Open Wheel Race Car Club

Mallala 14th November 2009

R1 – With temperature again heading into the low 40’s all was set for our racing debut in S.A. Minor adjustment in the pits and out we went only to again hear the car cough in the roll out lap. After an ordinary start we dropped back to 6th place before the problem cleared and the car was on song again. Daniel again began to attack the track smoothly and managed to pick up his lost positions to finish in 4th spot. Fastest lap 1:23.54 on the last lap. Set up was good to do our fastest lap at the end.

R2 – Attention was placed on the fuel system and ignition to try to eliminate the early coughing and by running to build a heat sink into the engine in the pits we hoped to get a good run. This again seemed to elude us and we bogged down taking off and lost about 4 positions. Once it cleared again Daniel began to move forward until in 6th spot on turn one he came in too hot and ran off line and off the track to eventually rejoin in about position 12. Probably caused by lack of racing laps rather than setup Daniel set about trying to redeem himself and moved through the field to cross the line in 8th position. Fastest lap 1:23.21 “I was disappointed with myself and perhaps over drove the car trying to move forward” Daniel said.

R3 – Change of spark plugs and adjustment of fuel mixture and we hoped we had the car right. Daniel was to start from P8 for the final. Whilst sounding crisp and on song in the pits in 43 deg temperature we again heard it miss and backfire on its way around the track to form up. With his mind fully focused he readied himself for the start. “I knew the car was going to cough and miss at the start so I made the decision to try and consolidate 8th spot and settle into the pack and attack one car at a time and move forward once it cleared” said Daniel. After turn 3 he was in 11th position and we heard the car clear and run smoothly again. To his credit Daniel did not panic and went about setting up some passes in the next few turns and after lap 3 was in P7. Quite a gap had developed between our Jacer and the next pack of 5 cars. By lap 5 Daniel was getting closer to the tail of the pack. Lap 6 and 7 saw him dice for positions and he began the last lap in P4. Turn 3 saw Daniel move into P3 only to lose it again at the northern hairpin. “I knew I had the pace and the car was handling extremely well so I thought I would run deep under brakes and go for the outside line into southern hairpin before the esses” said Daniel. It was a move which paid off as he had the pace to hold and was given racing room by Gemma Deakin and he won out in a sprint to the flag out of the last corner to grab P3. Fastest lap 1:23.54