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The race has just reached a level of awesome that cannot be described.

And I really would like to see more.

"There will come a point in this race where the Roadster will oversteer and the Impreza will understeer, and that will decide the winner."

The image that puts in my head. . . I keep thinking of both ends of the spectrum.

Ready for a curve ball?

*****************

Takumi was beginning to get frustrated. Pushing hard on the brakes resulted in a spongy feeling and a half second delay before the big calipers grabbed the hot rotors, slowing down the Impreza for the next hairpin, while his challenger was able to tap the brakes and fly through each corner, balancing the understeer with plenty of throttle in order to whip through with the least amount of delay. It was both impressive and frustrating to watch the skill of his opponent as he transitioned instantly from braking to accelerating, turning the entire time. It was almost as if he were using more grip than the tires gave him, which probably explained why the rear of the Roadster oversteered a little bit on each corner.
“He's using the full grip of the front tires to brake and initiate the turn, while using the rears to accelerate the car, knowing that by asking too much from the rear tires they'll slide, which helps him complete the turn,” Takumi said, deciphering the performance in front of him.
“Let's see if I can do the same,” he said, diving into the corner as hot as he dared with the brakes in such bad shape. The Impreza's front end pushed wide of the corner, almost scraping the guardrail. Angry, Takumi attempted again on the next hairpin, with much the same results.

“I don't get it! This car runs so well for that shitty old man, why won't it drive well for me?” he moaned, punching the brakes hard. The rear tires locked up and sent the Subaru into a spin, one that Takumi instantly used to scream around the hairpin corner, his foot burying the throttle to the floor in the hopes that the all wheel drive would find some traction and shoot him forward. To his great surprise and happiness, it did, devouring three meters of dead space between the two cars.
“You have better brakes than the hachi-roku, but I haven't been using them properly,” Takumi realized. The Subaru growled, trying to make up the gap between it and the Roadster, a gap that was now almost a full set of corners long. As the Impreza rounded one corner, the Roadster was already rounding the second, headed for the next short straight.

Takumi kept the throttle buried, relying on the engine's responsiveness to spool up the turbo as quickly as it could. Moments before hitting the hairpin he downshifted without rev-matching, using the kick from the transmission to help the overheated brakes slow the car and putting the Impreza into a tight drift around the hairpin, burying the throttle as soon as he dared to help the car claw out of the hole. The Subaru responded well enough, taking the abuse to its drivetrain without complaint as it slowly began to reel in the fleeing Roadster.
“If I can just keep this up, I only have fifteen more hairpins to go before we can reach the more open part of the course,” Takumi said, trying to think of another way to save his brakes. Approaching the hairpin he dumped the car into second, using the Subaru's heavy drivetrain mass slow the car while he yanked on the emergency brake handle, spinning the rear around before flooring the throttle and jumping. The Impreza landed with a heavy crash and a shower of sparks, but it had gained a meter.

Itsuto glanced in his rearview mirror and felt like swearing. That abnormal flash of lights, then their sudden descent and the accompanying shower of sparks meant that Fujiwara was jumping the Impreza, slowly eating away at his lead. If he got too much closer the more open part of the course would result in his death, and that couldn't happen. Even though the supercharged Roadster made 240 horsepower and a decent amount of torque, its instant response would be nullified once the Subaru's turbo had a chance to spin up and produce its full amount of boost. That was one of the many blessings of the hairpin corners, keeping the Subaru out of boost almost the entire time, bringing its effective horsepower far down, and the drivetrain loss eating even more until a piddling amount of power actually made it to the wheels. Whether he knew it or not, Fujiwara was fighting against the Roadster with a heavier car that was, for the moment, making far less power.

“I need to gain as much as possible before the course turns against me. I'm sorry, but I have to do this,” he said, apologizing to his Roadster. With an inward sigh he buried the throttle and forced his mind to forget about the agony he was about to inflict on his brake rotors. Takumi's eyes went wide as he saw the Roadster spurt ahead, lunging forward almost uncontrollably. The little white convertible shot ahead and then slammed on the brakes, rotating while going to full throttle. At the next hairpin the Roadster cut the corner, not quite jumping but not quite following the proper line either, adopting the cheating line that Kyouichi had shown Itsuto. It was easier on the car since it didn't have to absorb the shock of a full drop, but it was faster than drifting around the corner and it was enough to send the Roadster out of sight within two more hairpins.

