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[RickS95]

You're too kind, Turbo, but one of the names has to be removed from the list.  I no longer have the skills to run with a lot of you guys.  I've not put forth the effort in GT5 and the game, along with a lot of guys, has passed me by.

unless we're racing on DRC, right?

you're still one of the best on that course, so I hear.  but yea sometimes I feel I'm getting rusty too, when just taking a week being lazy and not turning many laps.

you think you'll just pick it up where you left off, but all my inputs seem more harsh and hence slower when coming back to the game.

I'm thinking about putting "SLOW IS FAST" on my LCD TV in black sharpie...

A couple notes...I'm very comfortable at DRC.  Early on, I was scared of the bus stop like most other people but I eventually ran the track enough to where I realized it was an opportunity to pick up time on everyone who was still scared of the place.  Liking the track has a lot to do and I have confidence there, so I run better there than at just about every place else.

The other night at the short Nurburg track was evidence to me that I can no longer compete with a lot of guys.  I'm not very familiar with the track; I know the layout, but don't really know how the best lines to take around the track because I just haven't put in enough seat time.  In my first few races, I was running 2:14s and the fast last was something like 2:11.9.  I stayed for several races before finding the closest bar.  The last race was the most telling for me.  On the surface, it looked like a good race and finish for me.  Brindle won the race and I finished next 0.2 behind him.  So, on paper, it seems like a good run.

For the most part it was, I didn't find any sand, learned some of the lines, and started running hi 2:12s.  The problem was Brindle was just toying with the field at that point.  In the previous race, the fast lap had been knocked down to 2:11.1 or 2:11.3.  Brindle got the lead early and just ran hard enough to stay there.  He never really tried to make a run for it.  Over the 7 laps, I ran all high 12s and low 13s and was roughly a full second or so behind him the whole time so I knew he wasn't pushing to hard.  On the last turn, he went a little ugly and I made it close at the end. 

After the race, there were kudos for staying close to Brindle, but I knew better.  I thanked the guys and went downstairs to grab a beer and reminisce about the days when guys actually had to try to beat me.

I've been racing weekly for the past month and a half in Sandwichlord's series.  It's been fun.  I don't much like the car, but I've had the opportunity to be on the track with some crazy talent.  Spec is my teammate for the first half of the series, and then Sandwichlord will be my teammate during the second half.  Spec has really helped me out with tuning and Sandwichlord has helped me out with not only tuning, but with which lines to take on the various tracks.  I'm doing about as well as can be expected given the level of freaks in the field.  However, it's summer and my 8-year old likes to do shit outside til dark and it doesn't leave much time for lounging in the Obutto. 

I miss running lap after lap after lap with some of you guys, but I can't commit as much time as I used to and now there's a faster crop of fish in the seas.  Maybe during the colder months I can get back on the track and give some of you young whippersnappers a run, but right now I'm not able to compete with a good portion of you.

All I can say is kudos to you.  I remember when some of you couldn't even stay on the track for more than a lap at a time.  It's really impressive to see how good some of you have become.

[TunaPhreak]

I remember when some of you couldn't even stay on the track for more than a lap at a time.  It's really impressive to see how good some of you have become.

I still have this problem 

[Turbo-Tuna]

These memories or perceptions can really stick in a person's head. Two people that stand out are you Rick and Infinituna. I couldn't think of challenging you two in Prologue. I feel that I've improved, but only slightly, so I just expect you to be faster than me. I'm sure you have it in you, but I guess it takes time and practice to keep up with the 'new' game.

[EX_stream_tuna]

A couple notes...I'm very comfortable at DRC.  Early on, I was scared of the bus stop like most other people but I eventually ran the track enough to where I realized it was an opportunity to pick up time on everyone who was still scared of the place.  Liking the track has a lot to do and I have confidence there, so I run better there than at just about every place else.

I know exactly what you mean about DRC.  I only got good at this track because I was  privilaged enough to see some really great drivers run it and learn some stuff.

Some of you know the Brittish crew that runs a version of Sucka Free Sundays still.  Pudds, Demise_Bennett, and GTP_Ghostdriver were in a room once running vipers vs DB9s on DRC and I was wise enough to save some replays of that.

