I am just beginning to believe that I might have solved my disco problems.....now watch me disco in the next race!!!
Grats to Hristo for a fine win.
When Hristo and Ronnie? tangled early in the race I thought I had a chance to escape and sneak away into the lead. I was just far enough ahead to be out of slipstream range and if I could maintain my qually pace I might just stay out of reach. Well, that might have worked if I had kept my right foot off the gas a little longer at T6. Instead I was too eager to get on the gas and I managed to spin up the rear tyres and spin nicely on to the infield
I was not far enough ahead to be able to rejoin and I had to wait for at least 3 hours whilst the field streamed past.
By the time I did get going, the red fog was VERY thick and I hunted down the cars in front one by one. It took a few laps but eventually I found myself in 4th with the leading trio of Dean, Ronnie and Hristo showing themselves in the distance . Lap by lap the gap came down and I glimpsed their cars more often. I was hoping that their 3 way scrap would just hinder them enough that I could get involved.
Then Dean made a mistake and Hristo took the lead, followed by Ronnie as I inherited 3rd.
I suspect that at about this time in the race Hristo turned the screw and teh pace of the leading 2 increased...at least the gap stopped coming down as quickly!!! But it was still coming down, so I must be lapping slightly quicker than they were.
Gradually Hristo eased a gap on Ronnie and he slipped back into my clutches
One or two laps harrasing Ronnie paid off when he put a wheel on the grass and I grabbed the chance to take 2nd spot. It was crucial to get a gap over Ronnie or he would certainly attempt to regain the place, so I pushed VERY hard for a couple of laps until the rear tyre temps dictated that I ease up slightly.
During those fast laps I did reduce the gap to Hristo, but I was never fast enough or close enough to mount a challenge for the lead. I made the classic mistake of easing off and relaxing once I had a 300mtr lead over Ronnie with only a few laps to go and simply got too lazy out of the final turn and managed a complete 360 spin. Fortunately I was just far enough ahead of Ronnie to hold on to 2nd place as I rejoined, but now I had a car in my mirrors with only a few laps to go...not good when that car is in the hands of someone as fast as Ronnie!!!
I pushed hard again to get a few hundred mtrs lead and was able to cruise the final lap to hold 2nd spot.
For me a really satisfying race recovering from a disaster at the beginning and crawling back to take 2nd spot.
Grats to Hristo Ronnie and commiserations to Dean who maybe should also have been in contention for the podium.