Second 73a Update for the 2005 / 06 season

Just a quick note that we have fired up the 73a and it sounds just like it did last year. This may be a little problem as we where told that it was over 90DB, but only when there where 8 or more cars. I think we will replace the mufflers anyway, along with the seat and oil.

The other items to be replaced prior to the start of the season will be, front beam / tyres / some shocks and the rev counter as the needle got knocked off on the last night. We have already installed the new radiator.

Just buying these few items adds up quickly and we still have not got any fuel yet (which is 20% more than last year). However if you where concerned about cost you would not race a car would you.

The biggest problem at the moment is that the younger brother’s car is looking pretty good and has had lots of shiny new bits going into it, just got to hope my old dunga is still quicker

My First Palmerston North Superstock Teams experience – 2005

Well my first real superstock teams event ( I did compete in the Auck event the yr before).
The lead up wasn’t as expected, after the World 240’s we decided to change the engine. We where going to run the car at Huntly the week prior to make sure the new engine was OK, but on that Saturday morning we broke a oil fitting and could not compete.
So we headed to Palmerston with a engine that had not been on the track. We then find out we are up against Rotorua and Palmerston, bloody hell, and it wasn’t until we got to Palmerston that we even new who was in the team.

As far as I am concerned if I commit to something I will follow it through 100%.

The next thing that happened was after the practice run I had a major problem a lot of oversteer and only half a throttle (but boy did the new engine felt good). After a quick chat to Neil the oversteer was gone and then good old dad fixed the throttle problem (get your foot on the floor).

Race 1: Rotorua

From the start I felt good and was chasing 336r we had completed a lap and started to come up on 33r the first block car, I could not see any of my team either in front or behind so I decided that hitting Rotoruas lead car was a good option. In the impact I got up the inside of the 336 car he went into the wall backwards and I slipped off the side of 336 and belted the wall lifting the car up into the air, it wasn’t until the car didn’t come back down onto the ground that I realised that I was on top of another car. It appeared that 33r had followed both of us into the wall and was now stuck under my left rear wheel and chassis.

At this point my engine had stalled, 336 was sitting in front of my bumper and wasn’t moving, 33r was trying to get out by going back and forth. I did restart the car and thought I have to get moving again, then it hits you “I have two cars here” so I shut the car down and sat there with 33r still trying to get out. There is no way to explain the feeling when you are watching your team members going about the race and just how long a race is when you have to wait for the laps to count down. Then the white flag came out and I had to at least try and finish. So the car fired back up and once we both tried to free ourselves we separated, I limped to the line and then found out I had got fourth and completed two laps. ( The longest two laps I have ever done.)

This was a buzz Auck 1st 2nd 3rd 4th and it really meant that we had a chance if Rotorua and Palmerston beat each other up. The team did have some major damage to fix however and the weather certainly helped.

Palmerston / Rotorua
In watching this race all I can say is that I am glad I wasn’t out there, there was some exceptional good teams racing, but also some bloody stupid racing as well.

At the end of it though it became clear that we had a points chance of beating Palmerston.

Race 2: Palmerston

There are some races when it just happens, and this was one of them, during the whole race we where touched three times and watched holes open and then close as we paced around. Prior to the race in a side discussion we had worked out that we only had to finish 2nd and 3rd and hopefully that would be enough.
Now believe it or not I new I was running 2nd, Rees was damaged, Kelvin and Mad Marty had been towed off together, Scott Miers was in the wall and Wayne Hemi was well in front. Graham Ward had also been towed off after looking after me all race when he let his guard down for a second and Scott Miers took his chance. This only left Garry Ellis who was right in front of me, “God could he be third?”.

How I know it was a big risk but I wasn’t going to stop for Hemi as I was coming 2nd, so we raced to the line. Hemi 1st, Me 2nd, Ellis 3rd. This put us through to the finals “Yeeharr”

I did have a problem however, on the last restart the car wouldn’t get off the line again and it was in the clutch. So it was a clutch replacement for the next day.

The finals to follow shortly. Christchurch / Bay Park.