Grand PriX - Updated 22/01/12 with 33. HIRING FOR 34 (56k warning.)
- Thread starter C-ZETA
- 332 comments
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And just think, if I want, I can get both of those beauties in my fan fic. Just not both at once. 
- 11,127
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
Chapter 31 - Planning
And so, we were now back home again after a hugely busy session of racing. Not that I knew at this time...I was asleep in the passenger seat of Katie's LFA when we got there.
"OooooK. We're here now."
"...Hey, Jase. Jase. We're here."
She was lightly trying to shake me awake at this point.
"Oh...right. If you insist..."
She put her foot right to the accelerator pedal of her LFA, sending a roar through Marktgasse and sending me back to reality with no prior warning.
"Huh...wha?"
"Hahaha! That did the trick."
"...What you on about?"
"Just waking you up with the V10 in front of us."
"Wait, what?! Oh you..."
"Haha. It was the best I could do."
"...Find more dignified ways to wake me up next time, please."
"Hah. Sorry."
"Now...is this back home again?"
"It is. How'd ya guess?"
"...Don't be like that."
"What, you managed to develop a hangover or something?"
"No...just...well, I dunno really. Hah."
And with that rude awakening, we all went inside to discuss what we were going to be all doing next up. Effectively, what championships we could possibly be trying out for.
"Right...so, now we need to all gather ideas for ourselves. We all now have enough credit beating cars with much more of...well, everything really. So now, we should take it one step further...going for full on championships."
"Now, get a board to write some plans down on."
"...We don't have a board, Katie."
"Aha! I was just joking. Hah."
I scowled at this. Knowing what she'd already done today...
"...You seem in a funny mood today."
"...Really? Oh well, I haven't noticed it."
"Then you're drunk. Hah, kidding. Anyway, back to the plans..."
"Right, since you're so optimistic of all of this, Jason, why don't you talk us through yours then!"
"OK!"
"Basically, what I plan to do is submit up for an ride in the Red Bull X Series!"
"I mean, if my dad can do it, why can't I? Knowing what I've done so far, I'll be brilliant at it!"
I then stopped to see everyone gawping at me with open mouths.
"...What?"
"...What are you, stupid?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"Do you know how much it takes to drive one of them?"
"...Well yes, obviously, but-"
"And do you know you have it?"
"...I do."
"Well you don't. You aren't even close to driving one of those things yet. The reason your dad got that far is with the sheer experience he had before."
"But don't I-"
"You don't."
"Is it gonna stop me from trying?"
"Well...no, but good luck at least trying to keep one of them on the road. The men who drive those things are people of incredible fitness that I doubt you have."
"Well I'll prove you wrong then!"
"...I'm not stopping you. But really, trust me, it will all end in failure for you if you try it now."
I simply shrugged off Russell's comments and went and decided to move on to what Ishizaki's series of choice was.
"...So then, Ishizaki, what are you gonna be trying for then?"
"...Well...I wanna try something in Japan. Anything I can enter there?"
"...Super GT perhaps?"
"Oh yeah! That! My dad runs a team in that series...I, uh, think."
"I saw a ton of races in my youth from that series. Loved it so much! The cars are all awesome and the racing is super cool too!"
"I think Honda is releasing a new prototype racer in that series! It's a new version of the HSV-010 that I saw racing in 2010. That thing should so be in production!"
"Tell you one car that you would fit into though..."
"What?"
"Mitsubishi's new FTO. There might be some seats going for a ride in that. And failing that..."
"You still have a ton of GT300 seats you could go into."
"Oh yeah! That other series! Never see much of it in the races."
"Right, so Super GT for Ishizaki...you, Russell?"
"Well..."
"...given I do have extra experience I think I should be able to go for a seat in one of the LMP racers."
"Oh! Like that Mazda I raced before?"
"Yep. That goes...if there's seats free there."
"But I also have many GT1 racers I could go into as well. I don't know which would be better, but as long as I get success I might just as well be able to take a win in a class for one of them. Maybe even...Le Mans."
"Right, so Red Bull for me..."
"Stupid."
"...Super GT for Ishizaki...FIA GT or LMPs for Russell...and you Katie?"
"Oh, me? Well, I think there's only one way to go for me."
"I think...I should go to the DTM and race for my dad's Lexus team there!"
"Of course! That is a perfect fit."
"I just hope no one gets there before me...robs me of the chance to race in a true family car for me!"
"I'm sure no one will, Katie. Especially knowing how fast you are..."
"Hah. That's funny."
"So then, we all know what we're doing, right?"
"Mmhm!"
"Yes!"
"Yeah!"
"And so do I! Let's get to the top!"
Meanwhile...
"So...we have it. The new type of Red Bull X racer..."
"This can be used for testing for our next challenge."
"We shall use it well in our conquest of the racing world."
"So, fellow comrades. I shall now announce fully...your final allocated driving positions."
"Taro Mizushima, of Japan. You have been allocated a spot in the Super GT500 series, in this - the Nissan Gran Turismo #99 GT-R GT500. This is fully expected to beat all opposition. Honda's HSC-R...Mitsubishi's FTO...the Nissan GT-R itself...anything and everything shall not be allowed to beat you."
"Yes sir."
"Michael Krauss, of Germany...this will be your BMW Z4 to use in the GT300 class of the Super GT. Livery is as of yet incomplete, but the car's base is identical to that of this year's champion, another BMW Z4. This shall also be expected to win all races possible."
"Yes sir."
