Despite still recovering from a night of 70's Metal I'm up bright and early at 6am to get some practice before the 9am race. It's clear everyone is having trouble getting the hang of this car track combo, so I figure if I can get upto speed before the first race of the day it could pay off well.
I was surprised an okay, but not great, qualifying lap put me 4th. I think my theory of everyone else struggling to get handle on this combo was right. The top 3 set times that make them look hard to beat, next two behind were close to my qualifying time so I expect them to be in the mix, the rest looked off the pace.
The race started off calmly up front with no change to the order. Given their qualifying times I was surprised to be keeping the top 3 in my sights, P5 was keeping me honest close behind, but not challenging for position. Everyone else had vanished from the long range radar.
End of lap 5 the leaders are fighting for position and a slight tap to the bumper sends P1 onto the grass at the 180 after the penalty zone. Upto P3 now, end of lap 6 P1 pits to ditch his softs very early on, a surprising move, I'd assumed during the race he was on mediums and switching to a softs, but nope!
So P2 for now it is, my softs are holding up nicely, looking to go beyond lap 10 if I can. End of lap 8 I'm into the lead as the current leader pits to ditch his softs.
I run another 4 laps on my own in the lead stretching my softs to lap 12 before pitting, coming out I see on the radar P3 coming past as I exit, and straight onto the grass he goes! Must have been startled by me appearing out the pits, I certainly wasn't in his way, he could easily have stuck to the usual line and been ahead.
P1 & P2 a fair way ahead, no one close behind so it's looking like a three lap cruise to take the last step on the podium. Not sure what was up, but P1 started to shed time, plus a 1.5s penalty and the fight was on for first. With me closing in on the pair, this could be a thrilling finish!
The end of the final lap and P1 and P2 swap positions briefly, then swap back on the final turn with me closing to within a second at the line. Frustratingly close to being able to capitalise on their fight, but not quite.
Very glad to be done in 1 with this race, not the greatest car, track combo and glad to be done with it.
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