Post Rd7 - Sandown

Firstly, many thanks to Wally on postponing the night by half an hour or so, it was appreciated by us all i'm sure

Had some great dices with Webber, Shano, Dan & Wobbly particularly in race 1, and chased Webber hard in race 2 for 90% of the race until you had your off.

Most of all thanks to everyone who raced tonight for the good nights racing, it helped take my mind at least off the tragedies of this evening and the last week

Look forward to Amaroo next weekend.

Hope you guys had a good nights racing, I just wasnt up for it... I'm still numb as I type this... Been following Marco closely for the past few seasons..

Won't be able to make Amaroo next week, but will hopefully race on Tues

What a strange night.

Firstly, Rest In Peace to Marco Simoncelli. A death is always terrible, but when it happens in motor sport it just seems so much of a shame. Somehow saying he died doing what he loved just doesnt make it any better. Since it happened you're thinking, he's gonna be ok, we arent gonna see someone pass away here.

Such a shame.

One minutes silence for Dan Wheldon and Simoncelli, was very nice.

This kind of seems a little insignificant what we do here after this week. But ill give you a report nonetheless.

Qualy was interrupted so times may have been a little off. I think i qualified fourth.

Race 1.

Having just heard Simoncelli had been pronounced dead i wasnt really concentrating and jumped the start, got a Drive-Through penalty. I didnt want to call for another restart, after we had already done 2. So when it called for me to come into the pits, i drove in, but i couldnt select the drive through on the LCD or see any box for me to stop in. I even stopped at the end of the lane, no dice. So now im last, i come into the pits again, looking for a way to serve the penalty, nothing.
Came back out and ran into a wall cos i was so pissed off, got a puncture. Went to change tyres, crossed the finish line on lap 4, disqualified for not serving a drive-through. RAWWR!!!!!!!!!!

Race 2.

Had a very cautious jump off the line, and got away reasonably well. By the end of L1 i had settled in behind Wally who had chosen a skyline, with Berlsy behind me.
I was on Wally's bumper for about 5 laps when i made a mistake and Berlsy got by me.
A couple corners later Bersly ran wide and i though i hit him, so i was a little worried, but it looks like he may have had connection issues?

For the next 5 laps i chased down Wally, and to my surprise i was able to close the gap and got right back on his bumper. At that long sweepy downhill turn i over cooked it and slammed the wall. Wally got away again.

It took me another 5 laps to catch up to him again, yep i caught wally again, awesomes. Was so happy to catch someone, let alone Wally twice.
On lap 19 after tailing him closely, i got too eager and spun him around, so i slowed for him to retake the spot.

With three laps to go i was right on him, i was gaining alot of time on him in the long sweepy downhill bit, and on the pit straight. I think it was due to my gearing being a little better than his. I could see the gap closing on gear changes every lap.
So many times i got right up to his bumper on the straight, but didnt have the right to make any passes. Great Defending.

We came together on the second last lap, but he waved me on.
Cruised to the finish line to take 5th with the car spluttering from a lack of fuel!!!

I think this has to be my best race in TCL to date. Since i started with you guys, Wally has kind of been a goal to get to one day, i thought if i could eventually keep up with a driver like him, then i would be doing ok. Tonight we were in indentical cars, and although he prolly hadnt done 200 laps at Sandown this week, i caught him twice and troubled him all race.

And that is as good as 1st place in my book.

See yas next race. Thanks for reading.

RIP Marco and Dan.

Race 2 I had an awesome battle with Shaynskyline........ This is what it's all about Shayn, the battles,,, doesn't matter if we were first and second or 21st and 22nd, we both had a terrific race. This battle raged all race long with Shayn being quicker than myself but with both of us making mistakes and Shayn's car able to leap outa corners much better than mine made it into a awesome race. unfortunately the battle was over 3 laps from the end when i snagged 1st gear instead of second which resulted in shayn tagging me(not his fault) so i told him to get going. I had major damage including a flat tyre and managed to limp around to the line (trying to help a stricken outa fuel car to cross the line to no avail).

great driving shayn and I hope we get to repeat that in the future, different finishing result though of course

Yeah wally, the result didn't really matter to me in the end, fifth spot was a bonus really.

Just being able to stay with someone and trouble them for the whole race was great.

And even though I don't think you were at your best in the skyline, the fact that I kept it together most the race meant I could hang around and challenge.

I probably coulda takena few more chances and made a pass but, I wasn't confident I could do it cleanly.

Wanna say thanks to Damo too. I don't like lapping people, I feel bad. But he made it very easy for us to get by and was very considerate. Well done mate, I know its a bit tricky with steamed up cars closing in on you.
Great nite racing.

Bad luck to Billy and Wobbly on the fuel.

lol.. the fuel, i knew it was going to be close on fuel and hadnt done any long test runs so i had no idea of fuel usage. I had just passed wobbly who had come to a stop at the pit entrance when the cow coughed, i thought i might just make it if i took it nice and slow, but not to be.

Didnt really matter as i just could not get any flow here car felt horrible and i dont know how many times a cut the bottom corner at the end of the back straight, if it were a real race i would've been pinged for a drive-thru for sure.. anyway it is what it is and all feels a bit irrelevant at the moment.

RIP Marco and Dan... you could never know how many people admired your achievements and idolised you because of them.