- 86,862
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
So, anyway, I've discovered that the Nürburgring 4 Hour race is just about the most enjoyable race in GT5 - enough track time to let long-game tactics play out, enough racing to do in one go (or to split up into a couple of chunks), variable enough opponents to spread them out along the track and, more importantly, you don't have to use wildly overpowered, twitchy cars to win it.
I've already completed the race in a lightly tuned TVR Tuscan Speed Six '00 Race Modified (with racing hard tyres) and, while it was good fun to drive, I won by far too much. So the point of this thread is to log my various attempts at the race to find out what the slowest car (along with least powerful, lowest power-to-weight ratio and lowest PP rating) I can possibly win the race with is - along with logging AI progress in the races to help others who want to find similarly competitive cars...
Races completed
* 27 laps - 505PP Lamborghini Countach LP400 '74 (Sport Soft)
* 26 laps - 586PP Tommy kaira ZZ-II '00 (Comfort Soft)
* 26 laps - 482PP Mazda Eunos Roadster NA Special Package '89 (Race Soft)
* 26 laps - 425PP Honda S2000 Type V '01 (Race Soft)
* 26 laps - 444PP (stock-ish) Ford Focus RS '02 (Race Soft)
14th May 2011
Car used: Mazda Eunos Roadster (NA Special Package) '89, "Speccy"
Tuning: Err... a lot. Everything, in fact, apart from the turbos - supercharger used. Racing soft tyres.
PP: ~482PP
Power, Weight, PWR: 239hp, 831kg, 287.6hp/tonne
Lap 1 - 9'11.333
The lights change and I'm suddenly last. Giving away 200hp to your nearest opponent will have that effect. Luckily, I can brake far later into turn 1 and get the power on far earlier than the AI and I'm back up to sixth by turn 2 and up to fifth past the HKS CT230R by turn 5.
The HPA R32, in fourth place, is a much harder prospect. With a big, wide bottom and four-wheel drive to help him out of the turns he's a pest right through to Hocheichen where he's too late on the brakes and the inside line is mine.
Speccy tops out at 157mph but can take Flugplatz and Schwedenkreuz flat where the Mine's Skyline ahead has to shade the brakes - but his power pulls him well clear again through Fuchsröhre. Miss-Hit-Miss proves a weak spot for the Skyline and he can't gain speed quickly enough to make up for Speccy's momentum through the corner. I'm clear up the inside on the right-hander before Wehrseifen and make it stick round the outside - leaving me within sight of the Amuse S2000 in 2nd at Breidscheid. Again though, the power disadvantage is obvious as from Bergwerk through to Klostertal I'm left for dead - the Mine's Skyline is all over me too until Angstkurve where he has to brake again.
Much of the rest of the lap has me clawing back the 5 second advantage the lead pair have and at Karussell II I'm within touching distance of the Amuse, but Döttinger Höhe puts paid to that as I'm left standing again. Come the finish line I'm not only 8 seconds down, but in fifth place as first the Mine's Skyline comes flying past and then, during that move, the Fairlady Z-Tune screams past the pair of us...
Lap 2 - 8'57.596
...however, as previously, both are dispatched at turn 1 as Speccy's superior brakes come into play. After this point the lap is very much a carbon copy of the previous one as I'm hopelessly outclassed on the GP track and in the straights and claw back the time everywhere else. This time round, however, I pass the Amuse S2000 on the way into Karussell II and get within a half second of the leading HPA TT by the gantry on Döttinger Höhe, but the straight utterly kills me again and the S2000 retakes 2nd. By Hohenrain the Fairlady is on my tail again and nips into 3rd before the line.
Lap 3 - 9'19.327
And is immediately repassed at the hairpin. The lap is again a straight copy of the previous one, until...
Crash. Coming through Angstkurve, the rear-right dips onto the grass past the concrete and the next thing I know I'm nose-in to the right hand barrier. While I sort myself out, the Fairlady, Mine's Skyline and 380RS Superleggera come past and the HKS CT230R passes me once I'm underway. Damn and blast - seventh. Right back where I started, only a bit more tenderised. Time for some scruff-of-the-neck driving.
The HKS doesn't last long - passed through Wipperman - but the others are some distance down the road I cross the line in sixth.
Lap 4 - 9'00.278
I'm now 24 seconds down on the lead pair and there's a Nismo 380RS, a Mine's Skyline and a Z-tune in my way. Again, Speccy's flat cornering through Flugplatz and Schwedenkreuz catches the 380RS up again but, unlike the Mine's on lap 1, he can't get away through Fuchsröhre and, surprisingly, leaves the door open through Adenauer. Never one to pass up an opportunity like that, I take the place and set off after the 380RS.