*

“This is corner 39! The Roadster is ahead by five hairpins!” Ryosuke looked at the radio and updated his laptop's model, shaking his head as he did so.
“The Roadster is more compact than the AE86. Because of its size, technical footwork is its main weapon. Every driving style is based on entering the corner as fast as possible, but Itsuto's previous races have been focused on slow in, fast out. These hairpins favor his driving style more than Fujiwara's, and as I've said before, the Roadster's lighter weight lets it get away with more before overheating its brakes to the point of no recovery. If he's driving the line Kyouichi used to set his record time, the only chance Fujiwara has for success will be the second and third bridge where he can use the power to his advantage and the weight becomes less of a handicap. That's his only remaining chance, and in order to succeed there he has to bring the Roadster's lead down to two hairpin turns. Anything more than that and I doubt he'll be able to win,” Ryosuke said.

“Aniki, do you think that Fujiwara can make it?” Keisuke asked.
“This time, Keisuke, I really don't know. I've taught him everything that I can. He's ridden with the Sorcerer of the One Handed Steer. He's defeated every opponent that's come up against him. But all of that was done with his hachi-roku. By all logical reasoning, the Impreza should win, but Fujiwara is holding onto how he drove the AE86. He needs to forget everything he knew about the hachi-roku and drive the Impreza for what it is. Until he can do that, I think he'll lose.”
“Ryosuke-san, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've just gotten an important message,” Fumihiro said, stepping close with his cell phone in his hand.
“What's wrong, Fumihiro? You're pale,” Ryosuke said, concerned for his right hand man.
“News from Ibaraki, Ryosuke. Purple Shadow just suffered a massive defeat.”
“Was it one of their regular drivers, or one of the Gods?” Ryosuke asked.
“Hoshino, God Foot, was defeated in a battle like Keisuke-san's, a full lap uphill and down again. It was a slaughter. The challenger was already a third of the way downhill by the time Hoshino reached the peak,” Fumihiro said in a shocked voice, relaying the information coming in over his cell phone.

“Who is that on the other line?”
“Matsumoto,” Fumihiro replied as he handed over the phone.
“Matsumoto-san, tell me what's going on over there,” Ryosuke asked, walking a short distance away to hear better. Keisuke, noticing his brother's surprised and somewhat agitated face, walked over to Fumihiro.
“What's going on Hiroshi?” he asked.
“Keisuke, Matsumoto was in Ibaraki watching Purple Shadow taking on a new challenger. Whoever it was, he was good enough for God Foot and God Arm to appear to battle him. God Foot challenged him to a battle similar to your own, uphill and down, and lost badly. When I handed the phone over to your brother, Joushima was lining up for revenge.”
“Who was this challenger? What was he driving?” Keisuke asked, shocked. His battle with Hoshino's menacing R34 had exhausted his skills to the utmost, and to think of someone with enough skill to defeat Hoshino halfway through the course...
“Fumihiro, what was he driving?” Keisuke repeated angrily.

“A panda Trueno with a carbon fiber hood and black wheels,” Ryosuke answered, snapping the phone shut and walking back to join his brother.
“A panda Trueno with a carbon fiber hood? That sounds like Fujiwara's car,” Keisuke said.
“That's because it was,” Ryosuke said grimly.
“Fujiwara's AE86 was able to defeat an R34 GT-R that I barely won against?!?” Keisuke cried in shock, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.
“That's because it was driven by a Fujiwara.”

haha FUJIWARA BUNTA-SAN!!!!!

THE BMFOTP!!!

i think you can fill out that acronymn.
lol

lol, bunta kicks hoshino's butt in a race. another good chapter. as always i look forward to the next chapter. can we expect a bunta vs joushima chapter?

This post has been edited by 207 on Feb 16 2008, 06:29 PM

Absolute hotness!!! Can't wait for the next piece!! *sits on the edge of my seat*

HOLY SHET. That Hachi can out run a GTR uphill and down with that much of a gap.AHA. Shitty old man.. I hope that goes somewhere tommorow/today.

