Since this is my first write up please feel free to comment on my writing. This site really adds value to the game keeping it alive when youre stuck on 99,4% as I am. 👍
Before I left for race one I paid a visit to my sponsors to show the result of the pre-race, they were quiet impressed and I managed to squeak them of some more stuff. Being just four seconds after that Yellow Bird on the pre-race I now had made some adjustments and put in a sport intercooler, twin clutch, semi racing flywheel, racing chip and a 1,5 LSD, on the way home I stopped at my pals in the tyre shop an got some decent racing tyres.
Away for race #1.
Apricot Hill, ran in to some trouble getting there so I missed the qualification (damn!). The field had some minor changes since the pre-race. Competing for this years Tuning car Grand Prix Championship is: RUF Yellow Bird (YB), Opera S2000, RUF CTR2 96, Spoon S2000, Nismo Skyline and my Innocent Mica Blue Bat out of hell ending up the field. Bob approaches me in the pit,
- Have you seen the odds?!?! The bookmakers have you 187/1 (A-spec p), and what Ive heard they never gone beyond 200!
- Well, maybe you should take the chance and make some money. I reply and jumps into my car.
The start goes and the Nismo and the Spoon was in the mirror by the first bend and the CTR shortly after the chicane, YB was hardly in sight but I set my mind on passing the Opera (quick little bastard thou), well I managed to squeeze by in the first s-turn after the uphill straight. The YB really seamed to be on wings! What have I get my self into? On the second lap I actually gained some time on him and up towards the finish line I could hear the roar of his tail engine, I absolutely sweet spotted the chicane on the last lap and now I was on his bumper going up the straight for the last time. Lost some ground going in to fast in the long right after the straight and thought that second place is no disaster after all. In the second s-turn the YB lost his tail and went wide, ending up with a tour over the sand, I got so excited that I followed his example and instead of taking the first place I handed over the second to the Opera S2000 and finished in third. A bit disappointed a faced Bob in the pits, he was what did I say smiling from ear to ear.
- Had my money on the Bird! Do you wanna split the Le Sarthe 50/50? he ask.
- The bet is still on and you will run alone I answer, trying to sound more secure than I am.
Result top three race #1: Winner RUF YB, runner up Opera performance S2000 and third place Bat out of hell.
Home again I start to prepare for the race on Fuji Speedway. On the net I found a page loaded with hints about different settings for different cars (tnx Duck7892), my Bat was listed and I set it up after the directions. Some testing and a few minor changes to fit my style of driving made a lot of difference on the test track.
Away to Fuji with plenty of time for preparations, it really paid of. P1 on the qualification with 1,2 sec to spare. Had a bit of a strategy going since my car wasnt really competitive on the straight I deliberately set the gearbox low to gain even more time in the curves trying to build a gap before the straight. The lights went out and with my good acceleration I was first down to the curve, my strategy seamed to pay of and I got a couple of car lengths on the first lap. Back on the straight the bird started to take back some ground, I braked late and he tried to break even later ending up in the sand trap. I was home free an the first victory for this little nice car was a fact. After packing everything together I found Bob in a nearby pub. He start to whine about a lucky shot and bla bla bla about the Bird going of (he had some more money on him this time). Told him to bet on me next time and prepare for the two 24:hrs race he was facing.
Result top three race #2: Winner Bat out of hell, runner up RUF YB and third Opera S2000. Really tight championship so far and very nice and tight racing.
Be back with the last three races soon.
Part III The End.
Time for the Tokyo race, even more difficult with that loooong straight. Bob was actually helping me unload, but since he still was going on about my so called lucky shot at Fuji I sent him up on the grand stand when the car was on the tarmac. Tinkered around a bit with the settings and did some testing, boy this would be close, practice times was just about identical. Out for qualification, ran a nearly perfect lap and got pole by 00,00,288 sec!! Boy this gonna be really CLOSE. Lights out on race day! The Bird is briefly in the lead but some really late braking took care of that, thanks to the excellent high speed cornering of this wonderful piece of machinery I managed to open up a small gap. The gap was just big enough to let me hear the roar of the Bird at the end of the straight. Another perfect lap (boy this car is good) and 3-4 car lengths to spare on the second lap. On the last lap the guy in the Opera S2000 put together the run of his life and managed to pick up second place in the last turn and forcing me to find some in my dreams curves on the straight and making him push me over the line. Yahoo!! Championship leader!! Bob hade promised to help me load up the stuff (probably hoping that I would loose) actually turned up but all sick of my driving, me being right and of the car, he just couldnt get it in his head how this piece of crap (his words) could be so fast.
- Well, placed any money on this one?
- Not a dime! (Shut up!, enough already!)
