For me it was probably just as well that I did not realise that there was a choice of cars, I would have got even more confused!!
I had posted here about my attempts at a setup and in the few minutes before we actually got to race I applied a couple more tweaks that made the car slightly better for me.
I was not expecting to be competitive and the gremlins that resulted in a random grid hardly made the gulf between me and the front runners clear, although ATi and Geffers were looking very quick.
The race start was Ok and at least I survived the early laps on cold tyres without incident. Then I found myself tailing the leading bunch and slowly catching them as they argued over apex rights at some corners.
Tried to keep my car on track and without error rather than pushing 100% and it was keeping me in touch. Then a couple of cars tangled and I was up to 5th and just behind Erling.
That was too good a target to chase
I pushed as hard as I dared and still was losing a few tenths each lap, but I was 3rd !! woohoo!! with a sizeable gap back to 4th.
If I could end up 3rd that would be a result in these cars, because I was definitely not comfortable with the way they behave, so I just kept my steady pace. Then I came across Erling re arranging the gravel sculpture at T1. I did wave as I passed, but I think he was too busy with his shovel to notice.
Once he was up and running I had a few seconds lead and concentrated on maintaining my pace so he would have to work to catch me. I guessed after a few laps that he had some minor probs because he was not closing as quickly as I expected him to, and then when he dropped another 10secs I was feeling much happier.....2nd place!! what a joke!!
Geoffers was out of sight in the lead, banging in 1:24 sec laps to my high 1:25's so there was no chance of catching him until......................there was car recovering from the grass at T4? I thought at first it was a backmarker. It got back onto the tarmac ahead of me and was obviously Geoffers because he immediately pulled away. But 1st place was now in sight..oooer!
I could not match his pace and was in danger of throwing away 2nd spot if I tried, but then he went wide again at the same corner
and I took the lead!!
My claim to fame is that I crossed the finish line in 1st place on 1 lap!! then Geoffers popped my Christmas balloon and recovered his position
I felt that a gentleman would have made a few more mistakes at T4 and allowed me a glorious win, but it was not to be and I rolled in a distant 2nd as I eased up over the last 2 laps, just to be sure .
I think reality has dawned this morning and that finish was a fluke. Several fast guys either did not get onto the server or had problems, so I am not as fast as it might appear.
I will post the latest setup version ( that I used in the race) on line sometime later for anyone to play with. It was good for low 1:25's if I hooked everything up and maybe a 1:24 at my limit, but it did deliver a steady race pace and preserved plenty of tyre wear right through to the finish.
Great fun guys and thanks to Tony for organising.
