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

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:

• Introduction
  
• Licensing
  
• Race Entry, Drivers Meeting, Qualifying and Scoring
  
• Host Responsibilities and Authority
  
• Penalties
  
• Cars, Tires and Damage
  
• Restrictions
  
• Sporting Driver's Code

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:

Public Lobby
Room Comment: DriverSports.org D#
Race Type: Race For Real
Max # of Participants: # of Drivers qualified for the division
Race Quality: Standard
Voice Chat Quality: Disabled
Course: Circuito de Madrid 3.39 km / 2.11 mi
Fixed Host Status: Checked (Fixed Host)

Course Settings:
Course Selection Method: Host Picks
Course: Circuito de Madrid 3.39 km / 2.11 mi
Time: /
Time Progression: /
Weather: /
Weather Changeability: /
Surface Water: /

Event Settings:
Game Mode: Normal Race
Laps: PQ: 5 | Race: 27
Start Type: Grid Start
Grid Order: Reverse Grid Based on Previous Race Results
Boost: OFF
Penalty: None
Automatic Race Start Cycle: Disabled
Race Finish Delay: 180 seconds
Visible Damage: On
Mechanical Damage: Heavy
Slipstream Strength: Weak
Tire Wear/Fuel Consumption: On
Grip Reduction on wet Track/Track Edge: Real
Shuffle Base: NA
Shuffle Ratio: NA

Regulation Settings:
Car Restrictions: Unrestricted
Performance Points: /
Power: 443 hp
Weight: 1050 kg
Drivetrain: FR
Tire Restriction: Sports: Soft
Vehicle Tuning: Unrestricted
No Skid Recovery Force: Checked (Skid Recovery Force prohibited)
No Active Steering: Checked (Active Steering prohibited)
No ASM: Checked (ASM prohibited)
Driving Line Off: Checked (Driving Line prohibited)
No TCS: Checked (Traction Control prohibited)
No ABS: Leave Unchecked (ABS allowed)

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:

GT Auto:
Oil change, car wash, rims, paint and refreshes are allowed.

• Front - Optional
  
• Rear - Optional
  
• Extension - Optional
  
• Wing - Mandatory - Must be a tall wing. No spoilers please
  
• Racing Modification - Prohibited

Tires: Sports Soft

All cars are equipped with the default Standard Transmission. No gear whine should be audible on any car.

BMW 135i Coupe '07 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

BMW Z4 M Coupe '08 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

Infiniti G35 Coupe '06 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

Mazda RX-8 Type S '07 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

Nissan Fairlady Z (Z34) '08 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

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

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

TVR Tuscan Speed Six '00 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This car requires the use of ballast to meet the 1050 kg minimum weight restriction.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

Toyota 86 GT '12 Technical Regulations:

Your installed parts and statistics must match the image exactly. If unlisted the default part is equipped.

The maximum power figures are achieved with a fully broken in, oil changed and engine refreshed car. Adding illegal parts to make up for an unbroken car is not allowed.

This video identifies the legal redline, boost gauge and exhaust tips and sound for this car

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

Specs and pics and vids, oh my

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.

clacksman wrote: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?

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

It will be. Hint: F1 tracks

RackAttack wrote:

clacksman wrote: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.

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.

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.

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

clacksman wrote: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!

Also added a 135i tune/time on GTData.

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

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

No charge

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.

timneyb wrote: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.