The Straight(away) and Narrow - A Forza Motorsport 3 Dynasty [Archive]

DataKing

10-29-2009, 05:39 PM

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/logo.PNG

The Straight(away) and Narrow - A Forza Motorsport 3 Dynasty

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDpjrh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style> [FONT=Trebuchet MS][SIZE=2][I]February 22<sup>nd</sup><o></o>
[/SIZE][/FONT] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]The day I got out of prison was the happiest day of my life. It wasn’t that I could finally get myself a decent meal and a cervesa; that was the third thing I did. It wasn’t that I could get properly laid again; that was the second thing that I did, and the medium-security Spanish prison I was in allowed conjugal visits.. Yay for liberal Europeans.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]No, the reason it was the best day of my life is it meant I could [I]drive.[/I] I actually paid the cab driver an extra five euros to let me drive into town from prison, because I couldn’t bear the thought of being a passenger. Not after 18 months of standing still. I sat down on one of those god-awful beaded carseat-covers and wrapped my hands around a steering wheel worn smooth with use. I fired her up, heard the engine putter to life as I touched the accelerator, and knew for the first time in a long time that I was indeed [I]alive.[/I]<o></o>
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[SIZE=2]I can’t explain where this obsession of mine came from, but I’ve been infatuated with cars as long as I can remember. As far as I know neither one of my parents was a motor-head, not that they stuck around long enough for me to know for sure. All I know for certain is cars dominated my childhood. I pinched Hot Wheels from the local toy store every opportunity I could get. Most kids drew pictures of tits or guitars or who knows what in the margins of their notebooks in school. Mine were covered with cars. Maybe I was conceived in the back of one and it all went downhill from there. Who knows.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]At 13 years old I had decided that the 16-year-old age requirement for a drivers’ license was complete crap, and started boosting cars. Nothing too serious, mind you. I actually had a pretty sweet set-up. A cousin of mine had a job valet parking cars at a fancy restaurant downtown. He’d slip me the keys to some old couples’ choice ride and I’d take it for a spin around the neighborhood. Naturally it didn’t take long for a 13-year-old kid behind the wheel to earn the attention of local law enforcement, and I got hauled into the station on more than one occasion. But nothing too serious ever came of it, and my cousin didn’t even lose his job because of me. Looking back on things now, I think he was screwing the manager (who also happened to be the owner’s daughter).<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]After high school I drifted around quite a bit, turning wrench here and there and generally looking for every opportunity I could find to drive fast. Eventually I found my way to <st1>Europe</st1> and began to earn a bit of a reputation as a wheelman. Need to get from Point A to Point B in a hurry? I was your guy. Hell, I didn’t even charge very much, so long what I would be driving was nice.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]And then there was that day, that awful day outside of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1>Seville</st1></st1:city>. The day that changed my life forever, and all because of a woman…<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[CENTER][IMG]http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Newspaper%20headline.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE=2]
[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]But I don’t want to talk about that right now…<o></o>
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* * *

[SIZE=2]
[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][I]February 25<sup>th</sup>[/I]<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]I sat, eyes closed, in an open-air café in <st1:city w:st="on">Malaga</st1:city>, in the south of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1>Spain</st1></st1:country-region>, enjoying my freedom and the warmth of the sun on my face. When my sunlight suddenly disappeared, I opened my eyes to find a tall Spaniard looking down at me, blocking out the sun.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“You are Mister Tolliver, are you not?” he asked.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“I am. You are Ferdinand?” He nodded. “Join me, please.” We briefly shook hands as the man sat down at my table.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“You will excuse me if I cannot stay long. I am a very busy man, but I wish to meet the man who has looked after Paolo, and thank him.”<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]Paolo had been my cell-mate at Centro Penitenciario de Seville for the past year. He was a good enough guy, if a little high-strung.<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“Paolo is my friend. I take care of my friends.”<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“I am glad to hear this.” A hint of a smile graced the man’s lips. “My brother tells me you are a driver, yes? A wheel-man?”<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“Those days are behind me, senor. I’ve learned my lesson and paid for my mistakes.”<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“But you still wish to drive?” This seemed less like an accusation, and more like an honest question. But my suspicions obviously showed on my face. “Racing, Mister Tolliver. Legitimate racing. Are you interested?”<o></o>
[/SIZE] <o></o>
[SIZE=2]“Yes!” the word left my lips before I could even think. Ferdinand smiled wider, if only briefly.
<o></o>
[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]“It is as Paolo wrote me. So much as mention a race and you can barely stay sitting! Hah! Now, look over there to your right. The one in gray.”[/SIZE]

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Race-1%20PreRace.jpg

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CDpjrh%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><style>  </style> “Ford Fiesta Zetec S,” I said. “One-hundred eighteen horsepower. One-point-six liter engine. Sporty little thing, if a bit slow.” I turned back to look at Ferdinand and found him dangling a key in front of me.<o></o>
<o></o>
“It is yours.”<o></o>
<o></o>
I paused.<o></o>
<o></o>
“You’re serious?”<o></o>
<o></o>
“Be in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1>Barcelona</st1></st1:city> by Tuesday, and speak to this man when you arrive.” Ferdinand slid a card across the table to me as well. “All will be explained to you. Now if you will excuse me…” He stood and began to walk away.<o></o>
<o></o>
“Why are you doing this?” I called after him. <o></o>
<o></o>
He replied, without turning around. “We Spaniards take care of our friends as well.”<o></o>

[/CENTER]

DataKing

10-29-2009, 05:39 PM

Introduction

I’ve been itching to do a dynasty report for a while now, and I think I’ve finally found the game to do it with. I just picked up Forza Motorsport 3 and I’m really enjoying it so far. I played the heck out of Gran Turismo 3 on the Playstation 2 back in the day, and I’ve always enjoyed a good driving game. I thought it might be a good idea to try a dynasty report based on my driving career in Forza. There are three things I would like to accomplish with this:

Create a permanent record/document of my driving career and experiences with the game.
Include some narrative, in a few different formats (I’m thinking some general prose, first-person journal entries, and maybe some faux-newspaper clippings), to tell a bit of a story along the way.
Extend the lifespan of the game for myself. Updating this dynasty report will make for a nice break so life doesn’t become race-upgrade-race-buy new car-race-etc.

I’ll explain some things about the game as I move along, either because I feel they deserve explanation or in order to make some of the details you’ll find here make sense. I have no experience with the Forza Motorsport games prior to this, and I’ve been trying to keep my exposure to a minimum so things will continue to feel “new.”

I also intend for this to be a very colorful, picture-laden dynasty report. Forza Motorsport 3 is an absolutely gorgeous game, and the in-game photo tools are quite impressive for a console game. So expect to see a number of pictures along the way, both of the cars while idle as well as some in-race action. Maybe I’ll throw in some video clips along the way as well (I haven’t messed with the video capabilities yet, but I hear they’re pretty good).

And away we go…

Settings

Forza Motorsport has an interesting way of dealing with difficulty level. You can set the difficulty level of your competition to whatever you like, and you can also turn on/off a number of different driver assists. For example, you can turn on/off certain car functions/hardware like anti-lock braking and traction control. You can also turn on/off other things like damage, tire wear, as well as a display of the preferred line around a track (color-coded to indicate whether you should be accelerating, decelerating, or holding steady). The interesting thing about how Forza handles these is that each one affects your prize money from that race. The more of these assists you turn off, the higher your reward for that race. This works as a multiplier of the base prize money for that race. Here are the difficulty/assist settings I’ll be starting with:

Autobrake: Off (+10%)
Anti-Lock Brakes: Off (+15%)
Stability Control: Off (+5%)
Traction Control: Off (+10%)
Shifting: Manual (+10%)
Suggested Line: Off (+15%)
Opponent Difficulty: Hard (+15%)
Damage, Fuel, and Tire Wear: Simulation (+15%)

This sets my difficulty modifier to +95%, so whatever my base prize money would be, I receive an additional 95%.

House Rules

Like any good dynasty report, we need to establish some house rules as well. Here are mine (this list will no doubt change/grow as I get more experience with the game):

I must use a car in the class that is suggested for that event (F-class car for F-class events, C-class car for C-class events, etc.) Some events are actually restricted by the game, but most aren't. This will help to keep things competitive throughout my career.

Auction House (allows the purchase/sale of cars between drivers)
No buying level reward cars off the Auction House. As you progress through the game, you are awarded different cars. Some people don’t want these cars, or have already purchased identical cars, so they turn around and sell them on the auction house for cheap. This house rule prevents me from paying next to nothing for a car that should cost me a lot more.
No selling of level reward cars on the Auction House for less than their real value (garage value + parts value). Along with house role 2-1, this prevents me from selling cars in this way and perpetuating the problem.
Only one activity per calendar day (in-game). To represent the fact that there is more to life than just racing, I can only conduct one activity per in-game day. An activity is defined as the following:
Race event (race day should be an all-day thing).
Vehicle upgrade (I’m taking some liberties here, I know, but I’m hoping that it will all average out. Swapping out an air filter and spark plugs certainly wouldn’t take a full day, but a full engine swap could take a week or more).
Vehicle purchase (we all know how car salesmen work, and how long this can take).
One hour of on-track test driving (assuming here that car set-up, transportation to and from, dealing with track officials, etc would eat up the bulk of a day).
Travel day (again, taking some liberties here and hoping things average out).
Exception: During the championship portion of the season, I am allowed overnight travel for myself only. This means that if my current car is being transported as well, I cannot use this exception. This only applies until the conclusion of that season's championship.

I have to make an honest effort to “race clean.” Obviously this is more subjective than your normal house rule, but it’s difficult to place real limitations on myself here. I will make a genuine effort to race clean, but there are times when rough behavior is justified (i.e., someone else has been banging into me first, the last turn before the finish line, etc) and I don’t want to handcuff myself from a little “rubbing” when necessary/approved.
When a Season in Forza Motorsport 3 ends, I will continue to participate in racing events until the dynasty calendar reaches November. This will give me a reasonable amount of time for racing within a year, rather than skipping straight from April in one year to March of the next.

That’s all for now, though I’m sure I’ll be adding more as I go.

DataKing

10-29-2009, 05:40 PM

Profile

Name: Maxwell Tolliver
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Current Date: June 3rd - Season 3

Percentage of Career Complete: 11.7%
Level: 37
Experience to Next Level: 58,110 XP
Distance Driven: 1,153 mi
Average Speed: 79.7 mph
Number of Victories: 144
Number of Podiums: 168
Number of Races: 188
Number of Cars in Garage: 59
Time Driven: 14 hours, 28 minutes
Top Speed: 182.6 mph

Finances

Garage Value: $14,406,000.00
Current Cash: $1,341,313.00

Earnings: $1,846,570.00
Bonuses: $625,795.00
Miscellaneous: $47,085.00

Cars Purchases: $746,828.00
Parts Purchases: $337,808.00
Vinyl/Design Purchases: $3,000.00
Repairs: $96,799

Available Cash: $411,730.00

DataKing

10-29-2009, 05:40 PM

Garage

A separate thread has been created for this, and can be found here: Maxwell Tolliver's Garage (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=76971)

I suppose here is as good a place as any to explain what a couple of these things mean.

Rating is two parts, Class and Performance Index (P.I.)
Class: The general category of the vehicle with regards to it's performance. Class starts with F (the lowest), progresses up through A, then S (for Supercars) and R (for racing vehicles). Here is an example of some of the vehicles and the classes they fall into:
Class F: Ford Fiesta Zetec S
Class E: Honda Integra Type-R
Class D: Lexus IS350
Class C: BMW 135i Coupe
Class B: Ferrari California
Class A: Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Class S: Bugatti Veyron 16.4
Performance Index: An index of the overall performance level of the car (including power, handling, braking, etc). These fall into ranges which make up the Classes listed above. The breakdowns are as follows:
Class F: 100-200
Class E: 201-275
Class D: 276-350
Class C: 351-425
Class B: 426-500
Class A: 501-600
Class S: 601-700

Upgrades: A number of different things can be upgraded on cars, far too many things to go into here. Just know that most upgrades are available in three levels: street, sport, and race.

DataKing

10-29-2009, 05:40 PM

Discounts
All discounts are 10% unless otherwise stated.

Air Filter (20%): Green Filter Italy (Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, Maserati)
Air Filter (20%): ITG UK (Jaguar, Lotus, TVR)
Anti-Roll Bars: Eibach (Aston Martin, Bentley, Lotus, TVR, Vauxhall)
Anti-Roll Bars (30%): Hotchkis (Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Anti-Roll Bars: Tanabe (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru
Anti-Roll Bars: Whiteline (Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Saab, Volvo)
Brakes: AP Racing Japan (Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan)
Camshaft (20%): Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Centrifugal Supercharger (20%): Paxton (Alfa Romeo, Dodge, FIAT, Ford, Shelby, Vauxhall)
Chassis Reinforcement & Roll Cage: OMP Japan (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
Chassis Reinforcement & Roll Cage: Sparco Europe (Audi, Citroen, Opel, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Volkswagen)
Clutch: Exedy (Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
Clutch: Fidanza (BMW Motorsport, Jaguar, Land Rover, MINI, SEAT, Vauxhall)
Clutch: Sachs Germany (Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche, Volkswagen)
Differentials (20%): Cusco (Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru)
Differentials: Eaton (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn)
Differentials (20%): Kaaz (Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan, Scion, Toyota)
Displacement: Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Displacement: Audi Motorsport (Audi)
Displacement: BMW Motorsport (BMW)
Displacement (30%): Ford (Ford)
Displacement: GM Performance (Chevrolet)
Displacement: HPD (Honda)
Displacement: Mazdaspeed (Mazda)
Displacement (20%): Ralliart (Mitsubishi)
Displacement: Vauxhall (Vauxhall)
Driveline: Abarth (FIAT)
Driveline: Audi Motorsport (Audi)
Driveline (20%): BMW Motorsport (BMW)
Driveline (20%): Lotus (Lotus)
Driveline: Mazdaspeed (Mazda)
Driveline: Peugeot (Peugeot)
Driveline (20%): Ralliart (Mitsubishi)
Driveline: Range Rover Sport (Land Rover)
Driveline: Renault (Renault)
Driveline: Volvo (Volvo)
Exhaust (20%): Supersprint Exhaust (Audi, Opel, Porsche, SEAT, Volkswagen)
Flywheel: Toda (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
Fuel System (20%): AEM (Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, Toyota)
Fuel System: Blitz (Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
Fuel System: Edelbrock (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Fuel System: Magneti Marelli Europe (Citroen, Peugeot, Renault)
Ignition: Bosch Europe (Koenigsegg, Saab, SEAT, Volvo)
Ignition: Champion (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn)
Ignition (30%): MSD (Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Ignition (20%): NGK (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body (20%): Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body (20%): BMW Motorsport (BMW)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body (20%): Volkswagen (Volkswagen)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body: JUN (Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Scion, Toyota)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body: Volvo (Volvo)
Intercooler: Greddy (Citroen, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Renault, Scion, Subaru, Toyota)
Oil & Cooling (20%): ARE Germany (Audi, BMW, MINI, Porsche, Volkswagen)
Oil & Cooling (30%): Cosworth (Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Oil & Cooling (20%): HKS Cooling (Lexus, Mitsubishi, Scion, Subaru, Toyota)
Oil & Cooling: Setrab Europe (Citroen, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, SEAT)
Oil & Cooling: Volvo (Volvo)
Pistons & Compression: JE Pistons (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Holden, Pontiac, Saturn)
Pistons & Compression: JE Pistons Japan (Acura, Honda, Hyunda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru)
Single Turbo: HKS Turbochargers (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda)
Single Turbo: HKS Turbos (Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
Twin-Screw Supercharger: Blitz DSC (Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Scion, Toyota)
Twin-Screw Supercharger: Eaton Europe (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MINI)
Twin Turbo: HKS Turbochargers (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda)
Twin Turbo: HKS Turbos (Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
Valves (20%): Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Valves: Audi Motorsport (Audi)
Valves (20%): BMW Motorsport (BMW)
Valves (30%): Ford (Ford)
Valves: GM Performance (Chevrolet)
Valves: HPD (Honda)
Valves: Mazdaspeed (Mazda)
Valves (20%): Ralliart (Mitsubishi)
Valves: Vauxhall (Vauxhall)

*Type: Company (Manufacturers)

illinifan999

10-29-2009, 06:50 PM

I'll be following along!

Tellistto

10-29-2009, 08:02 PM

I'll be along for the ride as well, good luck!

Tell

DataKing

10-29-2009, 08:33 PM

Three-Door Challenge

March 1st

So I took a nice leisurely drive up Spain's Mediterranean coast, and it was time well spent indeed. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking in spots, and it helped me to wrap my head around a few things. Mostly around being free once more, and about how much I do love to drive, even if it's a little Ford Fiesta. It also gave me some time to get used to the car, which still feels a little odd since it's right-hand drive.

When I arrived in Barcelona I got in touch with Ferdinand's friend, Luis, and he gave me the low-down.

Everybody knows that auto racing is huge the world-over, and circuit racing is especially popular in Europe and Asia. It claims second-fiddle to oval racing back in the States, but circuit tracks have a pretty loyal following there as well. As it turns out, Ferdinand's pretty well-off, and has a pretty heavy investment in some of the smaller racing leagues out there. (Don't ask me what the hell Paolo was doing in prison for stealing DVD players if his brother's so well-to-do.)

So, in order for some of these smaller racing leagues to compete with the big boys, they offer longer entertainment, meaning a series of races at a track during a given day. Basically it works similar to a boxing card, where you've got a number of smaller names and lower-ranked contenders going at it first, in hopes of working the crowd into a frenzy before the big boys show up.

That's where I come in. I've been entered into their Testing League. Basically this is the lowest tier, a "trial" of sorts. They give us some short races to help warm up the crowds, lay a little rubber down when the track is "green," that sort of thing. It may sound like it sucks, but Luis explained to me the three big advantages for a guy like me.

There's a lot of money floating around these tracks on race days. I can make more in one day at the track than I could make in a week or more behind a counter somewhere.
All that money means sponsors and other corporate bigshots, and they're always on the lookout for talent. Here's a chance for me to show what I've got.
As Luis ever so gently put it, "What the fuck else you gonna do with your life, puta?" Fortunately it's all a bit more organized than Luis makes it out to be. You sign up for one event at a time, which is a series of races at different tracks against the same set of drivers in the same set of cars. You get cash and prized based on how you do in each race, as well as additional prizes when the event itself is over. Each event is restricted in certain ways as well. Some are just restricted to a certain type of car (for example, one event might be strictly for front-wheel-drive, and another for rear-wheel-drive), while others may be restricted to a certain manufacturer or region (only American cars for example, or Asian, or European).

Here's my first event:

Event: Three-Door Challenge
Limitation: 3-Door Cars (hatchbacks) only
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $11,560
Event Bonus Prize: $3,400

Here we go...

DataKing

10-29-2009, 09:54 PM

Tuesday, March 2nd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Three-Door Challenge
Race #1: Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Mini%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $4,250
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.04 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

Apparently I get stuck clear in the back in this event because I'm the new guy, and I was surprised by the amount of bumping that went on at the back of the pack in the beginning. But this track is so tiny (just a small portion of the full Iberian International Circuit) that there's not a lot of room to maneuver. Still, I manage to squirm my way into 3rd place by the middle of the second lap. But by then, with such a short race already half over I had my work cut out for me. On the third lap I manage to cut through the S-turn on the west portion of the track and take second place, but that's as good as I can manage.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Race-1.jpg
Waving goodbye to a Ford Focus after cutting through the S-turn.

Result: 2nd place
Time: 02:03:37
Prize: $3,740
XP Gained: 1,500 XP

Nearly 4 grand? Not bad for a day's work. Looks like Luis was right.

Wednesday, March 3rd - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Oil and Cooling
Price: $200
Effect: Power +2 hp
Rating: F181 (from F176)

Flush with the cash I didn't blow at the strip club last night, I spend the day installing a Cosworth multi-core radiator with aluminum end tanks and an aftermarket highflow radiator fan. Nothing major here, but it should squeeze out a few extra horsepower.

Thursday, March 4th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Three-Door Challenge
Race #2: Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $4,420
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.31 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

Today was a complete disaster. Halfway through the first lap I get spun out by some damn spaniard in a Citroen and immediately lose track of the rest of the pack. Late in the second lap I'm finally able to see one of the other competitors again (some poor bastard trying to race in a Volkswagen Beetle) and I promptly smack into the back of him, giving myself some pretty severe body damage. The best I could manage to eek out was a 6th place embarrassment.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Race-2.jpg
This is going to end badly.

Result: 6th place
Time: 02:35:02
Prize: $1,647
-Repairs: $273
XP Gained: 2,600 XP

I learned a valuable lesson today at least; don't trust any of these jokers to give you any room out there on the track. Apparently they have as little to lose as I do.

I was approached by someone from MSD (they make various ignition equipment for Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, and Shelby) who was at least entertained by my recklessness. He offered me a 10% discount on their ignition gear. Sweet.

Friday, March 5th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Air Filter
Price: $700
Effect: Power +4 hp
Rating: F190 (from F181)

I spend the day fixing body panels on the Fiesta, as well as a K&N drop-in high-flow air filter. Maybe four extra ponies will get me out of trouble before I get into it next time.

Saturday, March 6th thru Thursday, March 11th - Season 1

We're idle for nearly a week, and I want to hang onto my meager bankroll, so I do my best to enjoy the scenery Spain has to offer (biological and otherwise).

Friday, March 12th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Three-Door Challenge
Race #3: Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Mini%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $2,890
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 1.68 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

A relatively simple half-mile+ oval nets us a respectable finish, if an unspectacular one. I've got enough maneuverability and enough skill to power-slide my way through the wider portion of the oval, moving into 3rd position by the end of the 2nd lap. But these races aren't long enough for me to move all the way up to the front when starting dead last.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Race-3.jpg
Pushing things to the edge in Montserrat.

Result: 3rd place
Time: 01:37:23
Prize: $2,210
XP Gained: 1,700 XP (attained Driver Level 1)

Event: Three-Door Challenge
Event Results: 3rd place
Event Prize: $2,500

There was a nice little podium ceremony after the race (probably just to make sure the damn thing won't collapse when the big-names use it later today), but taking 3rd place in the event and the $2,500 bonus were nice. Hopefully I've earned at least a little bit of respect around here, and will be placed further up in the field next time.

But imagine my surprise when, later in the day Luis took me out to the parking lot and handed me the keys to this:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fiat1.jpg
A brand-spanking-new Fiat Abarth 500. Apparently I've impressed someone at Fiat.

law90026

10-29-2009, 10:06 PM

Cool dynasty, good luck!

bbgunn

10-29-2009, 11:31 PM

Nice.

chesapeake

10-30-2009, 08:44 AM

I loved Forza 2 and have been looking forward to the new version. I'll be reading along here as well.

DataKing

10-30-2009, 11:33 PM

Thanks for reading along everyone. More updates soon (tm).

Now if they'd just get Myforza.net working properly so I could show you all the kick-ass movie I just made. :mad:

Izulde

10-31-2009, 12:05 AM

Awesome.

This makes me want to put Forza Motorsport 3 on my Christmas list. :)

Spain and beautiful cars... what more could you ask for? :D

DataKing

10-31-2009, 06:09 PM

Saturday, March 13th - Season 1

Flush with my moderate amount of success so far, I go ahead and sign up for a second event:

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Open
Limitation: Front-Wheel-Drive Cars Only
Rating Category: F-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $11,220
Event Bonus Prize: $3,300

This one is restricted to front-wheel-drive cars only, which suits me just fine since that's all I have at my disposal at the moment. It's rated as an F-series competition, but I'm going to go ahead and enter with the FIAT. Technically it's an E-class vehicle, but only just barely (E207).

Monday, March 15th - Season 1

I figure if I'm going to race in the FIAT I'd better get accustomed to it, so I spent the day working the Short Circuit at Iberian International that we'll be running tomorrow. I manage to turn some pretty good lap times and decide against pursuing any upgrades just yet. I want to see how this thing does first.

Tuesday, March 16th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #1: Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $3,910
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 2.28 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

A much different layout than I saw the last time I was here, and longer as well. I'm disappointed to learn that I'll be starting at the back of the pack yet again (I hope this isn't a trend through the entire game), but hope that the FIAT will give me the edge I need to win. And that's just what I manage to do. I'm able to weave my way into 5th early on against the poor end of the competition. A couple of moves on the inlet portion of the track (the east side) moves me up to 3rd. I then cut inside on the left-hander leading back to the finish line and I'm in the lead for the first time in my brief career. I get a little over-aggressive trying to keep my lead on the second lap (including a brief detour into the grass) but I'm able to hold on for my first victory!

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/race4.jpg
Heading towards the lead for the first time.

Result: 1st place
Time: 01:59:07
Prize: $3,910
XP Gained: 2,300 XP

I head out on the town and celebrate my victory long into the morning hours. :D

Wednesday, March 17th - Season 1

With my head still pounding from last night's events, I head out to the track and turn a few laps at the Ladera Test Track.

Thursday, March 18th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #2: Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $4,420
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.31 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

You may recall that the last time we were here, I had a disappointing 6th-place finish after being spun in the first lap coming out of the chicanes. This is the same layout as before, but in the opposite direction, so approaching those chicanes will be difficult. Those same chicanes give me problems on the 1st lap, as I lose all of my momentum getting through them and lose contact with the lead pack. The entire 2nd lap is spent catching back up, and I do a much better job through the chicanes on the 3rd lap, passing two cars and moving into 3rd place. With time running out, I'm able to power around one car into second, then get a nose under the lead car going into the last right-hander before the finish line. We end up banging on each other as we approach the finish line. The result...

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/race5.jpg
Needless to say, Mr. Red Car was pissed!

Result: 1st place
Time: 02:25:28
Prize: $4,420
Repairs: -$776
XP Gained: 2,600 XP
(FIAT Abarth 500 attains Level 1)
(Driver attains Level 2)

(This race was an absolute blast. I've got a video clip that shows the end of the race, and as soon as myforza.net gets their act together I'll see about retrieving and posting it.)

Apparently I'm starting to make a name for myself, and the crowd wasn't expecting such a dramatic finish from a bunch of no-name scrubs. Maybe a few of them even know my name now. Anyways, a representative from Abarth was waiting to congratulate me after the race. I now get a 10% discount on their driveline upgrades (they only do work on FIATs).

The much bigger prize came in the form of a new set of keys in an Alfa Romeo envelope. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the newest addition to my stable:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/alfa1.jpg

The 2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent

The Brera features much more power than I'm used to, with a 3.2-liter V6 engine that puts out 256 horsepower and 237 foot-pounds of torque, but it's much heavier than what I've been driving thus far as well, weighing in at nearly 3,600 pounds. The all-wheel-drive should help to keep it on the pavement while I get used to it. As much as I'd like nothing better than to dive head-first into this thing, I've got an event to win.

Friday, March 19th thru Sunday, March 21st - Season 1

I resist the urge to go tearing around a track in the new Alfa, and instead just try to relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Monday, March 22nd - Season 1

With one more race to go and with a sizable lead in the standings, I want to leave nothing to chance so I spent the day with the FIAT at Camino Viejo de Montserrat. We've got the same layout as before, with a pretty basic oval track, but we'll be running in the opposite direction as last time.

Tuesday, March 23rd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #3: Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Mini%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $2,890
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.68 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

Despite my concerns, this one almost turns into a non-event. Despite starting in the back, I'm able to shrug off a couple of bumps and weave my way through traffic in the first two turns, moving all the way up to 3rd. I nose-dive underneath the remaining competition going into three and four, and pull away from there. The other drivers remain nothing but occupants of my rear-view mirror for the rest of the race, and I bring home my first event win.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/race6.jpg
Working through traffic at the start of the race.

Result: 1st place
Time: 01:31:58
Prize: $2,890
XP Gained: 1,700 XP

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Open
Event Results: 1st place
Event Prize: $6,600 (Double for three 1st-place finishes perhaps?)

Eaglesfan27

10-31-2009, 06:14 PM

I started playing this game today and love it so far. Great style to your dynasty. I'll be following along.

Edit to add: I've been in the back every race so far as well. Hopefully, that changes at some point.

DataKing

10-31-2009, 06:28 PM

XP Level Gains in Forza Motorsport 3

I realized that the XP and level gains in Forza Motorsport 3 may require some explanation for those following along at home. Every race you complete you gain XP (obviously) and this applies to your experience as a driver. The car you drive also gains XP and this XP applies only to that car. (It sounds a little weird, I know). So what do you gain from XP, you ask?

Driver Levels: Every time you gain a level as a driver, you're awarded with a new car. That's where the FIAT and the Alfa Romeo came from. This is a set list that is hard-coded into the game, and isn't randomized at all. So if you go out and pick it up tomorrow (or already own it), expect to receive the same cars I do. Along those same lines, there are already published lists out there on the interwebs detailing what cars you gain at what levels. I don't want to see them. Please...no spoilers. I want to be surprised at what comes my way. Thank you.

Car Levels: Each car gains levels as well. Not that the cars themselves improve in performance (that would just be weird), but what you receive are discounts from parts manufacturers for that type of car. That's why I've got a 10% discount with MSD on ignition gear and 10% with Abarth on driveline upgrades. I don't have any more details than that at this point, but if you follow along maybe we'll figure it out together.

House Rule Adjustment

That last event has made me re-think one of my house rules. I had originally said I would be able to exceed the rating of an event by 10% with the car I chose (using the FIAT at E207 in a F200-rated event, as an example). I'm removing this rule, and restricting myself to the exact rating of the event instead. Though it was fun, I had no business coming back and winning that second race the way that I did. So I'll be following the event ratings much more closely now (and frankly, I'm rather surprised the game itself doesn't limit you).

Edit: Glad to have you along Eagles.

Eaglesfan27

10-31-2009, 06:33 PM

(and frankly, I'm rather surprised the game itself doesn't limit you).

It does limit you to the suggested class for some races. Others are open races and you are allowed to bring whatever you want, but I go with the suggested rating for those as well.

bbgunn

10-31-2009, 06:39 PM

Are all the races in Montserrat?

DataKing

10-31-2009, 06:55 PM

Are all the races in Montserrat?

I was beginning to wonder the same thing myself. :D

No, they're not all in Montserrat. But a few of the tracks are there, and those are the tracks we've been at thus far. A few of the more famous tracks included in the game that you may have heard of:

Laguna Seca (and the dreaded corkscrew)
Nurburbring (sp?) in Germany
Twin Ring in Japan

DataKing

11-01-2009, 05:11 PM

Wednesday, March 24th - Season 1

I've been invited to participate in the Class E World Championship, presumably due to my victory in the Front-Wheel-Drive Open event, and I have accepted. This event is restricted to E-class performance vehicles, so it sounds like it's time to get to work on the Alfa.

It is explained to me that World Championship events are a little different than regular events. For starters, the vehicles entered are restricted by performance class, as was discussed earlier. The races are longer than what we've seen so far, and they take place every other Sunday. This means that other events will be going on during the same time period, so I'll have to start watching my schedule more closely. Presumably this means my time is about to become a lot more precious, too.

First thing, though, is to get familiar with the Brera, so I take it out to the location of the first race; Circuit de Catalunya in nearby Barcelona. We'll be running the full Grand Prix Circuit of 2.89 miles...a much longer track than I've gotten used to. At the end of the day I'm running laps in the low 2:20's, with a best of 2:19:8, but I feel like I'm going to need more than that. In particular, there are some sharp turns that are giving me trouble due to the weight of the car. Let's see what we can do about that...

Thursday, March 25th - Season 1
Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $800.00
Effect: Weight -91 lbs.
Rating: E238 (from E223)

I pull the spare time, tool kit, and a few other miscellaneous pieces out of the back, and also put in an OMP lightweight battery. Overall she sheds about 90 pounds, which should help with acceleration, braking, handling, etc.

Friday, March 26th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.07
Rating: E258 (from E238)

I drop two grand on some nice street-level Pirelli tires for the Alfa. I'm thinking that these and the lighter weight should help out in the tricky areas of the track. Only two days until race day, so I'll try to get some more track time tomorrow.

DataKing

11-01-2009, 09:13 PM

Saturday, March 27th - Season 1

I spend the day back on the track with the lighter, gripper Alfa Romeo and I am really liking the improvements. The upgrades have allowed me to shave just under two seconds off my average lap time, and I'm cautiously optimistic about the race on the morrow.

Sunday, March 28th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class E World Championship
Limitation: Class E Vehicles only
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $40,630
Event Bonus Prize: $11,950

Race #1: Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) - Grand Prix Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20Grand%20Prix%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $14,620
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 8.68 mi
Starting Position: 8th (of 8)

We start at the back of the pack yet again, but simply overpower a portion of the field right off the line and we're in 5th by the end of the first straight-away. Heading into the first set of turns we're having trouble with a Mazda Miata and a Pontiac Solstice, though. They're alot lighter and more maneuverable than we are. I cut inside the Miata on the first hairpin turn, passing him for 4th. I then bumped an RSX out of my way (completely by accident) and overpowered the smaller Miata to move into 2nd. I once again cut inside on the 2nd hairpin of the lap, and I'm able to power away from a Ford Focus to take the lead at the tail end of the first lap. From there I'm able to cruise to the victory, which I was rather surprised at. I expected more of a fight, especially since I was too aggressive in the hairpins throughout the last two laps. The all-wheel-drive on the Alfa really came in handy in those situations, allowing me to keep my lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/race7.jpg
Crossing the finish line at Circuit de Catalunya.

Result: 1st place
Time: 07:13:13
Prize: $14,620
Bonus Prize: $8,600
XP Gained: 8,600 XP
(Driver gained Level 3)
(Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent gained levels 1 and 2)

All sorts of accolades and prizes came my way after the race, not the least of which was an invitation to one of the after-event parties. Everybody loves a winner I guess. :D

I've now got a standing 10% discount with Alfa Romeo's in-house intake manifold and throttle-body shop, as well as Green Filter Italy, who do air filters for Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, and Maserati (not that I'll be getting my hands on one of those anytime soon).

Another ride comes our way as well...

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/scirocco1.jpg
The 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT.

The Volkswagen Scirocco GT boasts a 2-liter engine that puts out 197 horsepower and 207 foot-pounds of torque. Nothing earth-shattering here, and it's a right-hand drive which I'm not particularly fond of. But hell, it's a free car. Hop on board the Tolliver bandwagon rich people...there's room for everybody. :D

Tellistto

11-01-2009, 09:23 PM

Nice going, making some decent progress here. Used to love racing games when I could see better. Nowadays it's just not something I can do with any hope of not wrecking. Heh.

Tell

DataKing

11-02-2009, 10:01 PM

I found some additional stats / attributes in the game for my cars, so you gear-heads may want to go back to the Garage and take a look.

DataKing

11-04-2009, 12:15 AM

The victory in the first leg of the Class E World Championship has elevated me above the "Testing" rank, and I am now considered an honest-to-goodness Amateur driver. This should mean stiffer competition, but a fatter paycheck as well.

After taking a look at what's available, I decide to stick with the F-class races for the time being. No need to be hasty and get myself in too far over my head.

Event: Super Mini Road Test
Limitation: Sub Compact cars only
Rating Category: F-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $19,550.00
Event Bonus Prize: $5,750.00

Monday, March 29th - Season 1

So long, Spain. And so long Europe, for that matter. We're off to The Land of the Rising Sun for the first leg in the Super Mini Road Test. Before I leave, Ferdinand calls and asks that I leave the Alfa behind. He says he has a little surprise in store for me. Far be it from me to say no to my mysterious benefactor.

Tuesday, March 30th - Season 1

I haven't been satisfied with the performance of the Ford Fiesta up to this point, and I toy with the idea of buying something better, but decide against it. Instead I spend the day getting accustomed to the West Circuit track at Twin Ring Motegi, which looks like a one-mile rectangle with a bite taken out of it. By the end of the day I'm turning laps in under 50 seconds, which should make me competitive.

Wednesday, March 31st - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Super Mini Road Test
Race #1: Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $6,800.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.40 mi.
(Assume my starting place is 8th from here on out, unless I say otherwise. :( )

The lower end of the competition remains no problem at all for me, and I easily work my way up to 5th place after getting through the first (more narrow) end of the track. An inside move heading into "the notch" forces an opposing car to go wide, and I'm up to 4th at the end of the first lap. I'm able to get a good run heading out of the narrow end and into the back straightaway, drag-racing my way into 3rd, then slipping to the inside again in the notch and moving up to 2nd. I'm trailing a Renault Twingo (which seems to be the car to beat in these F-class races), and he's got a little more power than I do, but I'm braking later and give him a little tap heading into the notch on lap 3, just to let him know I'm there. On the 4th and final lap, I get another good run heading onto the back stretch and carry enough momentum to just barely pass the Renault heading into the notch. I get a little excited coming out of the last turn and take things a little wide, but I'm able to hold off the Renault for the win.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/mini1.jpg
Beating the Renault into "the notch" on the last lap.

Result: 1st place
Time: 3:27:748
Prize: $6,800.00
Repairs: -$249.00
XP Gained: 4,000
(Ford Fiesta Zetec S gained Level 2)

A nifty little win, if I do say so myself, and I've now got a 10% discount on Oil and Cooling upgrades from Cosworth, who do work for Ford, Panoz, Saleen, and Shelby.

Thursday, April 1st - Season 1

Hello Japan, goodbye Japan. We're off again, this time back "home" to the States. I guess I'd better get used to this sort of thing, if I want to become a big-time famous race car driver.

We land in New England, and I'm disturbed to learn that the race is tomorrow. I'll be flying blind, so to speak, with no chance for track time before the race. This ought to be interesting...

Friday, April 2nd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Super Mini Road Test
Race #2: Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $6,970.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.64 mi.

Not unexpectedly, this race was a complete disaster. I wanted to just lay back early on and get a feel for the track, but that just didn't happen. Before I even knew what was happening I had power-slid into 4th on the first big left-hander. Things seemed to be going OK as I crossed the start-finish line, but with no one to follow closely I completely misjudged the first left-hand turn on the 2nd lap and smacked the retaining wall hard, dropping me back to 7th. I got back up to 6th, but found myself blocked in by a Japanese driver named Watanabe, who then proceeded to spin me out in the right-hand curve on lap 3. I did manage to keep it off the wall this time (only just), but fell all the way to the back of the pack, and that's where I stayed.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/mini2.jpg
Keeping the Fiesta off the wall (this time) was the only highlight of the day.

Result: 8th place
Time: 4:02:275
Prize: 865.00
Repairs: -$82.00 (I guess the local body work guys took pity on me)
XP Gained: 4,100

The lesson learned today? Know your tracks, and hang back for a lap or two (no matter how painful that may be) if you do have to go into a track cold.

Saturday, April 3rd - Season 1

It's too bad the league doesn't offer frequent-flyer miles. We're all back on planes again today, heading back to Spain for the last leg of the event. I'm so jet-lagged, I don't know which way is up.

Sunday, April 4th - Season 1

I've finally got a couple of days to spare, so I decide it's time to make some tweaks to the Fiesta.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $500.00
Effect: Weight -33 lbs.
Rating: F196 (from F190)

Similar to what I did on the Alfa, I get rid of some extra weight and install a Recaro light-weight battery. Lighter = better when you're racing, no doubt.

Monday, April 5th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $600.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.05s
Rating: F197 (from F196)

I climb underneath today and drop in a better clutch disc and plate. I'm actually pretty anxious to see what sort of effect this has, as it barely touches the car's Performance Index.

Tuesday, April 6th - Season 1

We're back at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, which is rapidly becoming a favorite track of mine. I like this one because it offers a little bit of everything...some gentle turns, a couple of sharp hairpins, and a few spots where you really need to feather the throttle in order to make good time (my throttle-work is something I've always been quite proud of). But we'll be running on a different, shorter layout and I want to check the Fiesta with the new improvements.

I'm really happy with the results, especially the new clutch kit. Shifting feels much cleaner and more responsive now. That's definitely an upgrade I'm going to have to consider for other cars.

Wednesday, April 7th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Super Mini Road Test
Race #3: Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) - School Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20School%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $5,780.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 3.17 mi.

Things go pretty well at the start, but after working my way up to 6th place I'm held up again by my old friend Watanabe. I'm always willing to return a favor, of course, so I promptly bump him out of my way on a right-hand turn and work my way up to 3rd place by the end of the first lap. Most of the second lap is spent catching up to the leaders, who had built up a little cushion while I worked my way through traffic. I power into 2nd place just before the start of the final lap, and I'm right behind the leader heading into the last, sweeping right-hander before the finish line. I swing a little wide and keep him pinned to the inside of the track, allowing me to carry more momentum out of the turn and across the finish line. My margin of victory is an eighth of a second. ;)

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/mini3.jpg
Leading a pack into the hairpin on lap 1.

Result: 1st place
Time: 2:56:212
Prize: $5,780.00
XP Gained: 3,400
(Ford Fiesta Zetec S gained Level 3)

Event: Super Mini Road Test
Event Results: 2nd place
Event Prize: $5,060.00

Unfortunately that dead-last result at Maple Valley was just too much to overcome, despite victories in the other two races.

I've now got a 10% discount on Hotchkis roll-bars, for Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, and Shelby.

Next Up: Off to California for the 2nd leg of the Class E World Championship. And we find out exactly what sort of surprise Ferdinand has in store for us.

DataKing

11-05-2009, 02:14 PM

Thursday, April 8th - Season 1

We're back in the air today, traveling back to the states. Specifically, we're headed for the southwest desert and Sedona Raceway Park in Arizona.

When I arrive, I find that Ferdinand has already sent the Alfa Romeo ahead. Or rather, at least I think it's my Alfa. Somebody told him that I'm a Star Wars fan, and he had a custom paintjob done.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the Jedimobile:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/jedi1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/jedi2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/jedi3.jpg
She'll make point-five past light speed.

(For anybody with Forza that wants to pick up this paint scheme, look for PsyKoMunKy in the storefront. It's free.)

Have I mentioned how much I love the nose design on Alfa Romeo's? That's sexy as hell.

Friday, April 9th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $1,000.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.05s
Rating: E260 (from E258)

I like the clutch upgrade on the Fiesta so much I decide to do the same thing on the Alfa. The new Tilton clutch costs about twice as much as the Clutch Masters one did, but if I get a similar improvement I'll still consider it money well spent.

Saturday, April 10th - Season 1

The Full Circuit at Sedona is a pretty funky track, and deserves some special consideration here.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

You start out at the north end of the track on a conventional super-speedway oval, but after completing the first two corners of the oval, you swoop up inside the oval, then back down and through a straightaway tunnel that runs under the grandstands, heading south. You emerge back into daylight in a road course section that eventually drops you onto a drag strip (the southeast portion of the track). You then double-back on yourself, head back north through another tunnel, and curl around back onto the oval where you go through turns 3 and 4 and then down the final straightaway. So basically you're running a speedway race, a road-course race, and a drag-race all in the same circuit. I spend the day familiarizing myself with the track and by the end of the day I'm turning laps in under three minutes with a best of 2:56:077.

Sunday, April 11th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class E World Championship
Race #2: Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, Arizona) - Full Circuit

First-Place Prize: $11,560.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 8.26 mi.

The horsepower I've got in the Jedimobile gets me up to 5th place by the time I've completed turn two on the oval. I take the inside line on the transition into the first tunnel and manage to power my way up to 3rd as we emerge from the back of the grandstands and head onto the road course. I work my way up to 2nd on the road course and I'm making up time on the leader, but I push things a little too far on the right-hand turn into the tunnel that heads back north towards the oval. The back end snaps around and I bounce off the wall a couple of times, and I fall to the back of the pack by the time I get back up to speed. I get back to full speed on the oval and make my way back up to 6th before the transition, where I'm carrying a lot of speed. I'm desperate to make up time so I'm taking a calculated risk and power-sliding all over the track. A slide to the outside heading into the tunnel means I tear my way back up to 3rd heading onto the road course. I spend most of the road course riding the back bumper of the Pontiac Solstice in 2nd, and he eventually lets me past (intentional or otherwise I can't tell). After the drag strip and the double-back, I get a nose underneath the leader as we head into the turn that caused me so much trouble the last time around. I'm able to edge past as we get into the tunnel, then really floor it back on the oval on my way to a nice come-from-behind victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/class%20e%202.jpg
The Force is strong with this one.

Result: 1st place
Time: 6:11:455
Prize: $11,560.00
Bonus Prize: $6,800
XP Gained: 6,800
(Driver gained Level 4)

Our little post-race celebration is capped off when I'm awarded another car:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/clio1.jpg
A mint-condition 2003 Renault Sport Clio V6.

The Sport Clio boasts a 2.9-liter 6-cylinder engine that puts of 251 horsepower at 7,100 RPM, and it has the highest power:weight ratio of any car I've got yet because it weighs in at only 3,000 pounds. But there are two really big changes for me here; first, the engine is middle-placement, which shifts a lot of the car's weight further back than I'm accustomed to. Second, she's rear-wheel-drive as well. Both of these should mean better performance, but it's also going to mean this car will be a handful until I get used to it.

Up Next: I don't waste any time running the Clio through its paces.

DataKing

11-06-2009, 03:09 PM

Monday, April 12th - Season 1

I accept an invitation to participate in the amateur French Elite Invitational. It is an event restricted to cars of French manufacture, so I'll need to get used to the Sport Clio in a hurry.

Event: French Elite Invitational
Limitation: French manufacture cars only
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $20,400.00
Event Bonus Prize: $6,000.00

The first race is tomorrow at Maple Valley Raceway, so I head up the coast and get in some track time in the Renault. It is immediately apparent that driving this thing is going to be significantly different than anything else I've driven lately. With 60% of the weight in the back, the car has a bit of understeer that I'll have to get used to.

Tuesday, April 13th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: French Elite Invitational
Race #1: Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $6,970.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.64 mi.

You may recall that on my first visit to Maple Valley I had a miserable day, getting spun out and ending up in dead last (my only 8th place finish thus far). Today's end result was better, but some of the issues I have with this track remain.

I also need to make a note of the competition in this event. While this is rated as a D350 event, only two cars other than my own are D-class vehicles, one of which is another Sport Clio V6. The other five competitors are running E- or F-class vehicles, and should pose very little threat.

With a lot more power under the hood than those E- and F-class vehicles, I jump right out to 3rd place at the end of the first straightaway, but fall back to fourth after nearly spinning myself out on the sharp left-hand turn there. The power in the back of the Sport Clio allows me to work my way back up into 3rd on the long, sweeping left-hander that leads to the straightaway at the end of the lap. On the second lap I'm able to overtake 2nd place, but as I'm battling with the other Sport Clio for 1st place, the guy I just passed spins me out in almost the exact same place as I was spun my last time here. I end up facing the wrong direction and I'm all the way back in 8th by the time I get back up to speed again. I work my way back up to 5th against the slower competition on the 3rd lap, then move into 4th at the beginning of the final lap by taking the hairpin a little on the wide side. I keep my momentum pretty well through the back end of the track, and pass the 3rd and 2nd place cars on the outside on the sweeping left-hander, but I don't have enough time to run down the leader.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/french1.jpg
Getting spun out for the second consecutive time at Maple Valley.

Result: 2nd place
Time: 3:44.837
Prize: $6,120.00
Repairs: -$1,342.00
XP Gained: 4,100
(2003 Renault Sport Clio V6 gained Level 1)

I suspect that there may be something wrong with my line, since I got spun out for the 2nd straight time in almost the exact same place. I'm going to have to pay more attention to the oppositions' lines when we come back here.

Renault has granted me a 10% discount at their in-house Driveline shop.

Wednesday, April 14th - Season 1

Travel day today. We're on our way across the Pacific as we'll be racing in Japan on Friday.

Thursday, April 15th - Season 1

We're at a new track this time, the Tsukuba Circuit about 30 miles northeast of Tokyo. Tsukuba is a tight, relatively short circuit (full distance only 1.27 miles) that boasts three distinct hairpin turns and is used often for motorcycle racing as well as the four-wheel variety.

Working on the track today has illustrated one of the biggest differences between a front-heavy car like the Alfa and a rear-heavy car like the Clio. On tight turns I've gotten in the habit of putting my inside front tire all the way down on the rumble strip, which is fine and dandy since, with the power going to the front tires, that's where my grip is originating. But during practice today with the Clio I did a similar manuever a number of times and ended up spinning out. Hitting those rumble strips with the front tires is completely ruining my forward bite, and with all the power coming from the back end the rear of the car is whipping right around. I'm going to have to be a lot more careful with the inside corners, especially the three nasty hairpins here at Tsukuba.

Friday, April 16th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: French Elite Invitational
Race #2: Tsukuba Circuit (Tsukuba, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,140.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 3.81 mi.

I'm in 5th place heading into the hairpin at the end of the initial straightaway, but after that I'm held up by a slower driver in an old Renault 5 Turbo. It takes until the last hairpin of the lap (at the far east end off the track) before I'm finally able to duck inside the Turbo for 4th place. Once we're on the long straightaway the power the Clio has really begins to show itself, and I pass another Renault on the outside of the sweeping right-hander just before the start-finish line. Unfortunately I end up clipping the inside rumble strip on the 1st hairpin of the second lap (exactly what I've been trying not to do) and spin myself out partially, dropping back to 4th place. I have to re-pass the Turbo all over again (although he gives me less trouble this time), and I'm back in 2nd place halfway down the long straightaway and making up ground on the leader. The first hairpin goes quite a bit better for me than the leader this time around, and I'm able to pass him before the 2nd hairpin. From there I'm able to coast to a win and into a tie with the other Sport Clio for first in the event standings.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/french2.jpg
Passing through the iconic Dunlop at Tsukuba Circuit.

Result: 1st place
Time: 3:38.482
Prize: $7,140.00
XP Gained: 4,200
(2003 Renault Sport Clio V6 gained Level 2)

A nice win despite the problem I'm having upsetting the precarious balance on this car. Also, I've now got a 10% discount with Magneti Marelli Europe fuel systems. They do work on Citroen, Peugeot, and Renault.

Saturday, April 17th - Season 1

We head back to the States today. Specifically, we're headed for Florida. Our next track is Sebring International Raceway, about 80 miles due south of Orlando.

Sunday, April 18th - Season 1

Sebring International Raceway is one of the oldest race tracks in North America, and has been in operation since 1950. It actually occupies part of an active airport that services south-central Florida. The Short Circuit that we'll be running tomorrow runs through a few of the airport's runways, but starts and ends on a very rough section that is actually made up of sealed concrete slabs. Needless to say, this doesn't make for a very smooth ride, and your suspension is in for a nasty surprise when you come off the last runway and head for the finish line. I spend the day getting used to the track and generally having my tailbone abused by the concrete slabs. It's an interesting track but frankly, I don't like it.

Monday, April 19th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: French Elite Invitational
Race #3: Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $6,290.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 4.00 mi.

It doesn't take long for the trouble to start at Sebring. I'm running in 5th heading into the hairpin turn (actually a transition onto airport tarmac) when the driver of the Peugeot 206 right in front of me hits his brakes way too early. I rear-end the guy hard enough to tear his back bumper clean off, and I'm fortunate that I don't end up with fiberglass rattling around in my engine compartment somewhere. I'm still trailing the Peugeot when he completely screws up the little hump-turn at the east end of the track (which is actually deceptively sharp), and I'm up to 3rd place. I take the last turn on the track (where you transition back to those hellish concrete slabs) wider than the opposition and I'm able to slide into 2nd place, right on the leader's bumper. I nose-dive to the inside on the first left-hand turn on the second lap, take the lead, and never look back.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/french3.jpg

Traffic jam in South Florida.

Result: 1st place
Time: 3:14.654
Prize: $6,290.00
Repairs: -$906.00
XP Gained: 3,700

Event: French Elite Invitational
Event Result: 1st place
Event Prize: $6,000.00

Overall I'm pleased, though a couple of the races proved a bit rougher than I'd like.

Tuesday, April 20th - Season 1

A travel day, as we head to the United Kingdom for the last leg of the Class E World Championship this weekend. I've got a few days to kill and I want to make some upgrades to the Clio, and I figure parts will be easier to come by for a Renault in Europe.

Wednesday, April 21st thru Friday, April 23rd - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Oil and Cooling
Price: $400.00
Effect: Power +2 hp
Rating: D314 (from D312)
-A Setrab radiator and highflow fan let me squeeze a couple extra ponies.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $700.00
Effect: Weight -70 lbs.
Rating: D323 (from D314)
-I remove the unnecessaries and drop in a lightweight Racetech battery.

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $900.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.04s
Rating: D326 (from D323)
-I'm becoming a big fan of ClutchMasters.

Up Next: The third and final leg of the Class E World Championship.

DataKing

11-06-2009, 09:14 PM

Good news. The guys over at forzamotorsport.net finally got their act together, so now I can retrieve and post video clips from my races. I won't overdo it, but I do want to post the tense moments and good racing action when it occurs.

Here is the clip I mentioned earlier in this dynasty, my photo-finish win at Ladera on March 18th. Enjoy.

<object height="340" width="560">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bXI1YO1QaHk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560">[/URL][URL="http://www.youtube.com/v/bXI1YO1QaHk&hl=en&fs=1&"] (http://www.youtube.com/v/bXI1YO1QaHk&hl=en&fs=1&)</object>

Also, one additional note. I just finished the Class E World Championship (details in my next post), and now the game wants to move me forward to Season 2, as in...next year. It's nice finally having money and all, but a ten-month layoff seems a little extreme. Now, I still have the option to participate in additional events (that I qualify for) without the game calendar moving, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to set my own calendar, but instead of just giving myself as much time as I want between races, from here on out races will take place every five days. I'll run that schedule until the end of October (Formula One runs through November 1st or so every year).

Of course, questions and comments are always welcome. If there's something else you'd like to see, or if you've got any questions about Forza, feel free.

DataKing

11-06-2009, 11:56 PM

Saturday, April 24th - Season 1

We're in England now, and we'll be racing at the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit. For those of you who may not know, Silverstone is a rather famous racing circuit in Europe. Build on the site of a World War II bomber base, it is home to a Formula One race and the British Grand Prix, and is generally regarded as "The Home of British Motor Racing."

I climb back in the saddle of the JediMobile and lay some rubber down on the track to get used to it. It's pretty much what you would expect from a Grand Prix circuit; lots of bendy parts with a couple of nice straightaways mixed in, and a couple of downright nasty sharp turns, but nothing I would consider a true hairpin. Trouble spots to watch are a very sharp left-hand turn (near impossible to take at more than 40 mph) at the southwest corner of the track, and the wicked S-shaped section in the northwest corner just before the start-finish line.

Sunday, April 25th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class E World Championship
Race #3: Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - Grand Prix Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone%20Racing%20Circuit%20-%20Grand%20Prix%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $14,450.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 9.57 mi. (This is my longest race to date)

Here are the standings leading into today's race. I've got a comfortable 6-point lead coming in, but still have to finish in 3rd or better to guarantee an overall event championship.

1st place (20 pts) - Tolliver (USA) (2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent)
2nd place (14 pts) - Davis (USA) (2006 Ford Focus ST)
3rd place (8 pts) - Brown (USA) (2002 Acura RSX Type-S)
4th place (7 pts) - Taylor (USA) (2006 Pontiac Solstice)
5th place (6 pts) - Yoshida (JPN) (2007 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe)
6th place (5 pts) - Esposito (ITA) (2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X)
7th place (4 pts) - Johansson (SWE) (Peugeot 207 RC)
8th place (0 pts) - Spiers (ENG) (2010 FIAT Abarth 500 esseesse)
Points are awarded as follows (1st thru 8th place): 10 - 7 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 0.

I don't quite have the horsepower advantage with this group that I did in the Clio, but I still manage to pass Spiers and Johansson off the line and I'm in 6th heading into the first turn. Esposito falls by the wayside as the track wiggles it's way south, and then I'm able to pass Brown on the ensuing straightaway to move into 4th place. I'm able to hold the ensuing right-hand turn at around 80 mph, which gives me enough momentum to pass Taylor in his Solstice for 3rd. I know the upcoming left-hand turn is a trouble spot, but I'm able to stick my nose in a little deeper than the others and I drive out of the turn in the lead (though I get bumped a couple of times from behind on exit and am only just able to keep the Alfa under control). With no more traffic in front of me, the rest of the race is smooth sailing. Davis is able to hang with me for the rest of the first lap in his Focus ST, but I'm able to pull away once we get to the straightaways.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/ClassE3.jpg
Leading the pack at Silverstone.

Result: 1st place
Time: 7:17.445
Prize: $14,450.00
XP Gained: 7,500
(Driver gained Level 5)
(2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent gained Level 3)

Event: Class E World Championship
Result: 1st place :D
Event Prize: $8,500.00
Bonus Prize: $23,900.00 (for finishing 1st in all 3 races)

Sure, this is still the lower tiers and I may still be warm-up material for the big names, but I'm still pretty pleased. I've won my first major trophy, my bank accounts are sitting at just shy of $150,000.00, and I'm starting to get some looks of recognition and nods of encouragement in the pits. That's quite a change from prison food and communal showers, let me tell you.

Luis brings a couple of corporate suit-types by later in the day before the big names take the track. The first is from Alfa Romeo, and he tells me he's pleased to see an Alfa do well in the hands of a skilled driver. I now have a discount with their in-shop Camshaft and Valves group.

The second is obviously an American (funny how we stand out, ain't it). The guy tells me that he hopes I've got some loyalty to "American ingenuity," whatever that means. I swallow back some smart-ass comments and play nice, and am rewarded:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Focus1.jpg
The 2009 Ford Focus RS

Funny this guy is talking to me about "American Ingenuity," then hands me the keys to a Ford Focus Rally Sport manufactured in the U.K. But I'm not one to punch a gift-horse in the mouth.

The car itself is pretty sweet, actually. It's another front-engine, front-wheel-drive hatchback, but it's got a turbocharged straight-5 engine that'll crank out 300 horsepower and a limited slip-diff to help cut down on the torque-steer. I'm looking forward to seeing what she can do on a track.

DataKing

11-07-2009, 09:02 PM

Monday, April 26th - Season 1

I've signed up for the Asian Open, which (oddly enough) will take place entirely in Spain. So today is a travel day as we head back to Barcelona.

Event: Asian Open
Limitation: Asian Manufacturers only
Rating Category: F-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $11,220.00

Tuesday, April 27th - Season 1

You may notice a small problem...I don't own any Asian manufacturer cars yet, so it's time to go shopping. After doing some research, I'm able to find a 1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR in good condition for $4,000.00. Here she is (pictures were taken after some later body modifications):

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/DelSol1.jpg
Front view.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/DelSol2.jpg
Rear view.

I've always had an appreciation for VTEC engines, and the Del Sol has a pretty good one, squeezing 170 horsepower out of a little 1.6-liter engine without the benefit of a turbocharger. She rides a little high for my liking, though, and the suspension is...bouncy. We'll see what that means on the racetrack.

Wednesday, April 28th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $600.00
Effect: Weight -47 lbs.
Rating: F-194 (from F-187)
-The first thing I do to the Del Sol is put it on a diet and swap out the battery with a lightweight Bride replacement.

Thursday, April 29th - Season 1

I get some track time today at the Iberian International Circuit in order to get a feel for the new car. The Del Sol is a bit lacking off the line, but does pretty well once she gets up to speed. It's peppy, but the handling gets a little touchy when you start jostling the thing back and forth. I think the skinny tires have a bit to do with that, but there's nothing I can do about those without moving the car up to E-class, so we'll have to find other ways to make it hug the road better.

Friday, April 30th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Asian Open
Race #1: Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Mini%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $4,250.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.04 mi.
Starting Position: 7th (What do you know! We finally get to start somewhere other than dead last!)

Here is the opposition that we will face in the Asian Open:

Sasaki (JPN) (2003 Hyundai Tuscani Elisa)
Takahashi (JPN) (2008 Toyota Yaris S)
Yoshida (JPN) (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
Sato (JPN) (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
Watanabe (JPN) (2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS)
Kato (JPN) (2009 Honda Fit Sport)
Kim (KOR) (2009 Nissan Versa SL)

I have a poor launch when they drop the green flag to start the race, and I'm stuck in 7th as we weave through the first set of bends down the east end of the track. I take the big right-hander at the end of the track a little wider than most, and power my way into 5th. I'm then able to slip past Sato in the chicanes on the west end of the track and I'm up to 4th and moving up quick. An inside move on Yoshida on the first turn of the 2nd lap and I'm up to 3rd. Sato is the next to fall as I slip past him heading into the big right-hander. From there I'm able to run down the leader, Sasaki in his Tuscani, and put the pass on him coming out of the chicanes. From there I'm able to hold him off for the win.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Asian1.jpg
Powering into second at Iberian International.

