control. Kept 7th place, I think, till corner 1 on lap 5. Bty: 2:09.288.
Toe: */+0.05
Bty: 2:09.170. Much more stable. Especially on corner exit.
After a few hours break...
Much easier to control. Its like I'm managing my slip angles. What I thought was a hopeless car on Suzuka can now slide around cars in the turns. I still get passed on the streight. Bty: 2:08.508
Final gear: 3.050 (top speed: 257)
Perfect top speed.
LSD: 15/20/18
It feels like the wire is tighter. Harder to turn. Bty: 2:07.446.
LSD: 13/20/10
Too much I think. Can't put my finger on it.
LSD: 13/20/18 revert.
Dampers: 6/6//3/3 to 5/5//2/2
No noticable difference.
Dampers: 4/4//4/4
Doesn't work. Unable to recover from retaliation and offroading is impossible.
Dampers: 5/5//3/3
Alot like 6/6//3/3 and 5/5//2/2. No noticable difference.
ARB: 1/1
Very little difference until you try a pmi/slalom. The car can't shift fast enough.
ARB: 4/3
I like it. Just the right amount of sway speed.
Toe: */+0.05 to */0.00
Even better. Perhaps less on corner exit but everything else is more solid.
Camber: 0/0
Just cuz...
Holy $h!t. It has much more bite in the corners now.
Camber: 0.02/0.02
No noticeable difference.
Final Suzuka setup
Final: 3.050, 1: 5.025, 2: 3.607, 3: 2.842, 4: 2.308, 5: 1.926, 6: 1.649
LSD: 13/20/18
RH: -2/-2
Springs: 6.5/5.2
Dampers: 5/5//3/3
ARB: 4/3
Camber: 0.2/0.2
Toe: -0.02/+0.02
BB: 5/5
Tyres: RS
***
At this point I didn't see where I could improve the tune. I had removed the "tank slapper" problem EivlEvo mentioned and I felt comfortable on the track and could produce decent (I hoped) and repeatable times.
My first time I raced I got 5th place. I was not happy with my performance. While testing I determined that I could do at least 30 laps before needing to pit for tyres. This seemed a good theory and served me well in my previous endurance races in this and previous versions of GT. One of the strengths of the 'blade is its ability to stretch its tyres and fuel. My laps were plagued by at least one spinout per pit, not surprising considering how far I was pushing the tyres. And sometime after my second pit the handling noticable worsened. This turned out to be the cars need for chassis maintenance.
After the race I watched the replay, noting the lap times and position of all the cars. My PS3 froze up on me on lap 114 of the replay but by that time I had enough data. I plotted my times and the times of the top two drivers on lap 114. Bingo! My average lap times on tyre lap: 1-10: 2:08.x, 11-20: 2:09.x, 21-25: 2:11.x, 25+: 2:14. Molina in the Honda Arts NSX: 2;07.x, 2:09.x, 2:10.x
I then did a few pit projections and average lap time calculations and started my second run through better prepared. My pit schedule was alternating 24/25 laps. By the second lap I was in first place and maintained the lead till about lap 100. It started raining on lap 66 or so. I had no problem and my lead maintained its steady increase. That is till lap 100. My car became uncontrollable no matter the tyres I put on it. My spinouts and tyre changes plunged me to last place quickly. So I quit.
***
Tune note:
Camber set to 0.1/0.1
Too stiff, not flexable enough. Revert.
***
On my third try I kept the same strategy that I used in my second try. It went great. I took 1st on lap 2 and kept it. It became obvious that my only competitor was the Takada Dome NSX. My laps were vertually error free and consistant. I was actually starting to enjoy the track and rhythm I found. The NSX was close enough that when I pitted it passed me. Then on lap 60 my controller turned off. I lost about 40 seconds. What was a challenging race was now white-knuckle to the end. The NSX caught up to me on lap 169. I would lose him on the corners but he would catch up to me on the streights. Plus his tyres were fresh while mine needed a change. I held him off till the end of the last streight on the last lap. When I tried to turn into the next streight which led into the chicane the NSX clipped my back end and round and round I went. I ended the race in second. In all my years playing GT I have never had such an almost undeniable urge to throw my controller across the room.
To quote Gene Wilder from 'Start the Revolution without Me,' "Wait! I have a better idea. I have an even better idea!"
