My second crack at the Super Speedway 150, and my attempt at proving to the doubters that an entertaining race could be had here...let's put it this way, it was certainly more fun than my first attempt in the 787B! :)
Super Speedway 150 Miles
Date: 24th August 2007
Car Used: 1998 Nissan R390GT1 (Black Beauty, used, no oil change)
Ok, so you may be wondering why I seem to report on so many of my races. Well, Im considering a career in journalism for racing magazines, so I see this as good practice for the possible future. Plus I just love writing, simple as
anyway, here is my second endurance race report. Hope you enjoy 
Riding high after the close success of the FRT (Falcon Racing Team) in the GTAS, they decided on embarking on an ambitious endurance racing programme, encompassing the 5 big sports-racing car enduros - SuperSpeedway 150 miles, Infineon World Sports Car Race, Fuji 1000KM and the two LeMans 24hour races - all won by one car. First up was SuperSpeedway.
The driver? Myself, FRT manager. My previous record with FRT includes a win in the Super Speedway 150 miles race (which you can read here) and a first GTAS championship, both in the now-sold Mazda 787B, and a second GTAS championship in the team's new R390GT1 (which can also be read here). Generally fast but also very inconsistent - he will often run several fast laps then make a mistake on the next one after that.
The car? Nissan R390GT1 black edition. Bought used with several hundred thousand miles on the clock, it was taken right up to round 10 of the GTAS series before being given even an oil change, and has not had a chassis refresh or even a wash since its purchase. Nevertheless, it enters the SuperSpeedway with 798hp, R1 tires on all round, and as very much the underdog in the race.
The opponents:
Sauber C9 Race Car 1989
AMG Mercedes CLK GTR 1998
Ford GT LM
Chevrolet Camaro LM
Bentley Speed 8 2003
Obviously my main threat was the C9, but the Bentley could also pose a threat in terms of tire mileage. I'm confident the other 3 don't stand a chance.
Race starts at 19:50 GMT, so here we go! Updates by every 20 lap stint as in the previous SS 150.
Stint 1: lap 1-20
http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/14...600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg
I knew I had to get up to the pole-sitting Sauber before he could build up too much of an advantage, so I swept past the Camaro, GT and Speed 8 all on lap 1, and the AMG Mercedes fell on lap 2. Already the Sauber had moved up a 5-second lead, which I kept the same until the Camaro and GT were up for lapping on lap 7-8, which enabled me to close to 2 seconds before his tires warmed up and he began to move away...slowly but surely...until once again the GT1 battle came upon us again. I closed to within 1.7 seconds before he began to move away at an average of about 0.2-0.3 seconds per lap. However, I still had an ace up my sleeve - if the car had half as good tire/fuel mileage as the 787B had I would be able to outlast the Sauber in terms of pitstops - the Sauber would have to pit 3 times to my 2, which would kill him in the end - I hope
However, the lapped cars were doing their job, and by the time lap 20 came around I was in the lead by 0.174 seconds on the Sauber having managed to catch a draft on him as he lapped the slowed GT.
Segment 2: lap 21-40
http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg
Fought a non-stop ding-dong battle with the Sauber through lap 21-30, his raw speed versus my drafting skills meant a close and thrilling battle, however by lap 30 my tires were beginning to disintergrate. For my 2-stop strategy to work, I had to last until at least lap 34, so I could then pit on lap 68 and go to the flag. The Sauber pitted at lap 32, meaning he would pit twice more on laps 64 and 96 - hopefully. I made it to the pitstop at the end of lap 34 with all tires on angry orange and the car doing 4-wheel drifts through all the corners. Emerged with 4 new tires and full gastank to see that the damn Sauber had emerged nearly 10 seconds ahead
and the Bentley stretched them to about lap 36-37 before pitting, meaning he was also on the same strategy as me. Finished lap 40 with the Sauber 10.3 seconds ahead.
Segment 3: lap 41-60
Things really beginning to go downhill - the Sauber has managed to open up a lead of 18.3 seconds on me by lap 60. It seems the GT1 cars aren't slowing him down anymore - in fact, in the case of the Ford GT, they're slowing ME down
Nothing else to report.