Result: 1st place
Time: 2:08.760
Prize: $4,250.00
XP Gained: 2,500

A good win, despite my earlier troubles on these micro-tracks. They're so short that you just can't hang back for long and still have a chance to catch the leaders...you have to be aggressive from the get-go.

Saturday, May 1st thru Monday, May 3rd - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Front Bumper
Price: $600.00
Effect: Aero
Rating: F-195 (from F-194)

Upgrade: Street Rear Bumper
Price: $600.00
Effect: Aero
Rating: F-195 (no change)

Upgrade: Street Rear Wing
Price: $500.00
Effect: Aero
Rating: F-195 (no change)

I'm not happy with the way the Del Sol handled in that first race, but I don't have much wiggle-room to work with as far as the Performance Index goes. So I decide to try an aero package and see if that helps with the downforce the car is generating. Plus, it looks cool too. :D

Tuesday, May 4th - Season 1

Track time today at Camino Viejo de Montserrat. The Del Sol does feel a little bit more under control through the turns now, and I've got to think the aero package has something to do with that.

Wednesday, May 5th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Asian Open
Race #2: Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $3,740.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 2.16 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I get off to a better start this time around, and I'm up to 5th place heading into the hairpin turn at the southern end of the track. As we head back up the east side, however, I'm being held up by Sato in his Mazda, but I'm finally able to get inside of him on a left-hand turn and take over 4th place. Coming back around to the straightaway at the start-finish line I pass Yoshida on the outside for 3rd and Takahashi shortly thereafter for 2nd. But I'm carrying a little too much speed and nearly lose control on the right-hand turn to start lap #2. It takes me a little while to track down Sasaki but I eventually do just that. He squeezes down to the inside on the next-to-last left-hander on the lap, and I end up bumping him out of the way to take the lead. From there I'm just barely able to hold him off...it seems that his Tuscani and my Del Sol have nearly identical power output.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Asian2.jpg

Chasing down the leader in his Tuscani.

Result: 1st place
Time: 2:04.479
Prize: $3,740.00
Repairs: -$159.00
XP Gained: 2,200
(1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR gained Level 1)

I did apologize to Sasaki after the race. I was trying to slip down the inside when I passed him, but my intention was not to bump him off. He seemed to take it all in stride, but I couldn't tell if he's planning anything in the way of payback or not. We shall see.

I now have a 10% discount on NGK ignition gear. They make after-market parts for a lot of the Asian manufacturers (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru).

Thursday, May 6th thru Saturday, May 8th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Hood
Price: $500.00
Effect: Weight -5 lbs.
Rating: F-196 (from F-195)

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $700.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.05s
Rating: F-198 (from F-196)

Upgrade: Street Side Skirts
Price: $500.00
Effect: Drag -1%
Rating: F-198 (no change)

I continue to look for improvements I can make on the Del Sol while bumping up against the Performance Index limit of 200 for F-class vehicles. A new hood by Kaminari saves a few pounds of weight up front, and a pair of side skirts from Wings West will help to cut down on drag. I also go ahead and make the improvement to the clutch that I've had so much success with on other cars.

Sunday, May 9th - Season 1

Track time at Ladera Test Track today. I can feel some small improvement based on the upgrades I've made, but I'm not sure how much help they're going to be. The circuit we're running tomorrow is so short and tight that I'll probably need to be more aggressive than usual.

Monday, May 10th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Asian Open
Race #3: Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Mini%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $3,230.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 1.68 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

Another slow launch with the Del Sol off the line leads me to believe I'm doing something wrong on the throttle from a standing start, but I'll have to address that later. After the first two turns I manage to work my way up to 6th, but after that I'm held up by Watanabe who stubbornly refuses to get out of my line. I'm finally able to slip underneath him and the 4th place car on the two turns back at the east end of the track, and I swing wide on the final turn and power part Yoshida for 3rd as we cross the start-finish line to begin the final lap. The east end of the track proves to be the place to pass yet again, as I repeat the same aggressive inside line and slip all the way up to first in front of Sasaki, who I once again have to hold off the rest of the way for the victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Asian3.jpg

Working through traffic at Ladera.

Result: 1st place
Time: 1:46.264
Prize: $3,230.00
Repairs: -$61.00
XP Gained: 1,900

Event: Asian Open
Event Result: 1st place
Event Bonus: $3,300.00

DataKing

11-08-2009, 01:45 PM

Next up is another Testing-level event, the Rear-Wheel-Drive Open

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Open
Limitation: Rear-Wheel-Drive cars only
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $11,220.00

I'll be driving the Sport Clio in this event, since it fits the criteria so nicely. However, I feel some upgrades are necessary as we're going to have some stiff competition:

Sasaki (JPN) (2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe)
Taylor (USA) (2004 Pontiac GTO)
Evans (UK) (2009 Renault Sport Clio V6)
Sato (JPN) (2004 Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed)
Miller (USA) (2005 Ford Mustang GT)
Anderson (USA) (2006 Pontiac Solstice)
Kim (KOR) (2007 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe)

Tuesday, May 11th thru Thursday, May 13th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $540.00
Effect: Weight -2.3 lbs.
Rating: D-326 (no change)
-I swap out the driveshaft for one made of alloy-steel in order to decrease driveline inertia and overall weight.

Upgrade: Street Fuel System
Price: $1,890.00
Effect: Power +6 hp
Rating: D-333 (up 7 from D-326)
-I take advantage of my discount with Magneti Marelli Europe and have them reprogram the ECU to improve the Clio's fueling.

Upgrade: Street Air Filter
Price: $1,100.00
Effect: Power +3 hp
Rating: D-338 (up 5 from D-333)
-I drop in a high-flow air filter from Green Cotton to squeeze out a few extra ponies.

Friday, May 14th - Season 1

Some track time back at Iberian International Circuit to get a feel for the Clio again.

Saturday, May 15th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #1: Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $3,910.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 2.28 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I get off to a good start, but I'm pinched off by Miller's Mustang in the first turn. I'm able to swing around him and Sato's MX-8 on the straightaway and I've worked my way up to 4th. I then slip inside Evans' Clio in the two right-handers at the tail end of the track and I'm up to 3rd after the first lap. I hold my position on the second lap until I get back around to the right-handers again, where I perform what has to be my best pass to date. Video is attached. Yes, I killed a bunch of innocent orange cones, and yes, I used a little more grass than I would have liked, but that was still one hell of a pass. Passing Sasaki for 1st place and the victory was almost an an anti-climax.

<object height="340" width="560">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xAuqpTJ4t_c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560">[/URL] (http://www.youtube.com/v/xAuqpTJ4t_c&hl=en&fs=1&)</object>

Result: 1st place
Time: 1:50.187
Prize: $3,910.00
XP Gained: 2,300

Sunday, May 16th thru Tuesday, May 18th - Season 1

Upgrades: Street Ignition
Price: $1,500.00
Effect: Power +5 hp
Rating: D-343 (up 5 from D-338)
-I swap out the ignition wires for Magneti Marelli silicon-insulated ones, as well as a set of high-performance plugs.

Upgrade: Rear Tire Width
Price: $2,500.00
Effect: Improved handling and braking
Rating: D-347 (up 4 from D-343)

Upgrade: Front Tire Width
Price: $1,600.00
Effect: Improved handling and braking
Rating: D-350 (up 3 from D-347)
- I bump the rear wheels up to 255/40R18s and the fronts up to 215/40R18 in an effort to get more rubber on the road and therefore improve handling.

Wednesday, May 19th - Season 1

Track time at Ladera Test Track.

Thursday, May 20th - Season 1

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #2: Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $4,420.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.31 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

There's some bumping and jostling off the line this time around, but I manage to work my way through and up to 4th place by the end of the first straightaway. From there I slip inside of Evans' Clio for 3rd place as we approach the difficult chicanes at the northwest corner of the track. I get through those chicanes OK this time around, and make an inside move to pass Taylor's GTO for 2nd place just before the end of the lap. After that, though, things get more difficult. I'm late on the brakes heading into the chicanes on lap 2 and end up smacking the wall. Then on the third and final lap I have more problems with the rumble strips trying to spin the Clio out from under me as I try to cut corners and make up time. I end up finishing second, but never really getting close to Sasaki who wins.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/RWD%20Open%20Race%202.jpg
Working through the chicanes at Ladera.

Result: 2nd place
Time: 2:09.718
Prize: $3,910.00
XP Gained: 2,600
(2003 Renault Sport Clio V6 gained Level 3)

I now have a 10% discount with Sparco Europe, who do after-market chassis reinforcements and roll cages for Audi, Citroen, Opel, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, and Volkswagen.

[U]Friday, May 21st thru Sunday, May 23rd - Season 1

I try to find some ways to improve the handling on the Clip without doing anything else to the Performance Rating (which is at the limit for a D-class vehicle).

Upgrade: Sport Front Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $1,500.00
Effect: Stability
Rating: D-350 (no change)

Upgrade: Sport Rear Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $1,500.00
Effect: Stability
Rating: D-350 (no change)
-Whiteline hollow sport anti-roll bars with solid links and polyurethane bushings add a few pounds of weight, but should help with the amount of body roll I'm experiencing through the corners.

Upgrade: Street Side Skirts
Price: $500.00
Effect: Drag -1%
Rating: D-350 (no change)
-A pair of Ibherdesign side skirts should help cut down on drag a little bit.

Monday, May 24th - Season 1

Track time on the small oval at Camino Viejo de Montserrat.

Tuesday, May 25th - Season 1

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #3: Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Mini%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $2,890.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 1.68 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I found out today whether or not Sasaki had any plans for vengeance after what happened on the track a few weeks ago. This half-mile oval is very tight, and I was blocked right off the line by Miller's Mustang and Anderson's Solstice. I was finally able to move past Anderson into 6th by going to the outside on the back stretch, and an inside move on Miller in turn 2 of the 2nd lap moved me up to 5th. However, as I rounded onto the front stretch at the beginning of the final lap, I was once again blocked, this time by Sato's RX-8 and Sasaki's Genesis. I was surprised to see Sasaki this far back in the pack, and he proved his intentions by taking me clean off the track on turn one, through the grass and into the wall. We got back on the track, but I was seeing red at that point and purposely slammed Sasaki in turn three as we both limped towards the finish line.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/RWD%20Open%20Race%203.jpg
Sasaki takes me clean off the track in retribution for the events of May 5th.

Result: 8th place
Time: 1:46.468
Prize: $374.00
Repairs: -$132.00
XP Gained: 1,700

Before we could get to each other in person, Sasaki and I were pulled into the trailer by league officials and told in no uncertain terms that this sort of behavior would not be permitted. We were both eliminated from contention in the Rear-Wheel-Drive Open immediately (not that either of us would have won anyway) and were given instructions to avoid one another from here on out. We both nodded our understanding to the officials, but Sasaki would not make eye contact with me and showed no display of emotion throughout.

I took some time after the race to cool down and relax. I can't let myself get caught up in things like I did today. It's one thing if someone takes me off the track like Sasaki did today, and that sort of thing is actually pretty unavoidable at some point on these tight tracks and short races. But I'm upset at myself for retaliating the way that I did. Considering where I was just a few months ago, I've got a really good thing going here and can't allow my temper to jeopardize that.

DataKing

11-08-2009, 03:06 PM

One small adjustment I'm making to this dynasty. It feels like five days is a bit too much time between races, so I went back and took a look at how often the game itself was scheduling races. It averaged out to just under four days per race, so that's what I'll be going with from here on out...one race every four days instead of five.

Emiliano

11-08-2009, 05:37 PM

Literally loving this! I gotta get this game ASAP.

DataKing

11-09-2009, 08:47 PM

Glad you're enjoying it Emiliano. If/when you pick up the game, feel free to ask if you've got any questions.

DataKing

11-10-2009, 11:38 PM

Wednesday, May 26th - Season 1

In addition to the regular sort of racing events we've already seen, there are also some that are manufacturer-sponsored events. They're either based around a single manufacturer, or a competition between two similar vehicles from different manufacturers. For example, I've accepted an invitation to participate in the following:

Event: Civic vs. Golf
Limitation: Only Civic and Golf model family cars
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $37,570.00

This is a D-class event that is restricted to vehicles in the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Golf families. Since I don't own a vehicle in either family, it's time to do some shopping. After some research and test-drives, I settle on the following for $18,000.00:

2003 Volkswagen Golf R32

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Golf%20R32%201.jpg

It may look like a box on wheels, but I like what the Golf R32 offers underneath. For starters it's all-wheel-drive, and the Alfa Romeo made me a fan of AWD. It's also got decent power for this class; 241 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque from a 3.2-liter, 6-cylinder engine. That's pretty good power for a D-class, and a lot of that power finds it's way to the pavement. Now if only it wasn't so plain-looking.

Thursday, May 27th - Season 1

Travel day today, as we pack and head back to Japan.

Friday, May 28th - Season 1

Track time today with the new wheels as we return to Tsukuba Circuit, northeast of Tokyo. As you may recall I've had quite a bit of success here before. I'm looking forward to more success, as the extra traction offered by the all-wheel-drive on the Golf should help on this three-hairpin course.

Saturday, May 29th - Season 1

Event: Civic vs. Golf
Race #1: Tsukuba Circuit (Tsukuba, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,520.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.08 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

Here is the competition I'll be facing in the Civic vs. Golf event:

Rossi (ITA) (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32) (copycat)
Takahashi (JPN) (2004 Honda Mugen Civic Type-R)
Yoshida (JPN) (2007 Honda Civic Type-R)
Weber (GER) (2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk 6)
Esposito (ITA) (2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk 6)
Kato (JPN) (2004 Honda Civic Type-R)
Kim (KOR) (2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe)

I knew the Golf was going to have pretty good power compared to the competition here, but I was surprised when the thing took off like a rocket ship off the line. Apparently the all-wheel-drive on this thing is great for launching as well as control. I sliced through the middle of the pack on the opening straightaway and was already in 3rd place as the first hairpin approached. A simple inside move on Takahashi moved me into second coming out of the turn and I began running down Rossi in his red Golf. I caught up to him at the east end of the track and took the 3rd hairpin a little wider than he did. That allowed me to carry a little more momentum onto the straightaway, where I passed him and never looked back. This one wasn't even a contest as I cruised to an easy victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Civic%20vs%20Golf%201.jpg
Taking the lead on the south straightaway at Tsukuba.

Result: http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Smileys/1st.gif
Time: 4:33.630
Prize: $9,520.00
XP Gained: 5,600
(Driver gained Level 6)
(2003 Volkswagen Golf R32 gained Level 1)

Sunday, May 30th - Season 1

Travel day as we head back to Loudon, New Hampshire to visit one of my favorite tracks, Maple Valley Raceway :rolleyes:

Monday, May 31st - Season 1

The Golf is pretty damn good as it is, if that first race is any indication. But that doesn't mean there aren't some cheap ways to make it better.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $700.00
Effect: Weight -77 lbs.
Rating: D-314 (up 10 from D-304)
-I put the Golf on a diet and drop in a Sparco lightweight battery.

Up Next: The ugly little Volkswagen continues to prove it's value.

DataKing

11-11-2009, 09:38 PM

Tuesday, June 1st - Season 1

Track time today at Maple Valley Raceway, where we'll be running the same Short Circuit Reverse we've run every other trip I've taken here. It's not a complicated track, and the Golf handles great here. Now if I can just avoid getting spun out this time around...

Wednesday, June 2nd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Civic vs. Golf
Race #2 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,670.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 5.80 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

The Golf was overpowering on launch again, allowing me to shoot up the middle of the competition and claim 2nd place before the first turn. When I got there I was a little fast and had to carry the hairpin a little wide, but no harm done. Coming around the tail end of the first lap I carried a little more momentum onto the front stretch. This allowed me to pass Rossi's Golf as we crossed the start-finish line. From there I had no issues and was able to pull away to a 4.8 second margin of victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Civic%20vs%20Golf%202.jpg
Pulling away and staying clear of the pack this time around at Maple Valley.

Result: http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Smileys/1st.gif
Time: 4:05.025
Prize: $8,670.00
XP Gained: 5,100
(2003 Volkswagen Golf R32 gained Level 2)

Thursday, June 3rd - Season 1

We're staying in the United States for the rest of this event, but that doesn't mean we're not logging some serious miles. Today is a travel day as we head out to Sedona, Arizona.

Friday, June 4th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Oil and Cooling
Price: $360.00
Effect: Power +2 hp
Rating: D-317 (up 3 from D-314)
-I drop in an ARE Germany radiator and fan to help squeeze out a little more power.

Saturday, June 5th - Season 1

I log some laps today at Sedona Raceway Park. We've been here before, but this time we're running the Club Circuit, which is the same as what we ran here before but without the speedway section or the connecting tunnels that run under the grandstands. Overall the track doesn't pose too many problems, but there's a little hump-turn as you're heading back towards the start-finish line that keeps giving me trouble for some reason. If you miss the turn, you end up in some soft-pack sand that really kills your momentum. I'm going to need to be careful there tomorrow.

Sunday, June 6th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Civic vs. Golf
Race #3 (of 4): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,180.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 6.06 mi
Starting Position: 7th

I didn't get off to as good a launch this time around, but still managed to work my way up to 3rd as we approached the first turn. Takahashi had inside position on me there, however, so I had to wait until the back straight (where the tunnel connections usually are) to blast past him for 2nd place. I caught up to Rossi in the bendy parts on the west end of the track, but some pretty aggressive blocking maneuvers there by him kept me at bay. Trouble arose when we hit the "hump" turn I mentioned earlier, though, as Rossi checked up a lot more there than I was expecting. I ended up bumping him and knocking my Golf loose. Takahashi reclaimed 3rd from me as I was fishtailing and dropping gears, trying to regain control. On the second lap the tunnel straight was Takahashi's undoing again this time. Shortly thereafter I was able to downshift rather than decelerate on a gentle bend and shoot past Rossi for first, where I stayed for the rest of the race.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Civic%20vs%20Golf%203.jpg
Struggling to regain control after bumping Rossi at Sedona.

Result: http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Smileys/1st.gif
Time: 4:28.285
Prize: $9,180.00
XP Gained: 5,400
(2003 Volkswagen Golf R32 gained Level 3)

Monday, June 7th - Season 1

Today was a travel day, but not unlike any other. I may not be a big fan of oval-racing, but I'm still an American gear-head, and that makes today's destination special all the same. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to DAYTONA!

Tuesday, June 8th - Season 1

I'm itching to get out on the track, but unfortunately some typical Florida wet weather makes that impossible today. But I do know that the club circuit we'll be running here is pretty fast as far as circuits go, with a portion of the course actually being up on the famous banked oval. Knowing that, and knowing that I want to make an impression my first time here, I decide to have a little fun with the Golf...

Upgrade: Centrifugal Supercharger
Price: $2,600.00
Effect: Power +31 hp
Rating: D-339 (up 22 from D-317)
-I can't resist the urge to go a little nuts with the firepower since we're in Daytona, so I install a VF Engineering centrifugal supercharger in the Golf. This thing is going to fly...now it's just a matter of whether or not I can control it.

Wednesday, June 9th - Season 1

The weather dries up for us later in the day, and I'm able to drop some rubber on the track as the sun goes down. It's an interesting course, actually. We spend part of our time weaving through the infield on some turns that, while not being particularly sharp, are tricky because they are completely flat (it is, first and foremost, an infield after all). Then you make a pretty rough transition onto the oval and run a portion of that before starting all over again. The trickiest part is actually the transition from the front straightaway back to the infield, because at that point you're carrying a lot of speed. I can't wait for tomorrow.

Author's Note: The game calls this place "Sunset Peninsula Raceway" but I've looked at the maps and track layout. Trust me...this is Daytona. They probably just can't call it that due to licensing issues.

Thursday, June 10th - Season 1

Event: Civic vs. Golf
Race #4 (of 4): Sunset Peninsula Raceway (Daytona, FL) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,200.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.76 mi
Starting Position: 7th

I only need a 6th place finish or better to assure myself a 1st-overall in the Civic vs. Golf event, but I don't care. This is Daytona, and I'm going for broke. I get a good launch this time and split the middle of the pack, shooting up to 2nd place before the first turn. A jostle with Rossi and his Golf a little bit through the east end of the track, and end up going a little wide coming onto the back stretch, but I'm able to duck to the inside of him on the left-hander that leads to the oval. Coming around onto the front straightaway, I can't resist glancing down at the speedometer (something I don't usually do during races). The whine of the supercharger is damn near intoxicating as I watch the speedo pass 140 mph. But I nearly have a disaster on my hands as I pass the start-finish line, as I end up carrying too much speed with me down onto the infield. The Golf just keeps sliding around on me, and I'm barely able to keep it off the inside retaining wall. People told me after the race that it was a nice save, but it still dropped me to 4th. I rear-end Yoshida's Civic getting back up to speed, then shortly pass him for 3rd. I'm then able to catch up to the other two again at the tail end of the back-stretch (thank goodness I installed that supercharger). I shoot past Takahashi on the outside for 2nd place, then blast past Rossi in the middle of the speedway turn. I'm able to control my emotions and back things down a little earlier the rest of the way, and cruise to victory.

<object height="340" width="560">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D47W0RW41WE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560">[/URL][URL="http://www.youtube.com/v/D47W0RW41WE&hl=en&fs=1&"] (http://www.youtube.com/v/D47W0RW41WE&hl=en&fs=1&)</object>
Narrowly averting disaster at Daytona.

Result: http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Smileys/1st.gif
Time: 5:06.499
Prize: $10,200.00
Repairs: -$499.00
XP Gained: 6,000
(Driver gained Level 7)

Event: Civic vs. Golf
Event Result: 1st place (40 pts)
Event Bonus: $11,050.00

Turns out I'd raised a few more eyebrows in the last couple of weeks, and there were some additional prizes waiting for me later that day.

Discounts:
-Volkswagen's in-house Intake Manifold & Throttle Body Shop are now offering me a 10% discount.
-ARE Germany have offered me a 10% discount on their oil and cooling after-market equipment, which is used by Audi, BMW, MINI, Porsche, and Volkswagen
-I'm also on Supersprint Exhaust's good-list now. They do after-market exhausts for Audi, Opel, Porsche, SEAT, and Volkswagen.

And now for the fun stuff. My dominating performance during the event earned me an event bonus of over eleven grand. Then a nice English gentleman from Vauxhall handed me the keys to this little monster:

2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/VX220%20Turbo%201.jpg

The Vauxhall VX220 turbo is officially an Ultra-Light, weighing in at under one ton (2,050 lbs), but manages 197 horsepower out of it's mid-placement 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. This makes for a relatively high power:weight ratio which I am intrigued by.

But the real prize came later in the day, when a representative from Ford showed up and handed me the keys to this...(and before you ask, yes, I did nearly wet myself):

2007 Ford Shelby GT500
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Shelby%20GT500%201.jpg
Hubba hubba!

For those of you who may not know about Carroll Shelby and his famous muscle-cars, this one requires a little explanation. Carroll Shelby was the designer of some of the most iconic muscle cars from the 1960's, in particular the original Shelby Cobras (think Eleanor from Gone in 60 seconds). In 2006, Ford lured Carroll Shelby back to help build cars again, and this was the result.

The Ford Shelby GT500 is much heavier than any other car I own, weighing in at just under 3,900 pounds, but generates 500 horsepower from it's 5.4-liter, 8-cylinder twin-screw supercharged engine. This is a true modern-day muscle-car. :D

Today was one of the bigger races of the year for the professional circuit drivers as well, so there was a heck of an after-party later that night. :D Overall, today was what you call "a good day."

DataKing

11-13-2009, 11:21 PM

Friday, June 11th - Season 1

The manufacturer event was nice, but there don't appear to be any more of those going on right now, or at least none that are interested in having me compete. So it's back to an amateur level competition for the time being:

Event: Inline 4 Showcase
Limitation: Only inline 4-cylinder engines
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $19,380.00

The competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR)
Muller (GER) (2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT)
Evans (UK) (2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk6)
Sato (JPN) (2000 Honda Integra Type-R)
Watanabe (JPN) (2004 Honda Civic Type-R)
Johansson (SWE) (2009 Vauxhall Corsa VXR)
Kim (KOR) (1994 Nissan Silvia K's)
Instead of buying a new car for this event, I decide to go with a car I already own that meets the criteria: the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT I received after race one of the Class E World Championship.

The event starts at nearby Sebring International Raceway, so no need to worry about travel. Instead I spend the next couple of days getting the Scirocco ready to race.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $700.00
Effect: Weight -64 lbs.
Rating: D-292 (up 9 from D-283)
-I put the Scirocco on a diet and drop in a Sparco lightweight battery.

Saturday, June 12th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Oil and Cooling
Price: $270.00
Effect: Power +3 hp
Rating: D-296 (up 4 from D-292)
-Multi-core radiator and fan from ARE Germany.

Sunday, June 13th - Season 1

I get the Scirocco out on the track today at Sebring International, where we'll be running on the Club Circuit (the portion of the track I did not see my first time here). It's much more of a conventional, tight, flat road course (that also happens to be shaped like a fish). The Scirocco seems to handle well enough through it, but it remains to be seen how it does in traffic.

Monday, June 14th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Inline 4 Showcase
Race #1 (of 3): Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $5,440.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 3.40 mi
Starting Position: 7th

I got off to a pretty poor launch (the Scirocco isn't anywhere near as good off the line as the Golf is) so I'm stuck in the back, bumping with Johansson's Vauxhall during the first few turns on the tight track. Once I get past Johansson I have a little breathing room and end up making an inside move on a downshift turn, passing Watanabe's Civic for 5th place. Evans' Golf and Sato's Integra end up bumping on the ensuing sharp right-hand turn, and I slip to the inside of them both and gradually work my way up into 3rd. I take the next left-hand bender a little wider than most (in a move I'm becoming more and more fond of), which allows me to come off the bend with more momentum than the competition. I'm able to use that momentum to carry myself past Muller's Scirocco and Rossi's Vauxhall for 1st place, and there I stay.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Inline%204%20Race%201.jpg

Working through traffic at Sebring.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 2:55.593
Prize: $5,440.00
XP Gained: 3,200

Tuesday, June 15th - Season 1

Travel day today, as the last two races of this event will be held in Japan.

Wednesday, June 16th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $900.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.04s
Rating: D-298 (up 2 from D-296)
-Shifting felt a little rough at Sebring, so I make one of my standard upgrades to the Scirocco and drop in improved Sachs clutch disc and plate.

Thursday, June 17th - Season 1

We're back at one of my favorite tracks; Tsukuba Circuit outside of Tokyo. I've really got a good feel for this place, and it doesn't take me very long to get the Scirocco dialed in. I'm pretty pleased, as I've got it running lap times less than a second off the pace I was setting in the Golf here last month.

Friday, June 18th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Inline 4 Showcase
Race #2 (of 3): Tsukuba Circuit (Tsukuba, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,140.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 3.81 mi
Starting Position: 7th

I get off to a much better launch as they drop the green flag this time, and I'm up to 5th and on the inside of Sato's Integra on the first hairpin. I'm able to pass coming off the turn, and get next to Evans' Golf. Evans bumps me heading into the second hairpin at a very inopportune moment, but I'm just barely able to save it and keep my 3rd place position through the pin. I manage an inside move on Muller's Scirocco for 2nd, and end up trailing Rossi's Astra on the southern straightaway. I'm not able to gain any ground on him here, however, as it looks like he's got a little more firepower than I do. I stay on his tail as we approach the sweeping right-hander that ends the first lap. When he taps his breaks to decelerate for the turn, I allow the Scirocco to drift to the inside of him, then use a downshift to hold on through the turn and emerge in 1st place. After that, with clean air in front of me I'm able to pull away from Rossi a little bit, but not much. Still, it's enough to bring home another win.

<object height="340" width="560">

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Saving my own bacon heading into the 2nd hairpin at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 3:30.224
Prize: $7,140.00
XP Gained: 4,200
(2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT gained Level 1)

[U]Saturday, June 19th and Sunday, June 20th - Season 1

It seems like the Scirocco is good enough to win in this event as it is, so I resist the urge to spend money on unnecessary modifications and instead spend a couple of days away from the track, enjoying the sites and sounds that Japan has to offer.

Monday, June 21st - Season 1

The last race for this event is on the West Circuit at Twin Ring Motegi, somewhere we haven't been since late March. It takes a little bit of time getting the Scirocco dialed in here, especially through the notch turn at the southeast corner of the track, but nothing too bad.

Tuesday, June 22nd - Season 1

Event: Inline 4 Showcase
Race #3 (of 3): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $6,800.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.40 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

A pretty average launch this time has me stuck in 6th on the outside of Sato's Integra through the first two turns and onto the back stretch. There I'm able to take advantage of the Scirocco's power and pass Sato for 5th, and I then cut inside of Watanabe's Civic for 4th heading into the notch. But coming back out onto the front stretch I'm blocked again, this time by Evans' Golf and Muller's Scirocco. I'm stuck waiting behind those two until the back stretch, where I'm finally able to power past Evans, then duck inside of Muller in the notch to claim 2nd. I then beat Rossi in a drag-race down the front stretch for 1st, where I remain for the last two laps of the race.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Inline%204%20Race%203.jpg
Waiting for an opening at Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 3:19.209
Prize: $6,800.00
XP Gained: 4,000
(2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT gained Level 2)

Event: Inline 4 Showcase
Event Result: 1st place (30 pts)
Event Bonus: $5,700.00

Nothing much in the way of bonuses this time around (since I didn't gain a driver level), but I did get nearly six grand extra for finishing in 1st place in all three races. Also, my discounts with Volkswagen (for intake manifold & throttle body) and ARE Germany (for oil and cooling) are now up to 20%.

DataKing

11-13-2009, 11:25 PM

Question...does anyone know if there's a limit to the number of spoiler tags you can have within a single post? I'm starting to have problems with the Garage post near the beginning of the thread.

DataKing

11-13-2009, 11:50 PM

Rules Change

After my recent string of success, and the fact that I really feel I'm out-performing what my cars should be doing compared to the competition, I'm bumping the opponent difficulty up from medium to hard. This will raise the settings bonus amount from +70% to +80%. Let's hope I don't regret this.

DataKing

11-16-2009, 11:22 PM

Wednesday, June 23rd - Season 1

I'm contacted about participating in an event sponsored by Ford Motor Company, and I quickly agree. I liked the payouts I saw in the Civic vs. Golf manufacturer event. I'm also warned, however, that the level of competition is about to get stiffer as well. Excellent.

Event: Focus Track Days
Limitation: Ford Focus vehicles only.
Rating Category: C-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $39,600.00

This is an event sponsored by Ford and restricted solely to Ford Focus-based vehicles. As you may recall, I already have a 2009 Ford Focus RS (received after the Class E World Championship was concluded), so I'll be racing that.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Focus1.jpg

The rest of the field:
Davis (USA) (2009 Ford Focus RS)
Taylor (USA) (2009 Ford Focus RS)
Williams (USA) (2006 Ford Focus ST)
Brown (USA) (2006 Ford Focus ST)
Miller (USA) (2003 Ford SVT Focus)
Anderson (USA) (2003 Ford SVT Focus)
Jones (USA) (2003 Ford SVT Focus)

We're still "dark match" talent at this point, but being billed as "the brightest young American drivers cutting their teeth." I'm not sure I believe all that but hey, if it helps sell a few more tickets then I'm all for it.

The first race is back in Montserrat, so we're traveling to Europe today.

Thursday, June 24th - Season 1

Time to start making adjustments to the '09 Focus and hopefully give myself an edge.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $900.00
Effect: Weight -76 lbs.
Rating: C-364 (up to from C-354)
-Pretty standard fare here, as I strip out the non-essentials and drop in a Recaro lightweight battery.

Friday, June 25th - Season 1

I log some track time today at the Ladera Test Track in Montserrat. We've been here a few times before, but this is the first time I'll be running the entire 1.21 mile circuit.

Saturday, June 26th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Focus Track Days
Race #1 (of 4): Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,360.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.84 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I have a solid launch off the line in the '09 Focus, and I'm up to 5th heading into the 1st turn, after which I'm able to slip past Brown for 4th along the curving front stretch. I hold my own through the mini-hairpin and the long, sweeping left-hander at the west end of the track, then push past Williams for 3rd just before the last left-hander on the first lap. Most of the second lap is a good one, but despite that I'm able to make up very little ground on the 1st and 2nd place cars (both of which are also '09s). Trying to make up ground, I screw up and go into the last turn of the lap way too hot, smacking the outside wall hard and damaging my engine as well as the front end of the car. At this point the race just turns into a fight for survival, and I spend the entire 3rd lap just trying to hold off the 4th and 5th place cars of Williams and Brown. Williams is finally able to work his way underneath me on the first turn of the 4th and final lap, pushing me to the outside and allowing himself and Brown to move ahead of me. From there I'm able to hang with them, but can't get enough out of my damaged engine to pass.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Focus%20Race%201.jpg

Hard into the wall at Ladera.

Result: 5th place
Time: 4.08:541
Prize: $4,680.00
Repairs: $1,044.00 (ouch)
XP Gained: 5,200
(2009 Ford Focus RS gained Level 1)

Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (10 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (7 pts)
3rd place: Williams (5 pts)
4th place: Brown (4 pts)
5th place: Tolliver (3 pts)
6th place: Miller (2 pts)
7th place: Anderson (1 pt)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Sunday, June 27th - Season 1

Travel day today as we head back to Japan.

Monday, June 28th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Camshaft
Price: $2,500.00
Effect: Power +21 hp
Rating: C-384 (up 20 from C-364)

Even when I had a healthy engine at Ladera I wasn't making up much ground on the leaders, so I take a big swing at the Focus and drop $2,500.00 on a new Comp Cams camshaft. Hopefully the boost in firepower will give me what I need to catch up to the leaders in future races.

Tuesday, June 29th - Season 1

We're back at one of my favorite tracks, Tsukuba Circuit near Tokyo, but this time we're at the Short Circuit, which eliminates the 3rd hairpin and most of the south straightaway. This is the first time I've run this track configuration here, so it takes a little getting used to.

I've also decided to start looking into other little car changes/tunes to try to gain an advantage. Most of those options aren't available until you've made some pretty expensive upgrades, but I do start messing with my tire pressures a little bit. After running a bunch of laps, I settle on 29 PSI in the front tires (down 1 PSI from standard) and 29.5 PSI in the back (down 0.5 PSI from standard). A track like Tsukuba, especially in this shorter configuration, means a greater need for handling and less time running flat-out, so the softer tire pressures should help overall.

Wednesday, June 30th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Focus Track Days
Race #2 (of 4): Tsukuba Circuit (Tsukuba, Japan) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,720.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 4.85 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

My launch isn't as good this time around, but I still manage to power my way up to 5th by the time we hit the first hairpin. After the 2nd pin I manage to pass Brown to the outside of the sweeping right-hander at the east end of the track for 4th. I get a pretty good run down the straightaway and slip to the inside of Williams for 3rd when we hit the first hairpin again, but I give the position right back by going into the 2nd hairpin too hot and scraping the outside wall. Williams falls into my clutches once again on the first hairpin of lap 3, but that's as far as I'm able to advance. I'm guilty again of driving too hard to try to catch up to the leaders, and actually end up losing ground. But at least this time I keep the car relatively clean and earn a spot on the podium.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Focus%20Race%202.jpg

Trading paint with Williams at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_bronze.gif
Time: 4:17.023
Prize: $7,200.00
Repairs: -$132.00
XP Gained: 5,400
(Driver gained Level 8)
(2009 Ford Focus RS gained Level 2)

Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (20 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (14 pts)
3rd place: Williams (9 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (8 pts)
5th place: Brown (7 pts)
6th place: Miller (4 pts)
7th place: Anderson (2 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

DataKing

11-20-2009, 11:37 PM

Thursday, July 1st - Season 1

Travel day today. We head to jolly old England.

Friday, July 2nd - Season 1

The extra power from the new camshaft is nice and all, but my grip was an absolute disaster at Tsukuba. These stock tires just aren't going to cut it. I should really know better than to mess with anything but the tires first. They're the only means by which your car contacts the road surface. If your tires are shite, your driving is going to be shite as well.

Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.03
Rating: C-392 (up 8 from C-384)
-I drop two large on a supply of street racing tires from Goodyear.

Saturday, July 3rd - Season 1

We'll be racing at Silverstone tomorrow, but an abbreviated version compared to what I ran the first time I was here when we concluded the Class E World Championship. I spend a frustrating afternoon on the track. I'm decent through most of the track, but the tricky turns at the west end have me in fits and I just can't seem to find a line that works well. When my lap times actually start to go up, I call it a day. No sense in abusing myself and the Focus any more than I already have.

Sunday, July 4th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Focus Track Days
Race #3 (of 4): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - National Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone%20Racing%20Circuit%20-%20National%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,080.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 6.56 mi
Starting Position: 7th
The irony of a bunch of Americans racing in England on the 4th of July is not lost on us Yanks, and apparently is wasn't lost on some of the crowd either, as there was a smattering of good-natured "boo's" during driver introductions and a few more http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_grossbritannien.gif signs than we're used to seeing. But it was all in good fun.

I didn't get off to a very good start off the line, but still managed to power my way past the old '03 Focus' and into 5th before the first turn. At the southern end of the track I had to swing a little wide around the turn there in order to avoid rear-ending Williams. That held me up a little bit, but I was still able to muscle my way past him and Brown and into 3rd by the end of the back-stretch. I now found myself in a familiar position, having to make up ground on the top two. I wasn't able to make much progress on lap 2, but lap 3 was a good one and I finally found Taylor's back bumper at the end of the back stretch. I managed to slip to the inside of him on the first part of the turn, but in retrospect this was exactly the wrong approach to take. Before I knew it I found myself on the outside and forced wide as the turn bent sharply back around to the right and back towards the starting line. I got the car pretty badly out of shape through the rest of the turn and never really recovered.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Focus%20race%203.jpg
Flat-out on the back stretch at Silverstone.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_bronze.gif
Time: 4:39.487
Prize: $7,560.00
XP Gained: 5,600
(2009 Ford Focus RS gained Level 3)

Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (30 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (21 pts)
T-3rd place: Tolliver (13 pts)
T-3rd place: Williams (13 pts)
5th place: Brown (10 pts)
6th place: Miller (6 pts)
7th place: Anderson (3 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pts)

I'm getting a little frustrated with my inability to beat Davis or Taylor, and things aren't likely to get any better. We're heading to a track that I've never even seen before.

Monday, July 5th - Season 1

Travel day today as we head to Italy. Specifically we're in Mugello, in the north of Italy about 30 miles south of Bologna.

Tuesday, July 6th - Season 1

I had a bit of a revelation on the flight over from England. Some of the best successes I've had with passing has been braking later than my opponents heading into turns. Get a nose underneath them, brake just a tick later, and all of a sudden you're on the inside and you've got all the leverage. So...

Upgrade: Street Brakes
Price: $2,700.00
Effect: Efficiency +1%
Rating: C-393 (up 1 from C-392)
-I replace the stock Ford brakes with a set of Wilwood high-performance brake pads and braided stainless-steel brake lines, along with high-boiling-point brake fluid.

Wednesday, July 7th - Season 1

At first blush I didn't like the track at Mugello. We're in the foothills of the Alps, so you're dealing with some pretty severe elevation changes here. You start out on a nice long straightaway, which is cool enough, but then as you turn around and head back you climb a pretty severe slope, then you're dealing with some smaller elevation changes at the same time as you're zigging and zagging your way back to the south. Then on the next-to-last turn of the track (the right-hander where you end up straight west) it feels like your car almost falls out from underneath you the drop-off is so steep.

But I found that, after running a dozen laps or so, the place was really starting to grow on me. You have to use some pretty careful throttle control as you work your way down the back-side of the track, but with the elevation changes and pseudo-banking that results, the turns end up feeling more...I don't know...I guess organic is the right word. They just seem natural.

I actually cut my track time a little shorter than I did before, because I felt like I was starting to overdo it at Silverstone. Let tomorrow bring what may.

Thursday, July 8th - Season 1

Event: Focus Track Days
Race #4 (of 4): Mugello Autodromo Internazionale (Mugello, Italy) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mugello%20Autodromo%20Internazionale%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,440.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.16 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

The superior horsepower on my turbocharged engine kicked in on the opening straightaway, and I managed to weave my way all the way up to 3rd place before the first hard right-hand turn. On the eastern, upper part of the track I managed a pretty good pass on Taylor for 2nd place, the highest I had been so far in this event. However, on the hard right-hander at the end of the straightaway on lap 2 I was carrying too much speed and barely kept to the track, allowing Taylor to slip back inside me and drop me to 3rd place. I decided it was time to take advantage of the new brakes, so the last right-hand turn on the back-stretch I stuck my nose to the inside and hit the brakes a little later. We bumped on the turn, but I kept the Focus under control and moved back into 2nd place. Most of lap 3 was spent catching up to Davis, who had built up a small lead while Davis and I were jockeying for position, but I managed to catch up to him at the end of the back-stretch and pulled the same move I had on Taylor the lap before. Again, we bumped, but Davis seemed more willing to back off, and I found myself in the lead! I kept a good, solid line throughout the 4th and final lap and won.

<object height="340" width="560">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UGUkknZfXQ4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></object>
Making the pass for 2nd at Mugello.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:41.789
Prize: $10,440.00
XP Gained: 5,800

Final Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (37 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (26 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (23 pts)
4th place: Williams (16 pts)
5th place: Brown (14 pts)
6th place: Miller (8 pts)
7th place: Anderson (4 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pts)

Not exactly the overall placement I was hoping for, but I guess I'll take it. And the win itself at Mugello was really satisfying. Aside from the Class E World Championship, I think this was the victory I have enjoyed the most thus far.

After the race, Luis (he's always hanging around...) presented me with a note, from my mysterious benefactor:

Senor Maxwell Tolliver,

I am most pleased with your progress over these past few months, and I am happy to see that my brother's trust was not misplaced. You have begun to make a name for yourself, but I hope that you will remember who your true friends are when the time comes.
In the meantime, please accept this as a token of my appreciation for your driving skill. After all, a gentleman's estate is not complete until it contains a fine Italian sports car.

-Ferdinand.

My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw what was waiting for me...

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maserati1.jpg

2008 Maserati GranTurismo

The Maserati GranTurismo isn't quite on the level of Lamborghini or Ferrari, but it's still a $90,000 car! Who the hell is Ferdinand, anyway?

The following discounts have been bumped to 20% as well:
MSD Ignitions (Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Cosworth Oil & Cooling (Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Hotchkis Anti-Roll Bars (Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)

DataKing

11-23-2009, 07:26 PM

Friday, July 9th - Season 1

It would appear to be the season for manufacturer events. I've agreed to participate in another one, this time focusing on cars that originate in Sweden.

Event: Sweden Club
Limitation: Cars manufactured in Sweden only.
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $39,960.00

I'll be honest, I've agreed to do this for the money and that's all. While Swedish women are certainly capable of elevating my heart rate, Swedish cars? Not so much. My options are basically limited to Volvo and Saab, and after a little investigation I decide on the following, which I'm able to acquire for $16,000.00

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/volvo1.jpg
The 2004 Volvo S60 R

The Volvo S60 R is a four-door sedan (which the rest of the world stubbornly call a saloon). It boasts all-wheel-drive, and a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that generates 304 horsepower and 297 pound-feet of torque at relatively low RPMs. And as I suspected, it's thoroughly boring to drive. Oh well.

Here is the competition I'll be facing:

Rossi (ITA) (2004 Volvo S60 R)
Muller (GER) (2004 Volvo S60 R)
Evans (UK) (2009 Volvo C30 R-Design)
Weber (GER) (2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X)
Esposito (ITA) (2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X)
Johansson (SWE) (2002 Saab 9-3 Aero)
Spiers (UK) (2002 Saab 9-3 Aero)

Note: One further tweak to my scheduling efforts...I'm giving myself five days instead of the usual four between events to give myself a little extra time to prepare.

Saturday, July 10th - Season 1

Travel day today, as we stay near the Mediterranean and head back to Spain.

Sunday, July 11th - Season 1

The new Volvo already has street-level improved brakes, so the first order of business is getting some more grip.

Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.06
Rating: D-334 (up 18 from D-316)
-I spend two grand on a supply of street-racing Pirelli tires.

Monday, July 12th - Season 1

I turn some laps today on the School Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya. It's been a while since I was here last (way back in April) so it takes some getting re-acquainted with the track as well as the new car. The all-wheel-drive on the Volvo is nice, but I'm naturally apprehensive since I know I'll have to work my way up from the back of the field yet again.

Tuesday, July 13th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Sweden Club
Race #1 (of 4): Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) - School Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20School%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,080.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 5.29 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I didn't have much runway to move up at the start, but still managed to work my way inside of Weber for 5th on the first turn. In a hurry to move up towards the front, I bumped Esposito on the next hairpin and moved into 4th. Evans' C30 held me up on the long, sweeping right-hander at the end of the lap, but I was finally able to slip by him to the inside heading into turn 1 on lap 2. The rest of the race, however, was an exercise in frustration, however, as I was never able to make up much ground on Rossi and Muller...they had just driven off to too large a lead at the beginning of the race, and neither made any mistakes that would have allowed me to catch up.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sweden%201.jpg
Falling behind early at Catalunya.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_bronze.gif
Time: 4:23.995
Prize: $7,560.00
Repairs: -$186.00
XP Gained: 5,600
(Driver gained Level 9)
(2004 Volvo S60 R gained Level 1)

Event Standings:
1st Place: Rossi (10 pts)
2nd Place: Muller (7 pts)
3rd Place: Tolliver (5 pts)
4th Place: Evans (4 pts)
5th Place: Esposito (3 pts)
6th Place: Weber (2 pts)
7th Place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th Place: Spiers (0 pt)

Wednesday, July 14th - Season 1

Travel day today. We're heading to the northeastern US, returning to a place I've had my fair share of heartbreak...Maple Valley Raceway.

Thursday, July 15th - Season 1

I need to do something to coax a little more speed out of the Volvo, but my options are limited, since most of the engine upgrades available to me would push the Performance Rating over the 350 maximum for D-class cars. And most of the decent options that would keep me under 350 involve spending more money than I am prepared to on this car (most involve upgrades to the turbo).

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $800.00
Effect: Weight -90 lbs.
Rating: D-344 (up to from D-334)
-So I put the Volvo on a diet and give it a lightweight Sparco battery.

Friday, July 16th - Season 1

We're running the same Short Circuit I've run on my past trips to this track tomorrow, but this time it will be in the opposite direction. That takes some getting used to, but at least the Volvo does feel a little more nimble now that she's dropped a few pounds.

Saturday, July 17th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Sweden Club
Race #2 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,980.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.96 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I got off to a great start this time when they dropped the green flag, and shot clear up to 3rd place before the 1st turn. I dropped to the inside of the track on that long, right-hand bend, keeping my car to the inside of Muller and eventually passing him for 2nd as we came off the bend and onto the back section of the track. But I wasn't making up much time on Rossi the rest of the way around or on the 2nd lap. So I tried a more aggressive line on the back-bend on lap 3 and that really seemed to close the gap. I intended to try the exact same thing on the 4th lap, thinking I could finally pass him, but I royally screwed up the maneuver. I ended up shooting out too wide and onto the grass, then to compound matters I missed a gear while downshifting to get back onto the track. The RPMs spiked andl combined with the turbo on the car, resulted in pretty serious engine damage. Before I knew it I was trailing smoke and Muller was re-passing me on the front stretch. I tried to hold my position, but the damage to the Volvo's engine was just too great. Evans muscled past me on the front stretch heading to the last lap, and Esposito passed me for 4th just a few feet short of the finish line.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sweden%202.jpg
Tracking down the evil Rossi (just moments before wrecking my engine). :(

Result: 5th place
Time: 4:58.717
Prize: $5,580.00
Repairs: -$765.00
XP Gained: 6,100
(2004 Volvo S60 R gained Level 2)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (20 pts)
2nd place: Muller (14 pts)
3rd place: Evans (9 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (8 pts)
5th place: Esposito (7 pts)
6th place: Weber (4 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pts)

Obviously I'm not happy with the results here, but I have no one to blame but myself. I had a golden opportunity for a win here, and instead shredded my engine and finished 5th due to my own error. Live and learn I suppose.

DataKing

11-25-2009, 07:55 PM

Sunday, July 18th - Season 1

We head back to Spain for the remainder of the Sweden Club event.

Monday, July 19th - Season 1

I had a car that was capable of winning at Maple Valley, and I don't have much more room for improvements if I'm going to keep it a D-class vehicle.

Upgrade: Sport Oil and Cooling
Price: $800.00
Effect: Power +4 hp
Rating: D-348 (up 4 from D-344)
-I drop $800.00 on a remote-mount oil filter and cooler from Volvo, as well as baffled oil pickups. I figure I might as well try to squeeze a few extra ponies out of this thing however I can.

Tuesday, July 20th - Season 1

Tomorrow is the first time I'll be running the full circuit at Camino Viejo de Montserrat, and I have to say it's a completely different animal than the half-mile pseudo-oval that I've run here in the past. There are some high-speed bends and a wicked hairpin to contend with this time around.

Wednesday, July 21st - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Sweden Club
Race #3 (of 4): Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,000.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 5.40 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I got off to a good start at the drop of the green flag, working my way straight up to 5th place. But I was forced off and onto the grass shortly thereafter as the track narrows considerably. Trying to make up some time before Weber (in 4th place) got too far ahead, I got on the accelerator too early in the hairpin at the southwest end of the track. This caused me to bounce off the wall, and as I was struggling to regain control of the Volvo, Johansson clipped my right rear fender and sent me into the wall yet again. I eventually came to a rest facing the wrong way on the track. The good news is that the Volvo had only sustained (significant) body damage. The bad news is that I was now at a dead stop and well behind the rest of the pack. My chances to win the race were completely shot. I was pissed, obviously, but kept my anger under control and decided to see how many spots I could make up. By the back-stretch of the 2nd lap I'd caught up with the first of my opposition, and picked off Johansson there for 7th place. Spiers fell shortly thereafter, as I was able to slip to the inside of his Saab heading into the last turn on lap 2. I was also able to track down and pass Esposito to the outside of the back stretch on lap 3, but that's all the ground I was able to recover.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sweden%203.jpg
Mayhem coming out of the hairpin at Camino Viejo de Montserrat.

Result: 5th place
Time: 4:12.886
Prize: $4,500.00
Repairs: -$741.00
XP Gained: 5,000
(2004 Volvo S60 R gained Level 3)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (30 pts)
2nd place: Muller (21 pts)
3rd place: Evans (14 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (11 pts)
5th place: Esposito (9 pts)
6th place: Weber (8 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (1 pt)

Thursday, July 22nd & Friday, July 23rd - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $1,000.00
Effect: Shift Time: -0.05s
Rating: D-350 (up 2 from D-348)
-I use the last little bit of wiggle room I've got in the D-category to install an improved Centerforce clutch and clutch plate.

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $450.00
Effect: Weight -4.3 lbs.
Rating: D-350 (no change)
-I install a Volvo alloy-steel driveshaft to help decrease driveline intertia and overall weight. There's not much else to be done at this point.

Saturday, July 24th - Season 1

I turn some laps at Iberian International Circuit today. Another track where I've raced before, but with a different, longer configuration. This one is pretty straight forward with some rather square corners, except for a double-apex turn at the far east end of the track. That's the first turn we'll hit in this configuration, and could cause some problems tomorrow.

Sunday, July 25th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Sweden Club
Race #4 (of 4): Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,900.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.96 mi.
Starting Position: 7th

I got off to a solid launch this time around, and worked my way all the way up to 3rd before the double-apex turn. The rest of the lap was spent tracking down Rossi and Muller, and I really made up quite a bit of ground on the western portion of the track (which includes a pretty steep decline). At the end of that section, heading into the last turn, I used an aggressive dive to get a nose in under Muller. Eight wheels turn better than four, and I was able to force him wide (but not off the track) and found myself in 2nd. Lap 2 was spent running down Rossi, which I managed to do before the last turn, but he did a good job of closing off the last corner and I had to bide my time. I did that, and as we approached the same turn on lap 3 I found my opening. I ducked to the inside and, similar to the maneuver I pulled on Muller, forced my way into the lead. That lead I nearly lost on the double-apex on the last turn, but Rossi didn't take a very good line either and had to concentrate on holding Muller off for 2nd place.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sweden%204.jpg
Taking advantage of the inside position at Iberian International.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:17.899
Prize: $9,900.00
XP Gained: 5,500

Final Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (37 pts)
2nd place: Muller (26 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (21 pts)
4th place: Evans (18 pts)
T-5th place: Weber (11 pts)
T-5th place: Esposito (11 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (1 pt)

I managed to squeeze out another third-place event finish. I spent some time after the race thinking and analyzing things. I'm certainly capable of winning at this level...this race and the one at Mugello on the 8th are proof of that. But some times I end up in too big a hole by the time I'm able to clear the slower traffic. When that happens I press, and sometimes things get even worse. So, after some consideration I decide there's two things I really want to focus on:

Stay aggressive at the start. I simply can't afford to fall that far behind early in races. Looking back, there was nothing wrong with my approach at Camino Viejo, I just messed up in the execution. I have to continue to press at the start of races, and results like that be damned.
Be more consistent. When I do find myself in a spot where I can chase down the leaders, I have to be more consistent in my driving. If the opportunity is there for a pass, be aggressive and take it. But don't go hog-wild and end up blowing an engine.
While I was busy mulling things over later in the day and trying to put on a happy face, something happened that gave me that happy face for real. As I've already seen, company men for the various manufacturers are always looking to make a good impression and maybe earn some sway with us drivers. This time, it was a fresh-faced young lady from Chevrolet who presented me with the following (she turned quite pale and left in a hurry when I offered to take her for a spin around the track :D ):

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camaro%201.jpg
The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

More modern American muscle along the lines of the new Shelby, the Camaro cranks out 422 horsepower and 408 pound-feet of torque from it's 8-cylinder, 6.2-liter engine. It weight about the same as the Shelby, which means it has a lower power-weight ratio, but after tooling around a little bit I like the handling and overall balance of the Camaro a little bit better.

I also earn discounts from the following:

Volvo's in-house Driveline, Intake Manifold & Throttle Body, Oil & Cooling shops.
Bosch Europe's Ignition team. They do after-market work for Koenigsegg (can't wait to get my hands on one of these), Saab, SEAT, and Volvo.

DataKing

12-07-2009, 12:22 AM

Monday, July 26th - Season 1

I've got another manufacturer event lined up. This one is sponsored by French car manufacturer Peugeot.

Event: Peugeot Racing Club
Limitation: Cars manufactured by Peugeot only
Rating Category: E-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $37,080.00

Obviously I don't own a Peugeot yet, so it's time to go shopping. As it turns out, my options are pretty limited. I settle on the following for $15,000.00:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Peugeot%20206%20RC.jpg
The 2004 Peugeot 206 RC

The 2004 Peugeot 206 RC actually has a bit more power than it's more recent brother, the 207, which is why I went with it. It's a 2400-lb hatchback that squeezes 174 horsepower out of it's little 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine.

The list of the competition will show you how slim my options really were:

Rossi (ITA) (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
Muller (GER) (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
Evans (UK) (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
Weber (GER) (2007 Peugeot 207 RC)
Esposito (ITA) (2007 Peugeot 207 RC)
Johansson (SWE) (2007 Peugeot 207 RC)
Spiers (UK) (2007 Peugeot 207 RC)
Like I said...options were limited.

Tuesday, July 27th - Season 1

We travel to Italy today.

Wednesday, July 28th - Season 1

There's really next to nothing I can do for the Peugeot to improve it, because it's already right at the 275 Performance Index limit for a class-E vehicle. But still, every little bit helps I suppose.

Upgrade: Sport Front Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $1,400.00
Effect: Stability
Rating: E-275 (no change)
-In the past I've found hatchbacks can be a bit "wobbly" moving through the bends, so hopefully some Whiteline anti-roll bars in the front will help alleviate that.

Thursday, July 29th - Season 1

I turn some laps today at Mugello Autodromo Internazionale, where I managed a victory in my only other appearance. I've got a pretty good feel for this place, but won't know for sure until I line up against the competition tomorrow.

Friday, July 30th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Peugeot Racing Club
Race #1 (of 4): Mugello Autodromo Internazionale (Mugello, Italy) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mugello%20Autodromo%20Internazionale%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,440.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.16 mi
Starting Position: 7th

Mugello opens up on a straightaway, so I was able to force my way past the slower 207s and into 4th place before the first turn. I stayed within striking distance of the top three as we weaved our way through the back stretch, but I was blocked by Muller as I tried to use my favorite overtake spot on the downhill turn at the southern end of the track. Muller wasn't as successful the 2nd time around, however, and I was able to bump my way past him and into 3rd near the end of lap 2. On lap 3 I tried Evans in the same place, but had no luck as he was able to hold his line and beat me onto the front straightaway. Running out of time, I got a little more aggressive along the back stretch and managed to slip past Evans for 2nd, but carried too much speed through the turns as we approached my favorite downhill turn. I ended up bouncing off the track and into the sand a little bit, and Evans immediately overtook me for 2nd place. And without the proper amount of speed, I was a sitting duck for Muller, who bumped me off into the grass on the very last turn of the race and passed me, leaving me with a very pedestrian 4th place finish.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Peugeot%201.jpg
Trying to pass Muller on the downhill turn at Mugello.

Result: 4th place
Time: 4:56.400
Prize: $6,480.00
Repairs: -$264.00
XP Gained: 5,800
(Driver gained level 10)
(2004 Peugeot 206 RC gained level 1)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (10 pts)
2nd place: Evans (7 pts)
3rd place: Muller (5 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (4 pts)
5th place: Weber (3 pts)
6th place: Esposito (2 pts)
7th place: Spiers (1 pt)
8th place: Johansson (0 pt)

Saturday, July 31st - Season 1

Upgrade: Sport Rear Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $1,400.00
Effect: Stability
Rating: E-275 (no change)
-In the interest of balance, I install Whiteline anti-roll bars in the rear of the Peugeot as well.

Sunday, August 1st - Season 1

I've got a little extra time to burn here. Our next race is in Italy as well, along the Amalfi coast, so no need to spend a day traveling, but I'm also at a loss for improvements to make to the Peugeot as well. So I decide it's time to make some basic improvements to some of my other vehicles that I haven't actually raced yet. I'll do this sort of thing as the opportunity presents itself, to help develop a stable of race-ready vehicles.

Vehicle: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip: +0.03
Rating: D-436 (up 10 from B-436)
-I drop two large on a supply of Goodyear street tires for the Camaro.

Monday, August 2nd - Season 1

I get some track time today at a place that is completely new to me, Amalfi Coast. It is located along the western coast of Italy, about 20 miles southeast of Napoli, and the track is like nothing else I've experienced. It's a Grand Prix style track, so it works its way through city streets. That by itself is no big deal, but this one works it's way through the small coastline town of Amalfi and part of the track consists of streets made of flattened stone. This makes for an extremely tight track and one which, as you can imagine, puts a bit of strain on one's suspension and one's nerves.

Tuesday, August 3rd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Peugeot Racing Club
Race #2 (of 4): Amalfi Coast (Amalfi, Italy) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Amalfi%20Coast%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,820.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 3.45 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I spun the tires too much at the start and dropped back to 7th before I knew it, but managed to slip past Johansson and back into 6th place along the front-side bends of this peculiar track. Shortly thereafter I came up on Esposito, but really had to bang my way past him (see video) in order to not fall behind the leaders any more than I already had. On the back half of the first lap I got through quite well, carrying alot of speed. That speed allowed me to slip inside Weber and nudge him out of the way for 4th place right at the start of lap 2. This track offered very little room to maneuver, so I had to resort to another hard knock on Evans to get him out of my way and into 3rd place at the start of lap 3, but that was as far up the field as I could get. Once again, dealing with traffic early in the race cost me any real shot at a win.

