Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 72: B-Spec Tournament Review

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 72: B-Spec Tournament Review

Now that the B-Spec Tournament on the Automation Forums have concluded, I am pleased to announce that I have finally won it purely on merit. Well, sort of: I only won the Automation phase of the tournament; and placed fourth overall in the BeamNG phase (for the uninitiated, BeamNG is a game in which you can drive - and crash - cars that you've made in Automation, or one of many preset vehicles that come with the game). But this is my first win in any forum competition, and I am justifiably proud of my good showing there.

For the uninitiated, the tournament works as follows: Before the first race, users get to submit one car each to the host, who then chooses the best designs among them. These cars are then offered for download to anyone who wants to enter the three races in the Automation and BeamNG categories, with faster cars having a higher simulated price. This contest saw the users submit cheap and cheerful 80s economy cars, with modest levels of power and grip for each. Modifications for each car were relatively minor, in keeping with the amateur vibe of the competition; however, the budget for tuning would be increased with each successive race. After three simulated races in each game, the user with the most points in each category would be declared the winner of that particular category.

Before the season began, I checked the list of cars being offered for sale, and eventually settled on the Dragotec Via for both categories. I started by tuning the suspension, tires and brakes, before moving on to the gearbox and aero kit. For the last race, I retuned the engine for more power, while being careful to retain its efficiency.

The Dragotec Via after tuning for the Automation category of the B-Spec tournament. The version used for the BeamNG category is visually identical except for a light blue exterior color instead of a bright green one.

Unsurprisingly, given my tuning skills, I clinched first overall convincingly in the Automation category (helped by some users not entering the last race of that series), and even won the first race there. I also finished fourth overall in the BeamNG category, which also featured a very strong field.

Thus ends my report on this recently concluded competition. Stay tuned for an overview of a reimagining of a car recently donated by a fellow Automationeer.