Run 11/8/1009
I'd already run four sessions Saturday and three on Sunday before this race so me and the car were pretty tired.
After giving my car some attention and getting the front tires rotated on the rims to try and coax one more race from them I was starting to get concerned with the car, it had never been pushed that hard that many sessions over one weekend, I had boild the brake fluid and bled them twice and the front wheel bearings were getting toasted and groaning.
I used the last session before the race to check things out, I wanted to be sure I had something left for the race. So I only ran a few 7/10’s laps and brought it back in, added some fuel, checked everything over again and waited for the race.
Jim, the director wanted to do a standing start. At first I thought, “Hey, if they’d let me do a burnout first I could launch past everyone drag race style” it is a Pontiac after all.
But given my tranny and rear gear I was more than happy to do a rolling start.
The they decided to invert the field with high HP cars in the rear, so to the rear I went.
Gridded for the race start we took the track, Matt, the guy gridded beside me in the green Turbo VW, stabbed his brakes to warm his tires, I stabbed mine and they went to the floor and I almost nailed him in the rear, I spent the rest of the warm up trying to build up some pedal pressure.
Coming down the front stretch I was in the back and luckily I was also on the right, when the flag dropped I laid back and stayed right in case I lost my brakes and had to bail, always give yourself and out.
But at the turn I had some brakes but gave up two spots, I was able to get one back from 3-4 and I wasn’t too concerned since I knew I could chase about everyone but Matt down just with horsepower.
As I picked a few off I started catching the field, then the Pink Panther BMW comes on track late, another lap later I’m coming up on the field but rather than try a daring inside move into turn one with iffy brakes I backed off letting the Panther have the turn, but once I could get back on the throttle I was able to power by.
But my little race against the lap down Panther would let the field get back away again.
During the next lap I felt the front wheel bearings groaning, I realized I wouldn’t have enough time to catch the field again anyway so I back it down to about 7/10’s as I was determined to finish since I knew I wouldn't get past by anyone.
All in all I was well pleased with the race, I was hoping to battle Matt for the win as we'd had some intense runs together all weekend, but starting in the back I just couldn’t get through the field as easily as he could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDpD4UCuZV0