Pre-Season Testing | Tin-Top Touring Challenge | Sunday Feb. 5 | Madrid

[Forgetful]

Welcome to Pre-Season Testing for DriverSports' newest class, the Tin-Top Touring Challenge. This class will introduce a new form of technical regulations that should allow deliberate, car specific leveling, allowing for a diverse field of cars that are closely competitive.

Race coordinators have identified 8 Premium RWD cars that were able to be built in a way that is verifiable by checking the redline, boost gauge readings and exhaust note and tip. The parts allowed are the best possible combination that will produce the indicated redline with the correct exhaust equipped, which means not only can the race marshals perform post race inspections by reviewing the replay, but so can anyone who has access to the replay file. By controlling these identifiable indicators on a car by car basis the race coordinators were able to find a level of tuning and appropriate indicators for each car that keeps them in a tight range of fast lap times in a testing situation.

These pre-season races will give the directors a chance to see if our theories hold up to pure competition in the hands of skilled competitors before we launch in to a full series. Once the series is underway drivers will be asked to stay committed to one car for the duration, however selection is open for pre-season testing.

DriverSports.org Rulebook:

Race Day: Sunday February 5, 2012

Class: Touring Challenge

This event is being run with specific regulations for each car. See the Rulebook and Technical Regulations tab for full details.

Track: Circuito de Madrid 3.39 km / 2.11 mi

Race Distance: 27 laps | 91.53 km | 56.97 mi

Qualifying Deadline - 9:00 PM EST

• Pre-Qualifying Session Maximum Lap Count: 5
  
• Submit a Time

Drivers Meeting - Open 9:20 PM EST | Closed 9:30 PM EST

Pre-Qualifying Results:

Proper Room Settings:

Schedule:

• February
  
  • Sunday 5. Circuito de Madrid 3.39 km / 2.11 mi | 27 laps | 91.53km | 56.97 mi
    
  • Sunday 12. Autodromo Nazionale Monza / Weather Change 5.79 km / 3.60 mi | 20 laps | 115.8km | 72 mi

General Technical Regulations:

BMW 135i Coupe '07 Technical Regulations:

BMW Z4 M Coupe '08 Technical Regulations:

Infiniti G35 Coupe '06 Technical Regulations:

Mazda RX-8 Type S '07 Technical Regulations:

Nissan Fairlady Z (Z34) '08 Technical Regulations:

Nissan Fairlady Z Version S (Z33) '07 Technical Regulations:

TVR Tuscan Speed Six '00 Technical Regulations:

Toyota 86 GT '12 Technical Regulations:

[clacksman]

Got all 8 cars broken-in, built to regs, and favourited. Your RX-8 is missing a carbon driveshaft.

[group44]

Specs and pics and vids, oh my

[clacksman]

My lounge is set for this tonight, you're all welcome to join. I want to run through the cars and pick one to go with, or at least narrow the choices I'll work on.

[RackAttack]

My lounge is set for this tonight, you're all welcome to join. I want to run through the cars and pick one to go with, or at least narrow the choices I'll work on.

Just from watching the videos, there's a 15 km/h difference between the RX-8 and the Speed 6 at the 600m mark. It will definitely be an interesting decision, hopefully the full track list will be published before the series begins?

[clacksman]

hopefully the full track list will be published before the series begins?

It will be. Hint: F1 tracks

[Forgetful]

My lounge is set for this tonight, you're all welcome to join. I want to run through the cars and pick one to go with, or at least narrow the choices I'll work on.

Just from watching the videos, there's a 15 km/h difference between the RX-8 and the Speed 6 at the 600m mark. It will definitely be an interesting decision, hopefully the full track list will be published before the series begins?

Yes, a track list will be up with the first event, maybe before. We may still make some adjustments to certain cars during or after the Pre-Season races.