"Darren Johnson, of England. Your Pagani Zonda has now been replaced by an all new Nissan GT-R, for the FIA GT1 class, #35, after the R35 name. Again, I do not expect failure from you. Especially after your recent results in your previous Pagani...this shall give you a much needed boost to your performance. So maybe you'll stop losing to silly things like Mitsubishi GTO's and Lotus Elise's..."
"Do not try and think that was a bad race from me, sir."
"Don't talk back!"
"Sir."
"Now, you keep that R35 in shape, and go and win us some more races with it."
"Yes sir."
"And as for me, Henry Cunning...I have now received my Red Bull X Racer for next year. Now number 3. And I will not fail this year...no man stands in my way this time."
And with the gang now back at base, they have now all elected a series to enter. Ishizaki is going to his native Japan and the Super GT, Russell is looking for global glory with an LMP or GT, Katie is hoping for a DTM drive with Lexus, and Jason has gone straight into the very top class of the Red Bull X Series. But they will have competition in their attempts for glory...will these 4 drivers go to take racing glory?
And so, we were now back home again after a hugely busy session of racing. Not that I knew at this time...I was asleep in the passenger seat of Katie's LFA when we got there.
"OooooK. We're here now."
"...Hey, Jase. Jase. We're here."
She was lightly trying to shake me awake at this point.
"Oh...right. If you insist..."
She put her foot right to the accelerator pedal of her LFA, sending a roar through Marktgasse and sending me back to reality with no prior warning.
"Huh...wha?"
"Hahaha! That did the trick."
"...What you on about?"
"Just waking you up with the V10 in front of us."
"Wait, what?! Oh you..."
"Haha. It was the best I could do."
"...Find more dignified ways to wake me up next time, please."
"Hah. Sorry."
"Now...is this back home again?"
"It is. How'd ya guess?"
"...Don't be like that."
"What, you managed to develop a hangover or something?"
"No...just...well, I dunno really. Hah."
And with that rude awakening, we all went inside to discuss what we were going to be all doing next up. Effectively, what championships we could possibly be trying out for.
"Right...so, now we need to all gather ideas for ourselves. We all now have enough credit beating cars with much more of...well, everything really. So now, we should take it one step further...going for full on championships."
"Now, get a board to write some plans down on."
"...We don't have a board, Katie."
"Aha! I was just joking. Hah."
I scowled at this. Knowing what she'd already done today...
"...You seem in a funny mood today."
"...Really? Oh well, I haven't noticed it."
"Then you're drunk. Hah, kidding. Anyway, back to the plans..."
"Right, since you're so optimistic of all of this, Jason, why don't you talk us through yours then!"
"OK!"
"Basically, what I plan to do is submit up for an ride in the Red Bull X Series!"
"I mean, if my dad can do it, why can't I? Knowing what I've done so far, I'll be brilliant at it!"
I then stopped to see everyone gawping at me with open mouths.
"...What?"
"...What are you, stupid?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"Do you know how much it takes to drive one of them?"
"...Well yes, obviously, but-"
"And do you know you have it?"
"...I do."
"Well you don't. You aren't even close to driving one of those things yet. The reason your dad got that far is with the sheer experience he had before."
"But don't I-"
"You don't."
"Is it gonna stop me from trying?"
"Well...no, but good luck at least trying to keep one of them on the road. The men who drive those things are people of incredible fitness that I doubt you have."
"Well I'll prove you wrong then!"
"...I'm not stopping you. But really, trust me, it will all end in failure for you if you try it now."
I simply shrugged off Russell's comments and went and decided to move on to what Ishizaki's series of choice was.
"...So then, Ishizaki, what are you gonna be trying for then?"
"...Well...I wanna try something in Japan. Anything I can enter there?"
"...Super GT perhaps?"
"Oh yeah! That! My dad runs a team in that series...I, uh, think."
"I saw a ton of races in my youth from that series. Loved it so much! The cars are all awesome and the racing is super cool too!"
"I think Honda is releasing a new prototype racer in that series! It's a new version of the HSV-010 that I saw racing in 2010. That thing should so be in production!"
"Tell you one car that you would fit into though..."
"What?"
"Mitsubishi's new FTO. There might be some seats going for a ride in that. And failing that..."
"You still have a ton of GT300 seats you could go into."
"Oh yeah! That other series! Never see much of it in the races."
"Right, so Super GT for Ishizaki...you, Russell?"
"Well..."
"...given I do have extra experience I think I should be able to go for a seat in one of the LMP racers."
"Oh! Like that Mazda I raced before?"
"Yep. That goes...if there's seats free there."
"But I also have many GT1 racers I could go into as well. I don't know which would be better, but as long as I get success I might just as well be able to take a win in a class for one of them. Maybe even...Le Mans."
"Right, so Red Bull for me..."
"Stupid."
"...Super GT for Ishizaki...FIA GT or LMPs for Russell...and you Katie?"
"Oh, me? Well, I think there's only one way to go for me."
"I think...I should go to the DTM and race for my dad's Lexus team there!"
"Of course! That is a perfect fit."
"I just hope no one gets there before me...robs me of the chance to race in a true family car for me!"
"I'm sure no one will, Katie. Especially knowing how fast you are..."
"Hah. That's funny."
"So then, we all know what we're doing, right?"
"Mmhm!"
"Yes!"
"Yeah!"
"And so do I! Let's get to the top!"
Meanwhile...
"So...we have it. The new type of Red Bull X racer..."
"This can be used for testing for our next challenge."
"We shall use it well in our conquest of the racing world."
"So, fellow comrades. I shall now announce fully...your final allocated driving positions."
