BMW Club M
Perhaps an odd choice for a race report, but I have my reasons:
1. M Club Capitan was the first race where I went out of my way for 200 points after choosing to pursue it. Curious to see how far I've come over four months and 40,000 points.
2. I'm beyond pathetic at Nurburgring - I need to start going out of my way to race it and learn it instead of going out of my way not to. So this report will be a record of my run through the championship, then a diary of my trials and tribulations picking up that fifth win.
*Click any images for the full-size version.
The Challenge
Take on the ultimate driving machines with a slightly odd looking, well worn out, roadster-turned-coupe. The eventual goal is of course 1000 A-Spec points and a shiny new M3 GTR, but in this case the journey is probably more important.
The Car
BMW M Coupe '98 (Used) with about 25,000 miles on it - 286 HP
- Added all the non-point upgrades: primarily transmission, suspension, and brakes (forgot rigidity refresh)
- Primary Set-Up: stock hp (286), S3 tires, 200 ballast, NOS
- Nurburgring Set-Up: TBD
The Competition (NTSC lineup 4 or 5)
El Capitan
I've come to appreciate standing starts in these races - burned almost two units of NOS through the first straight to pull even with the M3 in first place. I overtook him for first before we got to the bottom of the track and quickly pulled away for a two second lead, using a touch of NOS to help accelerate out of each turn. By the mountain/tunnel corners there were two split groups, the M3 '04 & M5 on my tail, and the other three lagging several seconds behind.
Went full NOS down the straightaway and crossed the line up 3.3 seconds ahead of the M3, just before he was overtaken by the M5, who was about 2.8 back at the bottom of the course. Drove a clean and reasonably fast lap without any further NOS use until the final straight, when the race was locked up (ended with half the tank left).
Lap Splits: 2'13.305 (-3.337), 2'03.903 (-2.920)
Apricot Hill
I tend to have trouble with Apricot Hill, but it wasn't too bad this time around. Starting sixth off the grid, I grabbed fifth through the first two turns and then into third with a little paint swapping on the esses. I was briefly repassed by the M5 approaching the tight hairpin, but was able to take second place on the inside of the turn when the M3 GTR got a little wide. Trailed the M3 through the start/finish line and wasn't able to pass throughout all of lap two. I've used a little NOS here and there, but stil had over half coming to the start/finish straight.
The M3 came off the first turns wide and I jumped inside him heading down to the esses. He pulled alongside and repassed in the long sweeper, but I was again able to take the inside of the hairpin to regain the lead. I had less than a car-length heading into the chicane, but the M3 got a bit wild and the M5 shot past him behind me. Had to burn all my remaining NOS to keep him off my tail up to the line.
Lap Splits: 1'44.100 (+0.332), 1'36.172 (+0.226), 1'35.774 (-0.381)
Opera Paris Reverse
I had a bit of a double-take at the starting line here, pretty sure we're going the wrong direction. I think in my time playing GT4 this is the first event I can remember racing at Opera R. That said, I rather enjoyed it. I think the course lays out easier in this direction (for me at least). Walking through the first lap: the bends off the starting line through to the long straight have the same rhythm forward (passed into 5th just before the straight). I found the high speed bend easier with the wide entrance, though I would think a good driver can take it faster in the forward direction. The tight turns at the top of the course have about the same feel, but the most critical (for my driving style) is always the right-left that typically leads into the turns... maintaining the proper speed and line through there sets up a much faster approach to the hairpin than the AI takes. In the reverse direction those come on the exit, so it's obviously slow-in-fast-out instead, which makes it easier to line up (passed into 4th and 3rd through these corners). The chicane runs exactly the same either direction, and as usual I was able to pass somebody on the inside. First place was overtaken just after the finish line.
Throughout the next couple laps I noticed an interesting trend... the AI seems incapable of passing on this track - they've kept in line with the starting order from the beginning. Drove cleanly through the next couple laps and never saw them again (didn't use any NOS).
Lap Splits: 1'42.691 (+0.201), 1'39.464 (-3.165), 1'38.831 (-5.446), 1'40.014 (-4.537)
Bonus Attempt: Stock Opera Paris Reverse
Figured that was such an easy run I'd give it a try stock (haven't managed a stock 200 yet). Went off the grid in sixth place and never caught up to the field... the main thing I was missing was the transmission - I couldn't keep the revs high enough in the slow corners to overtake anybody. I gave up after about a lap in which I wasn't able to close the gap. I may come back and try this one again, but it wasn't promising.
Suzuka
This one gave me the most trouble (so far), but I've gotten quite a bit better at the course - so managed it without too much effort. The first corners sorted things out well for me, taking second with the M5 stuck in fourth (the GTR between us). I took first place coming out of the esses, but the lead was under half a second. The M5 moved up to third on the straight, and I barely held on to first (conserving all my NOS at this point having lost a couple attempts late in the race). Took a slightly cutting route through the chicane - just barely leaving the track as opposed to the complete straight-cut I've occasionally used, and came to the end of lap one with a reasonable head start.
Started pushing the NOS around the checkpoint, where I had a 1.3 second lead, and the M5 had disappeared - getting himself pushed off-track near Degner. Pulled onto the straight with about a five car-length lead, which dropped to almost nothing coming out of 130R. The M3 was just off my bumper into the chicane, which I think threw off his line, because I pulled out of it much faster than he did (albeit with NOS), cruising to a clear win.
Lap Splits: 2.33.823 (-1.240), 2'24.360 (-2.584)
800 Points in the bag... here we go
Perhaps an odd choice for a race report, but I have my reasons:
1. M Club Capitan was the first race where I went out of my way for 200 points after choosing to pursue it. Curious to see how far I've come over four months and 40,000 points.
