|
3 March 2001, Huntly Speedway
Well,
Saturday 3rd of March saw us head to Huntly for the North Island Modified champs. A great nights entertainment was guaranteed when seeing 15 Modifieds, 15 Ltd Saloons + 1 Super Saloon and over 15 Mini Stocks in the pits. We drew grid 12 for the first race (an eerie feeling this, as 12 is what I drew for the first race the night my trans packed it in??? See 10/02/01 ) and were very disappointed, but not surprised, to see that the track was absolutely soaked and that our first race would be a glorified wheel pack.
After the Mod's Grand Parade (which lasted 10 laps, suspiciously like a wheel pack, thank fully) we went out and did about another 10 laps before the green light finally came on and we were "racing"??? The track was like ice to drive on which suited Gordon Pollocks little front wheel drive Nissan. Gordon took out the win, his very first win ever!!!! We finished 12th after passing and being passed regularly in the slush, but basically very happy to have completed a race and to get some points on the board, with NO DAMAGE!! The track would eventually be awesome to race on as the night wears on.
The Modifieds put on an excellent first race on what was still a slippery track but getting faster as the race progressed. Murray Gordge, 1NZ, was easily the fastest car out there, but wasn't able to pass the 31A Modified from Auckland, due to some excellent driving and the wet track out wide. Unfortunately 31A had to pull into the infield with only a couple of laps to go, reason unknown, allowing 1NZ to come through for the win.
Our second race proved to be eventful, to say the least. I was on grid 3 this time. As expected the track surface was perfect by now and a fast race was expected. I was having a little trouble with my RF tyre having a slow leak, we gave it a little bit extra air to compensate. I got a great start and was holding 4th place on the 1st lap when I drove a "wee bit too hard" (yes, I admit to overdriving, this time) and lost control, spinning, on the start/finish straight. I braced myself for the inevitable prang, but it never came. The leading group, of which I was one, had made a big enough break on the rest of the field so as to allow them time to avoid me. Whew!!!!! At this I was very excited and not all upset at having to go to the rear of the field for the restart, as this is the best my car had ever gone. Life is good!!!! On the restart I passed 3 cars straight away and ended up behind my ex-wife in car 88K. I was determined to get past. I would pull up beside her into and around the corners, but didn't have the "horses" to get past and she would pull away in the straights. I was still buzzing though as the car was going extremely well. Unfortunately, luck was to desert me, yet again, and going into turn 3 something broke and I made a sharp right hand turn ending up parked against the wall. I thought my RF tyre had blown out, but it turned out to be the RF brake disc had shattered causing the car to veer right. The impact against the wall broke the top and bottom ball joints. Nothing major, except that I didn't have a spare disc or bottom ball joint!! END OF RACING FOR THAT NIGHT!!
All in all, though, I was very pleased with the car and finally had a taste of racing for this season. The hard work over winter had obviously paid off.
Next meeting 17 March at Huntly, all going well. See ya there...?
|