Motegi 8h Endurance - 200pts. race
The track:
Car: Lotus Elise Type 72 '01
Setup: S2/S1 tires, 128hp (oil change) vs the 300hp AI cars
Lineup:
Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95 - pits every 25 laps
Tom's X540 Chaser '00 - pits every 19-20 laps
Mugen S2000 '00 - pits every 21-22 laps
Spoon Civic Type R (EK) '00 - pits every 12 laps
Spoon Integra Type R (DC2) '99 - pits every 11 laps
Lotus Elise Type 72 '01 - pits every 20-25 laps (S2/S1, 30fuel units, laps ~2'18-2'20's)
Hour 1:
Its a rolling start and I try to overtake the Integra on the 3rd turn. Instead of a succesful maneuver I push the cold tyres too much and drift to the sand losing 5 seconds or so. It takes me three laps to catch up and at the start of lap 4 I finally pass the Integra. I'm also nearby the Civic and get a good draft from his car allowing me pass him at the start of the backstraight. The Civic is not a slow a car when on the straights though and he quickly passes me again. When we approach the 90 Degree turn he starts to brake early and I overtake him. Lap 6, approaching the V-corner, I pass the Chaser and get a good draft from the 2nd place S2000. I overtake him at the end of the backstraight when he starts braking to the 90 Degree turn. All of the AI drivers (except Nismo) brake very early here and thats a good opportunity to overtake them.👍 On the next lap I manage to pass the 1st place GT-R, again on the V-corner. For the following laps I increase my lead about 1-2 seconds per lap to the Nismo. Its lap 16 when I lap the Integra for the first time on the S-curve. He still understeers heavily and is clearly the slowest car of the bunch. My main rival, the S2000 got held up for 17 laps behind the 3rd place Chaser thus slowing him consiredably down. When the S2000 finally got past the Chaser, he quickly started to decrease the gap to the 2nd place Nismo GT-R.
On the 19th lap the S2000 finally has a clear track ahead and when he passes the next checkpoint I see that my lead over him is 18 seconds. I pit in at the end of lap 22, the leftside tires are orange and the rightside yellow. The S2/S1 is perfect choice so I keep the same setup. I come out of the pits right infront of the Nismo who hasn't pitted in yet. The first hour ends on lap 26 with a 20 second lead over the 2nd place Mugen S2000. Fastest lap of the hour is 2'19.141, which will hopefully change later on when I have less fuel in the tank...
Hour 2:
Lap 35, I lap the Integra during his pitstop.The S2000 catches me about one second per lap and is now -12 secs behind me. On lap 44 I pit in and come out -13 secs ahead of the S2000. Not much happens during the following laps and the hour ends on lap 51. My lead at this point is 8 seconds, fastest lap 2'18.259.
Hour 3:
Finally some action during this hour, I lap the Integra on lap 54. Next lap is the Nismo's turn to be lapped and I go by him smootly on the S-curve as he is still on cold tyres after his stop on lap 50. Seven laps later I see the Chaser and manage to lap him in the Victory corner. Lap 58, Civic up next and I lap him going into 4th turn. The 2nd place S2000 is now only -5 secs behind but has many slower cars infront thus allowing me to increase the gap once again during the next few laps. Lap 66, I pit in and come out 16 secs ahead of the S2000. The Nismo blocks the S2000 efficiently for quite some time and as the hour ends on lap 77 my lead over the S2000 is 14 seconds.
Hour 4:
Lap 82 sees me setting a new best lap: 2'18.238
, I also lap the Civic during the lap. On lap 84 I lap the Integra but he unlaps himself three laps later as I pit in. I come out -16 secs ahead of the S2000 and manage to lap the Integra now for good. Lap 103, the S2000 has catched up and is only -3 secs behind now as the hour ends. 
Hour 5:
On lap 104 the slower AI cars are bunched up infront and I lap the Chaser first going into turn 3. I also lap the Nismo GT-R on the S-curve and Integra is lapped at the end of the lap in Victory corner. The S2000 is once again behind these roadblocks.
I pit in on lap 110 and see the lapped cars go by.
At the next checkpoint the gap is -11 seconds to the S2000. On lap 112 I pass the Civic during his stop. Four laps later the S2000 is only -2 secs behind. I lap Nismo and Integra on lap 120 and manage to keep the 2nd place S2000 behind me. Then on lap 215, I make a new bestlap of 2'18.190. I know its possible to go under 2'18 here, I just need that perfect lap. The S2000 pits in on lap 127 and the gap increases to -35 seconds.
