Grats to Ziu, Geoffers and Erling on their championship wins. I did take a quick look at the points table before last night's race and was stunned to see where I was in the fast cars
. But then reality kicked in when I looked at what cars I had left and more importantly what cars other members might use....... Erling already had the Group B table sewn up, so he was sure to take the Pirin in Group A and Geoffers was spoilt for choice, so he was likely to take a Group A too
Maybe I could stick my nose into that little battle for the Group A silverware, but it was a big ask against the likes of Geoffers ( who would have the faster car ) and professor Erling and his clinical racing.
Erling guessed right about quali on race fuel. Something that I do 90% of the time so that I know where I am on race pace. If everyone else qualifies on race fuel I have a good indication of my relative speed, if they have gone light on fuel then things can only get better for me?? At least that is what I tell myself
So, Arnold worked out the race strategy. "In the early laps stay as close as you can to Erling, coz that Geoffers guy is at least 2 secs a lap faster and trying to stay with him is gonna end in grass cutting or worse!".
All that meticulous planning went out of the window in the first 300mtrs! Dan had obviously not read the script and used the illegal KERS system on his car to fire himself into 2nd place before Eau Rouge!!!
Got myself onto Erlings tail and attached a length of Mabel's knicker elastic to his rear bumper " that should ensure that the little bu**er does not get away from me!"
I guessed that Erling had indeed Q'd on low fuel because there were parts of the track where my car felt quicker and I was able to stay with him and , in places, take a sneaky look for a pass.
S. Cargo had got himself onto the back of the tussle for 2nd with Dan and Erling was dragging us into a 4 car dice......sitting at the back of this group I was hoping for an "opportunity"
Approaching Campus it seemed that Erling was slowed by the car in front and the catapultg effect from the elastic tow rope fired me down the outside of the right hander so that by the time we were taking the left hand element, I was almost alongside Erling's car.
When he turned in I knew that he would not expect me to be there , heck!! I had not expected to be there!!!. So I moved as far onto the grass as I dared and hoped that the two wheels still running on kerb and tarmac might keep me pointing in the right direction. But your honour, the miniscule abrasion with what I can only assume was a protruding door handle on Erling's car, combined with the gravitational alignment with Jupiter and the Sun caused him to veer uncontrollably off the track. Even Mabel's knicker elastic was not strong enough to arrest his trajectory, such was the gravitational pull.
I was so moved by this most unfortunate galactic anomaly that I stopped to offer my assistance.
Imagine my great relief and joy when he emerged unscathed from the undergrowth to rejoin the action.
I was so devastated that he had suffered such a setback that I felt it was my duty to urge him back up through the field, so where I felt that he was not maximising his speed I offered my physical presence against his rear end to reduce his laptimes. When that failed I passed him and offered him the benefit of my slipstream, because I am such a gentleman
So keen was I that Erling should recover any lost ground, that my exuberance overcame me and I was surprised when Dominick slowed down for La Source. This is a corner which Arnold maintains is taken flat in 3rd.......no!! honestly that is what he says. He has never driven a car around Spa, but he claims that he knows stuff.
Erling would now have to look after himself as once again I waited to offer my assistance to a fellow traveller.....I am just such a gentleman m'lud.
Once I had followed him for a lap and I was sure that Mr Dominick was OK I decided to get to the end of the race as smartly as possible and enjoy a cup of tea with Geoffers, who had kindly offered to provide tea and biscuits as he was likely to be the first back to the clubhouse. Quite why Mabel could not be arsed to make the tea is a good question, but have you tasted her tea???
Great fun guys. Like most of these series I only get used to the cars and find some good pace after the halfway point in the season. Maybe I need to practice more???