Yes, indeed, the most atrocious luck there, Geoffers.
But you're still p1 in the point standings!
Grats to Federico on a fine win! Super job by Animal Ed to score P2 in the GS 'vette. And hey! A p3 pour moi! Most unexpected but welcome.
Kudos to Jarda who did a great job in the Ferrari. I almost selected this car as my ride here as it was so much fun to drive. Somewhat slower that the Cobra 427 to be sure but fun nonetheless. Alex hung on gamely in the little Lotus Elan to carry off a good p7.
I had some fine duels during the race. An off by Giuseppe(0214 in the replay cap)set up a keen three-way, side-by-side dash between GR, Jarda and myself down the main straight(0270). I had to back off early as I was on the inside for the corner following and the Cobra's brakes aren't the most efficient. Giuseppe fair near cleaned my front wing off when he carved down to the verge.
Not long after, Giuseppe rammed Phspok off the road in T1(0622)and this let me through to a lofty p3. I didn't think that it would last...and it didn't. Giuseppe came tearing up behind me in the twisty bits...I had the goods on him on the straights...and moved to my outside flank as we entered the final complex. Bad idea. His Porsche got pinged off the road but proper(1098). Recovering, GR closed rapidly again and not wanting to arse about with engineering a good pass, he decided to straight forwardly just drill me off the road(1182). That cost a bunch of time but I still held p4. Justice was served later when he ran afoul of the tires leading onto the main straight and trashed his 911(1780). Tsk, tsk...
This left me again in p3 with Fedrico and Eddie long gone but Phspok not all the far behind in p4...and gaining. In the closing stages, he gave me quite a chase. With just a few laps to go, his GT40 clipped my tail in the final complex and it gave me a start(2222). 'Here we go again!', I thought. 'Well, if that's the name of the game...'
On the same lap and upon entering the main straight, I no sooner got up to speed than I decided to cover the inside line approach to T1 and make Phspok work for the pass(2245). Most likely, he'd achieve that but you never know. Imagine my surprise, then, as he dove to my right and occupied the service apron running up to T1. 'This can't be good.', I mused. Sure enough, with the extra speed to pass me and the inside line, it spelled doom for the GT40. Off into the outfield barriers at speed. The time lost there made it a done deal for p3.
Good fun... CYA next round!
Doni