Racing at the 16H of Kyoto bacck in 2008, connecting the first time after getting my S2 license back then, being able to chose between multiple pickup racing servers, under pretty much all categories: GTR, TBO, LRF... it was real fun back then..
Wish people would like to race again instead of just cruising, I mean.. it's not bad but nothing like the constant close racing you could get
Back in around 2008, when the Conedodgers GTR server was always full. Aston National, 10 lap racing, one mandatory stop. I was one of the few weirdos racing the XRR, typically mid field, but a single time I managed to win a race. More by luck as the actual top runners all crashed out, but still. That last lap running in first was probably the most tense I've ever been racing online.
ConeDodgers! I was there too, how I wish such a server would become populated again, just plain GTR pickup racing goodness, no ratings, no intake restrictions, nothing more, spent hours racing there with all 3 GTRs but FZR and XRR were the most rewarding always
Servers seemed to be more full back in those days... A bit of a shame, but glad to still see some regulars online. Winning a race is a great feeling, considering how difficult that may be.
I think the closest available right now would be the Air Attack Multiclass server, but it's got 2 issues: 1) not being that populated, it only gets some racing a few hours a day and it depends on which day it seems like, and 2) the fact it's got a Rating system, the server has you race and accumulate points by completing races and driving cleanly, and depending on your amount of points you'll unlock cars to race with, you'll have to start racing the UF1 (the mini-inspired car) and keep on unlocking cars over time
Conedodgers back in the day was just log in, pick any of the 3 GTRs and go racing, yeah it provided some serious crashes and pile ups on turn 1 every race but it was part of the fun, avoiding that and chasing the faster guys, some very close races happened there, sadly there's not that many racers interested in pickup GTR racing anymore, or almost any pickup racing in that matter, today it's either Demo servers, league racing or Cruise/Drift servers, at least now cruise servers allow mods and you can test drive a lot of cars all the time but.. nothing like the abundant close racing of yesteryear
To be honest I think such kind of racing could make a comeback if properly announced and supported by the community, creating some new servers and pushing them either here and inside other servers to encourage drivers to join these pickup racing servers instead of cruising/drifting, we could have a resurgence of fun available racing in LFS again.. I only wish, but I'd totally help if such thing could happen
Maybe even use the likes of Youtube or similar to promote the servers and racing... who knows...
The most memorable was getting my first bank card to pay for S1. First, it took an hour to commute to city center. Then I discovered the bank's site showed a wrong square, the house numbers were off a lot, so I had to walk a kilometer to the correct building. It was early december, and I had only a thin hat on my head, it was getting colder (-10) and I started to feel cold.
In the bank in 2003, you would sit down at a table or even come into an employee's room. They even gave me tea. Rather surprising treatment, when you're used to state banks' queues and crowded rooms.
Going back home, I took the first bus, which went in another neighborhood, hoping to connect to local buses, but they were absent. Had to walk 2 km to home, while it was already getting colder. It was -15 on our thermometer when I came home. The skin on my entire head felt like burning. I was scared I'd get sick with meningitis, but fortunately nothing happened.
Next month, guys from the city next to ours (200 km) learned that I can buy a voucher, they came by car, we met somewhere in the center (probably near that bank again), they gave me money and also 2 1L bottles of beer from their local maker. Nice and memorable. We have never met or written each other again.
I was thinking about this, I like my drifting, but when S2 came out I remember having a few races in the mini with a packed field, no one was that good, so that made it closer, that's the problem now, people are too bloody good 🤣
S2 at Christmas was the best for me though and my parents had just bought me a wheel, then S2 came out, I can't remember exactly the date though, needless to say, my parents didn't see me much that Christmas 😄
- Cruising in LC Liberty Cruise servers for the last few months of their existence;
- Getting a first taste of organised racing with the CTRA servers for the last few months of their existence;
- cargame.nl;
- Endurance series in the early '10s: NDR GT1/GT2, SuperGT championships and pretty much having a whole pitwall's worth of data available for each race! LFS Remote, Live Trackers with tons of data, dedicated IRC channel for communication with Race Control or just live chat/banter with other teams, along with the usual Forum Threads. Incredibly professional conditions and organisation, that to this day still blow my mind.
(Also, sharing the track with a bunch of aliens)
Many hours on cruise servers gaining some great friends
Accidentally stealing a NDR rule book for my own series in my your dumb young years of not knowing of 'copy right' and royally angering deko. Sorry!
'Racing' with SGP Team (I say 'racing' as I was dog shit slow back then)
Signing up for the Kyoto 500 in 2012, being given the number 72, not qualifying and making 72 my permanent race number in anything I can run when possible. Thanks for that deko, 72 will always live on.
Running several small leagues with varying success
At some point joining NDR and becoming 'JP2'
Help run NDR and get on deko's nerves with all my suggestions
Making many friends along the way and enjoying every minute of it (mostly)