A real shame Bill as you looked to be favourite for the podium based on your qually lap times.
Grats to Erling on taking the silverware for this season and to Tony for organising a very enjoyable set of races.
I did not relish this race as my use of cars in previous rounds had limited me to either the Daimler reclining lounge leather equipment, or the ( until now ) undriveable Mini. I tested the 2.8 daimler in pre race practice but it was at least a second off the pace in my hands and I knew that the points situation meant that I had to be able to stay on Matt's tail, if I wanted to hang on to second spot for the season.
Reluctantly I dragged the mini out of the car transporter with Arnold's help and stood looking at it... "a nice shade of blue" was all the encouragement that Arnold offered. I guessed at the required fuel load for the race and added a couple of gallons just to be sure and left the pits hoping to learn how to drive a car with the driving wheels at the wrong end!!
Slowly the lap times crept down and a couple of times I was showing 0.5 secs up on my best and just over cooked it somewhere. "This mingey needs some very smooth driving" Mabel's voice came over the radio " caress it like you would a lady" she purred. Well I dammed nearly rammed the car into the armco and ran screaming for the hills, but there was some prestige at stake here. It was the last race of the season and I just had to make this buzz box work for me.
Slowly I found the sweet spot, and Mabel was right, it needed persuading into the corners and then balance the slide and understeer with delicate inputs from the throttle. I did the whole of qually on race fuel, so when the grid formed up and I was in 3rd spot ( a shame that Bill got dropped as that would have put me a more accurate 4th). But I also knew that I had found some pace that would maybe keep me in touch with the front row guys...especially Matt
I got just about the best start I have ever made in a Mini and jumped Erling and was feeling awfully chuffed when Tony's Lotus Cortina powered past into Paddock Hill bend.. "How bloody inconsiderate" I thought " the cad has put himself between Matt and myself !".
I checked for any other traffic coming through and was able to nail it through T1 and make a run on Tony up the inside to Druids, where he stayed just wide enough for a little feller to squeeze round the inside and exit the bend alongside him. It was a game of chicken down to Graham Hill bend, but I had the better line for the apex and the exit.. and I was a desperate man, I had to get on terms with Matt and stick to his boot lid.
I guess I should really thank Tony for being a) a gentleman and b) aware that I was there and giving me room.
Either way it worked and I was only 50 mtrs behind Matt. I risked a few "last of the demon brakers" moves to get closer and then sat on Matt's tail watching where he was quicker and where he was slower. There were plenty of examples of the former and very little evidence of the latter!!! I was driving my wheel nuts off just to stay with him. But I was learning the lines and after about 5 laps I suddenly found the correct braking/downshift/turn in points for Paddock Hill bend, something that had been a real headache for me until that moment.
I was able to close up on each lap on the run up to Druids because I carried more speed through T1, but I was not planning to pass just yet. Matt and I had pulled a good few seconds lead over Tony in 3rd place and Erling who was stuck behind in 4th. I was happy to let Matt set the pace and take us away from the pack. But then Erling had to go and spoil that nice comfy arrangement by passing Tony and taking huge chunks out of the gap!!!
Now I was worried, because I did not want Erling catching us and putting his car between Matt and myself. It was time to deploy the Mabel Glutbucket knicker elastic overdrive unit.... I had to pass Matt and try and get away.
So I started to apply some pressure and look for an opening. Matt proved very stubborn and defended his line lap after lap, until I finally got alongside him out of Druids. His speed ran him just a fraction wide through Graham Hill and onto the grass, I did not need a second invitation!
I was on the ragged edge for the next few laps until I built a 2 second gap that would give me breathing space and a buffer if Matt or Erling mounted a comeback surge.
That threat materialised with about 12 laps to go. I had relaxed a little and my pace had dropped fractionally, but I think Matt and Erling were having a real battle and had upped theirs. They closed my comfy 4 second lead down to 2 secs in only a few laps and I had to work very hard to prevent them getting any closer. You guys must have been really pushing each other along!!
The flag could not come soon enough for me as small mistakes were creeping in with brain fatigue and worn front tyres. I was only hoping to be able to follow Matt and play the percentage game for points in the Mini, so to actually win was a total surprise. I suspect that had Bill not been removed by Gremlins he might have had some input into the result. I wonder where Mabel was just before the start? she said that she had something important to do and smiled before slipping around the back of the pits.......................
?