The Bench

[Blooze]

I think I'm confused, or maybe you're talking about the Boss...  didn't Gurney do a lot of damage to Grand Am with one of those?

The Toon I sent you was the middle edition, not stock, and not B500 - just with the Tuning Parts added.  But since I've got the 500 done too, I'll send you that one too.  Had to do some tweekage with that one, but it is a piece of work - I already got 2 B Class personal bests with it.

I finished out the R2 circuits this morning with a 58.  I know.  Surprised the hell out of me too.  What started as a lark on a Saturday while I waited for the DTM races turned into a full out assault on the R2 Class.  I'm here to tell you, that Opel is one hell of a car, but it doesn't hold a candle to that Lexus we already got in the garage.

I got me a plan for the Mountain today - we'll see if it works.

Coffee!??  ooo, ooo... lemme git a cup!

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[Fit4aking]

Sorry Blooze, I had this car in mind.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/3674/Saleen-Gurney-Signature-Edition.html

[TheJohnNewton]

How long is it taking you to run through an entire class Blooze?  Are you just doing the cirucut or all with p2p and oval as well?  Just the circut alone for one class seems like a lot.  I guess eventually I'll have to start chasing you again.      I need coffee...

[Blooze]

@Fit - LOL, don't be sorry.  I was just guessing.  I like that Blue one too!  Special cause it has a 2 too. 

@TJN - I kind of look at it as two parts, the Circuits and the P2P.   The Oval and Drag ones I clear out when I decide I've got the best car for the job.  They are inconsequential.

So, I started the R2 thing on Saturday after I'd built the Opel and found it to be so strong.  The Lexus had all ready got my attention on some goof off event - Lexus Owner's club and it was the only one I had in the garage.  All that was done were the few races I had done when working the Season 5, so I just started from there.  I have a sheet for tracking the environment times much like the Leaderboard, only it can tell me how many races are left to do as well.  Then I just started in.  I did a good part of the ones that I couldn't find a race for from a private room with the DTM car.  When I tuned up the #23 Nismo GT-R, I knew I'd found my Mongoose so I started pecking away at the snakes - 2 or 4 a night (even numbers because that knocks about an hour off with each pair.)  Then its just keep at it.  Eventually it gets down to just a few races left, like this morning.  That's when I go at it and stay with it until it is done. 

I also try to do two one and done laps in the X class a night - just before I shut down.  I don't care the slightest about that class, all I want is to get rid of the blanks.

So, right now I have 7 of the 11 done, and the rest are a little less than half done.

Chug, chug, chuggin' along... that's how I do it.

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[Blooze]

I guess eventually I'll have to start chasing you again.     I need coffee...

I will have to confess... that was a concern when I first started up with Forza III.  That I get out in front far enough and well enough of those of you on my friends list that I would be considered "chasable" again.


Coming into my office in the morning and lighting everything off is not unlike walking into a shop in the morning.  Fire off the lights, get the computer up, then head for the kitchen/break area to see if there is any coffee left that can be nuked while a fresh pot is put on the make.

Yesterday evening as I was shutting down I got the distinct feeling that I used to get when I shut down the body shop, or any of the other shops that I have worked in in my day.  I was standing in the middle of the office surveying the xBox and the computer screen, with a fresh cup of coffee and a freshly lit cirgarette, running through the day in my mind.  What had been accomplished, what was left severely undone and needed to be handled tomorrow?  Where was I at in the large scheme of things?

It had been a good day.  I'd closed out a class and had some good times on it, a lot of mediocre time on it too, but I still have three major events and a bunch of QR-ing to get done.  The times will come.  I felt good about how I was doing with the class as well.  R2.  FR Race Cars.  True, I did have to turn the TCS on.  The deal with the Mid-endine cars (MR) is perplexing, and I will have to give that a major look one of these days.

Then I sat down and checked the leaderboard one last time.  Almost 6000 new accounts today... my position is still holding at 59, #58 is 3 hr. ahead of me, #60 is 3 hr. behind me.   Three hours, essentially 6 laps.  I will probably be #60 by the end of the weekend.   I don't want to get in a rush, to get boxed into racing the leaderboard.  I have things to get accomplished besides that.  I wonder if I will be in the Top 100 by the time I finish...

Yup, a good day - hold the button down...  turn off the xBox and click the TV dark.

Now start saving and closing the spreadsheets...

Closing down the shop

And now, I got 'er up and running again.  Another day, another credit...

The Coffee Pot just gurgled...  good - I need some fresh...

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[Blooze]

Now, see there?  I had to go and brag on what a good day I had...

This weekend hasn't zactly sucked, but it has done a pretty fair imatation of a Hoover at times.  First thing on Saturday morning and a new member has spammed the hell out of us.  Five or six posts in about five rooms using different IPs for each one.  It took me about 20 minutes to clean his crap up.  I'll never understand guys that do that stuff.  It's a job of some sort, I'm sure.  At least, I hope.  It would be really sad if a guy did that just for the fun of it.

