Post by The Observer on Jan 21, 2011 15:59:07 GMT 12
NZ Title – Blenheim 2011
Hi All,
A belated update but here goes – will keep it short and sweet, as Olly needs to write something awesome up since he did so well qualifying for the finals from the group of death – you’re a legend and an inspiration mate, and one day I’ll be able to keep up with you!
Before I start, a huge thanks to the pitcrew over the weekend – Crew Chief = Wife, Thanks Rons for keeping us on track, and the support. Godfather, for turning up on the day and pitching in - you’re a champ Al, those Nelson guys don’t know how lucky they are. Clevo – thanks for the set up tips and advice, Hahno, for the speed, gear, and running repairs and beers haha.
Also a huge thanks to Graham Hughes – good to catch up again GH, and if any of you want to see some great shots of any cars there, check out his awesome database at www.speedwaynz.com if he hasn’t caught the action there wasn’t any, haha.
We travelled up in the old J (eep) on the Thursday, with intention of attending practice and seeing if the car was set up well enough, and the gearing was right. We’d put bigger tyres on, stuffed the bumper heights and wound a bit in here, and out of there to get where it had to be, as well as changed a clutch plate (twice) and removed spacers to the clearances right (twice – didn’t know the quartermaster kept adjusting, need to stop riding the clutch so much).
Left Greymouth in beautiful sunshine, and got halfway with some rain coming in, which was good for the tow vehicle which was getting warm on the St Arnaud straights (all uphill towards Blenheim) but was no good for practice. Got to practice, and it was a wet bog, and the track wasn’t much better. In fact, it was worse, so we didn’t bother un loading. They got 12 cars out there, and they were covered in crap and didn’t get past walking pace, so we were happy with our decision. Went to the motel in town, and the weather had cleared there, but were still informed the track was wet.
Scrutineered the next day at 9am, second car through the scales – 1470 full to the brim with everything, and second through scrutineering (behind different cars funnily enough) no problems there. Had a couple of chats, left car there, and went back to a creek side café and enjoyed a coffee and a bruschetta. Came back to travel to group of death parking point in convoy with 38gm, who had been told he was in and out of different groups a couple of times – it didn’t matter in the end he still smoked em!
Goal was not to spin once in each race, and that should have us somewhere positive on points – car has a pace, and driver can keep it together on occasion. Turns out this wasn’t to be one of them haha.
Thanks to gregobro for this pic that I’m in the background off, and great to finally meet you mate! Hopefully next time I wont be so rushed, and great job on the photos – can’t believe there was no one else there motivated to take photos and post them on the net outside of the pros.
[glow=red,2,300]Night 1
Race 1[/glow]
Off the grid 14, with 38gm on the outside. Had a reasonable start, got into the turn with the tank starting to spin in front of me, got out of the gas to see which way round would get me through and promptly got spun, along with 4 others. He who hesitates is lost. Car stalled on infield was last away. Got trucking and got going allright, but with a decent push into the turns. Track was wet, so slow in was faster out, but it wasn’t helping with the gearing, with the car bogging down a bit. Got up to 10th, before getting spun by a Blenheim car, Richard Mason the rally car driver I think it was. Gutted, goal failed, spun in two races. Came in last.
Race 2
Got a talking too from wife after being a little gutted, and some set up tips from Clevo. Wobbled around in this one, and a spin in turn 3 of first lap – dammit, haven’t spun in first lap for a loooong time and its at the biggest meeting of the year, twice in a row. Got going again, and wobbled around in 10th again. Car bogging down, and driver off task.
Race 3
Saw a few guys having meetings, so I thought I better have a chat with olly. He’d done really well, and there was word around the pits the PN guys and welly guys were working together already, and were hoping to get a couple on the fringe home. I was off grid 3, and Olly reckoned just go for it, while Jonny (olly snr) and I agreed if anyone looked at 38gm he’d get cleaned up. Had an ok start, and slid to the outside drive line (still a heap of water dumped in the corners) and wobbled off in 3rd place. Got a bit loose, but didn’t spin the first two, but let the lion and a Heyburn t-Mac through while I was slidding about like a boiled cabbage. Got it back together with a better corner, and got some drive up the inside, so had a dive and a lean on the T-mac as we went into 3, as he was still ahead of our West Coast tri rail on points. That car had good brakes, so stopped us from going into the wall, so continued on in 3rd place. Had a look back at Olly, and he was fair trucking along, with no pole line cruisers, so all was good. The T-mac took 4 more laps to catch me (who would have thought? Must have been others catching him I reckon) and wound us both off turn 1. Kept the gas in it, thought I was bouncing out of it, but he kept on as we canme out, and spun me to the infield. Came back in as Olly was coming past, so slotted in behind him for the rest of the race. Came in 10th I think.
