I don't know who he was, or if he's on the list, but I'd like to
express my heartfelt thanks to the corner worker nearest the start
line at last Saturday's practice in San Diego. The story is simple
enough.
My green Miata was a car behind an older gentleman who was driving a
copper colored VW Bug. The starter gave him a good lead, then let the
car ahead of me go, and then it was my turn. The course started with
a short straight which lead to a 180 degree right hand turn. I'd
accelerated and was looking to the right for my brake point when out
of the left corner of my eye I spotted a corner worker waving the red
flag and running at me. I got off the throttle and had just enough
time to think "what the #*#*#*!" when I saw the VW.
He had gotten lost on the course and appeared to be heading back to
the grid. To get there he was cutting right across the end of the
straight, in front of me to my left. As I told some people the next
day it wasn't really as close as it looked, but that was solely thanks
to that alert corner worker. The extra second he bought me might very
well have made the difference between a ruined lap and a ruined car.
So, if you're on the net; whoever you are, thanks! If someone knows
who it was and he's not on the net, then please pass this message on.
Paul Osnes
496 BS
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