It's call a farming expedition. I've never really had one at the track, but today was the day. Because of the 4-hour enduro race tonight, there was no regular "cup race" for the red and orange groups. But in the morning driver's meeting, it was decided that we would have a "fun race" in the afternoon to replace one of the run sessions.
So 3rd session was qualifying for Sunday's cup race, then it was announced that there would be a combined red/orange fun race. Hmm..combined. That means really fast cars. I mean REALLY fast cars, combined with slow cars (like mine). Oh well, what the hell? All good practice for me to check my mirrors and get used to traffic. Or them getting used to traffic (ie me).
I was not having a particularly good or fast day on the track. I had to replace a set of flat-spottetd front tires and made a brain fade move by not buying shaved tires. Full tread RA-1s (the tire i use) are notoriously squishy for the first day or three of use. My rear tires are nicely worn and very predictable. The fronts, being brand new...are...not. That, my friends, is a piss-poor combination. The car was a handful, with the front understeering (pushing), then hooking up at seemingly random times. Sweet. Not.
Anywho, had another tyrp of brain fade during qualifying. I got a great run off the last turn of the warmup lap (no passing) and was catching the car in front of me. Just as we got to the start finish I saw the meatball flag (meaning there is something wrong with the car). I thought they were pointing it at me. I had run over a plastic bag earlier in the lap and thought maybe it was caught, etc. So I got out of it and lost my edge. Got to the other side of the track, and figured out the flag was for the other car. By that time I'd gotten caught by a few people, and it took me a few laps to get my act back together. Not good when you've only got 5 laps to qualify. Oh well, after holding off a friend Matt for a few laps, I finally gapped him a bit and got a reasonable lap.
So they call the race grid, and say, "grid wherever you want." It is a fun race after all. I end up about mid pack and see a lot of fast cars behind me. Oh well. We do the formation lap, come slowly down the front straight, then we go green. I'm actually on it well, making some headway, then see a couple of wicked fast cup cars flying at me going into turn one. Discretion is the better part of valor, and I check up a bit and let them clear me. Then try to get to work.
Finally doing ok and battling with a few cars. About on lap 15 of a 20 lap race and the tires are getting greasy. So my front end push is even worse. I manage to pass a GSR car, then an in turn 2, which is a long wide right hand sweeper going uphill. I'm at full throttle like normal towards the top of the hill, and the car is slowly pushing out to the left side of the track. And it keeps going. Umm...hello? Front tires...you can hook up any time you want. but they don't, and the left side tires drop off the track, with the wheel still cocked. Woohoo! Dirt! *Now* the fronts decide to hook, and the car snaps backwards to the right across the track (luckily no one was coming) and I'm spinning backwards into the dirt on the other side of the track downhill towards the infield. I put both feet in and remember thinking, "man, I hope I don't catch a wheel...I don't want to roll." Luckily there was a perfect amount of rain Friday night...no mud to catch a wheel, but most of the dust was down. So while I spun around into the wild, not too much dirt flew into the car. Usually on these farming expeditions you spend hours cleaning out the car.
The spin eventually stopped, I was in one piece, and I looked at the closest corner worker, slowly working my way towards the track to get back on. I waited for the high sign from the corner worker and jumped back onto asphalt. Took awhile for the dirt and rocks to rattle their way off the hot and sticky tires, then I came into the hot pit, under the mistaken impression that's what I was supposed to do. Actually that is only during lapping...in the race you do what you have to do. If something is wrong or broken they will black flag you. So I went back out and did one more lap before getting the checkered. Oh, what the heck...at least I finshed. 24th out of a total field of 32 I think it was. Most of those behind me though only did a few laps. Either they retired early or got out late. No matter. I was in one piece, the car was in one piece, and I'd learned quite a few lessons. Now to make sure I'm not dense on them...