I believe MastrGT was in there for a while too. . We though that 2:00 laps were good, then the best of them st arting turning out 1:52s...

Then I got involved in an ACR Viper series over at PSN called "SCREAM" and the first race of 2011 and 2012 were both at DRC.

I studied the replays and found lots of time.

Won both of those.  Now, the other tracks, are more of an issue, where those like Woldpack and Psychofreak are on average a little faster than me per lap.

Working on Indy RC this week to hopefully give them an upset

Still holding points lead in teh series mostly because Dawson/Wolfpacks2k was absent for the first race.

[GoesTuna11]

I remember when some of you couldn't even stay on the track for more than a lap at a time.  It's really impressive to see how good some of you have become.

I remember when Rick sucked.  When I first started time trials over at the deathstar, I ranged from lower mediocre to upper mediocre.  When TPRA races started I was usually in group 2 and on at least a couple of days took a clean sweep of the group 2 races (so upper mediocre). My prologue GTP time was firmly lower mediocre (div 3 bronze).  That put me firmly near the top of the group here at the time.  Between that and GT5 I didn't get much seat time in and fell back as others here sped up and Rick became elite.  Actually Rick became elite rather quickly while I was still mediocre.  GT5 came around and I put some seat time in and got myself back up to mid mediocre (div 3 silver at GTP) and could run with the fast guys here at times and even sometimes win races convincingly (e.g. the first GT300 series Nurburgring race).  I've fallen a lot since then and often spend the midnight drive in hotlapping by myself near the back.  I wanted to use GT Academy as a way to relearn how to drive so I put some effort into 8-5.  I'm absolutely ecstatic about my time because it showed that if I put the effort in, I could get a time that was not only as fast as what I've done before but even faster.  GTP classified it as a Division 2 time.  Does that make my time fast for here?  No, Wizard's time was clearly in a class ahead of mine and I'm sure if others put an effort in their times would be as well.  I'm not bragging about having a great time.  I bragging about having a great time for me.  For me, GTA was all about improving my skills and proving to myself that I could still be at the upper end of mediocre.

[RickS95]

These memories or perceptions can really stick in a person's head. Two people that stand out are you Rick and Infinituna. I couldn't think of challenging you two in Prologue. I feel that I've improved, but only slightly, so I just expect you to be faster than me. I'm sure you have it in you, but I guess it takes time and practice to keep up with the 'new' game.

Back in Prologue, a couple things were different (at least for me).  First, with no tire wear, I learned some bad habits that simply don't work in GT5.  It's hard to change something you spent 5 years 'perfecting.'  The other thing is that I was fortunate enough to race EVERY night back in the day.  I've never been a guy like Hey who can go to the garage, buy a new car, and be fast as soon as I got to the track.  Any time I was fast in Prologue it was because I'd spent hours working on a good tune and/or getting familiar with the track (in Prologue, learning the tracks was much easier because there were only 6 tracks).  

GT5 has been a bitter pill because I remember being faster than certain people, and now I'm simply not.  It's not much fun for me to do poorly almost every time out, and since the Tunas jump from pond to pond frequently, it leads to bad results for me (remember, I like to get familiar with a track) and that only encourages me to have a beer earlier in the evening than I'd planned.

Regardless of all that, it's been good to see some of the fish improve so much over the years. I wish some of you would slow down from time to time, but it makes me proud that some in the water have progressed so far.  

[RickS95]

I remember when some of you couldn't even stay on the track for more than a lap at a time.  It's really impressive to see how good some of you have become.