Hour 6:
I make my stop on lap 132 and as I come out the S2000 is 9 seconds behind. On laps 137 and 139 I lap the Civic and Integra. Then on lap 145 all goes perfect and I manage a new best lap: 2'17.994.
I pit again on lap 152 and two laps later the hour ends, gap -10 seconds. Boredom striked hard during the hour as this is not a exciting track to drive with a 128hp car at all. 
Hour 7:
The S2000 is right behind my tail but as I lap the Chaser the S2000 stays behind. On lap 162 I pass the Civic as he is in the pits. The Nismo is now infront of me but I have trouble overtaking him and it takes four laps to pass him cleanly. Lap 171, the Integra still likes to understeer
and I lap him with no troubles on the S-curve. I decide to pit on lap 172 and Nismo and Integra unlap themselves. The hour ends on lap 177 with only -6 second lead over the S2000.
Hour 8: The final hour starts off with me putting down constant 2'18's thus keeping the S2000 about 5 seconds behind. On lap 187 both of the Spoons pit in allowing me to lap them once again. On lap 190 me and the Mugen S2000 pit in for the last time, gap between us is -7 seconds. I can't increase the gap for the next laps and on lap 195 I pass the Chaser easily as he is on cold tyres. With only 3 mins or so left of the race the understeering Integra slips 2 tyres to the sand on the 1st corner and somehow spins the car. As I was right behind him I can't avoid collision and lose precious time on the long straight before turn 3. The S2000 catches my slipstream and overtakes me at the backstraight on lap 204. All is not lost yet though as there is time to do one more lap. During the last lap I keep my wits with me and manage to pass the S2000 in the 5th corner. I keep him behind me on the backstraight despite his better acceleration and drive the last corners through making no mistakes. I snatched the win with a staggering -0.489 MoV over the S2000 after 8 hours of racing!
Final Standings:
1st Lotus Elise Type 72 '01, racetime: 8:01'52.241, 205 laps completed
2nd Mugen S2000 '00, +0.489 seconds behind
3rd Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95, + 3laps
4th Tom's X540 Chaser '00, +3laps
5th Spoon Civic Type R (EK) '00, +5laps
6th Spoon Integra Type R (DC2) '99, +10laps
Prize for 8 hours of A-speccing? 120 000 credits, Honda NSX-R Prototype LM Road Car, 200pts. and a VERY close finish! 👍
Now onwards to New York 200mls enduro.
The track:
Car: Lotus Elise Type 72 '01
Setup: S2/S1 tires, 128hp (oil change) vs the 300hp AI cars
Lineup:
Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95 - pits every 25 laps
Tom's X540 Chaser '00 - pits every 19-20 laps
Mugen S2000 '00 - pits every 21-22 laps
Spoon Civic Type R (EK) '00 - pits every 12 laps
Spoon Integra Type R (DC2) '99 - pits every 11 laps
Lotus Elise Type 72 '01 - pits every 20-25 laps (S2/S1, 30fuel units, laps ~2'18-2'20's)
Hour 1:
Its a rolling start and I try to overtake the Integra on the 3rd turn. Instead of a succesful maneuver I push the cold tyres too much and drift to the sand losing 5 seconds or so. It takes me three laps to catch up and at the start of lap 4 I finally pass the Integra. I'm also nearby the Civic and get a good draft from his car allowing me pass him at the start of the backstraight. The Civic is not a slow a car when on the straights though and he quickly passes me again. When we approach the 90 Degree turn he starts to brake early and I overtake him. Lap 6, approaching the V-corner, I pass the Chaser and get a good draft from the 2nd place S2000. I overtake him at the end of the backstraight when he starts braking to the 90 Degree turn. All of the AI drivers (except Nismo) brake very early here and thats a good opportunity to overtake them.👍 On the next lap I manage to pass the 1st place GT-R, again on the V-corner. For the following laps I increase my lead about 1-2 seconds per lap to the Nismo. Its lap 16 when I lap the Integra for the first time on the S-curve. He still understeers heavily and is clearly the slowest car of the bunch. My main rival, the S2000 got held up for 17 laps behind the 3rd place Chaser thus slowing him consiredably down. When the S2000 finally got past the Chaser, he quickly started to decrease the gap to the 2nd place Nismo GT-R.
On the 19th lap the S2000 finally has a clear track ahead and when he passes the next checkpoint I see that my lead over him is 18 seconds. I pit in at the end of lap 22, the leftside tires are orange and the rightside yellow. The S2/S1 is perfect choice so I keep the same setup. I come out of the pits right infront of the Nismo who hasn't pitted in yet. The first hour ends on lap 26 with a 20 second lead over the 2nd place Mugen S2000. Fastest lap of the hour is 2'19.141, which will hopefully change later on when I have less fuel in the tank...
Hour 2:
Lap 35, I lap the Integra during his pitstop.The S2000 catches me about one second per lap and is now -12 secs behind me. On lap 44 I pit in and come out -13 secs ahead of the S2000. Not much happens during the following laps and the hour ends on lap 51. My lead at this point is 8 seconds, fastest lap 2'18.259.
Hour 3:
Finally some action during this hour, I lap the Integra on lap 54. Next lap is the Nismo's turn to be lapped and I go by him smootly on the S-curve as he is still on cold tyres after his stop on lap 50. Seven laps later I see the Chaser and manage to lap him in the Victory corner. Lap 58, Civic up next and I lap him going into 4th turn. The 2nd place S2000 is now only -5 secs behind but has many slower cars infront thus allowing me to increase the gap once again during the next few laps. Lap 66, I pit in and come out 16 secs ahead of the S2000. The Nismo blocks the S2000 efficiently for quite some time and as the hour ends on lap 77 my lead over the S2000 is 14 seconds.
Hour 4:
Lap 82 sees me setting a new best lap: 2'18.238
, I also lap the Civic during the lap. On lap 84 I lap the Integra but he unlaps himself three laps later as I pit in. I come out -16 secs ahead of the S2000 and manage to lap the Integra now for good. Lap 103, the S2000 has catched up and is only -3 secs behind now as the hour ends.
Hour 5:
On lap 104 the slower AI cars are bunched up infront and I lap the Chaser first going into turn 3. I also lap the Nismo GT-R on the S-curve and Integra is lapped at the end of the lap in Victory corner. The S2000 is once again behind these roadblocks.
I pit in on lap 110 and see the lapped cars go by. At the next checkpoint the gap is -11 seconds to the S2000. On lap 112 I pass the Civic during his stop. Four laps later the S2000 is only -2 secs behind. I lap Nismo and Integra on lap 120 and manage to keep the 2nd place S2000 behind me. Then on lap 215, I make a new bestlap of 2'18.190. I know its possible to go under 2'18 here, I just need that perfect lap. The S2000 pits in on lap 127 and the gap increases to -35 seconds.Hour 6:
I make my stop on lap 132 and as I come out the S2000 is 9 seconds behind. On laps 137 and 139 I lap the Civic and Integra. Then on lap 145 all goes perfect and I manage a new best lap: 2'17.994.
I pit again on lap 152 and two laps later the hour ends, gap -10 seconds. Boredom striked hard during the hour as this is not a exciting track to drive with a 128hp car at all.
Hour 7:
The S2000 is right behind my tail but as I lap the Chaser the S2000 stays behind. On lap 162 I pass the Civic as he is in the pits. The Nismo is now infront of me but I have trouble overtaking him and it takes four laps to pass him cleanly. Lap 171, the Integra still likes to understeer
and I lap him with no troubles on the S-curve. I decide to pit on lap 172 and Nismo and Integra unlap themselves. The hour ends on lap 177 with only -6 second lead over the S2000.Hour 8: The final hour starts off with me putting down constant 2'18's thus keeping the S2000 about 5 seconds behind. On lap 187 both of the Spoons pit in allowing me to lap them once again. On lap 190 me and the Mugen S2000 pit in for the last time, gap between us is -7 seconds. I can't increase the gap for the next laps and on lap 195 I pass the Chaser easily as he is on cold tyres. With only 3 mins or so left of the race the understeering Integra slips 2 tyres to the sand on the 1st corner and somehow spins the car. As I was right behind him I can't avoid collision and lose precious time on the long straight before turn 3. The S2000 catches my slipstream and overtakes me at the backstraight on lap 204.
All is not lost yet though as there is time to do one more lap. During the last lap I keep my wits with me and manage to pass the S2000 in the 5th corner. I keep him behind me on the backstraight despite his better acceleration and drive the last corners through making no mistakes. I snatched the win with a staggering -0.489 MoV over the S2000 after 8 hours of racing!
Final Standings:
1st Lotus Elise Type 72 '01, racetime: 8:01'52.241, 205 laps completed
2nd Mugen S2000 '00, +0.489 seconds behind
3rd Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95, + 3laps
4th Tom's X540 Chaser '00, +3laps
5th Spoon Civic Type R (EK) '00, +5laps
6th Spoon Integra Type R (DC2) '99, +10laps
Prize for 8 hours of A-speccing? 120 000 credits, Honda NSX-R Prototype LM Road Car, 200pts. and a VERY close finish! 👍
Now onwards to New York 200mls enduro.
Thank god I managed to keep the S2000 behind and cross the finish line first.
.
👍.