2. I'm beyond pathetic at Nurburgring - I need to start going out of my way to race it and learn it instead of going out of my way not to. So this report will be a record of my run through the championship, then a diary of my trials and tribulations picking up that fifth win.
*Click any images for the full-size version.
The Challenge
Take on the ultimate driving machines with a slightly odd looking, well worn out, roadster-turned-coupe. The eventual goal is of course 1000 A-Spec points and a shiny new M3 GTR, but in this case the journey is probably more important.
The Car
BMW M Coupe '98 (Used) with about 25,000 miles on it - 286 HP
- Added all the non-point upgrades: primarily transmission, suspension, and brakes (forgot rigidity refresh)
- Primary Set-Up: stock hp (286), S3 tires, 200 ballast, NOS
- Nurburgring Set-Up: TBD
The Competition (NTSC lineup 4 or 5)
- BMW M Coupe '98 (Grey)
- BMW M3 '04 (Gold)
- BMW M5 '05 (White)
- BMW M3 GTR '03 (Silver)
- BMW M3 CSL '03 (Black)
El Capitan
I've come to appreciate standing starts in these races - burned almost two units of NOS through the first straight to pull even with the M3 in first place. I overtook him for first before we got to the bottom of the track and quickly pulled away for a two second lead, using a touch of NOS to help accelerate out of each turn. By the mountain/tunnel corners there were two split groups, the M3 '04 & M5 on my tail, and the other three lagging several seconds behind.
Went full NOS down the straightaway and crossed the line up 3.3 seconds ahead of the M3, just before he was overtaken by the M5, who was about 2.8 back at the bottom of the course. Drove a clean and reasonably fast lap without any further NOS use until the final straight, when the race was locked up (ended with half the tank left).
Lap Splits: 2'13.305 (-3.337), 2'03.903 (-2.920)
Apricot Hill
I tend to have trouble with Apricot Hill, but it wasn't too bad this time around. Starting sixth off the grid, I grabbed fifth through the first two turns and then into third with a little paint swapping on the esses. I was briefly repassed by the M5 approaching the tight hairpin, but was able to take second place on the inside of the turn when the M3 GTR got a little wide. Trailed the M3 through the start/finish line and wasn't able to pass throughout all of lap two. I've used a little NOS here and there, but stil had over half coming to the start/finish straight.
The M3 came off the first turns wide and I jumped inside him heading down to the esses. He pulled alongside and repassed in the long sweeper, but I was again able to take the inside of the hairpin to regain the lead. I had less than a car-length heading into the chicane, but the M3 got a bit wild and the M5 shot past him behind me. Had to burn all my remaining NOS to keep him off my tail up to the line.
Lap Splits: 1'44.100 (+0.332), 1'36.172 (+0.226), 1'35.774 (-0.381)
Opera Paris Reverse
I had a bit of a double-take at the starting line here, pretty sure we're going the wrong direction. I think in my time playing GT4 this is the first event I can remember racing at Opera R. That said, I rather enjoyed it. I think the course lays out easier in this direction (for me at least). Walking through the first lap: the bends off the starting line through to the long straight have the same rhythm forward (passed into 5th just before the straight). I found the high speed bend easier with the wide entrance, though I would think a good driver can take it faster in the forward direction. The tight turns at the top of the course have about the same feel, but the most critical (for my driving style) is always the right-left that typically leads into the turns... maintaining the proper speed and line through there sets up a much faster approach to the hairpin than the AI takes. In the reverse direction those come on the exit, so it's obviously slow-in-fast-out instead, which makes it easier to line up (passed into 4th and 3rd through these corners). The chicane runs exactly the same either direction, and as usual I was able to pass somebody on the inside. First place was overtaken just after the finish line.
Throughout the next couple laps I noticed an interesting trend... the AI seems incapable of passing on this track - they've kept in line with the starting order from the beginning. Drove cleanly through the next couple laps and never saw them again (didn't use any NOS).
Lap Splits: 1'42.691 (+0.201), 1'39.464 (-3.165), 1'38.831 (-5.446), 1'40.014 (-4.537)
Bonus Attempt: Stock Opera Paris Reverse
Figured that was such an easy run I'd give it a try stock (haven't managed a stock 200 yet). Went off the grid in sixth place and never caught up to the field... the main thing I was missing was the transmission - I couldn't keep the revs high enough in the slow corners to overtake anybody. I gave up after about a lap in which I wasn't able to close the gap. I may come back and try this one again, but it wasn't promising.
Suzuka
This one gave me the most trouble (so far), but I've gotten quite a bit better at the course - so managed it without too much effort. The first corners sorted things out well for me, taking second with the M5 stuck in fourth (the GTR between us). I took first place coming out of the esses, but the lead was under half a second. The M5 moved up to third on the straight, and I barely held on to first (conserving all my NOS at this point having lost a couple attempts late in the race). Took a slightly cutting route through the chicane - just barely leaving the track as opposed to the complete straight-cut I've occasionally used, and came to the end of lap one with a reasonable head start.
Started pushing the NOS around the checkpoint, where I had a 1.3 second lead, and the M5 had disappeared - getting himself pushed off-track near Degner. Pulled onto the straight with about a five car-length lead, which dropped to almost nothing coming out of 130R. The M3 was just off my bumper into the chicane, which I think threw off his line, because I pulled out of it much faster than he did (albeit with NOS), cruising to a clear win.
Lap Splits: 2.33.823 (-1.240), 2'24.360 (-2.584)
800 Points in the bag... here we go
. I was all over the road, braking when I should have been on the gas and vice versa. Incidently, the M5 took the lead by T2 and I finished a demoralizing 46 seconds behind. 
yours maked me jealous! 
