I knew very well of the TPRA, being a regular poster on the PSN forums allowed me access to what other members were writing about the Association and how close and competitive the racing was.
At first I was weary about taking part in a race, I thought to myself, "These guys are good. There's no way somebody like me could even get close to what they're running." Then I checked out the Crew Chief's Corner and discovered that tuning isn't as easy as just guessing and pressing 'X'.

I decided to go for something a little more low key and entered a Tuneless Tuesdays event. Things went well at Fuji Speedway. I wasn't absolutely battered like a fish and I even finished above last place a couple times. TuTu doesn't involve tuning though, the burden of having to find out what front and rear Camber Angle I needed still beckoned.

Saturday was coming up so I decided that I would take part in the Saturday Night Drive-In; Audi R8's at Suzuka, 600PP. I asked GTP_KARTRACER for a tune a few days before and soon enough his, and many others' tunes popped up in the CCC and I felt like I had some support behind me. I practiced trying out many different tunes on the Thursday and the Friday in preparation for Saturday.
Again, I didn't end up at the back of the field constantly and was running in mid to high pack a few times. I felt good, like a regular member of the racing community, even if this was only my second official event.

Now, because I'm in the UK, I can't take part in every event that is posted on the forums, TPRA or not. This is because the online events that PD set up on GT5 Prologue are region specific, apart from the World Events. I looked and saw that the next TPRA event on the Monday was Audi TT's at Suzuka, 600PP - a World Event. I contemplated until Monday night then took my chance, and over TeamSpeak got myself signed to contracts and joined the Baker Built Racing team. I was an official member of the Tuner's Pit Racing Association. I had my name in the drop down menu for Qualifying and I could access the forums. Thanks to Jimmy1971, nuTTTz and Moose for that!

Jimmy let me know that I had about an hour to qualify so I set about tuning. About a week before, SWERV_GRIFFIN had sent me an Excel Spreadsheet of tunes for GT5 Prologue. It came in handy here as I searched through it to find a tune for the night's event. To my amazement, there was not just 1 but 4 tunes for the Audi TT at Suzuka, 600PP! By this point, TeamSpeak was starting to fill up with the participants for the upcoming event; there was a buzz, just like before a big race in real life.
I chatted for a while on TS, did a couple of laps, chatted some more, and more. Then I heard mention of 2'11s and 2'12s coming through on the qualifying times. I almost panicked. First because my best time so far was a 2'20, and second because there was only 10 minutes left to send in a qualifying time. I was reassured by timneyb that these were insanely quick times but I still wanted to get under 2'20, at least.

I eventually managed to get my time in with seconds to spare - the high 2'16s, which, to no surprise, put me second to last on the qualifying time sheet, albeit only 4 tenths behind the person ahead.
I was skeptical but ready. I knew what tune worked for me, I knew the Audi TT well enough and I'd raced the snaky beast that was Suzuka before.

After the 4 races were over, I'd experienced a few lopers, one disappointing incident for another driver, some close battling between me, Mopar, SWERV, jamrogie, and to a lesser extent Cyclone. I say to a lesser extent because that guy kept wiping the floor with everybody else. It was like he was the housewife and we were all mops! All due respect to him though for his quickness.
After all was said and done, there was a tie break for second place between me, Mopar, and SWERV. As I had finished second in the fourth and final race, I broke the tie break and finished second overall. My first official TPRA event and I finished second. I was astounded! I thought there was a mistake, but nope, it was official. Probably once in a million, but we'll see what happens in the next race.

So I've become the token British guy in the TPRA. Just like the token geek in teenage high school movies, I say one-liners and nobody really knows what I'm saying. No, I kid, but I'm glad I'm the first of my kind and I'm glad I've been welcomed nicely; even if I've been on the PSN forums since 2007 talking my arse off about Gran Turismo. I know for sure that I'm not the first of my kind to do that!

Hey reader, here's your chance to learn some proper English:
Pants are Trousers
Chips are Crisps and Fries are Chips
Color is Colour
Favorite is Favourite
Tuneless Tuesdays is Choonless Choosedays
The list goes on...

Anyway's, I'm glad I took the chance to join the TPRA and if you made it this far I'm glad you read the whole of this.

Hear this: If the TPRA becomes a global franchise, I want to be the head of the United Kingdom part. I mean, it's me or the Queen and I'm cooler than the Queen.