Yeah, I knew that, Iro's crazy hairpin maze is perfect for lightweight, but I meant that at the end, the higher traction would win, as thx seems to be pointing out.

I wonder what Bunta was doing all the way over in Ibaraki? I doubt it was just another Saturday night stroll.

Heh! That's Bunta for you

And the battle between the Roadster and the Impreza has just intensified.

Need I say I want more?

Ok, Im a new member and you already dragged me into this... I want to read more

I've imagined a race between Bunta and God Hand before but now I want to see it discribed by this kind man. THX if you really have a car like that and your skills are like the character you describe i'd like to meet and race you some day

Now for the Impreza vs Roadster battle, I didn't really understand how the roadster got so far away or what line he is taking but the Impreza is also designed to drive like hell both uphill and downhill. I recon by the description thx gave some issues ago the Impreza driven by the right man can even go faster than the "lagless" Evo III of Kyoichi. Frankly I hate Takumi for his lucky wins and lucky saves so I'd enjoy imagining him lose using any of the two cars

if you liked this one, you should find his other fanfics, they're just as good as this one.

Wooooooah. I havent been at my PC so I missed 2 chapters, but now I've read them I am well and fully impressed. Takumi vs Itsuto is very intense, I wonder if Takumi will overtake on the straights, despite his hatred for doing so? And LOL at Bunta. What did the 86 grow to out-pace God Foot's R34 on the uphill, booster rockets and some wings? Geez.

no my guess, some sort of full throttle form hill climbing, and just throwing the weight, and the downhill...well its bunta on the downhill what did you expect!?!

OH WOW, what a twist with Bunta, when takumi finds out he going to be devasted lol this is great!

I wonder how'd bunta do against God Hand. Its still Sunday, so thx can technically update!

yeah like NOW would be good. lol
.....even though its not likely....

Hey isn't thx supposed to update by now? TTT__TTT

For the moment (and I do mean moment) my car is still mostly stock, with only a set of Koni adjustable dampers and some Bridgestone RE-01R tires distinguishing it from everything else, but hopefully by the end of February it will be equipped with a Racing Beat swaybar, adjustable end links, heavy-duty swaybar brackets, a Torsen limited slip differential, and a handmade muffler. Not quite the supercharger-equipped monster of Itsuto's, but at least his car gives you an idea of where I'd like mine to be.

New exhaust on my car

As for my racing skills, they're good but not fantastic. With the current level of prep my car has I finish dead last in all my Solo II races against the fully-prepared cars running R-compound racing slicks, but I hope to change that with an infusion of money into the car.

Not to sound like a total doofus, but I think this first race of the season has shown me just how much potential I have. Not only are braking points becoming so much clearer to me, but I'm getting dangerously good with tight slaloms and throttle control on sweeper turns. There was one turn on the course this Sunday (I didn't update because of the racing) where I was able to keep the throttle buried to the floor, balancing the car's slip angle and direction... I lifted off the throttle and spun the car just enough to go wide open again and shoot through a series of offset gates.... It's fun to do what you write about.

Now, how about an update on something you truly care about, eh? Oh, and as for Bunta defeating Hoshino, well, even I don't know how that happened. He's just that good.

************

Takumi shifted down again, using the heavy jerk to slow the car and give the brakes another chance to rest. The feel was beginning to come back to them, but it wouldn't do to overcook them again.
“Now that I can't see him, this is a lot easier,” he admitted, jumping the Impreza once more. Four hairpins ahead of him, Itsuto was feeling relieved as well. The Roadster was holding up to the abuse well considering its small frame, and with the Impreza completely out of sight Itsuto began to feel the slight stirrings of triumph.

“I won't admit victory so soon,” he said, “since that will only cost me in the long run. I need to push on, make as big a gap as I can while the conditions still favor me. I've only got four hairpins left before the straights.” The Roadster dove deep into the next hairpin, hitting the brakes hard at the last possible moment, Itsuto's hands sending the wheel flying in the other direction as he stepped on the throttle, burying it deep. The Roadster's front tires gripped hard, and with the strong kick from behind Itsuto felt himself swing through the hairpin at the very grip limit of his tires.
The next three hairpins continued the same way, each one another neck-straining wave of g-forces and screaming tires as his 1.8 liter engine bellowed and snorted, rocketing him downhill. Cautiously at first and then with reckless abandon he began accelerating at the apex of each hairpin, then slightly before, until he reached the final hairpin and was able to make it through barely lifting off the throttle. The long straight opened up, and Itsuto settled into a top speed run that would decide the winner.
“I just have to make it to the third bridge,” he said, shifting from second into third at 7250 RPMs, then from third into fourth, keeping the needle right at 140 kilometers per hour, as high as he dared to go on such a road. With his heart bursting in terror, Itsuto clung to the wheel with white-knuckled hands and buried his instinct for self-preservation.

