This race was in a ~42k DR lobby. A grid start will always mean chaos, and this race was no exception.
Qualifying could've been much better. I left the pit lane last and cruised around the circuit slowly to preserve my tires, and on my flying lap, I was slow through multiple corners. I qualified 8th, but I could've been at least several tenths quicker had I gotten a better lap in which would've put me one or two grid slots higher.
I get a decent start off the line, no slower but no faster than the cars ahead, and get bumped by the person who pulled alongside as they got squeezed by the car on the outside. Coming into the Dunlop Chicane, a slow down occurs where I rear-end the person in front, giving me a 1 second penalty and an SR down. However, it seemed like we were going to make the chicane... until someone who can't brake (they braked coming into the chicane, and as they got close to the densely packed group of slow cars, they let off the brake. ????????????? So they shunted a person, who went into me), which caused me to go into someone and murder them, who then ends up murdering someone else. But, of course, according to the penalty system, this was a fair, clean move. I'm luckily still facing the right direction and in 11th. I get a better exit onto the Mulsanne Straight but the person ahead has the slipstream. I serve my penalty and rejoin in 15th place. I gain two positions as cars serve penalties out of Arnage, and I pass another person in the Porsche Curves. I begin reigning in 11th place ahead, but coming into Indianapolis on Lap 2 they misjudge their speed and end up wiping themselves and the person ahead out, promoting me to P9. By the second Mulsanne Chicane on Lap 3 I've caught up to the back of a pack containing 7th-9th place, gaining a lot during braking as they squabble, and I've built up a 3 second gap to the people behind. The three cars up ahead keep squabbling for position, going two and three wide, so I have no choice but to stay back, which lets 11th place behind begin to catch up. I'm right on their tales into the second Mulsanne Chicane on Lap 4, and one of the drivers ends up going in too deep under braking, wiping themselves out and punting one of the cars ahead. I'm up into 8th, but end up going too deep into Mulsanne Corner, but I don't go as deep as the person ahead, so I get passed but also pass to keep 8th. From here, I'm able to keep a small gap, until we reach the Porsche Curves, where I go slightly wide, but due to the corners, I'm able to defend 8th position.
I finish 8th for 152 points, which, considering the mess at the beginning, I think is pretty good. Even though there was another race slot available, I didn't take it, because while I know I could drive faster and finish better, I didn't want to test my luck out when it comes to the start and getting punted or not. Luckily, I only lost 1 SR due to the rest of the race being clean, and I ended up gaining 1000 DR as well.
Also, I loved that PD put the race during sunset, it meant I could take Golden Hour photos of my Ridox Supra from Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3. Too bad the car got banged up though from the start.