Segment 4: lap 61-80
http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg
Curiously, the Sauber slows down a hell of a lot (down to nearly 4 seconds ahead) on lap 63 before pitting on lap 64 - methinks he overshot the pit entrance and had to go round again, which helps me out I pit at the end of lap 66 and only fuel up to about 62 units as hopefully I shouldn't need the extra 28 fuel and rejoin 2 seconds behind the damn Sauber. But if I can stick vaguely with him until the final segment, when he (hopefully) has to pit once more, the race should be mine. What helps is that finally the bloody lapped cars do their job and slow him down on lap 70, which means I cross the stripe just 1 second behind him and by lap 72, when the Camaro gets in his way, I finally manage to slip by and lead him by just 0.204 by lap 74. For the next 7 laps its a real battle - he cannot escape from me and I cannot escape from him, and by lap 81 the gap is just 0.040 seconds - too close!
Segment 5: lap 81-finish
http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/14...600x600Q85.jpg
The crucial segment. Crucial in that I need to stay with the Sauber incase he does try and attempt to go all the way to the flag, in which case it will be a battle like none other. I am able to hang just in his draft, about 0.8-1 second behind, till lap 90 when once again the lapped Camaro comes to my aid - I pass him as he is stuck behidn the Camaro, and I give the Camaro driver a thumbs-up out the window! By this stage my fuel was on 3 bars left - easily enough for the final 10 laps. But my tires were completly shot, and now the Sauber was able to pull away, and as lap 97 started, he was 3.411 seconds ahead. But as lap 97 ended, my ace card was put into play - he indeed had to pit one more time! Which meant I managed, after a long and gruelling race, to win despite having 1 bar of fuel left and barely anything left on the wheels in terms of rubber!
Final standings:
1. Me
2. Sauber C9 +26.599
3. Bentley Speed 8 +2 laps
4. Mercedes CLK-GTR +5 laps
5. Chevrolet Camaro LM +12/15 laps?
6. Ford GT LM +15/17 laps
What a thrilling race that was - for over 3/4 of the race there was nothing between me and the Sauber, going head-to-head for the win. And though the final margin makes it look easy, it certainly wasn't. Amazingly, all of that was only for 9 A-spec points - I gather the fact there were 2 GT1 cars in the field decreased that value significently.
Thanks for reading and hope to see you next time out at Infineon Raceway!
Super Speedway 150 Miles
Date: 24th August 2007
Car Used: 1998 Nissan R390GT1 (Black Beauty, used, no oil change)
Ok, so you may be wondering why I seem to report on so many of my races. Well, Im considering a career in journalism for racing magazines, so I see this as good practice for the possible future. Plus I just love writing, simple as
anyway, here is my second endurance race report. Hope you enjoy Riding high after the close success of the FRT (Falcon Racing Team) in the GTAS, they decided on embarking on an ambitious endurance racing programme, encompassing the 5 big sports-racing car enduros - SuperSpeedway 150 miles, Infineon World Sports Car Race, Fuji 1000KM and the two LeMans 24hour races - all won by one car. First up was SuperSpeedway.
The driver? Myself, FRT manager. My previous record with FRT includes a win in the Super Speedway 150 miles race (which you can read here) and a first GTAS championship, both in the now-sold Mazda 787B, and a second GTAS championship in the team's new R390GT1 (which can also be read here). Generally fast but also very inconsistent - he will often run several fast laps then make a mistake on the next one after that.
The car? Nissan R390GT1 black edition. Bought used with several hundred thousand miles on the clock, it was taken right up to round 10 of the GTAS series before being given even an oil change, and has not had a chassis refresh or even a wash since its purchase. Nevertheless, it enters the SuperSpeedway with 798hp, R1 tires on all round, and as very much the underdog in the race.
The opponents:
Sauber C9 Race Car 1989
AMG Mercedes CLK GTR 1998
Ford GT LM
Chevrolet Camaro LM
Bentley Speed 8 2003
Obviously my main threat was the C9, but the Bentley could also pose a threat in terms of tire mileage. I'm confident the other 3 don't stand a chance.
Race starts at 19:50 GMT, so here we go! Updates by every 20 lap stint as in the previous SS 150.