<object height="340" width="560">

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Tight racing along the Amalfi coast.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_bronze.gif
Time: 3:36.139
Prize: $6,660.00
Repairs: -$970.00
XP Gained: 4,900
(2004 Peugeot 206 RC gained level 2)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (20 pts)
2nd place: Muller (12 pts)
3rd place: Evans (11 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (9 pts)
5th place: Weber (6 pts)
6th place: Esposito (4 pts)
7th place: Spiers (2 pts)
8th place: Johansson (0 pt)

Wednesday, August 4th - Season 1

Travel day today, as we head back to Barcelona.

Thursday, August 5th - Season 1

Vehicle: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $900.00
Effect: Weight -101 lbs.
Rating: B-456 (up 10 from B-446)
-I strip out a bunch of useless junk from the Camaro and drop in a Cobra lightweight battery.

Friday, August 6th - Season 1

Track time today. I turn some laps on the School Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya. This place is beginning to feel familiar.

DataKing

12-08-2009, 09:29 PM

Saturday, August 7th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Peugeot Racing Club
Race #3 (of 4): Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) - School Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20School%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,080.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 5.29 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I had an average launch this time around, but wasn't able to make up much ground early on as I found myself pretty well blocked by Weber and Esposito. An inside line and a little tactical bumping got me past those two and into 4th on the left-hand hairpin, but it was all I could do to maintain that position through the rest of lap 1. I finally managed to track down Evans at the start of lap 3 and passed him to the inside of the first turn, but in doing so I carried too much speed, going wide coming out of the turn and falling back to 4th. The last half of the race was an exercise in futility, as I didn't have the firepower to make up much ground and the leaders didn't make any mistakes for me to take advantage of.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Peugeot%203.jpg
Close quarters coming out of the hairpin at Circuit de Catalunya.

Result: 4th place
Time: 4:30.764
Prize: $6,300.00
XP Gained: 5,600
(200 Peugeot 206 RC gained level 3)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (30 pts)
2nd place: Muller (19 pts)
3rd place: Evans (16 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (13 pts)
5th place: Weber (8 pts)
6th place: Esposito (7 pts)
7th place: Spiers (3 pts)
8th place: Johansson (0 pt)

Sunday, August 8th - Season 1

Travel day today. We head to the southeast United States for a new venue.

Monday, August 9th - Season 1

Vehicle: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $1,200.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.05s
Rating: B-459 (up 3 from B-456)
-I keep working on the Camaro, hoping to be able to use it sometime soon. I've been turning a few laps with it at various tracks during this event, and the shifting feels a little heavy. So I drop in an new Centerforce clutch disc and plate.

Tuesday, August 10th - Season 1

I mentioned a new track. Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Road Atlanta is a 2.54 mile, 12-turn road course used for all sorts of events, including both professional and amateur car events, motorcycle racing, as well as racing and driving schools and corporate events. It is best known for its famous "esses," (the wiggly bit of track between turns 3 and 5), and turn 12, a diving downhill turn as you head for the start-finish line.

After running some laps, I get a pretty good feel for the "esses" and turn 12, but I'm having the most difficulty in turn 10. You're carrying a lot of speed out of a long straightaway here, and it's difficult to judge where you need to start decelerating to make the turn properly without losing too much speed as you climb the hill towards turn 12.

Wednesday, August 11th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Peugeot Racing Club
Race #4 (of 4): Road Atlanta (Braselton, GA) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Road_Atlanta_track_map.png

First-Place Prize: $7,740.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 5.08 mi.
Starting Position: 6th

I got off to what felt like a poor launch, but was still able to power my way into 4th heading into turn 1. Unfortunately I bumped Muller's back bumper in the middle of the turn and got loose. I managed to keep the Peugeot on the track, but fell all the way back to 7th in the process. This presented a problem heading into the "esses," as it meant I had to deal with slower traffic in a difficult part of the track. While I was able to deal with them and emerged in 5th, "dealing" with them cost me my front bumper and what little aero the car had was ruined. I was able to get my nose underneath Weber in turn 7 and emerged in 4th place, but I was now behind by a football field and my aerodynamics were shot. I never even sniffed the leaders and had to settle for another off-the-podium result.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Peugeot%204.jpg
I didn't really want that front bumper anyways. :rolleyes:

Result: 4th place
Time: 3:42.057
Prize: $4,860.00
Repairs: -$467.00
XP Gained: 4,300

Final Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (40 pts)
2nd place: Muller (24 pts)
3rd place: Evans (23 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (17 pts)
5th place: Weber (11 pts)
6th place: Esposito (8 pts)
7th place: Spiers (3 pts)
8th place: Johansson (2 pts)

The issues that I've been having since bumping up the difficulty level were only exaggerated by this event, primarily because I had virtually no room to improve the Peugeot and therefore give me an edge to make up for having to deal with traffic at the start of every race. I'm going to have to do something to address that.

In the meantime, despite my middling finishes I still appear to be turning a few heads. I have earned the following discounts:

1. A 10% discount with Peugeot's in-house Driveline shop.
2. A 10% discount with Whiteline. They do Anti-Roll Bars for Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Saab, and Volvo.
3. A 10% discount with Setrab Europe, who does Oil & Cooling for Citroen, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, and SEAT.

A new set of wheels also finds its way into my stable, and I am certainly not one to complain:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Lotus%201.jpg
2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240

The Lotus Exige Cup 240 is an ultra-light, weighing in at a svelt 2,050 lbs. Despite it's light weight, it generates 243 horsepower from a 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine. And oh-by-the-way, that engine has a twin-screw supercharger sitting on top of it, not entirely unlike the massive supercharger on the Shelby 500. This one looks like it could be fun.

DataKing

12-08-2009, 09:49 PM

Rules Change

I'm having difficulty finding settings that give me a good challenge level right now. If I set the AI difficulty to Medium, I blow them out of the water unless I really screw things up. But with the AI difficulty set to Hard, my poor starting position is such a handicap that, unless I've upgraded my car significantly, I don't stand a chance of catching the leaders.

I've done some reading, and I now know how the game handles starting position. The first thing it does is seed starting positions based on the Performance Index of your car. So if your Performance Index is tops, you start at the front of the pack. Then why haven't I been starting up front, you ask? Because Forza Motorsport 3 limits your starting position, based on your driver level. You have a base maximum starting position of 8th (last place), plus 1 starting position for every 5 driver levels. Currently I'm at driver level 10, which means I can only start as high as 6th. When I get up to driver level 15, I can start 5th. At driver level 20, 4th place and so on, until you can start all the way at the front of the pack once you hit driver level 35. Needless to say, this is a long way off.

So in the meantime, I've decided to try something else to hopefully level the playing field a little bit and keep things fun rather than frustrating. I'm turning on Traction Control and Stability Control on my cars, at least for the time being. This will knock my winnings bonus down to +65% from +80%, but I have to do something or I'm going to chuck the game out of frustration, and I don't want to do that.

So we'll see how things go for a little while with the new settings.

chesapeake

12-09-2009, 09:18 AM

I'm still reading and enjoying this, DK.

I know just what you are saying about finding the right competitive balance in this game. FM3, and racing games in general, gets very frustrating if you never win and feel lame if they are too easy. If you keep tweaking the variables, I think you'll find the right balance for you.

FYI, each successive season you play is longer than the last and the standard number of races for most circuits increases from 3 to 4. For narrative purposes, you may want to move ahead to season 2 now that you've built up experience.

DataKing

12-09-2009, 12:28 PM

Thanks Chesapeake. I played a bit more last night, and I'm going to need to make some additional tweaks. Traction and Stability control just aren't giving me enough of an edge to keep competitive at this level. To be honest, I'm getting a little annoyed with how badly I'm getting my but kicked. I've always been pretty good at driving games, but the Hard difficulty level on Forza makes me feel like I'm trying to beat a bunch of robots that never make mistakes and always drive the perfect line. I may need to go back down to Medium difficulty and find some other ways to handicap myself. Maybe turning off ABS will help.

chesapeake

12-09-2009, 01:46 PM

I treat the game more as a contact sport than you do. That can give you a bit of an edge.

When you switch the AI up to hard, I think the expectation is that you will tune your car in addition to upgrading it. I am way too lazy to do that, so I leave the AI on medium and revel in the victories.

DataKing

12-12-2009, 03:20 PM

Chesapeake's comments got me thinking about my settings, and as a result I'm going to be tweaking them yet again.

For starters, while I'm not opposed to tuning my car in addition to upgrading it, the problem there arises from the fact that you have to make modifications to your car before you can tune it. Those modifications would, in a number of instances, raise the Performance Index and therefore causes a conflict with another of my house rules, which is to stay within the same Rating Category as the other cars I am competing against.

I also realized that I was probably a bit pre-mature in moving up to the Hard A.I. difficulty level while I was still using one of the biggest driving assists the game offers, Anti-Lock Brakes. While ABS is certainly standard on most production vehicles now, a lot of professional and semi-professional racing circuits actually forbid them (as well as TCS and others).

So, with that being said, I'm moving back to the Medium A.I. difficulty level, but I'm turning off all of the driving assists. Note that the first race in the upcoming post was run with against the Hard A.I. difficulty level, however.

DataKing

12-12-2009, 07:54 PM

Thursday, August 12th - Season

I'm contacted about a number of different event types since concluding things in Atlanta yesterday, including speedway-oval events as well as some drag-racing competitions. However, the one that appeals to me the most and the one I've signed up for is a closed-course competition. These are single-lap events at some of the most lengthy and difficult road courses in the world.

Event: Class E Super Lap Days
Limitation: Cars in Rating Category E only
Rating Category: E-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $61,925.00

The only limitation on these events is the Rating Category of the cars involved, so pretty much anything goes. Front-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive, hatchbacks or saloons, none of that matters. Given that, I've decided to run out one of my favorite cars from earlier in the season, the Jedi-Mobile (check the Garage for pic and stats).

Here's the rest of the competition for this event:
Rossi (ITA) (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
Taylor (USA) (2006 Ford Focus ST)
Yoshida (JPN) (2007 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe)
Brown (USA) (2002 Acura RSX Type-S)
Esposito (ITA) (2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent)
Johansson (SWE) (2007 Peugeot 207 RC)
Spiers (UK) (2010 FIAT Abarth 500 esseesse)
Rossi and Johansson will be bringing out the same Peugeots they just got done using in the last event, but there's a good mix of other cars involved in this one as well. Esposito will be using the same model car as the Jedi-Mobile, but you may recall I've made a number of modifications to my Alfa.

Today we travel to Italy, where the first leg of the event will take place.

Thursday, August 13th and Friday, August 14th - Season 1

Upgrade: Sport Intake Manifold and Throttle Body
Price: $3,420.00
Effect: Power +10 hp
Rating: E-272 (up 12 from E-260)
-I use up most of the remaining wiggle-room I have with the Alfa's Performance Index installing a ported intake manifold with port-matched intake runners. That'll net me ten extra horsepower.

Upgrade: Sport Springs and Dampers
Price: $3,800.00
Effect: Ride Height -0.63 in
Rating: E-274 (up 2 from E-262)
-New, stiffer InTrax lowering springs, custom-valved shocks and teflon bushings should help lower the ride on the Alfa and help it to hug the track a little better.

Sunday, August 15th - Season 1

The Rally di Positano track is a much-expanded version of the Amalfi Coast track that we ran at during the Peugeot Racing Club event. The town of Amalfi is one of those Mediterranean coastal towns that is built from the waterfront and up a steep coast-line. The track works it's way back and forth, up the coastline passing through various parts of the town, then back down once again passing through the town at various levels. The final leg is dominated by a very scenic run along the coastline itself, just above the docks.

I spend a good deal of time today learning the track, but it's long, convoluted, and extremely tight in spots. It's all I can do to keep the Alfa off the walls in some places, and I am not very optimistic about my chances tomorrow.

Monday, August 16th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class E Super Lap Days
Race #1 (of 3): Rally di Positano (Amalfi, Italy) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Rally%20di%20Positano%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $15,675.00
Laps: 1
Race Distance: 7.48 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I get off to a pretty decent launch off of the green flag, due largely to the all-wheel-drive and the horsepower of the Alfa, but during one of the early turns I end up accidentally spinning out Yoshida's Mazda. While this is going on, Esposito (also in an Alfa) slips by me to the outside and I remain in 4th place. I end up battling with Esposito for most of the climb up the cliffside, with Yoshida catching up and joining the fray as well. Finally, at the top of the cliff I manage to gain a little separation from Yoshida, but that lead quickly evaporates once the downhill portion of the track begins. I'm having a seriously hard time getting the big, heavy Alfa to slow down on the downhill, and the lighter and more maneuverable Miata makes my life very difficult. I spend most of the last half of the race just bumping and battling with Yoshida, with the top three nowhere in sight. The back end of the pack even caught up with us on the final stretch along the coast and through some tight city turns, and it's all I can do to hold off the pack and keep my 4th place position.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Super%20E%201.jpg
Flying across a scenic bridge, high above the town of Amalfi.

Result: 4th place
Time: 7:33.263
Prize: $9,735.00
Repairs: -$2,628.00
XP Gained: 9,500
(Driver gained level 11)
(2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent gained level 4)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (10 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (7 pts)
3rd place: Esposito (5 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (4 pts)
5th place: Brown (3 pts)
6th place: Yoshida (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Tuesday, August 17th - Season 1

Travel day today. We go to Japan for the 2nd leg of the event.

Wednesday, August 18th - Season 1

I take the day off.

Thursday, August 19th - Season 1

I spend some time today at the location of the 2nd leg of the Class E Super Lap Days event, Fujimi Kaido. Fujimi Kaido has to be the most unique track I've ever experienced. It's real intent is as a drifting track, and with drift-racing all the rage in Asia these days, the place has become very popular as of late. One lap of the track and you can see why. It is exhilirating, beautiful, dangerous, and perhaps the most challenging course in the world.

At it's most basic, the concept of the course is simple. Starting in a small mountain town in eastern Japan, you spend the first five miles climbing a mountain, and the last five miles racing back down the other side. But along the way are a never-ending series of twists, banked turns, tunnels, bridges, and switchbacks steep as goat paths.

I only have time to run five full circuits today, and I feel like I am only beginning to learn the track and it's intricacies. I focus first on just learning the basic layout, then on what to do on some of the more dangerous switchbacks and blind turns. While I feel like I am gaining some familiarity, I continue to give the reinforced guardrails on the track more than a few good whacks with my fenders. Tomorrow should be interesting.

Friday, August 20th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class E Super Lap Days
Race #2 (of 3): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $24,050.00
Laps: 1
Race Distance: 10.20 mi
Starting Position: 6th

The horsepower in the Alfa really paid dividends today. I got off to a great launch at the drop of the green flag, shooting straight up to 3rd place before the first turn. I managed to slip to the inside of Taylor on that first turn, overtaking him for 2nd, then just overpowered Rossi's little Peugeot as we started our ascent. Taylor and Rossi both managed to stay near my back bumper for the first part of the climb up the mountain, but once the climbing really got steep I left them in the dust. They just didn't have an answer for the 266 horsepower under the Alfa's hood. The new intake manifold really made a difference. By the time I passed the radio tower at the track's summit, I had built up a huge 12 second advantage. The way down was a bit more treacherous, as you can imagine, and was pretty much a white-knuckle affair the entire way, despite not having anyone in my rear-view mirror. Once again, I banged more than a few guardrails pretty hard on my way back down the mountain as I continue to become accustomed to not using ABS. Fortunately the damage the Alfa sustained, while expensive to repair, was nothing more serious than body damage, and I managed to maintain my 12-second lead throughout.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Super%20E%202.jpg
Nearing the summit at Fujimi Kaido.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 9:56.682 (better than yesterday's best lap time by over 3 seconds)
Prize: $24,050.00
Repairs: -$5,092.00 (like I said...alot of body damage)
XP Gained: 13,000
(Driver gained level 12)

Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (15 pts)
T-2nd place: Tolliver (14 pts)
T-2nd place: Taylor (14 pts)
4th place: Esposito (7 pts)
T-5th place: Yoshida (6 pts)
T-5th place: Brown (6 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Saturday, August 21st - Season 1

Travel day. We head to Germany for the final leg of the event.

Sunday, August 22nd - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $400.00
Effect: Weight -4.1 lbs.
Rating: E-275 (up 1 from E-274)
-Tomorrow is mostly about speed, so I use up the last little bit of wiggle room I have on the Alfa's Performance Index installing an alloy-steel driveshaft to decrease drive inertia and overall weight.

Monday, August 23rd - Season 1

Petrol fumes and pine needles. That's a combination of scents that may not seem very appealing to most, but to me it's like coming home. Those were the smells that greeted me when I arrived back in one of my favorite places on the entire planet, the village of Nurburg, Germany. After I'd made my way to Europe, back before everything fell apart, my old crew and I used to come here for track days every chance we got. Since I got out, all of that felt like a lifetime ago, but coming to this place made it all seem much more...real. But I don't have time for sentimentality right now...I've got a race to win.

Nurburg is the home of the Nurburgring, what is considered by many to be the toughest, most dangerous and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world. It's a 13-mile monster, largely composed of high-speed sections but with some nifty technical areas as well. After only a few laps, I feel pretty comfortable with the place again. To a certain extent it's like visiting an old friend.

Author's Note: The Nurburgring is technically a one-way open toll road, and therefore open to the public. Spending a day here is actually one of the items on my personal Bucket List.

Tuesday, August 24th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class E Super Lap Days
Race #3 (of 3): Nurburging Nordschleife (Nurburg, Germany) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nurburgring.png

First-Place Prize: $22,200.00
Laps: 1
Race Distance: 12.90 mi
Starting Position: 6th

The race at Nurburgring starts out on a lengthy straightaway, which played to the advantages of the Alfa. However, it seems that Esposito and I both had the same idea of jumping to the inside and cutting through the cars slower off the line. We ended up meeting in the middle and both took a pretty good shot, but kept going. I was able to pull ahead of him and powered my way into 2nd before the bends at the southwest corner of the track, but could probably have passed Rossi for 1st if not for the collision. I had to hang back, as the track is rather narrow in that section, but once we emerged onto the Hatzenbach straights the Alfa's power came to the forefront again. There I was able to power past Rossi into first place, and never looked back. I did have a little trouble a little later in the race, slipping off into the grass in a couple of spots, but the all-wheel-drive helped me keep things under control and I got back on the track with little time lost.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20E%203.jpg
Fighting through traffic at the start of Nurburgring.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 10:06.198
Prize: $22,200.00
Repairs: -$748.00
XP Gained: 12,000

Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (24 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (21 pts)
3rd place: Rossi (20 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (10 pts)
T-5th place: Brown (9 pts)
T-5th place: Esposito (9 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

I feel as though I did well in the last two races largely because of my car selection and the horsepower that the Alfa has, and not necessarily due to any special skill of my own. The descent down Fujimi Kaido proves this, I think, as all I was able to do there was maintain the lead that my extra power had given me on the way up. But still, it does feel good to start winning again.

And everybody loves a winner, including BMW and Lexus. Two new cars find their way into my loving care later in the day:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/M5%20E60.jpg

2009 BMW Motorsport M5 E60

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/IS%20F.jpg
2009 Lexus IS F

I've also been awarded a discount with Paxton Superchargers. They make after-market centrifugal superchargers for Alfa Romeo, Dodge, FIAT, Ford, Shelby, and Vauxhall.

All in all, it's been a good couple of weeks.

DataKing

12-17-2009, 08:41 PM

Wednesday, August 25th - Season 1

Next up, I've been invited to my first semi-pro event, which will take place exclusively in Japan (which makes today a travel day).

Event: Class D Pre-'00 Asian Tour
Limitations: Only Class-D cars manufactured in Asia prior to 2000.
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 5
Total Event Prize: $86,025.00

The Competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (1997 Mitsubishi GTO)
Takahashi (JPN) (1997 Mitsubishi GTO)
Yoshida (JPN) (1995 Toyota MR2 GT)
Sato (JPN) (1995 Toyota MR2 GT)
Watanabe (JPN) (1994 Nissan Fairlady Z Version S Twin Turbo)
Kato (JPN) (1994 Nissan Fairlady Z Version S Twin Turbo)
Kim (KOR) (1994 Nissan Fairlady Z Version S Twin Turbo)

Thursday, August 26th - Season 1

This event has some pretty extensive restrictions compared to alot of the others I've been involved with so far, and none of the cars I own are going to cut it. So I spend the day shopping and eventually settle on the following, for $8,000.00

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mitsubishi%20GTO.jpg
The 1997 Mitsubishi GTO (picture taken after aero package modifications)

The Mitsubishi GTO is better-known in the American market as the Mitsubishi 3000GT or the Dodge Stealth. It features all-wheel-drive and is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder engine.

Friday, August 27th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.03
Rating: D-332 (up 8 from D-324)
-Without knowing exactly what to expect from the new GTO, I decide to play it safe and go with better tires. You can never go wrong with tires. So I drop two grand on a set of Yokohama street-racers.

Saturday, August 28th - Season 1

I spend a good portion of the day on the West Circuit track at Twin Ring Motegi today, re-acquainting myself with the track and especially getting used to the new set of wheels. The GTO has significant power, and for a late '90s car there is surprisingly little turbo-lag due to the twin-turbo setup under the hood. After running 28 laps I'm pretty comfortable, turning laps in the 45-46 second range with a best of 44.607.

Sunday, August 29th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class D Pre-'00 Asian Tour
Race #1 (of 5): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,835.00
Laps: 9
Race Distance: 9.90 mi
Starting Position: 6th

A pretty good launch on my part was ruined by Sato, whose MR2 bumped me to the outside on the opening straightaway. I was still able to power my way past him, then got a nose under Yoshida heading into the first turn, emerging in 3rd place. I tried my luck with Takahashi at the end of the back straight, peaking underneath him, but he out-broke me heading into the notch and I remained in 3rd, hanging right on his bumper as we crossed the start-finish line. Takahashi then took a pretty slow line through the north end of the track at the start of lap 2. I bumped him slightly to clear some space, then took 2nd place heading onto the back-stretch. However, I ended up carrying too much speed into the notch and was rewarded with a trip through the kitty litter. The AWD helped me to maintain control, and I did manage to keep hold of 2nd place (barely). Gunning it down the front stretch at the start of lap 3, I got right up on Sasaki's back bumper, then outbroke him to the inside of the first two turns for a nice clean pass that gave me the lead. That lead I maintained and built upon through the remaining six laps of the race, never looking back.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20D%20Pre00%201.jpg
Running down Sasaki at Twin Ring Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 6:53.747
Prize: $16,835.00
Repairs: -$642.00
XP Gained: 9,100
(1997 Mitshubishi GTO gained levels 1 and 2)

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (7 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (5 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (4 pts)
5th place: Sato (3 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (2 pts)
7th place: Kato (1 pt)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

I'm awarded the following discounts after the race:

10% discount on Ralliart drivelines (they work exclusively with Mitsubishi)
10% discount on HKS Oil & Cooling upgrades (they do after-market work with Lexus, Mitsubishi, Scion, Subaru, and Toyota)
Monday, August 30th & Tuesday, August 31st - Season 1

Upgrade: Sport Oil & Cooling
Price: $720.00
Effect: Power +5 hp
Rating: D-336 (up 4 from D-332)
-A little extra power never hurts, so I install a HKS Cooling remote mount oil filter and cooler, along with baffled oil pickups.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $800.00
Effect: Weight -95 lbs.
Rating: D-348 (up 12 from D-336)
-Stripping down the GTO and installing a Bride lightweight battery uses up most of my remaining Performance Index wiggle-room for D-class.

DataKing

12-18-2009, 09:21 PM

Wednesday, September 1st - Season 1

I'm introduced to a new track today; the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Japan. Suzuka is a well-known track world-wide, traditionally being the site of the Japanese Grand Prix. It also hosts endurance races, motorcycle events, and has been the site of two NASCAR exhibition events as well.

Tomorrow we're racing the East Circuit, which in and of itself is a relatively easy track. One side consists of just a long straightaway, while the "backside" of the track is a set of long, sweeping S-turns. It doesn't take all that long for me to get the GTO dialed in, and after 15 laps I'm consistently turning sub-60 second laps. The GTO feels well-suited, especially through the S-turns where I only have to use the brakes in a couple of spots. The rest of the time, the Mitsubishi responds well to throttle-control as a means of keeping my speed down.

Thursday, September 2nd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class D Pre-'00 Asian Tour
Race #2 (of 5): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Suzuka%20Circuit%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,650.00
Laps: 7
Race Distance: 9.73 mi
Starting Position: 6th

The Suzuka Circuit starts out on a straightaway, so I was able to take advantage of the GTO's power and moved into 3rd place before the first turn. I managed to slip past Takahashi coming out of that turn and into 2nd as we headed for the S-turns. I got up on Sasaki's bumper, who ended up taking way too conservative a line through the esses, using brake where throttle control was enough to keep things in hand. I ended up bumping him slightly to the outside on one of the right-handers and powered my way into the lead. The rest of the race was a piece of cake, and my lead was never threatened.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20D%20Pre00%202.jpg
Pulling away from the pack at Suzuka (yes that is a ferris wheel in the background)

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 7:07.346
Prize: $16,650.00
Repairs: -$953.00
XP Gained: 9,000
(Driver gained level 13)
(1997 Mitsubishi GTO gained level 3)

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (14 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (10 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (8 pts)
5th place: Sato (6 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (4 pts)
7th place: Kato (2 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Luis seemed to take special delight after the race in introducing me to an executive from SEAT, a Spanish auto maker. I was, in turn, handed the keys to this:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Leon%20Supercup.jpg
2007 SEAT Leon Supercup

The Supercup is a cup-racing version of the SEAT Leon hatchback. While it may not have the higher top-end you would expect from a B-class vehicle (top speed is only 134.8 mph), the thing supposedly handles like it's on rails.

I'm also awarded a 10% discount with Cusco, who does after-market differentials for Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru.

Friday, September 3rd and Saturday, September 4th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $450.00
Effect: Weight -4.1 lbs.
Rating: D-349 (up 1 from D-348)
-Without much room to maneuver on the GTO, I install an alloy-steel driveshaft to decrease driveline inertia and overall weight.

Upgrade: Street Hood
Price: $500.00
Effect: Weight -7 lbs.
Rating: D-349 (no change)
-A Bozz Speed hood saves me a few precious pounds of weight.

Sunday, September 5th - Season 1

We're back racing at Twin Ring Motegi tomorrow, but for the first time I'll be driving the entire 3-mile course, rather than the much-abbreviated West Circuit. Lap times are significantly longer than I've seen thus far in this event, but after 9 laps on the full circuit I feel like I've got a pretty good feel for things. The trickiest part for me is the 120-degree right-hand turn at the northwest corner of the track. Sight lines coming out of the turn are a little tough, since you're heading under a low bridge almost immediately, so I'll have to take extra care on that turn tomorrow.

Monday, September 6th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class D Pre-'00 Asian Tour
Race #3 (of 5): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,280.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 8.95 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I managed to avoid a collision with Sato out of the gate this time around, and instead took the outside line on the first turn, powering past him and into 4th coming out of the turn. A little too much speed at the end of that straightaway led to a trip into the kitty litter on the next square turn, but the AWD saved my bacon yet again. I was finally able to push past Yoshida and into 3rd place on the next straightaway, and took a nice, clean line through the tunnel turn. Attempts to get past Takahashi in the next set of turns and the sharp hairpin at the northeast end of the track were unsuccessful. But when we came around to the front straightaway I got a really good run, powering past both Takahashi and Sasaki and into the lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20D%20Pre00%203.jpg
Running down the competition at Twin Ring Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 7:16.465
Prize: $16,280.00
XP Gained: 8,800

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (21 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (15 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (12 pts)
5th place: Sato (9 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (6 pts)
7th place: Kato (3 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Tuesday, September 7th & Wednesday, September 8th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Springs & Dampers
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Ride Height -0.34 in
Rating: D-350 (up 1 from D-349)
-A set of Moton progressive rate lowering springs and firmer shocks lower the ride level of the GTO a little bit.

Upgrade: Street Front Bumper
Price: $600.00
Effect: Aero
Rating: D-350 (no change)
-I replace the stock bumper with one from Bozz Speed, as much for show as anything else really.

Thursday, September 9th - Season 1

Next up is a track I'm very familiar with, the full circuit at Tsukuba. It only takes nine laps before I've really got the GTO dialed in and ready to kick ass.

Friday, September 10th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class D Pre-'00 Asian Tour
Race #4 (of 5): Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $18,130.00
Laps: 7
Race Distance: 8.89 mi
Starting Position: 6th

The drag-race down the home straightaway got interesting as we moved into the first hairpin on the track, where I had the inside line on what turned into a 3-wide competition. Fortunately everyone kept their nose (relatively) clean and I emerged in 3rd place. I was able to get up to Takahashi's back bumper easily enough, but bided my time until the last hairpin at the east end of the track. Takahashi went wide, leaving room for me to move underneath him and onto Sasaki's back bumper. A gentle nudge there gave me room to come out of the hairpin in first place. From there no problems were encountered. I did get a little overzealous on a couple of the hairpins later on, but it was nothing that I couldn't handle.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20D%20Pre00%204.jpg
Three-wide in the first turn at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 7:50.966
Prize: $18,130.00
Repairs: -$348.00
XP Gained: 9,800
(1997 Mitsubishi GTO gained level 4)

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (28 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (20 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (16 pts)
5th place: Sato (12 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (8 pts)
7th place: Kato (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

That clinches an overall first place finish in the event.

I now have a 10% discount with Ralliart's Valve and Driveline shops. Ralliart does after-market work exclusively for Mitsubishi.

Saturday, September 11th & Sunday, September 12th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Rear Bumper
Price: $600.00
Effect: Aero
Rating: D-350 (no change)

Upgrade: Street Rear Wing
Price: $500.00
Effect: Aero
Rating: D-350 (no change)
-Rear Bumper and Wing from Bomex give everyone I pass something nicer to look at. ;)

Monday, September 13th - Season 1

It's back to Suzuka for the last leg of the event, and this time we get to race on the other half of the track, the West Circuit. This part of the track is a much bigger challenge than the East Circuit. It features a long straightaway with a rather dangerous high-speed turn in the middle of it, then a pair of square turns (where the two halves of the track normally link up). After doubling back on itself, you dip down and go under the straightaway you just came down, through a sharp hairpin, then gradually work your way back around to the straightaway.

Tuesday, September 14th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Class D Pre-'00 Asian Tour
Race #5 (of 5): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Suzuka%20Circuit%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $18,130.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 10.75 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I moved up from 6th to 4th place, passing Watanabe and Sato on the opening straight, but was blocked from progressing further by Yoshida. Yoshida and I bumped at high speed on the notch in the turn (a scary situation), but we both kept control of our cars. I waited through the double-back, then outbroke Yoshida and overtook him heading into the tunnel-turn where the track moves underneath itself. Moving up to Takahashi's back-bumper on the hairpin, I ended up to the outside coming out of the turn. Takahashi kept me pinned well to the outside, and we ended up banging fenders for a few seconds before he realized I now had the inside line and backed off. While we were trading paint, though, Sasaki had built up a small lead. I set about reducing that lead, and got a good run coming off of the last turn and onto the straightaway. I caught Sasaki and, using just a touch of braking at the right time in the notch, slid to his outside and overtook him on a nice, clean pass. From there it was smooth sailing to another victory.

<object height="340" width="560">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qtGpZQAQzk0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></object>
Making the high-speed pass on Sasaki at Suzuka.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 8:00.868
Prize: $18,130.00
Repairs: -$317.00
XP Gained: 9,800
(Driver gained level 14)

Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (50 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (35 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (25 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (20 pts)
5th place: Sato (15 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (10 pts)
7th place: Kato (5 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)
Event Bonus Prize: $23,530.00

DataKing

12-18-2009, 10:02 PM

Later that same day...

The clang of metal-upon-metal and the sound of air ratchets is a type of music to me, and I was inundated with the sounds in the garage area after my victory at Suzuka. It was still an hour to go before the big names took the track, and I was taking my time preparing the GTO to for storage. I've been living out of hotels ever since I got out of prison, with no time to secure a permanent residence or adequate garage space in a single place for all my new cars.

"Senor Maxwell, you have visitors," Luis called from behind me. I straightened up from underneath the hood of the GTO and turned, finding Luis standing there with two Japanese gentlemen. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say he was stooping...he seemed to be in a sort of perpetual bow to the elder of my two visitors.

The younger of the two, dressed in an immaculate suit just like his senior, bowed and I returned the traditional Japanese greeting. The elder of the two did not drop his head so much as an inch, and stared at me with steely-grey eyes.

"You show great driving skill, Tolliver-san," the younger of the two men spoke. "It was an agreement within our company that we would be awarding the winner of this event, which Honda was primary sponsor for, a special reward. However..."

The elder of the two men squinted slightly, and cast a rather angry, sideways glance at his younger counterpart.

"...President Fukui did not anticipate that a...gaijin...would not only win, but would so thoroughly dominate the competition..."

"Excuse me," I had to interrupt. "President Fukui. This is Honda President Takeo Fukui?" The younger man gave me a look as though I had just asked the most stupid question in history.

"He is."

I bowed again, slightly lower and for slightly longer than the first time. But the older man's body language did not change.

"Still," the younger man continued, "President Fukui is an honorable man, and is true to his word. If you will follow us outside please."

The three of us walked outside and around to the side of the garage, with Luis trailing behind. I heard a small gasp escape from Luis' lips when he saw what was awaiting us, and at first I was too stunned to speak at first.

"Is that...is that what I think it is?"

"If you know your cars, as it appears that you do, then yes, it is what you think it is," the younger man replied. "We at Honda corporation are pleased to grant you the 2005 Honda NSX-R GT."

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/NSX%20R%20GT.jpg

"Unicorn," I whispered. The younger man appeared to smile slightly at that.

"Yes, Mister Tolliver. The unicorn, as you can do doubt tell, does actually exist. We trust it is now in good hands."

"You do me a great honor, President Fukui," I bowed again.

"I know." was all the old man would say before turning to leave.

A bit of explanation on this car is in order. Everyone who follows cars is familiar with the Honda NSX and the NSX-R racing version. The NSX-R GT however, is a special case. Honda wanted a vehicle to participate in the Super GT circuit in 2005, and the Super GT circuit demanded that only vehicles with a production line could be entered in the prestigious Japanese competition. So Honda built the NSX-R GT, which boasts the same highly-tuned 6-cylinder engine as the normal NSX-R, but with much improved handling characteristics. And in order to satisfy the "production line" requirement, Honda produced exactly five NSX-R GTs, just enough to satisfy the requirement.

As only five of these were ever produced, and details regarding the vehicle were kept highly secret, many considered the car to be a unicorn and doubted whether or not they actually exist. Eventually more details were released and the existence of the car was confirmed, but the "unicorn" tag stuck. The cars are highly sought after by collectors, as one can imagine. The last one to sell at auction went for $900,000.00

cartman

12-18-2009, 10:52 PM

This is friggin' sweet. I need to document my FxMs3 career

DataKing

12-20-2009, 11:50 PM

cartman: Glad you're enjoying it.

Wednesday, September 15th - Season 1

I've signed up to participate in a manufacturer event next, the World Sub-Compact Shoot-Out.

Event: World Sub-Compact Shoot-Out
Limitations: Only Renault Twingo, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Fit models.
Rating Category: F-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $37,925.00

I'll be using my original Ford Fiesta Zetec S for this event. I've since paid $1,000.00 for custom paint job on the little sub-compact. Here are a couple of shots of the new look (author's note: This is a little experiment of mine to see if I can get a vibrant red to show up, since Forza's color compression routines hate the color red.)

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20Fiesta%201.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20Fiesta%202.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20Fiesta%203.jpg
The Ford Fiesta Zetec's new wardrobe.

And here is the competition I'll be facing:
Rossi (ITA) (2009 Renault Twingo Sport Cup)
Muller (GER) (2009 Renault Twingo Sport Cup)
Williams (USA) (2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S)
Brown (USA) (2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S)
Miller (USA) (2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S)
Kato (JPN) (2009 Honda Fit Sport)
Kim (KOR) (2009 Honda Fit Sport)

I head to Barcelona today for the first leg of the event.

Thursday, September 16th & Friday, September 17th - Season 1

Upgrade: Sport Brakes
Price: $3,000.00
Effect: Efficiency +3%
Rating: F-199 (up 2 from F-197)
-I install a set of Wilwood ventilated 2-piece rotors, aluminum mounting hubs & calipers, and track-spec brake pads.

Upgrade: Street Springs & Dampers
Price: $1,200.00
Effect: Ride Height -0.34 in
Rating: F-200 (up 1 from F-199)
-Ground Control progressive rate lowering springs , firmer shocks, and heavy duty bushings drop the Fiesta about a third of an inch.

Saturday, September 18th - Season 1

Track time today at the Ladera Test Track in Montserrat. I spend a good twenty laps behind the wheel. Part of that time is spent getting a feel for the Fiesta again (I've been driving things with alot more horsepower lately), and part of it is spent getting re-acquainted with the track. Tomorrow will be the first time I've raced the full circuit here in the opposite direction.

Sunday, September 19th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: World Sub-Compact Shoot-Out
Race #1 (of 4): Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,620.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.84 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I smoked the tires a bit on launch this time around, and was still in 6th place heading into the 1st turn. There I was able to pass Miller to the outside for 5th, but then rear-ended Brown at the notch in the ensuing straightaway. I was able to power past Brown for 4th before the turnaround, then forced my way to the inside of Williams for 3rd coming out of hairpin on the west side of the track. A powerslide on the last turn of lap 1 moved me past Muller and into 2nd place. I then proceeded to run down Rossi, checking up just in time to avoid another collision on the front-side notch. I finally drew level with him on the stretch heading back towards the start-finish line, and we bang most of the way through the bends until I'm able to power past him and into the lead. The last two laps are a piece of cake now that I've got clean air in front of me, and the little Fiesta returns to victory lane.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20Sub%201.jpg
Running down the competition at Ladera.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:19.871
Prize: $9,620.00
Repairs: -$1,081.00
XP Gained: 5,200

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (7 pts)
3rd place: Muller (5 pts)
4th place: Brown (4 pts)
5th place: Williams (3 pts)
6th place: Miller (2 pts)
7th place: Kato (1 pt)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Monday, September 20th - Season 1

Travel day today. Back to Motegi, Japan.

Tuesday, September 21st - Season 1

The Fiesta is capped as far as it's Performance Index, and I feel like I've been spending money on additional upgrades to cars just because it's "something to do," rather than it really being needed. So I think I'm going to lay off on that sort of thing for a while, and conserve cash.

Wednesday, September 22nd - Season 1

Track time today on the short West Circuit at Twin Ring Motegi. I've really gotten familiar with this place, though the notch at the southeast corner of the track still gives me fits sometimes. A dozen laps or so, though, and I'm feeling pretty good.

Thursday, September 23rd - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: World Sub-Compact Shoot-Out
Race #2 (of 4): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,250.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 5.50 mi
Starting Position: 6th

A better launch this time around allows me to move up to 5th before the first turn. There I'm able to get a nose under Williams and force my way into 4th as we head onto the back straightaway, then out-brake Brown and dive into 3rd in the notch. Coming back around to the front straight, I'm surprised to see that it's Muller, not Rossi, leading the race. I'm able to just barely move past Rossi for 2nd before the turn at the north end of the track, but there I ran into trouble. I'm not sure if Muller just wasn't used to running out in front or what, but he massively over-broke heading into the turn, and I slammed into his back bumper hard. Surprisingly, the Fiesta's engine didn't sustain any damage, and while I did get sideways I only fell back to 3rd place. But things got worse as I was getting back up to speed as Brown came into the turn hard and plowed into my right front fender. I was surprised he hadn't messed up the alignment or camber on that wheel, but he definitely gave himself some pretty extensive engine damage based on the amount of smoke that started pouring out from his tailpipe. The rest of the lap involved me getting my composure back and running down Muller and Rossi, who were continuing to battle for the lead. A really good run through the first turn on lap 3 gave me a lot of momentum on the back stretch, and there I was able to both castch and pass both Rossi and Muller. (I also couldn't help but give Muller a shot to his right quarterpanel, just to let him know I was upset with him). Apparently Rossi and Muller were too busy fighting each other, however, because neither of them was able to challenge me for the last two laps of the race.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20Sub%202.jpg
OUCH!

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:20.128
Prize: $9,250.00
Repairs: -$2,423.00
XP Gained: 5,000

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
T-2nd place: Muller (12 pts)
T-2nd place: Rossi (12 pts)
T-4th place: Miller (6 pts)
T-4th place: Williams (6 pts)
6th place: Brown (4 pts)
7th place: Kato (3 pts)
8th place: Kim (1 pt)

Friday, September 24th - Season 1

I actually started having dizzy spells a couple of hours after yesterday's race, which was pretty scary, so the race officials arranged for me to be admitted to a local hospital for observation for 24 hours. Fortunately it was nothing serious, and all the tests they ran came back negative. Apparently I just got my bell rung pretty good.

Saturday, September 25th - Season 1

I spend the day on a flight to the States, to catch up with the rest of the league. We'll be racing at Maple Valley Raceway on Monday.

Sunday, September 26th - Season 1

I've taken a couple of pretty good shots here earlier in the year as well, so I'm not exactly looking forward to this run. But the place is a pretty high-speed affair, which should bode well for me as I have a horsepower advantage over the competition. A dozen laps is all I need to feel comfortable and shake off any residual cobwebs.

DataKing

12-20-2009, 11:50 PM

Question: Which pictures look better? The smaller ones (640x360) or the larger ones (1280x720) ???

DataKing

12-21-2009, 06:41 PM

Monday, September 27th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: World Sub-Compact Shoot-Out
Race #3 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,435.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 5.80 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I'm coming to the conclusion that the Fiesta just isn't very good from a standing start, because despite what felt like a great launch on my part, I had only gained one spot before we hit the long, right-handed sweeper at the south end of the track. I did, however, slip to the inside of Brown and into 4th place on that sweeper, and found myself on Muller's back bumper once again. The bastard checked up on me again (he and I are going to come to blows off the track if he keeps that up). I rear-ended him again, but not as badly this time (I was prepared), and managed to keep control of the Fiesta as we finished the sweeper. When we got to the double-apex turn at the north end of the track, I dove to the inside of Muller and forced him wide, moving into 3rd and expressing my displeasure at the same time. After that, I got a great run heading towards the front straightaway, and managed to slip past both Williams for 2nd and Rossi for 1st place in a matter of seconds. Rossi and Muller were able to hang with me on lap 2, but from lap 3 to the end I started to pull away and neither was able to mount a challenge for the lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20Sub%203.jpg
Charging towards the lead at Maple Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:15.561
Prize: $9,435.00
XP Gained: 5,100
(2009 Ford Fiestz Zetec S gained level 4)

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (19 pts)
3rd place: Muller (17 pts)
4th place: Williams (9 pts)
T-5th place: Brown (8 pts)
T-5th place: Miller (8 pts)
7th place: Kato (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (1 pt)

I now have a 10% discount with Ford's in-house Valve and Displacement shops.

Tuesday, September 28th - Season 1

Travel day. Back to Japan

Wednesday, September 29th - Season 1

Idle.

Thursday, September 30th - Season 1

Track time today at the East Circuit at Suzuka (the easier of the two half-circuits located at Suzuka City). I've been comfortable with this portion of the track since I first saw it back on the 1st. A dozen laps and I've got the Fiesta dialed in pretty well.

Friday, October 1st - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: World Sub-Compact Shoot-Out
Race #4 (of 4): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Suzuka%20Circuit%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,620.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.56 mi
Starting Position: 6th

I had an even better launch this time around, staying to the inside as most everybody else dove to the outside line, and had pushed my way into fourth before the right-hand sweeper at the end of the opening straightaway. Coming out of the sweeper I was able to pass Williams as we headed into the S's, but was challenged by him a little later as I was hanging back a bit from the leaders (they were over-braking in spots, in my opinion, similar to what I had seen the last time I was here, whereas I was using a lot of throttle control instead). I was able to fight Williams off, then saw an opening towards the end of the S's and shot up to the lead, to the inside of both Rossi and Muller. From there on out it was smooth sailing with nothing but clean air in front of me.

<object height="344" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ce2MvQAqC70&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object>
Fending off a challenge and taking the lead at Suzuka.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:23.323
Prize: $9,620.00
XP Gained: 5,200

Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
T-2nd place: Muller (24 pts)
T-2nd place: Rossi (24 pts)
4th place: Williams (13 pts)
5th place: Brown (11 pts)
6th place: Miller (10 pts)
7th place: Kato (5 pts)
8th place: Kim (1 pt)

Event Bonus Prize: $10,250.00

DataKing

12-30-2009, 08:45 PM

Saturday, October 2nd - Season 1

I've agreed to participate in another Manufacturers' event to close out the season. This one is sponsored by Nissan and Infiniti.

Event: Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club
Limitations: Nissan and Infiniti make vehicles only.
Rating Category: B-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $44,955.00

While technically this is my first B-class event, it is that in name only, as only one of the vehicles I'll be competing against falls into that category. Everything else is Class C or below:

Sasaki (JPN) (2010 Nissan 370Z)
Takahashi (JPN) (2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II)
Williams (USA) (2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport)
Sato (JPN) (1993 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec)
Watanabe (JPN) (2000 Nissan Silvia Spec-R)
Kato (JPN) (2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V)
Kim (KOR) (2009 Nissan Versa SL)

As I don't actually own a Nissan or Infiniti yet I spend the day shopping. I test drive the 2010 Nissan 370Z, the 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z (known in non-Asian markets as the 350Z), and the 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport. I probably upset a few folks back in the states by deciding on the Fairlady. Even though it is an earlier version of the recent 370Z, and doesn't have quite as much power as its newer cousin, it felt a lot more nimble and responsive than either the 370Z or the Infiniti. And I was able to find one in good condition with a spiffy purple paint job.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fairlady%201.jpg
2003 Nissan Fairlady Z in a sexy purple dress.

The Fairlady is a 2-door couple with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Her 6-cylinder engine generates 287 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. This is a car that should present me with some challenges, as I've gotten very used to the extra degree of control front- and all-wheel-drive cars grant the driver. She cost me $14,000.00

Sunday, October 3rd & Monday, October 4th - Season 1

The first two legs of the Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club event will take place in Japan, so only minimal travel time is required. That gives me a little extra time to get the Fairlady Z race-ready.

Upgrade: Sport Weight Reduction
Price: $1,600.00

Effect: Weight -278 lbs
Rating: C-408 (up 33 from C-375)
-No messing around here. I rip out the stereo, speakers, airbags, air conditioning, and every power accessory I can find in the interest of dropping weight. A Bride lightweight battery helps matters as well.

Upgrade: Street Brakes
Price: $2,500.00
Effect: Efficiency +1%
Rating: C-409 (up 1 from C-408)
-A good power/weight ratio isn't going to do me a damn bit of good if I can't get it to slow down when I need to, so I install a set of AP Racing high-performance brake pads, high boiling-point brake fluid, and braided steel brake lines.

Tuesday, October 5th - Season 1

Tomorrow will be my first time racing only on the East Circuit at Twin Ring Motegi, but I've seen all of this track before. The 120-degree turn at the northwest corner of the track is still a little tricky, and I spend a good portion of my day at the track, turning 18 full laps before I feel somewhat comfortable. The extra performance that a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car offers is certainly appealing, but the downside is that (naturally) the ass-end of the car tries to swing around on you at very inopportune moments.

Wednesday, October 6th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club
Race #1 (of 4): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,395.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 6.45 mi
Starting Position: 6th

Things started out pretty well for me today. I powered my way past two opponents and into 4th place on the opening straightaway, then slipped to the inside of Sato and into 3rd place on the first turn. I was then able to power my way past Sasaki's 370Z and into 2nd place in the ensuing S's, putting me right on Takahashi's back bumper as we negotiated the northwest corner and under the low bridge that follows it. Heading back south towards the grandstands I was able to push my way into first, but had both Sasaki and Takahashi right on my back bumper. This probably is what made me overshoot the hairpin a little bit at the east end of the track, dropping me back into 3rd. Back on the home straightaway, Takahashi went for a pass to the right and Sasaki swung wide to block him, opening up a perfect hole for me to drive through and back into the lead. But that's where things went horribly, horribly wrong. I was late on the brakes heading into the first turn, resulting in a trip through the gravel. I managed to get back onto the blacktop without losing too much time, but the Fairlady was badly out of shape at that point and I ran her nose into the outside wall of the short tunnel there. This was a bad spot to be, and as I tried to get back on the track and up to speed I ended up getting t-boned badly by Watanabe then had my rear bumper torn off by Kato a few seconds later. By the time I emerged from the tunnel the Lady was in shambles, with smoke pouring from the engine and a horrible grinding sound coming from the gearbox every time I switched gears. Kim's sad little Nissan Versa was still easy pickings after that, and I managed to pass Watanabe and Sato (who were both as badly damaged as I was), but a 5th place finish and a badly damaged car is all I was able to limp home with.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nissan%20Infi%201.jpg
Carnage at Twin Ring Motegi.

Result: 5th place:
Time: 6:02.973
Prize: $6,105.00
Repairs: -$3,626.00 (ouch)
XP Gained: 6,700
(Driver gained Level 15)
(2003 Nissan Fairlady Z gained Level 1)

Event Standings:
1st place: Sasaki (10 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (7 pts)
3rd place: Williams (5 pts)
4th place: Sato (4 pts)
5th place: Tolliver (3 pts)
6th place: Kim (2 pts)
7th place: Kato (1 pt)
8th place: Watanabe (0 pt)

That wreck certainly has put me in a bit of a whole, but at least I still have plenty of time to climb out of it.

Thursday, October 7th - Season 1

I spend all day replacing body panels, engine parts, and removing pieces of transmission from all sorts of interesting places inside the Fairlady.

Friday, October 8th - Season 1

Upgrade: Sport Differential
Price: $3,300.00
Effect: Differential 1.5-way
Rating: C-408 (down 1 from C-409)
-After that disaster at Motegi, I decide it's time to invest in a Kaaz Differential for the Fairlady in hopes that it will help me keep her ass where it belongs. For those of you who may not know how a limited-slip differential works, here's the 50-cent version. When driving, both the left- and right-side drive wheels spin at the same rate...makes sense right? However, this is one of the reasons grip is reduced when you're turning, since the wheels continue to spin at the same rate but the outside wheel has more ground to cover than the inside. A limited-slip differential helps to stabilize the car during maneuvering by controlling how much both wheels spin; the inside wheel spins less and the outside wheel spins more to help it "keep up."

Saturday, October 9th - Season 1

Track time today at the West Circuit at Suzuka. This should be a good test of the limited slip differential I added to the Fairlady, as there is some tricky maneuvering required around certain parts of this track. The slip does feel like it's helping, and it only takes me about 10 laps or so to feel like I've got the Lady pretty well dialed in.

Sunday, October 10th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club
Race #2 (of 4): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Suzuka%20Circuit%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,915.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 6.45 mi
Starting Position: 5th :D

A poor launch meant that I was still in 5th place as we hit the high-speed turn at the end of the opening straightaway. There I kept to the inside and managed to put the pass on Williams, but ended up banging fenders with him and Sato both through the square turns at the northeast end of the track. I was finally able to split the two of them coming out of those turns, but by then Sasaki and Takahashi had built up a small lead. I tried a little too hard to catch them and ended up overshooting the hairpin turn, dropping back to 5th. But passing Williams and Sato again on the long, right-hand sweeper that followed was no trouble (there's a lot more room to maneuver in that part of the track). Swinging back around towards the start-finish line, I got a good run that led to a lot of speed down the straightaway, allowing me to catch up with the leaders on the high-speed turn. Sasaki and I tapped there, but despite going over 100 mph we were both able to keep things under control. But things got ugly again on the square turns. Sasaki went in hot and turned Takahashi on the inside, but less than a second later I hit Takahashi on the outside. Fortunate for him the end result was he was heading in the right direction again. We ended up going 3-wide through the square turns, where there just isn't room for that, so we ended up swapping paint and banging fenders throughout. As we exited I was finally able to clear a little space and push into the lead, and as is usually the case once I got clean air in front of me I had no problem holding on for the victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nissan%20Infi%202.jpg
You just can't make this stuff up.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:55.936
Prize: $10,915.00
Repairs: -$1,537.00
XP Gained: 5,900
(2003 Nissan Fairlady Z gained Level 2)

Event Standings:
1st place: Sasaki (15 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (14 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (13 pts)
T-4th place: Sato (8 pts)
T-4th place: Williams (8 pts)
T-6th place: Watanabe (2 pts)
T-6th place: Kato (2 pts)
T-6th place: Kim (2 pts)

Today's result has tightened things up considerably.

Monday, October 11th - Season 1

Travel day today. We head to Daytona Beach, Florida for Race #3.

Tuesday, October 12th - Season 1

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $1,000.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.05s
Rating: C-410 (up 2 from C-408)
-Between upgrades and repairs, I'm hardly making any money at all in this event, so I've decided to scale things back a bit. I install an Exedy clutch disc and plate with increased torque capacity.

the_meanstrosity

12-31-2009, 05:44 AM

Following along DK. Great job with the dynasty and beautiful pics.

DataKing

12-31-2009, 05:49 PM

the_meanstrosity: Thank you kindly. It is always nice to know one's efforts are appreciated.

Wednesday, October 13th - Season 1

I'm back in Daytona for my second run at the world-famous racetrack here. This time we'll be running the same Club Circuit that I ran on my first trip here, but in the opposite direction. After only a couple of laps I can tell that this is going to be trickier than the last time I was here. The transition from speedway to road-course at the southwest corner of the track is a rough one due to the high speed you're carrying and the steep embankment there. The other tricky spot is the deceptively sharp left-hander at the far east end of the track. After only a few laps I've smacked the wall hard a couple of times and completely ruined the aerodynamics of the Fairlady for the time being. I push through for about a dozen laps, but the aero is shot so I spend the rest of the day getting her fixed up and ready for tomorrow.

Thursday, October 14th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club
Race #3 (of 4): Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL) - Club Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,100.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.76 mi
Starting Position: 5th

Starting off on the front straightaway at Daytona was definitely to my benefit, giving me lots of room to maneuver through the pack. Heading into the first turn I dropped down to the inside of Sato and overtook him for 3rd place. All three of the front-runners (Takahashi, Sasaki, and myself) hit the infield turn at about the same time and got through clean. I swung a little wider than the others on the turn and powered past Sasaki for 2nd place, then cut to the inside of Takahashi on the first right-hander and into the lead. Careful this time of the sharp left at the east end of the track, I got through that section clean and had built up a small lead as I powered back down the home stretch. Unfortunately I took the infield turn way too hot the second time around, running the Fairlady well onto the grass there and only avoiding the outside retaining wall by about a foot. I kept at it, gliding most of the way through and back onto the pavement, but by that point me lead had all but evaporated and I had Sasaki and Takahashi both right on my back bumper. But a clean exit from the infield section the second time around gave me a good run back onto the speedway section of the track, where I was able to gain a little leeway once again. The last two laps were smooth sailing and I was never seriously threatened again.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nissan%20Infi%203.jpg
Front-runners speed towards the infield turn at Daytona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:50.088
Prize: $11,100.00
XP Gained: 6,000
(2003 Nissan Fairlady Z gained Level 3)

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (23 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (22 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (19 pts)
4th place: Williams (12 pts)
5th place: Sato (11 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (4 pts)
7th place: Kato (3 pts)
8th place: Kim (2 pts)
I've moved into first place, but only by the slimmest of margins, so we won't be easing off at all in Monday's season-ender.

Friday, October 15th - Season 1

Travel day today. This season will end for me where it began...in Spain.

Saturday, October 16th - Season 1

I take the day off to relax and reflect.

Sunday, October 17th - Season 1

I haven't run at Circuit de Catalunya since early August, and I've never run on the National Circuit before. Early on I can tell that the Fairlady is going to be a handful here. Catalunya is a very technical and relatively flat track, which means that the Lady spends most of her day trying to snap her rear end loose on me at all sorts of inopportune moments. It takes a good 20 laps before I have any sense of confidence in my ability to get around this place without incident, and i could probably do with some more practice on top of that, but my patience has worn thin.

Monday, October 18th - Season 1 (Race Day)

Event: Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club
Race #4 (of 4): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - National Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20National%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,545.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 5.55 mi
Starting Position: 5th

I had a lousy start this time around, lighting up the tires at the drop of the green, which meant I was still stuck in 5th place as we hit the west-end hairpin. I bided my time, and managed an inside move on Williams for 4th on the right-hander at the northern end of the track. After that I got right up on Sato's back bumper. This apparently made him nervous, as he overshot the east-end hairpin badly and I waltzed into 3rd spot. But a poor exit out of the chicanes at the east end of the track meant a lack of speed down the home straightaway. So, at the beginning of lap 2 I resorted to one of my older tricks, and out-broke Sasaki into the west-end hairpin and forced my way inside. He and I tapped a couple of times working our way through the turn, but nothing serious and I emerged on Takahashi's back bumper. I bump-drafted Takahashi through the next couple of turns, then was able to power past him as we headed towards the east end of the track. From there the rest of the race presented little trouble. I didn't drive completely away from Sasaki and Takahashi, but they weren't able to threaten me for the lead either.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nissan%20Infi%204.jpg
Bump-drafting 101.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Time: 4:32.197
Prize: $10,545.00
XP Gained: 5,700

Nissan Infiniti Owner's Club Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (33 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (29 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (24 pts)
4th place: Williams (16 pts)
5th place: Sato (14 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (6 pts)
7th place: Kato (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (2 pts)
It certainly is nice to conclude the racing season with a victory. But things got even nicer when I saw what was waiting for me after the race. Apparently the nice fellows at Ferrari have been impressed with my progress this season. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the newest addition to the Maxwell Tolliver stable: The 2009 Ferrari California.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/California.jpg
2009 Ferrari California

The California may be on the low-end of things among the Ferrari breed, with only 460 horsepower, zero-to-sixty of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 195 mph, but it's still a damn Ferrari. You can bet I'm going to be having some fun with this during the off-season. :D

I'm also awarded with the following shop discounts:

Chassis Reinforcement and Roll Cages from OMP Japan (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Subaru)
Fuel Systems from Blitz (Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Subaru)
Flywheels from Toda (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Subaru)

Eaglesfan27

12-31-2009, 10:25 PM

Great pictures. I like the larger ones better, but they all look great. This dynasty has inspired me to play the game some more. Just got to my first speedway oval race - those are a blast :)

DataKing

01-02-2010, 04:01 PM

EaglesFan27: Glad I've inspired others to play the game some more, and glad you're enjoying the dynasty as well. I've yet to participate in a speedway event, but I'm looking forward to it (I select my events randomly from those events that I have not yet attempted, with some restrictions).

Question: For those of you with the game, is there any interest in seeing my race replays? Generally I don't upload them but I'd certainly be willing to do so if there's interest out there. I'd also be interested in seeing some others' replays as well. I think it'd be cool to look and compare, see the sorts of lines others take, how they perform their passes, that sort of thing.

Post-Season 1 Summary

What a difference a year makes, eh? A year ago I was wasting away in a Spanish prison cell. Now I'm sitting on a pile of cars and cash, wondering what to do with it all. My official winnings for the season past totaled $463,943.00, which ironically enough was a heck of a lot more than I ever made doing things on the wrong side of the law. But that isn't the half of it. The twenty-three cars now at my disposal are worth just shy of two million dollars. I have to admit I was tempted to put the Honda NSX-R GT up for auction, but decided against it. After all, it's not like I'm lacking for cash right now.

My primary objective over the past four months was to establish some sort of permanent residence. I spent the eight months of last season living out of hotels with cars sitting idle in garages all over creation. So after a bit of thought, I've decided to stay in Spain for the time being. Granted, my past here is checkered, but it seems like everywhere else on Earth, everybody loves a winner. And it is a beautiful city. So utilizing a couple of Ferdinand's contacts, I've leased a warehouse in the Badal section of the city near the port. I've made good progress on turning the warehouse into an honest-to-goodness garage, and brought in contractors to install security and convert the office-section of the building into an apartment.