"Taro Mizushima, of Japan. You have been allocated a spot in the Super GT500 series, in this - the Nissan Gran Turismo #99 GT-R GT500. This is fully expected to beat all opposition. Honda's HSC-R...Mitsubishi's FTO...the Nissan GT-R itself...anything and everything shall not be allowed to beat you."
"Yes sir."
"Michael Krauss, of Germany...this will be your BMW Z4 to use in the GT300 class of the Super GT. Livery is as of yet incomplete, but the car's base is identical to that of this year's champion, another BMW Z4. This shall also be expected to win all races possible."
"Yes sir."
"Darren Johnson, of England. Your Pagani Zonda has now been replaced by an all new Nissan GT-R, for the FIA GT1 class, #35, after the R35 name. Again, I do not expect failure from you. Especially after your recent results in your previous Pagani...this shall give you a much needed boost to your performance. So maybe you'll stop losing to silly things like Mitsubishi GTO's and Lotus Elise's..."
"Do not try and think that was a bad race from me, sir."
"Don't talk back!"
"Sir."
"Now, you keep that R35 in shape, and go and win us some more races with it."
"Yes sir."
"And as for me, Henry Cunning...I have now received my Red Bull X Racer for next year. Now number 3. And I will not fail this year...no man stands in my way this time."
And with the gang now back at base, they have now all elected a series to enter. Ishizaki is going to his native Japan and the Super GT, Russell is looking for global glory with an LMP or GT, Katie is hoping for a DTM drive with Lexus, and Jason has gone straight into the very top class of the Red Bull X Series. But they will have competition in their attempts for glory...will these 4 drivers go to take racing glory?
Stay tuned to Grand PriX to find out!
Last edited:
- 2,191
- San Francisco,
- machate-man
- dowby
Reminds me of Team Ravenwest from Race Drivr:Grid
An expert driver for every class of racing
An expert driver for every class of racing
Or it could be the can of Bud that I just drank.
- 11,127
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
Or it could be the can of Bud that I just drank.
You trying for a hangover on Christmas Day?! That's just suicidal
- 11,127
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
2... R35's?
ONBOY123 LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
But I don't want to be with that bastard in that team. Yes I also have a Stealth R35 GT500
It was the only Premium I could get for both series. I could have used an NSX GT500 Stealth Model but that's been replaced in real life as well...which is why I had to use that HSC instead.
I will continue to rant on about this until Kaz puts in at least one frickin' HSV-010.
But yeah, for some reason I portray the R35 as a sort of good car for the enemy. Like Onboy, for instance!
And it doesn't matter if you have a Stealth GT-R, only one enters in the race but two drivers drive it. Lol.
And to all my readers, Merry Kurisumasu. ^-^
- 6,057
- Cebu
- SayakaMiki1337
- Kawauchi2568
It was the only Premium I could get for both series. I could have used an NSX GT500 Stealth Model but that's been replaced in real life as well...which is why I had to use that HSC instead.
I will continue to rant on about this until Kaz puts in at least one frickin' HSV-010.
But yeah, for some reason I portray the R35 as a sort of good car for the enemy. Like Onboy, for instance!
And it doesn't matter if you have a Stealth GT-R, only one enters in the race but two drivers drive it. Lol.
And to all my readers, Merry Kurisumasu. ^-^
*looks at my garage*
GOD DAMMIT HE STOLE MY CAR!!!!
- 11,127
- Bromley
- V16T91
- E0nLeader
Chapter 32 - Initiation No. 1
And so then, with us now looking around for racing jobs, I think we should go and follow each of our own travels separately. Starting with Katie, who you should know was aiming for a drive at Lexus, which is owned by her dad. Think you can see why she would go for such a drive.
"Man, this place looks damn...complex, I would say."
"Hey there and welcome. Take it you're looking for a racing job, obviously?"
"Indeed. You thought that by seeing my LFA?"
"Well...sort of. But really, this is only for racers anyway. Can just tell by that LFA, you must be one of the more serious ones."
"I am, really."
"Right, what we doin' just talkin' outside here? Better get you inside the building so I can see what contracts you want."
"So then, this is the place. I'm now gonna take you up to the main part where it all happens."
"That'd be here."
"Wow...that roof looks scintillating from here."
"Eh, don't get carried away now. You wanna do business?"
"Indeed."
"So anyway then, what sort of things you looking for for your racing then?"
"Well...you got any spare seats at Lexus...for DTM?"
"...Lexus don't do 'seats' as such?"
"Huh?"
"Well, what they've got instead is a Driving Academy which they're using to determine the DTM drivers they're gonna use. 16 drivers max. Got a set of challenges to take on. The top two get the seats in Lexus's shiny new IS-F RC DTM car."
"...Well...sounds interesting...gah, what am I saying? Of course I'll go for that! I'm not stopping at anything, whether they be trials or whatever, I'm going for it."
"Damn, you sound determined."
"Hah. No wonder. I need that Lexus seat more than anything, really."
"...Now you're just getting cocky."
"Oh. Well, whatever."
"Now, then, give me a second to ring up the organisers. Should have spaces still left."
"................Hello?"
"Heya there, Ron! Sorry to hassle you again, but obviously we've still got more Lexus Academy drivers comin' in, so yeah..."
"Don't worry, good sir. Knowing people wish to join with us is obviously worth hearing."
"Hah. So anyway...we've got in here......sorry, your name, missy?"
"Katie Hart."
"Yeah, Katie Hart."
"Wait...you mean my Katie?"
"...Whaddya mean 'your' Katie, Ron?"
"I mean, my daughter."
"Wait, WHAAAAAAT??? Daaaaayum! How did I not know this?"
"Oh, just...never mind."