[glow=red,2,300]Night 2[/glow]
Cleaned car at
(will remember soon and fill this in) and had great help from Wayne and his team, who couldn’t have been more accommodating. I must say a jumbo well done to Blenheim for organising different cleaning spaces for different teams, with great support from the local businesses. Olly had some work to do on the OAS hotrod, so did a spot of babysitting while cleaning, and then loaded up and took the kids (both of them my best mens – whats a groom to do haha) back to the motel, and had some relaxing time on the grass, and laughing at the crew and the sore legs from carting.
Race 1
With the thought “he who hesitates is lost” and the paranoia of spinning in the brain I made it through turn 1 and 2 in the forestry group from yet another back outside grid. Fiound myself in the middle of the pack, at pace, on a greasy track . He who hesitates is lost!!! So kept the pin in through the middle, and ended up coming into corner through the pack, to lean on Graeme Read (top man and great family to boot). Well that was the plan. Too much pace, and too greasy meant the entire pack slammed into the wall – Graeme first, man hard into the side of him, then the pack pinballing us both as they came through. Shook it off, got the car started as the pack came into the back straight, and tried to drive forward to turn around – no steering, started driving head first into incoming traffic. Braked, tried reverse, and got pinballed again as they came through. The reds were thrown for Graeme, who had a foot in a bad way, and they pulled me off at the same time. Turned out we had broken the drop arm off the front off the steering box, so the wheels were all over the show. Was very gutted for the Reade team, as the 21c car has been on pace all last year and this year, but have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now it was all my fault – sorry team, and hope the swelling has gone down on the leg mate. DNF for us both
Well done to tony Stanton who carved it up and had a great result in this race – good on ya mate, great to see you flying after battling the night before.
Race 2
Only made it out to this one thanks to Hahno, Towbar, Jayden and Rons firing on all cylinders to get the steering arm off welded up, and back on, and wheels checked, fuelled etc. Thanks also to the Blenehim club for getting a welder on site to get it all done up sweet – even if me old mate towbar had to step in and finish the job. Wobbled around and got a 10th,
Race 3
Wobbled around and got a 5th.
Overall great experience, and learned a lot of what not to do. Blenheim has never been good to me as a track, so cue sera sera etc. Onwards and upwards from here with any luck, and on to Nelson, which is my favourite track – little did I know what was to come hahahahhaha. Thanks Nat for opening the motel up for the after party beers in the motel room. I good debrief was held thanks to some great video footage, and some decent plans for the future developed – eh Hahno??!
Hi All,
A belated update but here goes – will keep it short and sweet, as Olly needs to write something awesome up since he did so well qualifying for the finals from the group of death – you’re a legend and an inspiration mate, and one day I’ll be able to keep up with you!
Before I start, a huge thanks to the pitcrew over the weekend – Crew Chief = Wife, Thanks Rons for keeping us on track, and the support. Godfather, for turning up on the day and pitching in - you’re a champ Al, those Nelson guys don’t know how lucky they are. Clevo – thanks for the set up tips and advice, Hahno, for the speed, gear, and running repairs and beers haha.
Also a huge thanks to Graham Hughes – good to catch up again GH, and if any of you want to see some great shots of any cars there, check out his awesome database at www.speedwaynz.com if he hasn’t caught the action there wasn’t any, haha.
We travelled up in the old J (eep) on the Thursday, with intention of attending practice and seeing if the car was set up well enough, and the gearing was right. We’d put bigger tyres on, stuffed the bumper heights and wound a bit in here, and out of there to get where it had to be, as well as changed a clutch plate (twice) and removed spacers to the clearances right (twice – didn’t know the quartermaster kept adjusting, need to stop riding the clutch so much).
Left Greymouth in beautiful sunshine, and got halfway with some rain coming in, which was good for the tow vehicle which was getting warm on the St Arnaud straights (all uphill towards Blenheim) but was no good for practice. Got to practice, and it was a wet bog, and the track wasn’t much better. In fact, it was worse, so we didn’t bother un loading. They got 12 cars out there, and they were covered in crap and didn’t get past walking pace, so we were happy with our decision. Went to the motel in town, and the weather had cleared there, but were still informed the track was wet.
Scrutineered the next day at 9am, second car through the scales – 1470 full to the brim with everything, and second through scrutineering (behind different cars funnily enough) no problems there. Had a couple of chats, left car there, and went back to a creek side café and enjoyed a coffee and a bruschetta. Came back to travel to group of death parking point in convoy with 38gm, who had been told he was in and out of different groups a couple of times – it didn’t matter in the end he still smoked em!
Goal was not to spin once in each race, and that should have us somewhere positive on points – car has a pace, and driver can keep it together on occasion. Turns out this wasn’t to be one of them haha.