- To bad, heard that they fixed the odds on 187/1
- Yeah! So what!
- Ok you still have two chances left
- No way!!
Hes not much of a talker when in that mood, good old Bob. After loading up hes right of to the nearest bar to have some Sake and Beer to drown the sorrows and disbelief.
Now we are heading for one of my absolute favourite tracks, El Capitan! After some practice rounds I knew that I had an almost perfect setup (the perfect one does not exist). Taking pole with a blistering 7,7 sec margin!
By now Bob was on his way to the airport, he told me later that I completely turned his view on motor sport around but he couldnt take it right there and then. The driver of the Bird (believe hes name was Dirk) was walking around and crawled under the car all night looking for improvements. Race day and
.. no he did NOT found any . This race was a genuine joy ride. Had all the time in the world to think about just how nice this car is, blistering over the crest with the gear suggestion begging for third and me going flat out in fifth! I absolutely slapped the competitors silly flying around the track in a car that only wants to go faster and faster giving the phrase The sky is the limit a new meaning. Dirk kept his helmet on for about twenty minutes after the race and was seen later that night weeping over some really strong beverage. Actually that was the last time he was spotted, on Tsukuba he was replaced by some young hot shot that was willing to sacrifice hes left foot to give me a hard time 
.
Since Bob chose to watch this last race on TV I had to do everything on my one and had no time to change the set up, making the qualification a bit tricky. Managed to take pole with a 1, 2 sec margin. Lights out and my bumper must have been all yellow after the first lap. That new guy really want to do a good job, in the last long curve the car became more than the mouthful he was able to cope with and hes chances ran out in the sand
. Now the Opera driver found some new speed and painted over that yellow with white paint on the second lap. On the last lap I managed to put together a perfect first sector and opened a small gap and the Opera more or less throw in the towel. Sweet victory!!! Winner of the Tuning Car Grand Prix for the second year in a row.
Back home the guys at HKS was absolutely delighted, my success had not passed by unnoticed and their phones was ringing of the hooks. They kept their part of the deal and now my Bat puts out some 575 bhp if I want to. Bob came crawling back the other day begging for forgiveness, since we run back along time I let him of the hook and let him share the Sarthe races with one more driver (mostly security reasons since it is my car). I asked him about his nails witch was eaten down real hard and he admitted that he had a hundred bucks on me to win the last race
. This shows that you can learn old dogs to sit .
Before I left for race one I paid a visit to my sponsors to show the result of the pre-race, they were quiet impressed and I managed to squeak them of some more stuff. Being just four seconds after that Yellow Bird on the pre-race I now had made some adjustments and put in a sport intercooler, twin clutch, semi racing flywheel, racing chip and a 1,5 LSD, on the way home I stopped at my pals in the tyre shop an got some decent racing tyres.
Away for race #1.
Apricot Hill, ran in to some trouble getting there so I missed the qualification (damn!). The field had some minor changes since the pre-race. Competing for this years Tuning car Grand Prix Championship is: RUF Yellow Bird (YB), Opera S2000, RUF CTR2 96, Spoon S2000, Nismo Skyline and my Innocent Mica Blue Bat out of hell ending up the field. Bob approaches me in the pit,
- Have you seen the odds?!?! The bookmakers have you 187/1 (A-spec p), and what Ive heard they never gone beyond 200!
- Well, maybe you should take the chance and make some money. I reply and jumps into my car.
The start goes and the Nismo and the Spoon was in the mirror by the first bend and the CTR shortly after the chicane, YB was hardly in sight but I set my mind on passing the Opera (quick little bastard thou), well I managed to squeeze by in the first s-turn after the uphill straight. The YB really seamed to be on wings! What have I get my self into? On the second lap I actually gained some time on him and up towards the finish line I could hear the roar of his tail engine, I absolutely sweet spotted the chicane on the last lap and now I was on his bumper going up the straight for the last time. Lost some ground going in to fast in the long right after the straight and thought that second place is no disaster after all. In the second s-turn the YB lost his tail and went wide, ending up with a tour over the sand, I got so excited that I followed his example and instead of taking the first place I handed over the second to the Opera S2000 and finished in third. A bit disappointed a faced Bob in the pits, he was what did I say smiling from ear to ear.
- Had my money on the Bird! Do you wanna split the Le Sarthe 50/50? he ask.
- The bet is still on and you will run alone I answer, trying to sound more secure than I am.
Result top three race #1: Winner RUF YB, runner up Opera performance S2000 and third place Bat out of hell.
Home again I start to prepare for the race on Fuji Speedway. On the net I found a page loaded with hints about different settings for different cars (tnx Duck7892), my Bat was listed and I set it up after the directions. Some testing and a few minor changes to fit my style of driving made a lot of difference on the test track.
