Grand Valley Speedway is a fictional course that appears in all main Gran Turismo games to date except Gran Turismo Sport. Its reputation for fast, technical turns makes it one of the most well-known fictional tracks in the series. A shorter version exists called Grand Valley East. It returns in Gran Turismo 7 with a new design and under the name Grand Valley Highway 1, being retroactively located in the USA.
The track is known for the Grand Valley 300km endurance race, which appeared in all Gran Turismo games featuring this track, with the exception of Gran Turismo 6.
Overview[]
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Grand Valley Speedway (in red) superimposed onto the full circuit layout
Grand Valley Speedway is the full course of the Grand Valley complex. In the first three games it is a 16-turn road course, before Turn 7 was changed into 2 separate turns, making it a 17-turn road course.
The course takes place in a mountainous lake region, with the sides of the track lined with trees and advertisement boards. Notable features include three tunnels cutting through the hills lining the track, as well as the blue bridge section crossing over a lake in the third sector. In the first two Gran Turismo games, a city can also be seen in the distance at Turn 2; this was removed in later games.
Events[]
Gran Turismo[]
License
- A-3: Practical cornering: 3
- Gold: 0:42.800
- Silver: 0:43.200
- Bronze: 0:44.000
- A-5: Advanced cornering: 2
- Gold: 0:30.200
- Silver: 0:30.700
- Bronze: 0:32.000
- A-8: Graduation Test
- Gold: 1:05.600
- Silver: 1:06.000
- Bronze: 1:08.000
- IA-3: Grand Valley Time Attack
- Gold: 1:57:880
- Silver: 1:59:900
- Bronze: 2:03.000
- IA-8: Grand Valley II Time Attack
- Gold: 1:55:428
- Silver: 1:56:600
- Bronze: 1:59.000
GT League
- Gran Turismo Cup; Race 1 - 3 laps
- Gran Turismo World Cup; Race 3 - 3 laps
Special Events
- FR Challenge (reverse); Race 3 - 2 laps
- 4WD Challenge; Race 2 - 2 laps
- Hard-Tuned Car Speed Contest (reverse); Race 2 - 5 laps
- Grand Valley 300km Endurance Race - 60 laps
Gran Turismo 2[]
GT League
- Euro League; Race 2 - 3 laps
Special Events
- Grand Touring Car Trophy; Race 2 - 3 laps
Endurance League
- Grand Valley 300km; - 60 laps
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec[]
License Center
- B-5: Applied Cornering: Front-wheel Drive
- Gold: 0:34.400
- Silver: 0:34.800
- Bronze: 0:36.200
- B-6: Applied Cornering: Rear-wheel Drive
- Gold: 0:33.000
- Silver: 0:33.300
- Bronze: 0:34.700
Beginner League
- FR Challenge; Race 1 - 2 laps
- Spider & Roadster (reverse); Race 3 - 2 laps
- Race of NA Sports; Race 2 - 2 laps
- Type R Meeting; Race 2 - 2 laps
- Beetle Cup; Race 2 - 2 laps
- Gran Turismo World Championship; Race 10 - 3 laps
Amateur League
- European Championship (GT3); Race 3 - 3 laps
- Gran Turismo World Championship; Race 10 - 5 laps
- MR Challenge; Race 3 - 5 laps
- 4WD Challenge; Race 3 - 5 laps
- Race of Turbo Sports; Race 3 - 3 laps
- Gran Turismo All Stars (reverse); Race 9 - 5 laps
- All Japan GT Championship; Race 1 - 5 laps
- All Japan GT Championship (reverse); Race 8 - 5 laps
- Altezza Race; Race 3 - 4 laps
- Dream Car Championship (reverse); Race 7 - 7 laps
Professional League
- Gran Turismo World Championship; Race 1 - 10 laps
- Gran Turismo World Championship (reverse); Race 10 - 10 laps
- Spider & Roadster; Race 1 - 10 laps
- Gran Turismo All Stars (reverse); Race 9 - 15 laps
- All Japan GT Championship; Race 1 - 15 laps
- All Japan GT Championship (reverse); Race 8 - 15 laps
- Race of Red Emblem (GT3, Professional) (reverse); Race 2 - 10 laps
- Vitz Race (reverse); Race 5 - 10 laps
- Clio Trophy (GT3); Race 2 - 10 laps
- Dream Car Championship; Race 2 - 15 laps
- Polyphony Digital Cup (GT3) (reverse); Race 9 - 20 laps
- Formula GT (GT3); Race 3 - 27 laps
Endurance League
- Grand Valley 300km (GT3) - 60 laps
Gran Turismo 4[]
Beginner Events
- FF Challenge; Race 4 - 2 laps
- 4WD Challenge; Race 1 - 2 laps
Professional Events
- World Compact Car Race (reverse); Race 3 - 4 laps
- Gran Turismo World Championship (reverse); Race 9 - 11 laps
Extreme Events
- Gran Turismo All Stars (GT4) (reverse); Race 6 - 6 laps
- Formula GT World Championship; Race 5 - 62 laps
Endurance Events
- Grand Valley 300km - 60 laps
Japanese Events
- Japanese 90's Challenge (reverse); Race 2 - 4 laps
European Events
- Pan Euro Championship; Race 2 - 5 laps
- British GT Series; Race 1 - 3 laps
- Tous France Championnat; Race 4 - 3 laps
One-Make Events
- 1 Series Trophy; Race 1 - 1 lap
- Club "Z" (reverse); Race 5 - 2 laps
- Hyundai Sports Festival; Race 3 - 2 laps
- Renault Alpine Cup; Race 5 - 2 laps
- Speedster Trophy; Race 1 - 3 laps
Driving Missions
- Mission 2 - The Pass: Grand Valley Turn 1
Gran Turismo 5[]
Driving School
- IA-9: Strategic Driving on the First Corner of the Grand Valley Speedway
- Gold: 1st
- Silver: 2nd
- Bronze: 3rd
- IA-10: Grand Valley Speedway 2-Lap Battle
