A few drivers have brought the final round to my attention and have expressed concern for the drivability and reliability of the FZ5 at KY1. I'm currently unable to drive myself, so I'll leave this one to a vote of the competitors. Discussion is accepted here. I may have a test event some time if desired, but this weekend probably won't work. It would need to be the next one unless something happens in my schedule.

All rounds would allow for up to 30 competitors

Option #1 - FZ5 - Kyoto Ring Oval - 108 laps / 200.016 miles (321.840 km)
No special rules at this race track.

Track Length: 1.852 miles / 2.980 km

Option #2 - FZ5 - Fern Bay Oval - 200 laps / 52.400 miles (83.800 km)
Competition caution for pit stops at lap 100. Restart order will be the same as the order which vehicles enter pit lane.

Track Length: .262 miles / .419 km

Option #3 - FZ5 - Aston Raceway - 200 laps / 40.600 miles (65.400 km)
Competition caution for pit stops at lap 100. Restart order will be the same as the order which vehicles enter pit lane.

Track Length: .203 miles / .327 km

Links: Overhead Photo | Download Layout

Option #4 - FZ5 w/ 10% in-take - Kyoto Ring Oval - 108 laps / 200.016 miles (321.840 km)
No special rules at this race track

Track Length: 1.852 miles / 2.980 km

Well, I was looking forward to this round just because it is such a challenge with the FZ5. Despite the car being so hard to control for a great amount of laps, the chances are still (almost) the same for everyone. Therefore, I am for the first option – to keep it as it is, 108 laps on Kyoto Oval.

I won’t mind that much if we drive on one of the short tracks but still I’ll be a bit disappointed not to be able to try to tame the beast on the big oval

Anyway, a test event would be welcome, so we could see how the car will handle when going in a pack of more drivers.

Moderator’s note: I have changed FZR to FZ5 in the poll, I hope it’s OK :P

I found a 2007 FZ5 Oval event over 40 laps with average lap times of 45.69. I suspect the physics or tyres may have been different, unfortunately no replays are available.

After 3 evenings, one 4 hour session with my team my mates, we could not design a set that does not effectively destroy the right rear tyre and make the car totally unstable after 5 laps.

I tried the FZ5 with 10% restriction, and no real improvement, except slower lap times.

The FE Oval will destroy the tyres faster.

I will not drive any event with the FZ5 that is not on the KY Oval - thus I am in a quandrary and may abstain from voting. My reason is that I hate fighting this car on a track - too awful for me.

On second thought, I voted to keep the event as is.

On second thought, I voted to keep the event as is.

I have total control over the FZ5, and do not have any issue driving 44.90 second laps over 100 laps. The FZ5 on good tyres is even a beauty to draft with.

I vote for 1st option. It's a challenge. I've tested it already and it is well possible to drive it without problem. It might be dificult for those who are not practicing. Of course here is the question how it will look like with 10 cars around but this race probably is not expected to be a race with masive drafting....

I want to race this car unrestricted on KY1.

I was making good progress with my setup when I was testing before the season started. I just have to figure out how to drive the fz5 again as I seem to have forgotten.

Okay, the poll will remain open until May 25th, but in the mean time I'll figure out a time to have a practice session. As I said it likely will not be this week sadly.

I'll put the server onto FZ5 at KY1 for public practice at this time if it's not set-up already. I'll put the race distance at 110 laps . Also, I'll put qualifying on 4 hours .

Thanks for the feed back. If somebody has a stable set-up which does not wear down the tyres and you wouldn't mind sharing please send it my way or post it here . You don't need to post your best set-up. Just post one that doesn't over heat the tyre

Quote from Cornys :

Okay, the poll will remain open until May 25th, but in the mean time I'll figure out a time to have a practice session. As I said it likely will not be this week sadly.

I'll put the server onto FZ5 at KY1 for public practice at this time if it's not set-up already. I'll put the race distance at 110 laps . Also, I'll put qualifying on 4 hours .

Thanks for the feed back. If somebody has a stable set-up which does not wear down the tyres and you wouldn't mind sharing please send it my way or post it here . You don't need to post your best set-up. Just post one that doesn't over heat the tyre

Thank you, just an idea about how to change the set will be great.

Quote from Fast Jarda :

I vote for 1st option. It's a challenge. I've tested it already and it is well possible to drive it without problem. It might be dificult for those who are not practicing. Of course here is the question how it will look like with 10 cars around but this race probably is not expected to be a race with masive drafting....

I like challenges.And i train with the FZ5 @ KY1 almost every night after work OFF or ONline with team mates.I dont have nothing against the track or the car.They just dont fit together.It would not be fun to drive 108 laps with it.It would be a very hard to keep that right rear tyre from overheating.And YES !! Driving that car is not a problem , but driving on a good race speeds with 3-4 cars around you ... i dont want to imagine.

P.S Voted for "FZ5 w/ 10% in-take at KY1 for 108 laps"

Voted for the hardcore one - bring it on!!!

But seems like it will be more tyre saving race than speed race,so something a bit different than usual flat out/drafting oval race.