Away to Fuji with plenty of time for preparations, it really paid of. P1 on the qualification with 1,2 sec to spare. Had a bit of a strategy going since my car wasnt really competitive on the straight I deliberately set the gearbox low to gain even more time in the curves trying to build a gap before the straight. The lights went out and with my good acceleration I was first down to the curve, my strategy seamed to pay of and I got a couple of car lengths on the first lap. Back on the straight the bird started to take back some ground, I braked late and he tried to break even later ending up in the sand trap. I was home free an the first victory for this little nice car was a fact. After packing everything together I found Bob in a nearby pub. He start to whine about a lucky shot and bla bla bla about the Bird going of (he had some more money on him this time). Told him to bet on me next time and prepare for the two 24:hrs race he was facing.
Result top three race #2: Winner Bat out of hell, runner up RUF YB and third Opera S2000. Really tight championship so far and very nice and tight racing.
Be back with the last three races soon.
Part III The End.
Time for the Tokyo race, even more difficult with that loooong straight. Bob was actually helping me unload, but since he still was going on about my so called lucky shot at Fuji I sent him up on the grand stand when the car was on the tarmac. Tinkered around a bit with the settings and did some testing, boy this would be close, practice times was just about identical. Out for qualification, ran a nearly perfect lap and got pole by 00,00,288 sec!! Boy this gonna be really CLOSE. Lights out on race day! The Bird is briefly in the lead but some really late braking took care of that, thanks to the excellent high speed cornering of this wonderful piece of machinery I managed to open up a small gap. The gap was just big enough to let me hear the roar of the Bird at the end of the straight. Another perfect lap (boy this car is good) and 3-4 car lengths to spare on the second lap. On the last lap the guy in the Opera S2000 put together the run of his life and managed to pick up second place in the last turn and forcing me to find some in my dreams curves on the straight and making him push me over the line. Yahoo!! Championship leader!! Bob hade promised to help me load up the stuff (probably hoping that I would loose) actually turned up but all sick of my driving, me being right and of the car, he just couldnt get it in his head how this piece of crap (his words) could be so fast.
- Well, placed any money on this one?
- Not a dime! (Shut up!, enough already!)
- To bad, heard that they fixed the odds on 187/1
- Yeah! So what!
- Ok you still have two chances left
- No way!!
Hes not much of a talker when in that mood, good old Bob. After loading up hes right of to the nearest bar to have some Sake and Beer to drown the sorrows and disbelief.
Now we are heading for one of my absolute favourite tracks, El Capitan! After some practice rounds I knew that I had an almost perfect setup (the perfect one does not exist). Taking pole with a blistering 7,7 sec margin!
By now Bob was on his way to the airport, he told me later that I completely turned his view on motor sport around but he couldnt take it right there and then. The driver of the Bird (believe hes name was Dirk) was walking around and crawled under the car all night looking for improvements. Race day and
.. no he did NOT found any . This race was a genuine joy ride. Had all the time in the world to think about just how nice this car is, blistering over the crest with the gear suggestion begging for third and me going flat out in fifth! I absolutely slapped the competitors silly flying around the track in a car that only wants to go faster and faster giving the phrase The sky is the limit a new meaning. Dirk kept his helmet on for about twenty minutes after the race and was seen later that night weeping over some really strong beverage. Actually that was the last time he was spotted, on Tsukuba he was replaced by some young hot shot that was willing to sacrifice hes left foot to give me a hard time . Since Bob chose to watch this last race on TV I had to do everything on my one and had no time to change the set up, making the qualification a bit tricky. Managed to take pole with a 1, 2 sec margin. Lights out and my bumper must have been all yellow after the first lap. That new guy really want to do a good job, in the last long curve the car became more than the mouthful he was able to cope with and hes chances ran out in the sand
. Now the Opera driver found some new speed and painted over that yellow with white paint on the second lap. On the last lap I managed to put together a perfect first sector and opened a small gap and the Opera more or less throw in the towel. Sweet victory!!! Winner of the Tuning Car Grand Prix for the second year in a row. Back home the guys at HKS was absolutely delighted, my success had not passed by unnoticed and their phones was ringing of the hooks. They kept their part of the deal and now my Bat puts out some 575 bhp if I want to. Bob came crawling back the other day begging for forgiveness, since we run back along time I let him of the hook and let him share the Sarthe races with one more driver (mostly security reasons since it is my car). I asked him about his nails witch was eaten down real hard and he admitted that he had a hundred bucks on me to win the last race
. This shows that you can learn old dogs to sit .