I had taken some pit information down during my third try. Better equipped I went into my fourth try with a better plan. Pit strategy: 25/24 alternating, with apx 30 liters of fuel per pit. This would, hopefully, shorten the amount of time I spent in the pits. Last try I didn't need fuel at the end. Plus my left wrist/hand is developing arthritis so long races are becoming painful. Perhaps I wouldn't have crashed if I rested my wrist? New plan: take a break at each pit stop.
These are the notes from my fourth try at Suzuka:
***
The weather looks ok but is slightly overcast. Checked driving options and changed tyres from SM to RS. Whew! Third by lap 2. First by lap 3. Just before lap 17 the sky became bluer with less clouds. First pit on lap 26, wanted 40, gave 29. Taking a break. On lap 27: 26.6 seconds ahead. Second pit on lap 52. Wanted 52, gave 31. Taking a break. Apx 1:50:4x.xxx into race. Apx 42 seconds ahead on lap 53. Skys are still clear. Pitted on lap 78, wanted 60, gave 36. Taking a break. 50.0 seconds ahead on lap 79. Lap 95, taking a break (phone call). Lap 101, taking a long break (family is home). Pitted on lap 102. Wanted 62 , got 62 by accident. Skys are still clear. Apx 10 seconds ahead on lap 103. Pit on lap 127. Wanted 16, gave 16 (16 is under tyre change). Apx 4:35.xxx into race. Taking a break. Skyes are still clear. On lap 128 I'm 19.8 seconds ahead. Pit on lap 150. Wanted 0, gave 0. Apx 24 seconds ahead on lap 151.
***
I won with a decent margin and no massive messups.
Now I need to wait till my YellowBird can be taken off of its online status and try it out on this track with the new tunes Adrenaline, dr slump and others have been shooting around.
I'm a glutton for punishment.
When doing an endurance race I prefer to drive a car I'm comfortable with. I've already used the Fireblade for: Grand Valley 300km, Leguna Seca 200 mile, Nuerbergring 4 Hr, and Tsukuba 9hr, all on comparable tyres. During those races I developed a tune that EivlEvo has reviewed. Since his review I put the 'blade aside and worked on other cars and races. But for Suzuka I pulled it out of the garage.
First I needed a good tune for this track. I double checked that I had my most up to date tune equiped and reread EivlEvos' review and set to work. These are my notes:
***
Tranny: top speed 310kph. 1st long and balance 2 thru 4.
LSD: 13/20/18
RH: -2/-2
Springs: 6.5/5.2
Dampers: 6/7//3/4
ARB: 5/4
Camber: 1.0/0.6
Toe: -0.05/+0.10
Oil is black. Gave it an engine overhaul.
Toe: -0.03/*
Tranny: reset to default.
Final gear: 3.139
1: 5.025. 2: 3.607. 3: 2.841. 4: 2.308. 5: 1.926. 6: 1.649
Perfect. Max out at 245kph with drafting and 230 or so alone.
Damping: */6//*/3
Much better control. Kept 7th place, I think, till corner 1 on lap 5. Bty: 2:09.288.
Toe: */+0.05
Bty: 2:09.170. Much more stable. Especially on corner exit.
After a few hours break...
Much easier to control. Its like I'm managing my slip angles. What I thought was a hopeless car on Suzuka can now slide around cars in the turns. I still get passed on the streight. Bty: 2:08.508
Final gear: 3.050 (top speed: 257)
Perfect top speed.
LSD: 15/20/18
It feels like the wire is tighter. Harder to turn. Bty: 2:07.446.
LSD: 13/20/10
Too much I think. Can't put my finger on it.
LSD: 13/20/18 revert.
Dampers: 6/6//3/3 to 5/5//2/2
No noticable difference.
Dampers: 4/4//4/4
Doesn't work. Unable to recover from retaliation and offroading is impossible.
Dampers: 5/5//3/3
Alot like 6/6//3/3 and 5/5//2/2. No noticable difference.
ARB: 1/1
Very little difference until you try a pmi/slalom. The car can't shift fast enough.
ARB: 4/3
I like it. Just the right amount of sway speed.
Toe: */+0.05 to */0.00
Even better. Perhaps less on corner exit but everything else is more solid.
Camber: 0/0
Just cuz...
Holy $h!t. It has much more bite in the corners now.
Camber: 0.02/0.02
No noticeable difference.