The rest of this lap is largely playing catch-up - the 380RS is within sight by Karussell II, demolishes me down the straight and is back filling my screen at Hohenrain.
My original plan was four lap stints, but neither of the lead pair pit and the 380RS cruises past the pits too, so I stay out - the rear tyres are pretty good, though the front pair are down to half and the front-right particularly is starting to slip. But let's live a little!
Lap 5 - 9'06.241
The 380RS falls in turn 1 and the Fairlady has built up some gap. It takes some driving before I even see it again - first catching sight on the hill up to Karussell. Surprisingly it surrenders its place very meekly at the exit of Hohe Acht as I drive clean round the outside of him.
The next sight of car is in the distance on Döttinger - the orange of the Audi who seems to have lost the lead to the Amuse S2000. As I dive into the pits from third at the end of the lap, it's also clear that the Audi has pitted but the Amuse has not...
Lap 6 - 9'30.376
The Mine's pits behind me but the 380RS continues, passing me, and, surprisingly, the CT230R does too. I decline any fuel - 38 litres used so far - and leave the pits before the Audi but in fourth place.
When I finally catch up to the 380RS and the CT230R at Adenauer, they're running line-astern. They're struggling in the bends and once again Wehrseifen proves to be a passing spot as I get a better run through Miss-Hit-Miss, take the HKS on the inside and drive round the outside of the 380RS at Wehrseifen.
The S2000, meanwhile, has run too far on his tyres - between Breidscheid and Eiskurve, I take 16 seconds out of his lead, catching and passing him through clouds of dust at Pflanzgarten II and as I cross the line at the end of the lap, I've put 12 seconds between us (nicking up to 21 seconds as he pits and the TT resumes the lead of the AI pack).
Lap 7 - 8'57.926
With a 21 second lead at the start of the lap, I'm in little danger of seeing any AI even if I crash. And so it proves, with nothing of any note save the passing of the first hour at 6 laps and 5'54.849 elapsed.
Lap 8 - 8'59.226
My lead is slowly increasing as I'm ahead in the bends and all my advantage is taken away again on the straights - but nothing else happens.
Lap 9 - 9'00.314
More of the same.
Lap 10 - 9'01.860
My laptimes seem to be going up as my tyres wear but I'm not seeing the slipping I was getting in the last stint, so I decide to stay out for a laugh. Of course everything else behind me pits (save the S2000, 380RS and CT230R), giving me a minute's lead...
Lap 11 - 9'05.180
So, aside from a minute's advantage, not a lot happens. I pit in at the end of the lap and foul up a little - quick pointer for y'all, when you pause the game with your Pit Instructions on the screen and the timer counting down... it doesn't pause the timer. So while working out that I've used 84 litres at 7.6 litres per lap and making a six-lap stint worth 45.8 litres, meaning I need to probably put in enough to fill it to 50 litres (34 litres - I've got 16 left), the board vanishes and I find I'm putting the whole of Alaska into the tank.
Luckily, I've got a minute's lead and the car in second can't run the next lap on the tyres he's got left but will try to anyway. I still leave with time to spare, mind.
Lap 12 - 10'08.990
Oh yeah, a minute wasted in the pits. 1'18 lead turns to 11s, but the Amuse S2000 loses time hand over first through the lap until I'm 41s ahead and he's passed by two other AI cars. No other action though.
Lap 13 - 9'15.318
The car feels heavy again and my lead is cut to 30s by the finish line.
Lap 14 - 9'09.362
My lead's down to 25s by the finish line but still there's no AI in evidence. Nothing else exciting happens except for hour 2 passing at 13 laps plus 25.995s elapsed...
Lap 15 - 9'02.667
The nothing is strong in this one - though the chasing AI pit behind me and I pull out to a minute ahead again.
Lap 16 - 9'06.268
Knowing that 26 laps is the typical completion distance for winning this race, I decide to make this a five lap stint, so that I can make the next one five laps too and finish on another five lapper, rather than halfway through a cycle - plus it gives me the flexibility of having a sixth lap in the last stint. 39 litres of gas used, none taken on board, in and out in 30 seconds flat. Rah!
Lap 17 - 9'27.516
Nada.
Lap 18 - 8'56.756
A new personal best, coupled with a lapping - the Nismo 400R is passed, as he moves off-line to let me through, between Karussell II and Galgenkopf (though he catches up on Döttinger, he doesn't close up enough to unlap himself.
