Next Series?

[Open2nd]

What are you guys thinking?

I've heard some talk of a Spec Miata series. 

I really like the idea of a grassroots type series, possibly C class, 100-200hp or 200-300hp, no aero, sport tires.  Production year regulations perhaps.

[Hoplee]

If it's miatas, I hope there's a mandatory rainbow/unicorn/dolphin livery...

I'm actually curious as to how parity and interest are working out for the current GT400 series. I hope that sometime soon I could sit in as an exhibition/back marker!

My very general opinions re: a potential series:
1) R3 is pretty cool 
2) If it's not R3, at least make it RWD!   
3) If we find a way to get Bimmer in a 3 series and me in a Neunelfer, mayhem will follow. 

[fndrbndr]

I've been toying with an idea that basically splits the difference between open racing and spec racing.  I call it a "Builder's Challenge."  In short:

1.  As in a spec series, the car would be pre-determined.  It should, ideally, be a base model, not a tuning house special edition.
2.  There would be a few very basic restrictions on the build: PI and maybe a tire restriction, weight limit (this will a certain WR option), or something similar.
3.  Lock builds, probably the same way we do in GT400.

The idea is seeing who can create the best 2005 Mustang GT (or whatever.)

[Hoplee]

remember, the best specs use the options available in game to limit car choice. That way, you know everyone's legit, AND if someone shows up without a clue, they'll automatically know if they have an eligible car to race. YMMV.

[Spiny Anteater]

I like Fender's idea of a "Builder's Challenge" - and I do feel that it could be done within the parameters of the game. So, for example, the season restrictions could look something like this:

Car: Jaguar XKR (I would like to see a car used which we rarely, if ever see run).
PI: 751-800

If we lock the builds for the season, do we even need anything more? For example, in the GT400s, we can see 6 different cars, each with their own characteristics and each strong on some tracks and weak on others. I think everyone's had a win now this season (haven't they?) and the competition has been close all along for the championship, although Pete is starting to pull away a bit now. But, if you give a race long enough for the cars to sort themselves out, they usually do. The only other setting that I think would be needed is the ban TCS otherwise a "missile" could gain an advantage on the power tracks, and mask the disadvanatage on the twisty tracks with the TCS.

Going back to Hop's question re. the GT400's, we have Bimmer with the top speed, Pete with the power, Snyder with the handling and myself, fndr and Open somewhere in the middle to one degree of the other. It might not sound like we're very balanced (and you can usually predict who will do well at a race - e.g. the last 2 races both went to form) but over the course of the championship it's very even. I can see a similar scenario for the builder's challenge.

As for the Miata series, I think this is one to run for the next spec series. But, do we want the next series to be spec, or wait until the one after?

Finally, on a more personal note, I've struggled to make Sunday evenings for the GT400s and that has limited my participation. If Saturday;s work for everyone else, it would suit me much better... 

[Snyder005]

I also think saturdays would be a good idea. 

[BarbecuePete]

I like the idea of the spec Miata's... They were a lot of fun and we've not run them for ages, maybe the GT400 finale should have a support race with them?

Also like Open's idea of a grass roots series, using the hp and model year restrictions, I'd like to see a mix of FWD / RWD / AWD cars on the grid, a good selection of tracks should give each type its own advantages and disadvantages, I think also not allowing aero will reduce the dominance of the FWD's in the corners which can give them a bit to much advantage over everything else...

Another idea I had is for a Classic GT400 / Mille Miglia / Le Mans using the classic Euro sports cars.

Lambo Miura
Mercedes 300SL Gullwing
Ferrari 250 GTO
Jaguar E-type

I've done some testing with these cars and the current specs are:

B-class
300-400hp
NO AERO
DoT Tyres (pretty much have to fit these anyway to get in the power restrictions)

A 'One Make' series could be good also, If we do I think we should do some brainstorming on using one of the rarely seen cars in the game, a few I've hardly ever seen are...  612 Scaglietti / Saturn ION Redline / Panoz Esperante / Dodge Charger SRT8 / Acura RL A-Spec

[Open2nd]

I'll be honest, I'm not exactly feeling the "Builder Challenge" idea.  If I'm going to be locked into one single car, I'd prefer it be a spec'd build.

