IgloONotes

It was a calm and sunny day outside. The thermometer read 5 degrees..not quite optimum, but it would suffice. I strapped on my driving shoes and cinched up behind the wheel. It was time to go driving. This time though I would be piloting a car I've never been able to get close to. It was a virtual car in Gran Turismo 4

I was going to be competing in a 10 race battle with 5 other competitors with the difficulty very near the maximum. I initially was going to enter the competition with a Formula One car but decided against wiping the compassion with my exhaust. I wanted to beat them on a level playing field. Thus, my trusty Race-Spec 2003 Xanavi Nissan Skyline was called into action.

From the first race, it was apparent that winning would be a tough proposition. All of the opposing cars were faster in a straight line. It was in the corners that I would need to make up ground.

Thanks to my many hours of training in the license tests I knew most of the tracks well. Plus, I had a secret weapon; the amazing Logitech G25 Force Feedback Steering wheel. I would be able to feel every bump in the dirt and every crease in the asphalt. It would give me uncanny feel and response. Armed and ready I began to take down the competition.

Having a slower car in Gran Turismo really demands precision and consistently fast driving. One too many mess ups and the emotion-engine controlled drivers will pull away before you even realized you made a mistake.

The first two races were rather easy to take the top step of the podium, but the third race hit home how hard this task would be. It was a very long track with few corners and many long straights. Even with my cornering ability, I was no match for the top placed driver; a Prototype Race-spec Nissan Skyline GT-R

I had to move into damage control mode and took a respectable 2nd. The next two races were also extremely long tracks with extremely long straightaways so I knew I had to change something.

Knowing that increasing horsepower was not an option I turned to tuning the aero and the gearing. I lowered the car as much as possible and used as little downforce as possible. These changes would reduce the drag of my car thereby increasing straight line speed. I also optimized the gear rations so that the wouldn't run out of breath at high speeds. Feeling confident, I stared the race.

It didn't take long to notice that the cars were just too fast. two of them sped away right from the start and never looked back. It was my worst race, finishing a paltry sixth place. Luckily for me though, my main competitor only finished in 3rd.

Next up was a 27 lap race that I had in the bag. The course was extremely small and each lap only took 20 seconds to complete. After being left in the dust for the past few high speed tracks, i was looking to close up the points gap. Yes, I could have raced clean and try to win, but when the computer constantly pushes you off the track I couldn't help but think of a more sinister way of earning points.

At the end of a long sweeping corner is the pit lane entry. If you enter the pit lane, it would lose you about 20 seconds...in this case, one lap. My plan was to enter the corner side by side with the leader and slowly nudge him to the outside of the corner and into the pit lane. It took me a couple of tries, but eventually, I nailed it and he had nowhere else to go. Chuckling to myself I closed the gap by a further 9 points by the end of the race.

Feeling confident, I entered the next race with the intention of repeating my actions from the last race. The race itself was much shorter, 4 laps, but it was one of my favorite tracks and when I like a track, I tend to drive quicker. I knew I had to accomplish my task in the first few laps just so I had a buffer to take the win.

Entering the main straight from a long sweeper, I tried my move. I twitched the steering wheel over but this time, with dire consequences. Somehow, I missed my mark and my car spun completely out of control while my target was unscathed. This all happened at the end of the third lap.

On the last lap, I had a problem. I was 25 seconds behind the 2nd and 3rd drivers with slightly more than 1 lap to go. Not only that, but my 'change oil' light had come on. In Gran Turismo, its more than just a pretty light. It also means that your car loses power... I couldn't afford to lose any more power to the competition! Not only that, but I couldn't change the oil until after the whole competition was over! I had to pull out all the stops and use all the knowledge of the track that I had.

I knew where to cut the curbs, I knew where to brake...but doing all that under pressure is tough. I began to feel the track and became one with the car. Winning the race was now impossible but second place was feasable. I had the pace..I could do it!

I was right on the tail of the second place driver by the last turn. it was a long sweeping corner and I had to bide my time and wait for the best moment. Too soon and I wouldn't have the right line and I would understeer to the outside of the corner. Too late and I wouldn't beat him.

He moved to the outside and I went for it. All the way down to the finish line it was a drag race, neck and neck. I could see his nose on the edge of my screen and my position counter still read '3'. I kept my foot planted and hoped for the best.

2nd.

Yes! I had done it! I turned around an almost impossible situation and made the best out of it. This finish was one of the closest I ever had. I was separated by only .001 of a second.

Going into the final race, I was ahead by only one point. The Winner would take ten points to the second place finisher's 6. Whoever won the last race would take the crown. Lucky for me, it was a twisty street circuit that I knew very well; Monte Carlo. I had only one goal; Winning.

I started the first lap out of seven very well. I passed one car in the first corner and continued to pick off everyone else in the remainder of the lap. By the end of the first lap, I had a 5 second lead over the second place runner. But I couldn't slow down. What if I lost my concentration and smacked into a wall? What if my tires wore faster than expected? What if my car lost more Horsepower as the oil light stayed on? I just continued driving as fast as possible. I began the rhythm...a left, right, then a hairpin. Don't brake too early or you'll lose speed. Don't brake too late or you'll hit the wall. Don't enter the corner too fast or you'll understeer into the wall. I had it all under control. My lap times kept getting faster and faster, setting my fastest time on my second last lap. I had done it. I had won!!

I gladly took the prize of 200,000 credits and a new car that used to be my competition; the Prototype Nissan Skyline GT-R. it was just another day at the racetrack. What's next? Maybe I'll tackle the Nurburgring 24 hour race...

Tags: Gran Turismo, Nissan Skyline, Xanavi Skyline