As usual turned up without any practice & chose the Ace as I thought it would be a fairly easy drive. Loaded up my setup from Meadowdale last year & set off for a few practice laps. First couple of laps highlighted that the gearing was too high & the car was too loose on turn in & wanted to swap ends on the tight corners. Lower gearing & some suspension & diff tweeks made the car much more driveable & I was able to just get in the 1.34s. Qually saw an improvement into the 1.33s & just pipped Erling for 3rd on the grid.
Bit nervous at the start when Clive's car didn't appear on the grid, was half expecting it to pop up in front of me on the run to the first turn. Bad luck on that strange DQ Clive, odd one that, & doesn't it always happen when you are right on the pace!
Anyway got away in 2nd behind Ziu who soon disappeared over the horizon while I settled in, Erling was right behind & managed to hold him off for about 10-12 laps. But as the tyres wore it became more difficult to get the car to change direction in the esse-bends, got the Gooseneck wrong a couple of times & when I struggled to get it under control for the Woodlands hairpin Erling nipped past on the run to Barn. Tried to keep up but lost it at the Gooseneck on the next lap & then went off twice more in the next 2 laps & dropped behind Matt, John & Misnoimis.
Regained a place when Matt went off & was back upto 3rd when John & Misnoimis had a slight disagreement. Pitstop went well & was well clear in 3rd when all stops had been completed. Was never going to get near Ziu & Erling & had settled for 3rd when I hit the barrier approaching Barn & wrecked the suspension & finished up deep in the undergrowth on the inside of the corner, race over.
Congrats to Ziu, Erling & Matt.
Off to Spa this weekend so will miss next week's race (always seems to be Silverstone races I miss!), so see ya all at Sebring.