"So, uh, anyway...your kid...take it you don't need any more information than that, no?"
"Hahaha! You are a funny one. No, please, you can stop from there."
"Hmm...OK. Can I just say...her LFA...it looks rather...pink."
"I know. I've heard about her racing exploits elsewhere. I'm so glad my girl is going to support us further."
"Sigh...such an embarrassment."
"Right, cool. So, that's all then?"
"Indeed. Wish her my luck in the Academy."
"Yup. So, see you Ron."
"Bye."
"Right...maaaan! You never told me you were the guy's kid!"
"Well, he embarrassed me well there."
"Ahaha! No, kidding, girl. So, anyway, you're in. Now, you gotta turn up at the Eifel Circuit for 10am on Saturday 14th January* for the Academy. Then after that, if you make it through the first part, you get a trip to the Big Ring. The Nurburgring. Got that?"
"Certainly."
"Good luck in your adventures!"
"Thanks."
"See ya!"
"...Wow. Can't imagine the PR exposure I'll be forced to give with a drive at Lexus. Ohhh boy..."
And so, on Jan 14th, Katie was there, at the Eifel Circuit complex, with 15 other aspiring drivers, looking to steal a spot at Lexus and their DTM race team.
"Hello there and welcome to the Lexus Driving Academy. This is a competition where you will all be pitted with different challenges against each other. The last two drivers standing from this will get the two seats at the team with the all new Lexus IS-F RC DTM car, for the 2012 season."
"So, here we are at the Eifel Circuit for the first round, which will be two races with 8 drivers each. The top 4 will make it through to the next rounds, at the Nurburgring. This will be done on the Short Circuit configuration, in a 3 lap race in a set of Lexus IS-F RM Cup cars, all of which are set to identical specs. This will be an early test to show your ability in racing, which, as you know, is all that DTM is about...if you can't pass, you can't win in DTM. So anyway, let's sort you out and get cracking with the first race."
Katie got sorted into the first race, in the Matte Light Silver #32 car. Coincidentally, this also had orange wheels, which were trying to represent bronze, seeing as this was supposedly the third placed car from the 2010 season. She was alongside 7 other hopefuls, but outside of her race, she spotted one particular man who was looking familiar...
"...Hey...Alexei?"
"Hmm? Oh, Katie! Talk about a coincidence to see you here."
"So, you went and tried for this too?"
"Lapped up the opportunity like I would lap up a beer when it's in front of me. I've been wanting a drive in a proper racing series for so long, and now I can try for it here, at last. Take it you're here to race for the family, then?"
"Yup. Would be a good representation for it, I would think."
"Funny we're talking like this, when chances are, we might well be team-mates at Lexus if it gets there..."
"Huh. Does feel awfully weird when you look and see that anyone of the guys you're looking at here might end up becoming a man you have to help out in the real racing..."
"Yeah. So anyway, good luck to you, have a good race out there."
"I'll say the same for you too. Good luck."
And so, Katie lined up for the first part of her journey to a Lexus racing seat. In...a Lexus racing seat. Hah.
Starting Grid
1. Sky Blue #97
2. Black #47
3. Dark Green #95
4. White #9
5. Yellow #39
6. Red #31
7. Dark Green #45
8. Katie's Matte Light Silver #32
"Ahh, first with the finish line in front of me...where I wanna be in my Lexus DTM career."
"Well, practice makes perfect, they do say."
"This will be a DTM field of racers in my mind..."
"Bet you the IS-F RC is a totally different beast!"
"Well, I'm out at the moment. Not for long though! Hah!"
"Red is the colour of win."
"I'm sure I can make it through. No sweat."
"Hah. I'm not gonna be stopped this earlier...ahahaha."
"OK, let's go!!"
"Aagh! There's one already! This is not good."
"One down. Six to go."
"31 > 32 in racing!"
"Oh hey look, I'm just trolling past these all already."
"No! And here I was, thinking I'd make it!"
"What I've actually got under the bonnet here is 700hp or something..."
"One more here and I'm through."
"Uh oh. We have a 5th placed car here."
"No! You won't be getting by so easily?"
"How can this need three laps?"
"Stay behind!"
"Give up already..."
"Oh, there we go!"
"No!!"
"Ta. You're out."
"How can I lose this so easily?"
"And now, just to prove I don't play conservative..."
"Let's see how these other three boys play."
"That one looks fast."
"Hah, this'll be fun."
"This one looks like a contender."
"Right, where to go for you..."
"There."
"Man...losing places is disheartening wherever you are."
"Whoa! Bit too excited there! Hah!"
"Oh, and now we're going off-roading."
"Ah, still got a good trace on these two! One more lap!"
"What have these two got?"
"Hopefully...not enough."
"Yikes! Who's pulling me back towards this thing?!"
"Is this all?"
"Oh, man..."
"...Wow, who thought getting Lexus seats would be this easy..."
"Right, now the last one!"
"No! I'm first!"
"You can't pass me!"
"And...gently does it..."
"And there we are. Yaawn."
"Oh my god why?!! What is this?!"
"And wow, I even crossed the line so far ahead of them anyway..."
"Still...woo! Through!"
"Right then, so, you 8...having made it through the first round of races...will now be travelling up to the Nurburgring. There, the challenges will continue...but you're only partly there. You still have more to get through...let's go, then!"
With Katie in the Lexus Driving Academy, and her through the first round, she now heads to the Nurburgring for the next set of challenges. But she has a hugely skilled challenger to face up with - and maybe even become team-mates with - Alexei Novikov, who looks like a threat. How will Katie do in the Lexus Driving Academy? Will she make it to a spot in the Lexus DTM team for 2012?
