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Post by Momoko Murasama on Jul 5, 2022 23:35:20 GMT -5
 SUNDOWN 500 MILES
Round 4 of the IMAS GT Championship Tohno Raceway Road Atlanta is one-half a paved downhill ski slalom, and one-half a piece of Le Mans with its huge back straight. Often nicknamed "Petit Le Mans" by its fans for how the track has compressed the Le Mans experience into a track about a third the length, the comparisons they make are apt. Slipstream battles down the back straight and positioning of lapped traffic will play a major role in the race's overall complexion, as time losses tend to be magnified due to the somewhat high average speeds (though thankfully nowhere near as high as Daytona's). In the 2000s, it was Corvette vs Viper vs Supra for power and supremacy; in the here and now, the battle of Japanese vs American horsepower monsters in the modern era still make this event must-watch entertainment. While the Corvette hasn't won this event in four years, it has come close. Its closest margin was in 2020, when Steel Angel Rebellion's GT-R finished a mere two seconds ahead. NPCs to watch: Aleph Racing Developments are feeling bold after Clara Crescendo's steady hands took them to victory last time out. Expect them to stretch those Mediums to their full extent, all while potentially leaving you to struggle for maneuverability and pace. Everyone in the paddock thinks they're gangsta 'til Mama Sara and the Mayor of Ragustown throw hands, and with the best opportunity to chase for the title they've had in years, the duo are more than willing to do what it takes to win. It's worth noting that all teams will now be sporting their upgrades from this point onwards, marking a significant uptick in difficulty. But perhaps most notable is the Scarlet Devil Raceworks McLaren 720S - it is now easily the strongest NPC car in terms of TP count. Layout preview:  Onboard preview: Battle DataGeneralNumber of Race laps: 197 laps Qualifying Duration: 30 minutes In-Universe Race Time: 6:30 PM, July 4th, 2021 Track Type: Racing Circuit DeadlinesPracticeTuning Setup submission: July 14th, 4 PM UTC/Noontime US Eastern Tuning Setup submission: July 14th, midnight UTC/8 PM US Eastern RaceDayStrategy submission: July 15th, 11:59 PM GMT/8 PM US Eastern Twitch Broadcast Time: July 16th, 11 PM UTC/7 PM US Eastern Special RulesENDURANCE SPECIAL EVENTThis event is longer than usual, and thus commands a slightly greater point worth for success. 18 (1st) / 16 / 14 (3rd) / 12 / 10 (5th) / 8 / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 (10th) / 2 / 1 (12th) PRO Strategies* {Spoiler}Expect fuel to last to around lap 67-68 (~1h 18-20m)
Tire wear is actually pretty high here, since the front-left tire will take the most energy
It's almost certainly going to be a 3 stop race regardless of your Conservation stats
Time Spent on Pit Lane
Tire changes are ~8 seconds
Filling to full fuel is about ~28 seconds
A stop in pit lane will cost you around 26 seconds PLUS pit service time
A full service (tires + full fuel) stop costs you about 59 seconds
Tire Progression on Hards
Soft tires are about ~0.4 seconds FASTER at first
Medium tires are about ~0.2 seconds FASTER at first
1:11.5 ~ 1:12.0 -> initially
1:12.1 ~ 1:12.8 -> around 50% life
1:12.9 ~ 1:13.5 -> around 25% life
1:13.6 and worse -> 0% life remaining
Minimum Driver Conservation Stat
Tires drop below 50% life around lap 24-25 (~27-30 min) for Hards, lap 21-22 (~24-27 min) for Mediums, and lap 13-14 (13-16 min) for Softs
Tires drop below 25% life around lap 37-38 (~42-45 min) for Hards, lap 32-33 (~37-40 min) for Mediums, and lap 19-20 (~21-24 min) for Softs
Tires drop to 0% life around lap 49-50 (~57-60 min)1 for Hards, lap 43-44 (~50-53 min)1 for Mediums, and lap 26-27 (~29-32 min)1 for Softs
Maximum Driver Conservation Stat
Tires drop below 50% life around lap 33-34 (~38-41 min) for Hards, lap 29-30 (~33-36 min) for Mediums, and lap 17-18 (~17-21 min) for Softs
Tires drop below 25% life around lap 51-52 (~1h 00-02 min) for Hards, lap 44-45 (~51-54 min)1 for Mediums, and lap 25-26 (~29-31 min)1 for Softs
Tires drop to 0% life around lap 68-69 (~1h 21-23 min)2 for Hards, lap 58-59 (~1h 06-11 min)1 for Mediums, and lap 34-35 (~38-42 min)1 for Softs AM Strategies* {Spoiler}Expect fuel to last to around lap 56-57 (about 1h 10-15m), but realistically you'll pit way before this due to tire wear
This is almost certainly a four stopper for you
You'll most likely finish on Lap 182-184 depending on how things go
Time Spent on Pit Lane
Tire changes are ~8 seconds
Filling to full fuel is about ~30 seconds
A stop in pit lane will cost you around 26 seconds PLUS pit service time