Looking forward to the coming year, I hope to further establish both myself and my reputation in the racing community. I've accepted an invitation to participate in this year's Class C World Championship, which kicks off on March 13th in Florida, but I'm hoping to move up in the ranks as well and get myself into some B-class (and maybe even A-class) races this year as well. We shall see what happens.

Eaglesfan27

01-02-2010, 05:04 PM

I would love to see replays. I feel like I suck as I'm generally in the bottom 50% of most of the leader boards for hot laps, and I'd like to see how others race and maybe pick up some tips.

Tellistto

01-02-2010, 05:27 PM

Am looking forward to how the new year turns out in your universe of racing. Is fun to see how you progress, and just wanted to let you know that am still following along.

DataKing

01-02-2010, 06:36 PM

Monday, February 28th - Season 2

This year's racing season doesn't really get rolling for a couple of weeks yet, but after a four-month layoff I'm itching to get back on the track. A warm-up event is probably a pretty good idea as well, since I've spent precious little time during the layoff behind the wheel. So I've agreed to race in an amateur event to get the new year rolling.

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Limitations: Drive type limited to Front-Wheel-Drive
Rating Category: D-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: #23,865.00
Event Bonus Prize: $6,450.00

A simple little 3-race event to get things moving. And racing front-wheel-drive should help me knock the rust off without the risk of grievous bodily harm.

Event Participants:
Rossi (ITA) (2007 SEAT Leon CUPRA)
Muller (GER) (2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR)
Yoshida (JPN) (2004 Honda Mugen Civic Type-R)
Weber (GER) (2009 MINI John Cooper Works)
Watanabe (JPN) (2002 Honda Integra Type-R)
Johansson (SWE) (2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT)
Spiers (UK) (2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk6)
It's a pretty simple decision for me to make as far as what car to drive, as I only own one front-wheel-drive vehicle in the D-class range; the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/scirocco1.jpg

I suppose I could have entered the Peugeot 206 RC, since it's at the very top end of the E-class category, but I really hate that car. :p

There's no time for making upgrades to the Scirocco, as I've spent pretty much all of my time lately getting the warehouse set up in Barcelona, but I do arrive in New England for the first event with a day to spare at least. Even though it's technically still winter, things have been unseasonably mild up here lately, so poor weather and bad traction should not be a concern. I spend 20 laps tearing things up around Maple Valley Raceway, getting my driving legs back underneath me again and getting things dialed in. And I've come to the conclusion that, despite my early difficulties here, I rather like this track. It's quick and, at least on lower-end cars like the ones we'll be racing tomorrow, you spend a good portion of your time running flat-out.

Tuesday, March 1st - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Race #1 (of 3): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,585.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.64 mi
Starting Position: 5th

The Volkswagen isn't the fastest thing off the line, so I found myself still in 5th place as we hit the long, right-handed sweeper at the south end of the track. I purposely stayed a little to the outside here, hoping to avoid the traffic and check-ups that have caused me problems in the past, and it worked to good effect. I first passed Yoshida's Civic on the outside for 4th, then got a two-for-one deal as I swung past countrymen Muller and Weber battling side-by-side, placing me in 2nd place. An inside move on Rossi's SEAT on the sharper right-hander at the north end of the track moved me into the lead, but an admittedly rookie-mistake on my part landed me in trouble. I was too busy looking out my rear-view mirror and admiring my handy-work, and all of a sudden I was off into the grass on the front straight-away. I got things corrected easily enough, but lost enough momentum where Rossi was able to re-pass me on the inside as we crossed the start-finish line. A wide-approach on the south-end sweeper fixed that little problem, though, as I was able to carry more speed than him through the long turn and emerged back in the lead. Having learned my lesson well, it was all business the rest of the way with no rear-view-mirror nonsense, and I was never seriously challenged again (replay file 'FWD Elite 1').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/FWD%20Elite%201.jpg
Trying to fend off Rossi on the front stretch at Maple Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,585.00
XP Gained: 4,100

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:20.082
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 3:25.601
3rd place: Muller (5) - 3:30.841
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 3:31.327
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:32.336
6th place: Spiers (2) - 3:39.262
7th place: Johansson (1) - 3:39.627
8th place: Watanabe (0) - 3:40.331
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (7 pts)
3rd place: Muller (5 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (4 pts)
5th place: Weber (3 pts)
6th place: Spiers (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Watanabe (0 pt)

Wednesday, March 2nd - Season 2

Travel day today, as we fly back to Spain for the 2nd event in the race. This event has a tight time-frame, so I won't have any free days for upgrading the Scirocco.

Thursday, March 3rd - Season 2

I get some track time today at the abbreviated School Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. This is probably my least-favorite of the track layouts at Catalunya, but at least I'm having a much easier time keeping the Scirocco under control than the last time I raced here with the Fairlady. 13 laps and I feel like I've got my spots identified and things dialed in pretty well.

DataKing

01-03-2010, 06:40 PM

Friday, March 4th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Race #2 (of 3): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - School Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20School%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,325.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.23 mi
Starting Position: 5th

A better launch off the line this time had me in 4th place before the first turn, having passed Weber to the inside. I was then able to get the inside line and out-brake Yoshida on the ensuing hard left-hander, then swung around Muller to the outside at the south end of the track for 2nd place. Rossi, however, was not so easily overtaken. I tried swinging a little wide on the long sweeping right-hander heading back to the start-finish line, but ended up drifting a little too far outside and onto the grass. I quickly corrected, getting back on the blacktop, but was rewarded by getting rear-ended by Muller. It was nothing too serious, however, and even gained me a little bit of speed, but I did temporarily lose 2nd place to Yoshida as a result. Yoshida fell to me again on the left-hander on lap 2, and this time I was able to force my way to the inside of Rossi at the beginning of the sweeper and into the lead. After that it was smooth sailing to the finish line (replay file: 'FWD Elite 2').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/FWD%20Elite%202.jpg
Making the outside move at Circuit de Catalunya.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,325.00
Repairs: -$605.00
XP Gained: 4,500

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:39.523
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 3.44:667
3rd place: Yoshida (5) - 3:49.410
4th place: Muller (4) - 3:50.224
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:51.008
6th place: Johansson (2) - 3:54.136
7th place: Watanabe (1) - 3:54.786
8th place: Spiers (0) - 3:59.253
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (14 pts)
T-3rd place: Yoshida (9 pts)
T-3rd place: Muller (9 pts)
5th place: Weber (6 pts)
6th place: Johansson (3 pts)
7th place: Spiers (2 pts)
8th place: Watanabe (1 pt)

Saturday, March 5th - Season 2

Travel day. We head to Japan to conclude the event.

Sunday, March 6th - Season 2

I log some track time today at the short version of the Tsukuba Circuit. I still much prefer the full-length version of the track here, as the long right-hand sweeper that cuts down to the abbreviated version just doesn't feel natural to me. Still, I have to make do with what's been scheduled, and after 14 laps I feel like I've got a pretty good handle on things. Downshifting mid-way through that turn seems to be the way to go.

Monday, March 7th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Front-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Race #3 (of 3): Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma, Japan) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,955.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 3.88 mi
Starting Position: 5th

I got off to a good start this time, powering down the opening straightaway and splitting the gap between Weber and Yoshida for 3rd place before the first hairpin. However, Yoshida took me to the inside on that first turn, bumping me to the outside of the turn allowing both himself and Weber back in front of me. Passing either before the second hairpin proved impossible, so I waited and managed an inside move on Weber in the hairpin, moving back up to 4th. Yoshida was next in my sights, and a little bump on his back right quarterpanel let him know I was displeased with his earlier move, and also allowed me to move back into 3rd. After that little tussle, running down the leaders proved comparatively easy. Muller fell into my rear-view mirror heading towards the 2nd hairpin on lap 2. Then at the conclusion of lap 2 I finally managed a good exit from the last turn and overtook Rossi for the lead just as we crossed the start-finish line. After that I did have a couple little slips into the grass on the 4th and final lap, but recovered quickly and my lead was never really in doubt (replay file 'FWD Elite 3').

<object height="340" width="560">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s66nu5KzOPw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></object>
Fighting through the pack at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,955.00
XP Gained: 4,300

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:33.845
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 3:36.024
3rd place: Muller (5) - 3:37.120
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 3:39.405
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:41.198
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 3:45.278
7th place: Spiers (1) - 3:51.727
8th place: Johansson (0) - 3:52.062
Final Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (21 pts)
3rd place: Muller (14 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (13 pts)
5th place: Weber (9 pts)
T-6th place: Watanabe (3 pts)
T-6th place: Spiers (3 pts)
T-6th place: Johansson (3 pts)
A nice way to start off the season, no doubt. And things got even nicer when I found that the gentlemen at Jaguar wanted to add themselves to the list of manufacturers to grant me a high-priced piece of machinery.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Jaguar%20XKR.jpg
2009 Jaguar XKR-S

The 2009 Jaguar XKR-S is a special, "Silverstone" edition of the company's XKR grand tourer. It features the standard 420 horsepower twin-screw supercharged V8 the XKR boasts, but has improved steering, transmission, suspension, and brakes. And it makes a wonderful Jaguar growl when you gun it. :D I can't wait until I get the chance to race this thing.

Supersprint Exhaust, who do after-market exhaust for Audi, Opel, Porsche, SEAT, and Volkswagen have increased my discount with them to 20%.

I also received a $12,900.00 bonus for winning the event and finishing 1st in all three races.

DataKing

01-03-2010, 06:45 PM

OK good news for those interested in seeing my game replays. EaglesFan27 and I messed with it a bit earlier today, and we've found the best way for you to find my replays. When I upload them, I'll stick my gamertag (DataKing1) in the description. Just put my gamertag in the manual keyword field and they should come right up. I'll put the name of the replay file at the end of the race description in this dynasty report, so you know which is which. One thing to bear in mind, though, is that the Forza site will only hold 9 replays at a time. So don't want too long to take a look if you're interested. The 9 more recent replays are the only ones I'll be able to keep up there.

Tellistto: Glad you're following along and enjoying the dynasty.

DataKing

01-09-2010, 12:08 PM

Tuesday, March 8th - Season 2

Travel day today, as we head to Florida to kick off this season's Class C World Championship on Sunday.

Event: Class C World Championship
Limitations: Rating Category only
Rating Category: C-class
# of Races: 5
Total Event Prize: $107,300.00

This year's championship series is a five race event with over $100,000 in prize money, making it the richest event I've participated in to date. Judging by the list of competition, though, it looks like I'll have my work cut out for me.

Davis (USA) (2006 Dodge Charger SRT8)
Takahashi (JPN) (2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
Williams (USA) (2009 Pontiac G8 GXP)
Sato (JPN) (2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR)
Watanabe (JPN) (2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI)
Anderson (USA) (2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport)
Jones (USA) (2009 Ford Focus RS)
Fortunately, the top end racers like Rossi and Sasaki are participating in other events this season, but there's some hardware to contend with here. The Dodge Charger and Pontiac G8 I can see giving me problems.

After some consideration, I decide to go a different direction as far as what car I'll use. Last season I definitely found that lighter cars suit my driving style better than heavier cars, so I'm going to run the Vauxhall VX220 Turbo in this year's event. I was given the car way back in June of last year, but never had the opportunity to use it.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/VX220%20Turbo%201.jpg

The VX220's turbo-charged 4-cylinder engine gives me about 200 horsepower to call upon, which may not seem like much, but offers a great power:weight ratio when you consider the Vauxhall qualifies as an ultra-light, weighing in at just over 2,000 lbs. It is great off the line and extremely nimble. I'm just going to have to remember that I can't bang fenders with the big boys out there. Davis' Charger carries more than double the weight the VX220 does, and will squash me like a bug if given the opportunity.

Wednesday, March 9th thru Friday, March 11th - Season 2

I've got some time to make some upgrades to the Vauxhall. I'm not sure what to expect from it though, and I've only got 28 Performance Index points to play with to keep it in the C-Class range, so I'm going to go cheap for the time being.

Upgrade: Sport Oil and Cooling
Price: $800.00
Effect: Power +5hp
Rating: C-405 (up 8 from C-397)
-A Setrab remote-mount oil filter and cooler, along with baffled oil pickups, give me a few extra horsepower.

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $1,000.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.04s
Rating: C-407 (up 2 from C-405)
-A Fidanza clutch disc and plate with increased torque capacity should make shifting a bit smoother and more responsive.

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $600.00
Effect: Weight -2.1 lbs
Rating: C-408 (up 1 from C-407)
-There's not much to be done to save weight on the already skinny VX220 without paying exorbitant sums of money, so I go with an alloy-steel driveshaft to drop a couple pounds and decrease drive inertia a bit.

Saturday, March 12th - Season 2

We kick off the Class C World Championship in Sebring, Florida tomorrow. I've raced both of the half-circuits here before, but tomorrow will be the first time I run the full circuit. I disliked this track before, and I find that I still dislike it now. It's not that I hate it, it just doesn't suit my style very well. Some of the turns don't feel natural to me, and the rough concrete slabs in the start-finish section are murder on your tailbone. I run about a dozen laps getting accustomed to the VX220, but that's about all I can stand today.

Sunday, March 13th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class C World Championship
Race #1 (of 5): Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $24,050.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 14.80 mi
Starting Position: 5th

One problem with driving the Vauxhall in this event became readily apparent as soon as we lined up at the start-finish line: visibility. The VX220 is so low to the ground compared to all of the other cars out here, I really couldn't see a damn thing. But still, heading into Turn 1 I was able to squeeze between Sato's Lancer and Williams' G8 and into 3rd place. Turn 3 caused a big problem though, as I went in too hot and had to bring the power down to get back on the track. In doing so, I pretty much just bounced off of Sato's Lancer (the weight difference coming into effect) and spun out completely (props to Watanabe for doing a really good job checking up and not obliterating me). So I found myself effectively starting from the very back of the field, but at least I still had plenty of time to work with. It took me a couple of turns and a couple of brief trips through the grass to get my rhythm going, but once I did the lesser competition started dropping like flies. Jones' Focus was left in my dust coming out of the Turn 7 hairpin, and I moved past Anderson and into 6th place shortly thereafter. I put Watanabe into my rear-view mirror shortly after the Tower turn, then slipped between Sato and Takahashi for 3rd place as we moved through Turn 16 at the southeast end of the track. I was rather surprised to find that I actually made up ground on Williams' G8 on the Ullman Straight, and managed to pass him to the inside as we headed into the Sunset Bend. By the time we crossed the start-finish line, I was right on the back bumper of Davis' Charger, and an inside move on him on the high-speed 1st turn launched me into the lead. And as is usually the case, once I was able to get out in front in clean air and with a clear line of sight, I was able to maintain my lead and earn a victory (replay file 'Class C 1').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20C%201.jpg
Cutting it close on the Le Mans turn at Sebring International.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $24,050.00
Repairs: -$981.00
XP Gained: 13,000
(2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo gained Levels 1 & 2)
Hotlap: 2:31.984 (Top 15% of 671,394 racers)
(For giggles, I've decided to take a look at my hot lap for each race and see how it compares to the rest of the FM3 community out there. So in this case, my best lap from this race ranks in the top 15% of best laps for all drivers who have run a Class C hot lap at Sebring International).

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 10:24.473
2nd place: Davis (7) - 10:36.060
3rd place: Williams (5) - 10:39.622
4th place: Takahashi (4) - 10:42.019
5th place: Watanabe (3) - 10:47.148
6th place: Sato (2) - 10:48.276
7th place: Anderson (1) - 10:51.433
8th place: Jones (0) - 11:06.310
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Davis (7 pts)
3rd place: Williams (5 pts)
4th place: Takahashi (4 pts)
5th place: Watanabe (3 pts)
6th place: Sato (2 pts)
7th place: Anderson (1 pt)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)
The Vauxhall really showed its strengths and its weaknesses today. It was almost comical, upon reviewing the replay, how little I even moved Sato's Lancer when we collided. He was fine, but I was spun out completely. But the Vauxhall was so much more agile and nimble that it got through corners much easier than a lot of the heavier competition did, so once the pack had spread itself out a little bit I had a much easier time picking them off one- and two-at-a-time. That will definitely be something to consider when the event resumes on the 27th.

I've been awarded 10% discounts with Vauxhall's in-house driveline shop, as well as K&N Europe air filters (Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Land Rover, McLaren, Saab, Vauxhall, Volvo).

DataKing

01-12-2010, 10:45 PM

Monday, March 14th - Season 2

I'll be participating in the following event over the next two weeks, before Race #2 of the Class C World Championship.

Event: Class F Speedway Challenge
Limitations: Rating Category only
Rating Category: F-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $34,410.00
Event Bonus Prize: $9,300.00

This is the first speedway event that I've been invited to. As the name might suggest, these are oval races rather than road course races. Sounds simple, but there's a catch in this case; whoever scheduled the event needs to have their head examined. The first race is tomorrow in Japan, and the second is two days later in Arizona. This means absolutely no track time before these first two races. I guess it's a good thing these are what should be simple oval races.

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (2001 Mazda Mazdaspeed Familia)
Taylor (USA) (1987 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA)
Williams (USA) (2003 Ford SVT Focus)
Sato (JPN) (1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR)
Miller (USA) (2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S)
Anderson (USA) (2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT)
Kim (KOR) (2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS)
Due to the obvious time constraints, my options are limited to Class F cars I already own, which means either the old Ford Fiesta or the Honda Del Sol. I decide to use the Del Sol since it already has an aero package installed, but I'm still going to have trouble with Sasaki and Taylor, both of whom have me beat in the horsepower department.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/DelSol1.jpg
Hopefully all that air intake on the front will help me keep up.

Needless to say, today is a travel day.

Tuesday, March 15th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F Speedway Challenge
Race #1 (of 3): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - Super Speedway

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20Super%20Speedway.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,210.00
Laps: 7
Race Distance: 10.48 mi
Starting Position: 5th

Going into this race effectively blind, my plan was a simple one. I figured everybody else would try to hug the bottom of the race track, since that is the shortest way around any oval track. My plan was to stay high and wide, to both stay clear of traffic until I cleared it, and to keep the engine's RPMs up. I figured I'd need to keep the Del Sol's little 4-banger ramped up pretty high to keep up with the leaders. After a relatively slow start off the line I moved up a little in the field, falling into 3rd behind Sasaki's Familia and Taylor's Trans Am as we headed into the first turn. Unfortunately the others were staying higher than I anticipated, but I did get my RPMs up and when Taylor dropped to the inside on turn 4 near the end of lap 1 I was able to swing wide on him and into 2nd place. Turn 4 appeared to be my magic spot on lap 2 as well, because as Sasaki came off the turn high I was able to slip underneath him and into the lead just before the start-finish line. Sasaki looked underneath me coming off of turn 2 on lap 3, but I was still running wide and was able to carry more speed onto the back straightaway. After that it was all clear to victory lane (replay file 'Speedway F 1').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Speedway%20F%201.jpg
Powering into the lead on the speedway at Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $12,210.00
XP Gained: 6,600
(1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR gained Level 2)
Hotlap: 48.462 (Top 52% of 93,491 times recorded - obviously I'm not tuned for speed)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 5:55.658
2nd place: Taylor (7) - 6:00.227
3rd place: Sasaki (5) - 6:01.709
4th place: Williams (4) - 6:11.090
5th place: Sato (3) - 6:22.059
6th place: Anderson (2) - 6:25.433
7th place: Kim (1) - 6:32.790
8th place: Miller (0) - 6:48.113
I didn't see what happened to Miller's Fiesta but it looked like he blew up at some point during the race. He was trailing smoke badly at the end and I nearly lapped him.

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (7 pts)
3rd place: Sasaki (5 pts)
4th place: Williams (4 pts)
5th place: Sato (3 pts)
6th place: Anderson (2 pts)
7th place: Kim (1 pt)
8th place: Miller (0 pt)

Wednesday, March 16th - Season 2

We hop right back on a plane and head for race #2 in Arizona tomorrow.

Thursday, March 17th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F Speedway Challenge
Race #2 (of 3): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Speedway

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Speedway.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,620.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 9.06 mi
Starting Position: 5th

The speedway at Sedona is quite a bit narrower than the one at Motegi, so there was a bit of bumping in the pack to start the race. I was able to avoid this by swinging straight out to the wall then pushing forward to 2nd place as we entered the first turn. I was carrying quite a bit of speed coming out of turn 2, but Sasaki was really hammering the gas on the inside as well. We raced side-by-side down the back-stretch, but he was able to keep his lead as we came out of turn 4. I caught back up to him at the conclusion of lap 2, but wasn't able to put a definitive pass on him until turn 3 of the same lap. After that I was able to put him away and got out to a relatively comfortable lead for the remainder of the race (replay file 'Speedway F 2').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Speedway%20F%202.jpg
A photographer presented me with this shot after the race. It's a super-still that shows just how close I was to tapping Sasaki's back bumper in turn 3...at 120 miles per hour! Yikes!

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $9,620.00
XP Gained: 5,200
(Driver gained Level 17)
(1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR gained Level 3)
Hotlap: 44.592 (top 52% of 89,756 times recorded)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:44.092
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 4:47.115
3rd place: Taylor (5) - 4:50.588
4th place: Williams (4) - 4:52.107
5th place: Miller (3) - 5:00.404
6th place: Anderson (2) - 5:03.717
7th place: Sato (1) - 5:07.471
8th place: Kim (0) - 5:10.817

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
T-2nd place: Sasaki (12 pts)
T-2nd place: Taylor (12 pts)
4th place: Williams (8 pts)
T-5th place: Anderson (4 pts)
T-5th place: Sato (4 pts)
7th place: Miller (3 pts)
8th place: Kim (1 pt)

DataKing

01-14-2010, 09:54 PM

Friday, March 18th - Season 2

Travel day today, as we head to Daytona Beach to finish off the event. The nice thing is that I've actually got a few days to spare before the event concludes, so I have some time for upgrades and to run some test laps at the track.

Saturday, March 19th & Sunday, March 20th - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Flywheel
Price: $1,080.00
Effect: Weight -1 lb.
Rating: F-200 (up 2 from F-198)
-The weight reduction is minimal, but the Toda forged-steel flywheel should improve the Del Sol's acceleration and throttle response without pushing me over the Performance Index limit of 200 for F-class.

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $400.00
Effect: Weight -1.8 lbs.
Rating: F-200 (no change)
-An HPD alloy-steel driveshaft to decrease driveline inertia and overall weight.

Monday, March 21st - Season 2

For the first time I get to turn some laps at the full speedway at Daytona. It is by far the biggest of the speedways I've seen thus far, and is pretty steeply banked as well. As it turns out, despite what you might think from watching a NASCAR event, sticking to the bottom is actually the fastest way around for low-power cars like the ones we're driving here. I can pretty well keep the Del Sol on the bottom all the way around and still keep the RPMs up.

Tuesday, March 22nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F Speedway Challenge
Race #3 (of 3): Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL) - Speedway

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Speedway.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,580.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 14.64 mi
Starting Position: 5th

Despite my excitement at finally racing the full speedway at Daytona, this race was actually a bit of a let-down. I pushed my way forward through the pack and past Taylor into 2nd place heading into the first turn, then outran Sasaki heading onto the back stretch and into the lead. Before I knew it I had built up a two second lead. Taylor eventually got his Trans Am past Sasaki and into second place, but was never able to cut my lead down to under a full second (replay file 'Speedway F 3').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Speedway%20F%203.jpg
Moving up through the pack at Daytona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $12,580.00
XP Gained: 6,800
Hotlap: 1:07.295 (top 58% of 92,818 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 6:59.525
2nd place: Taylor (7) - 7:00.652
3rd place: Sasaki (5) - 7:04.326
4th place: Williams (4) - 7:16.388
5th place: Sato (3) - 7:38.621
6th place: Miller (2) - 7:38.931
7th place: Kim (1) - 7:39.083
8th place: Anderson (0) - 7:43.040
Event Results:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (19 pts)
3rd place: Sasaki (17 pts)
4th place: Williams (12 pts)
5th place: Sato (7 pts)
6th place: Miller (5 pts)
7th place: Anderson (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (2 pts)

These speedway events may not have been the most exciting races I've been involved in, but they certainly did prove to be lucrative. At the conclusion of the event I was awarded a $18,600.00 event prize and the following from a pair of very stern-looking German executives:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/M3%20GTR.jpg
2002 BMW Motorsport M3 GTR

The M3 GTR is an up-gunned racing-version of BMW's M3 E46 coupe, weighing in at under 3,000 lbs but chugging out 380 horsepower from it's front-mounted 4.0-liter V8.

I was also awarded the following discounts:

10% discount from AEM Fuel Systems (Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, Toyota)
10% discount from Kaaz Differentials (Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan, Scion, Toyota)Wednesday, March 23rd - Season 2

We travel home to Barcelona today to prepare for the 2nd leg of the Class C World Championship.

Thursday, March 24th & Friday, March 25th - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Air Filter
Price: $1,170.00
Effect: Power +4 hp
Rating: C-414 (up 6 from C-408)
-I drop in a K&N high-flow air filter to coax a few extra horsepower out of the VX220's engine.

Upgrade: Sport Chassis Reinforcement & Roll Cage
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Weight +25 lbs.
Rating: C-415 (up 1 from C-414)
-I swap out the old front & rear strut tower bars and lower subframe bar with stiffer, heavier OMP bars.

Saturday, March 26th - Season 2

Tomorrow we're racing the full Grand Prix Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya, which is a track to which the Vauxhall should be well-suited. As I've mentioned before it is a very technical track, which means the agility of the VX220 should really shine. Running some practice laps today, I'm really happy with the feel of the car now that I've reinforced the chassis. While the car is certainly nimble, it felt like there was a bit of body roll when I ran it last at Sebring, no doubt a by-product of the lightweight materials used to build the car. Now with the upgraded chassis, it feels much more rigid and planted, better able to hold it's angle during turns.

Sunday, March 27th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class C World Championship
Race #2 (of 5): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - Grand Prix Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Catalunya.png

First-Place Prize: $20,350.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 11.57 mi
Starting Position: 5th

I knew that I wanted to do a better job this time of keeping my nose clean, based on how easily I was spun out at the start of the last Class C race, but I still couldn't pass up the opportunity to split between Williams and Sato on the opening stretch to move into 3rd place. Naturally I ended up regretting that as I ended up wedged between Williams and Takahashi on the 1st turn and came out of the turn back in 5th. After that I waited for a little bit, looking for an opening, and found it with an inside move on turn 7, repassing both Sato and Williams for 3rd place. I was later able to actually make an outside pass on Davis' Charger at the Banc de Sabadell, turn 12 (something I never would have been able to do with a heavier car), but overshot turn 13 and took a detour through the sand. By the time I got back out, I was in 5th place again, but quickly worked my way back up to 3rd as soon as we came through New Holland and onto the long front straightaway. I made another outside pass on Davis, this time on the big, sweeping right-hand turn 3, then finally got my first sniff of the lead shortly thereafter but ended up driving too hard into the hairpin turn 5, emerging back in 3rd. Davis fell to me again, this time in the Campa turn 9, but once again I drove it too hard into the next turn, and emerged from turn 10 in 3rd place yet again. I finally decided I'd had enough, putting another outside move on Davis at New Holland, then moved past Takahashi and into the lead carrying a lot of speed on the front stretch. And as is typically the case, once I was able to get up in front with clean race track in front of me I was able to run clean laps and pull away from the pack the rest of the way (replay file 'Class C 2').

<object height="344" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-x_W749A3jU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object>
Rough treatment at the start of the race at Circuit de Catalunya.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $20,350.00
Event Bonus: $11,000.00
Repairs: -$1,217.00
XP Gained: 11,000
(2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo gained Level 3)
Hotlap: 2:07.253 (top 25% of 643,443 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 8:54.925
2nd place: Davis (7) - 9:06.311
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 9:06.862
4th place: Williams (4) - 9:09.033
5th place: Anderson (3) - 9:11.398
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 9:11.831
7th place: Sato (1) - 9:12.503
8th place: Jones (0) - 9:23.417
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Davis (14 pts)
T-3rd place: Takahashi (9 pts)
T-3rd place: Williams (9 pts)
5th place: Watanabe (5 pts)
6th place: Anderson (4 pts)
7th place: Sato (3 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

DataKing

01-18-2010, 02:31 PM

Not really an update, just found this and had to share. I'm placing one of these in the Shelby. :D

DataKing

01-19-2010, 12:07 AM

And on a more serious note...

Monday, March 28th - Season 2

I've agreed to participate in a different sort of event over the next two weeks.

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class F Series
Rating Category: F-class
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $71,040.00
Event Bonus Prize: $19,200.00

What makes this event different is how it is organized. It isn't just a series of races up and down Fujimi Kaido in Japan. Instead, it's a series of four races on different sections of the Fujimi Kaido circuit (each one approximately 1/4 the length of the entire circuit). The other thing that is different is that each race is run in a series of three heats. Each heat is a 1-on-1 race against one of the other competitors. Heat #1 determines whether you're racing in the top- or bottom-half of the bracket. Heat #2 determines whether you're racing for 1st or 3rd place overall (in the top-half) or 5th or 7th (in the bottom-half). Heat #3 determines final placement. And since it is a series of 4 races (3 heats each), standard event scoring applies (10 pts for 1st place, 7 pts for 2nd place, and so on).

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex)
Takahashi (JPN) (1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR)
Yoshida (JPN) (2008 Toyota Yaris S)
Sato (JPN) (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
Watanabe (JPN) (2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS)
Kato (JPN) (2009 Honda Fit Sport)
Kim (KOR) (2009 Nissan Versa SL)

So today is a travel day.

Tuesday, March 29th - Season 2

I've got nothing else I can really do to the Del Sol (which I'll be using again in this event), so I take the day off. But the car itself is not idle. A mutual friend introduces me to a local detailer who is looking for some free publicity. After looking at some sketches, I decide to let him give the Del Sol a makeover.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Del%20Sol%20Side.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Del%20Sol%20Hood.jpg

(The design is a free one by Valyk Bloodbane if anyone is interested).

Wednesday, March 30th - Season 2

Idle.

Thursday, March 31st - Season 2

The first two races of the Fujimi Kaido event are back to back on Friday and Saturday, so I spend time today on both sections of track we'll be seeing; Stage C and Stage A Reverse. Stage C starts on an uphill climb, passes the radio tower at the mountain's peak, then starts a very tricky, curving downhill descent where I have trouble keeping the Honda off of the guardrails. I have a better feel for Stage A Reverse, which begins with a set of steep switchbacks, then moves into a wooded downhill section. By the end of the day I have a pretty good feel for both stages of the track, but I'm still having a hard time keeping the Del Sol off the barriers in sections (a fact to which my fenders can attest).

Friday, April 1st - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class F Series
Race #1 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage C

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20C.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,095.00 ($5,365.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.20 mi

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex)
A miserable start on my part allowed Sasaki to jump out to the lead off the line, compounded by the fact that I tried to cut an early corner too closely and banged in my front driver-side quarter-panel pretty good. A good run on the brief up-hill section heading towards the summit gave me the lead, however. After that I did a pretty good job of keeping my nose clean and got out to a pretty big lead over Sasaki. I did bang my right side into a couple of guardrails late in the heat, but by then Sasaki had no chance to catch me (replay file 'Fujimi F1 H1').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20F1.jpg
Pulling away from Sasaki at the radio tower on Fujimi Kaido.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,365.00
Repairs: -$268.00
XP Gained: 2,900

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:17.370
2nd place: Sasaki - 2:21.741
With that victory I'm guaranteed a finishing position in the top 4.

Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR)
A better launch on my part means I immediately jumped out to a lead over Takahashi, and managed to keep it even though I banged my right-front in the exact same place this time around. I sustained a few more knocks on the way down, and things did get a little sloppy on my part towards the end, but Takahashi never really got close to overtaking me (replay file 'Fujimi F1 H2').

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,365.00
Repairs: -$145.00
XP Gained: 2,900

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:18.272
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:22.510
That earns me a spot in the 1st-place heat.

Heat #3 vs. Sato (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
A clean start on my part meant I was easily able to accelerate away from Sato's Mazda at the beginning, and keeping my nose clean through the first few turns helped considerably as well. By the time I passed the radio tower I was already ahead by a football field, and I knew then that this one would be no contest. I tried to take it easy on the way down the mountain, but still managed to bang up a couple of fenders in the process. Still, it was an easy victory and I'll take it (replay file 'Fujimi F1 H3').

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,365.00
Repairs: -$314.00
XP Gained: 2,900
(1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR gained Level 4).
Hotlap: 2:17.370 (top 49% of 212,239 recorded times).

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:17.404
2nd place: Sato - 2:23.559
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Sato (7 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (5 pts)
4th place: Kato (4 pts)
5th place: Sasaki (3 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (2 pts)
7th place: Yoshida (1 pt)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Saturday, April 2nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class F Series
Race #2 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage A Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20A%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,650.00 ($5,550.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.30 mi

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex)
Sasaki's old Sprinter beat me off the line again today, and we ended up playing a bit of bumper-tag through the opening set of switchbacks. Sasaki emerged still in the lead, but only just. I was finally able to get a fender underneath him and forced my way into the lead just before the halfway point of the heat. After that I did bounce off of the guardrails a couple of times, which allowed Sasaki to keep things close, but he was never able to overtake me (replay file Fujimi F2 H1).

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,550.00
Repairs: -$314.00
XP Gained: 3,000
(Driver gained level 18)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:24.244
2nd place: Sasaki - 2:26.012

Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR)
This was by far my best run of the event thus far. A decent jump pushed me into the lead right off the bat, and I had a nice, clean trip through the opening switchbacks. Everything after that was clean, too. Granted, I came close to the guardrails a couple of times, but never touched then and therefore never had them scrub precious seconds off of my time. This was one of those great, exhilirating runs that keeps you coming back, looking for more (replay file 'Fujimi F2 H2').

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20F2.jpg
Flying into town at the end of a great run.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,550.00
XP Gained: 3,000

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:21.792
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:26.630

Heat #3 vs. Sato (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
Flush with my earlier success, another good launch on my part pushed me into the lead over Sato early on, and I had another good clean run through the switchbacks. But after that I got a little too aggressive in spots, bouncing the Honda off of the guardrails in places where I really knew better. Still, Sato was never really able to threaten me once I got out to the early lead (replay file 'Fujimi F2 H3').

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,550.00
Repairs: -$229.00
XP Gained: 3,000
Hotlap: 2:21.792 (top 10% of 205,583 recorded times) :D

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:23.226
2nd place: Sato - 2:28.064

The format of these heat races is such that I'm actually facing my tougher competition in the earlier heats. Rather odd, but that means that I have to stay sharp early on. One false move on my part and I could fall back into the pack in the points standings very easily.

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Sato (14 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (10 pts)
4th place: Kato (8 pts)
5th place: Sasaki (6 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (4 pts)
7th place: Yoshida (2 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Sunday, April 3rd - Season 2

I've got more scheduling peculiarities coming up here shortly, so I'll be breaking with tradition here over the next few days. The last two races in the Fujimi Kaido event will be held on Thursday and Friday of the coming week, which only leave enough time for travel before Sunday's Class C World Championship race in Sedona. So even though I'm in the middle of an event, I spend today on a plane heading for Arizona.

Monday, April 4th - Season 2

The only way I could squeeze in some practice time at Sedona Raceway Park before Sunday's race was to do it today, so that's what I did. I put the Vauxhall through its paces today at the odd speedway-road-dragstrip combination that is the full circuit at Sedona. Tomorrow I'll be hopping a plane and heading back to Japan.

DataKing

01-20-2010, 02:35 PM

I've added a 'Benchmarks' section to the Garage post on page 1. Here I will be listing the following statistics for each car in my stable. The current leader in each category is listed below:

-Acceleration 0mph to 60mph: 2009 Ferrari California (3.900 seconds)
-Braking 60mph to 0mph: 2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240 (109.4 feet)
-Top Speed: 2009 Ferrari California (195.0 mph)
-Lateral Gs at 60mph: 2007 SEAT Leon Supercup (1.23)

Eaglesfan27

01-20-2010, 06:16 PM

Love the makeover for the Del Sol! I'm a big fan of the speedways, and I enjoyed reading about your first exploits on them.

DataKing

01-22-2010, 05:29 PM

Eaglesfan27: Glad you like the Del Sol. I thought that design was kind of cool, and the skull design on the hood works with the hole I've got there. As for the speedways, they weren't the most entertaining thing I've done so far in this game, but I think that mostly had to do with the fact that I was running low-hp Class F cars. I can definitely see those being more intense when I go back in higher-power cars.

Balldog

01-22-2010, 06:54 PM

This is a pretty cool dynasty, you are making me want to go out and buy this.

DataKing

01-22-2010, 09:00 PM

Tuesday, April 5th - Season 2

Travel day today. I head back to Fujimi Kaido to finish up the Class F Series there.

Wednesday, April 6th - Season 2

Today was not a good day. I had time scheduled to do some practice runs down the two remaining stages of Fujimi Kaido; Stage D and Stage B Reverse. But on my 4th run down Stage D I screwed up on a turn and smacked the wall hard just before the tunnel. I ended up spending the rest of the day swapping out a busted radiator and fixing the other damage the Del Sol sustained. I'm pretty sure I caught everything, but this means I'll be running Stage B Reverse on Friday pretty much blind, with no practice time on it whatsoever. We'll see how much I can remember from my last trip here (August of last season).

Thursday, April 7th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class F Series
Race #3 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage D

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20D.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,095.00 ($5,365.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.60 mi.

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex)
Sasaki and I were pretty even off the line this time, but I was able to out-perform him through the opening switchbacks and started out with a small lead. That small lead rapidly grew into a pretty large one as I made good maneuvers on the ensuing turns, coming perilously close to the guardrails a couple of times but not making contact. That is, until the turn just before the tunnel at the halfway point of the stage. The Del Sol snapped loose on me in the exact same spot it did yesterday. I hit the wall pretty hard again, but managed to save it just enough to avoid engine damage. Fortunately my lead was such that I was able to get moving again and still maintained a healthy lead to the finish line.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,365.00
Repairs: -$195.00
XP Gained: 2,900

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:15.385
2nd place: Sasaki - 2:20.890
Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR)
All-around a pretty smooth run this time down the mountain. Obviously our cars were pretty evenly matched, but I was able to get a small lead off the line and maintained that through the opening switchbacks. I did bounce the fenders off of the guardrails a couple of times before the midway tunnel, but nothing more than superficial scratches and not enough to hurt my time. While the run was relatively smooth, I was perhaps a bit too cautious. I was still able to beat Takahashi, but my time was less than impressive.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,365.00
XP Gained: 2,900

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:17.087
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:21.107
Heat #3 vs. Sato (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
A perfectly clean run down the mountain on my part means poor Sato never really stood a chance in his Mazda. He disappeared from my rear-view pretty early on and didn't reappear until I was idling across the finish line.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20F3.jpg
Emerging from the midway tunnel at Fujimi Kaido.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,365.00
XP Gained: 2,900
Hotlap: 2:14.000 (top 23% of 206,382 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:14.000
2nd place: Sato - 2:22.191

Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Sato (21 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (15 pts)
4th place: Kato (12 pts)
5th place: Sasaki (9 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (6 pts)
7th place: Yoshida (3 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Friday, April 8th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class F Series
Race #4 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage B Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20B%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $22,200.00 ($7,400.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 3.10 mi

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex)
I figured this would be my most difficult heat of the day, since I was facing Sasaki on a section of track where I had no practice time, and I was right. I was able to get the jump on him at the start line, but had him all over my back bumper through the first section of tight downhill turns. I was probably being a little over-generous with the brakes, but I felt rightfully so due to unfamiliarity with the track. I did get a little overzealous coming out of the high-speed section at the north end of the track and flattened my left front quarter-panel, but managed to keep Sasaki at bay. It was a tight run throughout, and I was never able to gain much separation, but did manage to just hold Sasaki off for the win.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20F4.jpg
No time for sightseeing on Fujimi Kaido.

Result: Victory
Prize: $7,400.00
XP Gained: 4,000

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 3:09.473
2nd place: Sasaki - 3:10.457
Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR)
A little more comfortable this time down the mountain, I was able to jump out to an early (albeit short) lead on Takahashi off the line. I bounced off of a couple of guardrails in the early section of the track, but nothing serious. A couple of pretty hard shots later on did give me some significant body damage (and a bit of a headache). I wasn't exactly able to blow Takahashi's doors off, but I was able to maintain enough of an advantage that my miscues didn't cost me a win.

Result: Victory
Prize: $7,400.00
Repairs: -$597.00
XP Gained: 4,000

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 3:07.538
2nd place: Takahashi - 3:09.823
Heat #3 vs. Sato (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
Another anti-climatic finale, as greater track familiarity on my part and inferior equipment on Sato's part led to a resounding victory for yours truly.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,400.00
Event Prize: $38,400.00 (doubled for finishing in 1st place all 4 races)
XP Gained: 4,000
(Driver gained Level 19)
Hotlap: 3:06.003 (top 63% of 207,314 recorded times)

There was quite a bit of buzz around Fujimi Kaido this week, as apparently the popularity of drifting and the unique nature of the track itself has begun to garner a lot of attention from racers outside of Japan. In particular, a number of European manufacturers had representation present, and apparently I impressed some of them. I was presented with two cars after today's podium ceremony.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Super%202000.jpg
2007 Peugeot 207 Super 2000

Those wonderful frogs...sorry, I meant Frenchmen ;) at Peugeot awarded me with a nice little factory-tuned racer called the Super 2000. It is actually a rally car with a nice all-wheel-drive control system and a race-tuned 4-cylinder engine that cranks out 280 horsepower. Of course, I had to take it for a spin, and I immediately liked it. The race-tuning on this thing is superb, especially the gear ratios. It red-lines around 8,500 RPM and when you up-shift, you're already in the turque-band for the next gear, which makes for some serious acceleration.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Alfa%20Comp.jpg
2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

Not to be outdone, the gentlemen at Alfa Romeo (who know I'm a big fan of the Brera Italia) present me with a 2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The 8C was a special, limited-run sports car created by Alfa, with only 500 units produced that quickly sold out. It also marked the return of Alfa to the American car market after a 12-year absence. Regularly selling for $300,000.00 at auction, the Alfa boasts a hearty 450 horsepower V8 that makes it quite a handful to drive. But oh, what a wonderful sound it makes.

HPD, Honda's designated Valve and Displacement shop, have awarded me a 10% discount as well.

Saturday, April 9th - Season 2

Today we travel back to Arizona for the next leg in the Class C World Championship.

Sunday, April 10th - Season 2

Event: Class C World Championship
Race #3 (of 5): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $18,500.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 12.39 mi.
Starting Position: 5th

I got an absolutely fantastic jump at the drop of the green flag, slipping out towards the wall and up to the front of the pack before the first turn in the speedway section of the course. A little slip into the dirt on the transition off of the speedway allowed Davis to move up and challenge me for the lead, but the more maneuverable Vauxhall was able to pull away again as we turned towards the outbound tunnel. While I was able to maintain my lead for a while, the rest of the pack stayed pretty close, and it was the middle of lap two before things began to get stretched out a little bit. Then late in lap 2, disaster struck. Heading into the turn to the inbound tunnel the Vauxhall slipped and hit the retaining wall, in the same spot where I had trouble on my first run at this track. The impact brought me to a standstill, and as I turned around my front end was clipped by Takahashi's Subaru. By the time I got back up to speed I had fallen back to 6th place and not only was the aero on the Vauxhall shot, I also had damage to the front suspension and brake assembly. The engine, at least was still intact, but the rest of the damage meant making up any ground on the speedway was a lost cause. All I could do there was maintain. I actually slipped back into 7th on the transition as I struggled to get used to the new handling on the car, but to it's credit the little ultralight still managed to shine once we got to the road-course section. Things had gotten a little bunched up behind Takahashi, and I moved up to 4th right behind him as we hit the west end of the course. Coming out of there, the nimble little Vauxhall managed to hold the inside line and I accelerated past Takahashi and Sato and into 2nd. Davis' big Charger was my next target, and I finally managed to catch and pass him to the inside, back on the speedway section and heading for the finish line. But the Charger's big engine brought him right up to my back bumper and the front-suspension damage the Vauxhall had sustained finally got the best of me. Davis' move stole away some of my precious down-force. The little car slid up the track, brushed the wall, and that was all the opening Davis needed to slip past me on the final straightaway and on to victory lane.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20C%203.jpg
Jumping out to the early lead at Sedona Raceway Park

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Time: 8:33.733
Prize: $16,465.00
Bonus: $8,900.00
Repairs: -$5,027.00
XP Gained: 10,000
(2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo gained Level 4)
Hotlap: 2:48.313 (top 84% of 636,491 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 8:33.024
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 8:33.733
3rd place: Williams (5) - 8:37.277
4th place: Watanabe (4) - 8:37.546
5th place: Takahashi (3) - 8:37.663
6th place: Sato (2) - 8:38.446
7th place: Anderson (1) - 8:39.117
8th place: Jones (0) - 8:42.376
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (27 pts)
2nd place: Davis (24 pts)
3rd place: Williams (14 pts)
4th place: Takahashi (12 pts)
5th place: Watanabe (9 pts)
T-6th place: Sato (5 pts)
T-6th place: Anderson (5 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Today's results certainly tighten matter up between myself and Davis. It looks like a two-horse race the rest of the way, though. With only two races to go, I don't have room for another error like I had today.

Vauxhall's in-house Valve shop offers me a 10% discount.

DataKing

01-24-2010, 12:33 AM

Balldog: Glad you're enjoying this. Thanks for following along.

Monday, April 11th - Season 2

There isn't much going on in the bigger circuits over the next couple of weeks, so I'll be driving the Fairlady in an amateur event; the Rear-Wheel-Drive Elite Open.

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Rating Category: C-class
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $23,495.00
Event Bonus Prize: $6,350.00

I was thinking this might be some easy money, but upon reviewing the list of competitors, I'll be up against some pretty good horsepower. A couple of nice pony cars in the mix here:

The Competition:
Davis (USA) (2004 Cadillac CTS-V)
Taylor (USA) (2008 Chrysler 300C SRT-8)
Williams (USA) (2006 Dodge Charger SRT8)
Brown (USA) (2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport)
Miller (USA) (2004 Pontiac GTO)
Kato (JPN) (2004 Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed)
Jones (USA) (2005 Ford Mustang GT)
Today is a travel day. Despite fielding an almost exclusively American field, this event takes place entirely in Japan. Also, we won't have any time for warm-ups. Race #1 is tomorrow. Let's hope I remember how to drive the Nissan.

Tuesday, April 12th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Race #1 (of 3): Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma, Japan) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,955.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 3.88 mi.
Starting Position: 5th

Going in I figured this would be a tight race, since we had a bunch of relatively big, heavy cars competing on a pretty short, tight track (the short circuit is less than a mile in length), and I pretty much got what I expected. I managed to gain one spot off the line, then jockeyed with Brown a little bit on the first hairpin, nearly spinning out the Fairlady's rear wheels on exit. Coming out of the second hairpin, I ended up in a short dragrace with Taylor, then bumped fenders back and forth with both him and Davis as we fought for the lead around the east sweeper. Again, I nearly lost the Fairlady's back end coming out of the turn, but managed to hold the line and took the lead at the start of the long, right-hand sweeper that leads back to the start-finish line. Lap 2 saw me swing wide and a bit into the grass at the east end of the track as I struggled to re-familiarize myself with rear-wheel-drive racing, but I managed to hang on and keep my lead the rest of the way.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/RWD%20Elite%201.jpg
Little room to maneuver at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,955.00
Repairs: -$481.00
XP Gained: 4,300
Hotlap: 49.495 (top 32% of 565,094 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:28.018
2nd place: Davis (7) - 3:31.842
3rd place: Taylor (5) - 3:32.945
4th place: Williams (4) - 3:35.222
5th place: Brown (3) - 3:36.564
6th place: Miller (2) - 3:44.152
7th place: Jones (1) - 3:52.486
8th place: Kato (0) - 3:52.667
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Davis (7 pts)
3rd place: Taylor (5 pts)
4th place: Williams (4 pts)
5th place: Brown (3 pts)
6th place: Miller (2 pts)
7th place: Jones (1 pt)
8th place: Kato (0 pt)
It's probably just as well that I was at a horsepower disadvantage in today's race. Tsukuba isn't exactly the sort of place where you could use it, especially not on the shortened version of the track. Still, the Fairlady's back end kept swinging wide on me until I got the tires warmed up. That's something I want to address.

Wednesday, April 13th - Season 2

Upgrade: Upgraded Rear Tire Width
Price: $2,700.00
Effect: 265/45R17
Rating: C-420 (up 10 from C-410)
-I take a big swing at the Fairlady's grip characteristics and widen the rear tires by 30 millimeters. I'm hoping that all that extra rubber on the road will help to keep her back end in check when I accelerate out of a turn.

Thursday, April 14th - Season 2

I turn some practice laps today at our next destination, the Suzuka East Circuit. This is a place I've always done well, and the East Circuit is largely about throttle control. Not exactly the best place for testing the widened rear tires, but I'm not complaining.

Friday, April 15th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Elite Open
Race #2 (of 3): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Suzuka%20Circuit%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,215.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 4.17 mi
Starting Position: 5th

I got off to a good launch this time around, slipping past Brown and Williams and into 3rd place before the first double-apex turn at the east end of the track. Coming out of that, I was determined not to press the issue too much early on, knowing how others like to use their brakes here, but this ended up hurting me. I checked up a little too much, and got the Fairlady out of shape, slipping and sliding through most of the southern half of the track. I even drifted back into 5th place briefly, but finally got the Nissan settled and powered back into 3rd as we headed for the west end of the track. I got a good run coming out of the west end and back onto the front straightaway, then beat Taylor's 300C in a drag-race down the front stretch. I then slipped to the inside of Davis and into the lead as we broke into turn 1. Once I was in the clear I let my throttle-control do the work and opened up a huge lead on the rest of the pack.

<object width="560" height="340">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o3pjP3K4Y0w&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></object>
Hanging on for dear life at Suzuka.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,215.00
XP Gained: 3,900
(2003 Nissan Fairlady Z gained Level 4)
Hotlap: 56.992 (top 6% :eek: of 231,813 recorded times. Did I mention I like this place? I'm curious to see what I could do here if I actually tuned my car.)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:04.721
2nd place: Davis (7) - 3:13.277
3rd place: Taylor (5) - 3:13.932
4th place: Williams (4) - 3:16.978
5th place: Brown (3) - 3:18.579
6th place: Miller (2) - 3:24.858
7th place: Kato (1) - 3:32.281
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:33.485
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Davis (14 pts)
3rd place: Taylor (10 pts)
4th place: Williams (8 pts)
5th place: Brown (6 pts)
6th place: Miller (4 pts)
T-7th place: Kato (1 pt)
T-7th place: Jones (1 pt)

Saturday, April 16th - Season 2

Upgrade: BBS RK Rims
Price: $3,700.00
Effect: Weight -31 lbs.
Rating: C-423 (up 3 from C-420)
-A set of BBS RK Rims slims the Fairlady down by a few pounds, but I mostly got them for looks.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fairlady%20Rims.jpg

Sunday, April 17th - Season 2

Track time today at the last leg of the event, the East Circuit at Twin Ring Motegi. You may recall that the last time I drove the Fairlady here I was involved in a nasty wreck. Needless to say that was at the forefront of my thoughts today, but I do my best to forget about it and get things dialed in for tomorrow's race.

Monday, April 18th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Rear-Wheel-Drive Elite
Race #3 (of 3): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,325.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 3.77 mi
Starting Position: 5th

The start of the race wasn't as good to me this time around, but I was still able to pass Brown for 4th place. As we headed for the first turn and the spot of my nasty wreck last year, I admit to getting a little cautious, taking the turn relatively gently (despite a bump from Brown) and emerged from short tunnel still in 4th place. Feeling a bit more confident now, I took advantage of a tangle between Williams and Davis on the next turn, swinging to the outside of the both of them and into 2nd. I looked to the inside of Taylor and tried to outbrake him for the lead on the sharp 120-degree turn at the northwest end of the track, but we bumped through the turn and he was able to muscle his way into keeping the lead. I stayed right on his back bumper until the sharp left-hander before the end-lap hairpin, where I was able to slip to the inside and into the lead. He tried to muscle me out of the way again with his bigger 300C, but I was having none of that this time around. Lap 2 was smooth sailing and I was able to complete my sweep of the event.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/RWD%20Elite%203.jpg
Putting the pass on Taylor at Twin Ring Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,325.00
Repairs: -$327.00
XP Gained: 4,500
Hotlap: 1:38.927 (top 23% of 386,720 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:30.151
2nd place: Taylor (7) - 3:36.507
3rd place: Davis (5) - 3:36.700
4th place: Williams (4) - 3:39.830
5th place: Brown (3) - 3:41.362
6th place: Miller (2) - 3:48.298
7th place: Kato (1) - 3:53.206
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:57.202
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Davis (19 pts)
3rd place: Taylor (17 pts)
4th place: Williams (12 pts)
5th place: Brown (9 pts)
6th place: Miller (6 pts)
7th place: Kato (2 pts)
8th place: Jones (1 pt)

Event Bonus Prize: $12,700.00

AP Racing Japan offers me a 10% discount on their brakes. They do after-market brakes for Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Nissan.

DataKing

01-26-2010, 09:10 PM

Tuesday, April 19th - Season 2

Travel day today. We head to England for the 4th stage of the Class C World Championships. I have a rarity coming up...nearly a full week off as the race isn't until Sunday.

Wednesday, April 20th thru Friday, April 22nd - Season 2

I use the time off to make some improvements to the Vauxhall.

Upgrade: Street Valves
Price: $1,530.00
Effect: Power +4 hp
Rating: C-422 (up 7 from C-415)
-Large-diameter stainless steel valves should provide additional airflow to the mid-mounted engine.

Upgrade: Sport Brakes
Price: $5,000.00
Effect: Efficiency +2%
Rating: C-423 (up 1 from C-422)
-Large ventilated 2-piece rotors, aluminum mounting hubs & calipers, and track-spec brake pads, all from Ferodo. The later I can hit the brakes heading into corners, the better.

Upgrade: Sport Springs and Dampers
Price: $4,200.00
Effect: Ride Height -0.37 in.
Rating: C-424 (up 1 from C-423)
-Stiffer lowering springs, custom-valved shocks, and teflon bushings from KW drop the VX220 about a third of an inch closer to the ground and still keep things stiff.

Saturday, April 23rd - Season 2

This is my first trip to Silverstone since the 4th of July last year, so today is well-spent re-familiarizing myself with the track and its nuances. I had forgotten how flat the place is. The lack of banking makes some of the sharp turns rather hard on the tires, but hopefully that will be to my advantage as all of my competition tomorrow is considerably heavier than I am.

Sunday, April 24th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class C World Championship
Race #4 (of 5): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptsonshire, England) - Grand Prix Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone_2000.jpg

First-Place Prize: $20,350.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 12.76 mi
Starting Position: 5th

I didn't get a very good jump off the line, briefly falling back into 6th place, but the Vauxhall's superior acceleration soon kicked in and I jumped up to 4th in the opening Copse Turn. Without the top end that a lot of the lead race cars had, I stayed in 4th through the Hangar and Vale straights. Coming up to the Abbey Turn, I slid past Takahashi to the outside, but ran hard into the back end of Williams' Pontiac. If I had been in a front-engine car I very likely would have damaged the engine and ruined any real shot I had at winning. But as it was, I still did some damage to the transmission and my left-front suspension. Coming out of the Farm Straight I pushed past Williams and into 2nd place. After that I was right on Davis' back bumper, but didn't have the firepower to pass him as we came through Woodcote and on to the start of lap 2. I tried my luck with Davis and took him for the lead at the Chapel turn, but he powered back past me and into the lead on the Hangar Straight. We continued to battle all the way through the Club and Abbey turns before I was finally able to put the pass on him and make it stick, to the outside of the Bridge turn near the end of lap 2. After that I was able to maintain a small lead the rest of the way, but wasn't able to run away from the pack. I lost ground to the bigger engines in the field on the straightaways, but made up for it by being faster through the bendy bits.<object width="560" height="340">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vu4orFBqX_A&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></object>
Taking the lead (for good) at Silverstone.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $20,350.00
Race Bonus: $11,000.00
Repairs: -$3,352.00
XP Gained: 11,000
(Driver gained Level 20)
Hotlap: 2:14.575 (top 66% of 606,170 recorded times - damage really screwed me here)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 9:14.227
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 9:15.609
3rd place: Davis (5) - 9:16.344
4th place: Williams (4) - 9:19.302
5th place: Watanabe (3) - 9:20.733
6th place: Sato (2) - 9:21.679
7th place: Anderson (1) - 9:24.048
8th place: Jones (0) - 9:34.788
Event Standings
1st place: Tolliver (37 pts)
2nd place: Davis (29 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (19 pts)
4th place: Williams (18 pts)
5th place: Watanabe (12 pts)
6th place: Sato (7 pts)
7th place: Anderson (6 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)
Davis' unexpected 3rd place finish is an additional boon to me. All I need is a 5th place finish in the finale on May 8th to secure the Championship.

After the race I had the usual opportunity to meet-and-greet a number of suits. As it turns out, two of those suits were actually the lead designers of the latest-and-greatest put out by Audi. They handed me the keys to an impressive new machine, but there was a catch:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Audi%2052.jpg
The 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro

I was truly impressed with this beast as we took it for a few low-speed laps around the track late in the day (didn't want to scare the egg-heads with my driving). The R8 has been out for a few years, but apparently it was these guys' idea to jam a V10 522-horsepower monster in behind the cockpit. All that power, combined with Audi's Quattro All-Wheel-Drive system, should in theory present an awe-inspiring combination.

Now...the catch. The Audi was mine to have, but I had to agree to participate in an Audi-only club event. No big deal you're probably thinking...except that the 1st race is the day after tomorrow...in Italy. So I'll be driving this thing with virtually no seat-time whatsoever, and to make matters worse the race is at the super-tight Amalfi Coast course. This ought to be...interesting. The eggheads inform me that I will have one significant advantage, however. None of the other participants will be running the 5.2. I'm told there's another R8 in the field, but it's the slower V8 model.

Event: Audi Club
Rating Category: A-class
Restrictions: Make limited to Audi
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $47,730.00
Event Bonus Prize: $12,900.00

The Competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2008 Audi R8)
Muller (GER)(2006 Audi RS 4)
Evans (UK) (2003 Audi RS 6)
Weber (GER) (2007 Audi S5)
Esposito (ITA) (2007 Audi TT Coupe S-Line)
Johansson (SWE) (2004 Audi S4)
Spiers (UK) (2009 Audi Q7 V12 TDI)

Monday, April 25th - Season 2

We travel to Italy today.

Tuesday, April 26th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Audi Club
Race #1 (of 4): Amalfi Coast (Amalfi, Italy) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Amalfi%20Coast%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,210.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.60 mi
Starting Position: 4th :D

I knew the Audi was going to be fast and all, but HOLY CRAP! The thing absolutely flew off the line, and I'm sure I would have shot straight up to the front if we didn't have an immediately hairpin turn to the left. Coming out of the turn still in 4th, even with the Quattro AWD working I still nearly lost control of the thing and dropped back to 5th. Struggling to get a handle on the power now contained by my right foot as we moved through the tight city bends of Amalfi, I eventually spun out and fell all the way to the back of the pack. Working my way back up to 6th was a piece of cake, easily accomplished by the end of lap 1 even on such a narrow track. But after that, passing proved more difficult even with the massive horsepower advantage I had. I was able to force my way past both Weber and Esposito, but not without sustaining more body damage to my beautiful new car. Evans I was able to pass without incident at least, on the outside as we reached the far hairpin on lap 2. I caught Muller's RS 4 on the south-bound half of lap 3 and was able to force my way past him as well (but again, not without swapping paint). At last I was within sight of Rossi's R8, making up good time through the return-trip chicanes and getting right up on his back bumper as we started the 4th and final lap. He did a good job of blocking me through the first half of the lap, but I was able to finally get a nose underneath him on the south-end hairpin. We emerged in a dead heat, but my big V10 easily overpowered him and took me into the lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Audi%20Club%201.jpg

Even with All-Wheel-Drive, the R8 proves a difficult beast to tame.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $12,210.00
Repairs: -$5,179.00 (ouch)
XP Gained: 6,600
(2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro gained Level 1)
Hotlap: 1:08.955 (top 73% of 222,957 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:54.311
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:55.008
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:55.978
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:59.750
5th place: Weber (3) - 5:00.323
6th place: Esposito (2) - 5:02.445
7th place: Johansson (1) - 5:06.605
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:19.756
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (7 pts)
3rd place: Muller (5 pts)
4th place: Evans (4 pts)
5th place: Weber (3 pts)
6th place: Esposito (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
Honestly, I really had no business winning this race, but I had so much more car than anyone else, I was still able to pull it off.