Lap 19 - 8'57.810
A whole lot of nothings.
Lap 20 - 9'05.547
Running a bit wide in Pflanzgarten cost me a bit of time, but nothing major. 3 hours passes without drama at 19 laps plus 5'45.616 elapsed just as I'm entering Caracciota-Karussell.
Lap 21 - 9'06.735
I've backed off a bit now - the timer tells me that 9 minute laps gives me just over two minutes of dead time at the end of the race to either start another lap (and go for 7 more minutes) or to hang about waiting. I've got a 2'30 lead now and it goes up every lap, so a little sandbagging will preserve the gap and shrink the dead time to a minute or so.
This is also my last scheduled pitstop. The board tells me I've used 77 litres, so I've got 23 left. I take on board another 25 litres - to 48 in total - which is enough for 6 full laps and fumes...
Lap 22 - 9'35.127
Not much again - though the clock now says four 9'30 laps will see me finish just a couple of seconds past the hour and about a minute up on the AI (though they'll all pit one more time).
Lap 23 - 9'32.218
Well... if I'm sandbagging I may as well give myself a bit of breathing room.
Lap 24 - 9'31.254
The AI are closing to within a minute now, but they've all got pitstops either this lap or the next, where they'll no doubt sit still for a minute taking on board a full tank. Might be a squeaker though...
Lap 25 - 9'32.183
Yep. They pitted. What was a 37s lead became a 1'44 lead and I can happily sandbag my way to the end.
Lap 26 - 9'25.594
A bundle of nada, and hour 4 passes at 25 laps plus 9'22.935 elapsed, with the finish line in sight. 2.6 seconds later and the race is done.
Race Time 4:00'02.659
Lead AI
2nd HPA FT565 Twin Turbo Audi TT +1'00
3rd HKS CT230R
4th Mine's BNR34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1 Base '00
5th Mine's BNR34 Skyline GT-R N1 Base '06
6th Nismo Fairlady Z Z-tune (Z33) '03
Summary
The Eunos in this state of tune is way too much car for the event - with the AI taking a minute every pit stop and the car matching the Amuse S2000 on outright pace, only the occasional crash (and crashing this car is tough) will bring the AI near you. You're looking at a win by over 5 minutes if you don't stuff it up and sandbag, with the result that you won't see an AI car except to lap them after the first hour.
I've already completed the race in a lightly tuned TVR Tuscan Speed Six '00 Race Modified (with racing hard tyres) and, while it was good fun to drive, I won by far too much. So the point of this thread is to log my various attempts at the race to find out what the slowest car (along with least powerful, lowest power-to-weight ratio and lowest PP rating) I can possibly win the race with is - along with logging AI progress in the races to help others who want to find similarly competitive cars...
Races completed
* 27 laps - 505PP Lamborghini Countach LP400 '74 (Sport Soft)
* 26 laps - 586PP Tommy kaira ZZ-II '00 (Comfort Soft)
* 26 laps - 482PP Mazda Eunos Roadster NA Special Package '89 (Race Soft)
* 26 laps - 425PP Honda S2000 Type V '01 (Race Soft)
* 26 laps - 444PP (stock-ish) Ford Focus RS '02 (Race Soft)
14th May 2011
Car used: Mazda Eunos Roadster (NA Special Package) '89, "Speccy"
Tuning: Err... a lot. Everything, in fact, apart from the turbos - supercharger used. Racing soft tyres.
PP: ~482PP
Power, Weight, PWR: 239hp, 831kg, 287.6hp/tonne
Lap 1 - 9'11.333
The lights change and I'm suddenly last. Giving away 200hp to your nearest opponent will have that effect. Luckily, I can brake far later into turn 1 and get the power on far earlier than the AI and I'm back up to sixth by turn 2 and up to fifth past the HKS CT230R by turn 5.
The HPA R32, in fourth place, is a much harder prospect. With a big, wide bottom and four-wheel drive to help him out of the turns he's a pest right through to Hocheichen where he's too late on the brakes and the inside line is mine.
Speccy tops out at 157mph but can take Flugplatz and Schwedenkreuz flat where the Mine's Skyline ahead has to shade the brakes - but his power pulls him well clear again through Fuchsröhre. Miss-Hit-Miss proves a weak spot for the Skyline and he can't gain speed quickly enough to make up for Speccy's momentum through the corner. I'm clear up the inside on the right-hander before Wehrseifen and make it stick round the outside - leaving me within sight of the Amuse S2000 in 2nd at Breidscheid. Again though, the power disadvantage is obvious as from Bergwerk through to Klostertal I'm left for dead - the Mine's Skyline is all over me too until Angstkurve where he has to brake again.