I remember when Rick sucked.  When I first started time trials over at the deathstar, I ranged from lower mediocre to upper mediocre.  When TPRA races started I was usually in group 2 and on at least a couple of days took a clean sweep of the group 2 races (so upper mediocre). My prologue GTP time was firmly lower mediocre (div 3 bronze).  That put me firmly near the top of the group here at the time.  Between that and GT5 I didn't get much seat time in and fell back as others here sped up and Rick became elite.  Actually Rick became elite rather quickly while I was still mediocre.  GT5 came around and I put some seat time in and got myself back up to mid mediocre (div 3 silver at GTP) and could run with the fast guys here at times and even sometimes win races convincingly (e.g. the first GT300 series Nurburgring race).  I've fallen a lot since then and often spend the midnight drive in hotlapping by myself near the back.  I wanted to use GT Academy as a way to relearn how to drive so I put some effort into 8-5.  I'm absolutely ecstatic about my time because it showed that if I put the effort in, I could get a time that was not only as fast as what I've done before but even faster.  GTP classified it as a Division 2 time.  Does that make my time fast for here?  No, Wizard's time was clearly in a class ahead of mine and I'm sure if others put an effort in their times would be as well.  I'm not bragging about having a great time.  I bragging about having a great time for me.  For me, GTA was all about improving my skills and proving to myself that I could still be at the upper end of mediocre.

Pride is what changed for me.  Before the 4-letter was the 4-letter, it was the Tuners' Pit.  Those guys ran one car a week at six configurations of the tracks in Prologue.  I'd run a half dozen laps, be happy with my time and turn it in.  Then I'd find that guys like RMK, MSGT, Gar, FatLeadFoot and Jimmy were like 8 seconds a lap faster than me.  Eventually, I started putting in a LOT of seat time.  I started watching replays of the fast guys and making notes of what they did.  Basically, I practiced.  Eventually, I was challenging the fast guys. 

I haven't had the desire with the new game.  It didn't, and hasn't, come easy because I'm actually having fun doing other things and am not putting in the appropriate amount of practice.  I've become the person I used to be annoyed by-->I want to be better, I just don't want to put in the time.  And because of it, I'm very average at the time.  I can always find an excuse why I suck--I don't like the car, I don't like the track (though I've never blamed the LSD, ABS, or anything like that  ), but the bottom line is most of you guys have better skills.  I'm not happy for me that I suck, but I'm happy that you guys have gotten so good.

Gar and Spec have really worked hard trying to make me better, but they might be fighting a losing battle.   

[Wolfpack987]

Then I got involved in an ACR Viper series over at PSN called "SCREAM" and the first race of 2011 and 2012 were both at DRC.

I studied the replays and found lots of time.

Won both of those.  Now, the other tracks, are more of an issue, where those like Woldpack and Psychofreak are on average a little faster than me per lap.

Working on Indy RC this week to hopefully give them an upset

Still holding points lead in teh series mostly because Dawson/Wolfpacks2k was absent for the first race.

Hey hey, I've got a new Tuna name!  

Its tough to come back from missing a race given the points structure of this series, but I really love the competitiveness  Don't plan on practicing for the IRC race till after Ronin's Friday night Nurburgring GP/F enduro though, hehe  

[EX_stream_tuna]

For me, GTA was all about improving my skills and proving to myself that I could still be at the upper end of mediocre.

yea me too... though I like to say i'm "on the slow side of fast"

or is it the "fast side of slow"?

I can't remember... but something's "slow", that's for sure!

[EX_stream_tuna]

Its tough to come back from missing a race given the points structure of this series, but I really love the competitiveness  Don't plan on practicing for the IRC race till after Ronin's Friday night Nurburgring GP/F enduro though, hehe  

I think dawson/wol(f)pack just suggested that Ronin should reschedule the enduro for 7/8 @ 3am... hehe

[LooneyTuna]

To be honest I'm tired of hearing how "slow" you guys are. You're not. It is ok to be better than average. When you're running by yourself in back, then talk to me.   (Many of you know who you could run into back there   ) I don't have a problem with my speed because I am unable to put in the seat time like many of you and I am fine with that. Enjoy your time up front, you probably deserve to be there.

[DudeTuna]

I'm a proud member of

[nosoks]

Proud member

[attachment deleted during "purge" by admin]

[RickS95]

To be honest I'm tired of hearing how "slow" you guys are. You're not. It is ok to be better than average. When you're running by yourself in back, then talk to me.   (Many of you know who you could run into back there   ) I don't have a problem with my speed because I am unable to put in the seat time like many of you and I am fine with that. Enjoy your time up front, you probably deserve to be there.