Wednesday, April 27th - Season 2

Travel day today. We're heading for the Big Apple and my first taste of the New York Circuit.

Thursday, April 28th - Season 2

My first time in a real city course (Amalfi doesn't count...it's a sleepy little Mediterranean town), and I am immediately reminded of running from the police back in Chicago in my youth. The lighting, reflections, and sharp shadows actually make high-speed visibility more difficult than you might think, so I spend extra time learning the track. The track itself is relatively simple, and is set right in the heart of downtown Manhattan. We start runniing north a little bit north of Times Square, then come around on a long right-hander around Columbus Circle. East for a little bit, then back south on 6th Avenue, then turn around at 39th Street and back north, past the Square and to the finish line. But to make matters a little more interesting, they also contruct artificial chicanes with concrete barriers and tires, two on the north-bound section and two south-bound, to prevent the race from just being a set of drag-races. These chicanes are where a lot of time is either gained or lost, so I spend a good part of the afternoon learning how to get through them clean.

Friday, April 29th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Audi Club
Race #2 (of 4): New York Circuit (New York, NY) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20York%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,950.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.27 mi.
Starting Position: 4th

I get off to a fantastic start at the drop of the green, shooting straight up to the front and side-by-side with Rossi as we enter the first chicane. There we bump, and Rossi makes a fantastic move to keep his R8 off the tires and in the hunt as we blast north towards Columbus Circle. I go into the Circle a little too hot and scrape the outside retaining wall, allowing Evans to briefly take the lead, but I easily power past him as we swing east and I'm back in the lead when we turn south on 6th Avenue. I scrape the retaining wall one more time working my way through the southbound chicanes, but hardly lose any time and I've got a comfortable lead by the time I turn around and start back north. After that it was smooth sailing all the way to the finish line, and an easy victory. Nobody could challenge the R8's big V10 here.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Audi%20Club%202.jpg
Leading the pack early in New York

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $12,950.00
Repairs: -$1,676.00
XP Gained: 7,000
(2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro gained Level 2)
Hotlap: 1:12.564 (top 14% of 225,952 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 5:03.923
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 5:09.878
3rd place: Muller (5) - 5:30.996
4th place: Evans (4) - 5:31.204
5th place: Esposito (3) - 5:44.834
6th place: Weber (2) - 5:45.471
7th place: Spiers (1) - 6:12.293 (damaged)
8th place: Johansson (0) - 6:13.072 (damaged)
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (14 pts)
3rd place: Muller (10 pts)
4th place: Evans (8 pts)
T-5th place: Esposito (5 pts)
T-5th place: Weber (5 pts)
T-7th place: Spiers (1 pt)
T-7th place: Johansson (1 pt)

DataKing

01-30-2010, 11:08 AM

Saturday, April 30th & Sunday, May 1st - Season 2

Round 3 of the Audi Club event is just up the road in Loudon, New Hampshire, so no need for a travel day. Instead, I spend the weekend making a couple of improvements to the R8 (not that it really needs it against this level of competition).

Upgrade: Race Chassis Reinforcement & Roll Cage
Price: $2,700.00
Effect: Weight +53 lbs.
Rating: A-560 (up 2 from A-558)
-In the New York race, the car felt like it had a bit too much body roll and flex for my liking, probably due to the length of the car. So I seem-weld the chassis and install a Sparco roll cage for maximum safety and stiffness.

Upgrade: Sport Weight Reduction
Price: $2,200.00
Effect: Weight -315 lbs.
Rating: A-586 (up 26 from A-560)
-I pull out the entertainment system, airbags, power accessories and AC to lighten the load on the suspension.

Monday, May 2nd - Season 2

I spend the day running practice laps at Maple Valley Raceway, getting used to the stiffer chassis. Maple Valley is such a high-speed circuit, I don't see how any of the other competitors in the Audi Club has a chance tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 3rd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Audi Club
Race #3 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,470.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.96 mi
Starting Position: 4th

Today's race really was no contest, as I suspected. I blasted off the line and right into the lead, overtaking Rossi's R8 on the entry to the first turn, and never looked back. The Italian did hang with me for most of the first lap, but the end result was really never in doubt. The 5.2 was so dominant that I actually lapped Johansson and Spiers at the beginning of my final lap, and getting through that slower traffic provided the only tense moment of the afternoon.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Audi%20Club%203.jpg
Lapping the slower traffic at Maply Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $11,470.00
XP Gained: 6,200
(2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro gained Level 3)
Hotlap: 41.835 (top 9% of 270,799 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:21.624
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:35.804
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:42.503
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:53.870
5th place: Weber (3) - 4:54.235
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:58.848
7th place: Johansson (1) - 5:16.961
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:22.347
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (21 pts)
3rd place: Muller (15 pts)
4th place: Evans (12 pts)
5th place: Weber (8 pts)
6th place: Esposito (7 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (1 pt)

Wednesday, May 4th - Season 2

We stay stateside to finish off the Audi Club, heading down the east coast to Daytona for Friday's finale.

Thursday, May 5th - Season 2

I turn some laps today at the Club Circuit at Daytona. Another fast track means tomorrow's race should be a foregone conclusion. However, I do manage to clip one of the retaining walls on lap 7, and spend the rest of the day and into the evening hours fixing the steering mechanism.

Friday, May 6th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Audi Club
Race #4 (of 4): Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beack, FL) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,100.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.76 mi
Starting Position: 4th

Once again the superior horsepower of the 5.2 prevails off the line, and I take the lead to the outside as we head onto the Daytona infield for the first portion of the race. Rossi and a couple of others were at least able to stay within shouting distance through the infield, but once we made the transition to the speedway section of the track, it was all over. The V10 in my R8 just blew away the competition here. Interesting side-note, I set a new person in-race top speed record today of 175.7 mph.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Audi%20Club%204.jpg
Pulling away from the field at Daytona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $11,100.00
XP Gained: 6,000
Hotlap: 1:02.069 (top 9% of 272,664 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:21.624
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:36.996
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:44.325
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:59.617
5th place: Weber (3) - 5:03.536
6th place: Johansson (2) - 5:12.532
7th place: Esposito (1) - 5:12.603
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:25.787
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus Prize: $25,800.00
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (28 pts)
3rd place: Muller (20 pts)
4th place: Evans (16 pts)
5th place: Weber (11 pts)
6th place: Esposito (8 pts)
7th place: Johansson (4 pts)
8th place: Spiers (1 pt)
Obviously this entire event wasn't even much of a contest, really. I almost feel guilty about taking the prize money. Almost. ;)

The Audi eggheads were quite pleased, as you can imagine, and have offered me discounts at Audi's in-house Driveline and Valve shops. I've also been awarded a discount on Sachs Germany Clutch assemblies (Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche, and Volkswagen).

Saturday, May 7th - Season 2

I have to cut my celebration time in Florida short and get on a plane. I'm headed to Japan for the finale of the Class C World Championship. There will be no time for practice laps at the Suzuka Circuit, but I am still pretty confident. I've raced each half of the track by itself on plenty of occasions (the East and West Circuits) and I'm quite familiar with them, but tomorrow will be my first time racing the Full Circuit. I'll need to be careful in the transitions, which I won't be familiar with, but a 5th place finish is all I need in order to ensure a championship. Then the real party can begin.

Sunday, May 8th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class C World Championship
Race #5 (of 5): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit_Suzuka.png

First-Place Prize: $24,050.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 14.44 mi
Starting Position: 4th

As the race began I kept telling myself to look at the big picture and remember I only needed to finish 5th. I had managed to squeeze my way up into 3rd place before the first turn, but took that initial turn too wide and found myself falling back deeper into the pack. Apparently I haven't made very many friends amongst this group, because more than one driver made sure to give me a little shot on that first turn, and I emerged all the way back in 7th. Moving back up in turns 3 thru 5 proved difficult (as is usually the case here), but I managed to slip between the inside and outside lines on the Gyaku Bank, then to the inside of turn 7 and back up to 4th place as we headed through the curving transition to the West Circuit. An inside move on Williams at the Degner turn moved me back into 3rd. I made up some good ground on the leaders heading into and out of the turn 11 hairpin, then passed Davis to the inside of the long, right-handed sweeper turn 12. Takahashi and I touched on the entry to the famous Spoon turn at the southwest corner of the track, but I was able to move my way past him and into the lead on the Crossover straight. As I crossed the start-finish line for lap 2, I realized I had forgotten all about "just finishing 5th." The red mist had descended. :D I was not about to just back off and let anyone pass me. If so much as one of these much bigger cars really had a mind to ruin my day, they could very easily do so if I let them catch me. Perhaps due to a touch of nerves I got loose in a couple of spots on lap 2, allowing Davis to keep his big Charger right on or near my back bumper for most of the lap, but I was able to hold him off. Laps 3 and 4 were little better on my part, but I was still able to work my way out to a semi-comfortable lead as my competitors' lap times started to drop off considerably. Perhaps they were pushing especially hard early on, I don't know. All I know is the checkered flag and the Class C World Championship is mine!

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Class%20C%205.jpg
Close-quarters racing early on at Suzuka.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $24,050.00
Bonus Prize: $13,000.00
XP Gained: 13,000
(Driver gained Level 21)
Hotlap: 2:28.466 (top 50% of 570,399 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 10:12.850
2nd place: Davis (7) - 10:19.068
3rd place: Williams (5) - 10:21.401
4th place: Watanabe (4) - 10:24.103
5th place: Takahashi (3) - 10:25.531
6th place: Anderson (2) - 10:29.555
7th place: Sato (1) - 10:30.306
8th place: Jones (0) - 10:43.409
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus Prize: $29,000.00
1st place: Tolliver (47 pts)
2nd place: Davis (36 pts)
3rd place: Williams (23 pts)
4th place: Takahashi (22 pts)
5th place: Watanabe (16 pts)
T-6th place: Anderson (8 pts)
T-6th place: Sato (8 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)
Winning the Class C World Championship certainly is a feather in my cap and the highlight of my season thus far, but seeing what the gentlemen at Ford had in store for me for winning comes in a close 2nd:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ford%20GT.jpg
2005 Ford GT

The Ford GT belongs near the top of the list when it comes to modern American muscle. Only four thousand were produced between 2003 and 2006, and it was styled closely after Ford's GT40 racers of the 1960s. But underneath it is a completely different animal. It's mid-placed 5.4-liter V8 engine is augmented by a twin-screw supercharger and cranks out 550 horsepower and, as is typical for American engines, is very torquey too, with 500 lb-ft of it at 4,500 RPMs. I had to take it for a spin around the track later in the day once things had died down, and I do like it. Plenty of grip in the massive rear wheels, but not so much that it isn't a hoot to drive. If I end up racing this thing, though, I'm going to have to swap out the transmission. The factory gearing is set up strictly for top speed and is all wrong for track racing. I was doing 100 mph in 2nd gear!

DataKing

02-01-2010, 11:57 PM

Monday, May 9th - Season 2

Things are a little quiet at this level over the next couple of weeks with the conclusion of the Class C Championship, so I've signed up for something a little different. Somebody out there in the amateur ranks decided it would be interesting to try racing SUVs (and pickups). I figured what the heck, let's give it a shot, so I spend the day today heading back to Florida for the start of the event.

Event: SUV Road Test
Rating Category: C-class
Restrictions: Body style family limited to Sport Truck
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $23,495.00

Tuesday, May 10th - Season 2

If we're going to be racing Sport Trucks, that means I'm going to need to buy one. My decision on what to purchase may seem a little suspect, but I assure you there is a reason for it:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Range%20Rover.jpg
2008 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged

Maybe buying a Range Rover makes me yuppie scum, I don't know. But I've wanted to get my hands on one for a while now. Not necessarily for racing purposes, but to have something for moving tools, parts, etc during the winters in Barcelona. Sure, it ran me $68,000.00, which is a heck of a lot more than I stand to win in this event, but I can afford it.

Author's Note: There's actually a big out-of-character reason for me buying the Range Rover. There is an Xbox achievement called Connoisseur that you get for owning at least one car from each manufacturer in the game. The Range Rover is the only vehicle in the game from Land Rover, so I would have had to buy one eventually anyway.

The Competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S)
Muller (GER) (2009 Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG)
Williams (USA) (2006 Dodge Ram SRT10)
Weber (GER) (2009 Audi Q7 V12 TDI)
Esposito (ITA) (2008 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged)
Johansson (SWE) (2008 Volkswagen Touareg R50)
Spiers (GER) (2009 BMW X5 xDrive48i)
The Range Rover is a bit low as far as performance index goes against some of the other vehicles here, but Rossi's Cayenne (which I consider to be an eyesore and an insult to the Porsche name) is the only C-class in the field. Odds are I probably won't win in this event, but it's just not worth it spending a bunch of money beefing up the Range Rover for a limited payout.

Wednesday, May 11th - Season 2

That being said, I do feel I should do something.

Upgrade: Sport Weight Reduction
Price: $1,200.00
Effect: Weight -633 lbs.
Rating: D-305 (up 43 from E-263)
-I strip out the entertainment system, airbags, power goodies, etc to at least get the weight down a bit.

Thursday, May 12th - Season 2

I spend the day running laps in the Range Rover at Sebring International. The all-wheel-drive gives me a good feeling of control over the big SUV, but the ride height is something I'm completely unused to in a racing situation, and I can't corner anywhere near as fast as I normally can, for obvious reasons.

Friday, May 13th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: SUV Road Test
Race #1: Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $6,845.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 4.00 mi
Starting Position: 4th

I got a decent jump off the line in the Range Rover, moving immediately into 3rd place behind Rossi and Muller. Muller and I bumped a little bit moving through the first turn, but I had the inside line and emerged in 2nd place. I was able to stay near Rossi's back bumper for a good portion of the lap, but once we hit the south straightaway the Porsche turbo under his hood really kicked in and he opened up a small lead. I was able to close that lead back down a bit as we made the turn at the west end of the track and headed back towards the start-finish line. I was near Rossi's back bumper as we approached the sharp turnaround at the north end of the track on lap 2 when he badly overbroke heading into the turn, causing me to rear-end him quite hard. We both kept going largely unaffected, a testament to the durability of these vehicles, but I was still pissed as he proceeded to drive away and I had to settle for a 2nd place finish.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/SUV%201.jpg
Collision at Sebring (notice the glow of the brake rotors).

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $5,920.00
Repairs: -$498.00
XP Gained: 3,700
Hotlap: 1:29.534 (top 37% of 280,360 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Rossi (10) - 3:04.349
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 3:05.262
3rd place: Muller (5) - 3:08.524
4th place: Williams (4) - 3:15.105
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:21.890
6th place: Esposito (2) - 3:22.669
7th place: Johansson (1) - 3:26.822
8th place: Spiers (0) - 3:34.826
Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (10 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (7 pts)
3rd place: Muller (5 pts)
4th place: Williams (4 pts)
5th place: Weber (3 pts)
6th place: Esposito (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
A satisfactory result, actually, when you consider that I'm using inferior equipment here. I just couldn't bring myself to buy one of those Cayenne atrocities.

Saturday, May 14th - Season 2

Travel day today. For the first time in a while, I'm going to get to spend a few days in my own bed in Barcelona.

Sunday, May 15th - Season 2

On a bit of a whim I decided to buy another car. It'll probably just end up in my garage gathering dust, but what the hell.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Eclipse%20GT.jpg

2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT

Author's Note: I bought this car because I wanted to see how good a job the game did of modeling it, since this is what I drive in the real world (mine is a 2008, but they're pretty much identical). I was sorely disappointed in the treatment the Eclipse got here. It is a joyless lump in comparison to the real thing, let me tell you. Mine really comes alive when the torque kicks in at 4,000 RPM, but no such luck in the virtual world. Guess I'll stick to the real thing when it comes to the Eclipse.

Monday, May 16th - Season 2

I get some track time today at the short School Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya. This is my least-favorite layout at Catalunya, and today was made even more difficult because the short, tight layout does not suit big SUVs very well. Oh well.

Tuesday, May 17th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: SUV Road Test
Race #2 (of 3): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - School Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20School%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,325.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.23 mi
Starting Position: 4th

Another good start off the line (thanks in part to the all-wheel-drive on the Range Rover) and an early inside move on Muller shot me up to 2nd place very early in the race. I thought the lack of open straightaways would be to my advantage in overtaking Rossi, but although I was able to hang with him in the first two laps, even tapping is back bumper as we made he turn at the south end of the track, I was not able to gain enough of an advantage to overtake him. After that, with a little bit of a lead over the rest of the pack, I tried pressing a bit but only managed to run the Range Rover off of the track in a couple of spots, and ended up with another 2nd place finish overall.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/SUV%202.jpg
Inside of Muller's Merc early in the race at Catalunya.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $7,215.00
XP Gained: 4,500
(2008 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged gained Levels 1 & 2)
Hotlap: 51.341 (top 6% of 389,055 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Rossi (10) - 3:34.981
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 3:37.235
3rd place: Muller (5) - 3:43.190
4th place: Williams (4) - 3:49.572
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:52.631
6th place: Esposito (2) - 3:57.032
7th place: Johansson (1) - 3:58.310
8th place: Spiers (0) - 4:08.699
Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (20 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (14 pts)
3rd place: Muller (10 pts)
4th place: Williams (8 pts)
5th place: Weber (6 pts)
6th place: Esposito (4 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
Catching Rossi will be pretty much impossible now, unless he has a complete meltdown.

Wednesday, May 18th - Season 2

Travel day today, as we turn right around and head back to Florida to finish off the event. But first...

Thursday, May 19th - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

I've been looking for a "project car" for a while now. Something that I can really concentrate on when I'm not focusing on the current event I'm participating in. I started to do this a little bit with the 2010 Camaro a little bit last year, but it never really stuck with me, and I think it was because of the vehicle. I'd thought about picking up an old Japanese tuner-special, like a Supra for an S-2000, but that's not really where my passion lies. I may live in Spain now, but I'm still an American gearhead, and that means I love muscle. Old muscle. 1960's muscle. Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new girlfriend; Stacey.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Stacey%201.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Stacey%202.jpg

Stacey is a prime-condition 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427 Big Block. She goes like a bat-out-of-hell for an old girl (D-category for a 40+ year-old-car is pretty damn good). And none of that fancy all-wheel-drive, traction control, launch control, or anything else you find on the modern stuff, which means she's a lot of fun to drive. And the noise she makes when I get her all hot-and-bothered...hubba hubba.

OK, maybe I need help, but this thing is fun to drive. My idea for her is pretty simple, actually. I'm curious to see what an old muscle car can do if I turn it into a complete hot-rod (bore out the engine, supercharge it, just go bonkers with the engine) and at the same time give it some modern control mechanisms (differential, modern brakes, etc). I'm curious to see how she'll react and if I can actually turn her into a legit modern racer. Probably not...not at the higher levels, but it'll be a lot of fun trying.

The name, by the way, comes from Gone in 60 Seconds. This car was in that movie, and her name was Stacey.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program...

Friday, May 20th - Season 2

We're in Daytona for the series finale. I run enough laps to get comfortable here with the Range Rover, but I don't bother pressing the matter much. I figure there's no way I'll be able to catch Rossi's Porsche engine here, of all places.

Saturday, May 21st - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: SUV Road Test
Race #3 (of 3): Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,325.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 5.82 mi
Starting Position: 4th

A decent launch on my part shot me right up to 3rd place, where I ducked in behind Muller's Merc to try a little drafting as we headed into turn 1 of the speedway section of the course. The transition to the infield part of the course went smoothly enough, but I remained buried behind Muller in 3rd until the very end of the 1st lap, where I pulled a bit of a dirty trick. With outside position right next to Muller I ran a line that would take the Range Rover right past the retaining wall that separated the track from pit road, leaving the German with no choice but to back off and fall into 3rd. By now Rossi had built up a small lead, but I was able to hold him within shouting distance. I'm not sure if he was just overcautious, missed a shift, or what, but I had a good run as we transitioned to the infield straightaway where I was able to move up to his back bumper and actually overtake him for the lead! Obviously I wasn't able to run away from that Porsche engine, but I was able to maintain my advantage for the remainder of the race and bring home an unexpected victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/SUV%203.jpg
Overtaking Rossi for the lead at Daytona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,325.00
XP Gained: 4,500
Hotlap: 1:11.704 (top 33% of 304,029 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:45.468
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 3:46.617
3rd place: Muller (5) - 3:53.857
4th place: Williams (4) - 3:58.423
5th place: Weber (3) - 4:02.545
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:08.032
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:11.476
8th place: Spiers (0) - 4:21.927
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz2.gif
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Rossi (27 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (24 pts)
3rd place: Muller (15 pts)
4th place: Williams (12 pts)
5th place: Weber (9 pts)
6th place: Esposito (6 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

At the conclusion of the event I receive the following discount offers:

10% from Range Rover Sport on Driveline parts (Land Rover)
10% from Fidanza on Clutch assemblies (BMW Motorsport, Jaguar, Land Rover, MINI, SEAT, Vauxhall)

DataKing

02-04-2010, 11:33 PM

Sunday, May 22nd - Season 2

I've got something a little different lined up for next week. I've been invited to a short drag-racing competition out in Arizona next week, and I've accepted the invitation. Now, I haven't done any drag racing since I was a kid, so this should be interesting.

Event: 350HP RWD Shoot-Out
Rating Category: C-Class
Restrictions: Power limited to 350 horsepower, drive type must be rear-wheel-drive.
# of Races: 3 (3 heats per race)
Total Event Prize: $3,474.00

There's not very much money involved, but I figured why not? It'll be something a little different.

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (1998 Toyota Supra Z)
Taylor (USA) (1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport)
Williams (USA) (2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Ram Air)
Brown (USA) (2002 Chevolet Camaro 35th Anniversary SS)
Miller (USA) (1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28)
Anderson (USA) (1968 Chrysler Plymouth Barracuda Formula-S)
Jones (USA) (1968 Shelby GT-500KR)

It's really a shame that Stacey has too much power under the hood for this event. I'd love the chance to line her up against some of this muscle, especially that old Shelby. Unfortunately I don't have much in my garage that matches up well here, and I'm not really in the mood to spend more money on another car right now. So I decide to try old reliable, the Vauxhall VX220. It's only carrying 210 horsepower, but the light weight should hopefully make up the difference.

We spend the day today in transit to Arizona.

Monday, May 23rd - Season 2

I spend the day today making practice runs on the 1/8th mile strip at Sedona, and after a few runs I think I'm doing all right. The key appears to be to get just enough wheel spin off the line to heat up the tires real quick for good traction, but not enough to where you actually lose time. Obviously this is all about the launch...nothing else matters here. My best time on the day is a 9.610 seconds.

Tuesday, May 24th & Wednesday, May 25th - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

I really don't know what to expect with the drag-racing (which runs Thursday through Saturday) or how I match up, but I've got practically no P.I. to work with on the Vauxhall anyway, so I spend the next couple of days working on Stacey.

Upgrade: Rear Tire Width
Price: $2,300.00
Effect: 245/60R15
Rating: C-356 (up 11 from D-345)
-With all the power the Big Block under the hood puts out, the first thing I need to do is improve Stacey's grip. As it is right now, a lot of her power is going to waste.

Upgrade: Race Tire Compound
Price: $10,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.25
Rating: C-418 (up 62 from C-356)
-I drop ten large on a supply of racing slicks for Stacey. These should go a long way towards improving her track stickiness.

Thursday, May 26th thru Saturday, May 28th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: 350HP RWD Shoot-Out

There's really not a lot to describe here, except to say that the Vauxhall proved more than enough for the competition. My average time improved by about a half a second over my practice times the other day, and I won all nine heats I was involved in over the three-day period. (Author's Note: I doubt everyone wants to read "I beat off the line and won" nine times in a row, so I'll just list the times for each heat below and a summary of what I received at the end.)

Day 1 / Heat 1 - vs. Sasaki (1998 Toyota Supra Z)Winner: Tolliver - 9.009
Loser: Sasaki - 9.660

Day 1 / Heat 2 - vs. Taylor (1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport)
Winner: Tolliver - 9.042
Loser: Taylor - 9.676

Day 1 / Heat 3 - vs. Brown (1992 Chevolet Camaro 35th Anniversary SS)
Winner: Tolliver - 9.042
Loser: Brown - 10.060

Day 2 / Heat 1 - vs. Sasaki (1998 Toyota Supra Z)Winner: Tolliver - 9.042
Loser: Sasaki - 9.660

Day 2 / Heat 2 - vs. Taylor (1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport)
Winner: Tolliver - 9.092
Loser: Taylor - 9.659

Day 2 / Heat 3 - vs. Brown (1992 Chevolet Camaro 35th Anniversary SS)
Winner: Tolliver - 8.959
Loser: Brown - 10.060

Day 3 / Heat 1 - vs. Sasaki (1998 Toyota Supra Z)Winner: Tolliver - 9.076
Loser: Sasaki - 9.644

Day 3 / Heat 2 - vs. Taylor (1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport)
Winner: Tolliver - 8.992
Loser: Taylor - 9.644

Day 3 / Heat 3 - vs. Brown (1992 Chevolet Camaro 35th Anniversary SS)
Winner: Tolliver - 8.992
Loser: Brown - 10.077

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/350HP.jpg
Defeating Taylor's Corvette in the closest race of the event.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $3,474.00 ($386.00 per heat)
XP Gained: 1,890 (210 per heat)
Hotlap: 8.959 (top 7% of 38,384 recorded times)
Event Bonus Prize: $945.00

Sunday, May 29th - Season 2

After the (admittedly anti-climatic) drag-racing at Sedona, I accept an invitation to participate in another manufacturer event that will start right here at Sedona on Thursday.

Event: Tarmac Rally
Rating Category: C-Class
Restrictions: Model family limited to Impreza or Evo
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $41,255.00

The Subaru Impreza and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo have a long-standing rivalry in the consumer market, so both companies sponsor a number of events like this to "settle things on the track," as it were. Unfortunately I don't own either model, so I spend my day shopping and test driving. Eventually I decide upon the following:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Impreza%2005.jpg
The 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Overall I found the Impreza to feel more nimble and maneuverable than the bigger and heavier Lancers. The 2005 Impreza certainly isn't the newest or most powerful, but I find the power:weight ratio to my liking.

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (2006 Subaru Impreza S204*)
Takahashi (JPN) (2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR)
Yoshida (JPN) (2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR)
Sato (JPN) (2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR)
Watanabe (JPN) (2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
Kato (JPN) (2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI)
Kim (KOR) (1999 Mitsubishi Lancher Evolution VI GSR)

*Special Note: The Impreza S204 that Sasaki is driving is a Unicorn. You can't buy one in the game. The only way to acquire one is to purchase one in the Auction House, where Turn 10 (the makers of the game) sell them on occasion. Needless to say, they go for ridiculous sums of money.

Monday, May 30th & Tuesday, May 31st - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $800.00
Effect: Weight -80 lbs.
Rating: C-392 (up 10 from C-382)
-Removing the spare tire and tool kit, and dropping in a Bride lightweight battery, sheds eighty pounds.

Upgrade: Sport Oil and Cooling
Price: $720.00
Effect: Power +7 hp
Rating: C-399 (up 7 from C-392)
-An HKS Cooling remote mount oil filter and cooler along with baffled oil pickups will squeeze out a few extra horsepower.

Wednesday, June 1st - Season 2

I spend the day back at Sedona Raceway Park, running laps on the Club Circuit. While the all-wheel-drive on the Impreza (and the Lancer too, for that matter) does take some of the fun out of driving, the car definitely feels planted and grippy around this place. That's especially good here, where sometimes the desert sand makes things feel a little slick.

Thursday, June 2nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Tarmac Rally
Race #1 (of 4): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,990.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 6.06 mi
Starting Position: 4th

The all-wheel-drive gave me a great jump off the line, and I was able to immediately overtake Yoshida for 3rd place, then passed Takahashi's Lancer on the inside for 2nd before the first hairpin turn at the east end of the track. Takahashi, Sasaki, and I jostled a little bit through that turn, but I emerged with the lead. After that the rest of the race was pretty much a non-event. I built up nearly a five second lead by the end of lap 1 and never looked back.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tarmac%201.jpg
Sunset racing at Sedona Raceway Park.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $9,990.00
Repairs: -$178.00
XP Gained: 5,400
(2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI gained Level 1)
Hotlap: 1:20.984 (top 9% of 194,870 recorded times)

Race Result:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:04.473
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 4:19.177
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 4:21.666
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 4:23.513
5th place: Sato (3) - 4:26.286
6th place: Kim (2) - 4:33.261
7th place: Kato (1) - 4:33.971
8th place: Watanabe (0) - 4:33.991
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (7 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (5 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (4 pts)
5th place: Sato (3 pts)
6th place: Kim (2 pts)
7th place: Kato (1 pt)
8th place: Watanabe (0 pt)

Friday, June 3rd - Season 2

Travel day. The event now shifts to Japan for the next two races, then back to the States for the finale.

Saturday, June 4th - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $900.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.04s
Rating: C-401 (up 2 from C-399)
-I install an Exedy clutch disc and plate with increased torque capacity.

Sunday, June 5th - Season 2

We're back at one of my favorite tracks, Tsukuba, and for the first time this year I get to run the full layout, which I prefer. It doesn't take me long to get the Impreza dialed in here. The tight turns really seem to suit the nimble Subaru well.

Monday, June 6th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Tarmac Rally
Race #2 (of 4): Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,360.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.08 mi
Starting Position: 4th

Another good launch vaulted me straight up to 3rd place, and I even got a nose past Takahashi for 2nd before the first turn, but I was on the outside and could not press my advantage any further through the turn. Coming out of the 2nd hairpin I was still right behind Sasaki, and actually just came level with his back bumper as he moved back to the outside in preparation for the upcoming right-hander. He started to roll right across my front bumper, but instead of send him into the wall I took mercy, moving to the outside and slowing down, allowing him to recover and keep position. I remained on his back bumper through the east hairpin, and we were pretty much neck-and-neck across the southern straightaway, but I outbroke him into the right-hand sweeper at the end of the lap and took the lead. He tried me to the inside of that sweeper, but I was able to rub him off and keep my lead. Sasaki was able to hang with me for another lap, but after that I pulled away and had a comfortable lead for the last half of the race.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tarmac%202.jpg
Showing mercy to the competition at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $10,360.00
XP Gained: 5,600
(Driver gained Level 22)
(2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI gained Level 2)
Hotlap: 1:04.175 (top 22% of 146,593 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:25.911
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 4:34.251
3rd place: Yoshida (5) - 4:39.010
4th place: Takahashi (4) - 4:39.585
5th place: Watanabe (3) - 4:44.661
6th place: Sato (2) - 4:44.779
7th place: Kato (1) - 4:45.421
8th place: Kim (0) - 4:52.974
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (14 pts)
T-3rd place: Yoshida (9 pts)
T-3rd place: Takahashi (9 pts)
5th place: Sato (5 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (3 pts)
T-7th place: Kato (2 pts)
T-7th place: Kim (2 pts)
[I]Author's Note: I've apparently hit the limit on Spoiler tags in a single post, so I've stripped out some of the details on the Garage post back at the start of the dynasty, until I figure out another solution. I'm not sure if anyone's even looking at that thing or not.

Travis

02-05-2010, 12:30 PM

Just caught up with this and really enjoying the read. Kind of disappointed you haven't used the Mustang though ;)

Good luck with the project build. That should be a lot of fun to follow and be interesting to see how far you can build her up and how effective she'll be on the track.

DataKing

02-05-2010, 01:08 PM

Glad you're enjoying it Travis.

I'm kind of disappointed in the event selection I've had thus far too, actually. I roll randomly among the events that I qualify for (with a couple of other qualifications as well that I won't get into here), and so far it seems like I've been getting nothing but C-class and below (the Audi Club event being the one exception). The good news is that events get removed from the list once I've tried them once, so the odds of getting some higher category events keeps getting better.

I've got a whole slew of cars in the B- and A-class categories I'm itching to try; Maserati, Camaro, BMW M5, Lotus, NSX-R, Jaguar, the new Ford GT, the BMW M3-GTR (which I want to turn into a dedicated A-class racer), and the Shelby GT500. There's even a 2010 Shelby available via one of the car pack DLCs I've been looking to buy as well.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do with Stacey, and I've got a couple of other ideas that have been rattling around in my head too. Ideas that will help shake things up and help keep this from becoming race-travel-upgrade-rinse-repeat.

DataKing

02-06-2010, 02:32 PM

Tuesday, June 7th & Wednesday, June 8th - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

Upgrade: Front Tire Width
Price: $2,100.00
Effect: 235/65R15
Rating: C-423 (up 5 from C-418)
-In the never-ending search for more grip, I swap out Stacey's front wheels with wider ones.

Upgrade: Modulare M7 Rims
Price: $3,600.00
Effect: Weight -16 lbs.
Rating: C-425 (up 2 from C-423)
-At the same time, I replace Stacey's rims with a set of Modulare M7s. They reduce her overall weight by a few pounds, but this is really about looks.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Stacey%20Rims.jpg
Stacey's new shoes.

Thursday, June 9th - Season 2

Track time today on the East Circuit at Suzuka, where I usually excel. It doesn't take long to get the Impreza dialed in, and the planted feel the car offers means I expect some really good lap times tomorrow.

Friday, June 10th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Tarmac Rally
Race #3 (of 4): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Suzuka%20Circuit%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,620.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.56 mi
Starting Position: 4th

The all-wheel-drive and good grip in the Impreza makes things exceptionally easy off the line; just jam your foot into the floorboards and go. That's exactly what I did, firing all the way up to the lead as we headed into the first turn. As we ran through the esses on the back half of the track I did what I usually do here, which is pull away from the pack. By the end of the first lap I had built up a four second lead, and that lead did nothing but grow for the remainder of the race.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tarmac%203.jpg
Jumping out to the early lead at Suzuka.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $9,620.00
XP Gained: 5,200
(2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI gained Level 3)
Hotlap: None (did not surpass previous best lap time)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:55.471
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 4:07.585
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 4:11.790
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 4:12.703
5th place: Sato (3) - 4:13.368
6th place: Kato (2) - 4:16.247
7th place: Watanabe (1) - 4:16.682
8th place: Kim (0) - 4:22.099
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (21 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (14 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (13 pts)
5th place: Sato (8 pts)
T-6th place: Kato (4 pts)
T-6th place: Watanabe (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (2 pts)

Saturday, June 11th - Season 2

Travel day today. We head back to state-side to finish up the event.

Sunday, June 12th - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

I said I wanted to go bonkers with Stacey's engine...here's what going bonkers looks like:

Upgrade: Twin-Screw Supercharger
Price: $3,600.00
Effect: Power +70 hp
Rating: B-466 (up 41 from C-425)
-Because 435 horsepower is nowhere near enough. :D I spend the day fitting an Eaton twin-screw supercharger on Stacey's big block, pushing her past 500 horsepower.

Monday, June 13th - Season 2

I turn some laps today at the Short Circuit at Maple Valley Raceway, first in Stacey then in the Impreza. A dozen laps or so is all it takes to get the Impreza ready for tomorrow, but Stacey is going to take some more getting used to. Even with the racing slicks I'm having a seriously hard time controlling all of her power in anything but a straight line. I'm thinking a limited-slip differential is the next order of business there.

Tuesday, June 14th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Tarmac Rally
Race #4 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,285.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.96 mi
Starting Position: 4th

Another great launch had me right up in front as we entered the first right-hand sweeper at the south end of the track, where I swept out wide and took the lead from Sasaki. He managed to stay with me for the remainder of the lap, but after that I really started to stretch things out for an easy victory. Even after locking up the brakes at the north end of the track on lap 4 and brushing the wall, I never even saw any of the opposition in my rear-view mirror.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tarmac%204.jpg
Crossing the finish line at Maply Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $11,285.00
Repairs: -$341.00
XP Gained: 6,100
Hotlap: 43.910 (top 6% of 305,272 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:34.275
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 4:46.905
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 4:52.001
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 4:53.377
5th place: Sato (3) - 4:54.603
6th place: Kato (2) - 4:57.445
7th place: Kim (1) - 5:04.336
8th place: Watanabe (0) - 5:04.709
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus Prize: $11,150.00

Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (28 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (19 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (17 pts)
5th place: Sato (11 pts)
6th place: Kato (6 pts)
7th place: Watanabe (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (3 pts)
It wasn't just Mitsubishi and Subaru stiffs that have been watching this race. Apparently some folks from Mercedes-Benz have been watching as well, and were impressed. They presented me with the following:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/AMG%20Black.jpg
The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series

The Black Series is the high-performance version of the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL 65, and in typical AMG fashion the thing is truly mad. The 6.0-liter V-12 engine is fitted with up-sized twin turbochargers and puts out a staggering 661 horsepower! :eek:

Subaru's after-market partners were also pretty impressed with my performance. I have been granted the following discounts:

10% on Clutch assemblies by Exedy (Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
10% on Anti-Roll Bars by Tanabe (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru)
10% on Intercoolers by Greddy (Citroen, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Renault, Scion, Subaru, Toyota)This recent string of dominant victories has me thinking it is time to step up to the next level of competition. Author's Note: Now that I am more comfortable with things and I now start in the top half of the field, I'm going to try moving the AI difficulty back up to Hard.

DataKing

02-07-2010, 11:56 PM

Wednesday, June 15th - Season 2

We've got a new event lined up. It's another Manufacturer-sponsored event, this time a joint venture by Honda and Acura.

Event: Honda Acura Owner's Meeting
Rating Category: C-class
Restrictions: Manufacturers limited to Honda and Acura
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prizes: $46,995.00

I spend the day heading back to Japan for the start of the event.

Thursday, June 16th - Season 2

The only Hondas I own right now are the Del Sol (which doesn't stand a chance) and the super-rare NSX-R GT (which is rated too highly). But there's another car on Honda's list that I've been keen to add to my collection for a while now, the S2000.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/S2000.jpg
2003 Honda S2000

The S2000 is a compact little roadster with a very high-strung 4-banger that manages to put out 247 horsepower. One neat little thing about the car is that the revs are displayed digitally right across the display panel, and flash when redline is reached. I got his one in line-new condition for $15,000.00

The competition:
Davis (USA) (1997 Acura NSX)
Takahashi (JPN) (2003 Honda S2000)
Yoshida (JPN) (2002 Honda Integra Type-R)
Sato (JPN) (2007 Honda Civic Type-R)
Watanabe (JPN) (2000 Honda Prelude SiR)
Kato (JPN) (1999 Honda Civic Si Coupe)
Kim (KOR) (2009 Honda Fit Sport)
Realistically, I expect Davis to run away with this one. Nothing else in the field can compete with his NSX, and I'm not prepared to drop $45,000.00 on a NSX (or $60,000.00 on the '05 model) when I have the NSX-R GT at home. So the guy I'm shooting for here is Takahashi. If I can beat him for 2nd place I'll consider it a success.

Friday, June 17th - Season 2

Upgrade: Sport Differential
Price: $2,880.00
Effect: Differential 1.5-way
Rating: C-360 (no change)
-Test-driving the S2000 shows me that, despite the even front/back weight distribution, the back end wants to swing around in the worst way when I try to accelerate out of a turn. So I put in a Kaaz differential to allow stronger positive lock torque under acceleration.

Saturday, June 18th - Season 2

I spend the day turning laps with the S2000 at Twin Ring Motegi's West Circuit. As is usually the case here, I do great on most of the track, but the notch at the southeast corner continues to give me trouble. For some reason I just can't get comfortable with the approach into that area of the track.

Sunday, June 19th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Honda Acura Owner's Meeting
Race #1 (of 4): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,700.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.60 mi
Starting Position: 4th

A decent start on my part gave me a short lead over Yoshida for 3rd place heading into the first turn. He and I bumped there, but I managed to hold the line and emerged on the back stretch still in 3rd place. Still in 3rd at the end of lap 2, I got in trouble at the south end of the track, missing my approach to the notch badly and then overshooting my exit back onto the front stretch, severely limiting the possibility of me catching Takahashi for 2nd. After more of the same on the first turn of lap 3, I resorted to a strictly defensive approach, just trying to hold my position from the weaker competition behind me. But at the start of lap 4 I completely overshot the first turn, heading off into the kitty litter and was back in 5th behind Sato and Yoshida both before I got back on track. However, on the run back towards the south end of the track I was able to slip between the two through a narrow gap, then took advantage of the inside line to retake 3rd place in the notch (despite a frightening amount of tailspin from the S2000). I was able to hold my position for the remainder of the race and retained my place on the podium.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Honda%20Acura%201.jpg
Slipping through the cracks at Twin Ring Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_bronze.gif
Prize: $8,775.00
XP Gained: 6,000
(2003 Honda S2000 gained Level 1)
Hotlap: 44.536 (top 74% of 159,671 recorded times) - too much damn wheel spin.

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 4:23.945
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 4:33.080
3rd place: Tolliver (5) - 4:43.115
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 4:46.334
5th place: Sato (3) - 4:47.390
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 4:50.145
7th place: Kato (1) - 5:01.729
8th place: Kim (0) - 5:06.974
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (10 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (7 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (5 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (4 pts)
5th place: Sato (3 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (2 pts)
7th place: Kato (1 pt)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Monday, June 20th - Season 2

Upgrade: Sport Weight Reduction
Price: $1,600.00
Effect: Weight -200 lbs.
Rating: C-386 (up 26 from C-360)
-I'm hoping that lightening the S2000's load (AC, stereo, spare tire, etc) along with a Bride lightweight battery will help with the braking as well as the grip when I hit the gas coming out of the turns.

Tuesday, June 21st - Season 2

I get some track time today at Tsukuba's Short Circuit. With the two hairpin turns and the right-hand sweepers at the tail end of the track, keeping grip in the back tires is going to be crucial.

Wednesday, June 22nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Honda Acura Owner's Meeting
Race #2 (of 4): Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma, Japan) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,480.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 5.82 mi
Starting Position: 4th

I got a great jump at the line, and had a clean hold on 3rd place heading into the first hairpin. I got a nose under Takahashi's S2000 as we headed into the 2nd hairpin and we bumped, but he managed to hold me off and maintain his spot. I tried the same thing at the start of the ensuing right-hand sweeper, but we bumped again and this upset the delicate balance I had on the car. The back end swung right around on me, spinning me out completely and dumping me all the way at the end of the pack. I managed to work my way back past Kim's Honda Fit (poor bastard always ends up racing crappy cars) between the two hairpins on lap 2, and Kato's Civic fell just as we crossed the line separating laps 2 and 3. It took me all the way until the front stretch on lap 5 to catch and pass Watanabe's Prelude. I was trying like mad to run down Sato before we ran out of time, but once the again the tail end on the S2000 ended up biting me in the ass. I lost rear grip again, this time on the very last sweeper heading for the finish line, allowing Watanabe to reclaim 5th place.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Honda%20Acura%202.jpg
It's only drifting if it's on purpose.

Result: 6th place
Prize: $4,680.00
Repairs: -$104.00
XP Gained: 6,400
(2003 Honda S2000 gained Level 2)
Hotlap: 48.499 (top 13% of 594,851 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 4:50.917
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 4:59.729
3rd place: Yoshida (5) - 5:06.097
4th place: Sato (4) - 5:08.155
5th place: Watanabe (3) - 5:13.362
6th place: Tolliver (2) - 5:15.584
7th place: Kato (1) - 5:24.420
8th place: Kim (0) - 5:26.931
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (20 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (14 pts)
3rd place: Yoshida (9 pts)
T-4th place: Tolliver (7 pts)
T-4th place: Sato (7 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (5 pts)
7th place: Kato (2 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)
I can probably forget about catching Takahashi for 2nd place at this point. The first thing I've got to do is solve the grip problems on my little Honda. But before that...

Thursday, June 23rd - Season 2

And now for something completely different...

I've been invited to take place in the "DK Enterprises Endurance Challenge Invitational" at Mugello Autodromo Internazionale in Italy. This is a one-time, special event by invitation only, with rules that are a bit different than a conventional race.

Event: DK Enterprises Endurance Challenge Invitational
Rating Category: B-Class
Restrictions: Rear-Wheel-Drive Only
# of Races: 1
Scoring: 1-hour timed event, scoring based on distance covered.

Instead of the shorter, sprint-type races that dominate the racing world these days, this is a much longer event that requires consistency and mental fortitude and yes, a pit stop. Each team must take at least one pit stop during the race, whether or not fuel is required (for most B-class cars, it will be). I spend the day traveling to Italy for the race and making arrangements to have my BMW M3-GTR meet me there.

The competition:
Ross (USA) (2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R)
Johnson (UK) (2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240)
Lockhart (USA) (2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R)
Reed (UK) (2008 Maserati GranTurismo)
Tunnell (GER) (2006 Porsche Cayman S)
Caviezel (ITA) (2008 BMW Z4 M Coupe)
Hartman (GER) (2008 Maserati GranTurismo)

Author's Note: This is one of the ideas I've been bouncing around as a way to shake things up in this dynasty report. This will effectively be a private, online race between myself and seven A.I. drivers (difficulty level and assists remain the same). This is just a trial, but if it goes well I could see doing something like this once-per month or so, on the last Sunday of the month, once that year's World Championship event has concluded. A full-length track is chosen at random and the computer is instructed to select cars at random from the restrictions I've indicated above. We'll see how it goes.

Friday, June 24th - Season 2

Track time today to get ready for the big race at Mugello.

Saturday, June 25th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: DK Enterprises Endurance Challenge Invitational
Race #1 (of 1): Mugello Autodromo Internazionale (Mugello, Italy) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mugello.png

Author's Note: Forgive me if the details are sketchy here. I screwed up and didn't save the replay.

Instead of using Performance Index to declare starting positions, all of the racers drew straws in the morning at the driver's meeting. Naturally I came in dead last and started at the very tail end of the pack. But the highly-tuned V-8 in the front of the GTR more than made up for that little bit of bad luck, and I was able to overtake Johnson's Lotus Exige and both Maseratis before we reached the end of the first straightaway. Careful not to be in too much of a hurry (this was a marathon, not a sprint after all), I was able to move my way past the Mustangs easily enough on the first lap, and before the end of lap 2 I had Caviezel's Z4 in my rear-view mirror as well. However, at this point Tunnell had built up what felt like a massive lead (I could just barely catch sight of him on some portions of the track). I hunkered down and prepared for the long task of reeling him back in. I got particularly good at late-braking into San Donato at the end of the long straightaway and made up considerable time there. Finally, after 25 minutes of racing I had the Beemer on the back bumper of Tunnell's Porsche, and two minutes later I finally made my pass on the front straightaway and took the lead. That lead gradually grew for the next twenty minutes or so, until the Porsche was just a speck in my rear-view mirror. With ten minutes to go I made my mandatory pit-stop (the tires were still in relatively good shape, but it was iffy whether or not I had enough gas on board to finish). Then, back on the track and running smoothly with five minutes to go, disaster struck. Heading into San Donato my brakes failed. There's a long sand-trap at the end of that straightaway (for just such a reason), but I was still helpless and ended up banging the front end into the retaining wall pretty good. The only good news was that the impact had apparently knocked out whatever caused the brakes to fail in the first place (Author's note: My xbox wheel, not the brakes, is what failed here, causing me to lose all control and coast into the wall. Needless to say I was pissed). But by the time I got the GTR back through the sand and onto the track, Tunnell's Porsche had retaken the lead and I did not have enough time to try to track him down again.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Invite.jpg
Crossing the line early on in the DK Invitational.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $126,000.00
Repairs: -$24,246.00
XP Gained: 80,000
(2002 BMW M3-GTR gained Levels 1 thru 5)
(Driver gained Levels 23 thru 25)

Race Results:
1st place: Tunnell
2nd place: Tolliver (90.39 mi)
3rd place: Caviezel
4th place: Reed
5th place: Hartman
6th place: Lockhart
7th place: Ross
8th place: Johnson

Whoever this DK joker is that sponsored the event and bored us all to tears during the driver's meeting, the guy has connections. Those of us that did well were inundated with gifts and goodies after the race. I received the following:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sagaris.jpg
2005 TVR Sagaris

For the uninitiated, TVR is an British company, and is the world's 3rd-largest independent producer of sports cars and racing vehicles. They specialize in lightweight racers and sports cars, similar to Lotus in that respect. The Sagaris is one of their most recent offerings, weight in at under 2,400 pounds and powered by a sport-tuned 4.0-liter straight-six that puts out 406 horsepower.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/911%20GT2.jpg
2008 Porsche 911 GT2 (997)

Porsche is a little odd, in that on most of their sports cars they use rear-mounted engines (meaning the engine is located behind the rear axle). This gives the cars a lot of understeer, but completely eliminates any trouble with the acceleration coming out of turns. The 2008 GT2 has a twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder engine that puts out 530 horsepower and reaches maximum torque at only 2,200 RPMs.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Reventon.jpg
2008 Lamborghini Reventon

No, that's not a spaceship, that's a car. Although when that DK oddball gave me the keys, I'm sure I was looking at him like he was from some other planet. He told me he had originally planned to give it to the winner of the race, but decided to give it to me instead, since I would have won handily if not for my little mechanical mishap near the end. Hooray for eccentric bazillionaires, which is apparently what this guy is.

Allow me to explain. Only 21 of these cars exist on the entire planet. The Reventon is a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 with a completely new carbon fibre exterior. The instrument panel consists of three liquid-crystal displays. The instruments themselves are housed in a structure milled from a solid block of aluminum. It even includes a damn built-in G-force meter. The price tag: two-point-one million dollars. Like I said; eccentric bazillionaire. I doubt you'll find me racing this thing any time soon (though it should help in other endeavors). ;)

Author's Note: After a bit of reflection, I like the idea of these custom hour-long races, but I'm going to have to wait until I reach Level 50 (the level maximum in the game) before I start running them regularly. The rewards are just too rich. Three brand new cars after a single race? I think not. Still, look for these to return at some point in the future.

DataKing

02-13-2010, 11:49 PM

Sunday, June 26th - Season 2

Travel day today, as we head to Spain to continue the Honda Acura Owner's Meeting event. It'll be nice to spend a few days in my own bed for once (I've been traveling since mid-May).

Monday, June 27th - Season 2

Upgrade: Sport Tire Compound
Price: $5,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.07
Rating: C-399 (up 13 from C-386)
-I haven't given up on the S2000 just yet, so I drop five large on a supply of Bridgestone sport tires to improve the grip and try to keep the back end in line.

Tuesday, June 28th - Season 2

I spend the day running laps and tuning the S2000 at the Iberian International Circuit in Montserrat. After some experimentation I figure out that I had the differential rating set too high on the back tires. Lowering it seems to have the desired effect, and I'm actually able to keep the back end from sliding around on high-speed turns. Tomorrow we'll see whether or not that translates into better performance on the track.

Wednesday, June 29th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Honda Acura Owner's Meeting
Race #3 (of 4): Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,725.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.96 mi
Starting Position: 3rd :D

I get a good jump on Takahashi off the line to get things started, and move up into 2nd place before the double-apex turn at the north-east corner of the track, but an incorrect line on my part through the 2nd apex allows him to take the position right back. I'm still trailing my fellow S2000 as we cross the line to start lap 2, but not by much. I'm able to out-break him into the north-east corner, and this time I'm able to hold my line and keep 2nd all to myself. The back end did give me a bit of trouble at the same double-apex at the beginning of lap 3, and although Takahashi was able to close the gap I had built between us, it was not enough of an error to allow him to overtake me. I was never able to challenge Davis' NSX for the lead, but that was not my goal. I did get the 2nd place finish that I had been looking for in this event.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Honda%20Acura%203.jpg
Flying over the drop-off at Iberian International

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $9,360.00
XP Gained: 5,500
(2003 Honda S2000 gained Level 3)
Hotlap: 1:01.518 (top 25% of 54,285 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 4:07.528
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 4:13.259
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 4:15.567
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 4:23.953
5th place: Sato (3) - 4:25.166
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 4:28.194
7th place: Kato (1) - 4:38.110
8th place: Kim (0) - 4:42.702
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (30 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (19 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (14 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (13 pts)
5th place: Sato (10 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (7 pts)
7th place: Kato (3 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Thursday, June 30th - Season 2

Travel day. We're headed back to Maple Valley in New Hampshire to close out the event.

Friday, July 1st - Season 2

Upgrade: Sport Clutch
Price: $800.00
Effect: Shift Time: -0.09 s
Rating: C-404 (up 5 from C-399)
-The high-revving engine in the S2000 could use with a better clutch, so I install an Ogura Racing sport model to cut down on the shift time.

Saturday, July 2nd - Season 2

I spend the day turning laps back at Maple Valley, fine-tuning the differential settings a little bit more. The big sweeper at the south end of the track is a great test for the diff, and by the end of the day I've got it set right on the very edge of out-of-control. And on a side note, it'll be nice to spend the holiday weekend back in the states this year.

Sunday, July 3rd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Honda Acura Owner's Meeting
Race #4 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,090.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.96 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Another good jump off the line allowed me to beat Takahashi for 2nd place before we headed into the first turn. He took a wide approach through the north end of the track, while mine allowed me to hug the bottom edge, then drift out in front of him with more speed onto the back section. The rest of the race I was able to complete without drama for another solid 2nd-place finish. I figured on a high-speed track like Maple Valley Davis' NSX would absolutely leave me in the dust, but the S2000 performed so well I was actually able to keep him within sight.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Honda%20Acura%204.jpg
Gunning it at the start at Maple Valley

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $10,530.00
XP Gained: 6,200
Hotlap: 44.883 (top 6% of 445,071 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 4:35.867
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 4:39.341
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 4:43.372
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 4:51.188
5th place: Sato (3) - 4:52.449
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 4:55.342
7th place: Kato (1) - 5:08.382
8th place: Kim (0) - 5:12.012
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz3.gif
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Davis (40 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (24 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (21 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (17 pts)
5th place: Sato (13 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (9 pts)
7th place: Kato (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

Unfortunately my early troubles, especially the disaster at Tsukuba, pretty much ruined my shot at beating Takahashi for 2nd place overall, but at least I was able to salvage a spot on the podium. And, perhaps more importantly, I've found a car that I really like. The S2000 almost lost me at first, but I've completely changed my opinion of it, and I'm considering turning it into a tuner special at a later date.

The following discounts have been increased from 10% to 20%:

NGK Ignitions (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru)
AEM Fuel Systems (Acura, Honda, Lexus, Scion, Toyota)
Kaaz Differentials (Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan, Scion, Toyota)

DataKing

02-14-2010, 10:46 AM

Monday, July 4th - Season 2

I've got another amateur event lined up for the next couple of weeks (My random event rolls have been pretty lousy lately).

Event: Hot Hatch Road Test
Rating Category: C-Class
Restrictions: Body style limited to Hatchbacks.
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $25,545.00

I spend the day today traveling back to Barcelona and looking over my garage. It looks like the most suitable car I own is the 2009 Ford Focus Rally Sport, so I'll be using that.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Focus1.jpg

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (2008 Subaru WRX STI)
Taylor (USA) (2009 Ford Focus RS)
Evans (UK) (2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR)
Weber (GER) (2007 Renault Clio RS 197)
Esposito (ITA) (2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT)
Johansson (SWE) (2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk6)
Spiers (UK) (2009 Volvo C30 R-Design)
Looking over this group, I should have a clear advantage over all of them except for Sasaki's Subaru. I've got him beat on raw power, but his Subaru's all-wheel-drive may make him difficult to deal with.

Tuesday, July 5th - Season 2

The first race isn't until Friday, but I spend some time today running laps in the Focus at Circuit de Catalunya, trying to re-familiarize myself with the car and with racing front-wheel-drive (something I haven't done since early April).

Wednesday, July 6th - Season 2

Upgrade: Sport Ignition
Price: $2,880.00
Effect: Power +9 hp
Rating: C-402 (up 9 from C-393)
-I don't see much need to work on the Focus' handling characteristics, so I go with power instead. I install a MSD capacitive-discharge coil pack, heat-range-optimized spark plugs, and grounded ignition wires to optimize the Focus' timing advance curve.

Thursday, July 7th - Season 2

More laps at Circuit de Catalunya today, this time on the short School Circuit track. This isn't the best layout for front-wheel-drive cars, but I have no say in the matter.

Friday, July 8th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Hot Hatch Road Test
Race #1 (of 3): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - School Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20School%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,775.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.23 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Launching is always tricky in high-powered front-wheel-drive cars, since the car "squats" under acceleration, moving weight to the back wheels, but I got a halfway decent start, and had the inside line on Taylor due to starting 3rd, which allowed me to emerge from the first turn in 2nd place. But Sasaki's all-wheel-drive allowed him to jump out to a decent lead right at the beginning of the race, and I was never able to catch up. With no real straightaways on the abbreviated track I was never able to take advantage of the one area I had Sasaki beat; power.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Hot%20Hatch%201.jpg
Taking Taylor on the first turn at Catalunya.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $7,605.00
XP Gained: 4,500
Hotlap: 50.148 (top 7% of 387,684 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Sasaki (10) - 3:23.250
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 3:27.234
3rd place: Taylor (5) - 3:32.311
4th place: Evans (4) - 3:35.450
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:35.897
6th place: Esposito (2) - 3:36.268
7th place: Johansson (1) - 3:37.910
8th place: Spiers (0) - 3:40.314
Event Standings:
1st place: Sasaki (10 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (7 pts)
3rd place: Taylor (5 pts)
4th place: Evans (4 pts)
5th place: Weber (3 pts)
6th place: Esposito (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Saturday, July 9th - Season 2

We bounce back across the Atlantic today, back to New Hampshire.

Sunday, July 10th - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Valves
Price: $1,620.00
Effect: Power +4 hp
Rating: C-406 (up 4 from C-402)
-More power didn't do me any good at Catalunya, but it should help in the last two races in this event (Maple Valley and Twin Ring Motegi). I install a set of large-diameter stainless steel valves to improve the Focus' airflow.

Monday, July 11th - Season 2

I spend the day turning laps at Maple Valley today. I feel like my lap times are pretty good, and I'm hoping the high-speed nature of this track will help me to overcome Sasaki's advantage in grip tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 12th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Hot Hatch Road Test
Race #2 (of 3): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,995.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.64 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Once again I was able to get a decent start at the drop of the green flag, and overtook Taylor for 2nd place before the first turn at the north end of the track. But again I did not have enough car to overtake Sasaki's damn all-wheel-drive Subaru. I would make up a little bit of time each lap on the back half of the track, but then on the left-hand sweeper that leads back to the front straightaway I would have to lift, allowing Sasaki to carry more speed on the front stretch and pull away again. A bit frustrating, to say the least.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Hot%20Hatch%202.jpg
As close as I was able to get to Sasaki (in red) all day.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $7,020.00
XP Gained: 4,100
Hotlap: 44.785 (top 5% of 446,304)

Race Results:
1st place: Sasaki (10) - 3:06.567
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 3:08.737
3rd place: Taylor (5) - 3:13.016
4th place: Evans (4) - 3:16.607
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:16.973
6th place: Esposito (2) - 3:17.549
7th place: Johansson (1) - 3:18.900
8th place: Spiers (0) - 3:22.079
Event Standings:
1st place: Sasaki (20 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (14 pts)
3rd place: Taylor (10 pts)
4th place: Evans (8 pts)
5th place: Weber (6 pts)
6th place: Esposito (4 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Wednesday, July 13th - Season 2

On the road again...just can't wait to get on the road again...

Travel day today, as we head to Japan to finish off the event.

Thursday, July 14th - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

I'd just about given up on beating Sasaki at this point, so I decided to work on Stacey instead.

Upgrade: Race Differential
Price: $8,100.00
Effect: Differential 2-way
Rating: B-465 (down 1 from B-466)
-It took some doing, but I managed to get a working race differential onto the old girl, which will allow me to set limited slip rates on her rear wheels both under acceleration and deceleration. Hopefully this will help to alleviate the massive amounts of oversteer I'm getting from her.

