Just to announce to the world (I'll speak to you off-list, Scotty:-)
that on Sunday I competed in my first SuperSprint - at Mallala racetrack
in South Australia.
What a nerve wracking thing to sit on that startline for the first time
until you realise that (as a beginner at the back of the field) you are
virtually by yourself out there and you just have to do your own thing.
I only got passed by two cars who started behind me (later in the day).
The zippy Mini was fine until he spun out and I had to around him on a
bend while he was still spinning, but the bloody Magnette caught me by
surprise when it loomed larger than life up my behind (and some people
think it is a 'stock' Magnette... ha!).
Great fun and by the end of the day, at my first outing, I was just a
few seconds off the pace for my class in my "stock standard" (really)
MGB. Those few seconds should come off when I finally start braking as
late as I should... and when I consistently get the lines through those
corners instead of using sheer brute force ... SIDEWAYS!
I may even eventually end up being OK at this sport.
The car held together well (I might talk about the wire wheels later:-)
and the Yokohama A509's stuck to the track like they were meant to.
If anyone else is contemplating playing at race-car driver... I say GO
FOR IT! What fun. BUT, my little warning is that if it is a hot day
(as we had) make sure you re-hydrate properly. I was feeling a little
unwell at the end of the day and I put it down to the fact that I drank
very little water between races (too excited and thinking of other
things). You don't realise how much effort you really put into this
racing stuff until after it is all over. Also poor padding on my
harness left me with sore shoulders - those G-Forces can throw you
around, even at the slow speeds we do in our little cars.
Nope... no further advice from this rookie.
A fun day was had by all... and now we look forward to the big event in
October... the SIX HOUR RELAY (regularity) RACE - where they are hoping
to get around 20 cars, all classes, on the track at the same time. Now
*THAT* should be fun :-)
Thanks for listening.
Eric
(tired but happy)
'68 MGB MkII
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