Falcon787Bs GT2 Race Diary

The Trial Mountain 30-lap challenge
OR
Is Power really nothing without control?



Thanks as always to AMG for the track map
The car: Nissan Sil-Eighty
Horsepower: 202hp
Weight: 1170kg
Modifications: sports suspension/brakes.


Up against this grid:
1. Alfa Romeo 166
2. Alfa Romeo 156
3. Renault Megane Coupe
4. Lotus Elise 190
5. Ford Focus Ghia
6. Nissan SilEighty (moi)

Prior predictions make this a potentially close race, so here we go, for the rolling start...the flag drops, the revs climb, the engines crescendo, and the field charges towards the opening series of corners.
Updates to come every 10 laps.
Segment 1: Lap 1-10
Through the first few corners, I manage to squeeze my way up the running order, as a bit of a meleé ensues. The 156 and Megane jostle for 2nd going into the tunnel corner, and the 156 goes badly wide, enabling me to slip by. The Megane falls on the next corner, the downhill right, and I slipstream by the 166 on the straightaway. I begin to pull out an advantage, for I know I'll need it - unless I can make these tyres last for at least 15 laps, I'll have to pit twice, as opposed to the Elise 190's 1. I begin to eke out an advantage, with a 1:40.546 laptime on lap 5 the best I'm gonna get on this stint. Meanwhile, the Elise 190 has carved his way through the field, and is matching me move for move - the gap back is neither decreasing nor increasing, leading to some tension from my end. I'd rather he was up here with me, battling, so I could tell what he was doing - because GT2 doesn't tell you the gap back to 2nd place, you never know how far behind 2nd place is Im guessing, judging by the map, its about 10 seconds. The front tyres begin to fade, and by lap 10 Im up near 1:42 territory. I start lap 11 with roughly an 11-second lead on the Elise, and with the front tyres a very pale green
Segment 2: Lap 11-20
I have an appalling Lap 11 - the front tyres are turning yellow now, and I understeer all over the place on the way to a low 1:43 laptime. I've noticed that the Elise 190 is closing as well. Right, the gloves are off now. I really go for it, no-holds-barred, and let loose a banzai lap, taking the fastest lap of the race in the process - a 1.40.339, which is done despite the fact that all my tyres are now yellow. But this is well and truely a one-off - my tyres are getting shredded now, and I'm really struggling through the next few laps, going into the 1:44s at one point But the key thing is, I've been able to survive up until the end of lap 15, meaning I can go to the end from here with no more pitstops. This should hopefully help out in the battle against the Elise 190, which interestingly doesn't seem to have closed the gap that much despite my errors on worn rubber. I'm also pretty pleased with my inlap, which was probably heading for a 1:41 had I not been desperatly diving into the pits, yelling at my pitcrew to gimme some new goddamn tyres! They oblige, and just as I exit the pits, the Elise 190 speeds past. By the first checkpoint hes up to 5 seconds ahead, but as my tyres warm up, that gap drops, until its below a second by the end of the lap. I shadow him through lap 17 before drifting round the outside of him at turn 10. I then go on to post a new record, a 1:39.813, on lap 18. My lead is extending all the time, and I'm actually feeling a bit gutted - I was expecting a closer race than this, but this is looking a little bit easy Having said that, there's still 11 laps to go, don't get cocky just yet...the Lotus pits in at the end of lap 19, I lap the 166 on this lap, and I finish lap 20 with about a 20-second lead over the Elise.
Segment 3: Lap 21-finish
These final 10 laps kinda pass me by a bit - the realisation dawns that, bar an act of God or Microsoft Windows, I've got this one in the bag. So I instead attempt to beat my previous best laptime, but all that achieves is a spectacular, 120mph spin on lap 24! I hit the rumble strip on turn 2 at exactly the wrong angle, so that when all four wheels left the tarmac, the car was pointed sideways when it landed again! My spot of crowd-pleasing over, I run a string of comfortable laps up until lap 28, when the Focus comes out of the pits right in front of me. Hmm...Focus on fresh rubber, versus me on shot tyres...time for a little duel methinks Though it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things, it is real fun, and we end up having a right ding-dong battle. I pass him in mid-air across the rumble strips on turn 2, he repasses me in T4, I pass him through the final esses, but he gets the better exit off and grabs it back on the straight, I finally pass him for what I think is for good at T6 on the next lap, only to be repassed in the esses again...etc etc. I FINALLY pass him for good at T6 on the final lap, and he stays there now. With that spot of fun done, my attention focuses back to the race - and more importantly, the victory, which I achieve by the relativly comfortable margin of 19.562 seconds. And no wonder - have a look at the results, and see if you can spot the reason why I won so well...
Final Results
1. Nissan SilEighty - 51minutes21.806
2. Lotus Elise 111S + 19.562
3. Renault Megane 2.0 16V +1:23.564
4. Ford Focus Ghia 2.0 + 1 lap
5. Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6 + 1 lap
6. Alfa Romeo 166 2.5 V6 + 1 lap