Quote from kochomoch :

I like challenges.And i train with the FZ5 @ KY1 almost every night after work OFF or ONline with team mates.I dont have nothing against the track or the car.They just dont fit together.It would not be fun to drive 108 laps with it.It would be a very hard to keep that right rear tyre from overheating.And YES !! Driving that car is not a problem , but driving on a good race speeds with 3-4 cars around you ... i dont want to imagine.

P.S Voted for "FZ5 w/ 10% in-take at KY1 for 108 laps"

The problem with the FZ5 is (1) Excessive rear weight distribution (2) Body roll due to no downforce.

On every turn the rear transfers all the weight onto the rear right tyre - the banking of the oval actually worsens the problem. The straights are not long enough to cool it down again.

In my opinion (agreeing with Kochomoch) is that the FZ5's characteristics that makes it bad to control in standard tracks, are multiplied on the oval.

Having spent another few hours working on the set, and getting a maximum of 8 laps out of the tyres, I do not think the FZ5 have any place in this oval league. Pitting every 4 laps is a frustrating, tedious option.

Had the poll had the option of a different car, I would've gone for that.

Okay, here is an idea:

Keep the combo as KY1 with FZ5, but allow participants to use any voluntary air intake or ballast restriction.

At 20% the car becomes ridiculously easy and boring to drive with, the tyres seems to be okay (slow lap times, though, 48.xx).

THUS:

I suspect there is going to be a restriction break point where a race will be possible... As I said, 10% restriction is a no solution.

At the end, it will be a trade off between speed, tyres and pitting.

Driving carefully at speed, preventing the tyres from sliding does not help, as it is simply the body mass on the right rear that is causing the problem. I suspect spendign hours on designing sets will be a waste of time.

Going for a strategic race, any tyres, any ballast or restriction allowed, may make this for an interesting event. Just wish I could get ANY replay of an oval FZ5 race.

Quote from Jettascuba :

allow participants to use any voluntary air intake or ballast restriction.

I can't imagine how making your car slower could be a rule violation,so I'm pretty sure that it's allowed anyway.

Quote from Eclipsed :

I can't imagine how making your car slower could be a rule violation,so I'm pretty sure that it's allowed anyway.

had some servers that gives an auto kick if you use restrictions ;-)

Quote from Eclipsed :

I can't imagine how making your car slower could be a rule violation,so I'm pretty sure that it's allowed anyway.

Only if you are not much slower than others => happened once in practice seassion

All Realistic NASCAR Events have a required minimum speed of 106% of the leaders lap times. Directly from the Rulebook:

Quote :

Section VIII – Minimum Speed

5.8.1 Should an entry be unable to maintain a consistent pace of one hundred six percent of an event leader's speed, a black flag will be issued to that driver.
5.8.2 Should the black flag be issued, and damage or tires not believed to be the cause, that driver may either be asked to switch drivers or they will be asked to retire as a hazard to safe competition.
5.8.3 Black flags may be issued for competitors who are out of control on track as well. Instructions will be given to these competitors.
5.8.4 Refer to Title VII, Section VII, Article 3

Quote :

7.3 Failure to comply with a penalty within this three lap period will result in a worsened penalty or disqualification.

This can be found at bottom of Page 6 in the Realistic NASCAR Rulebook. 7.3 is near the bottom of page 7

This will be in effect unless a number of drivers fail to meet the 106%, in which case we will alter that percentage accordingly. If a driver would like to assume a restriction of some kind and is still able to to maintain proper race speed there is nothing in the rulebook which penalizes or forbids such an action.

This rule has only come into effect a couple of times in Realistic NASCAR Histroy. Twice in the WTBOCS, once in a practice session this year, and once when a competitor had too much damage in an oval event.

47.43 second laps would be 106% of world record time of 44.74 seconds. Jettascubba posted above that an event had average lap times of 45.69. This would make minimum speed 48.43 seconds. It all depends upon the fastest competitor in the race however.

I will be on the server for at least a short amount of time starting now if anybody would like to come and practice. I'm not sure how many drivers there will be if any, but I will be here .

Hi, we can basically use any setup for the fz5 race, as I suspected, playing too much with the setup is a waste of time - get it stable or driveable for you, and use it.

I succeeded in doing 17 laps. But if you make a mistake and slide, your tyres is gone. xyx found that things get better after 25 laps and actually ran the race distance.

A way of driving carefully is to activate TC, and drive in such a way that the light never comes on. Turn 3 is the biggest issue. Put it in 6th and keep 10% throttle and allow speed to drop, to just over 200kph, then 5th and accellerate gradually, or however works for you.

Stevanov mentioned earlier in the week that he is trying to find the point where the tyres get into balance, meaning that the other tyres also start to gain grip and relieve the stress on the right rear

You will find after lap 13 or so, that the left rear and front also start to heat up.

SO, you can either use restrictions, or drive slower, more carefully.

I succeeded in getting a number of below 46s laps.

The good thing of not having restrictions is that you still have power when needed.