- 2,354
- Bastrop, TX
A "Lesser Ride" vs Some FAST Cars
Extreme Hall Gran Turismo All Stars
Extreme Hall Gran Turismo All Stars
Nearly FIVE years ago I ran this series with one of my VERY Favorite rides in GT4, the TOYOTA "WedsSport" Celica (JGTC) '03 as reported HERE: Even though I've been away from GT4 for nearly 4 years I always wanted to go back & beat these guys withOUT resorting to using a ride with lots of H.P. The little Toyota showed 622 HP & weighed in at 1050 Kilos. This time I opted for the MAZDA RX-7 LeMans Edition '01. 694 H.P. in Garage / 651 H.P. on Replay Screen plus an extra 30 Kilos of weight. I did however stick with R-3 Tyres. I ran a quick test at "Laguna Seca" & found a good race. Went back to the "Series" screen & pushed the button.
The opposition I drew for this round included:
NISSAN R92CP '92
MAZDA 787B '91
BENTLEY Speed 8 '03
TOYOTA 7 Race Car '70
FORD GT LM Edition Spec-II '04
These figures: Finish = Place / Race Time - Fast Lap. MOV = Margin of Victory (Where applicable!)
Race #1 High Speed Ring (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'00.373
Finish 1st / 7'12.560 - 1'00.379 (Lap #6)
M.O.V. +3.354 👍
Qualified 1st but due to the tall gearing I got my normal terrible start & slipped to 2nd briefly. Back in the front by the tunnel on lap one. Stretched out a lead of over four seconds before the NISSAN passed the MAZDA & started closing the gap. Then on the final lap the screamin' MAZDA slipped into second again. Kinda surprised to best the field so easily here AND to see the MAZDA 787B finish second. I'd asssumed the big NISSAN would be the main competition.
Race #2 Fuji Speedway '80s (200 Points )
Qualified 1st / 1'07.696
Finish 3rd / 6'49.462 - 1'07.478 (Lap #6)
M.O"Loss". -1.104 👎
Can't believe I blew this one. Had a GREAT RACE the first few laps with the MAZDA as we were never more than a second apart. Then on lap five the NISSAN finally showed up. I still managed to hold onto the lead until the final corner which I took WAY too cautiously, allowing them both to slip by on the inside.
Two MAZDAs tied for 1st with 14 points and the NISSAN close behind.Race #3 Laguna Seca Raceway (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'17.696
Finish 1st / 9'00.077 - 1'16.269 (Lap #5)
M.O.V. +10.922 👍
FINALLY a "Rolling Start" & a track that doesn't favor their huge HP advantage! LSR is one of my very favorite venues & the only one where I tested prior to the series this time, so NO surprises here as the "AI" never performs well. I had a 3.8xx second lead at the end of Lap #1 & a 12+ second lead before the MAZDA started it's charge. I was however a bit surprised by the final margin & that the MAZDA 787B was 2nd once again. I've got a 4 point lead over the MAZDA & lead the NISSAN by 8.
Race #4 Autumn Ring (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'10.958
Finish 1st / 10'40.006 - 1'10.313 (Lap #5)
M.O.V. +7.327 Seconds 👍
Another "Rolling Start" & this time I "Smoked 'Em." At the start I thought I might have way too much car to find close races BUT my "M.O.V." was actually 11 Seconds LESS than w/the WedsSport, so now I'm not so sure!
Did the final Lap on glowing ORANGE Tyres & lost a few seconds but still couldn't see the BENTLEY in my mirror at the end! 👍"Big Green" really helped my cause here. Got 10 on the MAZDA now & 15 over the NISSAN. 
Race #5 Test CURSE (200 Points)
Qualified 2nd/ 1'40.355
Finish 3rd / 5'26.558 - 1'48.xxx (Lap #2)
M.O."Loss" -18.360 Seconds 👎
Something WIERD going on here!!! Qualified 3rd but was placed 4th on the starting grid??? .Also qualified SLOWER than last time??? Let 'em all get away from me at the start then drafted the BENTLEY past the MAZDA but NO progress after that. "Fast Lap" about 8 seconds BEHIND my time in the Toyota.
Lead dropped to 8 over the NISSAN 
Race #6 Grand Valley Raceway [Reverse] (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'42.186
Finish 2nd / 10'14.675 - 1'40.802 (Lap #5)
MO "Loss" -8.609 Seconds 👎
Another BAD start & I'm briefly 5th before turn #2!!! Got past the the fourth & third palce cars & then the MAZDA after the 2nd tunnel & set off in pursuit of the NISSAN. After a bit of GREAT racing I got thru on the inside @ the Hairpin the second time around. Led Laps #2 & 3 but then blew the entry to turn #3 on lap #4. VERY DISapponted as I was just NOT able to close on the big NISSAN & in fact, had to worry about the MAZDA, which was less than a second behind at the checkered flag!!! Still 5 points ahead but I feel 'em closing in!!!
Race #7 Suzuka (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'50.323
Finish 2nd / 9'17.910 - 1'49.670 (Lap #4)
M.O."Loss" -0.759 Seconds 👎
I felt lucky to drop to only second here as the another standing start leaves me in the lurch. Knowing however that the "A.I." doesn't handle the esses well allowed me to relax a little & regain the lead quickly. By Lap #3 the big NISSAN was closing fast but he put two wheels in the Kitty Litter in the esses & dropped to 5th. I had a 2 second cushion by Lap #4 but then suddenly the MAZDA was all over me on the final lap!