Friday, July 15th - Season 2

I spend the day running laps on the East Circuit at Twin Ring Motegi today, in a few different cars. First up is Stacey. I spend some time tweaking the differential settings and air pressure, and I'm able to run a clean lap at 1:38.166. However, I still have some work to do. By way of comparison, I borrow a Lexus IS F for a few laps (comparable to Stacey's current Performance Index and also rear-wheel-drive) and I run a 1:36.852. Later in the day I go back to the Focus and get it dialed in as well as I can, though I am not optimistic about my chances for a win.

Saturday, July 16th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Hot Hatch Road Test
Race #3 (of 3): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - East Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20East%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,775.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 3.77 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

A little too much wheel spin on my part at the start meant Taylor stayed in front of me for a little bit, but the engine modifications I've made to my Focus paid off and I was still able to overtake him for 2nd before the sharp right-hand tunnel turn at the southwest corner of the track. Sasaki remained in the lead for all of the first lap, but I was definitely hanging with him, and made up considerable ground on the front straightaway as we started the 2nd and final lap. I was right up on his back bumper as we approached the 120-degree turn at the northwest corner, but his braking was perfect and I wasn't able to get a nose underneath. I stayed right with him, and was finally able to pull level as we approached the final hairpin at the east end of the track. I dove to the inside and ended up going deep into the turn. Upon review, if Sasaki had just backed off a little, he could have swung back underneath me and probable won, but instead he ended up getting knocked off the track altogether and I claimed victory!

<object height="344" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EY8OcXMhaCc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object>
Taking the lead on the final turn at Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,775.00
XP Gained: 4,500
(2009 Ford Focus RS gained level 4)
Hotlap: 1:38.045 (top 20% of 418,394 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:23.649
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 3:26.021
3rd place: Taylor (5) - 3:29.716
4th place: Evans (4) - 3:33.794
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:35.283
6th place: Esposito (2) - 3:37.840
7th place: Spiers (1) - 3:38.309
8th place: Johansson (0) - 3:38.637
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz2.gif
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Sasaki (27 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (24 pts)
3rd place: Taylor (15 pts)
4th place: Evans (12 pts)
5th place: Weber (9 pts)
6th place: Esposito (6 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (1 pt)
Too little, too late as far as the final standings go, but it was still nice to prove I could beat Sasaki.

My discount on Ford valves and displacement improvements has been upped to 20%.

DataKing

02-18-2010, 10:42 PM

Sunday, July 17th - Season 2

I'm approached by the folks at Vauxhall about participating in a corporate-sponsored event of theirs, and I readily agree. I've had a lot of success in the VX220 and become a bit of a fan of the car, so I figure I should do pretty well here.

Event: Vauxhall Racing Club
Rating Category: C-class
Restrictions: Vauxhall cars only
# of Races: 4
Total Event Prize: $47,190.00

Not the biggest purse around, but for some reason I seem to be getting the cold shoulder from the semi-pro ranks this year. So be it. I guess they figure I need to prove myself a little bit more.

The Competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo)
Muller (GER) (2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo)
Evans (UK) (2005 Vauxhall Monaro VXR)
Weber (GER) (2005 Vauxhall Monaro VXR)
Esposito (ITA) (2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR)
Johansson (SWE) (2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR)
Spiers (UK) (2009 Vauxhall Corse VXR)
Obviously I should be getting most of my competition from Rossi and Muller, who will also be running VX220's. But mine is already heavily modified and I am completely comfortable with it, which should give me the advantage.

I spend the day traveling to Atlanta for the first leg of the event.

Monday, July 18th & Tuesday, July 19th - Season 2

Upgrade: Race Front Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $3,420.00
Effect: Body roll reduction
Rating: C-423 (down 1 from C-424)

Upgrade: Race Rear Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $3,420.00
Effect: Body roll reduction
Rating: C-423 (no change)
-If I have one complaint about the VX220, its the fact that it does get a bit of body roll, most likely from the lightweight materials used to build it. So I sacrifice a few pounds and install hollow blade-type anti-roll bars with solid end-links and aluminum block mounts. There are also fully customizable, which will allow me to adjust the front and rear body stiffness for tuning purposes.

Wednesday, July 20th - Season 2

I spend the day at Road Atlanta, getting the Vauxhall dialed in and the anti-sway bars set up properly. After some fiddling, I settle on a set-up that's relatively neutral in the back, but a bit softer than normal in the front. I've been here once before, but tomorrow we'll be running the abbreviated Club Circuit, rather than the full circuit I ran here before.

Thursday, July 21st - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Vauxhall Racing Club
Race #1 (of 4): Road Atlanta (Braselton, GA) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Road%20Atlanta%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,700.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.08 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

The modifications I've made to my VX220 were obvious at the drop of the green flag, as I was easily able to pull to the inside and in front of both Muller and Rossi on the opening straightaway. To his credit, the mad Italian Rossi stayed with me very well through the esses, but I had a fantastic run through the straightaway kink as we headed back towards the grandstands, allowing me to leave the rest of the field in the dust. I did have a small problem back in the kink on lap 3, but by that point I had built up enough of a lead where I really didn't have anything to worry about.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Vauxhall%201.jpg

Leading the pack into the straightaway chicanes at Road Atlanta.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $11,700.00
XP Gained: 6,000
(Driver gained Level 26)
(2004 Vauxhall VX220 Turbo gained Level 5)
Hotlap: 1:05.818 (top 35% of 223,832 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:34.589
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:40.287
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:41.141
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:42.110
5th place: Weber (3) - 4:42.628
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:51.308
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:52.047
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:00.077
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (7 pts)
3rd place: Muller (5 pts)
4th place: Evans (4 pts)
5th place: Weber (3 pts)
6th place: Esposito (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Friday, July 22nd & Saturday, July 23rd - Season 2

No need for a dedicated travel day this time around, since race #2 is just down the road a bit at Sebring in Florida.

Upgrade: Street Flywheel
Price: $1,700.00
Effect: Weight -2 lbs.
Rating: C-424 (up 1 from C-423)
-I've still got a little bit of room for improvement on the VX220, so I install an ACT forged-steel flywheel, reducing weight and inertia and improving throttle response.

Upgrade: Sport Driveline
Price: $1,170.00
Effect: Weight -5.5 lbs.
Rating: C-423 (up 1 from C-424)
-An aluminum drive shaft decreases driveline inertia and overall weight by a few precious pounds.

Sunday, July 23rd - Season 2

Track time today on the Club Circuit at Sebring International. I have the same problem that I've had on previous trips here; braking points. There are plenty of cones and other things to use as reference points here (despite the track itself being almost completely flat), but for some reason I still have trouble with consistent braking.

Monday, July 24th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Vauxhall Racing Club
Race #2 (of 4): Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,675.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 6.80 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Another good jump off the line saw me pull level with Rossi as we headed into the first sharp right-hand turn. There we bumped a couple of times moving through the turn, but I emerged with the lead thanks to having the inside line, and I still held the lead (albeit a relatively small one) at the end of the first lap. I maintained that small lead through lap 2, but then ran into some braking issues on the bottom section of the "fishtail" near the end of lap 3 which allowed Rossi to catch up with me and very nearly overtake me for the lead. Then my braking problems chose to continue and I went way too hard into the first turn on the 4th and final lap. I went off into the grass and surrendered 1st and 2nd to Rossi and Muller, respectively. I got back up to the lead pack, then inadvertently bumped Rossi off into the grass on the "fin" at the north part of the track, moving into 2nd place. Shortly thereafter I managed an inside move on Muller in the tail section and forced my way back into the lead, which I was able to hold on to this time.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Vauxhall%202.jpg
Playing catchup after a braking error at Sebring.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $12,675.00
XP Gained: 6,500
Hotlap: 1:16.749 (top 40% of 374,823 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 5:12.375
2nd place: Muller (7) - 5:13.171
3rd place: Rossi (5) - 5:13.954
4th place: Evans (4) - 5:14.800
5th place: Weber (3) - 5:15.691
6th place: Esposito (2) - 5:26.516
7th place: Johansson (1) - 5:26.842
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:35.410
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
T-2nd place: Muller (12 pts)
T-2nd place: Rossi (12 pts)
4th place: Evans (8 pts)
5th place: Weber (6 pts)
6th place: Esposito (4 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Tuesday, July 26th - Season 2

Travel day today. We head home to Barcelona for the next leg of the event.

Wednesday, July 27th - Season 2

The VX220 has definitely served me well thus far, perhaps better than any other car in my garage. So today I decided to reward it with a nice, shiny new paint job. I contract with a local car detailer for a simple, clean-line design using some new, poly-chromatic paints (the type that change hue depending on the angle it catches the light). I'm pretty happy with the results:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/VX220%20New.jpg
The VX220's shiny new look.

Thursday, July 28th - Season 2

I spend the day turning laps at the Iberian International Circuit outside Barcelona today. I'm actually used to running this track in the opposite direction, but this approach actually makes the double-apex turn at the east end of the track easier, since you start with the sharp angle of the turn to start with. By the end of the day I'm pretty comfortable and I'm running laps under the 1 minute mark.

Friday, July 29th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Vauxhall Racing Club
Event #3 (of 4): Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,725.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 5.96 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Once again I was able to get the jump on Rossi and Muller at the line and had the lead before the first turn. I was still in the lead as we approached the double-apex turn at the east end of the track, where I figured the entire race would be won or lost. The first time through I took a wider angle than the others, allowing them to almost catch me in the turn itself but then allowing me to pull away onto the ensuing straightaway with more speed. This approach worked well, so I stuck with it and was never challenged for the lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Vauxhall%203.jpg

Catching some air at Iberian International.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $10,725.00
XP Gained: 5,500
Hotlap: 59.154 (top 3% of 222,070 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:07.856
2nd place: Muller (7) - 4:13.147
3rd place: Rossi (5) - 4:13.942
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:16.541
5th place: Weber (3) - 4:17.492
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:24.792
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:25.193
8th place: Spiers (0) - 4:33.973
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Muller (19 pts)
3rd place: Rossi (17 pts)
4th place: Evans (12 pts)
5th place: Weber (9 pts)
6th place: Esposito (6 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
I've locked up overall victory in the series, but that doesn't mean I'll be backing off one bit. I'm going for the sweep.

DataKing

02-19-2010, 08:28 PM

Saturday, July 30th - Season 2

Travel day today. We're heading back to New England to finish off the event on Tuesday.

Sunday, July 31st - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

I'm pretty comfortable with the VX220 now, and I really don't need to be spending any more money on it. So I turn my attentions back to Stacey.

Upgrade: Race Chassis Reinforcement and Roll Cage
Price: $3,000.00
Effect: Weight +149 lbs.
Rating: B-466 (up 1 from B-465)
-I'm still trying to stiffen Stacey up and get more control over her power, so I seam-weld her chassis and install a roll cage.

Monday, August 1st - Season 2

Had a busy day at the track today. I started with Stacey, testing out the reinforced chassis and trying to keep her rear end under control, especially on the long sweeper here (this is a good place to test that sort of thing). Unfortunately I still have the same problem. It seems like the back end keeps wanting to lead the car, and no matter how much fiddling I do I can't correct the problem. I'm starting to think that, without a modern independent rear suspension, there's just no way to control this much power unless you're pointed straight ahead.

After giving up on Stacey I moved back to the Vauxhall, and had some pretty good laps going until I clipped the outside retaining wall on the front straightaway and damaged the right front suspension. Nothing too serious, but that ended my practice run and I spent the rest of the day getting the car ready for tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 2nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Vauxhall Racing Club
Race #4 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $12,090.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.96 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Once again I was able to fire off the line, splitting the gap between Rossi and Muller and taking the lead before the first turn. Muller got bumped off in those first turns by some of the bigger, heavier competition, leaving just Rossi and myself at the front. I maintained a short lead of just four or five car-lengths for the first lap, but was able to start stretching things out on the back-stretch of lap 2. I caught my front inside tire on the rumble strips at the north end of the track on lap 4, but that only allowed Rossi to close within about 8 lengths, and he never got closer than that.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Vauxhall%204.jpg
Splitting the gap on the start at Maple Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $12,090.00
XP Gained: 6,200
Hotlap: None

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:38.848
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:41.996
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:42.510
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:44.405
5th place: Esposito (3) - 4:51.408
6th place: Weber (2) - 4:51.550
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:54.381
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:00.308
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus: $12,100.00
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
T-2nd place: Rossi (24 pts)
T-2nd place: Muller (24 pts)
4th place: Evans (16 pts)
5th place: Weber (11 pts)
6th place: Esposito (9 pts)
7th place: Johansson (4 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

After the podium ceremony I was presented with the following from the tuning experts at MINE's:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/MINE%20R34.jpg
2002 Nissan MINE's R34 Skyline GT-R

Skyline is an old name in Japanese automotive circles, going all the way back to 1957. MINE's is a Japanese tuning firm. They mostly do software upgrades, but they do hardware upgrades for a few select cars. They are best known for their work on the Nissan Skyline. On the R34, they've jacked up the engine to a whopping 621 horsepower in a car weighing in at under 3,200 lbs. This thing has the highest power-to-weight ratio of anything in my garage, by far.

I've also gotten my grubby little hands on another car, but only temporarily. I've joined a group called the Pay-It-Forward Program. It's a bunch of racers who let other racers (like myself) borrow high-end, high-priced cars that they're not using at the moment. Author's note: This is a real in-game program that has been started by some of the excellent guys over at forzacentral.com. Props to KINGSBPD for setting this up. As a result, I've got this toy to play with for a little while:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F40C.jpg
1989 Ferrari F40 Competizione

This is the competition-version of the Ferrari F40. 841 horsepower and weighing only 2,289 pounds, this thing is positively insane. I have no intention of actually racing it in the near future, but I'll be taking it with me and running it during my practice times, for grins and to help get accustomed to dedicated racing vehicles.

I also now have a 10% discount direct from Vauxhall on engine displacement upgrades.

DataKing

02-20-2010, 04:00 PM

Wednesday, August 3rd - Season 2

I've signed up for a quick set of sprint-style races back at the track park in Montserrat.

Event: All-Wheel-Drive Open
Rating Category: D-class
Restrictions: All-wheel-drive vehicles only
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $12,670.00

Not much to be made here, but it'll help kill a couple of weeks. Today I head home to Barcelona and prepare.

The competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2004 Audi S4)
Takahashi (JPN) (2005 Subaru Legacy B4 2.0 GT)
Evans (UK) (2004 Volvo S60 R)
Weber (GER) (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32)
Esposito (ITA) (2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro)
Johansson (SWE) (2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent)
Spiers (UK) (2003 Volkswagen Bora VR6)

Thursday, August 4th - Season 2

Our first race will be on the short course at Iberian International, so I spend the day there testing. I need to decide between two cars for the coming event, since I like both and they both qualify: The 1997 Mitsubishi GTO and the supercharged 2003 Volkswagen Golf R32 (you may recall that I stuck a centrifiugal supercharger on this thing on a whim at Daytona last year). Overall the lap times end up being pretty similar, with the Golf having a small edge due to having a tighter gear ratio better suited for short-track driving, so that's the one I'll be driving. My best lap with the R32 was 48.240, and 48.488 in the GTO. For giggles I ran a few laps in the F40 as well, and pulled a 40.521 without breaking a sweat.

Friday, August 5th & Saturday, August 6th - Season 2

The first race isn't until Sunday, so I spend a couple of days working on the Golf.

Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.03
Rating: D-347 (up 8 from D-339)
-I drop two large on a set of Bridgestone street tires for improved grip.

Upgrade: Street Brakes
Price: $2,200.00
Effect: Efficiency +1%
Rating: D-348 (up 1 from D-347)
-I also install a set of AP Racing high-performance brake pads, high-boiling-point brake fluid, and braided stainless steel brake lines.

Sunday, August 7th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: All-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #1 (of 3): Iberian International Circuit (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Iberian%20International%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $4,485.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 2.28 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

I had a decent jump at the drop of the green flag, briefly overtaking Takahashi for 2nd, but the first turn came up sooner than I expected. I ran the Golf off into the grass and was just barely able to hold off Weber's Golf for 3rd place. By the time we'd made the turn at the east end of the track and were heading back towards the start-finish line, I was right on Takahashi's tail and bumping him. But then I screwed up royally, overshooting the ensuing right-hander, bouncing off the retaining wall and into the sand. By the time I got back on the track I had fallen all the way to 5th place and was just barely ahead of Johansson's Alfa. Lap 2 saw me get close to Esposito's Audi in 4th place, but I did not have enough time for a pass before the race ended. That's the problem with these extra-short races. If you make a mistake, there's no time to recover.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/AWD%201.jpg

This is what failure looks like.

Result: 5th place
Prize: $2,145.00
Repairs: -$162.00
XP Gained: 2,300
Hotlap: 48.570 (top 23% of 100,932)

Race Results:
1st place: Rossi (10) - 1:45.195
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 1:45.606
3rd place: Weber (5) - 1:47.038
4th place: Esposito (4) - 1:47.970
5th place: Tolliver (3) - 1:48.420
6th place: Johansson (2) - 1:55.152
7th place: Evans (1) - 1:55.443
8th place: Spiers (0) - 1:56.086
Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (10 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (7 pts)
3rd place: Weber (5 pts)
4th place: Esposito (4 pts)
5th place: Tolliver (3 pts)
6th place: Johansson (2 pts)
7th place: Evans (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Monday, August 8th - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Flywheel
Price: $1,500.00
Effect: Weight -2 lbs.
Rating: D-349 (up 1 from D-348)
-A Fidanza forged-steel flywheel will help to reduce the Golf's weight and inertia and improve throttle response.

Tuesday, August 9th - Season 2

Next up is the nearby Ladera Test Track. I spend the day there getting the Golf dialed in, but I'm done trying to run the F40 on these tiny little abbreviated courses. It's completely ill-suited for that sort of thing and I spend what little time I do log in it just trying to keep it off the walls.

Wednesday, August 10th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: All-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #2 (of 3): Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $5,070.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 2.31 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

I got another good jump at the launch (a very easy thing to do with all-wheel-drive), and moved past Takahashi for 2nd as we entered the first turn. After that I was able to track down Rossi in the chicanes at the northwest corner of the course, and I was right on his back bumper as we made the last right-hander, but I was not able to make the pass. Knowing that I had little time to work with, I got my fender on his inside as we made the first turn on lap 2 and pushed him to the outside, forcing him to give up the lead. The rest of my laps were clean and I brought home the checkered flag.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/AWD%202.jpg
Leaning in for the lead at Ladera.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $5,070.00
XP Gained: 2,600
Hotlap: 38.193 (top 20% of 97,543 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 2:00.951
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 2:03.897
3rd place: Weber (5) - 2:04.247
4th place: Takahashi (4) - 2:04.692
5th place: Evans (3) - 2:05.330
6th place: Esposito (2) - 2:05.858
7th place: Johansson (1) - 2:09.560
8th place: Spiers (0) - 2:10.329
Event Standings:
1st place: Rossi (17 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (13 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (11 pts)
4th place: Weber (10 pts)
5th place: Esposito (6 pts)
6th place: Evans (4 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Thursday, August 11th - Season 2

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $200.00
Effect: Weight -4 lbs.
Rating: D-350 (up 1 from D-349)
-An alloy-steel driveshaft will decrease the Golf's driveline inertia and overall weight.

Friday, August 12th - Season 2

Practice laps today at the glorified half-mile-oval that is the mini circuit at Camino Viejo de Montserrat. I haven't been here for a while, and I had forgotten the relative high speeds you can carry here, despite it being such a small track.

Saturday, August 13th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: All-Wheel-Drive Open
Race #3 (of 3): Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Mini Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Mini%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $3,315.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 1.68 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

I got what I thought was another good jump at the drop of the green flag, and tried to split the gap between Takahashi and Rossi as we entered the first turn at the east end of the track. However, Takahashi clipped me on the inside with his front fender, and I was just able to avoid spinning out and across the track. As it was, this bunched up the pack behind us and allowed Rossi to jump out to an early lead. Evans was having a good run in his Volvo, and overtook me for 2nd place at the west end on lap 2, but I was able to take the position back on the inside as we crossed the line to start the 3rd and final lap. But I was never even able to get close to challenging Rossi for the lead.
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Good racing action for 2nd place at Camino Viejo.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $2,925.00
XP Gained: 1,700
Hotlap: 27.063 (top 63% of 119,357 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Rossi (10) - 1:23.720
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 1:26.572
3rd place: Evans (5) - 1:27.275
4th place: Takahashi (4) - 1:28.257
5th place: Esposito (3) - 1:28.641
6th place: Weber (2) - 1:29.563
7th place: Johansson (1) - 1:30.512
8th place: Spiers (0) - 1:32.189
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz2.gif
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Rossi (27 pts)
2nd place: Tolliver (20 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (15 pts)
4th place: Weber (12 pts)
T-5th place: Evans (9 pts)
T-5th place: Esposito (9 pts)
7th place: Johansson (4 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
My mistake in the 1st race was just too much to overcome.

DataKing

02-21-2010, 11:29 PM

Sunday, August 14th, Season 2

The big leagues have finally come calling. I've been invited to my first professional circuit event. We may not be racing high-end cars, but this is still a top level of competition and a chance to make some serious money.

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Rating Category: F-class
Restrictions: Stock MX-5 Miata only
# of Races: 6
Total Event Prize: $140,400.00

This is a different sort of event than anything I've participated in before, because everyone will be driving identical, stock MX-5 Miatas and absolutely no modifications are allowed. This should present quite a challenge, since victory will have nothing to do with the car and everything to do with driver skill. I'm intrigued to see how I match up.

I don't own a Miata yet, so I spend the day shopping and find this one in good condition for $6,000.00

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miata.jpg
1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)
Takahashi (JPN) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)
Yoshida (JPN) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)
Sato (JPN) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)
Watanabe (JPN) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)
Kato (JPN) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)
Kim (KOR) (1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata)

Monday, August 15th - Season 2

Travel day today. The Miata Trophy event will start on Thursday in Japan.

Tuesday, August 16th - Season 2 (Project Stacey)

Upgrade: Race Weight Reduction
Price: $4,100.00
Effect: Weight -619 lbs.
Rating: A-526 (up 60 from B-466)
-In my continued effort to keep Stacey under control, I put her on a serious diet. I remove everything that is not necessary, including bumper beams, interior, all carpeting, strip and acid-dip the chassis, and install a Cobra racing seat and harness.

Wednesday, August 17th - Season 2

I spend the day running laps at Twin Ring Motegi, where the first race will be held tomorrow. I start with a few laps in the F40, and the car manages to turn laps here in under 2 minutes in it's sleep. It's still a handful to control though, but I feel as though I'm getting more used to how twitchy the cars at that level can be. After that, it's back to reality and a bunch of laps in the Miata. I'm paying special attention to my lines through the turns here, since there are a number of straightaways on this track and the turns leading into them are going to decide whether I win or lose.

Thursday, August 18th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Race #1 (of 6): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $23,400.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 11.93 mi
Starting Position: 8th

I was disappointed to learn that I would be starting at the back of the pack, but there was little I could do about that except grin and bear it.

Lap 1: I got a decent jump at the drop of the green flag and managed to split the gap between Kato and Kim for 6th place before the first turn, but heading into the turn Watanabe (on the outside) tried to close down too far and bumped me, nearly causing me to lose control, but I saved it. Watanabe started moving up after that, but I was soon on his tail and passed Yoshida on the inside of turn 2 for 5th. I tried passing Watanabe for 4th before turn 3 and managed to do so, but drove the Miata too deep into the corner, and came out back in 6th behind Kim. I retook 5th in turn 6 (despite being bumped by Kim and again having to save the car), but by that point Watanabe and the rest of the top 4 had pulled away from me a little bit and I was still on 5th place at the start of lap 2.
Lap 2: I finally got up on Watanabe's back bumper as we entered the 120-degree turn 3, and there I gave him a little taste of his own medicine, getting a fender underneath him and bumping him out of the way for 4th place. I was close to Takahashi and Sato, and when the two decided to race side-by-side down the southeast straightaway I was able to get into the mix, moving past Takahashi and into 3rd on the southwest right-hander.
Lap 3: I had a really good, smooth run through the first turn, which gave me enough momentum on the ensuing straightaway to move past Sato and into 2nd place. I then set about the task of reeling in Sasaki, who had worked his way out to about a 20-car-length lead. I steadily made up ground over the course of the lap, and had about cut Sasaki's lead in half by the time we started the 4th and final lap.
Lap 4: Good runs on my part through turns 2 and 3 cut deeper into Sasaki's lead, and by the time we came off of the hairpin at the east end of the track I was within just a couple of lengths, but I could not close the gap on the straightaway. With only the last chicane remaining to make a move, I did the only thing I could, running hard into it and forcing my fender underneath Sasaki. Apparently he was not prepared for the resulting contact, because he backed off and I was able to shoot forward for a last-second victory!

<object height="505" width="853">

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Yes, I'm an asshole.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $23,400.00
XP Gained: 12,000
(Driver gained Level 27)
(1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata gained Levels 1 & 2)
Hotlap: 2:31.472 (top 61% of 22,463 recorded times) - don't expect much in the way of hotlap times during this event, since I'm driving a stock car.

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 10:21.028
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 10:23.018
3rd place: Sato (5) - 10:23.838
4th place: Takahashi (4) - 10:24.552
5th place: Watanabe (3) - 10:26.123
6th place: Kim (2) - 10:28.815
7th place: Yoshida (1) - 10:29.613
8th place: Kato (0) - 10:30.489
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (7 pts)
3rd place: Sato (5 pts)
4th place: Takahashi (4 pts)
5th place: Watanabe (3 pts)
6th place: Kim (2 pts)
7th place: Yoshida (1 pt)
8th place: Kato (0 pt)

Friday, August 19th - Season 2

Travel day. The next race in the event is at Sebring in Florida.

Saturday, August 20th - Season 2

One of the things I've been meaning to do is start preparing a car for the Class B World Championship, which I have been told I can expect an invitation to next year. With the success I've had with the Vauxhall VX220, I've decided that I like the ultra-lights so I'm going to stick with that and get the Lotus Exige Cup 240 ready for competition. And now is the perfect time to do that, since I've got some spare time during this event and there's no point in making any sort of modifications to the Miata.

Upgrade: Race Rear Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $3,780.00
Effect: Body roll reduction
Rating: B-457 (no change)
-The Lotus already comes with race-spec front anti-roll bars, so I complete the package with Eibach hollow blade-type anti-roll bars with solid end-links and aluminum block mounts in the rear.

Sunday, August 21st - Season 2

Track time today at Sebring International. I start out with the F40 which really shines here, especially on the straightaways. I've still got a little trouble with my braking points here, but I'm still able to turn sub-2 minute laps. That's pretty fast, folks. After driving that thing, running the Miata around here is a piece of cake, and the car has such good handling characteristics compared to its speed, I feel that my braking and cornering is much more under control than my last visit here.

Monday, August 22nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Race #2 (of 6): Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $25,350.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 14.80 mi
Starting Position: 8th

I had an absolutely brilliant launch to start the race, with just a hint of tire-squeal, and shot up the middle of the pack, all the way into 2nd place before entering turn 1. Sasaki was only a few lengths in front of me for the bulk of lap 1, but I didn't press the matter just yet. I had plenty of time to work with, and wanted to let the tires get heated up before trying anything fancy. Sasaki was moving fast, though, and it took me all the way until the Tower turn before I found an opening. There I was able to get my nose underneath him on the inside of the turn and forced my way into the lead. Sasaki and the rest of the pack were hot on my heals, but I had a really good run through the Sunset Bend at the end of the lap that gave me some breathing room. From there I was able to cruise to victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miata%202.jpg
Firing up through the middle of the pack at Sebring.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $25,350.00
XP Gained: 13,000
(1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata gained Level 3)
Hotlap: 2:47.507 (top 20% of 11,514 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 11:22.884
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 11:28.710
3rd place: Sato (5) - 11:29.054
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 11:30.019
5th place: Watanabe (3) - 11:30.546
6th place: Takahashi (2) - 11:30.962
7th place: Kato (1) - 11:32.584
8th place: Kim (0) - 11:33.076
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (14 pts)
3rd place: Sato (10 pts)
T-4th place: Watanabe (6 pts)
T-4th place: Takahashi (6 pts)
6th place: Yoshida (5 pts)
7th place: Kim (2 pts)
8th place: Kato (1 pt)

Tuesday, August 23rd - Season 2

Travel day today. We head up the east coast to the Big Apple.

Wednesday, August 24th - Season 2

Some more work on the Lotus today. I'm taking a different approach with this car than I have with others thus far, though. The first thing I'm doing here is making all of the necessary modifications to make the car fully tune-able. Once that is done, I'll be able to tune it for each individual track, and I'll use whatever Performance Index points I have left to make power improvements.

Upgrade: Race Springs & Dampers
Price: $10,600.00
Effect: Ride Height -0.56 in
Rating: B-458 (up 1 from B-457)
-I install KW low-friction coilover racing shocks with remote reservoirs, and replace the bushings with adjustable helm joints and steel bearings.

Thursday, August 25th - Season 2

We're back in New York City, and fortunately the race organizers for this weekend (there are events all three days) have convinced the city officials to make the track available for testing today as well. So I spend the day turning a bunch of laps here. It's the same circuit that we ran before (north through Times Square to Columbus Circle, east along the south end of Central Park, then back south through the Square and back around again), but this time there are no artificial chicanes in the way, so tomorrow is mostly going to be about raw speed and good clean exits onto the straightaways.

It doesn't take much to get the Miata dialed in for tomorrow's race, since there are only a few turns to concern ourselves with. Columbus circle is going to be the one really tricky spot, since it's basically a 270-degree turn and you carry a lot of speed going into it. For giggles I turn a bunch of laps in the F40 as well, and let me tell you going 180 mph (I'm not exaggerating) through Times Square is fun! :D The F40 is really beginning to grow on me. It's tricky to control in the turns, but I'm getting used to it and when you get a straightaway to work with, the acceleration is truly exhilarating.

Friday, August 26th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Race #3 (of 6): New York Circuit (New York, NY) - Old Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20York%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $19,500.00
Laps: 7
Race Distance: 12.67 mi
Starting Position: 8th

My launch was absolute junk this time around, and I didn't get anywhere near enough power to the rear wheels, but just a short way down the track a number of drivers started checking up. I can only assume someone tapped their brakes for some reason and caused an accordian-effect. Whatever the reason, I was able to slip to the inside as we headed towards Columbus Circle and all the way up to 2nd place. Then as we made the sharp right-hand turn to start heading south, Sasaki lifted slightly and I did not, swinging the Miata all the way out to the wall but avoiding contact. The extra momentum allowed me to swing back to the inside of Sasaki and into the lead. The rest of the race was surprisingly easy, as I did nothing but add to my lead. I don't know what sort of line everybody else was running, but they were obviously being too passive.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miata%203.jpg
Heading south from Central Park.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $19,500.00
XP Gained: 10,000
(1994 MAzda MX-5 Miata gained Level 4)
Hotlap: 1:17.138 (top 36% of 53,714 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 9:21.412
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 9:34.596
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 9:35.905
4th place: Sato (4) - 9:36.694
5th place: Kim (3) - 9:38.219
6th place: Yoshida (2) - 9:39.237
7th place: Watanabe (1) - 9:41.719
8th place: Kato (0) - 9:42.423
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (21 pts)
3rd place: Sato (14 pts)
4th place: Takahashi (11 pts)
T-5th place: Yoshida (7 pts)
T-5th place: Watanabe (7 pts)
7th place: Kim (5 pts)
8th place: Kato (1 pt)

DataKing

02-24-2010, 11:43 PM

Saturday, August 27th & Sunday, August 28th - Season 2

No need for a travel day today, since race #4 will be just up the road a little bit at Maple Valley, so I spend two days working on the Lotus.

Upgrade: Race Transmission
Price: $10,600.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.11s
Rating: B-470 (up 12 from B-458)
-I rip out the Lotus' transmission guts and put in a 6-speed sequential racing gearbox with shot-peened straight-cut gears, dog-engagement, and interchangeable ratios. This is going to let me set up my gear ratios however I want them, with the possibility of changing them significantly from one track to the next (shorter gears on tracks with lots of speed changes, and much longer gears for top speed on tracks with a lot of straightaways).

Upgrade: Race Brakes
Price: $12,700.00
Effect: Efficiency +2%
Rating: B-471 (up 1 from B-470)
-I install a set of Ferodo full-floating carbon-ceramic brake rotors, matched aluminum monobloc calipers, race-spec composition brake pads, and dual master cylinders.

Monday, August 29th - Season 2

I spend the day turning laps at Maple Valley today. Obviously I've been here plenty of times, but always on the abbreviated Short Circuit. Tomorrow will be my first time on the Full Circuit, and I have to say I like it. It retains the same high-speed characteristics that the shorter version has, just a lot more of it. I start the day in the F40, and I have to admit this was fun! The car absolutely screams around this place, and the wonderful sounds the Ferrari engine makes are even better then they bounce back at you off of the surrounding foliage. My best lap is a 1:25.281.

The Miata is obviously a lot slower than that, but it is also much easier to control. For the vast majority of the track my foot is on the floor, and brakes are only necessary in a few spots. Tomorrow is going to be all about momentum. My best lap is a 1:54.810. (Note: Practice laps don't count as hot laps.)

Tuesday, August 30th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Race #4 (of 6): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $23,400.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 15.00 mi
Starting Position: 8th

I got a pretty good jump off the line again this time, and quickly shot up the middle of the pack into 4th place before ducking to the inside of Takahashi and Yoshida for 2nd. I made up most of the remaining ground between myself and Sasaki on the uphill climb after the first turn, catching and passing him for the lead on the 2nd turn. Sasaki and Yoshida remained close for a little while, but by the end of the 1st lap I had built up a healthy cushion and I had no problems the rest of the way.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miata%204.jpg
Leading the pack through a sweeping turn at Maple Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $23,400.00
XP Gained: 12,000
(Driver gained Level 28)
Hotlap: 1:54.691 (top 23% of 65,849 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 9:49.374
2nd place: Yoshida (7) - 10:02.988
3rd place: Takahashi (5) - 10:06.036
4th place: Sasaki (4) - 10:07.602
5th place: Sato (3) - 10:08.021
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 10:08.765
7th place: Kato (1) - 10:12.290
8th place: Kim (0) - 10:13.851
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (25 pts)
3rd place: Sato (17 pts)
4th place: Takahashi (16 pts)
5th place: Yoshida (14 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (9 pts)
7th place: Kim (5 pts)
8th place: Kato (2 pts)

Wednesday, August 31st - Season 2

Travel day today. We head back down the east coast and will finish off the event on two tracks in the American southeast. First stop is Atlanta.

Thursday, September 1st - Season 2

Upgrade: Race Front Bumper
Price: $3,000.00
Effect: Adjustable front downforce
Rating: B-471 (no change)
-I install a height-adjustable front racing splitter on the Lotus. This will allow me to adjust front downforce on the car.

Friday, September 2nd - Season 2

I spend the day running laps on the full circuit at Road Atlanta. I probably ended up spending too much of my day running those laps in the F40, but it was just too much fun to stop, especially with the long straightaways. After I'd had my fun I ran enough laps in the Miata to get comfortable.

Saturday, September 3rd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Race #5 (of 6): Roat Atlanta (Braselton, GA) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Road_Atlanta_track_map.png

First-Place Prize: $25,350.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 15.24 mi
Starting Position: 8th

I didn't get as good a jump at the beginning this time around, but still managed to work my way up into 4th place as we came through turn 1 and into the esses (turns 2 thru 4). I was still in 4th place as we barreled down the straightaway back to the north, when disaster struck in the chicanes (turn 10). Yoshida and Takahashi were busy slugging it out for 2nd place and went into the turn side-by-side, badly overbraking for the turn. I was right on their tail and slammed Yoshida pretty hard, knocking him into Takahashi. The three of us tangled all the way through the chicanes, but it slowed us down to the point where it allowed Sasaki to gain a big lead on the rest of us, and permitted the second pack to catch up. When we crossed the line to start lap 2 I was still in 4th place. I bumped with Sato and passed him for 3rd place just before turn 6, but lost the spot right back to him after bumping with Yoshida in turn 7 and losing my momentum down the straightaway. Things got worse when we hit the chicanes a 2nd time, and it was completely my own fault. I overdrove the Miata into the turn, trying to re-pass Sato, and ended up spinning out completely. By the time I got back up to speed I had fallen all the way back to 7th and had completely lost contact with the front-runners. I even suffered the indignity of falling into dead last behind Kim in turn 1 of lap 3, but quickly moved back past him in the esses. I managed to pass Watanabe between turns 6 and 7 as well, but that was all I could manage by way of recovery.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miata%205.jpg
Charlie Foxtrot comes to Road Atlanta.

Result: 6th place
Prize: $9,360.00
Repairs: -$785.00
XP Gained: 13,000
Hotlap: 1:51.907 (top 88% of 35,185 recorded times - yuck)

Race Results:
1st place: Sasaki (10) - 11:20.903
2nd place: Yoshida (7) - 11:24.538
3rd place: Sato (5) - 11:26.581
4th place: Takahashi (4) - 11:27.403
5th place: Kato (3) - 11:31.083
6th place: Tolliver (2) - 11:38.034
7th place: Kim (1) - 11:41.593
8th place: Watanabe (0) - 11:42.256
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (42 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (35 pts)
3rd place: Sato (22 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (21 pts)
5th place: Takahashi (20 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (9 pts)
7th place: Kim (6 pts)
8th place: Kato (5 pts)
My chances for a sweep have obvious been dashed, but I'm still in good shape as far as the overall event is concerned. A 4th place finish is all I need on Wednesday to guarantee victory.

Sunday, September 4th and Monday, September 5th

A quick trip down the coast to Daytona is in order, but there's still enough time left in the day to make some additional upgrades to the Lotus.

Upgrade: Race Rear Wing
Price: $2,500.00
Effect: Adjustable rear downforce
Rating: B-469 (down 2 from B-471)
-An adjustable rear wing will allow me to tune the rear downforce as needed.

Upgrade: Race Differential
Price: $8,500.00
Effect: Differential 2-way
Rating: B-469 (no change)
-A race-spec two-way limited slip differential by Quaife will allow me to adjust the Lotus' slip under both acceleration and deceleration.

Tuesday, September 6th - Season 2

We're in Daytona for the last race in the event, but we'll be racing in a different configuration than the ones I've seen before. Whereas the normal Club Circuit features just one trip through portions of the Daytona infield, the Full Circuit we'll be running tomorrow weaves back and forth through the infield a couple of times. Fortunately the turns aren't that severe, and a number of them just involve low islands and rumble strips that can be run over safely if needed. Still, I spend a good amount of time getting comfortable with the Miata here. And that's all I do. I leave the F40 packed away. I don't want any distractions right now.

Wednesday, September 7th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: MX-5 Miata Trophy
Race #6 (of 6): Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $23,400.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 13.90 mi
Starting Position: 8th

I didn't get a very good jump as the green flag dropped this time, but did at least manage to weave my way into 5th place before we entered the first turn in the speedway section of the track. As we rolled through the turn I held the Miata pretty close to the bottom of the banking, taking the shorter way around as most everybody else drifted up the track a bit, allowing me to move all the way up to 2nd. Yoshida made a good, aggressive move on the tricky transition from speedway to infield, nudging me slightly and forcing me back to 3rd. But I was able to outbrake him into the turn at the end of the ensuing infield straightaway and jumped back into 2nd place. I spent the rest of the first lap just keeping Sasaki's red Miata within striking distance, and finally caught him as we worked our way through the infield on lap 2. He was doing a good job of blocking me, but I saw an opportunity and took it. I jumped the island at the point of the "arrowhead," held my line and emerged in front of him (a decent bit of driving on my part, if I do say so myself). And once I got out in front I did what I usually do once I get there...run away from the competition.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miata%206.jpg
Packed tightly together in the transition from speedway to infield at Daytona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $23,400.00
XP Gained: 12,000
(1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata gained Level 5)
Hotlap: 1:58.052 (top 17% of 13,453 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 10:07.566
2nd place: Sasaki (7) - 10:13.741
3rd place: Sato (5) - 10:16.245
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 10:17.072
5th place: Kato (3) - 10:17.796
6th place: Takahashi (2) - 10:18.913
7th place: Watanabe (1) - 10:20.928
8th place: Kim (0) - 10:21.598
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (52 pts)
2nd place: Sasaki (42 pts)
3rd place: Sato (27 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (25 pts)
5th place: Takahashi (22 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (10 pts)
7th place: Kato (8 pts)
8th place: Kim (6 pts)
No sweep unfortunately (and therefore no event bonus), but another trophy for the trophy case is always welcome. :D

Author's Note: I've got the video clip from Twin Ring Motegi uploaded and embedded in the previous post.

DataKing

02-26-2010, 12:17 AM

Wednesday, September 7th - Season 2 (cont'd)

After the brief podium ceremony on Wednesday, two more cars found their way into my permanent care. And trust me when I say that these cars are a lot better than Mazda Miatas:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ferrari%20599.jpg
2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

The Ferrari 599 is Ferrari's premiere grand tourer currently, debuting in 2006. The massive V12 engine cranks out 612 horsepower, and it is well-known for it's MagneRide suspension that is both comfortable as well as tight when it needs to be around a track. This may have just replaced the California as my preferred road car during the winter months.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Miura%20Concept.jpg
2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept

The original Miura was produced by Lamborghini from 1966 to 1972, and is credited for landing the company squarely in the company of Ferrari, Porsche, and other high-performance manufacturers. This was one of a few concept cars produced in 2006 as a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the original Miura. More of a showpiece than anything else, it boasts the same massive V12 that is the heart of the Murcielago LP640 and my Reventon.

After winning 5 of 6 events, the folks at Mazda were pretty happy with me as well. I now have the following discounts:

Drivelines, Valves, and Displacement from Mazdaspeed, Mazda's in-house after-market shop (Mazda)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body from JUN (Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Scion, Toyota)
Twin-Screw Superchargers from Blitz DSC (Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Scion, Toyota)
Single and Twin Turbos from HKS Turbochargers (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda)

DataKing

02-26-2010, 02:07 PM

Just a quick note regarding my finances. I've found that the life I'm leading is a rather expensive one, which probably has not been adequately reflected up to this point. I haven't discussed all of the expenses I have been incurring. The frequent transportation for both myself and my vehicles (shipping something as heavy as a car and tools via air is an expensive proposition), and upkeep on some of these is no small matter either. You don't want to know what I spend just on tires, racing fuel, and track fees for practice time either.

Add to this the cost of renovating my warehouse back in Barcelona, and my considerable nightlife expenses, and you've got a hell of a tab to pay. I'm a up-and-coming bigshot race car driver, so you can be damn sure I'm living the part. :D I'm not ashamed to say that I spend a lot of money on "wine, women, and song." Add it all up, and I figure I'm spending about half of my base earnings (not counting bonuses) on overhead and expenses. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Far from it. I just want you all to understand where it all goes.

I'm also beginning to dabble in car auctions as well, during my off hours. A lot of these are handled via the internet and/or secure brokers. I haven't actually purchased anything this way yet, but I've got my eyes on a few pieces of machinery that I am looking to procure:

2010 Porsche Boxster S
2008 BMW Z4 M Coupe
2009 Lotus 2-Eleven

Hopefully you'll see me add these to my collection soon.

Author's Notes:

Forza Motorsport 3 doesn't handle overhead at all, so in the name of realism I've decided to handle it myself. The amount of money I have available for purchases at any one time is calculated as follows:
50% of my base earnings + 100% of my bonus money. Subtracted from this amount are:
Amount spent on car purchases thus far
Amount spent on parts and upgrades
Amount spent on vinyls and custom designs
Amount spent on repairsFor frame of reference, this means that currently $343,913.50 of my $953,016.00 is available for use. I may tweak this amount later on as my earnings increase, but this seems like a reasonable number to me right now.

I'm also revising my earlier house rule about not buying cars via the auction house. My concern at the time was that I would be able to buy cars that I would receive later anyway as level rewards, for dirt cheap prices. Other players will often sell these cars for way less than their value, since when sold back to the game itself reward cars are only worth $100. What I have figured out since then is that, while I don't know exactly what the reward cars are, they are generally working their way up in Performance Index and rating category. For example, the last two cars I received (the Ferrari 599 and the Miura Concept) are both S-class cars. I won't be receiving any more A-class cars as level rewards, so I am free to buy them via the auction house. Non-reward cars can be sold back to the game for 50% of the original purchase price, so I should end up paying at least that amount to buy them from other players. A lot of the cars out there for sale are actually listed above the original purchase price, but include custom paint jobs, additional parts and upgrades, etc.

DataKing

02-26-2010, 02:22 PM

Can anyone recommend a good, easy to use, free web hosting site? The spoiler tag limit is really starting to cramp my style in my Garage post, so I'm thinking of assembling a simple little web page as a means of displaying all of my cars. I won't be doing anything too fancy here, probably just a simple FrontPage website. So where should I go to house the thing, folks? Suggestions?

DataKing

03-01-2010, 10:06 PM

Thursday, September 8th - Season 2

Travel day, as I head to Sedona, Arizona for something a little bit different.

Friday, September 9th - Season 2 (Time Trial)

I've been asked to start participating in time trials, and I've agreed. These are more for fun than anything else, and to see how I stack up against the rest of the racing world out there. It's simple, really. You show up at the track and strap into a car that is identical to what everybody else is driving. Then you turn laps to your heart's content, trying to record the single fastest lap time that you can. I've heard that the people that organize these sometimes send out cash rewards and other such things occasionally as well, but I'm doing it more for the fun than anything else.

Author's Note: In Forza there are a number of constant Time Trials that you can do, but I'm more interested in the weekly ones. These run from Friday to Thursday, and there are actually rewards for those that record the very fastest laptimes. There are also random "participation" rewards as well, in the way of in-game cash. So I figured I'd start running these as well. I am, however, limiting myself to approximately 30 minutes of lap time for each one. I want this to be a little side activity that I'll go ahead and work into this dynasty report, but not a major time-sink. I'll post a screenshot as well as my lap time and a few comments for each one, then I'll report back the following week on how I ended up comparing with everyone else.

Trial: Toy Soldier TT VIP Only
Car: 2009 Ford #1 TeamVodafone FG Falcon
Track: Sedona Raceway Park Club Circuit
Best Lap: 1:09.339

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Toy%20Soldier.jpg
Tearing things up in the Vodafone Ford at Sedona.

The Ford Falcon race car is a bit more car than I'm accustomed to, and it showed today. It took a decent amount of time before I could even turn consistent, clean laps without spinning the rear tires excessively. This thing is basically a toned-down NASCAR car with 630 horsepower, and my lack of practice at this level showed. Still, towards the end of the day it felt like I was getting better, and all of the wheel time I can manage in cars like this will do nothing but help me down the line.

Saturday, September 10th - Season 2

Another travel day. I head to Florida to participate in another Time Trial.

Sunday, September 11th - Season 2 (Time Trial)

Trial: Caddie on Sebring
Car: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Track: Sebring International Raceway Club Circuit
Best Lap: 1:12.369

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Caddie%20Sebring.jpg
Few of the old folks in attendance recognized this as a Cadillac.

The CTS-V is not your father's Cadillac. They've turned this thing into a bit of a beast, intent upon competing with the likes of the BMW M5 and the Lexus IS-F in the performance saloon category. That means 556 horsepower in a car that weighs well over 4,000 pounds, which made for some tricky driving today. You may recall that Sebring is a place where I have difficulty with my brake points anyway, and today was no exception. I don't feel that today went especially well, but I'm hoping that my time at least ends up being respectable.

Monday, September 12th thru Wednesday, September 14th - Season 2

The next event is just up the coast a bit at Road Atlanta. We're back in the depths of the Amateur competition level again, which means short races, but at least we'll be racing some proper sports cars this time around.

Event: Coupe Road Test 3
Rating Category: A-class
Restriction: Coupe body style only
# of Races: 3
Total Event Prize: $25,740.00

The competition:
Davis (USA) (2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06)
Muller (GER) (2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro)
Evans (UK) (2007 Porsche 911 GT3 (997))
Weber (GER) (2009 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series)
Esposito (ITA) (2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640)
Johansson (SWE) (2005 Lamborghini Gallardo)
Jones (USA) (1999 Dodge Viper GTS ACR)

Needless to say this is some pretty stiff competition. I decide to go with my own Audi R8, partly due to familiarity and partly due to the fact that the drivetrain is wide open, so all-wheel-drive should give me an advantage off the line.

Upgrade: Sport Tire Compound
Price: $5,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.07
Rating: A-596 (up 10 from A-586)
-I invest five thousand in a set of Pirelli street-legal soft compound tires for better grip.

Upgrade: Race Differential
Price: $7,100.00
Effect: Differential 2-way
Rating: A-595 (down 1 from A-596)
-A Torsen race-spec two-way limited slip racing differential will let me set my slip ratios to whatever I am comfortable with.

Upgrade: Sport Exhaust
Price: $5,360.00
Effect: Power +6 hp
Rating: A-600 (up 5 from A-595)
-Hopefully I have plenty of grip now, so I go with a power upgrade here. Superspring stainless steel headers & down-pipes, a high-flow catalytic converter, and large-diameter flow-optimized cat-back exhaust should help squeeze a few extra ponies out of the R8's big V10.

I realize that I'm spending more here on parts than I'll be making, but I've been meaning to make some improvements to the R8 anyway. So I figured, why not?

Thursday, September 15th - Season 2

I spend the day turning laps at Road Atlanta, trying to get the R8 dialed in, and it took me a lot longer than it usually does. For some reason the R8 just felt like a completely different animal than what I remember, and it took quite a bit to get it broken in. The biggest culprit was the differential. The settings were way off to begin, resulting in massive understeer, and it took some time to get it to a spot where I was comfortable with it.

Friday, September 16th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Coupe Road Test 3
Race #1 (of 3): Road Atlanta (Braselton, GA) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Road%20Atlanta%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,775.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 5.31 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

I got off to a blistering start with the drop of the green flag, absolutely shooting past Davis' Vette and Muller's R8 and into the lead before the first turn. An aggressive line through the "esses" stretched out my lead a little bit, but the brakes badly underperformed heading into the straightaway kink, resulting in me going off track. I was able to get back on in short order, but surrendered the lead to Muller before I could get back up to speed. But my aggressive line through the esses served me well again on lap 2, allowing me to retake the lead. After that the brakes performed better now that the tires had heated up, and I was able to cruise to victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Coupe%203%201.jpg
Forcing the issue in the "esses" at Road Atlanta.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,775.00
XP Gained: 4,500
Hotlap: 59.630 (top 30% of 295,650 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:08.375
2nd place: Muller (7) - 3:11.775
3rd place: Davis (5) - 3:14.535
4th place: Evans (4) - 3:15.495
5th place: Esposito (3) - 3:15.915
6th place: Weber (2) - 3:17.023
7th place: Johansson (1) - 3:18.308
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:19.347
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Muller (7 pts)
3rd place: Davis (5 pts)
4th place: Evans (4 pts)
5th place: Esposito (3 pts)
6th place: Weber (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Saturday, September 17th - Season 2

Travel day today. We head across the pond to England for the next leg.

Sunday, September 18th - Season 2

With no more room to maneuver with regards to the R8, and since I'm back where the car was born, I spend some time working on the Lotus.

Upgrade: Sport Exhaust
Price: $5,700.00
Effect: Power +18 hp
Rating: B-496 (up 27 from B-469)
-I run an exhaust setup on the Lotus similar to what I just put on the R8. The advantage here over some other power upgrades is that this equipment shaves off a few precious pounds of weight as well.

Monday, September 19th - Season 2

I spend the day running laps at Silverstone Racing Circuit today, first in the Lotus. I must admit, I really like the way this thing drives now. With all the chassis and handling modifications I've made, it absolutely feels like it's on rails when it's at speed. My only concern now is speed itself. Can it go fast enough not to lose everything I gain in the corners when it's on a track with long straightaways? Someday we'll find out, I'm sure. After that I turn some laps in the R8 as well, enough to get it comfortable here.

Tuesday, September 20th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Coupe Road Test 3
Race #2 (of 3): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - National Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone%20Racing%20Circuit%20-%20National%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,190.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 4.92 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

I got another good jump this time around, making a bold move past Davis and Muller on the outside and into the lead before the first turn. But things all went horrible wrong at the south end of the track. I'm not sure if I just broke too late, if the brakes were just too cold or what, but I shot off the end of the track badly and deep into the sand trap at the end. When I got back on the track and up to speed I was all the way back in 7th place, only ahead of Jones' Viper. I managed an inside move on Johansson's Lamborghini on the sharp left-hand turn at the west end of the track, then slipped to the inside of Weber's Merc for 5th. Esposito's Lambo was next on my list, but I was trying too hard and overshot the first turn of lap 2 badly, dumping me back in dead last and well back of everyone else. I did manage to overtake Jones on the last straightaway of lap 3 in order to save a tiny bit of pride, but that was all I could manage.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Coupe%203%202.jpg
Stopping off for tea and crumpets at Silverstone.

Result: 7th place
Prize: $2,145.00
Repairs: $255.00
XP Gained: 4,200
(Driver gained Level 29)
(2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro gained Level 4)
Hotlap: 1:00.258 (top 58% of 218,939 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Muller (10) - 3:03.675
2nd place: Davis (7) - 3:04.071
3rd place: Evans (5) - 3:06.784
4th place: Esposito (4) - 3:07.113
5th place: Weber (3) - 3:09.634
6th place: Johansson (2) - 3:09.832
7th place: Tolliver (1) - 3:11.519
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:13.150
Event Standings:
1st place: Muller (17 pts)
2nd place: Davis (12 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (11 pts)
4th place: Evans (9 pts)
5th place: Esposito (7 pts)
6th place: Weber (5 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Wednesday, September 21st - Season 2

Travel day today. We head back to the Sunshine state to finish off the event.

Thursday, September 22nd - Season 2

I manage to squeeze one more little tidbit onto the Audi and still keep it legal for A-class competition.

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $540.00
Effect: Weight -4.3 lbs.
Rating: A-600 (no change)
-I install an alloy-steel driveshaft on the Audi R8.

Friday, September 23rd - Season 2

Practice time today on the Club Circuit Reverse at Daytona. And today was all about the Audi. I leave the Lotus packed away, as I want no distractions after the disaster at Silverstone.

Saturday, September 24th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Coupe Road Test 3
Race #3 (of 3): Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL) - Club Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sunset%20Peninsula%20Raceway%20-%20Club%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,775.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 5.82 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

A long straightaway like the one here at Daytona is exactly what I wanted to see to start the race, allowing me to use my launch advantage off the line and turn it into a healthy lead even before the first turn. I learned during practice that a steeper approach from further up the banking is necessary at these speeds for the infield transition, and that's exactly what I did here. I had no trouble at all stretching things out into a comfortable victory, as things got a little chippy behind me between Davis and Muller, allowing me an easy run to the checkered flag.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Coupe%203%203.jpg
Out to a big lead at Daytona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,775.00
XP Gained: 4,500
Hotlap: 1:00.117 (top 1% :eek: of 309,230 recorded times) - My first time in the top percentile, #1,644 overall

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:09.233
2nd place: Davis (7) - 3:15.390
3rd place: Esposito (5) - 3:16.732
4th place: Muller (4) - 3:17.906
5th place: Evans (3) - 3:19.917
6th place: Johansson (2) - 3:22.467
7th place: Weber (1) - 3:23.947
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:24.688
Event Result: Tied - http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Final Standings:
T-1st place: Tolliver (21 pts)
T-1st place: Muller (21 pts)
3rd place: Davis (19 pts)
T-4th place: Esposito (12 pts)
T-4th place: Evans (12 pts)
6th place: Weber (6 pts)
7th place: Johansson (5 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)
Muller's unexpected 4th place finish means we end up sharing the top spot on the podium. He didn't look very happy about it, but I counted my blessings considering how badly I screwed up back at Silverstone.

DataKing

03-06-2010, 05:49 PM

Sunday, September 25th - Season 2

First up, I've received my recent time trial results. I can't say that I'm terribly pleased, but neither one of these track/car setups played to my strong suits:

Time Trial: Toy Soldier TT VIP Only
Position: #1,968
Total Entries: 3,603
Percentile: 54%

Time Trial: Caddie on Sebring
Position: #1,942
Total Entries: 4,402
Percentile: 44%

Next, I've been invited to participate in my second professional event, again racing in low-end F-class cars. Given the schedule, it looks like this will just about close out the season.

Event: Class F World Tour
Rating Category: F-class
Restrictions: None
# of Races: 6
Total Event Prize: $163,800.00

Definitely some good money to be had.

The Competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2009 Renault Twingo Sport Cup)
Muller (GER) (2003 Volkswagen Bora VR6)
Williams (USA) (2003 Ford SVT Focus)
Brown (USA) (2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S)
Esposito (ITA) (2009 Mercedes-Benz A200 Turbo Coupe)
Kato (JPN) (2005 Mazda Axela Sport 23S)
Jones (USA) (2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 LT)
Calling this a 'World Tour' is a bit of a misnomer, as five of the six races will take place in the United States, but there you go. Today I arrange for transportation to the southwest desert where the event will kick off.

Monday, September 26th - Season 2

I spend the day on the Club Circuit at Sedona Raceway Park, determining what I'm going to use for the event. I've always loved Alfa Romeos, the look of them, so I arrange to borrow and drive an Alfa Mito around the track, then compare my lap times with my Del Sol. I like the feel of the Mito and it's handling is pretty crisp for a low-end car, but it just can't compare with the Del Sol after all the modifications I've made to it, so we'll be running with that. I make a mental note though to add the Mito to my wish list.

Tuesday, September 27th & Wednesday, September 28th - Season 2

With the season winding down and with the Lotus pretty much ready to go for next season, I take a couple of days off and relax.

Thursday, September 29th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F World Tour
Race #1 (of 6): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $27,300.00
Laps: 8
Race Distance: 16.16 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

Launching in a front-wheel-drive vehicle from a dead-stop is a tricky proposition, but I got off to a good one this time, moving past Rossi's Renault and into 2nd place behind Muller's Volkswagen (the only one in this event with all-wheel-drive) on the opening straightaway. I was still trailing Muller at the end of the first lap, but he wasn't running away from me either. As we worked our way down the back stretch I was able to keep my foot planted firmly on the floor, while Muller apparently lifted to get through some of the turns there, allowing me to move past him on the inside and into the lead. After that, while I had a couple of small hiccups along the way, I was never seriously challenged, and took home the checkered flag to start the event.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F%20World%201.jpg
Making the pass on Muller at Sedona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $27,300.00
XP Gained: 14,000
(1995 Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR gained Level 5)
Hotlap: 1:25.467 (top 8% of 74,898 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 11:41.159
2nd place: Muller (7) - 11:46.688
3rd place: Rossi (5) - 11:56.721
4th place: Williams (4) - 12:03.939
5th place: Esposito (3) - 12:09.742
6th place: Brown (2) - 12:10.576
7th place: Kato (1) - 12:17.775
8th place: Jones (0) - 12:34.659
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Muller (7 pts)
3rd place: Rossi (5 pts)
4th place: Williams (4 pts)
5th place: Esposito (3 pts)
6th place: Brown (2 pts)
7th place: Kato (1 pt)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Friday, September 30th - Season 2

Travel day today. We head to the northeast U.S. for the next two races.

Saturday, October 1st - Season 2

Idle.

Sunday, October 2nd - Season 2

Track time today at Maple Valley. I like the Full Circuit Reverse course we'll be running tomorrow. It's a high-speed affair and with a lower-power car like the CR-X, I spend most of my time around the track with my foot on the floor.

