Race 7 Circuit de Catalunya 35 Laps

The next race we travel to Spain to attack one of the most technical tracks of the season. Cars will be challenged with speed, braking and a premium on handling.

With the points race tightening up as we progress in the second half of the season with new racers joining and old racers coming back I think things are gonna get REEEEEAAAAL interesting!

(Remember post no lap times here)

Our Official Reporter caught up with PredatorUSMC after his testing session last night here at Catalunya

Michelle: So how did the test session go?
Predator: It went well. My goal was to find my line and get consistent on the track. I was able to do that and the Oakley Predatory Racing Ferrari feels really good.

Michelle: How do you feel about this week and the new competition and KIR BIMM3R?
Predator: Well, after last week I feel this track suits the Ferrari a little better. I always welcome new competition and really l like the international flavor of the competition. As for KIR BIMM3R, well he and his Vodaphone Porsche are fast obviously by his 2 races and 2 victories. However, he is just another driver in another car that I will be racing.

Michelle: How do you feel about your chances at Catalunya? We do know you test heavily here
Predator: Yes, this is our primary test track. Even though we are based out of Las Vegas Nevada, we fly here very often because this track really uses every aspect of the car and shows any suspension weaknesses or tuning errors. So I feel good. This is a real technical course so the driver who makes the fewest mistakes and stays out of trouble will have a better chance. I do feel that because of all the heavy braking areas there could be some damaged cars if racers are too aggressive or make mistakes.

Michelle: What's your strategy this week?
Predator: Really? Umm no..won't be revealing that. OH ok..my strategy...Go fast and try to put the Ferrari up front. Make no mistake I want to win every race but it's about the championship and I understand what needs to be done. Thanks Michelle. Gotta go.

I Think My Falken Porsche Will Do Good, Also I'm Already Testing For Next Season I'll Be Posting Some Spy Shots Of My Possible Next Car

Be careful testing for next season. Rules may have some slight changes.

You wanna see my car for next season...? Hint..looks just like my car for this season. Which just so happens to be the first race version of that car.

Is it the grand prix or national circuit?

we always do FULL circuits for GT cars.

Ya. I didn't look at the tracks before actually posting that.

No problem.

I don't understand how the points work anymore... I got a PI reduction, but rotor did not receive one after winning the race in mugello. So I am somewhat curious as to why? I would be grateful if someone could help me understand the change in the PI system.

To start the season and throughout the season the PI/ REWARDS system is used to even everyone out. Slower cars/drivers given increase and faster cars/drivers given decrease. As the season has gone the PI system has been slightly adjusted. CCB Metal's +10 PI puts him and his car so that he and his car are capable of running very similar times to myself and RRR Red Rotor. The other drivers cars have been given increases to help them and their cars potential. Now it is obvious that even with faster cars a drivers skill is still VERY important. With that said it is obvious that you and your Porsche are faster by quite a bit over the rest of the field. Your previous race win and your Road America qual and race displayed this. So to "reign" you in a bit you received a PI reduction to hopefully bring you to the field. It's all in an attempt to even the field.

For example the Mugello race Red Rotor did win. But it was a VERY VERY close race from beginning up till about the last 6 laps for the cars up front and the second group all were very close. Look at qual times, very close! The race before that wasn't decided until the last corner. So my point is Rotor's car or he has no obvious advantage. (@ Mugello you stayed in front of and pulled away from CCB METAL in your Porsche even though you had 30% Engine damage! Mistakes and being a bit rusty are probably the only reason you didn't take the top podium spot there)

I understand the rules state certain PI's for wins losses etc...But as the season has gone on this method has worked out much better for everyone. The racing has gotten better each race. Hopefully you see it a lil better now. If any of the other racers have any comments on how they feel the PI system is working I am open to listen.

