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As Shakespeare wrote in Twelfth Night: Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. For Matt Bucknole (MattBu) and John Whittington (TUNA FISH), the Bristol Sound & Vision Show proved to be a moment when greatness was thrust upon them. The AV Forums Project Gotham Racing 3 Challenge was jointly won by the pair, with MattBu setting the fastest time with the Joytech steering wheel and TUNA FISH clocking up the fastest time with the pad after the prototype wheel became damaged beyond repair. In the interests of fairness, both men were summoned to Bournemouth for a head-to-head race off, with the winner taking home the Hyundai ImageQuest Vuuon Q321 32 HD-Ready LCD TV, a Yamaha YSP-1000 digital sound projector and a SVS PB10-ISD 10 ISD Series active subwoofer from AV Sales all connected together with Chord cables. Both Racers agreed the trip to Bournemouth would be harsh to come away empty handed as both were winners and by mutual consent it was agreed the runner up would take the Xbox 360 and 5 top games provided by Play.com.
The hosts for this challenge was Bournemouth-based Dawsons, home cinema experts with 80 years of experience who supply home cinema AV equipment to enthusiasts anywhere in the country. Thanks to their generosity, the 5-race decider would be undertaken on a 10ft Stewart Screen with Vidikron Projector 100 with surround sound from the Artcoustic speakers and all the trimmings. See www.dhcav.co.uk for more details of just what they can provide!
To the race-off then. In all, five different races would be attempted. Each man would have one crack at setting a lap time, then his opponent would try to better it. Neither driver would know the others score until the end of the challenge, adding to the almost palpable air of tension in Dawsons plush viewing facilities.
As the first man to arrive, MattBu was to go first, so TUNA FISH was escorted to a separate room while the first challenge was started. The race was Shinjuku Skyscraper in Tokyo, using the Saleen, and MattBu seemed immediately at home. Confessing to having practised incessantly all week, he made few errors, clipping a barrier on the exit of the first corner but otherwise delivering a controlled drive that was clearly aimed at ensuring a solid time was posted. He was clearly driving within himself as he posted a time of 2.06:36, but the important thing was that the time was a solid one.
In response, TUNA FISH seemed much more eager to push the car and himself in a bid to post a blazing lap time. Unfortunately, the tactic did not pay dividends to begin with, and some big hits (mainly caused by trying to take corners right on the apex and get on the throttle as early as possible) saw him limp in with a time of 2:10:57, allowing MattBu to take the first round.
Next up was Las Vegas Boulevard Straits in the McLaren F1, and once again, MattBu was operating well within himself. Another solid if unspectacular drive clearly demonstrated an intimate knowledge of the track, and an almost clear run saw a time of 2:08:30 set for TUNA FISH to challenge.
Things didnt start well. TUNA FISHs tactic to push hard from the get-go backfired in a big way as he pranged the barrier in the first chicane, running wide on the exit. Despite this, and a couple more big hits early on, he drove well through the remainder of the course, but could not claw back the time and finsihed with a time of 2:10:28. 2-0 to MattBu.
The difference in styles was evident by now, and so it continued in race 3, New Yorks Park to Tillary in the Ferrari Enzo. Although Matt didnt know it, he was one win away from victory and another smooth, controlled drive saw a time of 2:05:94. TUNA FISH couldnt match it. Although he made few errors, a couple of clipped barriers saw a time of 2:08:80 and the prize was heading back home with MattBu.
Unfortunately for TUNA FISH, MattBu was in uncompromising mood for the last two races. A time of 1:50:23 in the Pagari Zonda around Londons Trafalgar Tour was followed by a run of 8:03:22 in the Cerbera 12 speed around the Nurburgrings Behemoth. In answer, TUNA FISH could only muster times of 1:53:27 and 8:32:15 respectively as his tactic of pushing hard continued to see too many mistakes to reap any reward.
