World Sports Car 1971
This was an incredibly special project as it was the first collaboration with several well-established modding groups, the first historic series and it is an enshrined era of motorsport for the members of the group and many within the racing community. It was also the 50th anniversary of the 1971 season which added even more pressure to get things right.
Sportscar racing in the 70's was a transition point as engineers and teams utilized more modern technologies and aerodynamics. Aero was critical to Porsche's dominance in the season although Ferrari was still very much in the fight each race, mostly being hampered by mechanical failures throughout the season. This year would prove to be one of the last truly special years in racing as it featured big 5 liter engines, true prototype race cars, and top speed records (well over 330kph) that would take decades to break. Bias-ply tires on equipment that only had performance priority and safety second lead to astounding spectacles in both race craft and unfortunate incidents. A legendary season in motorsport history that was faithfully reproduced by Champion Motorsports in their 2021 historic VWSC and MNRL series.
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Storm Gang Simulation worked closely with Apex Modding, Crossply and Chief Wiggum to create a 4-car pack of some of the most iconic sportscars of the day. This would include Apex's Porsche 917k, Ferrari 512S (adjusted to 512M performance)​, Crossply's conversion of the ISI Lola T70 MkIII B Spyder, and Chief Wiggum's Alfa Romeo 33TT12.
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The series was beloved by many, proving that historic cars are drivable and not only for the clinically insane race car drivers (real or sim). However, you would need to have a conversation with the car to extract the best performance, unlike modern machines that can be scolded to speed. It would also lay the groundwork for testing and fine tuning that would be the foundation for future mods both historic and modern. The strong relationships formed with the modding groups mentioned would also be crucial for continued success. Visit on the Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3094358364
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Alfa Romeo TT/33/12
An unusual entry in the mod as it was the TT33/3 which participated in 1969-71 (the TT/33/12 wouldn't premier until 1973 with the 3L flat 12). Unfortunately, this was the closest Alfa available at development time and Chief Wiggum graciously allowed development to BOP the car to the other 1971 cars.
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Like the Lola, it is very fast and has a menacing scream. The team with crafty engineers and focused pilots could easily compete for the win in the Alfa.
Ferrari 512M
While Apex Modding provided the S version model, Storm Gang Simulation tweaked it for 512M performance. Ferrari had performance in hand to challenge their German rival but were constantly plagued with mechanical troubles. The 12 Hours of Sebring provided their only win with the 917K's out for their own braking woes. This was the last year of the 512 before Ferrari switched to the 312 series.
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Apex did another stunning job with modeling and initial physics work while SGS provided additional historic liveries and updated BOP physics that were a strong counterpoint to the Stuttgart machinery, especially at the top end.
Lola T70 Mk3b Spyder
The Lola brand is popular throughout this period of racing. This Mk3b paired British design with a Chevy powerplant under the hood. While the car struggled in European races, it was very successful in the US with Jackie Stewart running it to victory on multiple occasions.
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This Spyder version was made to be incredibly fast on the straights and a handful in the turns. Those with a steel reserve can take victory but one small mistake could mean catastrophe.
Porsche 917K
The 917K was an absolute juggernaut in the 1971 season. After refining their aero issues from the longtail version run previously and implementing wild new tech such as a nitrogen filled tube-frame chassis (for weight reduction), Porsche was unstoppable. The 5L flat 12 thundered to victory at nearly every race, including the infamous 1970 Brands Hatch 1000 where Pedro Rodriguez went from over a lap down to dominate in miserable wet conditions.
Apex Modding did a top job of modeling the car while SGS provided testing and driver feedback, making a very stable and easy-to-handle racer.