After being wound up in chat about expected lap times and thinking I was way off the pace in my allocated Eagle, I was expecting a very poor race here.
I managed to grapple with a setup that seemed as good as I was likely to get, and put in a 1:50 lap on race fuel as a "banker" which at least got me a mid grid position.
Then I dumped all but enough fuel for 7 laps and went out for some banzai action.
I was fortunate enough to leave the pits just as Hristo was passing and got myself just about into his slipstream for a couple of flying laps. That made all the difference and I posted a very pleasing 1:48 lap that gave me pole position...very unexpected!!!
The start was as good as I expected with the lack of power against the Fezzas and other heavy machinery
Tim powered past after T1 and I followed in his slipstream down the back straight until he started his vanishing trick
.
Tim's red thing was blinking in and out of vision as we entered the long right hander and then pulled the ultimate defensive tactic by disappearing altogether for the next 3 bends.. very disconcerting!!
. Just as I was beginning to think that he must have disco'd and I was clear to give it some welly, there was suddenly a Ferrari front wheel right next to my right hand mirror!!!! I jinked left and put a wheel on the grass which sent me into a 360 spin. I manged to keep it on the grey stuff and luckily there was no-one too close behind, but I dropped to about 6th spot behind another red thing driven by Syd.
The power of the Fez made any chance of passing on the straight a no-hoper , but Syd appeared to be struggling to get the beast slowed down and turned into the corners. I used his slipstream to keep me in touch down the straights and hoped for an opening in the corners. Our combined pace drew us closer to the cars in front and then Hristo and someone else tangled lifting us to 2nd and 3rd, with Dave making the most of his opportunity to escape. I felt that if I could pass Syd, I could catch Dave, but my only hope was to wait for a mistake from Syd to give me an opening to pass.
I thought he had overcooked the braking into a bend and lined myself up for a chance then his car squirmed back under control and the gap closed.
Apologies to Syd, but I just could not scrub off enough speed to avoid a tap on his rear...which finished both our races.
Grats To Dave and podium , and all finishers.