Sunday, 14 June 2015

Super Speedway

Before being succeeded by GT4's Twin Ring Motegi Super Speedway (which it is based on), Super Speedway was the first true oval featured in Gran Turismo history. I say true superspeedway because it is a proper oval unlike Test Course. Super Speedway brings oval racing to the forefront. In GT3, it was the first-ever Endurance race on an oval with the Super Speedway 150 Miles endurance. There would be another endurance in GT4 for this track (as Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway). It would be succeeded in Gran Turismo 4 (and in oddly enough... Tourist Trophy) by the track for which its layout is based on- Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway. This blog post is a look at Gran Turismo's high-speed playground (besides Test Course)- Super Speedway.

NOTE: This blog post concerns both Super Speedway AND its successor, Twin Ring Motegi - Superspeedway. However, most of the focus is on Super Speedway. They are essentially the same track.





--- Super Speedway ---

Super Speedway Gran Turismo
^ Get your high-speed rush around Super Speedway! (original picture credit: Gran Turismo 2)

Super Speedway is only four turns as its layout is based on Twin Ring Motegi's oval. Despite this, this is a tricky oval. There is modest banking in the corners and hardly any banking on the straights. This, then, feels more like a road course than any average oval. A good general setup for this track will have to involve both horsepower and top speed. Here is where going for the high-end NA or Turbo upgrades will mean a whole lot here. Those high-end horsepower upgrades are okay because you don't have to worry about any super-tight corners. A transmission setup for top speed doesn't hurt here, either. You also have to consider suspension and aerodynamics options as well to make the most of your runs here.

Racing this track (or Twin Ring Motegi - Super Speedway) is very simple. Turns 1 and 2 do not require any braking since these the radius of these two corners are wider compared to Turns 3 and 4. A fast car with good grip can hug the absolute inside without needing to lift off the throttle. The toughest part of the course is Turn 3 because that sets up the lower-radius corners of this oval. A poor entry into Turn 3 will really take away your speed. This is an oval, but you have to treat it like a road course. A good exit out of Turn 3 will help you to get a good exit through Turn 4 and on to the Start/Finish line. Be careful not to tag the outside wall coming out of Turn 4.


Lap times will be fairly quick. So therefore, you'll be running this track for just about anywhere between 27 and 35 seconds in most cars. You will also be running for a large number of laps.



--- Super Speedway Over Time ---

Let's take a look at Super Speedway. This track did not exist in GT1 and is not in GT5 (in fact, no Twin Ring Motegi tracks in GT5).


Gran Turismo 2.

In an interesting way, GT2's version of Super Speedway had a unique layout where Turns 3 and 4 were covered by some high covers. The track itself has some lines in the road kind of like a highway. See for yourself how a lap around Super Speedway looks like:


Gran Turismo 3.

Gran Turismo 3 looks more like a proper oval with the surroundings and with the road textures than GT2's version. The track has taken on a different character as well:


Gran Turismo 4 (as Twin Ring Motegi - Super Speedway).

The same mechanics and techniques of Super Speedway apply, but the proper race track Super Speedway has been based on has finally been featured in GT4. Here is the track:



Unfortunately, this track can NOT be found in Gran Turismo 5. GT5 does not include Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway, but you can race Daytona and Indianapolis in GT5. It's a shame, really, because NASCAR would have its intermediate oval to compliment the superspeedways of Daytona and Indianapolis.





Thank you for reading! More JGTS insanity to come in the future!

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