Daily Slideshow: The LC 500 Gets Its Groove on at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring
The Nürburgring—the longest and most dangerous racetrack in the world, plays host to a week-long rave out in the woods, covering four towns and dozens of square miles, fueled by epic GT car racing, bratwursts, and Bitburger. That basically sums up the annual 24 Hour endurance race (N24).
Major manufacturers show up to N24
While the N24 is a big party for spectators, it is also a major stage for racing teams and manufacturers to test and prove cars. Most of the teams and manufacturers involved are German, one major exception being Toyota's GAZOO Racing, the big boy Toyota/Lexus works team handling WRC and WEC, among others. GAZOO Racing have spent a lot of time at The 'Ring in the past, having raced the likes of the GT86, Camry, CH-R, IS, RC, and LF-A, just to name a few. This year they brought out a new toy; a specially prepared Lexus LC 500 built just for N24. Details about its specs are sparse but the car is classified as "SP PRO" (aka prototype), so it's not on the level of a Super GT LC 500 or any of the normal GT3 SP9 class cars out there (Porsches, BMWs, AMGs, etc.) but it's still fully factory-backed and very, very fast.
Story and images via SuperStreetonline.com
Why did GAZOO go this year?
GAZOO says the purpose of all its racing efforts is essential to help make a better road going car for the public. In the case of the LC, which is already available at your local Lexus dealer, the things learned from this year's N24 will also help further develop the racing chassis for next year, and future cars. Plus, there's the whole "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" thing.
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
How did GAZOO start off at N24?
In the beginning, the GAZOO Lexus passed by without issue for a few laps. Apparently, they had some contact at the very beginning but no real issues came from it. Over the course of the race, though, the LC did come to experience a few problems. The car showed up in the pit for electrical work, something with the brakes, and what spectators believe was a powertrain issue as well.
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Checking out GAZOO at the Swallow's Tail part of the track
From a section of the track called Schwalbenschwanz, which means "Swallow's Tail" in English, the cars make their way around a banked left-hander, often scraping, lifting wheels and oversteering as they exit, they round the last couple of turns typically over 100mph and then it's onto the long front straight. The LC 500 was handling the track well from here, no real issues.
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
The weather played havoc
The weather was holding but everyone knew it would start to rain sometime after sundown. And boy did it. In the morning, the track was a very different scene. It was dark, misty; cars were covered in rain. It was cold. There were fewer cars on track: the night had definitely claimed a few victims but thankfully, the GAZOO Racing LC 500 was alive!
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
It only got worse
As the morning progressed, the rain increased, but the LC kept making its way round time and time again. As the weather became increasingly dicey, cars were only able to do a fraction of their normal cornering speeds. Giant rooster tails, water spraying everywhere. This was interesting and very different than normal dry racing; you could still see some cars were better suited for wet than others. The leading cars were still fast, at this point you couldn’t really tell what position GAZOO held, but as the rain got worse and the fog rolled in, everyone was thrown for a loop. Extremely thick fog forming on the fastest part of the track meant race organizers had no choice but to red flag the race and bring the cars in. Visibility along Dottinger Hohe was only maybe 50 meters, and the fastest cars are going 150 plus. Annoying as it may be to stop, you literally cannot race like that. The race was stopped for 90 minutes before restarting.
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
The restart evened up the field
The red flag meant everyone pits, and when they restart, there's no gap anymore, despite whatever lead the first place care may have had. 1st and 2nd place are literally neck and neck again; the leading cars were now in a sprint race to the end, in the pouring rain and fog, the teams and drivers exhausted after having already raced for 22 hours.
The energy in pit lane was explosive and everyone knew that the smallest slip up in the wet would mean a tragic last-minute retirement. While the media attention was all surrounding the Black Falcon AMG and Manthey Racing Porsche battle for 1st and 2nd, similar stories were unfolding across all the other classes. No one wants to race 22 of a 24-hour race and crash at the very end. Talk about a crushing feeling.
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
How did GAZOO do?
GAZOO Racing was in a class of their own, (literally though, they were the only car in their prototype class) so for them, the battle was seemingly simple. Survive the last moments, don't slip up, and try not to ruin anyone else's race if possible. Easier said than done, but they pulled it off finishing 96th overall. Might not sound that great, but let me remind you that nearly 150 cars started, a number of teams retired early due to crashes or mechanical failures, but GAZOO made it. They finished the Nürburgring 24 Hours with a brand new car, and that really is an epic success.
Story and images via superstreetonline.com
>>Join the conversation about Gazoo's 24 Hour Endurance LC right here in the Club Lexus forum.
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