I knew that Elise was too slow to be a 190, but I couldn't get a proper look at the front of it, so I couldn't tell if it was or not Oh well, wins a win, plus it just gives me an excuse to come back here again and wait until the 190 shows up for REAL, and THEN we'll see what happens!
Until then, thanks for reading, and be sure to tune in next time! ​

It's the APRICOT HILL 50-LAP ENDURO CHALLENGE
OR
Jaws, GT2 Style




Thanks once again to AMG for the track map

My Car: Mazda RX7 GT-C 1998
Horsepower: 353hp
Weight: 1280kg
Modifications: New ECU, Port Polish, Engine Balancing, Racing intercooler, sports suspension & tyres.

Up against this grid...
1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6
2. Shelby Mustang GT350 (in Hertz livery - perhaps someone rented it for the race?)
3. Honda NSX Type S Zero
4. Ford GT40
5. Jaguar XKR 'vehicle' (just incase you thought it was a toaster, or something other than a car. Thanks PD )

In some ways, this is the equivalent of the El Capitan 200 race in GT4 - a wide array of contenders, and a wide array of cars in which you can enter and win in. Unless the GT40 is there...in this case, only the best will do. The GT40, despite being made in 1969 and only having 305hp, is frighteningly quick, and in the hands of the faceless PD AI, it is ruthless and pragmatic. Every other car on this grid doesn't stand a chance...all except one. Me.
If I can match this four-wheeled, V8-engined car equivalent of Jaws for pace, then I might just have a chance. Time to find out - lights go green, the field roars away towards the tricky double-apex first corner in a whirl of noise.

Segment 1: Lap 1-10

The rest of the field remain in contention up until around the 3rd corner, whereupon myself and the GT40 (in white, appropriatly) clear the field. As soon as we hit T6 and he passes and is already a second ahead by the time we hit the checkpoint just 10 seconds away, I know this is gonna be a fight for survival. And so begins a really thrilling battle - I gain time through the first section of the track and the esses (T11), he blitzs me everywhere else. It really is frightening when we exit T11 side by side and he ends up nearly 1.5 seconds clear by the time we get to the start-finish line However, I keep pushing the limits of my RX7, with its naff gearbox (which is either screaming at me to change up or is wallowing around in the deadzone with no torque) and its skittish rear end, and soon I manage to constantly keep with him, before I finally snatch an overtake move on him going into T7 on lap 6! It doesn't last long, as he blasts out of the corner and snatchs back control, but through the next few laps, I edge closer and closer overall. It is really tough - one tiny mistake and I am punished by seeing the GT40 almost dissappear with frightening speed. But I keep calm, and finally on lap 9, I pass him coming out of T11, and lead my first lap of the race. He retakes control by the first corner, but I repeat the process, and at the end of lap 10, Im leading by 0.085 seconds.