(edit) Even after you came back at Mugello as your first race back with us you were right with the leaders...EVEN THOUGH you had 30% engine damage your lap times were nearly identical to those with no engine damage. You would have most likely dominated that race had you 1. been in better form and not made the errors 2. not damaged your motor by 30% effectively removing about 130HP. All of these items culminated to that reduction. Honestly, a 15 reduction probably is what I should have given ya. But I feel you might just not show for the rest of the season if I were to have done that.

Thanks for clearing that up

i like how the field has been evening up
Susuka, Predator and myself were neck and neck, and the race wasn't decided till the last lap due to faulty pitting strategies, we finished with .150 difference between each other
Sunset, Rotor and Predator, were neck and neck, until rotor caught a wall. i barely chased down predator pulling consistent lap times, that were Equivalent to predators qualifying time
Mugello, there were like 4 packs during the race, Predator and Rotor, Bimmer and Myself, Zambo and Hotshot, ShadowFox and DoubleRazor
Road america, Zambo, Predator and I had a little 3 car pack all the way until the end
(kinda wish i hadn't tagged that wall.) cause Predator almost passed me coming to the finish line, half of 1 more lap and he would have been gone.

yes the PI system DID help even the field out to where we all have minor advantages and disadvantages to each car making it really even. Yes i will admit it isn't the best method to even the field, but you can't really require things you can't check, and some drivers skills aren't as good as others, so we improvise


my friends and I prefer using horsepower & weight limits to make the cars even, pretty much !@#! the PI system, if you do that, and have a required parts, (i know I'm missing some) IE;
-forza race wing
-forza air damn
-race transmission
-race tires ** see note
-roll cage
-next to last weight reduction *** see note
-no Drive train swaps

**(MAX tire width and rim size is optional for obvious reasons,
--------------------------some cars are just different then others)
***(i know some series don't let you "acid dip" your car parts,
---------------------that's pretty much the last weight reduction.)

at times i think we did a power to weight ratio, but I'm unsure.

yes the Pi's weren't exactly the same, but the cars were, if that makes any sense what so ever.

I'm not going to say this wont happen, but there are some glitches that gave weird pre70's cars ridiculous pi's compared to the rest of us, BUT that was few and far between
besides PI can still be adjusted

BUT UNLESS PEOPLE are being HONEST then you can't check some of that, so what do you do?

i think predators system is working fine as it is right now. yes there are some bugs, but its pretty much gotten to where there hasn't been a "run-away" race like Sebring was. i know it could be evened out more, but i like playing around advantages and disadvantages, lol Rotor beats me out of the corner, i beat him down the straight it adds to the heart of racing, when you can race side-by-side the Entire time, hell Bimmer and I did that at Mugello on the next to last lap when he caught me.

It does make for some very intense racing. It forces the driver to improve their skills more than just "relying on the car's potential". I know I've improved over the races, it has also forced me to learn how to tune better which for some reason I was never fully able to grasp before. Hell, I've basically tuned my Viper to the point where I hardly use brakes just to keep enough speed in the straights so CCB won't have as much time trying to catch me lol.

http://forzamotorsport.net/UGCImageHandler.ashx?id=8836278&type=display



Any Guesses

Looks TVR ish or really it looks more like...I dunno I cant quite grasp it.
Got it! Noble M600...BUT that car is not in F3

None Of Those

This is supposed to be about Catalunya. Not the 'guess my car' thread. lol

Rofl, since it has the same color scheme as you gt3...I'm assuming its another Porsche, judging by the opening on the front bumper I'll say Porsche Carrera GT

I was thinking the same but...well..umm didn't say nothin. Probably is the Porsche Carrera GT.

It Is A Porsche But Not A Carrera GT

A sport classic i'd say.

well, sad day tried out the V12 Vantage - 6.5 handling rating there goes using that car for next series

I could've told you that...when I took pics of it that day, I also made a "spec" vehicle and couldn't get "competitive" times in it. But in A class, its a monster...it actually set a couple of my A class records.

so, the question is, why didn't you? lol

[CCB] -]v[ETA]_- wrote:

so, the question is, why didn't you? lol

Lol, I don't know...it definitely seems like we have the same taste in cars though