News - Modified Production Number 8
Maryborough - Wide Bay Grand Prix
Heat 1 I started off pole. We were the support program so we got wet tracks for most of our races, which made for some interesting moments. Being on pole meant I had the slop in turn 2 to contend with and as I hit that and drifted up the track, Johnno Collins on the outside cut down the track and hit my front right sending me down the track towards the infield. Steve Price had siezed the moment to try and go underneath me and consequently my rear hit his front and he ended up spinning out in front of the rest of the field causing chaos. I got pinged for causing all the chaos and got sent to the rear for the restart. I ended up finishing 4th behind Johnno Collins, Gavin Lorensen and Luke Hollyman.
Heat 2 I started off rear and finished 8.
Heat 3 I started out of 7 and finished 6. I had a good race trying the high line to go around Clarke, but just couldn't make it stick.
Heat 4 I started out of 4. I finished 3rd behind Brett & Travis Barron.
Heat 5 I started out of 2 beside Mark Raymont. There wasn't much drive up high and Johnno Collins followed Mark Raymont through on the start and I slotted into 3rd for a few laps. I went high into turn 1 and pulled back down into turn 2 cutting Gary Maroske off and spinning him out, so I was sent to the rear again. I finished 7th.
I started out of 3 in the B-Main. Mark Ferguson & Dale Grotherr were off the front row. Grotherr got high and I went under him only to have a restart after some of the field spun out. Part way through the race I got back under Grotherr and Ferguson appeared to be slowing as the race went on so I tried to go around him when Bullpitt & Grotherr got underneath me. Ferguson was protecting the pole line so Bullpitt went high and was running side-by-side with Grotherr for a few laps till he pulled off the outside move on Ferguson to take the lead. I finally got around Ferguson with 2 laps to go. The finishing order being: Grotherr, Bullpitt, myself, Maroske & Ferguson, with Grotherr being black flagged for his "elbows-out" pass on Bullpitt.
Brett Baron & Mark Raymont started off the front row of the A-main. Baron leading the entire race till 2 laps to go when he went high in turn 2 and Mark Raymont got underneath him. A last lap dash saw Baron on 2 wheels coming out of the last corner and as his car came back down he tagged the back of Raymonts car, sending him spinning. No-one crossed the finish line, so they re-ran the last lap. Chaos reigned as to who was to start where....Baron was sitting on the infield out of his car, so he couldn't re-join the race. 8 cars finished with 22 cars starting! I was able to match the pace of the front runners, but it was difficult to make many passing moves stick. When I did make some passes, a few laps later those cars had pulled out of the race with problems, so I was still last!! I was happy that the car was still there at the end with so many sitting with damage on the infield. I have definately learnt more about the Maryborough track this weekend.