Stint 1: lap 1-20
http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/14...600x600Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg
I knew I had to get up to the pole-sitting Sauber before he could build up too much of an advantage, so I swept past the Camaro, GT and Speed 8 all on lap 1, and the AMG Mercedes fell on lap 2. Already the Sauber had moved up a 5-second lead, which I kept the same until the Camaro and GT were up for lapping on lap 7-8, which enabled me to close to 2 seconds before his tires warmed up and he began to move away...slowly but surely...until once again the GT1 battle came upon us again. I closed to within 1.7 seconds before he began to move away at an average of about 0.2-0.3 seconds per lap. However, I still had an ace up my sleeve - if the car had half as good tire/fuel mileage as the 787B had I would be able to outlast the Sauber in terms of pitstops - the Sauber would have to pit 3 times to my 2, which would kill him in the end - I hope
However, the lapped cars were doing their job, and by the time lap 20 came around I was in the lead by 0.174 seconds on the Sauber having managed to catch a draft on him as he lapped the slowed GT. Segment 2: lap 21-40
http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg
Fought a non-stop ding-dong battle with the Sauber through lap 21-30, his raw speed versus my drafting skills meant a close and thrilling battle, however by lap 30 my tires were beginning to disintergrate. For my 2-stop strategy to work, I had to last until at least lap 34, so I could then pit on lap 68 and go to the flag. The Sauber pitted at lap 32, meaning he would pit twice more on laps 64 and 96 - hopefully. I made it to the pitstop at the end of lap 34 with all tires on angry orange and the car doing 4-wheel drifts through all the corners. Emerged with 4 new tires and full gastank to see that the damn Sauber had emerged nearly 10 seconds ahead
and the Bentley stretched them to about lap 36-37 before pitting, meaning he was also on the same strategy as me. Finished lap 40 with the Sauber 10.3 seconds ahead. Segment 3: lap 41-60
Things really beginning to go downhill - the Sauber has managed to open up a lead of 18.3 seconds on me by lap 60. It seems the GT1 cars aren't slowing him down anymore - in fact, in the case of the Ford GT, they're slowing ME down
Nothing else to report.Segment 4: lap 61-80
http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg
Curiously, the Sauber slows down a hell of a lot (down to nearly 4 seconds ahead) on lap 63 before pitting on lap 64 - methinks he overshot the pit entrance and had to go round again, which helps me out
I pit at the end of lap 66 and only fuel up to about 62 units as hopefully I shouldn't need the extra 28 fuel and rejoin 2 seconds behind the damn Sauber. But if I can stick vaguely with him until the final segment, when he (hopefully) has to pit once more, the race should be mine. What helps is that finally the bloody lapped cars do their job and slow him down on lap 70, which means I cross the stripe just 1 second behind him and by lap 72, when the Camaro gets in his way, I finally manage to slip by and lead him by just 0.204 by lap 74. For the next 7 laps its a real battle - he cannot escape from me and I cannot escape from him, and by lap 81 the gap is just 0.040 seconds - too close!Segment 5: lap 81-finish
http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/14...600x600Q85.jpg
The crucial segment. Crucial in that I need to stay with the Sauber incase he does try and attempt to go all the way to the flag, in which case it will be a battle like none other. I am able to hang just in his draft, about 0.8-1 second behind, till lap 90 when once again the lapped Camaro comes to my aid - I pass him as he is stuck behidn the Camaro, and I give the Camaro driver a thumbs-up out the window! By this stage my fuel was on 3 bars left - easily enough for the final 10 laps. But my tires were completly shot, and now the Sauber was able to pull away, and as lap 97 started, he was 3.411 seconds ahead. But as lap 97 ended, my ace card was put into play - he indeed had to pit one more time! Which meant I managed, after a long and gruelling race, to win despite having 1 bar of fuel left and barely anything left on the wheels in terms of rubber!
Final standings:
1. Me
2. Sauber C9 +26.599
3. Bentley Speed 8 +2 laps
4. Mercedes CLK-GTR +5 laps
5. Chevrolet Camaro LM +12/15 laps?
6. Ford GT LM +15/17 laps
What a thrilling race that was - for over 3/4 of the race there was nothing between me and the Sauber, going head-to-head for the win. And though the final margin makes it look easy, it certainly wasn't. Amazingly, all of that was only for 9 A-spec points - I gather the fact there were 2 GT1 cars in the field decreased that value significently.
Thanks for reading and hope to see you next time out at Infineon Raceway!
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