SI Champs & Vertex Super Cup
Eastern States Speedway, Feb 16 & 17 2018 - SI Champs plus Vertex Super Cup Round 5
Not sure what it is but for some reason I have no luck at south island championships and this meeting was to prove no different.
In the first heat Peter Dickson spun in front of us and with nowhere to go we were wrecked with r/f gone and a whole heap of unneccessary damage. The team worked frantically
to get the car back together for the next heat and it was immaculate as always. We made the most of what we had but to lose out on a heat at this level just doesn't cut it,
and very frustrating to be part of someone elses accident (again). Plus even more frustrating is being on the infield watching on as the car that caused the carnage
carries on racing grrrr.
So we started the feature from grid 19 and by this stage we knew the we had a car and set-up quite capable in the slick conditions. 811 was challenging for 9th when we were cut
off and half spun losing us a bunch of track position. I shouldered on and gathered up back to finish 13th. Yet another meeting to forget quite frankly so it was onto the
Vertex Super Cup round 5 the next night.
Surely our luck had to change tonight so after another hot day getting 811 prepared, we were confident we were in with a good shot at this. We finished well in the both heats
which put us into the top 8 shootout which was very pleasing for the team. Started okay in the feature and we were trucking on nicely until 2 laps form the checkered the engine
decided the missfire was back to haunt us again. This cost us a few positions which was so disappointing after such a good effort during the night. 811 left the meeting still
holding onto top 10 points position in the series and we were looking forward to the final 2 rounds in Nelson.
Cheers ... Flash
Central Motor Speedway, Cromwell, 27 Jan 2018 - Vertex Super Cup Round 4
32 plus degrees and here we were in Cromwell preparing and setting up 811 for Round 4 of the Vertex Super Cup.
Man we were sweating but determined to get performance out of 811. Our best heat race result was a 5th but in that heat we had all the guns at the front.
Onto the feature and it was dusty dusty dusty but we hang in there and came away with 8th place and also found ourselves in the Top 10 overall for the series.
Happy with that but knew Blenheim would be tough.
Beachlands Speedway, Dunedin, 26 Jan 2018 - Vertex Super Cup Round 3
After our very hectic North Isalnd Tour it was a quick turn around and down to Dunedin for Round 3 of the Vertex Super Cup.
We drew grid 1 for the first heat but missed the set-up entirely and we were mince meat from lap 1. Tried hard to improve for the remainder of the meeting which was hard work.
Once you are on the back foot it's hard to come back. I put our poor performance down to being the first time we had the new car on this track but really we should have been
better as it's a track surface I like.
The 30 lap feature had us starting from grid 9 and we got off to a great start and within a few laps 811 was challenging for 3rd. All those passes were made on the outside and
when I took to the lowline in turn 4 to make a pass I looped the car round. This took Richie out of contention with a puncture and 811 was off the rear for the restart.
Well that exact portion of the track must have been wet or had something laid down as the first lap of the restart had another car spin in exactly the same spot which in turn
caused several cars to DNF.
At feature end we had recovered to finish 12th and took it on the chin as it should have been so much better. Hopefully Cromwell would be better the following night.