Have you signed up for the Hyundai Championship yet?  I did just for the hell of it.  Then I thought I'd go and start practising on the tracks they have set up for them.  Since I already had bought the R2 with the Forza paint (part of my Collection) I thought, "Cool", since I was already working on that class.  Well, there is no way to upgrade that thing past the minor weight drop you get from a set of rims.  And it has a Speed ranking of a poor S Class car.  

I wonder why they did that.   I wonder how Hyundai let them.  You'd think they would have at least made the car competitive in the class.  Maybe not a leaderboard buster like that sorry-assed B09/86, but able to keep up the other GT500 cars in the class.

It turns out the RMR Genisis in R3 isn't much better.  But I expect they thought folks would only want to drift that one.  Anyhow.  I hate what the Mazda B09/86 has done to R2 and R3.  I bet Turn 10 does too.  I wonder if they have considered doing a wipe on it like they did the Elan from the last game.  

Anyhow, I'm sorry I bought those damned Genisis cars.

I'm gonna go get another cup of coffee.  I wish I wasn't out of Rum...

  $

One cool-ish thing - I think I was one of the random picks from the last Time Trails contest.  Anyways, I got 150000 Cr from Turn 10 on Friday night for no reason at all.  The only thing I could think of was that random pick deal.  It sure wasn't cause I was in the top 500...

[TheJohnNewton]

I guess eventually I'll have to start chasing you again.     I need coffee...

I will have to confess... that was a concern when I first started up with Forza III.  That I get out in front far enough and well enough of those of you on my friends list that I would be considered "chasable" again.

The chase is on but it may be a long slow chase.  I'm starting in on C class but it's slow going.  I did my first pass through Camino then went to Amalfi where I'm finding I need a whole differnt tune to deal with all that rough surface.  I may finish off C in oh about 2 months, lol.

[Blooze]

LOL - Okay then. 

I'll start a thread for it in the next day or so...

$

[Fit4aking]

Hey Blooze don't rule out the Genesis just yet.  I have a pretty nice copy of one for B-class.  I just built up the stocker and left off the aero.  The build was doing me pretty good until I got into the RWD hopper on Friday night.  While it handles well with no extra help from wings and things the car just didn't have enough oompff to take advantage of the nice speed rating.  I've since took some of the tire off, added a bit of power and have yet to see where she stacks up.  I have yet another matchup in store between that little thing and a 350Z.  If I can find a suitable RWD American car I may just have another world tour on my hands here when the fatty's are done. 

I still have yet to take your toons out for some track time but I hope to get back on track with that project tonight.  I need to update the thread on the daught net as well as here so it is creeping higher on my list.  Spent most of my on-time in the RWD hopper and then immediately into "fixing" all of my crap cars.  I've lost aero on everything in B-class except my MiTo and an Exige 240 but they are strict grip cars anyway so I can live with it.  I also got coaxed into piloting a box stock Lotus 2-eleven last night and then had to buy one and slap a quick build on it.  What a joy to drive car.  I started to fine toon it as the night progressed but driing it on just about every track highlighted how much the car can change the driers perspective on the venue.  It made everywhere fun!!!  Definite keeper.  Working on a stroker build that takes better advantage of the motor and utilises the cars inherent mechanical grip is on tap.  I wasn't losing too much to BMC's "Meatball" build (Meatball = fat rear tires) so I think there is some time to make up with acceleration.  My project list just grew some more.  Better try and clean up the shop white board of all the clutter so I can make some progress instead of sitting amongst 8 or 9 unfinished vehicles.  Besides I think I hear the Papa Johns driver stumbling around out front, better let him in.

[Blooze]

Heh, hey there Fit.  Thanks for the Saleen Paint!  Interesting - I like it! 

I didn't get much of a chance to drive it this weekend since I was piddlin' round with them Hyundais.  And I owe you an explanation for my ersatz choices on the build...

Where is the thread on the Daught Gnet?

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[TheJohnNewton]

I was looking through the times in C class just to see where I'm at as I start in on it and noticed NOBODY runs the Sidewinder tracks.  For example, E Reverse (what's up with the Alphabet names?) in C class has only 333 times posted!  Not that I liked them all the much in FM2 but wow.  I also noticed I've not driven a single lap in any car in X class.

[Blooze]

X Class, now there is one unpopular rig...  talk about one and done.

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[TheJohnNewton]

Apparently none and done for most 

[Blooze]

LOL - good one...

  $

[Blooze]

Monday Morning...  Foggy, Foggy outside - can just barely see my neighbor's house.

Sure am glad I'm retired - I can stay home and Forzacate to my hearts content - till around elleven, then I got to take a nap.

I got all a tangle with the DTM cars this weekend so the BTCC cars kind of took a back seat.  I will be getting back to those in the next day or so - still have a couple to build and Barumba sent me a Car/Toon to check out.

One of the neat things about the DTM cars is that they are all using the same Toon.  The only difference is the Gearing.  That means they all drive the same.  Sort of also means that the dream of the Wb Toon is coming true as well.

Grab a cup, tell me a story...

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