That said, on another day and with a bit more luck, TUNA FISH could well have been in with a chance of walking off with the top prize, but both men entered into the friendly spirit of the competition and an Xbox 360 and five games is not a bad runners up prize by any stretch of the imagination. AV Forums would like to congratulate both players for their achievement in reaching the final, as well as to the 300 or so visitors to the show who took part. Wed also like to thank Dawsons for their first-rate hospitality. Thanks also to <a href="http://www.hyundaiq.com/" target="_blank">Hyundai</a>, <a href="http://www.yamaha-uk.com/" target="_blank">Yamaha</a>, <a href="http://www.av-sales.co.uk/" target="_blank">AV Sales</a>, <a href="http://www.play.com/" target="_blank">Play.com</a> and <a href="http://www.chord.co.uk/" target="_blank">Chord</a> for donating these fantastic prizes.
The hosts for this challenge was Bournemouth-based Dawsons, home cinema experts with 80 years of experience who supply home cinema AV equipment to enthusiasts anywhere in the country. Thanks to their generosity, the 5-race decider would be undertaken on a 10ft Stewart Screen with Vidikron Projector 100 with surround sound from the Artcoustic speakers and all the trimmings. See www.dhcav.co.uk for more details of just what they can provide!
To the race-off then. In all, five different races would be attempted. Each man would have one crack at setting a lap time, then his opponent would try to better it. Neither driver would know the others score until the end of the challenge, adding to the almost palpable air of tension in Dawsons plush viewing facilities.
As the first man to arrive, MattBu was to go first, so TUNA FISH was escorted to a separate room while the first challenge was started. The race was Shinjuku Skyscraper in Tokyo, using the Saleen, and MattBu seemed immediately at home. Confessing to having practised incessantly all week, he made few errors, clipping a barrier on the exit of the first corner but otherwise delivering a controlled drive that was clearly aimed at ensuring a solid time was posted. He was clearly driving within himself as he posted a time of 2.06:36, but the important thing was that the time was a solid one.
In response, TUNA FISH seemed much more eager to push the car and himself in a bid to post a blazing lap time. Unfortunately, the tactic did not pay dividends to begin with, and some big hits (mainly caused by trying to take corners right on the apex and get on the throttle as early as possible) saw him limp in with a time of 2:10:57, allowing MattBu to take the first round.
Next up was Las Vegas Boulevard Straits in the McLaren F1, and once again, MattBu was operating well within himself. Another solid if unspectacular drive clearly demonstrated an intimate knowledge of the track, and an almost clear run saw a time of 2:08:30 set for TUNA FISH to challenge.
Things didnt start well. TUNA FISHs tactic to push hard from the get-go backfired in a big way as he pranged the barrier in the first chicane, running wide on the exit. Despite this, and a couple more big hits early on, he drove well through the remainder of the course, but could not claw back the time and finsihed with a time of 2:10:28. 2-0 to MattBu.
The difference in styles was evident by now, and so it continued in race 3, New Yorks Park to Tillary in the Ferrari Enzo. Although Matt didnt know it, he was one win away from victory and another smooth, controlled drive saw a time of 2:05:94. TUNA FISH couldnt match it. Although he made few errors, a couple of clipped barriers saw a time of 2:08:80 and the prize was heading back home with MattBu.
Unfortunately for TUNA FISH, MattBu was in uncompromising mood for the last two races. A time of 1:50:23 in the Pagari Zonda around Londons Trafalgar Tour was followed by a run of 8:03:22 in the Cerbera 12 speed around the Nurburgrings Behemoth. In answer, TUNA FISH could only muster times of 1:53:27 and 8:32:15 respectively as his tactic of pushing hard continued to see too many mistakes to reap any reward.
That said, on another day and with a bit more luck, TUNA FISH could well have been in with a chance of walking off with the top prize, but both men entered into the friendly spirit of the competition and an Xbox 360 and five games is not a bad runners up prize by any stretch of the imagination. AV Forums would like to congratulate both players for their achievement in reaching the final, as well as to the 300 or so visitors to the show who took part. Wed also like to thank Dawsons for their first-rate hospitality. Thanks also to <a href="http://www.hyundaiq.com/" target="_blank">Hyundai</a>, <a href="http://www.yamaha-uk.com/" target="_blank">Yamaha</a>, <a href="http://www.av-sales.co.uk/" target="_blank">AV Sales</a>, <a href="http://www.play.com/" target="_blank">Play.com</a> and <a href="http://www.chord.co.uk/" target="_blank">Chord</a> for donating these fantastic prizes.