Monday, October 3rd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F World Tour
Race #2 (of 6): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $29,250.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 18.00 mi
Starting Position: 3rd

I got off to a similar good start at the drop of the green flag today, moving into 2nd place past Rossi before the 1st turn. After that turn, as the track climbs a hill as we move to the northwest, the Del Sol's power advantage over Muller's Vora kicked in, and I was able to pass him on the straight for the lead. He remained right on my back bumper as we moved through the downhill, left-hand sweeper at the northwest corner of the track, but I was able to gain a little separation once we reached the bottom of the hill. At the end of the first lap, coming off of the last sweeper, I got a little too aggressive with the accelerator and slid the Del Sol into the outside retaining wall, but was able to hold onto my lead. That loss in momentum allowed Muller to catch up however, and he very nearly passed me at the base of the northwest hill, but I was able to hold him off. After that I was able to finish the race without incident and take home the checkered flag.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F%20World%202.jpg
Even the CR-X gets a little air at Maple Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $29,250.00
Repairs: -$723.00
XP Gained: 15,000
(Driver gained Level 30)
Hotlap: 1:54.565 (top 22% of 68,646 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 11:41.637
2nd place: Muller (7) - 11:47.079
3rd place: Rossi (5) - 11:54.185
4th place: Williams (4) - 11:59.410
5th place: Esposito (3) - 12:15.719
6th place: Kato (2) - 12:16.936
7th place: Brown (1) - 12:17.340
8th place: Jones (0) - 12:23.266
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Muller (14 pts)
3rd place: Rossi (10 pts)
4th place: Williams (8 pts)
5th place: Esposito (6 pts)
T-6th place: Kato (3 pts)
T-6th place: Brown (3 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Tuesday, October 4th - Season 2

No travel necessary today, since the next race is in New York. I take the day off and enjoy the sights and sounds the Big Apple has to offer.

Wednesday, October 5th - Season 2

Practice time today in downtown New York, back on the Old Circuit Reverse (the one that excludes the artificial chicanes and barriers). I've had good success here before, and hopefully tomorrow will be no exception. Columbus Circle and the turn south from Central Park will be the keys.

Thursday, October 6th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F World Tour
Race #3 (of 6): New York Circuit (New York, NY) - Old Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20York%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $25,350.00
Laps: 9
Race Distance: 16.28 mi
Starting Position: 2nd :thumbsup:

It was nice to finally get to start a race on the front row, and I took advantage, moving ahead of Rossi for the lead shortly after the drop of the green flag. Things bunched up a little bit as we made our way around Columbus Circle, but I got a good run on the turn south from the park, carrying more momentum onto the southbound straightaway and opening up a little bit of a lead. The rest of the race was a piece of cake as I ran away from the competition and was never even challenged for the lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F%20World%203.jpg
Christopher Columbus surveys the race in New York.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $25,350.00
XP Gained: 13,000
Hotlap: 1:15.070 (top 7% of 56,388 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 11:29.824
2nd place: Muller (7) - 11:45.989
3rd place: Williams (5) - 11:58.331
4th place: Esposito (4) - 12:02.113
5th place: Rossi (3) - 12:04.496
6th place: Brown (2) - 12:08.110
7th place: Kato (1) - 12:22.310
8th place: Jones (0) - 12;37.358
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Muller (21 pts)
T-3rd place: Williams (13 pts)
T-3rd place: Rossi (13 pts)
5th place: Esposito (10 pts)
6th place: Brown (5 pts)
7th place: Kato (4 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

DataKing

03-06-2010, 10:41 PM

Friday, October 7th - Season 2

Travel day today, as we head to a new location. Wonderful Wisconsin. Come smell our dairy air.

Saturday, October 8th - Season 2

Idle. I chill out visiting some old haunts in Milwaukee.

Sunday, October 9th - Season 2

I'll be racing tomorrow at Road America for the first time as a professional, but in a way this place is like coming home. It's about halfway between Milwaukee and Green Bay, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. So growing up in Chicago, I used to come up here all the time for track days as a teenager. And it really is a great track, one of my favorites. It's a high-speed place with a number of long straightaways. Corner exits are the key here. A clean exit means more momentum on the straightaways and therefore fast lap times.

Monday, October 10th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F World Tour
Race #4 (of 6): Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Road%20America.png

First-Place Prize: $25,350.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 16.19 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

I didn't get off to the best jump this time around, briefly falling back into 3rd place, but starting out on a long straightaway allowed the CR-X' superior horsepower to come into play, and I was in the lead before the first turn. The rest of the pack was hot on my heels though, with Muller very close to my back bumper for most of the first lap. But a good exit on my part on turn 14 gave me a lot of momentum on the home straightaway and I was able to work my way out to a small lead. I wasn't able to run away after that, and Muller stayed close enough to keep things interesting, but my comfort with the place really showed, preventing me from making any mistakes that could have cost me the race.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F%20World%204.jpg
Heading into the Carousel at Road America.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $25,350.00
XP Gained: 13,000
Hotlap: 2:45.829 (top 10% of 55,820 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 11:14.864
2nd place: Muller (7) - 11:18.015
3rd place: Williams (5) - 11:24.541
4th place: Rossi (4) - 11:26.300
5th place: Esposito (3) - 11:32.963
6th place: Brown (2) - 11:36.548
7th place: Kato (1) - 11:43.641
8th place: Jones (0) - 12:01.294
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Muller (28 pts)
3rd place: Williams (18 pts)
4th place: Rossi (17 pts)
5th place: Esposito (13 pts)
6th place: Brown (7 pts)
7th place: Kato (5 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Tuesday, October 11th - Season 2

Travel day today. We stay domestic, heading to Sebring, Florida.

Wednesday, October 12th - Season 2

Idle.

Thursday, October 13th - Season 2

Practice time today on the short circuit at Sebring International. I decide to ship the Lotus here as well. I figure it can't hurt to get more accustomed to it and do some tuning as well. And with the rough patches and a couple of sharp turns to contend with here, it's a good spot to tweak the toe and differential settings, which is what I do. Once I'm done with that, I run enough laps to get comfortable with the CR-X as well for tomorrow's race. My best lap in the CR-X is a 1:32.019 (I managed a 1:21.492 in the Lotus).

Friday, October 14th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F World Tour
Race #5 (of 6): Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $29,250.00
Laps: 8
Race Distance: 16.00 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

A good, solid launch this time got me well past Rossi and into 1st place before the first left-hand turn. Rossi and especially Muller kept things close for the first couple of laps, but I was running smooth and without error and did not give them an opening. Eventually I worked my way out to a nice little lead and stayed there, due largely to good runs on the long south straightaway. I did make a small mistake on the very last turn of the race, going wide and bouncing the CR-X off of the tire barrier there, but I was too far out in the lead for that to end up making a difference.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F%20World%205.jpg
Leading the pack through some tight turns early at Sebring.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $29,250.00
XP Gained: 15,000
(Driver gained Level 31)
Hotlap: 1:31.867 (top 14% of 67,543 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 12:28.671
2nd place: Muller (7) - 12:32.553
3rd place: Rossi (5) - 12:44.461
4th place: Williams (4) - 12:45.105
5th place: Esposito (3) - 12:53.267
6th place: Brown (2) - 12:56.633
7th place: Kato (1) - 13:03.259
8th place: Jones (0) - 13:20.785
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (50 pts)
2nd place: Muller (35 pts)
T-3rd place: Rossi (22 pts)
T-3rd place: Williams (22 pts)
5th place: Esposito (16 pts)
6th place: Brown (9 pts)
7th place: Kato (6 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)

Saturday, October 15th - Season 2

We're finally back outside the U.S. to conclude the Class F "World" tour. We'll be finishing the event up with a race in England at Silverstone on Tuesday.

Sunday, October 16th - Season 2

Running the Lotus at Sebring got me thinking that there is still at least a little room for improvement on the ultra-light, while still keeping it legal for B-class events.

Upgrade: Street Flywheel
Price: $1,900.00
Effect: Weight -2 lbs.
Rating: B-498 (up 2 from B-496)
-Acceleration and throttle response are never a bad thing, so I install an ACT forged-steel flywheel on the Lotus.

Monday, October 17th - Season 2

Practice laps today at Silverstone. Tomorrow we'll be running on the International Circuit here, which I've never run before. And I'm glad I had plenty of time to practice, because it's tricky. The southeast portion of the track, with a pair of right-handers that lead to a straightaway could be important, but the southwest hairpin will definitely come into play. You have to go all the way down to first gear to make the turn with speed, and first gear isn't something you use in racing very often except at the very start of the race. This spot will definitely be a place to be careful tomorrow.

As I did at Sebring, I start the day tuning the Lotus, in particular working on the spring stiffness and ride height. Lowering the car just enough to avoid bottoming out really helps with the handling and makes a noticeable improvement. After that it's back to the CR-X until I get comfortable, paying special attention to the previously mentioned hairpin.

Tuesday, October 18th - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Class F World Tour
Race #6 (of 6): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - International Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone%20Racing%20Circuit%20-%20International%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $27,300.00
Laps: 7
Race Distance: 15.75 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

Another pretty good launch saw me jump into the lead at the get-go. But at the southeast corner of the track, Rossi took a line to the inside line of mine, briefly overtaking me for the lead before I was able to re-pass him. Looking in my rear-view mirror while this was going on, it looked like everyone else was running a similar inside line as well, so I decided to try that the second time around. It took a couple of laps before I was able to get the line figured out, but once I did I was able to use it to good effect, maintaining a small interval over Rossi and the others. I was never able to run away from the next pack in the field, and Rossi made a good run on me on the last lap, but I had enough to hold him off and complete the sweep!

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/F%20World%206.jpg
Battling with Rossi for the early lead at Silverstone.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $27,300.00
XP Gained: 14,000
Hotlap: 1:44.650 (top 31% of 60,036 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 12:23.407
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 12:25.055
3rd place: Williams (5) - 12:25.302
4th place: Muller (4) - 12:25.607
5th place: Esposito (3) - 12:37.264
6th place: Brown (2) - 12:38.510
7th place: Kato (1) - 12:45.895
8th place: Jones (0) - 13:02.440
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus: $42,000.00
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (60 pts)
2nd place: Muller (39 pts)
3rd place: Rossi (29 pts)
4th place: Williams (27 pts)
5th place: Esposito (19 pts)
6th place: Brown (11 pts)
7th place: Kato (7 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)
It seems like ages since I'd swept an event, and it felt really good to do so. Of course, the bonus cash helps quite a bit too. :D I can think of few better ways to close out the racing season than a finish like this.

DataKing

03-07-2010, 11:40 AM

Tuesday, October 18th - Season 2 (cont'd)

There's been a car that's had a rather conspicuous absence from my garage thus far; the Dodge Viper. That absence was resolved today, as I was awarded the following from representatives of Dodge after today's podium ceremony:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Viper%20SRT10.jpg
2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR

The ACR (American Club Racing) version of the car is basically a Dodge Viper on steroids, and is just barely street legal. It includes street-legal racing tires, two-piece brake rotors, and significant aerodynamic improvements (all those flanges and ripples at the front of the car). Weight is also decreased by about 200 pounds over the normal version, yet still mounts the same V-10 600 horsepower monster under the hood.

I've also received the following discounts recently, which I believe I have failed to document:

10% discount on Pistons and Compression from JE Pistons Japan (Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru)
10% discount on Displacement upgrades by Audi Motorsport (Audi).Thus ends my second season as a professional racer, and a pretty successful one at that I believe. There are a number of things that will be going on during the coming off-season, so stay tuned for the details.

Author's Note: It may be a little bit before I return to regular racing action, but I'm not sure exactly how long. I've got an idea to replace my busted Garage post on the first page. This game is largely about the cars, and I feel remiss not detailing them in a way where their pictures, specs, etc are not readily available. Hopefully I'll have that resolved soon.

DataKing

03-13-2010, 11:58 PM

Season 2 - Offseason Report

This was a busy off-season for me, much more so than last year when all I really did was get my garage and living arrangements taken care of.

For starters, I am no longer just an independent operator/driver. I have officially formed my own race team/company; Double Tap Racing (named after a bit from one of my favorite movies, Zombieland). I even designed my own team logo:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Double%20Tap.jpg

I couldn't do it on my own, though. Like any other company out there, I needed investors, and I've got two good ones. First off we've got Ferdinand. He's basically been a silent partner all along, with Luis operating as his proxy. The second, and more considerable investor, is my favorite "eccentric bazillionaire," Dat King (the oddball who gave me my Lamborghini Reventon (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239701&postcount=41)). Dat King Enterprises signed up as an investor right off the bat, and included a considerable "signing bonus," but more on that later.

I've also come to realize that all of these cars awarded to me by the various manufacturers haven't exactly been 100% free. Part of the deal is an agreement to perform some off-season testing, as the various manufacturers value the opinions of professional drivers when it comes to the new ideas they're considering implementing. So a bit of travel was involved in that, and there were even a few spot appearances at auto shows and the like, which was a nice little surprise. All told, I cleared $47,085.00 over the winter doing this sort of thing.

The time trial events slowed down as well over the winter, but did not come to a complete halt.

Time Trial: Saab on Maple Valley
Car: 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X
Track: Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Full Circuit Reverse
Best Lap: 1:49.223
Position: #900
Total Entries: 4,828
Percentile: 18%

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Saab%20Maple.jpg

Taking the Saab Turbo for a spin around Maple Valley.

I was a bit hesitant about this one. I didn't hold Swedish cars in very high regard after my earlier experience with the Volvo S60, but actually found the Saab turbo to my liking. Granted, this car is no heavyweight (Category E), but the all-wheel-drive gives a planted feel without being detached from the road, and it actually has a decent power-weight ratio as well. I liked it so much that I've added it to my personal "to buy" list.

Time Trial: Touareg on Camino
Car: 2008 Volkswagen Touareg R50
Track: Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit Reverse
Best Lap: 1:19.010

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Touareg%20Camino.jpg
The breathtaking view at Camino Viejo.

This one was a lot closer to home, but much more recent as well, so I don't have the final standings yet. The Camino Viejo track features some breathtaking views, and I wish I had the opportunity to race here more often, but the car left something to be desired this time around. I just can't get excited about racing in SUVs.

More to come...

DataKing

03-14-2010, 01:34 AM

Season 2 - Offseason Report (cont'd)

I also acquired a number of new cars over the off-season as well, which I will detail here. I mentioned in my previous post that Dat King signing on as my primary sponsor also included a "signing bonus." That signing bonus is below. And I will once again reiterate that I am positive the man is completely bonkers, and has more money than he knows what to do with. Here is what I was awarded just for signing on with him:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Veyron.jpg
2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Yes, that is a Bugatti Veyron I now possess. For the uninitiated, allow me to explain. The Veyron was, from 2005 to 2007, the fastest production car on planet Earth! It's engine is basically a mated pair of twin-turbocharged V-8s, which means it is effectively a V-16 quad-turbocharged behemoth that generates 987 horsepower! It has an advanced all-wheel-drive system so the driver can at least pretend to control the raging monster within. It will go from zero to 60mph in 2.6 seconds, zero to 100mph in five-and-a-half. It has ten radiators and a rear wing that automatically deploys at 200mph just to keep the thing from taking flight. It is absolutely, positively bonkers. And it is not a track car. As you might imagine for a car weighing in at just under 4,500 pounds, it handles like a brick. It is a pure speed machine with a price tag of 1.4 million dollars. Don't expect to see me in this thing on the track anytime soon.

My sponsors also brought in our first real, purpose-built racing car:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Holden.jpg
2009 #2 Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore VE

Holden is an Australian GM-subsidiary, and a major player in Australian racing. This particular car never had a chance to perform in race conditions, and was procured directly from the Toll Holden racing team (hence the livery). It's not quite NASCAR-level power here, but still 620 ponies is plenty to try to control. I imagine we'll strip off the Holden livery and put something of our own on when the time comes to race her.

I had mentioned earlier that I was starting to participate in more car auctions. I've mostly been bargain-hunting in the auction circle, but did manage to procure the following cars. And I think I got pretty good deals on all of them:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/BMW%20Z4.jpg
2008 BMW Z4 M Coupe

I did a bunch of testing around the Nurburgring in Germany over the winter (weather permitting), and one of the cars I immediately liked was the BMW Z4 M Coupe. It's rear-wheel-drive and has a lively 3.2-liter V-6 engine that kicks out enough horsepower to keep things interesting, without going over the edge. I was able to acquire this particular one for $42,000.00, which is the normal list price for the car, but this one already had the following modifications on it (plus it's white, which if you ask me is the perfect color for a BMW):

Racetech Weight Reduction (sport)
Remus Exhaust (race)
ARE Germany Oil & Cooling (race)
Fidanza Flywheel (street)
H&R Springs & Dampers (race)This particular car is also the winner of five races, and I was informed that I have the following discounts with it as well (car levels and therefore discounts travel along with a vehicle as it is bought and sold. A rather odd game mechanic, I know)

Driveline by BMW Motorsport (BMW)
Intake Manifold & Throttle Body by BMW Motorsport (BMW)
Valves by BMW Motorsport (BMW)Next up is a car that I knew I just had to own the first time I got behind the wheel. This is the brand new Corvette Grand Sport:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/C6%20Grand%20Sport.jpg
2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

It's not the fastest production 'Vette out there (that distinction falls to the ZR1), but this one is an absolute dream to drive. Despite being rear-wheel-drive and having a big 6.2-liter V-8 in the front, the car feels perfectly balanced. You can really toss this thing around into and out of corners, and it never complains, just asks for more. I'm definitely considering this as a replacement to the R8 has my primary A-class racer. This particular one has won seven races, and I bought it for $60,000.00 even. Again, that's the list price, but it's easily worth that much again due to all of the improvements the original owner made:

Alcon Brakes (race)
Eibach Springs & Dampers (race)
Suspension Techniques Front & Rear Anti-Roll Bars (race)
Sparco Chassis Reinforcement & Roll Cage (race)
Cobra Weight Reduction (sport)
Centerforce Clutch (street)
GM Performance Transmission (race)
Eaton Differential (race)
Goodyear Tire Compound (street)
Fikse FM/10 RimsThis thing is pretty much ready-to-go as far as dedicated racers go. I just need to tune it. It also grants me the following discounts:

Ignition by Champion (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn)
Fuel Systems by Edelbrock (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Differentials by Eaton (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn)
Valves by GM Performance (Chevrolet)
Displacement by GM Performance (Chevrolet)
Pistons & Compression by JE Pistons (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Holden, Pontiac, Saturn)These last two I got when I was operating strictly in bargain-hunting mode. I really couldn't pass up either one, especially since I know I wanted both (though I'm not sure how much either will get raced):

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/MiTo.jpg
2008 Alfa Romeo MiTo

I tested the MiTo late this season, and really liked it. It's a fun, lively little hatchback that you can really toss around in the corners quite a bit. I simply could not pass this thing up at only $5,628.00. Plus I've always loved Alfas. They always seem to drive well, and I love the look of them from the front. This particular one is actually the winner of a dozen races, and includes a Green Cotton Air Filter (street). It also provides me with the following discounts (note that these are all at 20% now, as I already have these due to the Brera Italia Independent):

Intake Manifold & Throttle Body by Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Air Filters by Green Filter Italy (Alfa Romeo, FIAT, Lancia, Maserati)
Camshafts by Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Valves by Alfa Romeo (Alfa Romeo)
Centrifugal Superchargers by Paxton (Alfa Romeo, Dodge, FIAT, Ford, Shelby, Vauxhall)Last, but certainly not least, is this lovely old girl:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/GTO%20Hardtop.jpg
1968 Pontiac GTO Hardtop

I don't anticipate racing this thing at all, but it makes such a wonderful, muted rumble I just couldn't pass her up for $19,200.00. And she's worth well over twice that, especially with the following:

Holley Carburetor (sport)
GM Performance Transmission (sport)
Mickey Thompson Classic Lock Rims
Pontiac Upgraded Front & Rear Rim SizeAnd with that, we're all caught up. Let Season 3 commence...

DataKing

03-16-2010, 11:30 PM

Monday, February 27th - Season 3

Well, a couple of interesting things have happened in the last couple of days, before the new season even kicked off. For starters, I have been informed that I will not be participating in the Class B World Championships this year. Instead, I'll be competing in Class A. Crap! I'm happy about the opportunity and all, but I spent a lot of time and money getting the Lotus Exige Cup 240 ready for competition, and now all of that effort has gone to waste. What's worse is that now I'm scrambling to get a car ready for competition at the Class A level.

Unfortunately, my time leading up to the first race in the Championship (on March 11th) will be pretty much consumed with an interesting little warm-up event in Italy:

Event: Amalfi Class E Series
Rating Category: E-class
Restrictions: None
# of Races: 4 (3 heats each)
Total Event Prize: $56,745.00

Over the course of the next week and a half, we'll be racing in heats over each of the 4 stages of the long Rally di Positano track in Amalfi, Italy. You may recall that I was in a similar event at Fujimi Kaido in Japan early last year. These single heat races are one-on-one affairs. Win your first race and you're in the top half of the bracket. Win your second and you're guaranteed a 1st or 2nd place finish. Win your third and you win it all.

The Competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
Muller (GER) (1992 Lancia Delta Integrale EVO)
Evans (UK) (2009 Vauxhall Corsa VXR)
Weber (GER) (1980 Renault 5 Turbo)
Esposito (ITA) (2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent)
Johansson (SWE) (2003 MINI Cooper S)
Spiers (UK) (2010 FIAT Abarth 500 esseesse)
There's some interesting cars here I'll be lining up against, including some older models that you don't run into very often like the '92 Lancia and the '80 Renault 5. I brought my Alfa Brera and my Renault 206 with me, unsure of which one I was going to compete with. But after a few practice runs it became clear that the Brera is what I should be racing in. The 206 is nimble, but it can't match the Brera for speed and stability.

Tuesday, February 28th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Amalfi Class E Series
Race #1 (of 4): Rally di Positano (Amalfi, Italy) - Stage A

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Rally%20di%20Positano%20-%20Stage%20A.jpg

First-Place Prize: $14,625.00 ($4,875.00 per heat)
# of Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 1.82 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
The first stage of Rally di Positano weaves it's way along the Mediterranean coastline below the town of Amalfi, then makes a sharp turn at the west end of town and begins to weave it's way back and forth up a sharp incline in a series of switchbacks. I got a really good jump on Rossi off the line, jumping out to a nice little lead that I was able to maintain throughout the run. No drama at all and a nice way to kick off the new year.

Result: Victory
Prize: $4,875.
XP Gained: 2,500

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:49.176
2nd place - Rossi - 1:51.829
Heat #2 vs. Muller (1992 Lancia Delta Integrale EVO)
Muller was able to stick with me off the line much better than Rossi was, but the superior horsepower of the Brera soon kicked in and I built up a nice lead while running down the scenic coastline. I was able to maintain that lead to the finish line.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Amalfi%20E%201.jpg
Speeding down the scenic Amalfi coastline.

Result: Victory
Prize: $4,875.00
XP Gained: 2,500
Hotlap: 1:49.025 (top 1% of 209,984 recorded times - #1,455 overall)

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:49.025
2nd place - Muller - 1:51.227
Heat #3 vs. Weber (1980 Renault 5 Turbo)
More of the same in the 3rd and final heat of the day, as I was able to move out to a comfortable lead in the run along the coastline, then maintain that lead during the uphill climb portion of the stage.

Result: Victory
Prize: $4,875.00
XP Gained: 2,500
(2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent gained Level 5)

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:49.176
2nd place - Weber - 1:51.578
Race Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
I forgot to take down the overall results and standings.

Wednesday, February 29th - Season 3

I'm in a bit of a bind with the Class A World Championships coming up. I need to find a car and get it as ready as I can before the 11th, but I'm pretty much stuck here in Italy until then. So I do the best with what I have available to me, and arrange for some practice time at the Mugello Autodromo Internazionale in Mugello, Italy. The track in Amalfi is unlike anything else out there, and Mugello is much closer to the tracks I'll be running in Class A. I've made arrangements for three of my cars to be delivered to Mugello: the 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239491&postcount=31), the new 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2241439&postcount=50), and the 2005 Ford GT (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239573&postcount=32). All three I see as cars with potential to race in A-class.

The R8 turns the best lap times, but that's really to be expected as it's already fully upgraded. I'm rather disappointed to see that the Grand Sport, also upgraded to a 600 Performance Index, is only just as fast as the Ford GT, which I haven't touched. The safe bet here is to enter the R8, but I was really unhappy with how it performed in the Coupe Road Test event late last year (though I did win 2 out of 3). Instead I decide to enter the GT. The 'Vette just doesn't have the horsepower that the other two do, and there's a lot of room for improvement on the GT.

Thursday, March 1st - Season 3

Today it's back to Amalfi and some practice time on Stage B. This one is a bit trickier than the first stage, and it bites me in the ass early on. It starts by continuing the switchbacks up the cliff-side, then a long, high-speed run across the clifftop. At the end of that run, however, there is a very sharp hairpin that catches me unawares. I end up bouncing the Brera's front end off of the tire barrier there hard, doing some minor damage to the engine and front end in the process. Unfortunately that means my practice time is over as I spend the rest of the day making repairs.

Friday, March 2nd - Season 2 (Race Day)

Event: Amalfi Class E Series
Race #2 (of 4): Rally di Positano (Amalfi, Italy) - Stage B

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Rally%20di%20Positano%20-%20Stage%20B.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,115.00 ($3,705.00 per heat)
# of Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 1.62 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
This was a really good race for the first two-thirds of the heat, with my Brera jumping out to a small lead but pretty much running neck-and-neck with Rossi throughout, swapping the lead a couple of times. Unfortunately the hairpin at the east end of the course bit me again. I screwed up and didn't start breaking in time. I ended up locking them up but to no avail, burying the nose in the same tire barrier I hit yesterday. By the time I got back up to speed Rossi was long gone.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Amalfi%20E%202.jpg
A less-than-graceful dive into the rubber.

Result: Defeat
Prize: $3,315.00
Repairs: -$233.00
XP Gained: 1,900

Heat Results:
1st place - Rossi - 1:31.191
2nd place - Tolliver - 1:36.496
A first-round loss means I'm doomed to the bottom half of the table.

Heat #2 vs. Evans (2009 Vauxhall Corsa VXR)
This one was pretty much no contest, as I powered away from Evans' underpowered Vauxhall right at the line and never looked back. A clean entry into the east-end hairpin ensured my victory.

Result: Victory
Prize: $3,705.00
XP Gained: 1,900 (Driver gained Level 32)

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:31.341
2nd place - Evans - 1:33.427
Victory here means the last heat will be for a disappointing 5th place finish.

Heat #3 vs. Esposito (2009 Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent)
Though we were both driving Breras in this one, the improvements I've made to mine carried the day. I jumped out to a small lead at the outset and was able to gradually improve it over the course of the run, avoiding disaster along the way.

Result: Victory
Prize: $3,705.00
XP Gained: 1,900
Hotlap: 1:30.891 (top 4% of 198,971 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:30.891
2nd place - Esposito - 1:32.743
Race Result: 5th place

Saturday, March 3rd and Sunday, March 4th - Season 3

With a couple of days off from the racing at Amalfi, I've had the Ford GT shipped in.

Upgrade: Race Transmission
Price: $14,700.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.11 s
Rating: A-568 (up 11 from A-557)
-One of my only complaints with the Ford GT is its ridiculously long gears, which may be great for top speed but suck for track racing. So I spend some time installing a six-speed sequential racing gearbox with interchangeable gearing ratios.

Upgrade: Sport Tire Compound
Price: $5,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.07
Rating: A-578 (up 10 from A-568)
-More grip is never a bad thing, so I spend five grand on a supply of Goodyear street-legal soft compound tires.

Monday, March 5th - Season 3

Stage C at Amalfi is actually a little bit scary. :) It's mostly a downhill affair, and works its way into and out of the town a couple of different times, making for some very narrow racing areas and tight turns. I spend the day getting familiar with the run, so I can hopefully avoid a repeat of the disaster that was Stage B.

Tuesday, March 6th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Amalfi Class E Series
Race #3 (of 4): Rally di Positano (Amalfi, Italy) - Stage C

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Rally%20di%20Positano%20-%20Stage%20C.jpg

First-Place Prize: $14,625.00 ($4,875.00)
# of Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 1.94 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
I jumped out to a small lead over Rossi, but his ultra-maneuverable Peugeot allowed him to close the gap up during the first bendy urban section. After that he stayed very close to my back bumper for the first half of the run, then at the two-thirds mark finally managed to slip a nose underneath and made an inside move to the lead. After that it was game-on, with my Brera right on his back bumper and bumping him every opportunity I had. I finally managed a pass before the final turn, but running hard I bounded the Brera lightly off an outside retaining barrier and just beat Rossi to the line by less than a tenth of a second!

<object height="344" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pn_55ix_U3U&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object>
Battling it out on the streets of Amalfi.

Result: Victory
Prize: $4,875.00
Repairs: -$403.00
XP Gained: 2,500

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:53.714
2nd place - Rossi - 1:53.805

Heat #2 vs. Muller (1992 Lancia Delta Integrale EVO)
Muller and I were neck-and-neck early on, and ended up bumping one another moving through one of the particularly sharp left-handers in the early section of the stage. This sent me wide where I bounced off of a wall and ended up trailing him. A rather aggressive line on my part paid off at the one-third mark, however, allowing me to carry momentum onto one of the brief straights and slip back into the lead. And this time I stayed there.

Result: Victory
Prize: $4,875.00
Repairs: -$219.00
XP Gained: 2,500

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:52.346
2nd place - Muller - 1:53.783
Heat #3 vs. Weber (1980 Renault 5 Turbo)
There was a lot less drama to close out the day than we had seen in earlier heats. Weber was able to stay close through the earlier bendy bits, but was never able to seriously challenge me for the lead. Gradually I worked my way out to a small but comfortable lead and stayed there.

Result: Victory
Prize: $4,875.00
XP Gained: 2,500
Hotlap: 1:50.911 (top 2% of 196,056 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place - Tolliver - 1:50.911
2nd place - Weber - 1:52.962
Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif

Travis

03-17-2010, 01:14 AM

mmmmmmmmmm Veyron, drool.

DataKing

03-19-2010, 10:30 AM

Travis: The Veyron is definitely a thing of beauty. One of these days I'll go find a kick-ass paint scheme for it.

Wednesday, March 7th - Season 3

I'm back in Mugello today to do some tuning and get in some practice time on the Ford GT. In particular I spend time shortening the gear ratios with the new, adjustable gear box. Gone are the GT's factory-spec long-ass gears.

Thursday, March 8th - Season 3

Back to Amalfi today for the final stage of the Rally di Positano track. This is also the longest of the four stages, running east in a twisting fashion into the heart of the seafront town, then back west along the coastline to the finish.

Friday, March 9th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Amalfi Class E Series
Race #4 (of 4): Rally di Positano (Amalfi, Italy) - Stage D

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Rally%20di%20Positano%20-%20Stage%20D.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,380.00 ($5,460.00 per heat)
# of Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.10 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Peugeot 206 RC)
This one was close throughout. While I was able to jump out to a small lead at the start, Rossi was right on my back bumper for the majority of the race. Fortunately though, his maneuverable Peugeot and my powerful Alfa necessitated two different racing lines, so while it was a hard-fought race it was also a very clean one, and we never so much as bumped. I was able to hold him off and emerge victorious.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,460.00
XP Gained: 2,800
Hotlap: 2:09.930 (top 14% of 194,265 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:09.930
2nd place: Rossi - 2:10.182
Heat #2 vs. Muller (1992 Lancia Delta Integrale EVO)
This one again was close throughout, with me leading by a car-length for the majority of the run. But a mistake on my part at the end proved fatal. I drove the Brera too deep into the next-to-last turn, giving Muller just enough of an opening to take advantage and pass me for the victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Amalfi%20E%204.jpg
Losing the lead on the home stretch at Amalfi.

Result: Defeat
Prize: $4,875.00
Repairs: -$268.00
XP Gained: 2,800

Heat Results:
1st place: Muller - 2:11.181
2nd place: Tolliver - 2:11.565
Heat #3 vs. Johansson (2003 MINI Cooper S)
Upset over my earlier defeat, I jumped out on Johansson to a decent little lead, but shortly thereafter cut a corner a little too close, bouncing the front nose off of the retaining wall and allowing the Swede to catch up. The tight streets of Amalfi aren't a place that lend themselves to big leads. After that I settled down, holding my line and emerging with the win.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,460.00
Repairs: -$122.00
XP Gained: 2,800

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:12.482
2nd place: Johansson - 2:12.983
Race Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_bronze.gif
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz2.gif

An overall 2nd place result earns me a bonus of $12,900.00 The folks at Alfa Romeo are also pleased with me and have offered me a discount on future Displacement upgrades.

My benefactors have also procured another race car for Double Tap Racing:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ferrari%20430GT.jpg
2006 Ferrari #62 Risi Competizione F430GT

The Ferrari F430GT is the racing-version of the regular 430, which was Ferrari's primary sports car before being recently replaced by the 458 Italia, and was designed for international GT2 competition. This particular car was obtained from the Risi Competizione team, but I'm sure we'll strip off the livery and replace it once we're entered in a suitable competition and secured a sponsor.

Saturday, March 10th - Season 3

There's no time to relax though. As soon as things are concluded in Italy we're packing up and heading off to the first race in the Class A championship, which will take place in Sebring, Florida.

Here is the competition we'll be facing in the Class A World Championship this season:
Davis (USA) (2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06)
Taylor (USA) (2003 Dodge Viper SRT10)
Evans (UK) (2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997))
Weber (GER) (2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro)
Miller (USA) (2005 Ford GT)
Johansson (SWE) (2009 Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series)
Spiers (UK) (2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione)

Sunday, March 11th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #1 (of 7): Sebring International Raceway (Sebring, FL) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sebring%20International%20Raceway%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $31,200.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 18.50 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

The GT managed to hold pretty much even with everyone at the start of the race, but unfortunately I was on the outside line for turn 1 and was shuffled back to 3rd place, then got bumped in turn 3 by Evans' Porsche and emerged in 4th. While I certainly have plenty of experience racing here at Sebring, my lack of practice time here with the GT was really showing, and I spent much of the first lap just trying to hold onto my position, only to overshoot in turn 15 and be overtaken for 4th by Weber's R8. Then on lap 2, disaster struck. I was braking and down-shifting, getting ready for the notoriously-difficult hairpin at turn 7, when Johansson completely overshot the braking point, ramming hard into the back of the GT. This allowed those still behind to catch and pass both of us. Shortly thereafter, the engine in the GT started to smoke and to miss (the mid-engine placement means that getting rear-ended like that can damage the engine). With all of that damage I was no longer competitive, and could only limp my way through the rest of the race, finishing dead last.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20A%201.jpg
Taking it in the rear at Sebring.

Result: 8th place
Prize: $3,900.00
Bonus: $2,000.00
Repairs: -$1,355.00
XP Gained: 16,000
(Driver gained Level 32)
(2005 Ford GT gained Levels 1, 2, and 3)
Hotlap: 2:30.164 (top 25% of 629,261 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 11:21.726
2nd place: Taylor (7) - 11:28.891
3rd place: Weber (5) - 11:32.653
4th place: Evans (4) - 11:37.514
5th place: Miller (3) - 11:47.144
6th place: Spiers (2) - 11:56.652
7th place: Johansson (1) - 12:25.858
8th place: Tolliver (0) - 12:34.216
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (10 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (7 pts)
3rd place: Weber (5 pts)
4th place: Evans (4 pts)
5th place: Miller (3 pts)
6th place: Spiers (2 pts)
7th place: Johansson (1 pt)
8th place: Tolliver (0 pt)
I confronted Johansson in the garage after the race, and he was mildly apologetic but implied that I was over-braking into the turn. As if that excused his actions.

Despite my miserable performance, the folks from Ford still saw fit to increase the following discounts I have with their suppliers:

Ignition upgrades by MSD (Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Oil & Cooling upgrades by Cosworth (Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)
Anti-Roll Bars by Hotchkis (Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, Saleen, Shelby)Double Tap's sponsors also still saw fit to procude another race car for us to play with:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/911%20GT3%20RSR.jpg
2008 Porsche #45 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR

This is a racing version of the modern iteration of the Porsche 911. It's still rear-engine, so I'm not sure how much I'll be using it in races. Rear-engine cars are quite tricky, and I find myself much more comfortable with mid-engine racers instead. This particular one was acquired from Flying Lizard racing, hence the livery.

DataKing

03-19-2010, 12:12 PM

The previous post has been fixed.

Also, I'm making a slight modification to my house rules. Given that I now have a racing team, I'm going to allow overnight travel so long as I'm not using the same car the next day. The premise here is that the car itself is sent ahead of me and prepared. As an example, I could have sent the GT to Sebring for the 1st race in the Class A World Championship, then caught an overnight flight on Friday night and actually had some practice time on Saturday. You really need some practice time in order to be able to race competitively at a certain level, no matter how good your car is. This change will only apply during the early, championship portion of the season, since this is the only time when I know ahead of time about a separate event.

DataKing

03-22-2010, 11:33 PM

Monday, March 12th - Season 3

Today is a travel day for the team. I try to drown my sorrows over the miserable performance at Sebring in tiny airplane liquor bottles. Our destination is Germany, where we return to one of my favorite places on the planet.

Event: Nurburgring Class D Series
Rating Category: D-class
Restrictions: None
# of Races: 4 (3 heats each)
Total Event Prize: $74,880.00

I've signed up for another 3-heat, staged event, this time at one of my favorite tracks, the Nurburgring. I've mentioned before how much I love this track, and I got very familiar with the place with all of the testing I did over the past winter. I should do well against this lineup:

Rossi (ITA) (2004 Audi S4)
Muller (GER) (2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR)
Evans (UK) (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32)
Weber (GER) (2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro)
Esposito (ITA) (2009 SEAT Ibiza CUPRA)
Johansson (SWE) (2009 Volkswagen Scirocco GT)
Spiers (UK) (2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk6)
After a little consideration on my part, I decide to go with the Mitsubishi GTO (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239035&postcount=22). I considered the Renault Sport Clio V6 (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2238280&postcount=9) and the Volkswagen Golf R32 (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2238354&postcount=12), but there is already an R32 in the field and I'm concerned about the Renault not having enough grip to keep up with the all-wheel-drive Audis.

Tuesday, March 13th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Nurburgring Class D Series
Race #1 (of 4): Nurburgring Nordschleife (Nurburg, Germany) - Stage A

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nurburgring%20-%20Stage%20A.jpg

First-Place Prize: $17,550 ($5,850.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 3.10 mi

No sooner had we arrived in Germany and gotten the GTO race-ready, then it was time to head out to the track. But I was still confident due to my familiarity with the place. My only concern was how the decade-plus-old GTO would fare against the modern Audi S4. Stage A starts out on a long, high-speed straightaway, then gets into a few tight bends around the pit road entrance. After that there are some more gradual bends, and finally another straight to finish the stage.

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Audi S4)
I was pleasantly surprised to see the GTO keep pace with the Audi S4 off the line, and even worked it's way out to a (very small) lead on the long opening straightaway. I got off into the grass a little bit on the bendy section near the pit entrance, but managed to fend the Italian off and maintain my lead. After that, with a little more comfort in how the GTO was going to handle the corners here, I pushed my way out to a small lead and, despite banging the passenger side door on one of the guardrails, emerged victorious.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
Repairs: -$299.00
XP Gained: 3,000

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:19.640
2nd place: Rossi - 2:20.524
Heat #2 vs. Evans (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32)
A much stronger effort on my part this time. The GTO was able to pull away from the R32 on the opening straightaway, and I did much better through the bends this time. But I did still manage to scrape my driver-side door on one of the rails (the 'Ring can be an unforgiving place). Still, a victory is a victory, though ironically what felt like a stronger run was actually a little slower than my first.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
Repairs: -$10.00
XP Gained: 3,000

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:20.340
2nd place: Evans - 2:22.559
Heat #3 vs. Weber (2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro)
An even better run this time around. I powered the GTO to a big lead on the opening straightaway and stayed there. This time I managed to keep my nose (and doors) clean too.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ring%20D%201.jpg
Flying down the opening straightaway at the Nurburgring.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
XP Gained: 3,000
Hotlap: 2:18.872 (top 30% of 93,518 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:18.872
2nd place: Weber - 2:23.660

Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver (10 pts)
2nd place: Weber (7 pts)
3rd place: Evans (5 pts)
4th place: Johansson (4 pts)
5th place: Rossi (3 pts)
6th place: Esposito (2 pts)
7th place: Muller (1 pt)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Wednesday, March 14th - Season 3

It's back to work on the Ford GT today. We're fortunate that we won't need to be traveling at all during the current event, giving me more time to get the GT up to snuff.

Upgrade: Race Springs & Dampers
Price: $13,200.00
Effect: Ride Height -0.82 in
Rating: A-583 (up 5 from A-578)
-I spend all day working on the GT's suspension, replacing the factory parts with a fully adjustable Ground Control setup. This will allow me to tweak damper, toe, camber, and all sorts of key settings when tuning for the next race.

Thursday, March 15th - Season 3

Track time today on Stage B of the Nurburgring track. Stage B starts pretty early on with a sharp right-hand turn, then a very long high-speed section with only gradual turns (with a set of low-speed turns in the middle). It finishes up with some bendy bits, especially a really tricky left-hander. After a half-dozen runs or so I feel I've got it pretty much down pat.

Friday, March 16th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Nurburgring Class D Series
Race #2 (of 4): Nurburgring Nordschleife (Nurburg, Germany) - Stage B

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nurburgring%20-%20Stage%20B.jpg

First-Place Prize: $16,965.00 ($5,655.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 3.10 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Audi S4)
My opponent had a little bit of trouble off the line this time around, allowing my GTO to jump out to a nice little lead. We rubber-banded a bit throughout the run, but he was never able to get close enough to seriously threaten my lead.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ring%20D%202.jpg
Keeping the opposition in the rear-view mirror.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,655.00
XP Gained: 2,900

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:07.711
2nd place: Rossi - 2:09.446
Heat #2 vs. Evans (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32)
A really good, clean run on my part meant Evans never really stood a chance.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,655.00
XP Gained: 2,900

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:06.310
2nd place: Evans - 2:11.031
Heat #3 vs. Weber (2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro)
Not to belittle the opposition, but another really good run on my part meant that Weber had very little hope of keeping up. I was perhaps a touch too conservative in a few of the corners, but all the same the Audi just didn't have the beans to keep up with my GTO.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,655.00
XP Gained: 2,900
(1997 Mitsubishi GTO gained Level 5)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:06.960
2nd place: Weber - 2:11.181
Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver (10)
2nd place: Weber (7)
3rd place: Evans (5)
4th place: Johansson (4)
5th place: Rossi (3)
6th place: Esposito (2)
7th place: Muller (1)
8th place: Spiers (0)
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Weber (14 pts)
3rd place: Evans (10 pts)
4th place: Johansson (8 pts)
5th place: Rossi (6 pts)
6th place: Esposito (4 pts)
7th place: Muller (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

DataKing

03-26-2010, 01:08 AM

Saturday, March 17th & Sunday, March 18th - Season 3

I've got the weekend off, so it's back to work on the GT to get it race-ready.

Upgrade: Race Brakes
Price: $15,900.00
Effect: Efficiency +2%
Rating: A-584 (up 1 from A-583)
-I install a set of fully-adjustable Wilwood brakes to help cut down the GT's stopping distance.

Upgrade: Race Front Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $3,709.00
Rating: A-584 (no change)
-A set of Hotchkiss adjustable anti-roll bars in the front should help minimize body roll.

Monday, March 19th - Season 3

Track time back on "The Ring" today, as we prepare for tomorrow's race. Stage C at the Nurburgring is dominated by a long, fast stretch that really tests a car's high-speed maneuverability. Coming out of that section, it's back into the bends, with two particularly drastic 180-degree turns to deal with.

Tuesday, March 20th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Nurburgring Class D Series
Race #3 (of 4): Nurburgring Nordschleife (Nurburg, Germany) - Stage C

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nurburgring%20-%20Stage%20C.jpg

First-Place Prize: $19,890.00 ($6,630.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 3.10 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Audi S4)
Rossi's Audi was able to stay pretty much on my back bumper through the early bends in the run, but the turbo in the GTO really kicked once we got to the high-speed section and I was able to open up a small lead. A really good job through the first of the 180-degrees allowed me to extend that lead and gave me plenty of cushion for the win.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,630.00
XP Gained: 3,400

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:37.491
2nd place: Rossi - 2:39.739
Heat #2 vs. Evans (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32)
A nearly flawless run on my part left Evans no real hope of keeping up. I jumped out to a big early lead and stayed there.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,630.00
XP Gained: 3,400
Hotlap: 2:35.539 (top 2% of 85,490 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:35.539
2nd place: Weber - 2:43.080
Heat #3 vs. Weber (2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro)
I jumped out to another hefty lead and pretty much dominated the race again. I did have a scary moment, though. Some of the curbs on the 'Ring are pretty steep, and can cause you to lift your wheels if you hit them with too much speed. At the end of the fast section I got the GTO up on two wheels and very nearly rolled it, but managed to recover and take the checkered flag.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ring%20D%203.jpg
A scary moment at 120mph+

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,630.00
XP Gained: 3,400

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:36.139
2nd place: Weber - 2:44.914
Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver (10)
2nd place: Weber (7)
3rd place: Evans (5)
4th place: Johansson (4)
5th place: Rossi (3)
6th place: Esposito (2)
7th place: Muller (1)
8th place: Spiers (0)
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Weber (21 pts)
3rd place: Evans (15 pts)
4th place: Johansson (12 pts)
5th place: Rossi (9 pts)
6th place: Esposito (6 pts)
7th place: Muller (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
Anything but a dead last finish should give me the overall victory.

Wednesday, March 21st - Season 3

Back to work on the GT:

Upgrade: Race Rear Anti-Roll Bars
Price: $3,709.00
Rating: A-584 (no change)
-A set of Hotchkis adjustable anti-roll bars in the rear completes the set. Once I'm done making the modifications, I ship the GT back to the home shop in Barcelona, since that's where the next leg in the World Championship will be held on Sunday.

Thursday, March 22nd - Season 3

Practice time today on the fourth and final stage of the 'Ring. This can be a tricky one. You start out going through a number of back-and-forth turns that require controlled slides in order to keep your speed up yet still stay on the track. After that things open up a little bit, finishing up with a pair of lefts followed by a gradual right that leads to a "shoot," where you emerge from the trees and onto the open plain for the last run, which is straight as an arrow back to the start/finish line.

Friday, March 23rd - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Nurburgring Class D Series
Race #4 (of 4): Nurburgring Nordschleife (Nurburg, Germany) - Stage D

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nurburgring%20-%20Stage%20D.jpg

First-Place Prize: $20,475.00 ($6,825.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 3.70 mi

Heat #1 vs. Rossi (2004 Audi S4)
A bit unusual, but my first run of the three was actually my strongest this time around. Even Rossi's Audi couldn't keep up with the GTO this time around.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ring%20D%204.jpg
Emerging onto the final straightaway of the Ring.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,825.00
XP Gained: 3,500
Hotlap: 2:33.720 (top 30% of 85,745 recorded times)

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:33.720
2nd place: Rossi - 2:39.782
Heat #2 vs. Evans (2003 Volkswagen Golf R32)
Another solid run, and Evans proved incapable of hanging with me.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,825.00
XP Gained: 3,500

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:34.571
2nd place: Evans - 2:43.813
Heat #3 vs. Weber (2004 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro)
More of the same. I really feel like I've got this place down, and it's going to be a shame to have to leave.

Result: Victory:
Prize: $6,825.00
XP Gained: 3,500

Heat Results:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:34.471
2nd place: Weber - 2:44.714

Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver (10)
2nd place: Weber (7)
3rd place: Evans (5)
4th place: Spiers (4)
5th place: Rossi (3)
6th place: Esposito (2)
7th place: Muller (1)
8th place: Johansson (0)
Event Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus: $38,400.00
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Weber (28 pts)
3rd place: Evans (20 pts)
T-4th place: Rossi (12 pts)
T-4th place: Johansson (12 pts)
6th place: Esposito (8 pts)
T-7th place: Spiers (4 pts)
T-7th place: Muller (4 pts)
A clean sweep of the event earns me a nice fat bonus check. The folks at HKS Turbos are also quite pleased with the GTO's performance, and have offered me a discount on their single and twin-turbo setups in the future (Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru).

Also my sponsors have seen fit to procure another race car for Double Tap Racing. And since we're in Germany, they've acquired a BMW racer from Rahal Letterman Racing:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/M3%20GT2.jpg
2009 #92 Rahal Letterman Racing M3 GT2

This is the full-blown racing version of the latest BMW M3, with a race-tuned V-8 cranking out 491 horsepower. I'm a little leary of a front-engine racer, but they tell me that the weight distribution is perfectly balanced between front and rear. We'll see.

Shortly after finishing with all of the post-race pleasantries, I board a flight for Spain. Stage 2 of the Class A World Championships is the day after tomorrow.

DataKing

03-27-2010, 01:42 AM

Saturday, March 24th - Season 3

Track time today on the full Grand Prix Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya, about 20 miles north of Barcelona proper. After actually getting to spend a night in my own bed (a rarity), I spend the day turning laps and getting the GT dialed in. In particular I work on the suspension and cutting down on body-roll. While there are a couple of high-speed sections in the track at Catalunya, handling is the most important thing. By the end of the day I'm more comfortable than I have been thus far with the car. I still feel like there are improvements to be made, but I should be much better off than I was in Florida.

I'm also contacted by the fellows at BMW about participating in one of their manufacturer events over the next couple of weeks, and I accept. I don't have time to gather all of the details, but I do know that the first race will be held at Mugello in Italy, so make arrangements at the shop for the M3-GTR and Z4 Coupe to be transported to Mugello immediately.

Sunday, March 25th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #2 (of 7): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - Grand Prix Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Catalunya.png

First-Place Prize: $27,300.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 14.46 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

I held my own against the rest of the competition this time as the green flag dropped, and remained in 2nd place as we entered Elf. The GT got a little loose as we rounded Repoil, but I held on, then fought off a challenge by Taylor's Viper as we moved through SEAT. However, by the time I emerged from the turn Davis was putting some serious distance between his Z06 and the rest of us. That 'Vette of his is an absolute rocket ship. I went a little wide in turn 7, dipping into the grass and allowing Taylor to make the pass that he failed to earlier. By the time we came back around to Repoil on lap 2 I was right on Taylor's back bumper. I then drove in hard into turn 5, sticking my nose underneath and emerging back in 2nd. I was still in 2nd place on lap 3 when Taylor badly overshot La Caixa, pretty much taking him out of the running, but I now had Evans' Porsche and Weber's Audi all over my back bumper. Weber made a hard push on lap 4 and I went a little wide in turn 5, allowing him to make the pass. But I was not going to let that stand. On the 5th and final lap I had a good run coming off of turn 3, moving me right up to Weber and to the inside. As we moved through Repoil I gradually allowed the GT to move to the outside through the turn. Weber had no choice but to back off, and I finished off the race in 2nd place.

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Retaking second place from Weber at Catalunya.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $25,350.00
Repairs: -$1,021.00
XP Gained: 14,000
Hotlap: 1:57.163 (top 32% of 646,387 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 9:48.146
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 10:01.450
3rd place: Weber (5) - 10:02.037
4th place: Evans (4) - 10:02.785
5th place: Taylor (3) - 10:05.030
6th place: Miller (2) - 10:06.167
7th place: Spiers (1) - 10:14.488
8th place: Johansson (0) - 10:17.278
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (20 pts)
T-2nd place: Weber (10 pts)
T-2nd place: Taylor (10 pts)
4th place: Evans (8 pts)
5th place: Tolliver (7 pts)
6th place: Miller (5 pts)
7th place: Spiers (3 pts)
8th place: Johansson (1 pt)
A nice 2nd place finish gets me off the bottom line of the table and into the mix with the rest of the also-rans, but Davis is looking unstoppable so far in his Corvette. I've obviously got a lot of work to do yet on the GT if I'm going to challenge him for the title. But today was still a vast improvement over the disastrous results in race #1.

That night I'm back in the air again, catching a late flight to Mugello for the next event. While I'm in the air, I also discover that I've won one of the online auctions I've been involved in lately. Most of the time I get outbid on these, and I'm beginning to wonder if they aren't largely a waste of time, but at least this one has proven fruitful. The latest addition to my collection:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Saab%20Turbo.jpg
2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X

The Turbo X was a limited-run special edition version of the popular Saab 9-3 sedan. It's nothing sexy compared to a lot of the other cars now in my collection, but I drove it in a time trial over the off-season and rather liked it. It's got a nice, planted feel to it. Two-hundred-eighty turbocharged horses means it can get up and move pretty good, too. This one lists for $27,000.00 but I landed it for only $12,000.00.

Monday, March 26th - Season 3

I land in Mugello late at night, and first thing in the morning get the last of the details for the upcoming event.

Event: BMW Owner's Club
Rating: B-class
Restrictions: BMW vehicles only
Total Event Prize: $44,655.00
# of Races: 4

The competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2008 BMW M3 E92)
Muller (GER) (2009 BMW M5 E60)
Evans (UK) (2008 BMW Z4 M Coupe)
Weber (GER) (2005 BMW M3 E46)
Esposito (ITA) (1997 BMW M3 E36)
Johansson (SWE) (2009 BMW 135i Coupe)
Spiers (UK) (2009 BMW X5 xDrive48i)

Considering the cars that I'll be facing, and the fact that the M5 and the newer M3s are seriously fast, I spend the day testing the two cars I own which I figure are best suited to the task: the M3-GTR (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239392&postcount=28) and the Z4 M Coupe (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2241438&postcount=49). The Z4 holds its own against the GTR surprisingly well, but in the end I decide upon the latter. If for no other reason, than I am quite comfortable with it after running that endurance event in it last year, right here at Mugello.

Tuesday, March 27th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: BMW Owner's Club
Race #1 (of 4): Mugello Autodromo Internazionale (Mugello, Italy) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mugello%20Autodromo%20Internazionale%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,310.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 7.16 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

I spun the rear wheels on the GTR a little bit at the drop of the flag, then got blocked on the outside by Rossi as we approached the first turn, allowing Muller to slip by me on the inside and dropping me back to 3rd. But on the last turn of lap 1 I was able to dive to the inside of Muller and regained my 2nd place position. After that I set after Rossi and quickly tracked him down at the north end of the track. A really good run off of the tricky turn 3 gave me the extra speed I needed, and I passed Rossi for the lead on the ensuing short straightaway. After that I felt myself slip into the zone, as my extensive time here last year came rushing back. I was not seriously challenged for the lead the rest of the way.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/BMW%20Club%201.jpg
Making the pass on Rossi at Mugello.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $11,310.00
XP Gained: 5,800
Hotlap: 1:03.081 (top 2% of 516,919 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:22.586
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:25.227
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:27.977
4th place: Weber (4) - 4:29.585
5th place: Evans (3) - 4:30.158
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:33.368
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:34.142
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:05.365

Wednesday, March 28th - Season 3

Travel day today. We head to Silverstone for the next BMW club race.

Thursday, March 29th - Season 3

Track time today on the tricky National Circuit at Silverstone. I had serious problems the last time I ran this course in the Coupe Road Test event last year, finishing an embarrassing 7th, so I spend extra time making sure I can get the GTR around the place cleanly. I pay special attention to the tough double-apex turn at the south end of the course.

Friday, March 30th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: BMW Owner's Club
Race #2 (of 4): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - National Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone%20Racing%20Circuit%20-%20National%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,920.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 6.56 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

A much better start this time around allowed me to get a little bit of a jump on Rossi. I had him to the inside of the first turn and nudged him out of my way for the early lead. After that the race was surprisingly uneventful. Silverstone isn't the sort of place where you can really run away from anyone, but the GTR had enough under the hood and I had enough skill behind the wheel to keep everyone else in my rear view mirror. I'm still driving a little too deep into the roundabout at the southern end of the track, but not badly enough to cause me to lose time as a result.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/BMW%20Club%202.jpg
A German armoured column invades southern England.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $10,920.00
XP Gained: 5,600
Hotlap: 1:03.025 (top 59% of 381,999 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:19.886
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:20.600
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:21.641
4th place: Evans (4) - 4:23.925
5th place: Weber (3) - 4:24.202
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:28.188
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:30.448
8th place: Spiers (0) - 4:59.329
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (20 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (14 pts)
3rd place: Muller (10 pts)
T-4th place: Evans (7 pts)
T-4th place: Weber (7 pts)
6th place: Esposito (4 pts)
7th place: Johansson (2 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)

Saturday, March 31st - Season 3

Travel day. We head across the Atlantic to America for the remainder of the event. First up is Maple Valley in New England.

Sunday, April 1st - Season 3

We've got an extra day between events this time, so I spend a Sunday doing some more work on the GT.

Upgrade: Street Weight Reduction
Price: $1,200.00
Effect: Weight -82 lbs.
Rating: A-592 (up 8 from A-584)
-I've got to find a way to get more speed out of this thing if I'm going to have any shot at Davis, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to drop weight. So I yank a few non-essentials and replace the battery with a lightweight Recaro version.

Monday, April 2nd - Season 3

Practice time today on the Short Circuit at Maple Valley. You may recall that Maple Valley is a high-speed course, so I'm hoping the GTR's speed should give me the edge. Still, there are a few high-speed bends that give me a little bit of pause, and could prove tricky in the rear-wheel-drive BMW. The good news there, though, is that we're all in rear-wheel-drive BMWs.

Tuesday, April 3rd - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: BMW Owner's Club
Race #3 (of 4): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $11,895.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 6.96 mi
Starting Position: 2nd

I got off to a decent start at the drop of the green flag, but Rossi quickly slipped to the outside and bumped me, then blocked me as we headed into the first turn, preventing me from passing. It was the middle of lap 2 before I could get in a spot to attempt a pass, and I managed a good run on him as we headed for the sharp turnaround at the north end of the track, but he held is line to the inside and I was unable to overtake. But I stayed right on Rossi's back bumper, then slid out from behind, winning a drag race down the home straightaway and beating him into the first turn on lap 3. Once I was able to get out into the lead I was gradually able to stretch it out to a nice comfortable cushion.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/BMW%20Club%203.jpg
I love the smell of burning brake rotors in the morning.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $11,895.00
XP Gained: 6,100
(Driver gained Level 35)
Hotlap: 42.779 (top 8% of 386,994 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 4:27.915
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:32.614
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:35.664
4th place: Weber (4) - 4:35.973
5th place: Evans (3) - 4:37.101
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:40.120
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:42.053
8th place: Spiers (0) - 5:15.553
Event Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (21 pts)
3rd place: Muller (15 pts)
4th place: Weber (11 pts)
5th place: Evans (10 pts)
6th place: Esposito (6 pts)
7th place: Johansson (3 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
6th place or higher in the last race and I'm guaranteed an event win, but I'd much rather have the sweep.

Wednesday, April 4th - Season 3

Another travel day. We head clear across the U.S. to Sedona, Arizona for the last race in the event. And as luck would have it, that's where the 3rd leg of the World Championships is being held as well.

Thursday, April 5th - Season 3

We've got allotted practice time today, and it's a good thing too, because tomorrow we'll be running the reverse Club Circuit at Sedona Raceway Park. I've run this circuit before, but never reversed, and it takes me a little bit of time and experimentation before I'm able to do so cleanly. But just the same as the normal direction, the key to fast lap times remains the same; the back stretch. The back stretch contains some bends and a pretty steep hill, but if it can be taken flat out or close to it, you can really cut down on your laptimes. By the end of the day I'm pretty comfortable with that back stretch, though I do need to feather the throttle in spots in order to maintain control.

Friday, April 6th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: BMW Owner's Club
Race #4 (of 4): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Club Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Club%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $10,530.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 6.06 mi
Starting Position: 1st (I now start in 1st in races where my car has the highest Performance Index :thumbsup:)

Starting the race in the lead, no matter how small, was certainly nice for a change, and I maintained that narrow lead through the first half of lap 1. But, as I suspected, I was really able to extend that lead on the back stretch. While I didn't take it flat out, it was close enough and obviously everyone else was checking up, since they rapidly began to disappear from my rear-view mirror. Victory this time proved to be a piece of cake.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/BMW%20Club%204.jpg
Leading the pack through the first bends at Sedona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $10,530.00
XP Gained: 5,400
Hotlap: 1:16.369 (top 2% of 202,321 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:58.441
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 4:04.126
3rd place: Muller (5) - 4:06.443
4th place: Weber (4) - 4:08.574
5th place: Evans (3) - 4:09.145
6th place: Esposito (2) - 4:13.024
7th place: Johansson (1) - 4:13.963
8th place: Spiers (0) - 4:42.063

Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus: $22,900.00
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Rossi (28 pts)
3rd place: Muller (20 pts)
4th place: Weber (15 pts)
5th place: Evans (13 pts)
6th place: Esposito (8 pts)
7th place: Johansson (4 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
A pretty good performance, all around, if I do say so myself. And apparently my sponsors agreed. Just wait to see how they chose to reward me this time...