Takumi jumped the Impreza over the final hairpin and immediately went to full throttle. To his surprise the previously lethargic car burst forward with vicious, vision-blurring speed as it catapulted him forward toward his last chance to overtake. Barreling down the straight he shifted from second into third, and then into fourth, his mind focused on one thing and one thing only, overtaking the Roadster.
“I think I understand why I fell so far behind,” he said as the Subaru hummed with power, rocketing him toward destiny.

*

“Aniki, why did Fujiwara fall so far behind?” Keisuke asked.
“You should know, Keisuke. You drive a turbocharged car. You tell me,” Ryosuke responded in his typical aloof manner.
“Well, on my FD if I let go of the throttle the turbochargers lose boost, but when I return to full throttle they quickly build it back up again. When I raced against Kyoko and her single turbo RX-7, I was able to win by... oh.”
“So you see then?” Ryosuke asked.
“Yes. Because the Impreza has a single turbo, the endless hairpins of Irohazaka keep his engine out of boost, essentially making it a 2.0 liter non-turbo.”
“Correct, to a point. The STi motor has lower-compression pistons than a naturally-aspirated engine would, so without boost it makes even less horsepower. Coupled with the drivetrain loss from the all wheel drive and its three differentials, and Fujiwara was fighting against a car that was not only lighter than his, but made more power.”

“How could you fix that?” Keisuke asked.
“Well, there are a number of ways. Keeping a single turbo design you could install a smaller turbo that would spool up quicker, but that would hurt top horsepower. I haven't heard of anyone converting to a twin turbo setup, so we'll ignore that. You could install higher-compression pistons to make more power when out of boost, but again, that hurts overall horsepower since you wouldn't be able to run as much boost. The only solution I know of right now that would give a constant increase in response would be increasing engine displacement.”
“How would you do that?” Keisuke asked.
“You could bore out the engine or stroke it with an aftermarket crank, or you could try finding a larger displacement boxer engine from another Subaru, put in some forged pistons, and go that way. A good upgrade for that car would be a 2.5 liter shortblock.”

*


Takumi kept his foot to the floor and was rewarded with the flash of tail lights just disappearing around the corner up ahead. The Roadster was being reeled in! The first bridge flashed past with barely a warning, the Roadster slowly growing larger and larger as the seconds passed by. It was inevitable that a car with superior traction and 360 HP would be able to catch up to one pushing a mere 240 HP, no matter the skill involved. Fujiwara felt a twinge of regret in his chest but kept his foot to the floor.

Itsuto glanced in his rearview mirror and cursed. The second straight was just as long if not more so, with a slight hump at the end of the bridge that would upset the balance of his car. He would have to take his foot off the throttle for just a moment to ensure he wouldn't spin the car, but it would slaughter his lead and force the final confrontation to occur on the third bridge rather than after. The two cars raced desperately down the straight, the Impreza gaining faster and faster on the Roadster as they rushed headlong toward the second bridge. The expansion joint on the far end of the bridge forced Itsuto to lift his foot for just a moment, momentarily reducing the power to the rear wheels. If he had kept his foot to the floor the slight bump from the expansion joint would have bounced the rear tires off the ground just enough for them to spin and for the Roadster to lose control. As it was Itsuto lost another eight meters of his lead, the Impreza growing larger and larger in his rearview mirror.

Coming around the corner Takumi saw the third bridge. There were a few gentle curves leading down the hill toward the bridge, and then the lanes merged. It would have to be soon or else he would lose, even after he had gotten so close. The two cars barreled down the road, the Impreza drawing up alongside. Takumi remembered his battle with Sudo and felt a moment of confusion.
“Should I take the inside or the outside?” he asked. With the AE86 he had taken the outside, relying on his lighter weight to make it through, but with the heavier Impreza it might drift outward. Resolutely he took the inside line, forcing the Impreza's nose in alongside the Roadster's curving rump.
“Turn!”

