News - Modified Production Number 8
Queensland Title
We arrived in Maryborough for scruitineering at lunchtime on Saturday and it was drizzling rain on and off. The rain in the week leading up to the title saw the track hooky and rough. Turn 2 had a soft spot that formed a big rut and turns 3 and 4 were slick. It was a tricky track to set the car up for, but was a good challenge. Bring on the ruts, I loved it.
Heat one I had pole. Maroske took the lead on the start and pulled a big gap straight away on the wet track. Bayfield was the next to find a way around me as I struggled to find a line on the track. When I finally got back underneath Bayfield the car had a big push which allowed Lorensen & Aiden Raymount through. Maroske broke a gearbox and had to retire, followed by Raymont with a flat tyre, leaving me to finish in 2nd place.
Heat 2 I started out of 6. I had to make some changes to the computer and get the car revving a little more after the first heat. I went to line up and the car wouldn't start, it had no spark. I changed the crank angle sensor and fortunately was still able to line up in time to make the heat. Right from the start of the heat I was working the high-line and it was coming on as the race progressed. Coming out of turn 2, Paul O'Neill hit the wall and came back down across the track leaving me nowhere to go but into the front of him. Luckily I was still able to continue. Only 3 cars were able to restart the event after numerous incidents saw the infield littered with damaged cars. I restarted out of 3 and diced with Garry Maroske & Johnno Collins who was in the lead, for almost 10 laps with position swapping occuring on almost every 2nd lap. On the last lap I got a good drive around the outside of Collins coming out of turn 2 and going down the back straight I had just nosed ahead of him hoping to continue to drive around the high-line which had really come on, through the final corner when Collins made contact with my front left wheel. The rack broke and sent me into the fence breaking the right-hand control arm. Even though there were only 3 cars in the race, for 10 laps there was plenty of position swapping and the final placings were undecided right down to the last lap. Unfortunately I didn't get to finish the heat, so dropped valuable points for the night, but the car felt great and the racing was close. View the video of the heat here.
Heat 3 I was off the rear. Luckily for me, only 6 cars were able to start the heat. I got up to 2nd in the first lap, then caught up to Grotherr and got underneath him coming out of turn 4. We swapped positions a few more times throught the heat. On the last lap I caught the rut back in turn 2 allowing Grotherr back up the inside and it was a dash to the line. I finished in front by 0.076sec for the win.
After round 3 of heats there were 3 of us tied on positions 15, 16, 17. Only up to position 16 went into the A-main. Position 17-33 had to qualify via the B-main. There was pressure going into the 2nd night to try and get enough points to start at the back of the A-main. The DNF in heat 2 really cost us badly with points. I did, however have the 11th fastest lap time for the night out of the 55 cars that started, so I couldn't be happier with the car.
Night Two
Heat 4 I started out of 5. Going into turn 3 I got shunted in the back sending me high into the corner and then going into 4 I got punted into the wall and everyone went through underneath me and I found myself having to fight my way back from the rear. I managed to work my way back up to 5th for the finish with a bent axle and broken brake caliper. I then had to sit and watch the rest of the round of heats and wait to see where I qualified.
I just missed the A-main by one spot and was off of pole in the B-main with Steve Price beside me. The track was greasy to start off with and it was very hard to find a line. Pricey had the better line on the outside but I decided to drive straight through the ruts and was able to get the lead. Pricey came back through a few laps later, but I managed to get the lead back again on the next lap. Every lap he was there challenging me for the lead, but I managed to hold on for the win.
I started out of 17 for the A-main. The car was going strongly but being at the back of the A-main was always going to be about patience and trying to stay out of trouble, of which there is always plenty. I had gotten up to 5th place with 13 laps to go when half of the track lights went out. A piece of mud was thrown up from the track hitting the wires and twisting them together throwing out 2 fuses. The cars were pulled up on the track in their positions. My car had a destroyed front left tyre which had been flat for a few laps prior to the stoppage. After 20 minutes or more of deliberating the QSCA declared the race with the unofficial placings of Todd Doyle, Johnno Collins, Mark Ferguson, Dale Grotherr, Shane Macdonald and myself. On the last lap Shaney Mac and I had both gotten under Grotherr who was failing with a flat right hand rear, but once the race was declared and they had gone back to the previous lap I was still in 6th. It was disappointing to not see the race run the full distance as Johnno Collins had just gotten underneath Doyle and looked like his car was only just starting to come on strong.
It was a fantastic weekend for car 8 showing really good pace. After re-building the engine the car has a little more horsepower which really helped on the track this weekend. I'd like to thank everyone who helped me on the car over the weekend. After every race there was always someone there helping out. Their interest certainly made my weekend easier.