Much of the rest of the lap has me clawing back the 5 second advantage the lead pair have and at Karussell II I'm within touching distance of the Amuse, but Döttinger Höhe puts paid to that as I'm left standing again. Come the finish line I'm not only 8 seconds down, but in fifth place as first the Mine's Skyline comes flying past and then, during that move, the Fairlady Z-Tune screams past the pair of us...
Lap 2 - 8'57.596
...however, as previously, both are dispatched at turn 1 as Speccy's superior brakes come into play. After this point the lap is very much a carbon copy of the previous one as I'm hopelessly outclassed on the GP track and in the straights and claw back the time everywhere else. This time round, however, I pass the Amuse S2000 on the way into Karussell II and get within a half second of the leading HPA TT by the gantry on Döttinger Höhe, but the straight utterly kills me again and the S2000 retakes 2nd. By Hohenrain the Fairlady is on my tail again and nips into 3rd before the line.
Lap 3 - 9'19.327
And is immediately repassed at the hairpin. The lap is again a straight copy of the previous one, until...
Crash. Coming through Angstkurve, the rear-right dips onto the grass past the concrete and the next thing I know I'm nose-in to the right hand barrier. While I sort myself out, the Fairlady, Mine's Skyline and 380RS Superleggera come past and the HKS CT230R passes me once I'm underway. Damn and blast - seventh. Right back where I started, only a bit more tenderised. Time for some scruff-of-the-neck driving.
The HKS doesn't last long - passed through Wipperman - but the others are some distance down the road I cross the line in sixth.
Lap 4 - 9'00.278
I'm now 24 seconds down on the lead pair and there's a Nismo 380RS, a Mine's Skyline and a Z-tune in my way. Again, Speccy's flat cornering through Flugplatz and Schwedenkreuz catches the 380RS up again but, unlike the Mine's on lap 1, he can't get away through Fuchsröhre and, surprisingly, leaves the door open through Adenauer. Never one to pass up an opportunity like that, I take the place and set off after the 380RS.
The rest of this lap is largely playing catch-up - the 380RS is within sight by Karussell II, demolishes me down the straight and is back filling my screen at Hohenrain.
My original plan was four lap stints, but neither of the lead pair pit and the 380RS cruises past the pits too, so I stay out - the rear tyres are pretty good, though the front pair are down to half and the front-right particularly is starting to slip. But let's live a little!
Lap 5 - 9'06.241
The 380RS falls in turn 1 and the Fairlady has built up some gap. It takes some driving before I even see it again - first catching sight on the hill up to Karussell. Surprisingly it surrenders its place very meekly at the exit of Hohe Acht as I drive clean round the outside of him.
The next sight of car is in the distance on Döttinger - the orange of the Audi who seems to have lost the lead to the Amuse S2000. As I dive into the pits from third at the end of the lap, it's also clear that the Audi has pitted but the Amuse has not...
Lap 6 - 9'30.376
The Mine's pits behind me but the 380RS continues, passing me, and, surprisingly, the CT230R does too. I decline any fuel - 38 litres used so far - and leave the pits before the Audi but in fourth place.
When I finally catch up to the 380RS and the CT230R at Adenauer, they're running line-astern. They're struggling in the bends and once again Wehrseifen proves to be a passing spot as I get a better run through Miss-Hit-Miss, take the HKS on the inside and drive round the outside of the 380RS at Wehrseifen.
The S2000, meanwhile, has run too far on his tyres - between Breidscheid and Eiskurve, I take 16 seconds out of his lead, catching and passing him through clouds of dust at Pflanzgarten II and as I cross the line at the end of the lap, I've put 12 seconds between us (nicking up to 21 seconds as he pits and the TT resumes the lead of the AI pack).
Lap 7 - 8'57.926
With a 21 second lead at the start of the lap, I'm in little danger of seeing any AI even if I crash. And so it proves, with nothing of any note save the passing of the first hour at 6 laps and 5'54.849 elapsed.
Lap 8 - 8'59.226
My lead is slowly increasing as I'm ahead in the bends and all my advantage is taken away again on the straights - but nothing else happens.
Lap 9 - 9'00.314
More of the same.