*YAAAY FOR UNORIGINAL DATING
And so then, with us now looking around for racing jobs, I think we should go and follow each of our own travels separately. Starting with Katie, who you should know was aiming for a drive at Lexus, which is owned by her dad. Think you can see why she would go for such a drive.
"Man, this place looks damn...complex, I would say."
"Hey there and welcome. Take it you're looking for a racing job, obviously?"
"Indeed. You thought that by seeing my LFA?"
"Well...sort of. But really, this is only for racers anyway. Can just tell by that LFA, you must be one of the more serious ones."
"I am, really."
"Right, what we doin' just talkin' outside here? Better get you inside the building so I can see what contracts you want."
"So then, this is the place. I'm now gonna take you up to the main part where it all happens."
"That'd be here."
"Wow...that roof looks scintillating from here."
"Eh, don't get carried away now. You wanna do business?"
"Indeed."
"So anyway then, what sort of things you looking for for your racing then?"
"Well...you got any spare seats at Lexus...for DTM?"
"...Lexus don't do 'seats' as such?"
"Huh?"
"Well, what they've got instead is a Driving Academy which they're using to determine the DTM drivers they're gonna use. 16 drivers max. Got a set of challenges to take on. The top two get the seats in Lexus's shiny new IS-F RC DTM car."
"...Well...sounds interesting...gah, what am I saying? Of course I'll go for that! I'm not stopping at anything, whether they be trials or whatever, I'm going for it."
"Damn, you sound determined."
"Hah. No wonder. I need that Lexus seat more than anything, really."
"...Now you're just getting cocky."
"Oh. Well, whatever."
"Now, then, give me a second to ring up the organisers. Should have spaces still left."
"................Hello?"
"Heya there, Ron! Sorry to hassle you again, but obviously we've still got more Lexus Academy drivers comin' in, so yeah..."
"Don't worry, good sir. Knowing people wish to join with us is obviously worth hearing."
"Hah. So anyway...we've got in here......sorry, your name, missy?"
"Katie Hart."
"Yeah, Katie Hart."
"Wait...you mean my Katie?"
"...Whaddya mean 'your' Katie, Ron?"
"I mean, my daughter."
"Wait, WHAAAAAAT??? Daaaaayum! How did I not know this?"
"Oh, just...never mind."
"So, uh, anyway...your kid...take it you don't need any more information than that, no?"
"Hahaha! You are a funny one. No, please, you can stop from there."
"Hmm...OK. Can I just say...her LFA...it looks rather...pink."
"I know. I've heard about her racing exploits elsewhere. I'm so glad my girl is going to support us further."
"Sigh...such an embarrassment."
"Right, cool. So, that's all then?"
"Indeed. Wish her my luck in the Academy."
"Yup. So, see you Ron."
"Bye."
"Right...maaaan! You never told me you were the guy's kid!"
"Well, he embarrassed me well there."
"Ahaha! No, kidding, girl. So, anyway, you're in. Now, you gotta turn up at the Eifel Circuit for 10am on Saturday 14th January* for the Academy. Then after that, if you make it through the first part, you get a trip to the Big Ring. The Nurburgring. Got that?"
"Certainly."
"Good luck in your adventures!"
"Thanks."
"See ya!"
"...Wow. Can't imagine the PR exposure I'll be forced to give with a drive at Lexus. Ohhh boy..."
And so, on Jan 14th, Katie was there, at the Eifel Circuit complex, with 15 other aspiring drivers, looking to steal a spot at Lexus and their DTM race team.
"Hello there and welcome to the Lexus Driving Academy. This is a competition where you will all be pitted with different challenges against each other. The last two drivers standing from this will get the two seats at the team with the all new Lexus IS-F RC DTM car, for the 2012 season."
"So, here we are at the Eifel Circuit for the first round, which will be two races with 8 drivers each. The top 4 will make it through to the next rounds, at the Nurburgring. This will be done on the Short Circuit configuration, in a 3 lap race in a set of Lexus IS-F RM Cup cars, all of which are set to identical specs. This will be an early test to show your ability in racing, which, as you know, is all that DTM is about...if you can't pass, you can't win in DTM. So anyway, let's sort you out and get cracking with the first race."
Katie got sorted into the first race, in the Matte Light Silver #32 car. Coincidentally, this also had orange wheels, which were trying to represent bronze, seeing as this was supposedly the third placed car from the 2010 season. She was alongside 7 other hopefuls, but outside of her race, she spotted one particular man who was looking familiar...
"...Hey...Alexei?"
"Hmm? Oh, Katie! Talk about a coincidence to see you here."
"So, you went and tried for this too?"
"Lapped up the opportunity like I would lap up a beer when it's in front of me. I've been wanting a drive in a proper racing series for so long, and now I can try for it here, at last. Take it you're here to race for the family, then?"
"Yup. Would be a good representation for it, I would think."
"Funny we're talking like this, when chances are, we might well be team-mates at Lexus if it gets there..."
"Huh. Does feel awfully weird when you look and see that anyone of the guys you're looking at here might end up becoming a man you have to help out in the real racing..."
"Yeah. So anyway, good luck to you, have a good race out there."
"I'll say the same for you too. Good luck."
And so, Katie lined up for the first part of her journey to a Lexus racing seat. In...a Lexus racing seat. Hah.
Starting Grid
1. Sky Blue #97
2. Black #47
3. Dark Green #95
4. White #9
5. Yellow #39
6. Red #31
7. Dark Green #45
8. Katie's Matte Light Silver #32
"Ahh, first with the finish line in front of me...where I wanna be in my Lexus DTM career."