DataKing

04-04-2010, 11:36 PM

Friday, April 6th - Season 3 (cont'd)

After the race and the podium ceremony, Luis informed me that I had a message awaiting me from my European benefactors. Once I actually read what was in the envelope, my jaw nearly hit the floor. There was a brief letter of congratulations on my performance thus far, and a rather impressive looking envelope from Ferrari as well. Contained therein was the "deed" to my newest toy:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/FXX.jpg
2005 Ferrari FXX

The FXX is anything but ordinary, even by Ferrari's standards. The first thing that is unusual about it is the way that ownership works. Technically I own the vehicle, but Ferrari keeps and maintains it. They then make it available to me (and the 29 other FXX owners in the world) on special track days and other events. It was made clear to me in the envelope that the FXX would be made available to me for racing events, given enough advanced notice to arrange for transportation. They damn well better, since ownership of a FXX carries with it a $3m price tag, but I'd still rather have it on-hand in my garage in Barcelona rather than Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, Italy.

The car itself is quite extraordinary. Basically it is a mechanism by which Ferrari gives its best (and wealthiest) customers a taste of what it is like to drive a Formula One car. Much of the technology contained in the FXX is pulled straight from Formula One, including the gearbox which comes straight from F1 and allows for gearshifts which take less than 100 milliseconds. The engine is a bored-out version of what Ferrari puts in their Enzo, cranking out 789 horsepower in a car that weighs in at only around 2,500 pounds. That gives it the greatest power-to-weight ratio of anything that I own, by far. I cannot weight to get my hands on this thing.

And on a slightly less-exciting note, I also received notification that I'd won another online auction:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/2%20Eleven.jpg
2009 Lotus 2-Eleven

The Lotus 2-Eleven is a dedicated track-car manufactured by Lotus. In typical Lotus fashion, it's key performance factor is it's weight. Weighing in at a downright skinny 1,636 pounds, it is by far the lightest car in my arsenal. This light weight and dedicated track characteristics mean the car really feels like it's on rails. You can pull some maneuvers in these things that just aren't possible in a lot of other cars.

The power is provided by a track-tuned, twin-screw supercharged 1.8-liter V4 that puts out 273 horsepower, an impressive number for such a small, lightweight engine.

This particular car came with the following modifications as well:

Weber Fuel System (sport)
Lotus Valves (sport)
Ferodo Brakes (race)
Tilton Clutch (race)
Lotus Transmission (race)
Lotus Driveline (street)
Quaife Differential (race)And also comes with the following discounts:

10% on Driveline upgrades from Lotus (Lotus)
10% on Air Filters from ITG UK (Jaguar, Lotus, TVR)

DataKing

04-05-2010, 11:49 PM

Friday, April 6th - Season 3 (cont'd)

I also make arrangements to send the Mitsubishi GTO to Japan. I've signed up for an event that kicks off on Monday, so another overnight flight will be necessary after Sunday's race.

Saturday, April 7th - Season 3

A little bit of scheduling fortune means that we get to stay in Arizona for Sunday's Class A World Championship race, so I spend the day turning laps on the Sedona Full Circuit in the Ford GT. While I do a pretty good job of kicking ass at the Club Circuit here, the Full Circuit has given me trouble in the past. The transitions between the speedway and the club circuit sections can be particularly troublesome. The place also involves quite a bit of high-speed braking, so I spend some time moving the brake balance back on the GT as well.

Sunday, April 8th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #3 (of 7): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $27,300.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 16.52 mi
Starting Position: 1st

Starting at the front of the pack for the first time in a championship race was nice, and a good solid launch on my part means I managed to keep my lead at first, with Davis' Corvette and Taylor's Viper close behind. Taylor managed to get to the inside as we made the first transition, though, and edged me out for the lead as we entered the tunnel and headed for the club section. But a good exit on my part from the west-end hairpin and a clean line through the subsequent "notch" gave me enough momentum to move back into the lead. After that things settled down for a bit, and Davis and I pulled away a bit from the rest of the pack. I continued to lead until the return tunnel entrance on lap three, when I swung too wide on the turn (as I've done before here), bouncing off of the wall and losing enough speed to allow Davis to make the pass. I finally caught back up with him on the east-end hairpin. I took a steep approach into the turn while he took a shallow one, and we ended up coming together right at the apex, but because I was on the inside I was able to emerge from the skirmish with the lead. However, the tunnel-entrance turn bit me in the ass yet again (someday I'm going to figure that damn thing out), and I went too wide allowing Davis to retake the lead. Things went from bad to worse after that, as I pushed the rear wheels a little too hard on the last set of turns before the speedway, losing rear grip and spinning out completely. By the time I got back up to speed Taylor, Weber, and Evans had all passed me and I had to settle for a 5th place finish.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20A%203.jpg
Losing control in the Sedona desert.

Result: 5th place
Prize: $13,260.00
Bonus: $6,800.00
Repairs: -$1,815.00
XP Gained: 14,000
(2005 Ford GT gained Level 4)
Hotlap: 2:22.083 (top 24% of 568,889 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 9:34.727
2nd place: Taylor (7) - 9:44.648
3rd place: Weber (5) - 9:46.812
4th place: Evans (4) - 9:47.592
5th place: Tolliver (3) - 9:49.950
6th place: Miller (2) - 9:53.163
7th place: Spiers (1) - 10:00.959
8th place: Johansson (0) - 10:02.519
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (30 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (17 pts)
3rd place: Weber (15 pts)
4th place: Evans (12 pts)
5th place: Tolliver (10 pts)
6th place: Miller (7 pts)
7th place: Spiers (4 pts)
8th place: Johansson (1 pt)
Today was a frustrating day, to say the least, and I am thoroughly annoyed with myself. That race was mine to win and I blew it. At the very least I could have just accepted a 2nd place finish and probably moved into 3rd in the overall standings, but instead I had to push things a little too far and was lucky to salvage fifth. If there's anything to take from this, I suppose it's that I can indeed give Davis a run for his money with the GT now. But it's probably too late to make a difference.

At least the folks at Ford aren't thoroughly disgusted with me. My discounts with their in-house Valve and Displacement shops are now up to 30%.

After the race I catch an overnight flight across the Pacific to Japan.

Monday, April 9th - Season 3

We're in Japan for the first time this season, where I'll be participating in the Asian Elite Open over the next week or so.

Event: Asian Elite Open
Rating: D-class
Restrictions: Vehicles manufactured in Asia only.
Total Event Prize: $24,180.00
# of Races: 3

I'll be using the Mitsubishi GTO again for this event. If I had more time I'd probably look to pick up something different, perhaps one of the new Mugen Civics, but there simply isn't enough time right now.

The competition:
Sasaki (JPN) (2002 Honda Mugen Integra Type-R)
Takahashi (JPN) (2005 Subaru Legacy B4 2.0 GT)
Yoshida (JPN) (2007 Honda Civic Type-R)
Sato (JPN) (2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe)
Watanabe (JPN) (2004 Toyota Altezza RS200)
Kato (JPN) (1992 Nissan Silvia CLUB K's)
Kim (KOR) (2003 Hyundai Tuscani Elisa)

The first leg will be held on the short track at Tsukuba Circuit, so I spend the day there turning laps. But it doesn't take long before I feel I have the GTO dialed in pretty well, especially since I just drove it a couple of weeks ago in Germany.

Tuesday, April 10th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Asian Elite Open
Race #1 (of 3): Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma, Japan) - Short Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Tsukuba%20Circuit%20-%20Short%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $8,385.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 3.88 mi
Starting Position: 1st

Perhaps sensing my frustration over what happened over the weekend, the GTO responded really well today. I jumped out to a decent lead right off the starting line, and stayed out in front of the pack all day, hitting all of my marks and generally making short work of the competition this time around.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Asian%20Elite%201.jpg
Hitting my marks at Tsukuba.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $8,385.00
XP Gained: 4,300
Hotlap: 47.952 (top 1% - #4,270 of 359,618 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:18.992
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 3:25.559
3rd place: Sasaki (5) - 3:26.238
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 3:27.106
5th place: Sato (3) - 3:28.924
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 3:31.460
7th place: Kato (1) - 3:33.121
8th place: Kim (0) - 3:35.699

Wednesday, April 11th - Season 3

I've got a day to spare, so it's back to work on the Ford GT.

Upgrade: Sport Displacement
Price: $6,580.00
Effect: Power +12 hp
Rating: A-597 (up 5 from A-592)
-There's not much more I can do to improve the handling characteristics on the GT, so it's time to give it some more power. I go a different route than I have with other cars and overbore the engine block, install a balanced stroker crankshaft and heavy-duty rods. This results in an extra three-tenths of a liter of displacement and twelve more horsepower.

Thursday, April 12th - Season 3

Practice time today on the short, West Circuit at Twin Ring Motegi. After a dozen laps or so I'm pretty comfortable, and I've even got the GTO handling the southeast "notch" pretty well too.

Friday, April 13th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Asian Elite Open
Race #2 (of 3): Twin Ring Motegi (Motegi, Japan) - West Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Twin%20Ring%20Motegi%20-%20West%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,800.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.40 mi
Starting Position: 1st

I didn't get the best jump this time around at the start of the race, and had Takahashi's Subaru near my back bumper for most of the first lap. I handled the notch well enough, but overshot the last turn at the southern end of the track, slipping off into the grass and surrendering the lead to Takahashi. Despite my best efforts it took me until the notch on lap three to pull back even with him. I outbroke him on the inside heading into the turn, bumping him off only to have him come right back into my own fender on the second half of the notch. But I held my line and regained the lead, holding on the rest of the way for the victory.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Asian%20Elite%202.jpg
Ever-so-close to Takahashi at the south end of Twin Ring Motegi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,800.00
XP Gained: 4,000

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:05.223
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 3:06.340
3rd place: Sasaki (5) - 3:08.289
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 3:12.817
5th place: Sato (3) - 3:14.542
6th place: Kato (2) - 3:19.317
7th place: Watanabe (1) - 3:19.466
8th place: Kim (0) - 3:23.469

Saturday, April 14th - Season 3

Travel day today. We head back across the Pacific to New Hampshire to finish up the Asian Elite Open at Maple Valley.

Sunday, April 15th - Season 3

Practice laps today on the Short Circuit Reverse at Maple Valley. Normally I fare well here, but today the understeer that is inherent in an all-wheel-drive car is making the sweeper at the southern end of the track troublesome, and I have a hard time keeping the GTO off of the outside retaining wall at the start of the front straightaway. It takes me a little time (and a little cosmetic body-work) but I eventually figure out a way to compensate, swinging a little wider on the sweeper than normal and letting the car naturally slow down, then gunning it once I feel the requisite amount of grip back in the tires to hold the line.

Monday, April 16th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Asian Elite Open
Race #3 (of 3): Maple Valley Raceway (Loudon, NH) - Short Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Maple%20Valley%20Raceway%20-%20Short%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,995.00
Laps: 4
Race Distance: 4.64 mi
Starting Position: 1st

I got off to a decent launch this time around, and was leading the race somewhat comfortably until the end of the 3rd lap. I slipped a little too wide at the end of the sweeper and scraped the retaining wall as I entered the home stretch, then missed a shift when I was downshifting and did some damage to the twin turbos as the RPMs spiked. Fortunately the damage wasn't very severe and I was able to hold on for the win.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Asian%20Elite%203.jpg
My mortal enemy, the outside retaining wall at Maple Valley.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,995.00
Repairs: -$400.00
XP Gained: 4,100
Hotlap: 45.232 (top 2% of 450,648 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:09.474
2nd place: Takahashi (7) - 3:11.706
3rd place: Sasaki (5) - 3:11.911
4th place: Yoshida (4) - 3:17.796
5th place: Sato (3) - 3:19.862
6th place: Watanabe (2) - 3:21.171
7th place: Kato (1) - 3:23.764
8th place: Kim (0) - 3:27.493
Event Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus: $12,400.00
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Tolliver (30 pts)
2nd place: Takahashi (21 pts)
3rd place: Sasaki (15 pts)
4th place: Yoshida (12 pts)
5th place: Sato (9 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (5 pts)
7th place: Kato (4 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

DataKing

04-12-2010, 10:10 PM

Tuesday, April 17th - Season 3

Travel day today, as we head to England for the middle leg of the Class A World Championships at Silverstone.

Wednesday, April 18th & Thursday, April 19th - Season 3

I've got a little time to spare, so I make some final refinements to the Ford GT.

Upgrade: Upgraded Rear Tire Width
Price: $4,000.00
Effect: 325/40R19
Rating: A-600 (up 3 from A-597)
-I drop four grand on a set of slightly wider rear wheels, hoping that the extra grip will help prevent what happened at Sedona from happening again.

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $1,000.00
Effect: Weight -2.4 lbs
Rating: A-600 (no change)
-An alloy-steel driveshaft will help reduce driveline inertia and overall weight without affecting the GT's Performance Index.

Friday, April 20th - Season 3

I've been a good boy lately, and haven't purchased anything truly expensive yet. At the urging of a couple of friends, I am convinced to finally splurge a bit and treat myself to something nice, something I've wanted since I first laid eyes on it; the brand new Ferrari 458 Italia.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ferrari%20458%20A.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ferrari%20458%20B.jpg
The Ferrari 458 Italia, photographed later during a scenic drive down the Spanish coast.

The 458 Italia is Ferrari's latest mid-engined V8 supercar, and is the successor to the unforgiving 430 Scuderia. I've driven the Scuderia before, and have found it to be unforgiving to a fault. But what the Scuderia seems to lack, the Italia has in abundance. It's high-strung V8 (the type of engine Ferrari is best known for) puts out 560 horsepower and winds all the way to a screaming 9,000 RPM. The handling is superb thanks to a double-wishbone suspension in the rear and a multi-link setup in front, making it surprisingly forgiving for a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive screamer. The interior is both functional and luxurious, and was designed with input from seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher. And, well, just look at it. The Italians build the most beautiful cars in the world. Of this there can be no doubt.

The price tag for my new toy, you ask? A mere $250,000.00 :eek:

Saturday, April 21st - Season 3

There's not much time to enjoy my new toy, however, as I've got a race to run tomorrow. So it's back to the track with the Ford GT once again. This time we're back at Silverstone, and by the end of the day I'm comfortable, but not entirely happy. Silverstone has some bends and high-speed sections that the GT does well on, but it can be a bit tricky getting through some of the really sharp corners, particularly the two 90-degree left-handers at Vale and Abbey.

Sunday, April 22nd - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #4 (of 7): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - Grand Prix Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone_2000.jpg

First-Place Prize: $33,150.00
Laps: 6
Race Distance: 19.14 mi
Starting Position: 1st

I got off to a good start at the line, holding onto the lead at the start of the race as Davis' Corvette and Taylor's Viper jockeyed for position behind me. Surprisingly up front also was Evans, who was apparently pushing his Porsche quite hard. Still, I held the lead until the 90-degree turn at Abbey, where I drove in too deep and had to let off in order to hold the track, allowing Evans to slip in front for the lead. Things remained that way until lap 2 at Stowe, when I was finally able to catch up with Evans and pass him using the inside line on the high-speed bend there. At that point Davis had apparently decided he was done screwing around, and his Corvette proceeded to take up residency on my back bumper. I held him off through the rest of lap 2, but drove a little too deep into the Copse turn at the start of lap 3, surrendering the lead. After that it became clear that I had the 2nd best car on the race track. Davis worked his way out to a comfortable lead that I was not able to close, and Evans and the others weren't able to challenge me for 2nd place until the very end. I got a little sloppy at Brooklands on the last lap, allowing Evans to catch up and challenge me, but with the inside line through Luffield I was able to run him off and maintained the second step on the podium.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20A%204.jpg
Reclaiming the lead (however briefly) at Silverstone.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $29,250.00
XP Gained: 17,000
Hotlap: 1:59.858 (top 14% of 539,480 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 12:04.897
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 12:11.256
3rd place: Evans (5) - 12:12.474
4th place: Taylor (4) - 12:12.620
5th place: Weber (3) - 12:12.932
6th place: Miller (2) - 12:18.800
7th place: Johansson (1) - 12:27.622
8th place: Spiers (0) - 12:28.149
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (40 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (21 pts)
3rd place: Weber (18 pts)
T-4th place: Tolliver (17 pts)
T-4th place: Evans (17 pts)
6th place: Miller (9 pts)
7th place: Spiers (4 pts)
8th place: Johansson (2 pts)
As much as it pains me to admit it, the overall win here is out of the question. Any fool can see that Davis is going to walk away with the title. But that leaves four of us (Taylor, Weber, Evans, and myself) all fighting for the biggest pieces of table scraps that come with 2nd place. I'm not satisfied with the way things have turned out, there's no doubt about that, but I would consider a 2nd place overall finish something of a moral victory.

Once the race festivities have concluded I catch a chartered flight back home to Barcelona. Time to sleep in my own bed for once.

DataKing

04-15-2010, 01:08 AM

Monday, April 23rd - Season 3

I've come back to Barcelona, because this is where my next event will begin, the Mid-Engine Elite Open.

Event: Mid-Engine Elite Open
Rating: B-class
Restrictions: Rear-wheel-drive, mid-engine vehicles only.
Total Event Prize: $22,620.00
# of Races: 3

We've got three more relatively short races on tap over the next week or so. The good news is that I finally get to use the Lotus Exige Cup 240 (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239029&postcount=19) I spent so much time on last season.

The competition:
Rossi (ITA) (2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240)
Muller (GER) (1994 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta)
Evans (UK) (2002 Lotus Esprit V8)
Weber (GER) (2009 Lotus Evora)
Watanabe (JPN) (1992 Honda NSX-R)
Johansson (SWE) (2003 Porsche Boxster S)
Spiers (UK) (2004 Opel Speedster Turbo)
Obviously mine isn't the only Lotus Exige in the field, but I'm hoping that all of the time and money I spent on this thing last year will give me the edge. Muller's Ferrari and the other Lotus' could present a challenge as well.

The first race will be tomorrow at the Ladera Test Track on nearby Montserrat, so I spend the day turning laps there and re-familiarizing myself with the Lotus. I had forgotten how nimble this thing feels.

Tuesday, April 24th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Mid-Engine Elite Open
Race #1 (of 3): Ladera Test Track (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Ladera%20Test%20Track%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,605.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 3.63 mi
Starting Position: 1st

(Author's Note: I forgot to save the replay of this race, so forgive me if the details are a little sketchy.) Despite having a really good day of practice here yesterday, things turned sour on the very first turn of the race. I was taking the right-hander at speed, the same way as I had done all day yesterday, but for some reason this time the back end just lost all grip, I kept turning right and smacked the right front fender on the inside wall. I figure one of the other cars, Muller's Ferrari perhaps, must have taken all of the air (and therefore the downforce) off of my back wing. I was in 7th place before I got back up to speed, and with this being such a short race any shot I had at victory was pretty much gone. I did manage to work my way back up to 4th place before the last turn of the race, but spun again there trying to cut inside of Weber for 3rd. I spun out just short of the finish line, and only barely managed to beat Watanabe to the line for an embarrassing 6th place finish.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Lotus%20New.jpg
The Lotus showing off its spiffy new paint job before the start of the race at Ladera.

Result: 6th place
Prize: $2,730.00
Repairs: -$269.00
XP Gained: 3,900
Hotlap: 55.950 (top 29% of 286,326 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Rossi (10) - 2:50.958
2nd place: Muller (7) - 2:53.319
3rd place: Weber (5) - 2:55.598
4th place: Evans (4) - 2:56.914
5th place: Johansson (3) - 3:01.740
6th place: Tolliver (2) - 3:02.496
7th place: Watanabe (1) - 3:02.533
8th place: Spiers (0) - 3:03.822
A disappointing way to start, to say the least.

Wednesday, April 25th - Season 3

Travel day today. I head back to the desert of Arizona for the next leg of the event.

Thursday, April 26th - Season 3

Track time today on the Club Circuit at Sedona, where I've always done well in the past. And I feel like the Lotus can really excel here. It should do particularly well because it's so maneuverable, which will allow me to keep my foot to the floor through the bends on the back-stretch, where you can make some serious time.

Friday, April 27th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Mid-Engine Elite Open
Race #2 (of 3): Sedona Raceway Park (Sedona, AZ) - Club Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sedona%20Raceway%20Park%20-%20Club%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,020.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 4.04 mi
Starting Position: 1st

I got off to a really good jump at the drop of the green flag, hardly smoking the tires at all. This gave me a nice little lead heading into the first hairpin, and I was able to extend the lead by keeping on the accelerator all throughout the back-stretch. The second time around, I did have to life a little on the back-stretch, and even got the driver-side tires off the track temporarily, but by that point I had enough of a lead that it really didn't hurt me.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mid%20Engine%202.jpg
Leading the pack into the first turn at Sedona.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,020.00
XP Gained: 3,600
(2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240 gained Level 1)
Hotlap: 1:16.881 (top 1%, #4,213 overall of 269,576 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 2:39.166
2nd place: Evans (7) - 2:44.748
3rd place: Rossi (5) - 2:45.546
4th place: Watanabe (4) - 2:46.914
5th place: Muller (3) - 2:47.165
6th place: Weber (2) - 2:48.209
7th place: Johansson (1) - 2:51.086
8th place: Spiers (0) - 2:53.597
Fortunately form wasn't followed just about anywhere in the results today, and things were shaken up quite a bit. Despite the miserable performance back in Spain, I'm now in 2nd only 3 points behind Rossi.

Saturday, April 28th - Season 3

Travel day. We're heading back to jolly old England to finish off the event.

Sunday, April 29th - Season 3

Track time today on the International Circuit at Silverstone. This is the tricky version of the course, with the extremely sharp hairpin turn at the south end of the track. But I get accustomed to getting the Lotus around here relatively quickly. I got a lot of valuable experience here last year in the Miata event, and this is exactly the sort of track that Lotus built the Exige Cup for.

Monday, April 30th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Mid-Engine Elite Open
Race #3 (of 3): Silverstone Racing Circuit (Northamptonshire, England) - International Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Silverstone%20Racing%20Circuit%20-%20International%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,995.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 4.50 mi
Starting Position: 1st

Another decent launch allowed me to work the Lotus out to a reasonable lead through the first part of the track, but my line through the southwest hairpin left something to be desired, and the lead I had evaporated. Fortunately Rossi and Muller were largely occupied with one another as we headed back towards the starting line, and I retained my lead. Rossi was right on my back bumper heading into the double-apex turn at the southeast end of the course on lap 2, and tried me to the outside, but I held the inside line and was able to power away from him on the ensuing straightaway. My line through the hairpin was much better the 2nd time around, and I emerged victorious.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Mid%20Engine%203.jpg
Being challenged late in the race at Silverstone.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $7,995.00
XP Gained: 4,100
(2006 Lotus Exige Cup 240 gained Level 2)
Hotlap: 1:33.355 (top 35% of 285,776 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:13.010
2nd place: Rossi (7) - 2:14.170
3rd place: Weber (5) - 3:16.126
4th place: Watanabe (4) - 3:16.994
5th place: Muller (3) - 3:18.028
6th place: Johansson (2) - 3:19.435
7th place: Evans (1) - 3:19.482
8th place: Spiers (0) - 3:22.999
Event Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif (tied)
Event Bonus: $5,800.00
Event Final Standings:
T-1st place: Tolliver (22 pts)
T-1st place: Rossi (22 pts)
3rd place: Muller (13 pts)
T-4th place: Weber (12 pts)
T-4th place: Evans (12 pts)
6th place: Watanabe (9 pts)
7th place: Johansson (6 pts)
8th place: Spiers (0 pt)
I certainly would have preferred to win the event outright, but I can't be disappointing with having to share 1st place after that disaster at Ladera. I'll take it.

After the race I'm notified that the following discounts have been bumped up to 20%:

Driveline upgrades from Lotus (Lotus)
Air Filters by ITG UK (Jaguar, Lotus, TVR)After the day's events wind down, I catch a late flight to Nurburg, Germany, where I've got some testing time set up...

DataKing

04-18-2010, 01:47 AM

Tuesday, May 1st - Season 3

Despite the success I've had in the smaller events, this season does have to be considered a disappointment thus far due to my struggles in the Class A World Championship. It has become obvious to me that I selected the wrong tool for the job. The 2005 Ford GT (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239573&postcount=32) just doesn't give me a good enough chance to win. This is the sort of error that I do not plan to make again. While nothing is written in stone, I've been told from a couple of reliable sources that I can expect an invitation to the R3 World Championships next year. That being said, I've decided to make sure I pick the correct car this time.

So I've arranged for a number of cars to be shipped to the Nurburgring in Germany. I spend the day testing them all to get a baseline and figure out which is the fastest. The cars I've had sent out are the following:

2009 Holden #2 Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore VE (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2241437&postcount=48)
2008 Porsche #45 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2245623&postcount=54)
2009 BMW #92 Rahal Letterman Racing M3 GT2 (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2258170&postcount=55)
2006 Ferrari #62 Risi Competizione F430GT (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2245619&postcount=53)
2005 Ferrari FXX (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2258173&postcount=57)
...and for giggles I have them bring out the new 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2264710&postcount=59) as well.

Below is my best lap time with each car, as well as a few notes:

2009 #2 Holden Toll Holden Racing Team Commodore VE (lap time 8:20.930):The Holden is just too twitchy, especially under acceleration out of the turns, and I end up spinning it out repeatedly. This one is not under consideration.
2008 #45 Porsche Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR (lap time 7:52.489): Either I'm getting better at driving rear-engined cars, or the Porsche is a very well-balanced vehicle. Getting into the turns with speed can be a bit tricky, but with all of the weight in the back end accelerating out of the turns is a piece of cake.
2008 #92 BMW Motorsport Rahal Letterman Racing M3 GT2 (lap time 7:54.558): The BMW is a bit harder to control than the Porsche, as you would imagine from a front-engine rear-wheel-drive car. But the brakes on the BMW are absolutely superb. My time was a little slower due to spinning the wheels sometimes on corner exit, but I could drive much deeper into the corners than I could with other cars.
2006 #62 Ferrari Risi Competizione F430GT (lap time 8:00.345): As you've probably figured out by now, I love Ferraris. I really do. But I can't see myself racing in the F430GT. Its just too damn twitchy, and its a constant battle to keep the front end and the back end trying to do the same thing.
2005 Ferrari FXX (lap time 7:38.049): The FXX can be a little difficult to control (though nowhere near has bad as the Holden or the F430GT), but it is so damn fast that it more than makes up for its shortcomings. While the Porsche and the BMW are intriguing possibilities, and could make for good back-ups, I plan to run the FXX in next year's event. As far as I know, no one has driven a FXX in a professional circuit before, so Ferrari should jump at the possibility of additional publicity.

Oh, and I manage a 8:10.678 lap in the Italia. Wonderful car (but a lower class).

Wednesday, May 2nd - Season 3

Length travel day today. We head halfway around the world to Japan for the next leg of the Class A World Championships on Sunday.

Thursday, May 3rd - Season 3

I've got another event lined up for after the upcoming race that will keep us in Japan for a little while, but more details on that later. Just know that I've got something lined up and I do a little shopping today to make ready for it.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Lancer%209.jpg
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR

I've always liked Lancers, and after testing a number of different versions I decide to buy a slightly older Evolution 9, rather than the newer Evolution 10. The 10 is a bit too heavy for my tastes. I get an Evolution 9 in very good condition for $23,000.00

Friday, May 4th - Season 3

The upcoming event will take place on the mountain-side track of Fujimi Kaido, so I spend the day today making test runs there with the Lancer. I decide that some more grip is in order (probably by way of some serious weight-reduction), and some more pickup is required from the engine as well, particularly for the steep up-hill sections of Fujimi Kaido.

Saturday, May 5th - Season 3

Back to the immediate task at hand. I spend the day today turning practice laps at Suzuka Circuit in the Ford GT. I've had a good deal of success here in the past, so I'm hoping that tomorrow will represent a change in my fortunes as far as this event is concerned.

Sunday, May 6th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #5 (of 7): Suzuka Circuit (Suzuka City, Japan) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit_Suzuka.png
First-Place Prize: #31,200.00
Laps: 5
Race Distance: 18.05 mi
Starting Position: 1st

I had a pretty clean start at the drop of the green flag, and led the pack through turn 1 and into the 'esses,' but ran into problems there. I'm not sure if it was due to sharing air with Davis' Corvette or what, but the GT just refused to hold it's line. I swung off briefly into the grass and emerged back in 4th. Evans' Porsche was to my inside as we hit the Gyaku Bank, but he swung wide and nudged me off the track again, shuffling me all the way back into 7th place. I slipped to the inside of Johansson's Mercedes for 6th at Degner, but Miller (in the other Ford GT on the track) proved to be a tough pass, and we were into the esses on lap 2 before I could put him down for 5th. By that point I was a full 4 seconds behind the 2nd-4th place cars of Taylor, Evans, and Weber. After that my laps did clean up and my lap times did improve, but I was too far behind to seriously challenge for the lead. I did at least manage to catch and pass Evans at the very end, putting an aggressive move on him in the Casio Trangle on the final lap to steal away 4th place.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20A%205.jpg
Trailing the pack early at Suzuka.

Result: 4th place
Prize: $19,305.00
Repairs: -$1,241.00
XP Gained: 16,000
(Driver gained Level 36)
(2005 Ford GT gained Level 5)
Hotlap: 2:12.872 (top 35% of 523,061 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 11:09.236
2nd place: Taylor (7) - 11:17.837
3rd place: Weber (5) - 11:17.976
4th place: Tolliver (4) - 11:22.220
5th place: Evans (3) - 11:23.207
6th place: Miller (2) - 11:29.173
7th place: Spiers (1) - 11:33.124
8th place: Johansson (0) - 11:39.444
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (50 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (28 pts)
3rd place: Weber (23 pts)
4th place: Tolliver (21 pts)
5th place: Evans (20 pts)
6th place: Miller (11 pts)
7th place: Spiers (5 pts)
8th place: Johansson (2 pts)
The good news is that I was able to take sole possession of 4th place from Evans by virtue of my late-race move on him. The bad news is that I lost ground to both Taylor and Weber for a spot on the podium. With only two races left to go, catching Weber should be do-able, but surpassing Taylor at this point is going to be a long shot.

After the race I'm awarded a discount on single- and twin-turbos from Hahn Racecraft. They do after-market turbos for Buick, Ford, Panoz, Pontiac, Saleen, and Shelby.

Also, my sponsors have procured another racing-version of a production vehicle for us to potentially use in future races (this one is rated R2 though, so it isn't a candidate for next year's championship):

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Corvette%20C6%20R.jpg
2007 Chevrolet #4 Corvette Racing C6.R

This is the foll-bore GT1 racing version of the Chevrolet Corvette, and it puts all over 'Vettes to shame when it comes to pure performance. The highly-tuned 7.0-liter V-8 engine puts out 593 horsepower and a massive 639 foot-pounds of torque, making for an outstanding power:weight ratio.

DataKing

05-31-2010, 11:48 AM

Time to get this thing moving again...

I'll be remaining in Japan for the next couple of weeks, as I've agreed to participate in another heat-competition. This time we'll be racing up and down the scenic mountain roads of Fujimi Kaido.

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class C Series
Rating: C-Class
Restrictions: None
Total Event Prize: $76,635.00
# of Races: 4

There's some decent coin to be made here, and the field is dominated by Japanese drivers:
Sasaki (JPN) (1992 Honda NSX-R)
Takahashi (JPN) (2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II)
Yoshida (JPN) (2005 Subaru S204)
Sato (JPN) (1997 Mazda RX-7)
Watanabe (JPN) (2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR)
Kato (JPN) (1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec)
Kim (KOR) (2003 Honda S2000)
Sasaki's NSX-R could probably beat the rest of the field in a straight line without breaking a sweat, but he's going to be at a disadvantage on the winding, twisting roads of Fujimi Kaido with his rear-wheel-drive. All-wheel-drive cars like the Skylines and Subaro S204 will have the advantage here. This is why I bought the Lancer. I'll spend the next few days getting it race-ready.

Monday, May 7th - Wednesday, May 9th - Season 3

Upgrade: Sport Weight Reduction
Price: $1,800.00
Effect: Weight -275 lbs.
Rating: C-414 (up 34 from C-380)
-I strip out all of the accessories and non-essentials and put in some Bride lightweight parts. All told, we shed nearly 300 pounds.

Upgrade: Sport Ignition
Price: $2,880.00
Effect: Power +11 hp
Rating: C-425 (up 11 from C-414)
-NGK capacitive-discharge coil pack, heat-range-optimized spark plugs, and grounded ignition wires will optimize the Lancer's timing and give her some extra power on the steep, up-hill climbs of Fujimi Kaido.

Upgrade: Street Driveline
Price: $630.00
Effect: Weight -4.1 lbs
Rating: C-425 (no change)
-I install a Rallyart alloy-steel driveshaft to decrease driveline inertia and overall weight.

Thursday, May 10th - Season 3

Today is spent performing practice runs on Fujimi. The Lancer feels like it's right at home here, and it's all-wheel-drive gives it the grip it needs to handle the bends and twists in a fast, composed manner.

Friday, May 11th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class C Series
Race #1 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage C Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20C%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $17,550.00 ($5,850.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.20 mi.

Stage C Reverse is a stage that is comprised mostly of a winding climb up the mountain on some of the widest portions of the track, which makes it one of the easier sections. It only gets tricky when you cross over the apex at the top and begin a brief descending section on the other side.

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1992 Honda NSX-R)
The extra horsepower and grip on the lancer really came in handy, as I was able to pull away from Sasaki's NSX at the beginning and maintained my lead throughout the run.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20C%201.jpg
Running away from Sasaki's NSX on the scenic uphill climb of Fujimi Kaido.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
XP Gained: 3,000
Hotlap: 2:04.758 (top 1%, #557 overall of 300,130 recorded times)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:04.758
2nd place: Sasaki - 2:09.847

Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II)
I didn't have as clean a run this time around, clipping one of the guardrails early on which allowed Takahashi to hand with me for a little while. But eventually I was able to pull away and won the heat without serious incident.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
XP Gained: 3,000
(2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR gained Level 1)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:06.076
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:09.379

Heat #3 vs. Watanabe (2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR)
Lancer versus Lancer didn't prove to be much of a contest today. Despite clipping the same guardrail early on, I was able to pull away from Watanabe's Lancer for an easy victory.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
XP Gained: 3,000
(2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR gained Level 2)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:05.759
2nd place: Watanabe - 2:11.532

Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver
2nd place: Watanabe
3rd place: Takahashi
4th place: Kato
5th place: Sasaki
6th place: Sato
7th place: Yoshida
8th place: Kim

Saturday, May 12th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class C Series
Race #2 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage A

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20A.jpg

First-Place Prize: $18,135.00 ($6,045.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.30 mi.

The first two-thirds of Stage A is relatively flat (at least compared to the rest of Fujimi Kaido) and heavily wooded, winding it's way on a narrower track. The last third then gets a bit more steep and goes through a series of switchbacks near the end of the stage.

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1992 Honda NSX-R)
I jumped out to a small early lead on Sasaki, but his NSX did quite well in the early portion of the track, and he challenged me for the lead as we approached the exit of the woods. I was able to hold him off, though and stretched out to at least a small cushion once we hit the steeper portion and the switchbacks near the end.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20C%202.jpg
Sasaki keeps things interesting in the woods of Fujimi Kaido Stage A.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,045.00
XP Gained: 3,100

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:14.584
2nd place: Sasaki - 2:16.919

Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II)
I overdrove a couple of early bends and clipped a couple of guardrails, allowing Takahashi to stick with me through the early portion of the run. I was finally able to pull away just a little bit at the very end, but overall I was disappointed with the run.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,045.00
Repairs: -$156.00
XP Gained: 3,100

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:15.653
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:17.454

Heat #3 vs. Kato (1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec)
I spent a large portion of my first two runs driving with one eye on the rear view mirror, allowing what was going on behind me to distract me from the road ahead. This run I made a concerted effort not to do that and was rewarded with my best run of the day by far. Kato never really stood a chance.

Result: Victory
Prize: $6,045.00
XP Gained: 3,100
(2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR gained Level 3)
Hotlap: 2:13.584 (top 28% of 296,296 recorded times)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:13.584
2nd place: Kato - 2:18.739

Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver
2nd place: Kato
3rd place: Takahashi
4th place: Watanabe
5th place: Sasaki
6th place: Sato
7th place: Yoshida
8th place: Kim

DataKing

05-31-2010, 11:17 PM

Sunday, May 13th - Season 3

I've got a few days to kill before the Fujimi Kaido event resumes, so I decide to do a little shopping while I'm in Japan. Eventually I'm able to find what I'm looking for:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Sylvia%20K.jpg
1994 Nissan Sylvia K

The Nissan Sylvia K (known as the Nissan 240SX in North America) is a fun little car that I've always wanted the opportunity to mess around with. It's definitely a low-end vehicle (I found this one in good condition for only $5,000.00), but it was an early tuner favorite back in it's day, and after tooling around with it for a little while I can see why. The steering is pretty responsive, and there's very little opportunity to get it completely out of control despite the rear-wheel-drive. The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is a decent little whiner too that generates 205 horsepower. I can have some cheap fun with this thing.

Monday, May 14th - Season 3

I spend the day running the Sylvia K up and down Fujimi Kaido, trying to get a feel for it and to figure out what sort of modifications I want to make. I struggles a bit on some of the steep up-hill sections, but particularly dangerous is the downhill handling, where I do have to manage a bit of oversteer.

Tuesday, May 15th - Season 3

Upgrade: Race Differential
Price: $5,120.00
Effect: Differential 2-way
Rating: E-249 (down 1 from E-250)
-To manage the oversteer on the Sylvia K I install a Kaaz race-spec two-way limited slip differential. Ironically enough this costs me more than the car itself did.

Wednesday, May 16th - Season 3

Back to the task at hand. I spend the day making practice runs on Stages B and D of Fujimi Kaido to get ready for the next two days of heat competition.

Thursday, May 17th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class C Series
Race #3 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage D Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20D%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $17,550.00 ($5,850.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 2.60 mi.

Stage D Reverse is comprised primarily of uphill climbs through the newer, wider section of the track. With plenty of room to maneuver, this section is more about power than anything else, though there are a couple of tricky switchbacks at the end.

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1992 Honda NSX-R)
The power of Sasaki's NSX allowed him to stay with me for about the first two-thirds of the run, but eventually the better overall oomph of the Lancer and the ignition upgrade I gave it took it's toll. Despite clipping a couple of guardrails, I was still able to win pretty easily.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
Repairs: -$257.00
XP Gained: 3,000

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:08.612
2nd place: Sasaki - 2:12.110

Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II)
Takahashi actually faired a little bit better than Sasaki did this time around, in part due to the all-wheel-drive on his Skyline, but it still wasn't enough to overtake me on an overall smooth run that was my best of the day.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20C%203.jpg
Beating Takahashi off the line at the base of Fujimi Kaido.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
XP Gained: 3,000
Hotlap: 2:05.976 (top 48% of 286,218 recorded times)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:05.976
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:11.798

Heat #3 vs. Watanabe (2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR)
Another relatively easy victory this time around. I did bounce the front left fender off of one of the guardrails, but other than that my Lancer had little trouble beating it's younger but heavier descendant up the mountainside.

Result: Victory
Prize: $5,850.00
Repairs: -$110.00
XP Gained: 3,000

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:06.560
2nd place: Watanabe - 2:15.402

Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver
2nd place: Watanabe
3rd place: Takahashi
4th place: Kato
5th place: Yoshida
6th place: Sato
7th place: Sasaki
8th place: Kim

Friday, May 18th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Fujimi Kaido Class C Series
Race #4 (of 4): Fujimi Kaido (Fujimi, Japan) - Stage B

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20Kaido%20-%20Stage%20B.jpg

First-Place Prize: $23,400.00 ($7,800.00 per heat)
Heats: 3
Heat Distance: 3.10 mi.

Stage B is the longest section of the Fujimi Kaido track, and is another one that is comprised mostly of uphill climbs. The stage starts with a number of sharp climbing turns, then a hairpin turn and a long climbing straightaway before a series of switchbacks at the very end. It is also the most scenic of the stages, with a stunning waterfall in the early portion of the stage and the climbing straight offers an amazing view of Lake Kaido.

Heat #1 vs. Sasaki (1992 Honda NSX-R)
Sasaki gave me what was definitely my hardest challenge of the event here. He stayed all over my back bumper for most of the stage, and briefly took the lead as we approached the waterfall. I was able to cut inside him shortly thereafter to regain the lead, but was never able to put any real distance between us.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Fujimi%20C%204.jpg
Surrendering the lead (briefly) as we pass the waterfall on Fujimi Kaido.

Result: Victory
Prize: $7,800.00
XP Gained: 4,000

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:59.396
2nd place: Sasaki - 3:00.614

Heat #2 vs. Takahashi (2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II)
I had a much better, steadier run this time around which didn't give Takahashi the opportunity to stick with me, even though he posted a better time than Sasaki did on the previous run.

Result: Victory
Prize: $7,800.00
XP Gained: 4,000
(2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR gained Level 4)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:55.658
2nd place: Takahashi - 2:59.779

Heat #3 vs. Watanabe (2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR)
An even better run this time around left Watanabe with almost no chance to keep up.

Result: Victory
Prize: $7,800.00
XP Gained: 4,000
Hotlap: 2:55.025 (top 1%, #1001 of 286,996 recorded times)

Heat Result:
1st place: Tolliver - 2:55.025
2nd place: Watanabe - 3:03.767

Race Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
1st place: Tolliver
2nd place: Watanabe
3rd place: Takahashi
4th place: Kato
5th place: Sasaki
6th place: Sato
7th place: Yoshida
8th place: Kim
Event Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif
Event Bonus: $39,300.00

Event Final Standings
1st place: Tolliver (40 pts)
2nd place: Watanabe (25 pts)
3rd place: Takahashi (20 pts)
4th place: Kato (19 pts)
5th place: Sasaki (10 pts)
6th place: Sato (8 pts)
7th place: Yoshida (6 pts)
8th place: Kim (0 pt)

It's nice to know I can still be dominant when I can get away from Davis and his Corvette. The folks from Mitsubishi are pleased with my performance as well (Fujimi Kaido has become something of a proving ground for Japanese manufacturers) and I am offered the following discounts (all of these are now up to 20%):

Driveline upgrades from Ralliart (Mitsubishi)
Oil & Cooling upgrades from HKS Cooling (Lexus, Mitsubishi, Scion, Subaru, Toyota)
Differentials by Cusco (Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru)
Valve upgrades by Ralliart (Mitsubishi)
Displacement upgrades from Ralliart (Mitsubishi)It's only two days to Sunday, so tonight I'll be sleeping on a charted flight to New York.

Saturday, May 19th - Season 3

Tomorrow is Stage 6 of the Class A World Championship event, and we'll be racing on the newer version of the New York Circuit. This is the one with the artificial chicanes and barriers as additional obstacles. This one is also in the opposite direction from what I've run in the past; south from Times Square, then north to Central Park, west to Columbus Circle, then back south to the finish line. I spend the day running practice laps with the Ford GT, getting reacquainted with it, and by the end of the day I'm pretty comfortable. I'm not sure if I've got enough to challenge Davis, but that's pretty much a moot point anyway. Right now I'm just fighting for a spot on the podium when we conclude the event in two weeks.

Sunday, May 20th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #6 (of 7): New York Circuit (New York, NY)) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/New%20York%20Circuit%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $31,200.00
Laps: 9
Race Distance: 16.36 mi.
Starting Position: 1st

Things started off well enough, and I got through the first 180 at the south end of the course holding onto my lead, but then I clipped the barrier on the 2nd set of northbound chicanes, losing speed which allowed Taylor's Viper to catch me as we headed along the southern edge of Central Park. The pack was hot on my heels as we headed around Columbus Circle, but contact between Taylor and Weber's Audi there gave me a little bit of breathing room. But then everything went to hell at the start of lap two. I drove the GT too hard into the turn and bounced off of the outside retaining wall, and right into Davis' passenger-side door, causing a big pile-up. By the time that mess was sorted out, practically the entire field had body damage, and I was fortunate to emerge in 3rd place. After clipping the south retaining wall again on lap three, I finally cleaned up my laps and set my sights on tracking down Weber's Audi. By the start of lap five I was all over Weber's back bumper, and was finally able to complete the pass on the first southbound chicane at the end of the lap. By that time Davis already had a 12 second lead, and I knew there was no hope of catching him, so I just concentrated on running clean laps, taking second place and avoiding further damage to my car.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/World%20A%206.jpg
The start of an eight-car pileup in lower Manhattan.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $27,300.00
Repairs: -$9,649.00 :eek:
XP Gained: 16,000

Race Results:
1st place: Davis (10) - 10:25.790
2nd place: Tolliver (7) - 10:38.563
3rd place: Weber (5) - 10:52.887
4th place: Taylor (4) - 10:59.189
5th place: Miller (3) - 10:59.305
6th place: Spiers (2) - 11:00.867
7th place: Johansson (1) - 11:02.037
8th place: Evans (0) - 11:08.426
Event Bonus: $14,000.00
Event Standings:
1st place: Davis (60 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (32 pts)
T-3rd place: Tolliver (28 pts)
T-3rd place: Weber (28 pts)
5th place: Evans (20 pts)
6th place: Miller (14 pts)
7th place: Spiers (7 pts)
8th place: Johansson (3 pts)

Second place may be the first loser, but there is some good news to come out of today's race. Evans' disastrous outing has taken him out of contention for the podium. It is unlikely that I'll be able to make up 4+ points to overtake Taylor for 2nd, but if I can beat Weber in two weeks in France, I should be guaranteed a spot on the final podium.

the_meanstrosity

06-01-2010, 05:52 AM

Glad to see you're back DK.

DataKing

06-01-2010, 02:55 PM

Glad to see someone is still reading this nonsense. :D

Also, FYI, I've added a "wish list" to the companion Maxwell Tolliver's Garage thread.

DataKing

06-07-2010, 12:53 AM

Monday, May 21st - Season 3

We spend the day heading across the Atlantic and back to Barcelona. Unfortunately Davis and that damn Corvette of his is chasing us across. Here's what we've got lined up for the next couple of weeks:

Event: Eight-Cylinder Supreme GT
Rating: A-Class
Restrictions: 8-Cylinder engines only
Total Event Prize: $26,520.00
# of Races: 3

The Opposition:
Davis (USA) (2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06)
Muller (GER) (2004 Ferrari F430)
Williams (USA) (2005 Ford GT)
Weber (GER) (2008 Audi R8)
Miller (USA) (2009 Cadillac CTS-V)
Johansson (SWE) (2008 BMW Motorsport M3 E92)
Jones (USA) (2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8)

For all of the V8 faithful out there, this is the event for you. We're up against Davis' 'Vette yet again (I'm going to have nightmares about that damn car), and Muller's F430 could give us some problems as well.

Tuesday, May 22nd - Season 3

The good news is that I'm not handcuffed to the Ford GT for this event, so my options are open. I spend the day running test laps at the first track of the event; Camino Viejo de Montserrat, in the Ford GT (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2239573&postcount=32) as well as my Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2241439&postcount=50). I also make arrangements to test out a Corvette Z06 while I'm here. If I can't beat 'em, maybe I should join 'em?

At the end of the day, though, I decide to go with the Grand Sport. It doesn't have the horsepower (436 hp) of either the GT (562 hp) or the Z06 (505 hp), but it handles like a dream compared to the other two, especially the GT. For a rear-wheel-drive car it feels especially planted and much more under control than the GT has for the past few months.

Wednesday, May 23rd - Season 3

More track time today strictly with the Grand Sport, and by the end of the day I've shaved a quarter-second off of my best time from yesterday. I'm really feeling comfortable now.

Thursday, May 24th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Eight-Cylinder Supreme GT
Race #1 (of 3): Camino Viejo de Montserrat (Montserrat, Spain) - Full Circuit Reverse

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Camino%20Viejo%20de%20Montserrat%20-%20Full%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,555.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 5.40 mi.
Starting Position: 1st

I spun the tires a little bit at the drop of the green flag, allowing Davis' to challenge me right out of the starting blocks, but he ended up swinging wide through the initial 180-degree turn at the northwest corner of the track. I built up a small lead as we headed south, but Davis closed up the gap again on the hairpin at the southwest corner, and was all over my back bumper as we headed back north towards the start-finish line. He remained there through the first part of lap two, but again I was able to gain a small lead on the southbound portion of the lap, and this time I had a much smoother time with the hairpin, allowing me to keep my small cushion. Lap three was smooth as glass, which is a good thing because Davis' 'Vette remained close enough that any slip up on my part would have allowed him to take the lead. Fortunately I had no such slip.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/8%20Cylinder%201.jpg

Corvettes go wheel-to-wheel at the start at Camino Viejo.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $9,555.00
XP Gained: 4,900
Hotlap: 1:08.662 (top 5% of 295,339 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (10) - 3:29.955
2nd place: Davis (7) - 3:30.827
3rd place: Weber (5) - 3:36.879
4th place: Muller (4) - 3:37.235
5th place: Williams (3) - 3:37.841
6th place: Johansson (2) - 3:44.473
7th place: Miller (1) - 3:45.098
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:51.150

It's nice to know I can take on Davis' Z06 and come out on top. Today also further validated my opinion that choosing the GT for the Class A World Championships was a mistake.

Friday, May 25th - Season 3

Travel day today. We head for the Italian coastline to Amalfi for the second leg of the event.

Saturday, May 26th - Season 3

With a scheduled off-day, I spend the day tinkering with my new toy, the Nissan Sylvia K's (http://www.osatwork.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=2291744&postcount=62). Nothing earth-shattering here, and I could have done this on-line, but I prefer the personal touch when it comes to my cars.

Upgrade: Street Tire Compound
Price: $2,000.00
Effect: Grip +0.06
Rating: E-269 (up 20 from E-249)
-I set up the Sylvia with some high-performance street tires from Bridgestone.

Sunday, May 27th - Season 3

Track time today, turning laps on the tight, twisting roads of Amalfi. This is going to be pretty tricky for all of us tomorrow, trying to tame all of the horsepower we'll have under our hoods on a course that is really more suited for compacts and hot hatches. Still, by the end of the day I've gotten pretty comfortable and found a spot that I can really work to my advantage. And I even have some fenders left by the time I'm done, too!

Monday, May 28th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Eight-Cylinder Supreme GT
Race #2 (of 3): Amalfi Coast - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Amalfi%20Coast%20-%20Full%20Circuit%20Reverse.jpg

First-Place Prize: $9,555.00
Laps: 3
Race Distance: 3.45 mi
Starting Position: 1st

I strap in today, hoping to give myself a nice victory for a birthday present. The part that I found yesterday that I can take advantage of is right at the start of the lap. As you head south-west along the coastline, a portion of the track wiggles and forth, but I aim right down the center and manage to keep control of the car at the end where the steep rumble-strips put me up on two wheels briefly. After a sharp right-hander shortly thereafter, I have a nice little lead on the rest of the pack. But this is not the sort of track where you can just run away from people. I get the back end a little loose in a couple of spots on the return trip north-east, and by the time I reach the northeast hairpin Davis and Muller are right up on my back bumper. The story remains the same on laps two and three; I work my way out to a lead at the beginning of the lap, then gradually give up that time. But lap three is the strongest for me, and I am first across the line by well over a second.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/8%20Cylinder%202.jpg
Close-quarters racing around the northeast hairpin at Amalfi.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_gold.gif
Prize: $9,555.00
Repairs: -$331.00
XP Gained: 4,900
Hotlap: 1:06.923 (top 13% of 295,761 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Tolliver (20) - 3:16.605
2nd place: Davis (14) - 3:18.098
3rd place: Muller (9) - 3:18.913
4th place: Williams (7) - 3:20.454
5th place: Weber (8) - 3:23.368
6th place: Miller (3) - 3:31.486
7th place: Johansson (3) - 3:32.025
8th place: Jones (0) - 3:36.803
We hop an overnight flight back to Barcelona. We've got only a two-day turnaround before the final leg of the event on Wednesday.

Tuesday, May 29th - Season 3

It's straight back to the track today, this time on the National Circuit at Circuit de Catalunya. I've made no bones about the fact that this is not my favorite configuration here (I much prefer the full-length Grand Prix circuit that the F1 guys use), but these sorts of things aren't up to me. Still, by the end of the day I'm pretty tired, but feeling comfortable with the Grand Sport here.

Wednesday, May 30th - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Eight-Cylinder Supreme GT

Race #3 (of 3): Circuit de Catalunya (Montmelo, Spain) - National Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Circuit%20de%20Catalunya%20-%20National%20Circuit.jpg

First-Place Prize: $7,410.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 3.70 mi.
Starting Position: 1st

I spun the tires pretty badly off the line here, allowing Davis to overtake me to the outside on the opening straightaway before the west hairpin. I stayed right on his back bumper and tried to make a run to the outside on the "hump" turn on the north end of the track, but ended up clipping his rear bumper and skidded off into the gravel trap. Being so early in the race, the pack was still pretty bunched up and I fell all the way to 7th before I got back up to speed. I forced my way past Miller's Caddie and into 6th in the east hairpin, and then overpowered Johansson's BMW for 5th on the home straightaway. Weber's Audi was my next target, but was quite a ways ahead of me and it took me most of the second and final lap to track him down. I finally did so, getting a nose underneath him through the last two turns, then powered my way to a 4th place finish.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/8%20Cylinder%203.jpg

2nd in the conga line at Circuit de Catalunya.

Result: 4th place
Prize: $4,680.00
Repairs: -$704.00
XP Gained: 3,800
(Driver gained Level 37)
Hotlap: 1:19.864 (top 40% of 430,676 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis - 2:46.048
2nd place: Muller - 2:47.799
3rd place: Williams - 2:51.378
4th place: Tolliver - 2:53.189
5th place: Weber - 2:54.105
6th place: Johansson - 2:58.251
7th place: Miller - 2:59.486
8th place: Jones - 3:03.362

Event Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz1.gif (tied)
Event Bonus: $6,800.00
Event Final Standings:
T-1st place: Tolliver (24 pts)
T-1st place: Davis (24 pts)
3rd place: Muller (16 pts)
4th place: Williams (12 pts)
5th place: Weber (11 pts)
6th place: Johansson (5 pts)
7th place: Miller (4 pts)
8th place: Jones (0 pt)
Unfortunately my slip-up here in the last race means I had to share the top of the podium with Davis, but as I said before I'm just happy to know that he can be beaten in that Z06 of his. Double Tap Racing's sponsors are also pretty pleased with me as well, and they've procured another race car for us to play with:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Nismo%20GTR.jpg

2008 Nismo GT-R

What we have here is the Nismo (Nissan Motorsport International Limited) GT-R, the racing version of the Nissan GT-R. This is straight from the Japanese GT500 series of race cars, which tend to be lighter on power than their American and European counterparts, but have exceptional handling. This one is still in the livery of the Xanavi #23 team from a couple of years ago, but we'll do something about that if and when we get to race it.

Thursday, May 31st - Season 3

Today is pretty special as travel days go, because today we arrive someplace I have yet to race. Our destination is also truly a Mecca of auto racing; Le Mans, France, home of the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans. For those not in the know, Le Mans is one of the most famous racing circuits in the world, and actually utilizes a number of public roads that are open for the majority of the year. It is a large course by modern standards (8.48 miles to be exact) and features one of the longest straights in road racing, the Mulsanne Straight. That straight used to be completely uninterrupted, but as car speeds got faster and faster this became more and more dangerous, so in 1990 a pair of artificial chicanes were added to force drivers to slow down. But crazy high speeds can still be reached there (at least by road course standards).

Friday, June 1st - Season 3

A beautiful early June day in western France, and I still spend a part of my day in a garage. What the hell is wrong with me?

Upgrade: Street Clutch
Price: $810.00
Effect: Shift Time -0.05s
Rating: E-272 (up 3 from E-269)
-I replace the Sylvia K's clutch assembly with a high-performance disc and plate from Exedy.

Saturday, June 2nd - Season 3

Tomorrow's race is part of the festivities that surround the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which means I wasn't able to get out on the track yesterday with the 24 hour guys doing a lot of their practice and recon runs. But today I was able to turn some laps on the fabled course, and oh what fun it was. The Dunlop Curve and the Esses at the beginning of the course require some throttle control (third and fourth gears on the Ford GT), but aren't too much trouble, and it's a blast gunning it out of Tetre Rouge and onto the famed Mulsane straight. I took it easy the first couple of times until I got familiar with the severity of the chicanes there (you really need to go all the way down to second gear to handle them properly). The turns at Mulsane, Indianapolis, and Arnage are all sharp but manageable with heavy braking. The Porsche curves are again an exercise in throttle control, but I can see the Ford Chicanes at the end of the lap causing some trouble, as they are very tight and offer little room for error.

Sunday, June 3rd - Season 3 (Race Day)

Event: Class A World Championship
Race #7 (of 7): Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans, France) - Full Circuit

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ej.hoag/Forza/Le%20Mans.png

First-Place Prize: $25,350.00
Laps: 2
Race Distance: 16.96 mi.
Starting Position: 1st

I got off to a good start today, keeping things under control at the drop of the green flag and keeping my lead through the early portion of the course and onto the Mulsane Straight. That straight is truly exhilarating under race conditions, and I had the GT up over 180mph before I had to start braking for the first chicanes. I did a good job through the chicanes and the sharp Mulsane turn at the end of the straight, but I screwed up when I got to Indianapolis, driving it too deep and into the gravel there. I bounced the nose off of the wall (fortunately the gravel had taken care of most of my momentum), but Davis was past me and into the lead before I got back on track. Still, I was OK with that, since my real target today was Weber. Finish ahead of him, and I was guaranteed a spot on the podium for the championship.

Taylor was up on my back bumper soon in his Viper, and slipped past me for 2nd place when I went off into the grass briefly in the Porsche Curves, but then I was motivated to get moving when I saw Weber's Audi in my rear view mirror. As we got into the 2nd lap, Weber was pushing me hard, and we both had good entries onto the Mulsane straight and passed Taylor before the first chicane. Weber obviously knew what was at stake just as well as I did, because he dove hard to the inside of the 2nd chicane, briefly passing me. But I kept a fender on him and we banged our way all through the turn. I finally got the upper hand again as we exited, and I was back in second place. After that he continued to press, and I spent a lot of energy on the next straights blocking. After that Taylor finally interjected himself into the equation, passing Weber in the Porsche Curves for 3rd place and in the process finally giving me a little bit of breathing room, which I was able to use to finish the rest of the lap without incident.

<object height="344" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wv87wZkbLBE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object>
Epic podium-position battle at Le Mans.

Result: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_pokal_silber.gif
Prize: $21,450.00
Race Bonus: $11,000.00
Repairs: -$1,295.00
XP Gained: 13,000
Hotlap: 4:31.610 (top 45% of 521,553 recorded times)

Race Results:
1st place: Davis - 8:59.149
2nd place: Tolliver - 9:09.309
3rd place: Taylor - 9:10.069
4th place: Weber - 9:10.407
5th place: Spiers - 9:18.912
6th place: Evans - 9:19.421
7th place: Miller - 9:19.714
8th place: Johansson - 9:21.383

Event Results: http://www.greensmilies.com/smile/smiley_emoticons_mttao_platz3.gif
Event Bonus: $39,850.00
Event Final Standings:
1st place: Davis (70 pts)
2nd place: Taylor (37 pts)
3rd place: Tolliver (35 pts)
4th place: Weber (32 pts)
5th place: Evans (22 pts)
6th place: Miller (15 pts)
7th place: Spiers (10 pts)
8th place: Johansson (3 pts)
And so ends this year's Class A World Championship. I can't say I'm pleased with the end result (anything short of victory is ultimately a failure), but today's race was a lot of fun. I haven't had a white-knuckle, grit-your-teeth race that intense in quite some time! It was an absolutely blast, and I cannot wait to come back here and race again. And still, having a spot on the final podium can't be all bad, right?