Well I decided to join this last minute and found friends onthe grid. Jumped in the G apollo and thought I'd use this as a good car to endure and race well for 80 minutes as normally I race sprint format events.
Worked on the car for 45 ninutes and got it the best it would be for today.
Ran a decent Quali and Grid 14th.
Race: the lights go out and the field moves out for the race. I am behind Michael H who stays prtty much parked. I get around him without getting crushed from behind. I run a wide cautious line thru T1 but Ethan comes in too hot and Smacks Michale Szabo in the Viper and he hits me in the right rear and sends me off on the inside of the track. GReat it's an 80 minute GT race and already guys are being a bit too agressive.
I get going again and am almost DFL. Ok i'll just continue to keep my race pace and I know I wil eventually pass guys and climb the ladder.
My goal is to burn no more than 1.97 liters / lap. If so, I can make it a one stop race for tires only. this trategy can get me in the top 10 I think and possibly, sneak into the top 5.
I race along maintaining my fuel usage goal til my pit stop. I take 4 tires and now see how things are shaping up. I have definitely used below my fuel rate and am pretty wid eopen to cut fast laps now and see if I can pass on speed.
I leave the pits in P13 and up 10 spots form my low.
Neil Gault is in P12 and gapped me by 4 seconds or so.
45 minuts in I pas YUri in the pits for P12. closeda bit on NEil.
40 minutes to go Phillip A and Neil start to battle. I am gaining on them.
27 minutes remainingi I am on NEil now and Phillip and Peter Nielsen are all doing battle. so we are running for a best position of P8 among 4 drivers all in different cars. Phillipp Finally runs wide exiting the last turn beofre the run down the straights and I pass to go P10. Seconds later Neil and Peter touch in the fast right hander to the straight and Peter sails off left. WOW! I am now P9 and close to Neil.
This contact slows NEil down the straight and we enter the braking zone door to door literally. I brak eearly and suspect Neil will run wide. I can corss under and hold the better line to T2/3 and get the position. NEil slows waaaay down to not run wide and I get a big run off the corner nearly colliding with NEil. Minor contact only and we battle on with Philip A right behind.
14 minutes left Neil and I have run from the others and its a fair fight for P8! Thi slap I am better than Neil. HE is starting to PARk for the corners and I am fortunate not to hit him twice. I think his tires are going away after his battle with Philip earlier. I sit patiently staying within .5 and thinking he wil eventually make a mistake. Sure enough he over cooks the hairpin top of the hill and I am P8!
Neil passes me back with a bold braking move at the hairpin at the bottom of the hill! Balls move! We get out clean and race on.
7.5 minutes left I pass NEil again! P8! I extend on Neil as my car appears to be better on worn tires.
4 minutes left: my wife walks in the office asking me questions. I am in a GT car after 76 minutes of battle1 The tires are crap and I am trying to hang on to it! What can possibly be so fukin important? I hit the loud pedal out of the bottom hill hairpin and cannot catch the car!
Neil sails on to 8th.
I give the "I really love yo right now" look and she just stands there looking pretty.....
I make my goal of a top 10.
Simply brilliant racing NEil! Tight, tough and fair all the way!
Cheers gents thanks for letting me in the event and hope maybe in the future I can join up on a Friday.