Lap 10 - 9'01.860
My laptimes seem to be going up as my tyres wear but I'm not seeing the slipping I was getting in the last stint, so I decide to stay out for a laugh. Of course everything else behind me pits (save the S2000, 380RS and CT230R), giving me a minute's lead...
Lap 11 - 9'05.180
So, aside from a minute's advantage, not a lot happens. I pit in at the end of the lap and foul up a little - quick pointer for y'all, when you pause the game with your Pit Instructions on the screen and the timer counting down... it doesn't pause the timer. So while working out that I've used 84 litres at 7.6 litres per lap and making a six-lap stint worth 45.8 litres, meaning I need to probably put in enough to fill it to 50 litres (34 litres - I've got 16 left), the board vanishes and I find I'm putting the whole of Alaska into the tank.
Luckily, I've got a minute's lead and the car in second can't run the next lap on the tyres he's got left but will try to anyway. I still leave with time to spare, mind.
Lap 12 - 10'08.990
Oh yeah, a minute wasted in the pits. 1'18 lead turns to 11s, but the Amuse S2000 loses time hand over first through the lap until I'm 41s ahead and he's passed by two other AI cars. No other action though.
Lap 13 - 9'15.318
The car feels heavy again and my lead is cut to 30s by the finish line.
Lap 14 - 9'09.362
My lead's down to 25s by the finish line but still there's no AI in evidence. Nothing else exciting happens except for hour 2 passing at 13 laps plus 25.995s elapsed...
Lap 15 - 9'02.667
The nothing is strong in this one - though the chasing AI pit behind me and I pull out to a minute ahead again.
Lap 16 - 9'06.268
Knowing that 26 laps is the typical completion distance for winning this race, I decide to make this a five lap stint, so that I can make the next one five laps too and finish on another five lapper, rather than halfway through a cycle - plus it gives me the flexibility of having a sixth lap in the last stint. 39 litres of gas used, none taken on board, in and out in 30 seconds flat. Rah!
Lap 17 - 9'27.516
Nada.
Lap 18 - 8'56.756
A new personal best, coupled with a lapping - the Nismo 400R is passed, as he moves off-line to let me through, between Karussell II and Galgenkopf (though he catches up on Döttinger, he doesn't close up enough to unlap himself.
Lap 19 - 8'57.810
A whole lot of nothings.
Lap 20 - 9'05.547
Running a bit wide in Pflanzgarten cost me a bit of time, but nothing major. 3 hours passes without drama at 19 laps plus 5'45.616 elapsed just as I'm entering Caracciota-Karussell.
Lap 21 - 9'06.735
I've backed off a bit now - the timer tells me that 9 minute laps gives me just over two minutes of dead time at the end of the race to either start another lap (and go for 7 more minutes) or to hang about waiting. I've got a 2'30 lead now and it goes up every lap, so a little sandbagging will preserve the gap and shrink the dead time to a minute or so.
This is also my last scheduled pitstop. The board tells me I've used 77 litres, so I've got 23 left. I take on board another 25 litres - to 48 in total - which is enough for 6 full laps and fumes...
Lap 22 - 9'35.127
Not much again - though the clock now says four 9'30 laps will see me finish just a couple of seconds past the hour and about a minute up on the AI (though they'll all pit one more time).
Lap 23 - 9'32.218
Well... if I'm sandbagging I may as well give myself a bit of breathing room.
Lap 24 - 9'31.254
The AI are closing to within a minute now, but they've all got pitstops either this lap or the next, where they'll no doubt sit still for a minute taking on board a full tank. Might be a squeaker though...
Lap 25 - 9'32.183
Yep. They pitted. What was a 37s lead became a 1'44 lead and I can happily sandbag my way to the end.
Lap 26 - 9'25.594
A bundle of nada, and hour 4 passes at 25 laps plus 9'22.935 elapsed, with the finish line in sight. 2.6 seconds later and the race is done.
Race Time 4:00'02.659
Lead AI
2nd HPA FT565 Twin Turbo Audi TT +1'00
3rd HKS CT230R
4th Mine's BNR34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec N1 Base '00
5th Mine's BNR34 Skyline GT-R N1 Base '06
6th Nismo Fairlady Z Z-tune (Z33) '03
Summary
The Eunos in this state of tune is way too much car for the event - with the AI taking a minute every pit stop and the car matching the Amuse S2000 on outright pace, only the occasional crash (and crashing this car is tough) will bring the AI near you. You're looking at a win by over 5 minutes if you don't stuff it up and sandbag, with the result that you won't see an AI car except to lap them after the first hour.
Last edited:
myself to death 
