As for the race it was great fun but Evil and I didn't take each other out, as H has suggested, we had help.
As we approached the pits we found Stefan Stein's Lotus, stationary and sideways across the track. LOL He had run into the end of the pit wall at full chat. I had wondered how many people had run into the darn thing whilst trying to read their pit board. Anyway, by the time I could see him it was too late to miss him.
Evil lost a couple of wheels but I was able to carry on but the impact had convinced the engine that it was sick and so I pulled over.
Shame, because I don’t often find myself in a position to put one over on Hristo or Evil but my setup was giving me a definite edge. LOL Most of the time they pulled out of my slip stream and then went backwards. Very reassuring.
I never found anyone to give me a tow but I think I might match Gerard’s 2:15 if I could get tucked in behind someone.
Thanks for the fun!
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I was quite enjoying myself in this marathon. Getting pole was a fluke I think, as I only picked up a small tow ...but fortunately just exactly where I needed it.
I had a good start but knew that unless people fell over themselves on lap 1 I would be caught....and I was by Clive L and Paul Skingley as they used the tow to reel me in. But that was ok as we still had 30 or so laps still to survive.
After a few laps Hristo dragged his Fezza into our cosy little club and the 4 of us circulated in a slipstreaming group for lap after lap.
It soon became clear that barring accidents or car failures no-one was going to break away so it looked like a 4 way tussle until the closing laps.
I did not save a replay ( I always seem to forget!!) but I know that Paul's exit, was after a contact between us exiting Curve Grande which I survived but he did not. I'm not sure what happened paul, if I was at fault I apologise but I thought I was holding to my side of the track and certainly was not looking to "nerf" you or block any passing move. I was quite happy sat behind two or three cars being towed around and saving my engine. Even backing off at the end of the straight rather than risk a passing move or over revving the whizzy bits, and anyway there was a long way to go.
Despite being 4 secs adrift from Hristo and Clive after the contact with Paul, it took only 2-3 laps to draw them back to me, so I knew I had plenty of speed in hand. As the lap count down got into the low 20's Hristo had a moment at Lesmos and then ran wide at Parabolica as he wrestled with his puncture. This left Clive in his Low Drag Matra pulling me around in my Lotus. Hristo was a few seconds back but did not seem to be closing as fast as I expected ( now I know about the puncture it makes sense).
I was beginning to think that the "plan" was working out quite well ...here i was sitting comfortably in 2nd spot with a willing windbreak in the form of Clive L's Matra ,..Hristo 3rd slightly incapacitated... and the 4th place car some 30 seconds back, and the race not quite half way through!!!
Ah, but it is not wise to start a census amongst the poultry, whilst there are still hens on nests
There I was a comfortable 25mtrs behind Clive, exiting Parabolica and aligning myself exactly in his wheel tracks for the whizz around the bankings when........................................I happened to notice Mr Loynes leap sideways at about the same time as I caught sight of a flaming wreck of a car directly in front of me!!! This was almost a subliminal image as it appeared and vanished so quickly, whilst I got a birds eye view of the pits and two of my wheels making a bid for freedom.
It was a great race despite the sudden ending and I think the full grid shows that there was real interest in something slightly different for a change. If everyone had thought that it really was too long , then surely there would not have been so many willing to try??? I don't think that a whole season of such races is viable, but as occasional "special events" a resounding success.