"Well, practice makes perfect, they do say."
"This will be a DTM field of racers in my mind..."
"Bet you the IS-F RC is a totally different beast!"
"Well, I'm out at the moment. Not for long though! Hah!"
"Red is the colour of win."
"I'm sure I can make it through. No sweat."
"Hah. I'm not gonna be stopped this earlier...ahahaha."
"OK, let's go!!"
"Aagh! There's one already! This is not good."
"One down. Six to go."
"31 > 32 in racing!"
"Oh hey look, I'm just trolling past these all already."
"No! And here I was, thinking I'd make it!"
"What I've actually got under the bonnet here is 700hp or something..."
"One more here and I'm through."
"Uh oh. We have a 5th placed car here."
"No! You won't be getting by so easily?"
"How can this need three laps?"
"Stay behind!"
"Give up already..."
"Oh, there we go!"
"No!!"
"Ta. You're out."
"How can I lose this so easily?"
"And now, just to prove I don't play conservative..."
"Let's see how these other three boys play."
"That one looks fast."
"Hah, this'll be fun."
"This one looks like a contender."
"Right, where to go for you..."
"There."
"Man...losing places is disheartening wherever you are."
"Whoa! Bit too excited there! Hah!"
"Oh, and now we're going off-roading."
"Ah, still got a good trace on these two! One more lap!"
"What have these two got?"
"Hopefully...not enough."
"Yikes! Who's pulling me back towards this thing?!"
"Is this all?"
"Oh, man..."
"...Wow, who thought getting Lexus seats would be this easy..."
"Right, now the last one!"
"No! I'm first!"
"You can't pass me!"
"And...gently does it..."
"And there we are. Yaawn."
"Oh my god why?!! What is this?!"
"And wow, I even crossed the line so far ahead of them anyway..."
"Still...woo! Through!"
"Right then, so, you 8...having made it through the first round of races...will now be travelling up to the Nurburgring. There, the challenges will continue...but you're only partly there. You still have more to get through...let's go, then!"
With Katie in the Lexus Driving Academy, and her through the first round, she now heads to the Nurburgring for the next set of challenges. But she has a hugely skilled challenger to face up with - and maybe even become team-mates with - Alexei Novikov, who looks like a threat. How will Katie do in the Lexus Driving Academy? Will she make it to a spot in the Lexus DTM team for 2012?
Stay tuned to Grand PriX to find out!
*YAAAY FOR UNORIGINAL DATING
Last edited:
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Aaaaaand it's back! Nice read. 
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Chapter 33 - Lexus Driving Academy Part 2
With Katie through the first round, she had now travelled to the Nurburgring with the 7 other contenders still in the Academy - including Alexei Novikov, who I'd faced so long ago back at Monza.
"Right, so welcome to the Nurburgring. This is where the Lexus Driving Academy will be decided. Here, the first round is between all 8 of you, where you will all take each other on in a 1 lap only time trial of the Nurburgring GP/D circuit. Then after that, when the 4 bottom drivers from the previous round have been eliminated, you will have a drift contest which will be decided by professional judges. The top two there will get the seats for the Lexus IS-F RC DTM race car."
"The first challenge then, on the GP/D circuit. You have one lap to set as fast a time as you can around the circuit. The cars you are using are completely stock Lexus LFA's. You'll all be given a different LFA but they are exactly identical in spec. Good luck."
"You'll be going out one at a time after you've been given your car. You get one out lap, then the flying lap and then come in to find out your time. And now, here are the cars."
Katie got a pink one - exactly like her own LFA. Coincidence? Who knows.
Alexei got a plain white one, the classic colour for an LFA.
Katie was 4th in the running order, with Alexei going out 6th.
So, as the first three went out...
"...1:41.792!"
"...1:39.762..."
"...and 1:38.763!"
...Katie was next after them. She was all up and ready in her pink coated LFA.
"So then...a lap of the short GP circuit...how hard can this be?"
"Right, now, go!"
"First turn..."
"And through this bit nicely."
"Oh god...wide here."
"Now up to this little hairpin..."
"Now up to this bit here..."
"Hey, I remember that spot from last time. Oi..."
"And now this huge chicane."
"Just the last bit ahead of me!"
"There it is!"
"Woo! That was a good one."
"...1:38.462!"
"Yes! First at the moment!"
Then as the next contender made his lap...
"...1:38.643!"
...Alexei was now ready to take on the course in his ice white LFA.
"This will be easy."
"So then, Nurburgring...what do you have?"
"Got this corner here..."
"Hahaha...play around a bit here."
"Go into here..."
"Brake right here..."
"Come out right there..."
"Turn in here..."
"And now charge up to the chicane..."
"Through it, over the corner..."
"Sweep through this last turn..."
"And there it is."
"...1:36.262!"
"Hah. Owned everyone else."
"Damn...that was fast. And that's your first time in an LFA..."
"It was a fun one. You would know that...you have your own."
"It's been a while since I drove a stock LFA though...mine's been modified for a long while now and haven't found time to drive one stock since."
"Well, no matter what, it's quite fast."
"You were really fast. Beat me by some 2 seconds!"
"That's just me, really. Hah."
With that, the two of them, being in the top two with only two contenders left, were assured a place in Round 3 and a place in the Lexus IS-F RC. But still...
"1:40.457..."
"...and here, a 1:41.252."
"That's it then! And I can now reveal the contenders going through to the last round to get a seat in the DTM racer..."
"In first place for the time trial, Alexei Novikov, with a time of 1:36.262."
