Round 2 – St Patricks Day Festival – Zwartkops Raceway
This past weekend’s St Patricks Day Festival at Zwartkops, saw the Little Polo smiling (in the rain) in qualifying… but sadly it dried up and the playing fields were not as level thereafter …. (for us anyway) ;-)
Qualifying:
An hour before it was time to go out for qualifying, the heavens opened up (much to my delight) I was told by Mr Nathan that I should only do 3 laps, which I did (I know I listened – a rare occasion) when I came into the pits, everyone was smiling from ear to ear, I was top of the time sheets (yes overall) BUT…. The others stayed out for the entire session and got quicker and demoted me to 9th overall (but 5th in class) naturally I was also happy about this and kept my rain dance going… but much to most others delight it cleared up …
Race 1:
I was 18th on the grid (8th in class B) due to the usual reverse grid from the previous events race order finish.. then the days actual times… I had a cracker of a start and took 3 cars by turn 1, but mid turn 1, the car went into limp mode and I had to reset the key (ignition) lost the 2 spots that I had made up, but gained some ground again by turn 2 and on the exit, again the limp mode kicked in… another re-set and chase again, exit of turn 4… yes – AGAIN and again in turn 7, turn 8, turn 1 again and turn 4 again and then clear for the rest of the race.. but I had lost all the ground I made up on the start by then, I did however have a great battle with Shane Forget in the Opel Kadett, who eventually got the better of me and finished JUST ahead of me, to leave me take the flag 7th in class and 12th overall.
Race 2:
The usual top 5 reversal then the rest… so I was 17th overall (and 7th in class), another great start and this time no computer issues, I got up into 4th place and managed to hold it for most of the race with Francis Alrich in his Peugeot 206 hounding me, and eventually making the pass stick and he took 4th, again Shane was in my mirror, but this time, he had to settle for 6th and I hung onto 5th place in class B and 9th overall.
Overall:
A GREAT result as we are still not on the power to weight limit and lack a few ponies.. BUT my 5th place finish means pole when we return to Zwartkops on the 12th of May for the next round of the SuperHatch championship