Can Takumi really pull this win off? Eeeeep, nail biting stuff right there

A great chapter as always, I cant wait for the next chapter

jesus.. I hate this, i jump into threads hoping they will be over by the time i finish reading good so far.. update sooon!!!11!!11!1

man that's dirty thx.

damn, another cliffhanger on his last chance to pass. cant wait for next chapter.

Dirty it was, so here's some more. By the by, my new exhaust is going to be race-only. I can barely hear right now, it's back to the Mazdaspeed exhaust for daily driving.

*********

“So you're Fujiwara Takumi's father, huh?” Joushima asked. Bunta nodded, lighting a cigarette and taking a pull on it before replying.
“Yeah, I am. He mentioned you. Said you wanted to meet me.”
“I did. I wanted to know who could train someone that young to have such skill. How did you do it? Why?” Toshiya asked.
“I won't say why, but I'll tell you how. I made him deliver tofu for me every morning since he was 12. He used the same car and delivered on the same route. After six months he began to drift the car, and in another six months he was able to make the car do it when he wanted to. After that it took a lot of careful manipulation to keep training him. The biggest trick was to get him to drive with a cup full of water,” Bunta said.

“Water? Why?”
“To learn balance and smoothness. He used to come home soaking wet from spilling the cup, and it wasn't long before he learned how to drive without spilling. It helped him more than anything else. I used to keep track of his progress by checking his tires, but that group he was racing with kept switching too fast for any patterns to really establish themselves,” Bunta said, taking another drag on the cigarette.
“In fact, there's one thing I was never satisfied with,” Bunta added, looking at Joshima's battle-weary S2000.
“What's that?” God Arm asked.
“He should have lost to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“He should have lost to you. He would have learned a better lesson that way than by winning on a technicality. Couldn't you have driven over the line and throw up out the window?” Bunta asked. Joshima sighed and shook his head.
“Isn't it enough that you beat me on my home course? Sorry, but I wouldn't ruin my interior for a simple win. You've seen my seats, they're not cheap.”

“Hmm. Well, he learned something from you. I hope he learned enough.”

*

The Roadster dove deep into the final turn, screaming over the bridge. Itsuto felt the rear tires beginning to give and the rear end beginning to slide out, but no amount of countersteer would save it. Takumi felt a short burst of happiness over choosing the inside line as it gave him more room to counteract the Impreza's understeer, but it evaporated when the Impreza's front bumper tapped the Roadster's door. Itsuto countersteered and feathered the throttle, but the expansion joint on the end of the bridge threw the rear tires up into the air, finishing the job and spinning out the Roadster. In one final act of desperation Itsuto jammed his gearbox into reverse, ignoring the destruction of his synchronizers and the gnashing teeth of his gears as he tried to pass over the finish line ahead of the Impreza.

The crowds screamed out in shock as the two cars, a white blur and a blue one, came shrieking over the finish line, their worn tires scrabbling for grip. The Roadster came to an abrupt halt in the drainage ditch on the far side of the road, while the Impreza rested in the ditch on the other side.
“Who won?!” Itsuto cried out, fighting against his harness as he tried to get out of his still-smoking car. Takumi opened the Impreza's door, shook his head, and checked over the Subaru for damage.
“I... I... I don't know,” Kenta said, looking at the other Red Sun members manning the finish line. Kyouichi stepped forward, cell phone in hand. He opened it up and showed it to Itsuto first, then Takumi.
“It's so close,” Takumi said.
“I can barely tell,” Itsuto answered.

“Finish, this is start. Who won?!” the radio screamed, the whole mountain eagerly waiting to hear the answer. Kyouichi took the radio out of Kenta's hand and paused for a moment before pressing the button and speaking.
“Start, this is finish. Fujiwara Takumi.... has won.”

ha cool now i can go to sleep.

i want more of explanantion of how bunta beat god hand and god foot though...

Holy shet. I was like OMG OMG OMFG. The entire time.

great conclusion as always man!!