Thanks to gregobro for this pic that I’m in the background off, and great to finally meet you mate! Hopefully next time I wont be so rushed, and great job on the photos – can’t believe there was no one else there motivated to take photos and post them on the net outside of the pros.
[glow=red,2,300]Night 1
Race 1[/glow]
Off the grid 14, with 38gm on the outside. Had a reasonable start, got into the turn with the tank starting to spin in front of me, got out of the gas to see which way round would get me through and promptly got spun, along with 4 others. He who hesitates is lost. Car stalled on infield was last away. Got trucking and got going allright, but with a decent push into the turns. Track was wet, so slow in was faster out, but it wasn’t helping with the gearing, with the car bogging down a bit. Got up to 10th, before getting spun by a Blenheim car, Richard Mason the rally car driver I think it was. Gutted, goal failed, spun in two races. Came in last.
Race 2
Got a talking too from wife after being a little gutted, and some set up tips from Clevo. Wobbled around in this one, and a spin in turn 3 of first lap – dammit, haven’t spun in first lap for a loooong time and its at the biggest meeting of the year, twice in a row. Got going again, and wobbled around in 10th again. Car bogging down, and driver off task.
Race 3
Saw a few guys having meetings, so I thought I better have a chat with olly. He’d done really well, and there was word around the pits the PN guys and welly guys were working together already, and were hoping to get a couple on the fringe home. I was off grid 3, and Olly reckoned just go for it, while Jonny (olly snr) and I agreed if anyone looked at 38gm he’d get cleaned up. Had an ok start, and slid to the outside drive line (still a heap of water dumped in the corners) and wobbled off in 3rd place. Got a bit loose, but didn’t spin the first two, but let the lion and a Heyburn t-Mac through while I was slidding about like a boiled cabbage. Got it back together with a better corner, and got some drive up the inside, so had a dive and a lean on the T-mac as we went into 3, as he was still ahead of our West Coast tri rail on points. That car had good brakes, so stopped us from going into the wall, so continued on in 3rd place. Had a look back at Olly, and he was fair trucking along, with no pole line cruisers, so all was good. The T-mac took 4 more laps to catch me (who would have thought? Must have been others catching him I reckon) and wound us both off turn 1. Kept the gas in it, thought I was bouncing out of it, but he kept on as we canme out, and spun me to the infield. Came back in as Olly was coming past, so slotted in behind him for the rest of the race. Came in 10th I think.
[glow=red,2,300]Night 2[/glow]
Cleaned car at
(will remember soon and fill this in) and had great help from Wayne and his team, who couldn’t have been more accommodating. I must say a jumbo well done to Blenheim for organising different cleaning spaces for different teams, with great support from the local businesses. Olly had some work to do on the OAS hotrod, so did a spot of babysitting while cleaning, and then loaded up and took the kids (both of them my best mens – whats a groom to do haha) back to the motel, and had some relaxing time on the grass, and laughing at the crew and the sore legs from carting.Race 1
With the thought “he who hesitates is lost” and the paranoia of spinning in the brain I made it through turn 1 and 2 in the forestry group from yet another back outside grid. Fiound myself in the middle of the pack, at pace, on a greasy track . He who hesitates is lost!!! So kept the pin in through the middle, and ended up coming into corner through the pack, to lean on Graeme Read (top man and great family to boot). Well that was the plan. Too much pace, and too greasy meant the entire pack slammed into the wall – Graeme first, man hard into the side of him, then the pack pinballing us both as they came through. Shook it off, got the car started as the pack came into the back straight, and tried to drive forward to turn around – no steering, started driving head first into incoming traffic. Braked, tried reverse, and got pinballed again as they came through. The reds were thrown for Graeme, who had a foot in a bad way, and they pulled me off at the same time. Turned out we had broken the drop arm off the front off the steering box, so the wheels were all over the show. Was very gutted for the Reade team, as the 21c car has been on pace all last year and this year, but have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now it was all my fault – sorry team, and hope the swelling has gone down on the leg mate. DNF for us both
Well done to tony Stanton who carved it up and had a great result in this race – good on ya mate, great to see you flying after battling the night before.
Race 2
Only made it out to this one thanks to Hahno, Towbar, Jayden and Rons firing on all cylinders to get the steering arm off welded up, and back on, and wheels checked, fuelled etc. Thanks also to the Blenehim club for getting a welder on site to get it all done up sweet – even if me old mate towbar had to step in and finish the job. Wobbled around and got a 10th,
Race 3
Wobbled around and got a 5th.
Overall great experience, and learned a lot of what not to do. Blenheim has never been good to me as a track, so cue sera sera etc. Onwards and upwards from here with any luck, and on to Nelson, which is my favourite track – little did I know what was to come hahahahhaha. Thanks Nat for opening the motel up for the after party beers in the motel room. I good debrief was held thanks to some great video footage, and some decent plans for the future developed – eh Hahno??!