Segment 2: Lap 11-20

We also lap the Jaguar XKR Vehicle (yes, thats a vehicle) on lap 11. Guess what? It's a rear-wheel drive, powerful V8 car. Which means the PD AI are completly hopeless at driving it. I pass him coming into T11, and hope to try and put some space between myself and Jaws (the GT40), but the XKR simply spins pathetically into the gravel at T2. Moron. Anyway, the white-knuckle, door-slamming, paint-grinding battle for control between myself and Jaws continues a little longer, until on lap 13 (unlucky for some...), the GT40 draws level on my outside through T2, but suddenly, he's not there anymore. What happened? He span. His tyres are obviously getting worn out, and he's not the only one - mine are hitting dark orange now I am able to stretch my lead a little though, as suddenly, Jaws appears unable to keep his car as locked down on the track as it was in the early stages. I also lap the Shelby Mustang on lap 13, whose busy making sandcastles at T7 instead of, y'know, actually RACING I also pass the Evo in the pits, and I lap the NSX on lap 15. Because the NSX is MR as opposed to a big, muscular FR, the AI can manage it, and he actually gives me a few problems in lapping him. I finally get by at T4, with a rude hand gesture out the window from me for barging me onto the grass in T3 Jaws pits on lap 16, and I pit on lap 17, meaning - fingers crossed! - I can make it to the end on one more stop and Jaws can't. I come out of the pits with a dot on the map bearing down on me, and I assume the worst...until I see a silver, boxy shape in my mirrors, as opposed to a white, shark-like shape. It's in fact the lapped Evo. The GT40 is further back than I thought. However, my little lead is short-lived, for on lap 20, I put a wheel on the grass under braking for T7 and quickly have to break out the shovel to dig myself out Guess what shape looms large in my mirrors once I get back on the track? (Jaws music plays...) I end lap 20 leading by just under a second from Jaws.

Segment 3: Lap 21-30

The battle begins once again, as he shadows me through laps 21 and 22. We see the NSX hove into view in front of us on lap 23, and by lap 24, T2 we are trying to pass him. This is where my liking of NSXs severly decreases. Firstly, he completly blocks my path through T2, then barges me onto the grass again in T3! Jaws moves by, and takes off by nearly 3 seconds I keep the gap close until lap 25, where he spins right in front of me in T2. I have to slam on the brakes and stop, I try and turn to get round him, but he reverses into my path, and takes off before I can do anything else! I tear after him in hot pursuit again, and on lap 26, I stay high going into T2. He spins again, and this time I go right by. Im beginning to get a sense of anti-climax about this race - whenever the battle between us hots up, Jaws ends up :censored:ing up at T2 and I end up getting a healthy lead. He does this again and again, so that on lap 31, Im leading by nearly 8 seconds 👎

Segment 4: Lap 31-40

GT40 pits in lap 32, and I pit in lap 33 for my last stop of the race. A couple of slow outlaps means that the GT40 is back on my tail soon, but I keep the gap fairly respectible. All in all its a boring segment, and I end it with about a second gap back to Jaws.

Finale: Lap 41-50

On lap 41 the Jaguar XKR Vehicle hoves into view inthe distance. And just to make that clear, its a vehicle. Not a toilet, or a moped - a vehicle 👍 Actually, they could have probably just called it a truck, because that's how the PD AI are treating it - in fact, it prooves a lifeline for the GT40, as I end up going on the grass trying to avoid the stationary 'vehicle' in T2 . This brings the GT40 right back into it, and in fact right past me. And just to really make things challenging, a lapse in concentration means I semi-spin down at T7 on lap 42 . Now Im down by about 4 seconds on the GT40, as we both re-lap the Evo for the second time. Presumably that's a vehicle too? But I'm closing in, and the GT40 spins again on lap 43, meaning I slip back by and into the lead again. But guess what? Another brief lapse in concentration, and I miss the braking point for T1 on lap 45, and therefore end up on the grass in T2. Jaws, annoyingly, chooses NOT to spin this lap, and just swims past menacingly He then puts in a storming lap 46, but then it all goes horribly wrong on lap 47 as he spins AGAIN in T2, and I snatch the lead back for the last time. I concentrate on getting the car home safely, without any more mistakes, and that's what I do. Just to compound my victory, the GT40 pits on lap 48. I'm home and dry!

Apologies, I was in a rush to finish and thus didn't get the final timings.

Final Results
1. Mazda RX7 GT-C 1998 (me)
2. Ford GT40 (Jaws) - +30-35 seconds ish
3. Honda NSX Type S Zero (Git ) - +1 lap
4. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 (dissappointingly slow) +2 laps
5. Shelby GT350 (OMG ITS AMERICAN MUSCLE CANT CONTROL IT OHSHI- PD AI)-+3 laps
6. Jaguar XKR Vehicle (okay, that joke's worn thin now...) - +3 laps

So there we go, although the finish wasn't quite as challenging as hoped, it was quite some duel between myself and the GT40 - really does make up for the anticlimax that was Trial Mountain. Next stop, Laguna Seca (Sucka? - PB) for the 200 miles, in a heavily modified, RM'ed street car. Time to take those JGTCs down a few notches But that's for another day. Until then, thank's for reading! ​