Grats to Federico and Geoffers they were in a different class.
I could almost taste the champagne on the podium! It was there, mere millimetres beyond my reach and coming closer as the laps counted down......
I had done almost everything right for this race.
1) downloaded the track and tried a few laps on Wed evening and noted that Feders was going to be in the 2:04's. hmmmm?!!
2) tweaked the setup for the CASC from Birmingham with longer gearing and got times down to 2:07 on race fuel, and medium tyres that looked like they might last.
3) Turned up for the race and got my race pace sorted first with a nice low 2:07 and about 6th spot on the grid.
4) Did that rare thing for me, tried a qually run with soft tyres and low fuel.......shocked to pop up in 3rd on the grid.
5) I thought I was very team spirited and gentlemanly in allowing Mr Loynes to pass me into T1 so that he could attack Geoffers and Federico ( it had nothing to do with my crappy clutch control!! honest )
6) Protected my tyres for the first few laps before stretching the legs of the Mustang and pulling away from Simon to a comfortable distance.
7) Held a watching brief on Clive's car at about 4 secs until half distance, then began to turn the screw and close him down.
The tyres were looking good to last the race and I could really push, taking a couple of tenths out of Clive on each lap.
9) even a small mistake that dropped me back 3 secs was easily recovered and I was all over Clive's bootlid like a monkey in a safari park
10) As the laps clicked down it looked like the pressure was beginning to tell on the Corvettes rear tyres and I could smell blood ( and champagne)
11) I was backing off in places to avoid rear ending Clive so I knew I was quicker and just needed that opportunity to poke my nose through.
12) With 3 laps to go it happened as Clive went sideways out of the penultimate corner and the open road ahead beckoned through the inside line...woohoo!!!!
until Clive arrowed back across the track!!!!! I tried to avoid slapping the bonnet of my "team mate" and even went onto the grass on the inside ( such was the level of grip that I still had
) in an attempt to avoid contact. Only to be eased into the end of a concrete wall by my "team mate".
I lost 2 places as I peeled myself off of the concrete and rejoined with a car that did not like to go in a straight line even on the straights!! Simon had a spin and I regained one spot and Postal threatened to catch me but I found enough speed to keep him away and finish 5th.............and no champagne, my team mate had guzzled it all!! :'( :'(