I've tested all 8 cars (and a couple that didn't make the cut) at Indy Road, Tsukuba Deep Forest and Madrid. Each car has it's strengths and weaknesses and it all pans out pretty evenly. The track selection should balance between tight and open courses. The TVR specifically is the fastest accelerater, but it's not the greatest under braking. It turns well enough. The G35 gets to the highest top speed because it was the most resistant to turning. The Z34 is the benchmark as the car that was fastest with the base level of modification, and which every other car was leveled against, but it showed the most tire wear. The 86 GT really shined in the twisties, so did the BMWs. It should be very interesting.

[clacksman]

Intredasting indeed. I got thru all 8 and the field is covered by less than one second here. Good thing I didn't tune them much because my PS3 locked up the moment I was done with #8.

[clacksman]

Did a couple tweaks to a couple cars, stuck results in GTData. Still haven't picked a car to either run or declare hopeless. Can get to or just under 28.0 in 5 of them with a few laps of tire heat.

[RackAttack]

If I get to run, I'll probably run the Z34. Put my tune and time in GTData just now.

http://www.gtdata.net/user_home.php?user=RackAttack

[RackAttack]

Good thing I didn't tune them much because my PS3 locked up the moment I was done with #8.

I froze leaving groups room as well... Luckily I threw my tune into GTData before I exited, thanks timney!

[RackAttack]

Also added a 135i tune/time on GTData.

370z: 1:27.1xx
135i: 1:27.7xx

[timneyb]

I froze leaving groups room as well... Luckily I threw my tune into GTData before I exited, thanks timney!

No charge

[timneyb]

My strategy is to prep a couple cars, check what people are mostly running, then run the most different car (so long as it isn't the RX-8 or 86 GT, which I've seen enough of for a while). Rinse, repeat next week. Assuming superbowl, yada yada.

[clacksman]

My strategy is to prep a couple cars, check what people are mostly running, then run the most different car (so long as it isn't the RX-8 or 86 GT, which I've seen enough of for a while). Rinse, repeat next week. Assuming superbowl, yada yada.

Not caring about the stupid bowl helps my prep time for this week. I'll likely end up in whichever car feels safest to hustle in the streets.

[group44]

I'll likely end up in whichever car feels safest to hustle in the streets.

Wise choice. As Rooster said last night, the guy who wins will probably be the same guy who doesn't attempt to knock down any walls.

[clacksman]

If I get to run, I'll probably run the Z34. Put my tune and time in GTData just now.

http://www.gtdata.net/user_home.php?user=RackAttack

Somehow I ran the best Lap1 ever in that and can just not get back to that time. Rated +1 anyway; tune's fine, replace user and press any key required on my end.

Roosters lounge set to this except light damage is on because pitting every second lap (average among all users) during practice got old.

[timneyb]

Here are the tunes presently in GTData for the tin-top cars (note that some of these tunes aren't for the HP/kg/PP regs of this particular event).



And, here are the shared times at Madrid in said cars. Take them with a grain of salt, as these are different drivers that spent different amounts of time tweaking their tunes to their satisfaction.



These tables are "live" and will reflect any new tunes and times added after the post date of this post. I'll try to post these up for each event in this series.

[clacksman]

Neat.

[RackAttack]

If you're looking for a rock solid car that is predictable (and perhaps easier to keep off the walls), I would recommend checking out my 135i tune. I was running it last night and am very happy with it. Despite it being slower than a few of the other cars, I feel way more comfortable with it.

[RackAttack]

86 and RX-8 tunes+times added to GTData. They appear in timney's post a few up ^^.

Both feel pretty good, though I'd say the 86 is a smidge faster, and also a bit better on tires.

I have a Z33 built, I might get to it tomorrow sometime, but for now.... Skyrim.

[RIP_Welsh_Don]

Not run any laps yet, but I'll be taking the Z4M out because I love the sound it makes Bob (aka V.Best) ran 90 laps in it at Laguna so she's all spec'd up and ready to roll.

[clacksman]

In first apparently.

[RackAttack]

Finally settled on the Z33. Q'd :-) Going to put the tune in GTData now.

[group44]

Finally settled on the Z33. Q'd :-)

Dang fast too. Sure hope another human decides to race

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