Quali was ok - had similar problems like Bill when Matt tried to join but I used the break for another very quick dinner cause I was still hungry
After two laps racing I was thinking about quitting because I found myself frustrated in last place about 30 seconds behind Tony after a contact with Syd - who seemed to have some handling problem with the Tina (which for me is absolutely undriveable in Real-GTL up to now) and then discoed
- and one own mistake by missing the right line in the first fast right and leaving the track.
Fortunately I did not quit because it still turned to be a nice race as after some more laps I was able to close in on Tony again (who - I think - made a mistake on his own) but was unable to overtake him due to two totally different characters and racing lines of the cars
(the R8Gordini is another car I'm still unable to handle - chapeau Tony and Mark!). So I had to wait for a mistake to pass Tony without shooting both of us off the track.
Some laps later I closed in on Bill but was absolutely powerless against the strength and acceleration of the Stang on the straights but considerably faster and often very, very close through the corners - sometimes side by side. Bill fought like a lion
and in the end won this battle well-deserved after I could not avoid at least two contacts during the combat because it really was a tight one.
Thank you Bill for the great and fair fight!
When Jack Dummer had to left the race with no fuel after lap 14 I realized that I probably would get out of fuel too and kept an eye on it during the remaining laps (had filled for 24 laps only
). Fortunately it appeared to work for good when leading Hristo lapped me for the second time and I would have been able to see the finish line after 22 laps already. But then - oh my god - Hristo left to pit right in front of me and I had to do another lap because Navin still was far behind
And exactly at the beginning of lap 23 the red light began flickering
. So I had to finish the race in highest gear with very low pace which fortunately succeeded
Thanks to all involved for organizing another great event and for great racing.
See you next time.