Grats to all finishers, this track does not take prisoners.
Phil, I have to confess that when I discovered that I had done some practice on the "wrong" circuit, I thought that it would all end in a hedge somewhere.
I also lost some 10 minutes getting the correct track installed, so qualifying became a rapid learning session. I was fortunate that 90% of the track is the same and the bridge section was the biggest new bit. I find that with the 55 cars, and especially with the 4 speed options, the gear ratios are critical and I had to change some ratios to accommodate the new track.
I ran quali on race fuel + 5 galls, so that the car was heavy, but it gave me a "safe" benchmark for the handling and it was not until the last few minutes that I sorted all the correct braking points and hooked up a decent lap.
It was a surprise and a relief to get 3rd on the grid, (because I was contemplating starting at the back and hoping to pick up some places through the race) and the added bonus was that I was alongside Clive Loynes in a Gordini
. If I could not beat that car off the grid, then I needed to get my pit crew sacked!!! Uli was also in a Connaught, so I was not going to have to chase one of the fast machines, which had worried me on all those long flat out bits.
Sure enough, I was past Clive's Gordini and onto Uli's tailpipes straight away and I thought that we were going to have a long battle, but Uli got it just a little wrong at the second heavy braking point and went grass cutting. I did not need a second invitation and took the lead, expecting Uli to chase me down.
I simply tried to be safe for the rest of the race and avoid making a terminal mistake and if Uli wanted to catch me he would have to take the risks.
The hairpin was different and it took me a few laps to get my braking and downshifts correct for that corner. I could see Uli's car as I set off towards the S/F and judge how well I was holding te gap. That bridge section was a real dilemma for the first half of the race and I was ultra careful through there until I found the correct line etc, then I could push just a little...but not too much
The gap suddenly grew and I guess Uli had an incident, which gave me a very big cushion. But maintaining concentration was difficult when you are not under pressure, and there were a couple of places where it all might have ended against a telegraph pole or tree.
Lucky to survive, but pleased that I finally tamed Dundrod and picked up some nice points.