- Gold: 1st
- Silver: 3rd
- Bronze: 7th
Professional Series
- Gran Turismo World Championship; Race 5 - 5 laps
Expert Series
- Tuning Car Grand Prix; Race 3 - 5 laps (7 laps B-Spec)
- Polyphony Digital Cup; Race 3 - 5 laps (7 laps B-Spec)
- Japanese Championship; Race 3 - 5 laps (7 laps B-Spec
- Gran Turismo All Stars; Race 2 - 5 laps (9 laps B-Spec)
Extreme Series
- NASCAR Series; Race 2 - 5 laps (8 laps B-Spec)
Endurance Series
- Grand Valley 300km - 60 laps
Gran Turismo 6[]
National A
- 4WD Challenge; Race 3 - 2 laps
International B
- Classic Supercar Festival; Race 3 - 2 laps
- Gran Turismo All Stars; Race 5 - 5 laps
International A
- 550 PP World Touring Car Championship; Race 1 - 5 laps
- 600 PP World Touring Car Championship; Race 1 - 5 laps
Layout & Sectors[]
Sector 1[]
Sector 1 comprises Turns 1, 2-3 (Shell Corner 180r), Turns 4, 5, and 6-7 (180r). This is by far the easiest section of track. Turn 1 is the small left-handed kink at the end of the front straightaway. Given proper timing and entry, it can be taken mostly full-throttle by any type of car with a late apex set. After this, bring the car out to the grass (being cautious not to hit it).
For turn 2, swing it back to the left for the following 180r. This is where traffic will start bottlenecking, so be sure to use your rear-view mirror wisely here. After that comes the intimidating left-right-left. Tag all of the kerbs right as they begin, and swing out of Turn 5 and into 6.
Take the entrance of Turn 6 moderately wide and under hard braking. Coast through the turn and aim toward the grass at a 75 degree angle. Get back on the accelerator as soon as you leave the turn, taking care not to hit the grass.
Sector 2[]
Sector 2 is where GVS begins to make its name. This comprises Turns 7-8, 9, 10 and 11 (Tunnel Entry 80r). After Turn 7, get back to the right side of the road and watch for a small section of kerb on the left side heading over the hill. Take Turns 7-8 under partial braking and make sure to stay to the left side for Turn 9.
Lead your car to the right side and brake with 75 feet (23 Metres) to go before this turn and keep on the brakes until you reach the apex. After this, nail the gas and bring the car back to the left for the nearly-identical Turn 10. Tackle this corner the same as 9, but instead of giving full throttle on exit, only give it ~50-75%. This will allow you to set up for turn 11 (Tunnel Entry 80r). Hit the brakes on the entry. Keep the car on the kerb for its entire length. After that, lead the car out for the following Turns 11-12 (Tunnel Turns A-B 180r).
Sector 3[]
This is where you either win or lose the race-for most of this sector, it's all in how you take medium-to-high-speed corners, and also how you upshift. This sector comprises Turns 11-12 (Tunnel Turns A-B 180r), Turns 13-14 (Tunnel Turns C-D 180r), Turns 15-16 (Double-U) and Turn 17 (Home Kink).
Keep the car full throttle thorough here. Don't get up on that kerb, it'll send you flying into the opposite wall if you're not careful. After that corner, swing as far out as you can and set up for Turns 13-14 (Tunnel Turns C-D 180r).
Turn 15 & 16
This turn drives identically to Turns 11-12 (Tunnel Turns A-B 180r). Just keep your eyes on the road-don't start gazing off into the shamelessly stunning countryside on the left side of the turn. After exiting this turn, keep to the right side of the track and make a late entry into Turn 15 to set yourself up for the following left-right.
After setting yourself up, dive into Turn 15. Hit the apex and stay on the bottom until the exit. Then, late-apex Turn 16 and tag the grass on the left side of the small exit kink heading onto the straightaway. Get over to the left again and head full-throttle through the turn, hitting the apex right at the dead center of the turn, making use of the small concrete patch on the exit.
Footage[]
Trivia[]
A Map of the demo version of Grand Valley Speedway.
- In the earliest demo of the original Gran Turismo, called Test Drive, the working name for GV Speedway was Prawn Speedway. The short circuit, called Grand Valley East in the final version, was named Prawn Short.
- In GT3, Grand Valley Speedway II (Grand Valley in Reverse) is raced at sunset, rather than the usual partly cloudy day.
- The section between the second tunnel and the bridge was originally intended to be longer, but for some reasons, it was shortened. This particular version of Grand Valley Speedway can be accessed only in a particular demo version of the original Gran Turismo, but only via cheat codes. The map of this version of Grand Valley Speedway can be seen in the final version of the original Gran Turismo as Grand Valley Speedway's icon in the Time Trial section of Go Race section in Simulation Mode. This is most likely an oversight.
- On GT3-6, a map of Grand Valley Speedway's GT1-3 design can be found on turns 10 and 13 if you look to the right before the tunnels.