A full service (tires + full fuel) stop costs you about 60-62 seconds
Tire Progression on Hards
Soft tires are about ~0.8 seconds FASTER at first
Medium tires are about ~0.3 seconds FASTER at first
1:19.0 ~ 1:19.5 -> initially
1:19.6 ~ 1:20.0 -> around 50% life
1:20.1 ~ 1:21.1 -> around 25% life
1:21.2 and worse -> 0% life remaining
Minimum Driver Conservation Stat
Tires drop below 50% life around lap 22-23 (~26-29 min) for Hards, lap 20-21 (~24-27 min) for Mediums, and lap 12-13 (~12-16 min) for Softs
Tires drop below 25% life around lap 33-34 (~42-45 min) for Hards, lap 30-31 (~38-41 min) for Mediums, and lap 17-18 (~21-24 min) for Softs
Tires drop to 0% life around lap 44-45 (~57-60 min)1 for Hards, lap 41-42 (~51-55 min)1 for Mediums, and lap 23-24 (~27-31 min)1 for Softs
Maximum Driver Conservation Stat
Tires drop below 50% life around lap 30-31 (~37-40 min) for Hards, lap 26-27 (~31-35 min) for Mediums, and lap 15-16 (~17-21 min) for Softs
Tires drop below 25% life around lap 46-47 (~58-61 min) for Hards, lap 39-40 (~48-52 min) for Mediums, and lap 23-24 (~27-31 min) for Softs
Tires drop to 0% life around lap 60-61 (~1h 18-22 min)2 for Hards, lap 52-53 (~1h 05-10 min)1 for Mediums, and lap 31-32 (~37-42 min)1 for Softs * Data was gathered using a 20 Speed, 20 Finesse driver - expect the actual times to be a bit slower Notes: 1 Driver will pit in for tire wear at this point 2 Driver must pit in for refueling before this point |
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Post by Momoko Murasama on Jul 10, 2022 23:13:03 GMT -5
GMPC Team RaceDay Tire Nominations and Strategies
GTE PRO
#3 Northern Wolf Motorsports: Hard - laps 48, 98, 147
#13 Scarlet Devil Raceworks: Medium - laps 36, 77, 118, 157
#42 Westside Motorsports: Medium - laps 39, 80, 120, 157
#76 Scuderia Pergusa: Hard - laps 49, 99, 149
#98 Aleph Racing Developments: Medium - laps 52, 102, 150
#428 Steel Angel Rebellion: Hard - laps 49, 98, 148
GTE AM
#30 Daydream Jokers Sport: Medium - laps 36, 72, 108, 144
#33 ThirdEye World Motorsports: Medium - laps 34, 70, 110, 142
#51 DangoAlliance Racing: Hard - laps 46, 92, 138
#75 Bunnychan Rennsport: Hard - laps 45, 90, 136
#77 Racing Lab Sector-7: Medium - laps 35, 70, 105, 142
#91 Modellista ViperConcepts: Hard - laps 45, 90, 135
#199 Kumachan Grizzly Express: Medium - laps 36, 72, 108, 141
#901 Genki Energy Racing Team: Medium - laps 40, 80, 110, 145
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Post by Momoko Murasama on Jul 16, 2022 0:37:34 GMT -5
RaceDay submissions and broadcast times have been revised due to running late. If I receive submissions for RaceDay strategies from all teams before July 16th, 10 PM UTC/6 PM US Eastern, the RaceDay broadcast will be run on the original scheduled day (today, the 16th). --- Strategy submission: July 16th, midnight UTC/8 PM US Eastern Twitch Broadcast Time: July 17th, 8 PM UTC/4 PM US Eastern Free Practice ResultsHere (click!)Player Tags: |
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Post by Momoko Murasama on Aug 13, 2022 1:12:34 GMT -5
Post Race InterviewsGTE PRORaiden Motorsports #11{Spoiler} First time in victory lane as a PRO team, and it's a big one! Was there a moment in the race where you felt for sure the race was all yours before it was over?Ryan Snetterton: Ah mate, with this kinda racing it's so unpredictable. You could have a whole lap on somebody and still lose it to a mechanical failure or incident with lapped traffic. Even with the huge gap to P2, I was still practically biting my nails hoping the car would make it through the rest of the race. Hell, I still don't believe I've won it just now, haha! This race doesn't just belong to me though, it belongs to all of the guys and gals celebrating behind me as well. I wouldn't be up here celebrating on this podium without them. Hannah Taylor: Man, I wish I could say I was confident we had it in the bag! Despite the massive gap we had, all I could think about the final few laps was that incident at Watkins Glen where we lost it all after being in contention for a good finish. Thankfully we got the car across the line, and it feels damn good to be standing up here on the top of the podium for the first time in my PRO career. I couldn't have done it without the excellent team I'm a part of; they could not have prepared us any better. Everyone penned the Scarlet Devil Raceworks team as the major favorite to win this event, but both of your squads outsmarted and outran them tonight; is this a serious statement of intent that you're a legitimate rival to them now?Ryan: To think that we're even going toe-to-toe with such major names in our first season is just mind-blowing. It seems like just yesterday we were still brawling the AM field, so the fact we had the chance at getting our first win tonight in PRO is so surreal. Raiden as a whole has grown so much just from the very beginning of this season, and tonight has really shown to me that everyone here has what it takes to rival the best on the grid. Hannah: I've noticed the #12's gotten in quite a few tussles with them on track this season. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Scarlet Devil themselves have us pegged as rivals by now! With only two opportunities left to score points in the season, will it be a matter of consolidating what you do have, or is it a plan of all-out assault in hopes of more wins? Victory at Sebring seems like the only way you can earn that invitation to Le Mans now...Ryan: It's something the team and I have been thinking through the entire season so far, but we've all agreed that the best mentality to have is to give it your all, but play it smart. You can pull out all the stops with setting the engine to SuperSprint and the hybrid to max power, but then you're praying that the bloody thing even survives to the end. It's tempting to further the gamble, but we also realize there's a point to where it just doesn't pay off. Hannah: Pretty much agree with what Ryan said. If I'm being completely honest, I hadn't even thought about that Le Mans invitation. It would be nice, but I'm only just getting comfortable with where I am now! Formidable {Spoiler} Another excellent P2 finish, but I'm sure you must be starved for a real victory at this point! Was there a shortcoming you felt handicapped by tonight, or is it all trivial in the greater picture of the championship pursuit?Nina Bridgehampton, Team Principal: “No shortcoming is trivial at this point of the season. We have a very slim margin coming into Laguna Seca. Our pace wasn’t where we wanted it to be at the end of our stints so it’s something we’ll look into over the next few weeks. With the gap being very close we’ll have to be neat and tidy for the rest of the season. It’ll be a true test of our grit.” Aleph Racing Developments have proven to be a formidable foe this season. Despite paddock sweetheart (Sara) Hockenheim and 'Mayor' (Adrian) Ragus generally commanding reputations of being the silliest drivers on the grid, their performance this year has been no joke; what's the rivalry like between your squads and theirs?Nina Bridgehampton: “Ahh, I’m sure the championship battle is definitely making the atmosphere tense between us, but once we’re out of the racing mentality we do have quite a bit of respect for each other. Perhaps they didn’t expect us to be in contention for the title due to our inexperience, but we see eye to eye in many other cases. It’ll only really come down to who is the better team in the end, hm~? I definitely rate them.” Nina, if it came down to picking one of your current drivers as the 'star driver', who do you believe fills that role right now? Could you trust them to be a leader of the team if you were ever unable to, even if only temporarily?“That’s a tough question. There’s not a lot of experience within our squad to be completely honest, but what we do have is already working quite well. However, given her attitude Risa is already looking to take that role for herself. May and Noire have looked up to her quite a bit ever since she’s entered the team and Ryoko loves the friendly competition she provides. Despite her short CV she definitely acts and drives as if she’s been in this sport for more than a decade. I’m a firm believer that she’ll be a huge star.” maikoheart {Spoiler}P3, but behind your main rivals at Raiden and PWRband; what does this do for the resurgence of momentum that the team had experienced at Daytona?
Penny Gurney, team principal: We're still going strong! A 10 point gap with two races to go is a pretty big gap to make up yeah, but our drivers specialize in performing under pressure. The math says our team has a chance for victory; we intend to grab it with all hands!
Were you intimidated by the pace of the Scarlet squad at all, prior to the race events unfolding?
Sara Hockenheim: Not at all. We had a fantastic car underneath us, and I know the Scarlet playbook inside and out. They're a team that tries to lead from the front by posting blazing fast lap times. When our engineers spotted clumps of rubber flying off the SDR 720S every other lap, we knew their game plan was cooked to a crisp~
Adrian (Ragus), what is it like juggling a full-time IMAS GT and Lightning Car schedule? You have a seeming level of endurance that few can match!