He nudged me out of his way in the final left hand sweeper & I just didn't have the H.P. to challenge again so late in the race. Due to the MAZDA winning here I actually double my lead over the NISSAN!!! 👍Race #8 Infineon Raceway (Stock Car Course) (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'04.899
Finish 1st / 8'42.132 - 1'04.282 (Lap #5)
M.O.V. + 2.468 Seconds 👍
No notes here as I'm reviewing all races from replays this time & forgot to save this one.
DUH!!! The light bulb FINALLY went off. I only recently started playing again after being away from the game for nearly 4 years & completely forgot about OIL CHANGES!!! Now I know why my ride began to feel "Sluggish" back about the Autumn Ring round. Off to GT Auto for a quick refresh. Watch for an addendum at the end of the report!!!Race #9 Circuit de le Sarthe I (200 Points)
Qualified 3rd / 3'33.182
Finish 3rd / 7'09.198 - 3'33.182 (Lap #2)
M.O."Loss" - 19.909 Seconds 👎
Even with a Rolling Start on another of my favorite courses, I just couldn't hang with the BIG DAWGS. Just like last time a different "Dynamic Duo" just ran off & hid from me. My only consolation was that my "M.O.Loss" was only about half of what it was the first time through. I never saw the 5-6th place Cars so just took it easy on the second lap & made sure I didn't wander "Off Course" & let third place slip away. The BENTLEY however nearly showed me the error of my ways & challenged me heartily near the end of the race. Luckily the "A.I." doesn't handle the Ford Chicane well & the two seconds I put on him right at the end isn't a good indication of how close I actually came to blowing third!!! The MAZDA closes to only 6 points behind!
Race #10 Nurburgring (200 Points)
Qualified 2nd / 6'20.046
Finish 4th / 12'45.277 - 6'14.xxx (Lap #2)
M.O."Loss" - 25+ Seconds 👎
I thought from qualifying that I might do better than last time but although my race time WAS better, I finished one position lower!
I actually led briefly untill the NISSAN bullied his way past at the Carousel. Got around him just once more before the downhill section, then bobbled a bit & was spun by the MAZDA between T-8 & T-9. Suddenly went from 2nd to 5th, back 14+ seconds!!! Battled back to 4th by T-5 of the final lap but once I reached the downhill again the BENTLEY, this time, just motored away from me. Guess I need more practice there. As per qualifying, the NISSAN blew the final left & let the MAZDA past. Unfortunately I was too far back to take advantage or I might have finished second.FINAL RESULTS:
MAZDA RX-7 Le Mans Edition '01 // 67 Points
MAZDA 787B '91 // 63 Points
NISSAN R92CP '92 // 62 Points
BENTLEY Speed 8 '03 // 36 Points
TOYOTA 7 Race Car '70 // 19 Points
FORD GT LM Edition Spec-II '04 // 13 Points
94,000 Credits & 800 more A-Spec Points (1200 IF I'd have remembered to change the Oil!!!) plus 100,000 Bonus Credits & another BMW McLaren F1 GTR Race Car '97 Prize Car!
Last time, Four wins at Ten Venues just wasn't enough but this time there wasn't such a single dominant opponant so I was able to nip 'em by FOUR Points!
ADDENDUM:
Just for the fun of it & to satisfy my curiosity, I re-ran 4 races with "Fresh" Oil:
Race #4A Autumn Ring (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'10.521
Finish 1st / 10'34.387 - 1'09.146 (Lap #2)
M.O.V. +13.943 Seconds 👍
WOW!!! MUCH different w/"Fresh Oil"
Wouldn't have effected the points but the M.O.V. was lots better. Discovered why the "A.I." is so easy to beat here. The MAZDA goes off course into the grass between T-1 & T-2 on the very first lap & apparently the NISSAN thinks it's the right thing to do & follows him by lap #2. Although the BENTLEY does NOT follow suit, he still doesn't get around this venue well.Race #5A Test CURSE (200 Points)
Qualified 2nd/ 1'40.355
Finish 2nd / 5'05.938 - 1'38.961 (Lap #3)
M.O."Loss" -0.012 Seconds 👎
Something WIERD going on here...AGAIN!!! Qualified 2nd but was placed 1st on the starting grid??? Fourth by Turn #1 but caught the pack & "Bump Drafted" the NISSAN all the way around this time. Gradually drew away from the BENTLEY and once again tried to "Slingshot" the NISSAN at the finish but just like the first time, I just didn't have enough H.P.
Second would have yielded 2 more points the first time through. Race #6A Grand Valley Raceway [Reverse] (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'41.354
Finish 1st / 10'06.931 - 1'39.738 (Lap #5)
MO.V. +0.923 Seconds 👍
Just BARELY able to hold off the big NISSAN this time!!!
. Third into the first tunnel but FIRST outta the third one & just "Smoked-Em" 'till the sixth lap when the NISSAN was all over me. He blundered a bit at the hairpin & I took advantage of it to hold on for a victory of almost a second. Would have added 4 points to my original total.Race #7A Suzuka (200 Points)
Qualified 1st / 1'49.906
Finish 1st / 9'07.838 - 1'48.673 (Lap #2)
M.O.V. +1.311 Seconds 👍
My usual poor standing start put me in second by turn #1 but I got by in the esses again. This time the big NISSAN never put a tire off & the biggest lead I had was 2 seconds.
Held on at the end as he & the MAZDA reversed positions from the first time through.As always...THANX for wading thru this & hope it will help someone out. Let me know if you spot a mistake, I'm VERY adept at using the EDIT Function!
...O.G.
I'm 43, have read in the dark all my life, and my eyes are still near-perfect while alot of my friends need glasses for reading and/or driving. Not sure what I'm doing right there!