"Second, Katie Hart with a 1:38.462."
"Third, Nico Bayer with a time of 1:38.643."
"And finally, in fourth, Tom Walsh with a time of 1:38.763."
"A warm-hearted commiserations to the rest of you. You did a great job getting here and your efforts should all be applauded. Well done."
"And so, for the last 4 of you, we now have a drift challenge. The idea is that you have to do your best to save the car at any point. So, the wider you go out, the more points you get here. The top two get a seat in the Lexus IS-F RC for this year's DTM championship. The other two...go home with nothing."
"So...are you ready? The cars you'll be using here are the same LFA's you each used in the time trial, so where as before you were driving this thing to a racing limit, now you're driving it to a physical limit. Though I dare say one of you hasn't done that already...Alexei."
"Hah...getting used to such a car is not terribly easy straight off."
"So then...let's get this ready."
"We'll be using parts of the main circuit this time as opposed to going with the GP/D format, so you'll be running into one new corner this time. You're gonna be running up from the Mercedes-Arena, Turn 2 up to the Ford-Kurve, Turn 7. You ready?"
With that, Tom went up first in his red LFA.
"So...this can't be hard."
"Slide it here..."
"Get it round there...yes!"
Katie followed up shortly after.
"So...let's prep this up."
"Right, now, give it some here..."
"Still going..."
"Get right down here..."
"Speed it up there..."
"Keep it going now..."
"Last turn...slide it!"
"Woo! That was good...now, the question is, what can the others do?"
Nico in the Lime Green LFA went next.
"Go up here..."
"And then drift it..."
"Turn it right here for the line...and there."
Last up was Alexei in the white LFA.
"Right...now, I've already done this before, so..."
"Good turn-in."
"Keep it going."
"Keep it right out!"
"And now swish back around here..."
"Sideways..."
"Dart it through here..."
"Get this last turn right..."
"Done."
Then, back at the pits, it was time to announce the judges scores.
"So then, the totals for the lot of you."
"Alexei, out of 40...37."
"Katie, out of 40...35."
"Nico, out of 40...32."
"Tom, out of 40...................34."
"Damn!"
"Oh...yes!"
"Yeah!!!!!!!! Woo!!!"
"Congrats to you, Alexei and Katie. You are now the new drivers for Lexus in the DTM! Commiserations to you, Nico and Tom...you were in it right till the end. But still, well done."
"This...I have been waiting for..."
"Oh man!!! This is damn awesome!!!!"
"But...you are still not done."
"You will now have one race...on the Nordschleife..."
"...in your new Lexuses. To determine who is the Number 1."
So, Katie and Alexei have made it to the big seats of the Lexus IS-F RC DTM race car. But they still have to do one more race together, their first as team-mates...and it will determine who leads the team. Which of these two will win and become Lexus's Number 1 DTM driver for 2012?
With Katie through the first round, she had now travelled to the Nurburgring with the 7 other contenders still in the Academy - including Alexei Novikov, who I'd faced so long ago back at Monza.
"Right, so welcome to the Nurburgring. This is where the Lexus Driving Academy will be decided. Here, the first round is between all 8 of you, where you will all take each other on in a 1 lap only time trial of the Nurburgring GP/D circuit. Then after that, when the 4 bottom drivers from the previous round have been eliminated, you will have a drift contest which will be decided by professional judges. The top two there will get the seats for the Lexus IS-F RC DTM race car."
"The first challenge then, on the GP/D circuit. You have one lap to set as fast a time as you can around the circuit. The cars you are using are completely stock Lexus LFA's. You'll all be given a different LFA but they are exactly identical in spec. Good luck."
"You'll be going out one at a time after you've been given your car. You get one out lap, then the flying lap and then come in to find out your time. And now, here are the cars."
Katie got a pink one - exactly like her own LFA. Coincidence? Who knows.
Alexei got a plain white one, the classic colour for an LFA.
Katie was 4th in the running order, with Alexei going out 6th.
So, as the first three went out...
"...1:41.792!"
"...1:39.762..."
"...and 1:38.763!"
...Katie was next after them. She was all up and ready in her pink coated LFA.
"So then...a lap of the short GP circuit...how hard can this be?"
"Right, now, go!"
"First turn..."
"And through this bit nicely."
"Oh god...wide here."
"Now up to this little hairpin..."
"Now up to this bit here..."
"Hey, I remember that spot from last time. Oi..."
"And now this huge chicane."
"Just the last bit ahead of me!"
"There it is!"
"Woo! That was a good one."
"...1:38.462!"
"Yes! First at the moment!"
Then as the next contender made his lap...
"...1:38.643!"
...Alexei was now ready to take on the course in his ice white LFA.
"This will be easy."
"So then, Nurburgring...what do you have?"
"Got this corner here..."
"Hahaha...play around a bit here."
"Go into here..."
"Brake right here..."
"Come out right there..."
"Turn in here..."
"And now charge up to the chicane..."
"Through it, over the corner..."
"Sweep through this last turn..."
"And there it is."
"...1:36.262!"
"Hah. Owned everyone else."
"Damn...that was fast. And that's your first time in an LFA..."
"It was a fun one. You would know that...you have your own."
"It's been a while since I drove a stock LFA though...mine's been modified for a long while now and haven't found time to drive one stock since."
"Well, no matter what, it's quite fast."
"You were really fast. Beat me by some 2 seconds!"
"That's just me, really. Hah."
With that, the two of them, being in the top two with only two contenders left, were assured a place in Round 3 and a place in the Lexus IS-F RC. But still...
"1:40.457..."
"...and here, a 1:41.252."