Adrian Ragus: My secret to handling it is a strong fitness regiment, careful dieting, the works! I can lift a tire with my eyebrow muscles, hahaha. Just kidding! It's the fans who always stop by to watch Sara and I work our stuff on the track, can't be tired when you've got a legion of 'em in your corner! GTE AMJ-Racing Adventures{Spoiler} Clarke, Raines, how does it feel to claim gold for the first time this season in the IMAS GT Championship?Lilo: "Haha, it kicks ass! I don't know what Thorsten and Tanner did back in the shop but we were flying today! To be honest when Evan hit me up to drive I honestly wasn't expecting to actually win anything, but I can't say I'm mad at all!" Akoni: "After the luck we've 'ad this season, it feels good to get a good result, let alone a win. We had the fastest car on track by far today, and hopefully we can keep it up and finish up the season strongly." Not often we get to see one-two finishes like this, especially not in the hotly contested AM category, and certainly not in such a dominating fashion! Is this sort of experience like a living dream, or are you always looking to future battles?Evan: "Our crew absolutely knocked it out with the setups today, and it seems like Lilo and Akoni have finally hit their stride, while Jason and Didier continued their normal strong runs, so while I wasn't going in looking for a 1-2, it wasn't completely unexpected. I'd say we're a very in the moment team, I'm not saying we don't plan for the future, but most of our decisions are direct results of past observations, it may be considered short-sighted, but hey looks like it's working" While it's obviously not possible to sweep the entire season now, winning the remaining two races on the IMAS GT schedule would still be a new record for AM class victories in a single season. Do you plan on continuing to dominate the series' AM category for as long as budget allows, or is there something even greater for the team to aspire to?Evan: "Hey I'll take a 3 out of 4 record any day of the week, and the possible 5 out of 6 wouldn't be something I'd say no to, but I know it's not going to come easily. As for future plans, a J-RA PRO effort may be on the cards next season as we've proven our strength in AM so far, although don't count out us trying to defend our position in AM at the same time. Nothing's final yet, but there's big things planned here." With all the great results you've brought together, how do Ford's leadership in their motorsport programs feel about you and your team? Have they personally pitched in further support, or are they a hands-off sort of organization when around you? Evan: "Heh, way back when we were running the old GT, I don't even think Ford realized we existed. After some results in Aeternam last season they started hitting us up for some technical assistance, but even with our wins this season, I think their issue with going in and giving us a full factory backing is us not fitting their corporate attitude. I'm not saying that's exactly what it is but they get pretty funny when the issue comes up. I'm not really complaining though, as it gives us a lot of freedom to mess around with what we want to, especially if we go all-in on a PRO effort next season" jeracerx {Spoiler} Third place in the race and sitting second in the championship. With the title dream distant at the moment, is victory at Sebring the target now?Orion Kissling (Team Principal): First off I must express how proud I am of the entire team. A pair of podium finishes far exceeds the modest goals we had set for our first season at this level, and they are a fine reward for how much hard work went into making this step up. You mention a title dream, but we certainly were not dreaming that high! Likewise victory at Sebring would be far beyond out expectations, though we will of course give it our all. It is a race with great personal significance to me, and I am very much looking forward to it. Aside from the #9 squad of J-Racing Adventures, are there any other teams you'd regard as significant 'threats' to your position in the championship? If so, what do you believe is your greatest strength over them?Janet: The Mustang teams have been quick all year, along with Star, NME, and Modellista Viper Concepts. But I'm not concerned about our championship position, we've mostly been focused on ourselves. I didn't even know we were in second until just now! As for our biggest strength? Hmmm... If I had to say, it would be that we still have so much room to improve. Septimus and the team are new to the series and I've been out for a few years so we're all still dialing ourselves in. Septimus, given your past elsewhere, are your performances behind the wheel of the Acerola Viper well-documented outside of the motorsport sphere? Perhaps a social media moment you'd like to share?Septimus: There's been plenty of awesome social media moments, it's been a lot of fun introducing my fans to my other passion. I think I might have even got a few of them hooked! The moment that really stands out came after our first podium at Watkins Glen. I think there was probably some, I don't want to say hostility, but maybe a feeling of apprehension that this Hollywood kid would come into the sport and trample all over it like it was just some cheap distraction. I had to prove myself to the fans before they would accept me, you know? Anyway, after Watkins Glen there's been a pretty dramatic shift in how the fans were treating me, I let my emotions show on the podium and I think they realized "hey, this guy really is one of us". And honestly, I think that makes me just as happy as the podium finish did. I'm just a fellow IMAS fan out here living the dream and trying to soak it all in, standing here on the podium almost feels surreal! aarror
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