Well I went through every emotion in that one.. Managed to top qualifying for a while and feeling quite smug until Trist joined and blew my time out of the water by almost a full second.
So to the grid. WTF is this.. I had done so many practice starts on the pits side of the oval, set my 1st gear to minimize wheel spin on the camber off the line. Now I find myself on the back straight. And it got worse, I couldn't see any starter. (Found out looking at the replay he was off to the right but out of my field of view).
So I had to wait for Trist to go and by the time we hit the banking for the 1st time I think I was in 6th.
Flustered and wondering what else I wasn't aware of I managed to grab a place back but as we entered the banking near the end of lap 1 I lost the rear. (Must have made Dean who was following close behind jump) Corrected, ran wide and caught my rear on one of the cones flicking me into the wall. So waited for the expected impact from the following group, nothing came so spun around and rejoined last. Spitting feathers set off after Francesco and Billy. Caught Francesco coming off the banking but was caught out by the slipstream and again hit the wall trying to avoid running into the back of him. It didn't seem to slow my progress much though and the car still felt fine, drove around the outside of him into T1 and we exited the corner side by side and it was a drag down to T2 behind Billy. I braked for the turn, Billy braked for the turn and Fran didn't.
both cars sent spinning across the track and I somehow came through unscathed and set off after Andreas. Caught Andreas at the end of lap 2 and it was an easy task to use the Eagle power to pass into T1 and set off after Bob and Clive. Caught both entering the banking and was able to outdrag both down towards T1. At this point I was surprised to find Prib was telling me I was in P4 and noticed Both Bastian and Cookie had disappeared so I was now chasing Deans Ferrari, but several hundered yds adrift.
Oh so Slowly began to make ground and I began to think what I was to do should I catch him. Fortunately (For me) he took any decisions out of my hands by running wide into T2 and I was through. I could see Fulvio way off in the distance ahead but we were less than half distance to I figured Eagle verses Repco, no problem. As it was it took until lap 19 before I was finally within striking distance. The Logical Angel on my right shoulder was saying follow closely and use the Eagle's power to pass him on banking the final lap. The racing Angel on my left shoulder said "Go for it". (Should have listened to my "Logical Angel"). Went for a pass into T1, Arrived a lot more quickly than I expected and lost the rear trying to tighten my line for a late apex for the run down to T2 and ended up on the grass. I'm sure I heard Fulvio laughing as he retook the position and disappeared off into the distance.
So the last 2 laps were a bit of an anti climax, Set off after Fulvio again with no hope of catching him unless he made a monumental mistake. (Which of course he didn't). So 3rd. I would have biiten someone's arm off if offered that before the race but kinda disappointed to have had 2nd staring me in the face only to blow the opportunity through my own ambition outweighing Talent. Shame only 12 on the grid. I really like this track, I love T1 and hate the final turn onto the banking in equal measure, I don't think I got that one right once.
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Thanks for the race guys, loved it as always.
TTFN
John.