CHAPTER 4: Battle night.
Ryo's team, The Helldogs had gathered on the hill and was preparing for the downhill.
Fumihiro approached Ryo.
Fumihiro: "Who is your uphill driver tonight? Where is he?"
Ryo: "He will be arriving at the base later; he had a few things to take care of first, so we will do the downhill first."
Fumihiro: "Ok, let's get started then."
Fumihiro turned towards the rest of Project D.
Fumihiro: "Please line up your cars; we will do the downhill first, 86 vs. the GT300 Garaiya."
Ryo got into his GT300 car and closed the door; he looked over the dashboard before he started the engine.
The dashboard in a JGTC car wasn't much of a looker but it had its charm.
Ryo pulled up to the start line and stepped on the clutch before he yanked the handbrake.
Then Ryo started revving his engine, seeing as it was a JGTC engine it had quite a loud exhaust sound.
Ryo: "When it comes to engine power I have the definite advantage, a 2 litre turbo charged inline 4.
In the handling department I should also have some tricks to show off seeing as I got downforce and wider tires.
But then again, it all boils down to driver vs. driver and that's where I am unsure if I can beat him."
He looked over to his right and at the AE86 driver that had just pulled up to the starting line.
Ryo: "No matter what happens I feel assured we can win on the uphill, after Sweeper's performance earlier I had all my doubts erased."
Miki got up to Ryo's driving door and Ryo lowered the window.
Miki: "Just don't overdo it Ryo, they say he is crazy."
Ryo: "I know. I am planning to let him go ahead so I can observe him for a while.
But even so I hope I can hang on to that AE86 driver."
Miki: "Just don't crash…" Miki left Ryo and went back to the parking lot.
Then he started thinking.
"Ryo, we might lose tonight, I saw the AE86's driving skills up close, not even my 4WD Turbo could catch him, and he is a monster.
What I don't understand is why you are so relaxed?
Yuji failed to keep up with Keisuke and he has 600 HP on his Supra, you really must be having confidence in that Sweeper guy."
Fumihiro: "Ok let's start, 5 seconds till start!"
"5"
"4"
"3"
"2"
"1"
"GO!"
Ryo released the handbrake and both cars launched ahead, just as Ryo planned he released the gas pedal and let the AE86 take the lead into the first corner.
He knew he had to have the advantage, and being the chaser meant he could observe the car ahead.
The speed through the corner was reckless, Ryo realised it quickly that this AE86 wasn't something he could relax against.
But on the straights he had the advantage as 300 turbo horses compared to 200 NA horses was no match at all.
Ryo: "Turbos are better at producing power than NAs, mainly because we can produce more torque giving us stronger acceleration out of a corner.
That's why I like turbo cars, though this GT car has a small turbo compared to the output of the NA power unit originally used in the Garaiya.
Though it comes at a cost, I am heavier than that AE86.
But I can still keep up thanks to superior grip from the JGTC tires."
The AE86 kept leading into corners at an amazing speed, speeds that wasn't normal driving for Ryo.
He had never had to push this hard during practice races.
Corners flew by and Ryo remained behind, until he realized they were closing in on the end.
There were several high speed corners ahead, if he was to stand any chance of winning he had to use his power to get away from the 86.
But the final corners on the course was low speed corners, so he had to put as much ground as possible on the straights and the high speed section.
Ryo: "The attack point is the 3 hairpins which fools a lot of drivers.
I normally don't try and overtake there but I got no choice today!"
The short straight before entry to the hairpins came up and Ryo floored the throttle and let the revs go up to 7200 before he shifted up.
He put his car in the outside lane and kept on accelerating up at the side of the 86.
Leaving a loud blow off valve sound from his turbo, after all it was a JGTC machine that had won the GT300 several times.
This time it was about winning a touge race, WRC cars may have been unfair to bring to the mountain pass but JGTC was even worse.
The entry to the hairpin came up, the 86 started braking and Ryo hesitated a bit and braked late before doing the turn in and blocking off the inside lane, preventing the 86 from getting ahead.
Ryo: "This is where I have to take the chance and win it, just don't overdo it and miss on the illusionary corners ahead."
Ryo pushed hard through and often had to let go off the gas, he was experiencing a lot of push understeer as he was taking the tires to their limit.
But it was allright, he had pushed this hard before, but only once he knew he could make it.
Ryo kept taking the racing line through the 3 S corners and accelerated fierce on the exit, leaving the AE86 behind due to lack of power.
Ryo: "This is where I will settle the match; I cannot have you gain on me through the high speed section!"
Ryo kept passing through the familiar high speed section as fast as his Garaiya allowed him to, and staying on the accelerator as much as he dared.
This was indeed a battle to the limit.
The 6 high speed turns passed quickly, and he entered the low speed section of the course.
Ryo gave the rear view one final look before he began braking.
There was no sign of the 86, he had left it somewhere behind.
Ryo braked as hard as he dared and did the turn in.
On the exit acceleration he had to take a quick look back and he saw the guardrail being lit up by headlights from a car.
Ryo: "What the! That's impossible; I drove as fast as possible and stayed on the accelerator as long as I could.
How can you keep up with me? It is impossible!"
During the next braking session the 86 was into view and was really catching up.
The good part was that Ryo was in the lead and still had some distance.
The bad part was that there were still 4 corners to go to the finish line; could he hang on for that long?
Ryo did a fast turning and accelerated shortly before he had to slam on the brakes again.
This time the AE86 caught up and was right on his bumper.
3 corners to go.
Ryo kept slamming on the accelerator, and he choose to take the inside, the 86 went for the outside for a pass but had to abort the attempt due to Ryo quickly picking up speed and flying towards the outside in a racing line style.
Ryo: "Damn that AE86 is tough! I can't shake him even though I am driving a GT300 car.
What a shock that is."
The next corner came up, Ryo charged in from the outside with late braking but that 86 entered the inside so well.
The 86 exited earlier than what Ryo had expected, he couldn't cut the inside of the corner and cut off the path of the 86 as he had planned.
Instead he was forced to run side by side with the 86.
This time he had the inside and the 86 the outside.
Ryo: "Side by side… I don't want to lose this battle! But I am losing."
The braking match begun, the 86 braked later than the GT300 machine.
Cutting off the inside path for Ryo, forcing him to slam on the brakes and let the 86 get ahead.
Once Ryo exited the corner, he saw the 86 charge for the finish line.
It was over; even the 300 Turbo horses couldn't catch the 86 in time.
He had lost on the downhill; he pulled into the parking lot next to the 86 and got out.
Ryo: "I lost… I can't believe I lost on my home turf!"