"That's it then! And I can now reveal the contenders going through to the last round to get a seat in the DTM racer..."
"In first place for the time trial, Alexei Novikov, with a time of 1:36.262."
"Second, Katie Hart with a 1:38.462."
"Third, Nico Bayer with a time of 1:38.643."
"And finally, in fourth, Tom Walsh with a time of 1:38.763."
"A warm-hearted commiserations to the rest of you. You did a great job getting here and your efforts should all be applauded. Well done."
"And so, for the last 4 of you, we now have a drift challenge. The idea is that you have to do your best to save the car at any point. So, the wider you go out, the more points you get here. The top two get a seat in the Lexus IS-F RC for this year's DTM championship. The other two...go home with nothing."
"So...are you ready? The cars you'll be using here are the same LFA's you each used in the time trial, so where as before you were driving this thing to a racing limit, now you're driving it to a physical limit. Though I dare say one of you hasn't done that already...Alexei."
"Hah...getting used to such a car is not terribly easy straight off."
"So then...let's get this ready."
"We'll be using parts of the main circuit this time as opposed to going with the GP/D format, so you'll be running into one new corner this time. You're gonna be running up from the Mercedes-Arena, Turn 2 up to the Ford-Kurve, Turn 7. You ready?"
With that, Tom went up first in his red LFA.
"So...this can't be hard."
"Slide it here..."
"Get it round there...yes!"
Katie followed up shortly after.
"So...let's prep this up."
"Right, now, give it some here..."
"Still going..."
"Get right down here..."
"Speed it up there..."
"Keep it going now..."
"Last turn...slide it!"
"Woo! That was good...now, the question is, what can the others do?"
Nico in the Lime Green LFA went next.
"Go up here..."
"And then drift it..."
"Turn it right here for the line...and there."
Last up was Alexei in the white LFA.
"Right...now, I've already done this before, so..."
"Good turn-in."
"Keep it going."
"Keep it right out!"
"And now swish back around here..."
"Sideways..."
"Dart it through here..."
"Get this last turn right..."
"Done."
Then, back at the pits, it was time to announce the judges scores.
"So then, the totals for the lot of you."
"Alexei, out of 40...37."
"Katie, out of 40...35."
"Nico, out of 40...32."
"Tom, out of 40...................34."
"Damn!"
"Oh...yes!"
"Yeah!!!!!!!! Woo!!!"
"Congrats to you, Alexei and Katie. You are now the new drivers for Lexus in the DTM! Commiserations to you, Nico and Tom...you were in it right till the end. But still, well done."
"This...I have been waiting for..."
"Oh man!!! This is damn awesome!!!!"
"But...you are still not done."
"You will now have one race...on the Nordschleife..."
"...in your new Lexuses. To determine who is the Number 1."
So, Katie and Alexei have made it to the big seats of the Lexus IS-F RC DTM race car. But they still have to do one more race together, their first as team-mates...and it will determine who leads the team. Which of these two will win and become Lexus's Number 1 DTM driver for 2012?
Stay tuned to Grand PriX to find out!
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So Then, Hello
. I now have some hiring to do, of just the one person.This person will require:
1 Lexus IS F Racing Concept, in the default black colour it came in
The ability not to crash around the Nordschleife
Hopefully a similar ability to mine, so neither of us have to sandbag (optional)
This will be for the 1 lap race around the Nordschleife that Alexei and Katie. I won't spoil the result until you get in there, but needless to say, you might as well see what happens if you do volunteer.
This hiring will be done on either Friday 27th January or Sunday 29th January, as I am not available on the Saturday I would be doing and can't decide which day to do it on. Needless to say though, if it is the Friday, it won't be until 1600 GMT earliest, where as Sunday I'm largely fair game for the lot of that. We'll wait and see.
Thank you all for volunteering for Grand PriX
Hope to see you soon
Hope to see you soon
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I'd love to volunteer, but.. I'm not very good with the ability to drive a DTM car around Nordschleife without kissing the grass and walls... And sky and I can't make it on Saturday ( for me 1600 Friday is 4 in the morning here, or 5 in the morning), or Sunday/ Monday 4/5 AM. 
Sorry, oh yeah. And I don't have the Lexus because it's too pricey. 
Sorry, oh yeah. And I don't have the Lexus because it's too pricey. 
- 11,127
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Other two are down for back-up then.
Practice on the Nordschleife DTM event then. And actually, the IS-F RC is the cheapest DTM in the game, so whatcha sayin'?! I also only said after 1600 GMT, so you could just...I dunno, wake up early Not that that's exactly possible in some cases
SkythonI'd love to volunteer, but.. I'm not very good with the ability to drive a DTM car around Nordschleife without kissing the grass and walls... And sky and I can't make it on Saturday ( for me 1600 Friday is 4 in the morning here, or 5 in the morning), or Sunday/ Monday 4/5 AM.
Practice on the Nordschleife DTM event then. And actually, the IS-F RC is the cheapest DTM in the game, so whatcha sayin'?!
I also only said after 1600 GMT, so you could just...I dunno, wake up early Not that that's exactly possible in some cases
- 7,224
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Other two are down for back-up then.
Practice on the Nordschleife DTM event then. And actually, the IS-F RC is the cheapest DTM in the game, so whatcha sayin'?!
I didn't even buy the DTM cars full price, OCD half price for me.
I'm not a Nurburgring failure though, more of a DFGT user failure.
Michelin
Premium
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C'mon man. Need more story :3
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^Seconded - I had VMed C-ZETA about this, but he's not responding on this. 
CLIFFHANGER!
CLIFFHANGER!