Final Suzuka setup
Final: 3.050, 1: 5.025, 2: 3.607, 3: 2.842, 4: 2.308, 5: 1.926, 6: 1.649
LSD: 13/20/18
RH: -2/-2
Springs: 6.5/5.2
Dampers: 5/5//3/3
ARB: 4/3
Camber: 0.2/0.2
Toe: -0.02/+0.02
BB: 5/5
Tyres: RS
***
At this point I didn't see where I could improve the tune. I had removed the "tank slapper" problem EivlEvo mentioned and I felt comfortable on the track and could produce decent (I hoped) and repeatable times.
My first time I raced I got 5th place. I was not happy with my performance. While testing I determined that I could do at least 30 laps before needing to pit for tyres. This seemed a good theory and served me well in my previous endurance races in this and previous versions of GT. One of the strengths of the 'blade is its ability to stretch its tyres and fuel. My laps were plagued by at least one spinout per pit, not surprising considering how far I was pushing the tyres. And sometime after my second pit the handling noticable worsened. This turned out to be the cars need for chassis maintenance.
After the race I watched the replay, noting the lap times and position of all the cars. My PS3 froze up on me on lap 114 of the replay but by that time I had enough data. I plotted my times and the times of the top two drivers on lap 114. Bingo! My average lap times on tyre lap: 1-10: 2:08.x, 11-20: 2:09.x, 21-25: 2:11.x, 25+: 2:14. Molina in the Honda Arts NSX: 2;07.x, 2:09.x, 2:10.x
I then did a few pit projections and average lap time calculations and started my second run through better prepared. My pit schedule was alternating 24/25 laps. By the second lap I was in first place and maintained the lead till about lap 100. It started raining on lap 66 or so. I had no problem and my lead maintained its steady increase. That is till lap 100. My car became uncontrollable no matter the tyres I put on it. My spinouts and tyre changes plunged me to last place quickly. So I quit.
***
Tune note:
Camber set to 0.1/0.1
Too stiff, not flexable enough. Revert.
***
On my third try I kept the same strategy that I used in my second try. It went great. I took 1st on lap 2 and kept it. It became obvious that my only competitor was the Takada Dome NSX. My laps were vertually error free and consistant. I was actually starting to enjoy the track and rhythm I found. The NSX was close enough that when I pitted it passed me. Then on lap 60 my controller turned off. I lost about 40 seconds. What was a challenging race was now white-knuckle to the end. The NSX caught up to me on lap 169. I would lose him on the corners but he would catch up to me on the streights. Plus his tyres were fresh while mine needed a change. I held him off till the end of the last streight on the last lap. When I tried to turn into the next streight which led into the chicane the NSX clipped my back end and round and round I went. I ended the race in second. In all my years playing GT I have never had such an almost undeniable urge to throw my controller across the room.
To quote Gene Wilder from 'Start the Revolution without Me,' "Wait! I have a better idea. I have an even better idea!"
I had taken some pit information down during my third try. Better equipped I went into my fourth try with a better plan. Pit strategy: 25/24 alternating, with apx 30 liters of fuel per pit. This would, hopefully, shorten the amount of time I spent in the pits. Last try I didn't need fuel at the end. Plus my left wrist/hand is developing arthritis so long races are becoming painful. Perhaps I wouldn't have crashed if I rested my wrist? New plan: take a break at each pit stop.
These are the notes from my fourth try at Suzuka:
***
The weather looks ok but is slightly overcast. Checked driving options and changed tyres from SM to RS. Whew! Third by lap 2. First by lap 3. Just before lap 17 the sky became bluer with less clouds. First pit on lap 26, wanted 40, gave 29. Taking a break. On lap 27: 26.6 seconds ahead. Second pit on lap 52. Wanted 52, gave 31. Taking a break. Apx 1:50:4x.xxx into race. Apx 42 seconds ahead on lap 53. Skys are still clear. Pitted on lap 78, wanted 60, gave 36. Taking a break. 50.0 seconds ahead on lap 79. Lap 95, taking a break (phone call). Lap 101, taking a long break (family is home). Pitted on lap 102. Wanted 62 , got 62 by accident. Skys are still clear. Apx 10 seconds ahead on lap 103. Pit on lap 127. Wanted 16, gave 16 (16 is under tyre change). Apx 4:35.xxx into race. Taking a break. Skyes are still clear. On lap 128 I'm 19.8 seconds ahead. Pit on lap 150. Wanted 0, gave 0. Apx 24 seconds ahead on lap 151.
***
I won with a decent margin and no massive messups.
Now I need to wait till my YellowBird can be taken off of its online status and try it out on this track with the new tunes Adrenaline, dr slump and others have been shooting around.
I'm a glutton for punishment.
Last edited:
