GTsail
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For this race I decided to try something from the 90's so....
I dusted off my red TVR V8S '91 and gave it a car wash to impress the race fans in Germany. Sadly
I could not change the oil on my TVR since I needed to keep the horsepower down even though my TVR has over 52,000 miles on the odometer. My beautiful red TVR has a few, but not all non-power upgrades that I will list after the race (these will be checked during post-race tech inspection by the race stewards who want to make sure I still have a 200 point car). So at the start of the race my TVR has 232 horsepower, N1/N2 tires and ballast of 5.
I take my place on the track behind the following competitors:
Ford Focus RS (blue)
Pontiac GTO (silver)
Chevy Camaro SS (white)
Audi RS 4 (black)
Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione (blue)
The above lineup is very easy to find if you want to give your TVR a spin, since its lineup # 2 from a console reset.
Note: I have been informed by Dotini (our resident lineup master) that he does not get to this same lineup after a console reset, plus 2. So it may not be so easy to find as I thought.
Once I press start, the game flashes that I have entered a 200 point race, so away we go.
During the first lap, I have to drive smoothly and conservatively to stay on the track on my N1 tires, plus I do not want to fall too far behind the pack. I pit for the first time at the end of lap one from 6th place and take on N3/N3 tires, but no fuel. When I exit the pits I am 45 seconds behind the leading Ford Focus who has really been driving hard.
During lap two I really notice the benefits of having N3 tires so I begin to enjoy the race. By the end of lap two I am 36 seconds behind the leading Audi RS4, who has snatched the lead from the Ford Focus.
On lap 3, I catch and pass the Pontiac GTO as we go into the Karussell, and take over 5th place in the race. As I blast down the final straight, the Lancia Delta goes into the pits for its first pit stop. This is followed shortly by the Ford Focus who also pits as I negotiate the final esses at Hohenrain. I am able to pass the Ford Focus while its taking on fuel and tires, and take over 4th place in the race.
At the start of lap 4, I am 34 seconds behind the leading Audi RS4. As I drive down the final straight on lap 4, I see that the Camaro passes the Audi RS4 and takes the lead. I now see that I am 28 seconds behind the Camaro. As I drive down the straight, I can just barely see the Lancia Delta far-far ahead of me, and look forward to the chance to battle and pass the Lancia Delta HF. As I contemplate this inevitable pass, I see the news that the Audi RS4 pits.
At the beginning of lap 5 as I cross the start/finish line the Audi RS4 pulls out of the pits just in front of me. The Audi's tires are cold so I am able to quickly latch on to its back bumper by the time we get to Hocheichen, and I get a nice draft down the hill. Using the Audi's draft I drive around the outside of the Audi thru Kottenborn while going about 140mph (luckily my tires are still green or I would have driven off into the grass).
I am now in 3rd place on the track as we pass the T2 marker and I see that the Camaro still has a 28 second lead over me. As I cruise down the final straight on this lap, I see that the Camaro has entered the pits for its first stop at the end of its fifth lap. At T11, I see that I am still 28 seconds behind, so I anticipate seeing the Camaro as it exits the pits.
As I begin lap 6, the Camaro exits the pits, and pulls out on the track just a few seconds ahead of me on the track. Since I see that I am still in 3rd place, this means that the Lancia Delta has taken over the lead of the race while the Camaro was in the pits. I am now chasing hard after the Camaro as we pass the T1 marker, and I see that the Lancia Delta has a 13 second lead over me. The Camaro is still a little slow on its cold tires, so I am able to latch on to its back bumper as we go thru the very slow and tight Wehrseifen turn. Weight transfer in my TVR swings from left to right to left to help me get thru this turn faster than the Camaro. I out-brake the Camaro going in to Breidscheid and briefly get into 2nd place. However, this is short-lived since the Camaro taps my left rear bumper
and muscles its way back into 2nd place as we go around the corner and up the hill at Ex-Muhle. Back in 3rd place, I get a nice draft from the Camaro on the back straight. However, as we drive thru the Kesselchen bends, the lurking Audi RS4 catches us and surprises me by passing me. This drops my TVR back into 4th place. Trying to collect my thoughts (and transmitting some choice words to my spotter who did not warn me properly), I just drive smoothly for the next few turns looking for a good place to re-pass the Audi. I finally get my chance just before Schwalbenschwanz, and get to chase the Camaro into and thru Kleine-Karussell. I draft the Camaro down the long straight and actually reach 158mph as I pull out to pass the Camaro for second place as we go under the overpass at Antoniusbuche. At the same time, up ahead, the first place Lancia Delta enters the pits for a second time.
As I cross the start/finish line to begin lap 7, I pass the Lancia Delta (who is still in the pits) and take over 1st place in the race for the first time!! The time check back to the Camaro is 0.7 seconds, who is only just ahead of the 3rd place Audi RS4, who I can also see in my mirrors. As I pass T1 on lap 7, I see that the Ford Focus enters the pits again, followed closely by the Pontiac GTO. As I drive down the long straight with a 5 second lead, I take a look at my tires and see that the fronts are yellow. My N3 tires have 6 laps on them so I decide to pit even if this means giving up the lead of the race. So I enter the pits for new N3 tires and increase my fuel to 50.
1 Hour Mark -
The one hour mark is crossed as I begin to exit the pits but before the game gives me back control of my TVR. The screen shows that I have fallen back to 4th place in the race, and that the Camaro has a 14.7 second lead over me.
Lap 8 passes cleanly as I try to catch the pack. As I enter the final esses at Hohenrain, the news is flashed that the Audi RS4 is entering the pits.
So at the start of lap 9, I re-take 3rd place in the race without any drama. The T1 split is still 20 seconds to the leading Camaro. As I exit the Galgenkopf turn on lap 9, I can see the Lancia Delta ahead of me on the straight. The T10 split to the Camaro is now 16.5 seconds. As I drive thru the final esses the Lancia Delta enters the pits again, and graciously allows me to take over 2nd place in the race.
The T1 split to the leading Camaro is 15 seconds on lap 10. As I cruise into Aremburg I get the news that the trailing Ford Focus takes to the pits. By T10, I have narrowed the split to the Camaro to 13 seconds so I take a moment to snap some pictures of the Nurburgring Castle on the hill. Up ahead the Camaro takes to the pits since it has gone another 5 laps on its tires. I cross the start/finish line and re-take 1st place in the race!!
As I begin lap 11, I get the news that I have a 9 second lead over the 2nd place Camaro. Driving smoothly and consistently, by the end of lap 11 my lead has ballooned to 23 seconds over the 2nd place Lancia Delta (who somehow drafted past the Camaro on the long straight).
Lap 12 is just a smooth as lap 11, so my lead grows to 26 seconds over the 2nd place Lancia Delta. As I cruise down the final long straight, I see that my tires have turned yellow again, so its time to put on some new ones. I am feeling a little thirsty, so steering one-handed, I grab for a drink and drive-off into the grass at Tiergarten, hit both the right and left side armco barriers, and slide sideways for at least 500 feet.
Once I get everything under control, I sheepishly enter the pits (wishing I could have someone else's pit crew change my tires since I don't want to face my pit crew). While taking on tires, the Lancia Delta follows me into the pits. While all four tires of my TVR are off the ground, the Camaro drives by into the lead. The Audi RS4 also pits just as I begin to exit the pits.
At the first time check on lap 13, I see that the Camaro has pulled out to a 7 second lead over my TVR. Shortly thereafter the Ford Focus pits again. A bit later the Pontiac GTO also pits. A chastened and lubricated GTsail drives a nice conservative lap on cold tires, so by the end of lap 13 the Camaro had added one second to its lead (now 8 secs).
Driving hard for the first half of lap 14, I reduce the Camaro's lead to 1.278 seconds as we take the right at Hohe Acht (T7). I'm almost close enough to think of giving the Camaro a love tap on its back bumper. I follow the Camaro for the next few turns to set up a nice draft down the long straight. Once on the straight I get a great draft and pull out to pass the Camaro going about 156mph just before the overpass. As I cross the start/finish line in first, I see that I have driven my fastest lap of the race (a 8.15.142).
At the beginning of lap 15, I have a 0.7 second lead over the Camaro.
2 Hour Mark -
The two hour mark is passed just after the T1 split with a 1 second lead over the Camaro. The Lancia Delta is in 3rd place about 20 seconds back. The Audi RS4 is in 4th place about 30 seconds back. The Ford Focus is in 5th place about 2 minutes and 30 seconds back and the Pontiac GTO is about a half lap back in 6th. Lap 15 goes well, so by T11 I have built up a 7 second lead over the Camaro.
As I start lap 16 I look back expecting that the Camaro will pit. Surprisingly it does not!! I keep watching the track map and shortly get notice that the Lancia Delta is pitting. I continue on and see that by T3 my lead has grown to 18 seconds over the Camaro. This leads me to believe that the Camaro missed the pit entrance! The Ford Focus pits again as I drive thru the Speigel Curve. The Camaro is obviously struggling since the T7 split is now 33 seconds. As I exit the Kleine-Karussell, I see that the 3 blue dots for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th have merged on the track map and I get a 55 second T8 split over the Lancia Delta which has been able to catch and pass the limping Camaro.
On lap 17, a bit after T1, the Audi RS4 pits. I now begin to watch the blue dots on the track map to see if the Camaro pits. For about 30 seconds the Camaro seems to be stuck against the wall somewhere near the final esses and does not move.
After a lengthy pause the Camaro gets moving again but does not pit!!! It must have missed the pit entrance again!! I am now 3 minutes into lap 17 so the Camaro has lost 3 minutes to me and the field during its last lap. I wonder what kind of time it will lose on its next lap. My front tires have turned yellow, so I decide to pit once again since my lead over the Lancia Delta has grown to 60 seconds.
Finally, when I am 3 minutes and 23 seconds into lap 18, I see that the Camaro pits. Its tires must be glowing red by now!! My lead over the 2nd place Lancia Delta is 34 seconds at T3. The rest of lap 18 is uneventful.
As I begin lap 19, the 2nd place Lancia Delta pits. Looking back I see that the Audi RS4 catches the Lancia Delta as it exits the pits. They are both now about 55 seconds behind. A bit further around the 'Ring, I get the notice that the Ford Focus has pitted from 4th place. The Camaro has fallen back to 5th place. As I drive thru Eschbach I get notice that the Pontiac GTO pits from 6th place.
I have almost a 60 second lead over the Audi RS4 as I begin lap 20. This lead grows to 68 seconds as I start down the long straight at T10.
As I begin lap 21, I can see that the Lancia Delta and the Audi RS4 are drafting each other down the long straight. The Audi RS4 pits at the end of this lap, and gives the Lancia Delta second place. I end the lap with a 77 second lead over the Lancia Delta.
As I motor on during lap 22, the Lancia Delta pits from second place. It will be interesting to see if the Audi RS4 is able to catch up again. Once the Lancia Delta exits the pits and begins to chase me, I see that my lead has ballooned to 98 seconds. I can also see that the Audi RS4 has almost caught the Lancia Delta (its perhaps 4 seconds behind the Lancia).
3 Hour Mark -
The 3 hour mark is passed when I am about 2 minutes and 10 seconds into lap 22. Looking at the track map, it seems that the Camaro is catching the Ford Focus. Perhaps it will redeem itself after that terrible lap it had. As I cruise down the back straight (Kesselchen) the Ford Focus pits once again. The blue dots for the Focus and the Camaro merge so there's a chance that the Camaro has taken over 4th place. As I continue to watch the dots, it seems clear from their separation that the Camaro has passed the Fod Focus (I will try to confirm this the next time one of them pits). As I pass the T11 checkpoint, I see that my lead has grown to 1 minute and 45 seconds over the Lancia Delta.
On lap 23 as I cruise the Kesselchen bends I get notice that the Camaro is pitting. Checking the track markers I can confirm that the Camaro was able to take over 4th place from the Ford Focus on the last pit stop exchange. However, this is going to change since it looks like the Focus is only about 15 seconds behind the Camaro. I still have a 1 minute and 45 second lead over the Lancia Delta who is just ahead of the Audi RS4 (my lead has stopped growing since my tires are yellow and I will have to pit at the end of this lap). At the T10 checkpoint I check my fuel gauge and see that it is BLANK!!!
I have no red bars left at all!! YIKES!! I drive down the long straight with fingers crossed and coast into the pits running on fumes. My lead has shrunk to 1 minute and 40 seconds over the Lancia Delta. I hit the pits on orange tires and ask for a fill-up. When the fuel gauge comes on it says "1". That was close!!
As I reach the T2 split on lap 24, I see that my lead is only 1 minute and 15 seconds over the Lancia Delta since it drove right by the pits. I get a friendly reminder from my pit crew over the radio that the race is not over yet, and could I kindly pick up the pace! So, I put my head down and get re-focused. After I safetly negotiate the Brunnchen drop, the T9 checkpoint shows that my lead has grown back up to 1 minute and 18 seconds over the Lancia Delta.
On lap 25 as I sweep around the Kottenborn sweeper I get notice that the Lancia Delta is pitting. He is closely followed into the pits by the Audi RS4. The T4 timecheck shows that my lead is back up to 1 minute and 45 seconds (which is what it was before our exchange of pit stops). As I get to the end of the Mutkurve, I see that the Ford Focus pits again. This means that the Camaro should be able to re-take 4th place in the race again as the two dots are close together on the track map. As I pass the T10 checkpoint and start my blast down the long straight, news is flashed that the Pontiac GTO is pitting. I also see that I have increased my lead to 1 minute and 50 seconds over the Lancia Delta. It seems completely possible that I can catch and lap the Pontiac GTO before the end of the race (which has only 28 minutes remaining).
As I begin lap 26, the Pontiac GTO is about 15 seconds ahead of me on the track. The Pontiac is moving slowly since it is on cold tires. I get my first glimpse of him as he goes up the hill at Ex-Muhle. I catch a small draft from the Pontiac just as we get to Klostertal at the end of the back straight. I follow the Pontiac GTO around the Karussell and get a great launch on exit so I pass the Pontiac going up the hill. The Pontiac GTO fills my mirrors for a few turns, but it has no chance. By the T10 checkpoint when I check my mirrors, I can only just see the Pontiac in the distance. I also notice that my lead over the Lancia Delta has grown to 1 minute and 52 seconds.
By the T8 checkpoint on lap 27, my lead has grown to 1 minute and 55 seconds as I continue to push the TVR hard. The Pontiac has been completely de-moralized and has fallen at least 20 seconds back. Pushing hard for most of lap 27 has enabled me to set a new lap record of 8:11.610
As I blast around Kottenborn on lap 28, I get the news that my lead has grown to 2 full minutes over the Lancia Delta. My pit crew also informs me that the Lancia Delta is pitting as I negotiate Adenaur Forst. As I go up the hill at Ex-Muhle I'm informed that my lead is now 2 minutes and 18 seconds over the Audi RS4 who passed the Lancia who just pitted. A bit later I get news that the Ford Focus is pitting again as I pass the T7 checkpoint. I'm thinking that this will consolidate 5th place for the Camaro since upon viewing the track map I can see that the Camaro has already passed the pits. As I scream past the T11 checkpoint at 150 mph I see that my lead over the Audi RS4 has grown to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
As I begin lap 29, I see a waving white flag??? I check the race time and see that 3 hours, 56 minutes, and 24 seconds have elapsed, so I've begun my final lap!! My front tires are yellow and my fuel gauge has one red bar. Throwing caution to the wind I motor on with no thoughts of turning around for tires and fuel (HA). I radio back to my crew and all I hear is silence. Could they be going to the store to pick up some champagne? Or are they in serious negotiations with another race team for a new driver? As I carefully negotiate Kallenhard I see that the Audi RS4 enters the pit one last time. This easily gives second place back to the Lancia Delta. At the T4 checkpoint I see that my lead over the Lancia Delta is 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
4 Hour Mark -
I pass the 4 hour mark as I leave Bergwerk and start my drive up the long back straight. My lead grows to 2 minutes and 43 seconds by the T9 checkpoint. At the final checkpoint my lead is flashed as 2 minutes and 46 seconds.
I cross the finish line after 4 hours, 4 minutes and 43.207 seconds and win another Chaparral 2D Race Car, plus a nice wad of cash.
The finishing order is as follows:
TVR V8S (me)
Lancia Delta HF - 2m 46s back
Audi RS4 - 3minutes back
Ford Focus - 6minutes back
Chevy Camaro - 6m 15s back
Pontiac GTO - 1 lap and 1 minute back
The TVR V8S is a great car for this race if you want 200 points. I had great fun for the first hour, after that I was really just cruising since it was clear that I was going to win. I'm pretty sure that the Camaro missed the pit entrance a second time, so that's why it fell back to 5th place. The AI in that Camaro must need a GPS or a track map pasted to the steering wheel. This Camaro could have finished the race in 2nd or 3rd without the pit mishaps. I have run this race in an Opel Speedster against the same lineup and the Camaro finished the race in second place.
Post-race inspection reveals the following stats for my TVR:
Horsepower: 232
Weight: 1055
Sport exhaust
Racing chip
Racing brakes
Brake controller at 8/9
Semi-racing suspension
Custom transmission, auto at 11
Twin-plate clutch
Semi-racing flywheel
Driving aids at 0,0,1
1.5 Ltd slip
Ballast is 5, and +5 to the rear
Happy A-spec racing,
GTsail
I dusted off my red TVR V8S '91 and gave it a car wash to impress the race fans in Germany. Sadly
I could not change the oil on my TVR since I needed to keep the horsepower down even though my TVR has over 52,000 miles on the odometer. My beautiful red TVR has a few, but not all non-power upgrades that I will list after the race (these will be checked during post-race tech inspection by the race stewards who want to make sure I still have a 200 point car). So at the start of the race my TVR has 232 horsepower, N1/N2 tires and ballast of 5. I take my place on the track behind the following competitors:
Ford Focus RS (blue)
Pontiac GTO (silver)
Chevy Camaro SS (white)
Audi RS 4 (black)
Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione (blue)
The above lineup is very easy to find if you want to give your TVR a spin, since its lineup # 2 from a console reset.
Note: I have been informed by Dotini (our resident lineup master) that he does not get to this same lineup after a console reset, plus 2. So it may not be so easy to find as I thought.Once I press start, the game flashes that I have entered a 200 point race, so away we go.
During the first lap, I have to drive smoothly and conservatively to stay on the track on my N1 tires, plus I do not want to fall too far behind the pack. I pit for the first time at the end of lap one from 6th place and take on N3/N3 tires, but no fuel. When I exit the pits I am 45 seconds behind the leading Ford Focus who has really been driving hard.
During lap two I really notice the benefits of having N3 tires so I begin to enjoy the race. By the end of lap two I am 36 seconds behind the leading Audi RS4, who has snatched the lead from the Ford Focus.
On lap 3, I catch and pass the Pontiac GTO as we go into the Karussell, and take over 5th place in the race. As I blast down the final straight, the Lancia Delta goes into the pits for its first pit stop. This is followed shortly by the Ford Focus who also pits as I negotiate the final esses at Hohenrain. I am able to pass the Ford Focus while its taking on fuel and tires, and take over 4th place in the race.
At the start of lap 4, I am 34 seconds behind the leading Audi RS4. As I drive down the final straight on lap 4, I see that the Camaro passes the Audi RS4 and takes the lead. I now see that I am 28 seconds behind the Camaro. As I drive down the straight, I can just barely see the Lancia Delta far-far ahead of me, and look forward to the chance to battle and pass the Lancia Delta HF. As I contemplate this inevitable pass, I see the news that the Audi RS4 pits.
At the beginning of lap 5 as I cross the start/finish line the Audi RS4 pulls out of the pits just in front of me. The Audi's tires are cold so I am able to quickly latch on to its back bumper by the time we get to Hocheichen, and I get a nice draft down the hill. Using the Audi's draft I drive around the outside of the Audi thru Kottenborn while going about 140mph (luckily my tires are still green or I would have driven off into the grass).
I am now in 3rd place on the track as we pass the T2 marker and I see that the Camaro still has a 28 second lead over me. As I cruise down the final straight on this lap, I see that the Camaro has entered the pits for its first stop at the end of its fifth lap. At T11, I see that I am still 28 seconds behind, so I anticipate seeing the Camaro as it exits the pits.As I begin lap 6, the Camaro exits the pits, and pulls out on the track just a few seconds ahead of me on the track. Since I see that I am still in 3rd place, this means that the Lancia Delta has taken over the lead of the race while the Camaro was in the pits. I am now chasing hard after the Camaro as we pass the T1 marker, and I see that the Lancia Delta has a 13 second lead over me. The Camaro is still a little slow on its cold tires, so I am able to latch on to its back bumper as we go thru the very slow and tight Wehrseifen turn. Weight transfer in my TVR swings from left to right to left to help me get thru this turn faster than the Camaro. I out-brake the Camaro going in to Breidscheid and briefly get into 2nd place. However, this is short-lived since the Camaro taps my left rear bumper
and muscles its way back into 2nd place as we go around the corner and up the hill at Ex-Muhle. Back in 3rd place, I get a nice draft from the Camaro on the back straight. However, as we drive thru the Kesselchen bends, the lurking Audi RS4 catches us and surprises me by passing me. This drops my TVR back into 4th place. Trying to collect my thoughts (and transmitting some choice words to my spotter who did not warn me properly), I just drive smoothly for the next few turns looking for a good place to re-pass the Audi. I finally get my chance just before Schwalbenschwanz, and get to chase the Camaro into and thru Kleine-Karussell. I draft the Camaro down the long straight and actually reach 158mph as I pull out to pass the Camaro for second place as we go under the overpass at Antoniusbuche. At the same time, up ahead, the first place Lancia Delta enters the pits for a second time.As I cross the start/finish line to begin lap 7, I pass the Lancia Delta (who is still in the pits) and take over 1st place in the race for the first time!! The time check back to the Camaro is 0.7 seconds, who is only just ahead of the 3rd place Audi RS4, who I can also see in my mirrors. As I pass T1 on lap 7, I see that the Ford Focus enters the pits again, followed closely by the Pontiac GTO. As I drive down the long straight with a 5 second lead, I take a look at my tires and see that the fronts are yellow. My N3 tires have 6 laps on them so I decide to pit even if this means giving up the lead of the race. So I enter the pits for new N3 tires and increase my fuel to 50.
1 Hour Mark -
The one hour mark is crossed as I begin to exit the pits but before the game gives me back control of my TVR. The screen shows that I have fallen back to 4th place in the race, and that the Camaro has a 14.7 second lead over me.
Lap 8 passes cleanly as I try to catch the pack. As I enter the final esses at Hohenrain, the news is flashed that the Audi RS4 is entering the pits.
So at the start of lap 9, I re-take 3rd place in the race without any drama. The T1 split is still 20 seconds to the leading Camaro. As I exit the Galgenkopf turn on lap 9, I can see the Lancia Delta ahead of me on the straight. The T10 split to the Camaro is now 16.5 seconds. As I drive thru the final esses the Lancia Delta enters the pits again, and graciously allows me to take over 2nd place in the race.
The T1 split to the leading Camaro is 15 seconds on lap 10. As I cruise into Aremburg I get the news that the trailing Ford Focus takes to the pits. By T10, I have narrowed the split to the Camaro to 13 seconds so I take a moment to snap some pictures of the Nurburgring Castle on the hill. Up ahead the Camaro takes to the pits since it has gone another 5 laps on its tires. I cross the start/finish line and re-take 1st place in the race!!
As I begin lap 11, I get the news that I have a 9 second lead over the 2nd place Camaro. Driving smoothly and consistently, by the end of lap 11 my lead has ballooned to 23 seconds over the 2nd place Lancia Delta (who somehow drafted past the Camaro on the long straight).
Lap 12 is just a smooth as lap 11, so my lead grows to 26 seconds over the 2nd place Lancia Delta. As I cruise down the final long straight, I see that my tires have turned yellow again, so its time to put on some new ones. I am feeling a little thirsty, so steering one-handed, I grab for a drink and drive-off into the grass at Tiergarten, hit both the right and left side armco barriers, and slide sideways for at least 500 feet.
Once I get everything under control, I sheepishly enter the pits (wishing I could have someone else's pit crew change my tires since I don't want to face my pit crew). While taking on tires, the Lancia Delta follows me into the pits. While all four tires of my TVR are off the ground, the Camaro drives by into the lead. The Audi RS4 also pits just as I begin to exit the pits.At the first time check on lap 13, I see that the Camaro has pulled out to a 7 second lead over my TVR. Shortly thereafter the Ford Focus pits again. A bit later the Pontiac GTO also pits. A chastened and lubricated GTsail drives a nice conservative lap on cold tires, so by the end of lap 13 the Camaro had added one second to its lead (now 8 secs).
Driving hard for the first half of lap 14, I reduce the Camaro's lead to 1.278 seconds as we take the right at Hohe Acht (T7). I'm almost close enough to think of giving the Camaro a love tap on its back bumper. I follow the Camaro for the next few turns to set up a nice draft down the long straight. Once on the straight I get a great draft and pull out to pass the Camaro going about 156mph just before the overpass. As I cross the start/finish line in first, I see that I have driven my fastest lap of the race (a 8.15.142).
At the beginning of lap 15, I have a 0.7 second lead over the Camaro.
2 Hour Mark -
The two hour mark is passed just after the T1 split with a 1 second lead over the Camaro. The Lancia Delta is in 3rd place about 20 seconds back. The Audi RS4 is in 4th place about 30 seconds back. The Ford Focus is in 5th place about 2 minutes and 30 seconds back and the Pontiac GTO is about a half lap back in 6th. Lap 15 goes well, so by T11 I have built up a 7 second lead over the Camaro.
As I start lap 16 I look back expecting that the Camaro will pit. Surprisingly it does not!! I keep watching the track map and shortly get notice that the Lancia Delta is pitting. I continue on and see that by T3 my lead has grown to 18 seconds over the Camaro. This leads me to believe that the Camaro missed the pit entrance! The Ford Focus pits again as I drive thru the Speigel Curve. The Camaro is obviously struggling since the T7 split is now 33 seconds. As I exit the Kleine-Karussell, I see that the 3 blue dots for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th have merged on the track map and I get a 55 second T8 split over the Lancia Delta which has been able to catch and pass the limping Camaro.
On lap 17, a bit after T1, the Audi RS4 pits. I now begin to watch the blue dots on the track map to see if the Camaro pits. For about 30 seconds the Camaro seems to be stuck against the wall somewhere near the final esses and does not move.
After a lengthy pause the Camaro gets moving again but does not pit!!! It must have missed the pit entrance again!! I am now 3 minutes into lap 17 so the Camaro has lost 3 minutes to me and the field during its last lap. I wonder what kind of time it will lose on its next lap. My front tires have turned yellow, so I decide to pit once again since my lead over the Lancia Delta has grown to 60 seconds.Finally, when I am 3 minutes and 23 seconds into lap 18, I see that the Camaro pits. Its tires must be glowing red by now!! My lead over the 2nd place Lancia Delta is 34 seconds at T3. The rest of lap 18 is uneventful.
As I begin lap 19, the 2nd place Lancia Delta pits. Looking back I see that the Audi RS4 catches the Lancia Delta as it exits the pits. They are both now about 55 seconds behind. A bit further around the 'Ring, I get the notice that the Ford Focus has pitted from 4th place. The Camaro has fallen back to 5th place. As I drive thru Eschbach I get notice that the Pontiac GTO pits from 6th place.
I have almost a 60 second lead over the Audi RS4 as I begin lap 20. This lead grows to 68 seconds as I start down the long straight at T10.
As I begin lap 21, I can see that the Lancia Delta and the Audi RS4 are drafting each other down the long straight. The Audi RS4 pits at the end of this lap, and gives the Lancia Delta second place. I end the lap with a 77 second lead over the Lancia Delta.
As I motor on during lap 22, the Lancia Delta pits from second place. It will be interesting to see if the Audi RS4 is able to catch up again. Once the Lancia Delta exits the pits and begins to chase me, I see that my lead has ballooned to 98 seconds. I can also see that the Audi RS4 has almost caught the Lancia Delta (its perhaps 4 seconds behind the Lancia).
3 Hour Mark -
The 3 hour mark is passed when I am about 2 minutes and 10 seconds into lap 22. Looking at the track map, it seems that the Camaro is catching the Ford Focus. Perhaps it will redeem itself after that terrible lap it had. As I cruise down the back straight (Kesselchen) the Ford Focus pits once again. The blue dots for the Focus and the Camaro merge so there's a chance that the Camaro has taken over 4th place. As I continue to watch the dots, it seems clear from their separation that the Camaro has passed the Fod Focus (I will try to confirm this the next time one of them pits). As I pass the T11 checkpoint, I see that my lead has grown to 1 minute and 45 seconds over the Lancia Delta.
On lap 23 as I cruise the Kesselchen bends I get notice that the Camaro is pitting. Checking the track markers I can confirm that the Camaro was able to take over 4th place from the Ford Focus on the last pit stop exchange. However, this is going to change since it looks like the Focus is only about 15 seconds behind the Camaro. I still have a 1 minute and 45 second lead over the Lancia Delta who is just ahead of the Audi RS4 (my lead has stopped growing since my tires are yellow and I will have to pit at the end of this lap). At the T10 checkpoint I check my fuel gauge and see that it is BLANK!!!
I have no red bars left at all!! YIKES!! I drive down the long straight with fingers crossed and coast into the pits running on fumes. My lead has shrunk to 1 minute and 40 seconds over the Lancia Delta. I hit the pits on orange tires and ask for a fill-up. When the fuel gauge comes on it says "1". That was close!!As I reach the T2 split on lap 24, I see that my lead is only 1 minute and 15 seconds over the Lancia Delta since it drove right by the pits. I get a friendly reminder from my pit crew over the radio that the race is not over yet, and could I kindly pick up the pace! So, I put my head down and get re-focused. After I safetly negotiate the Brunnchen drop, the T9 checkpoint shows that my lead has grown back up to 1 minute and 18 seconds over the Lancia Delta.
On lap 25 as I sweep around the Kottenborn sweeper I get notice that the Lancia Delta is pitting. He is closely followed into the pits by the Audi RS4. The T4 timecheck shows that my lead is back up to 1 minute and 45 seconds (which is what it was before our exchange of pit stops). As I get to the end of the Mutkurve, I see that the Ford Focus pits again. This means that the Camaro should be able to re-take 4th place in the race again as the two dots are close together on the track map. As I pass the T10 checkpoint and start my blast down the long straight, news is flashed that the Pontiac GTO is pitting. I also see that I have increased my lead to 1 minute and 50 seconds over the Lancia Delta. It seems completely possible that I can catch and lap the Pontiac GTO before the end of the race (which has only 28 minutes remaining).
As I begin lap 26, the Pontiac GTO is about 15 seconds ahead of me on the track. The Pontiac is moving slowly since it is on cold tires. I get my first glimpse of him as he goes up the hill at Ex-Muhle. I catch a small draft from the Pontiac just as we get to Klostertal at the end of the back straight. I follow the Pontiac GTO around the Karussell and get a great launch on exit so I pass the Pontiac going up the hill. The Pontiac GTO fills my mirrors for a few turns, but it has no chance. By the T10 checkpoint when I check my mirrors, I can only just see the Pontiac in the distance. I also notice that my lead over the Lancia Delta has grown to 1 minute and 52 seconds.
By the T8 checkpoint on lap 27, my lead has grown to 1 minute and 55 seconds as I continue to push the TVR hard. The Pontiac has been completely de-moralized and has fallen at least 20 seconds back. Pushing hard for most of lap 27 has enabled me to set a new lap record of 8:11.610
As I blast around Kottenborn on lap 28, I get the news that my lead has grown to 2 full minutes over the Lancia Delta. My pit crew also informs me that the Lancia Delta is pitting as I negotiate Adenaur Forst. As I go up the hill at Ex-Muhle I'm informed that my lead is now 2 minutes and 18 seconds over the Audi RS4 who passed the Lancia who just pitted. A bit later I get news that the Ford Focus is pitting again as I pass the T7 checkpoint. I'm thinking that this will consolidate 5th place for the Camaro since upon viewing the track map I can see that the Camaro has already passed the pits. As I scream past the T11 checkpoint at 150 mph I see that my lead over the Audi RS4 has grown to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
As I begin lap 29, I see a waving white flag??? I check the race time and see that 3 hours, 56 minutes, and 24 seconds have elapsed, so I've begun my final lap!! My front tires are yellow and my fuel gauge has one red bar. Throwing caution to the wind I motor on with no thoughts of turning around for tires and fuel (HA). I radio back to my crew and all I hear is silence. Could they be going to the store to pick up some champagne? Or are they in serious negotiations with another race team for a new driver? As I carefully negotiate Kallenhard I see that the Audi RS4 enters the pit one last time. This easily gives second place back to the Lancia Delta. At the T4 checkpoint I see that my lead over the Lancia Delta is 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
4 Hour Mark -
I pass the 4 hour mark as I leave Bergwerk and start my drive up the long back straight. My lead grows to 2 minutes and 43 seconds by the T9 checkpoint. At the final checkpoint my lead is flashed as 2 minutes and 46 seconds.
I cross the finish line after 4 hours, 4 minutes and 43.207 seconds and win another Chaparral 2D Race Car, plus a nice wad of cash.
The finishing order is as follows:
TVR V8S (me)
Lancia Delta HF - 2m 46s back
Audi RS4 - 3minutes back
Ford Focus - 6minutes back
Chevy Camaro - 6m 15s back
Pontiac GTO - 1 lap and 1 minute back
The TVR V8S is a great car for this race if you want 200 points. I had great fun for the first hour, after that I was really just cruising since it was clear that I was going to win. I'm pretty sure that the Camaro missed the pit entrance a second time, so that's why it fell back to 5th place. The AI in that Camaro must need a GPS or a track map pasted to the steering wheel. This Camaro could have finished the race in 2nd or 3rd without the pit mishaps. I have run this race in an Opel Speedster against the same lineup and the Camaro finished the race in second place.
Post-race inspection reveals the following stats for my TVR:
Horsepower: 232
Weight: 1055
Sport exhaust
Racing chip
Racing brakes
Brake controller at 8/9
Semi-racing suspension
Custom transmission, auto at 11
Twin-plate clutch
Semi-racing flywheel
Driving aids at 0,0,1
1.5 Ltd slip
Ballast is 5, and +5 to the rear
Happy A-spec racing,
GTsail
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