"Fast" and/or "slow" are relative terms.  If I'm racing with guys who suck, sure, I'll appear fast, but put me on the track with Spec and Gar like last night, and embarrassment follows.  Gar hasn't always been from another planet (in the early days of running with some of the founding members of the Tuners' Pit, he was merely average...of course, I think he was 13 at the time), but since most of you have been running with him, his talent speaks for itself.  I recall the first time I had to change my drawers after racing with Gar.  Obviously, I knew he was extremely skilled, but at the time, I thought I was pretty good too.  He came up behind me at Fuji.  We were approaching 100R and I knew he wanted the pass, but I was going to make him work for it.  I took the inside line heading into the right sweeper.  I knew I could hold my line and I knew he wouldn't be able to pass me on the outside. 

I was wrong.  Not only did he hold his line, he passed me in the damned turn.  After the race I excused myself so I could change my shorts and that's when I realized I wasn't worthy.

Spec has always been fast, but I don't think he reached Alienness until he crossed the lake last year.  He has a quiet competitive fire and from what I can see I have a better chance of beating him in a race if he's in front of me than if he's chasing me.  I think he's one of those guys who hates to lose more than he likes to win so he's better coming from behind.

So, I'm racing with these two guys last night and I'm running 32.7s at Laguna Seca in the Mini.  Gar's event is tonight so when he joined my lounge I ask what times he's seeing.  He mentions low 31s and that 30s are possible.  WTF?

Immediately Gar throws out a 31.3.  Eventually Spec shows up and these guys start going crazy low while I'm now putting up 34s and 35s.  Back to one of my points, Gar is a given.  But Spec spends most of his time with iRacing, he hates the car we're in and doesn't like the track and yet, eventually both he and Gar are running high 30s and I hear Gar say, there's definitely a 30.5 out there.  Again, WTF?

Towards the end of the night they're both tired of running good times and listening to me use profanity in the background.  Then both of them go into watch mode.  I can feel 4 eyes watching every wrong move I make.  I'm two seconds off the pace, pissed off at the car and track, and I've got 2 sets of eyes from Silverstone watching every late brake, every missed apex, and every poor exit.  No pressure.   

Spec is my teammate during the first half of Gar's season and he's almost quiet because he realizes I'm beyond hope and he has no shot at a team title.  Gar is watching me blow corner after corner and trying to help my steering inputs.  We're all in agreement I've got issues because I mentioned during some earlier laps while following Spec that when comes out of each turn there isn't as much as a puff of smoke coming from the tires while it looks like the 4th of freaking July when I drop the hammer.

It's noted that I continually brake too late.  To make up for it, I then grab the throttle too early.  As I'm dropping my right foot, my front wheels are still turned because I'm carrying too much speed through the turns and I'm just lighting up the tires.  In addition to braking too late and getting on the gas too early, I take poor lines around the track.

Spec finally gives up and heads off to bed.  Before his headset disconnects, I'm can pick up him saying, "Holy shit, he's fucked tomorrow night."  Gar and I spend a few laps running no more than normal driving speed as I follow him around the preferred lines of the track.  He spends 90% of the lap showing me what to do, and the remaining 10% showing me what I've been doing, or as he puts it, what not to do. 

After a couple laps of slow speed driving, I've learned that I don't brake at the proper time, I don't accelerate at the proper time, and I'm nowhere near the preferred line around the track.  My lesson is complete (Gar thinks he's not a good instructor, but he really is.  I feel sorry for Spec and Gar because they're stuck dealing with a 43-year old dog who may not be able to learn new tricks), now the rest is up to me.  I thank Gar for his patience and we exit the room, not before Gar is overhead talking to himself, "Christ, I'm stuck with him for the second half of the season?  Maybe I'll just cancel the series."

So Looney, "fast" and/or "slow" are relative terms. 

[Rek]

Fast/slow does it really matter Really I think some are looking way to far into this game. Pride? it's a game! And is Forgetful writing these long ass post?  Go out and have fun guys. Last night was a good example of a good time. Run against the clock. Everyone good friends and no one caring how fast the other guy really is. I play by them rules every time I am on. Thank you all for the goos times "game"  not real. "game"  or the couple lines I did read I miss read Was lot's of lines