Hazel:
It’s Memorial Day Weekend and you know what that means?
Fisher:
We’re grilling hotdogs?
Hazel:
I mean, we can. We have the outdoor griddle.
Fisher:
Now I just want pancakes.
Hazel:
ANYWAY, it means a race weekend!
Fisher:
Right! And today fire meets ice as we start the Heat 1 of the Showdown at Suzuka for the Cold-Hearted Cup!
Hazel:
There will be three heats, and the 1st place winner from each wave competes in the finals.
EVENT RULES
- GUMBALL MACHINE: Racers were determined by random pulls, and are using their listed Racer Roster specs.
- HEATED WHEELS: All racers go FLAT OUT each turn but gain no Focus. Course trajectory is laid out after the roll is made, and caution results are still observed.
- NON-ALCOHOLIC: This race is for fun and not meant to be too serious. Rules judgement and enforcement is relaxed accordingly.
- SEASONED FRIES: This event is worth Season Points, based on placement at the end of the race.
STARTING POSITIONS
- Adriana ‘K.O.’ Woolf in the purple Hyundai i20 WRC (R6)
- Sewell ‘Bang’ Aranas in the red Chevrolet Camaro (GT6)
- Calvert ‘The Snake’ Buckley in the purple Canebreak (#0055, GT-6)
CANDLEKEEP COVE RACEWAY – SUZUKA (CIRCUT)
Fisher:
Pretty sure this is our biggest track yet!
Hazel:
It is, and it’s from the RALLYMAN Tracks and Road-Books site. That means this course is based on an actual real-life track.
Fisher:
According to it’s wiki page, Suzuka Circuit (鈴鹿サーキット, Suzuka Sākitto), is a 5.807 km (3.608 mi) long motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
Hazel:
It’s been included in several video games, too. Even the Forza Motorsports series!
Fisher:
I only play Forza Horizon though, for the street racing. But perhaps I should give the track version a try…
Hazel:
Let’s see if this showdown can solidify that for you. Today’s race is a mix of specs, with a GT-6 from Race Ventura, a R6-GT from Not Fast But Furious, and a GT-6 Free Agent.
Fisher:
Can Free Agents earn Season Points?
Hazel:
No, but they can prevent some from being earned. There more of an obstacle here for the other racers, and an entertainment feature for us spectators.
Fisher:
On that note, let’s see what these cars can do!
Round 1
Hazel:
Adriana “K.O.” Woolf is first off the starting line, but her Hyundai I-20 WRC isn’t used to asphalt like this — or perhaps the pilot isn’t — and plunges into the grass approaching Corner 1.
Fisher:
Not a very commanding start , for sure. The pair of GT-6s that followed her manage to avoid the grass, however.
Hazel:
Calvert “The Snake” Buckley’s Canebreak is on the outside edge of Corner 1, with Sewell “Bang” Aranas’ Chevy Camaro sliding along the racing line.
Round 2
Fisher:
Bang and the Snake manage to slip through Corner 1, Corner 2, and Corner 3, with The Snake just barely taking the lead.
Hazel:
K.O. has managed to get her car back on the track. She’ll be able to move forward next turn.
Fisher:
It’s also worth mentioning that she crashed very safely, getting away from the orange caution sign and into yellow to ensure the least chance at damaging her Hyundai.
Round 3
Hazel:
K.O. pulling up from behind, she’s still in this!
Round 4
Fisher:
Corners 5, 6, and 7 are in rapid succession, and our racers are snaking their way towards an interesting bottleneck.
Hazel:
At least there is some distance between them, maybe they’ll make it through this without a crash!
Round 5
Fisher:
And here we go, the new crossover bridge! I’ve been really excited for this!
Hazel:
What version is this? Mk 4? Mk 5?
Fisher:
It would be Bridge Actual!
Hazel:
But what will you obsess over now?
Fisher:
Sis, I got bad news. DIRT has a seperate bridge and it’ll be even harder to get our hands on.
Hazel:
…I had to ask.
Round 6
Fisher:
For representing Not Fast But Furious, “Bang’s” Camaro took that in stride and pulled right up to the end of that bottle neck.
Round 7
Hazel:
We got a glam shot of the bridge for you, Fisher, as K.O. hits the apex.
Fisher:
I really do enjoy changes in elevation on tracks! I’ve been working on another acquisition along those same lines as well…
Hazel:
That’s not ominous at all. But for now, our racers are all passing through this two-lane reduction without issue.
Fisher:
We do have to cut to commercial, but real quick since our cameras are right here, let’s see a shot of those dashboards!
Round 8
Fisher:
And we’re back! The two purple racers, K.O. and Snake are fighting over Corner 9, and the game of leap frog continues!
Hazel:
“Bang” is still out in the lead though, but this is all worth points I guess!
Round 9
Fisher:
K.O. just cute a smoother racing line, keeping that lead through Corner 10.
Hazel:
“Bang” is on the straightaway extending that lead even farther.
Round 10
Fisher:
K.O. and The Snake hit the straightaway, too, getting neck-and-neck.
Hazel:
Maybe they do still have a chance! Everyone is in 6th gear now, 6, 6, 6! I bet that’s not a bad omen!
Round 11
Fisher:
The Snake and K.O. no longer at each other’s throats as the Hyundai spins out and crashes into the grass!
Hazel:
That’s K.O.’s second crash, but they are better better at it as they don’t seem to have damage the R6/GT any.
Fisher:
Maybe that was the devil’s number after all…
Round 12
Hazel:
Adriana is pulling back onto the blacktop, but it doesn’t look like she’s going to catch up to Calvert at this rate.
Fisher:
He’s too busy eating “Bang’s” Camaro dust to notice.
Round 13
Hazel:
The Snake makes a valiant effort putting his higher gear to use…
Fisher:
But it’s just a little too late in the game to make it stick.
Round 14
Hazel:
And Sewell ‘Bang’ Aranas takes first place in heat one in the red Chevrolet Camaro (GT6)!
Round 15
Fisher:
And Calvert ‘The Snake’ Buckley takes second in the purple Canebreak (#0055, GT-6)!
Round 16
Hazel:
And Adriana ‘K.O.’ Woolf in the purple Hyundai i20 WRC (R6) coming in at third.
Fisher:
For two crashes, I expected her further behind to be honest.
Hazel:
Same! And that’s the end of our first heat at the Showdown at Suzuka!
Fisher:
And here’s our Winners Circle so far! Funny, I don’t remember the Toretto household being in Japan.
Hazel:
Not even in Tokyo Drift?
WINNERS CIRCLE
- Sewell ‘Bang’ Aranas in the red Chevrolet Camaro (GT6)
- Calvert ‘The Snake’ Buckley in the purple Canebreak (#0055, GT-6)
- Adriana ‘K.O.’ Woolf in the purple Hyundai i20 WRC (R6)
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