Then back to each to wrap them up. Took a few tries, but now Ive golded them all!
Rome It was actually the LHD/RHD thing (of all things) that was on my mind when reattempting this, having to remind myself I can cut closer to things on my left and not as close on my right. Most useful with the turn leading into the back straight (or at the end of it, in the non-Reverse configuration) so I can get onto that straight with some measure of speed. But, only took a couple runs to catch the leader after the back straight.
Time: 6:47.117, by 1.021 seconds.
Trial Mountain This one took longer than I thought it would. Ran it many different times, refining my approach as I went (such as lifting into turn 3 (the downhill left-hander) rather than braking) each with pretty much the same result as the first:
just able to see the leader going into the back straight in the last lap.
One of these times, I coasted through the finish line, figuring its yet another distant 2nd... but the race wasnt over, it was actually just the 4th lap, so Id made the same progress as before, but faster, and got a free lap! After a few more of these free laps, I finally caught the leader just past the downhill turn leading into the front straight. The traditional handbrake turn through the finish may have been unwise with things so close! But it didnt betray me.
This time. (But read on.)
Time: 8:23.382, by 0.505 seconds.
Laguna Seca Either this was the easiest of the group, or I was at my peak. I won on my very next try, despite fishtailing between turns 9 and 10 one time, and overrunning into the dirt on the last turn later on, all in the same race.
![Rolleyes :rolleyes: :rolleyes:](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/rolleyes.svg?v=6)
(Some peak!)
Time: 8:28.615, by 2.212 seconds.
Special Stage Route 5 This time, I managed to get into the lead with time to spare... and in lap 4!
![Big Grin :D :D](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/biggrin.svg?v=3)
With plenty of lead by the end, I felt like a mere handbrake turn through the finish line just wouldnt do, so I did a handbrake turn before it and
reversed through the finish!
![Sly :sly: :sly:](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/sly.svg?v=3)
Or
would have, but instead I got snagged on the side wall and sheepishly limped across the line into 3rd place.
![Ouch :ouch: :ouch:](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/ouch.svg?v=3)
Then ran it all over again, and got the lead in lap 4 again, and against my better judgement, tried that flourish finish again! Which at least resulted in a 360° twirl across the line.
Totally meant to do that.
Time: 8:14.557, by 5.010 seconds.
By this time, I was nearing the 20 million credit limit again, so I went on another shopping spree through the Dealerships, picking up whatever looked interesting. (The Zonda R doesnt bite, does it?) But my engine had cooled down during this time, so I had to warm up again for the last race.
Eifel Kart course That first sharp corner is trickier than the Corkscrew, with the segmented braking zone! After half a dozen runs and resorting to turning the driving line display back on an approach Ive found that seems to work somewhat well is to brake in segments: brake, coast-turn, brake some more, etc, and to switch to
gentle trail-braking toward the main turn. Also, lifting (vs braking) is enough to get through the final turn, the one at the hilltop.
Eventually, was within slipstream range of the two rabbits by the end of the 4th lap, and won with plenty of time to spare. (6:48.972, by 6.888 seconds) Then I went for it again without the driving line, and caught the leader around the turn leading into the front straight after a few attempts.
Time: 6:56.296, by 0.722 seconds.
See, this is what I was expecting the FF Challenge to be like, and this to be like that one!
For my troubles, I get some Standard car (Aston Martin V8 Vantage 99) in an awful shade of yellowish green.
![Yuck :yuck: :yuck:](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/yuck.svg?v=3)
And reached A-Spec level 31 with the very final race. And got some experience, and stories to tell. 👍