Right now, I'm really thinking Spec Miatas may be the way to go with the next series.  It could be shorter, maybe 6 races using some of the more obscure tracks with a couple of the well-known circuits being the larger events.  I'm thinking most of the racing should be on the Snakes.  While this series is under way, we can pound out details on a longer, more thought out series?

Plus, I love the idea of a support race with SM for the finale.  SMs in a 10-lapper at Sunsent Infield Short(start of season perhaps), GT400 at the full ribbon.

If we run a support SM race, it should be for series points, then we could take a two week break for a bit of downtime and get back at it afterwards.

[fndrbndr]

I like the SM's.  My current SM build is as close to the real thing as FM2 will allow.  It's way more hp than an SM (150 is a MONSTER by SM standards because of the restrictor plates the cars run), but otherwise it's pretty close.  I've toyed with the idea of running a spec Elan that's set up to Spec Miata power and weight, running SM tires (Toyo DOT's).  It would be much closer to the real thing than the miata in the game, but I'm not sure whether anyone but me cares about that. 

It also allows us to replace the rainbow sticker with a mid-life crisis sticker. lol

On the support race idea:
I like the idea of a support race, but I'm not sure about series points.  I'd much prefer that the support race be an extended test session, thematically like our 75-lapper at MVS in the GT400's pre-season shakedown.  I want to take at least one dry run to see what works and what doesn't in terms of the series.  Obviously the cars are balanced, but it's possible that one or more of the GT400 rules/procedures will be unworkable for SM (or the rules will need further clarification as we saw last week, or we'll need/want to make other changes, or whatever), and I'd rather know about that sort of thing before the series starts.  One of the things we did right with GT400 IMO was going in with a pretty well-defined set of rules.  I'd like to see us do that in future series as well.

[Hoplee]

didn't we already do a spec miata thing?

miata < RX7 

One other thought: I hate mixing drive types in FM2. If we could have rolling starts in multiplayer, I wouldn't mind so much, except for the significant advantage that FWD cars have in several classes. It blows my mind that FM2 only features rolling starts in single player modes.

[Spiny Anteater]

We've not run Spec Miata yet - fndr got the cars sent out but then we did the Clio Cup instead. It seems to me that SM could be a relatively easy series to get up and running in a short amount of time as fndr has done most of the ground work.

Incidentally, when I said above that I didn't fancy SM as the next series, it wasn't anything against SM, more that I thought it might be nice to run 2 build series to one spec rather than evens. But, it can't be deinied that the Clios did give close racing, so I've no objection to the next season being SMX-5 

[Snyder005]

I don't mind running Miatas, but i don't have the build for the car. 

I like the IFCA Endurance Series idea that has a bunch (well now a boatload) of spec builds for different cars, and then sets a handicap for the faster/slower cars.  This is established by running test laps on some of the tracks (ie Quick Rank) and then using the rolled up times to determine the handicap.  This would eliminate super competetive cars, but doesn't guarantee close racing between the cars.

Would be nice to have 3 or 4 cars though all with spec builds.

[BarbecuePete]

More ideas, just throwing them out there with possible restrictions...


80's 'Group B' Rally - Lancia Delta / Audi Quatro
(A class / 300-400hp)

Classic Sports 'Club Spec' - Lotus Elan / Toyota 2000GT / Porsche 914/6 / Nissan Fairlady Z 432 / Ferrari Dino
(B class / 200-300hp / No Aero)

Club Sports - Vauxhall VX220 Turbo / Opel Speedster / Lotus Elise / Lotus Exige
(B class / 100-200hp / No Aero)
(Think Race Pro Caterhams)

FT.net Supercar Revival - Ferrari F40 / Porsche 959 / Porsche 911GT1 / Lamborghini Countach / Ferrari 512TR / Honda NSX (92) / Jaguar XJ220
(S-class 900PI / 400-500hp)

[fndrbndr]

You can find details on something similar to the club spec in my garage, under the tiny terror spec discussion.  Also, the spec miata build is in my garage.

As an aside, I really would prefer that we do something with a club racing flavor.  Supercars sounds awesome, but I'd like to wait on it.

[Snyder005]

Yeah i would like to do some A-Class and lower racing, cuz its harder to switch from Race Pro to the higher classes.