That is very frustrating Ginsters!! hope you don't give up entirely on GPL as you are certainly competitive and will be missed.
I was somewhat more fortunate
I knew from a little pre race practice that Clive L had got the Brab BT11 hooked up and was flying. I just knew Hristo would be on pole and favourite for another win for the Wazas and that Tim would be quick enough to be "in the mix"as well. Add about another 5 or 6 drivers all capable of posting quick laps and this race looked a toughie!!
For the first half of practice I used race fuel to get a feel for the heavy Honda and it was not until I realised that I was down in about 10th place that I switched to quali fuel load and tried to squirm up the grid.
Panicked a bit when I realised there was only 10mins left, but the pit crew gave me a shot of saki and sent me out with HER words in my ears.
Did a warm up lap to get the tyres nice and gooey and was fortunate enough to follow Mr Loynes over the s/f line and down towards T1 which gave me a good start to the lap. Clive pulled over, probably just being mean and denying me the tow
but the 2nd sector time also came up green so 'fings was looking good for the slant eye team
When sector 3 came up green as well, the dreaded nerves kicked in as I approached the final corner and I was convinced that I had screwed up the entry and had blown it!! The engine was nailed to the rev limiter as we crossed the line and I was amazed to have posted a sub 1:24 lap...but also quite chuffed
, especially as it took the pole slot.
Hristo started to eat away at my time in 2nd and Tim was also close in 3rd spot. Wazas had stormed to the front 3 places on the grid and were in their rightful place.
I fully expected Hristo to beat my time but although he got very close in his BT7 I still started the race from the front of the grid.
The Wazas were indeed in the right place as the green machines fell over themselves on the first lap in the dust of the mighty Wazas and allowed a respectable gap to open up.
Once Hristo had the BT11 wound up I allowed him to pass so that I could use him to tow me along in 2nd spot and hopefully an even larger gap. Gradually Hristo eased away to a 5sec lead aided by one or two small mistakes on my part.
Then Hristo got bored and did some Rallycross at T2 which allowed me back into 1st place still with a nice cushion back to the chasing group.
1 lap later Hristo was abducted by aliens as he crossed the s/f line. Oh yes he was! I saw it in my mirrors..clear as day..there was a bright light ...one second he was there and then he was gone!!!
This left yours truly in a very very cushy first place.
I monitored the gap back to 2nd place which had been sneakily stolen from the Wazas by a green machine but he was not getting any closer to me so I just held my pace for the next 20 laps or so only troubled briefly by cars that I had to lap at inconvenient spots on the circuit.
With the end in sight I decided to ease up slightly and protect the engine, which is when I think Clive decided to push even harder. as a result the last lap was far closer than it was ever meant to be and I was forced to put in my fastest race lap instead of cruising over the line.
The wasa steamroller is up and running and almost completed another clean sweep but for alien intervention and an impudent round eye in a green machine.
But..."all our victories are belong to her"...
