Mixed feeling over my Brands effort. A poorish qualifying for the heat had me only register in the low 39's when my PB is in the high 36's. Not enough time to get a good lap in, I suppose. Perhaps in future, we can have a slightly longer span for qualifying.
The heat went off OK but I could not move up settling for a P5. At least I could get a good grid slot for the feature. Off the grid, I managed to keep the lead but felt considerable heat from a pack/gang/horde/gaggle of Brabhams. Bad luck for heat-winner, Keni, with an unfortunage collision and instant retirement on Lap02. As I don't use Pribluda, I had no idea that he was out of the race and fully expected to soon see a white McLaren in my mirrors among those green Brabhams.
I was able to hold off Clive but slipped a bit wide for Druids on Lap06 that opened the door and that allowed Clive to pull alongside going down the hill. We were level-pegging over towards South Bank but I had to give him best for the entry. Only moments later, Clive got sideways in Hawthorn and I had to scrable to avoid. This let Tago through for positon so in the course of half a lap, I'd gone from the lead to P3. Sigh...
Sergio was hot on my tail as we finished this less-than stellar lap when Tago slid a bit wide exiting Clearways and got on the grass. Forced to lift, this let me re-take P2. The fates weren't done with Tago either as a nudge from Sergio sent him into the bales at Paddock. Bad luck there, Tago. On two successive laps, Paddock bit Sergio with minor offs but they were costly as he fell back away from my tail and Tago re-passed for P3. Lap12 was pivotal as first, Sergio spun at Druids to let Tago break away cleanly in P3. Coming off Hawthorn, I gassed it as per usual and was taken completely off-guard when the tail broke away and I half spun. I was only a second or so behind Clive at the time but now, I had a mountain to climb. Tago was now only a handful of seconds behind and a definite threat. Sergio was the fastest on track but his run ended early on Lap16 with a slide in Hawthorn and a trip over the berm. Undamaged but trapped, in trying to find a way back to the tarmac, he had the sad fate of striking a tree and going turtle. Bad luck. Over those last laps, I was driving the P83 hard and setting new personal bests in my chase of Clive. Less than two seconds behind, Clive's image was a little shaky and I was concerned if I got any closer. Rather than thrust through on a Gilles Villeneuve-like pass, I was content to wait for a mistake and take advantage of a lapse to scamper by for the win. Not hardly. Clive is an old hand at this and he ran solid to the end taking the checker with 1/4 of a second to spare. Tago rounded out the podium with a good P3 and Xuggy scored useful points in P4.
Keni has emerged as our hands-down GP66 champion and deservedly so. Well done, KB. I'm quite satisfied with P2 in the final standings in a mod which is right up there with my favourites. There's such a wide variety of rides from which to choose. Our points table isn't finalized as of Thursday morning so it's up in the air as to whom can claim P3 title honours. It's that close. Whomever, it's well earned.
So we're off til September when we return with the fire-breathing GP67 cars. Looking forward to it!
Have a great summer, chaps!
Those who do not learn from history will be condemned to relive its mistakes.
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