There is just no rest for the wicked. Who said that anyway? Well it was a big part of the action at Melbourne!
While the track proved to be a bit buggy or perhaps it was the driver load on the server,(30) I thought it went rather well!
The group of drivers now competing regularly in the ARC WTCC events is chocked full top flight RD talent! But don’t be fooled by Ranking numbers either. There are a solid 20 guys in this race who can hustle a TC car with the best of them.
You had to know this would prove to be an epic battle to gain as the positions of 5th-13th in Quali were separated by a mere .5! If you glanced over the Practice 2 time sheet you saw the top 16 in that gap! Now that’s just tight!!!!
Expecting anything less than a no rest battle with pressure cooking every lap was a fantasy……..
Quali :I ran a good Q lap without taking too many risks. Starting too far back while trying to gain only 2 spots would be a mistake in strategy here. I grid 7th and am in a good spot.
Race 1: I get a good start but lose 3 positions to Joao, Jesper and Dan Asbury. I am being a bit cautious on this lap and not pushing into any small openings as I KNOW I can’t win this race now, I have to be patient yet opportunistic where reasonably possible. Michael v Scheppingen goes around between Stewart and Prost corners. I go P9.
Lap 2 Chasing Jesper and Joao and Jesper passes Joao in T12. Joao is slow coming out and I have a big run. I go right to pass and Joao just closes the door. Risky for sure but hardly illegal. Guess it won’t be a straight pass with him today. It’s gonna be a war.
Lap 3 still chasing Joao but unable to pass yet. We are lapping well and losing only a bit of ground to Jesper so I can sit and wait for a mistake to pass.
Lap 4 Joao is getting sloppy this lap but I am unable to pass. Would like to get by as I have pace on him in open track but can’t screw the pooch on something stupid. Besides, I will be pitting on Lap 6 and know I can beat him there.
Lap 5 I finally get around Joao exiting Clark T10 and am clear before T11. I am cautious entering and brake a hair early and Joao give me a square punch but nothing awful. Would rather see him leave a bit of space once he knows I beat him to the corner but that’s just my style.
Lap 6 I go wide exiting T12 and Joao and Marty Pierce pass me and I drop to P8 from 6th! Damn unforced errors are demoralizing. I dive into the pits and get 2 lefts. ON the spot service off the jacks in 7.5 and away I go. When it cycles around I am thinking I will be P7.
Lap 7 Exit the pits and I have closed on Dan Asbury again. Ryan Callan goes flying by and says something in TS about “hello Mr. Nelson”………LOL funny chap that guy! I am P10 now but I think I can catch Ryan and Dan if they start scrapping for position. So now its 4 of us covered by about a second in the following order. Asbury 8th, Callan 9th, Me 10th and Simon Gardener 11th. Its gonna be a fight now!!!!!!
Lap 8 I run off at T12 again! Gotta hold an even throttle thru there or the car just drifts away!!!!!!!!!! Simon dives inside me at ASCARI but I hold the spot.
Lap 9 I go off agin at T12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This gives Simon the spot as he beats me to ASCARI this time.
Lap 10 I get a good run off CLARK and try to go outside if Simon but touch the wall and he has position on me to
T11. I brake early to be SURE I don’t screw up this T11/12 complex again!!! Its good thru there and I am after Simon. Meanwhile Ryan and Dan are in a very tough fight!
Lap 11 T1 sees Dan go thru the blue stuff and Ryan is on track . they get very close at exit and touch! They are spinning wildly as Simon and I come at them full force. Simon is left and I decide to go for broke! If Dan doesn’t fly into the track and Ryan stays up on the wall I am not lifting and will beat Simon thru the carnage. Well! Ryan comes back into the center of the track and I have only one hole the size of my car to get between him and the WaLL! I thread the needle at full boogie bouncing the front right corner off the concrete wall and continue without damage! I have passed Simon as well!!!! 3 spots on a very risky move with 2 to go!!!
Lap 12 I maintain a gap of 2 seconds to Simon and bring it home 6th! Exciting is an understatement for this race!
Race 2: Starting P3 with Dariusz directly in front, Simon to my front right, Ryan V Steinen on my right door. The lights go out and I am off on a good start. However Reggie and Keith are quicker and I get locked out to the outside at T1. No harm and we all sail thru safely. Besides, I have had my share of battles with Keith and Reggie to feel confident about them in front or behind me. We are bumper to bumper thru T3-6! Intense and scary!
Lap 2 Chasing Ryan V Steinen but have Simon and Reggie just ahead. One slip up and its bad for one and great for others! I love TCC racing!!!!!! Simon goes to deep at T1 and is slow off the corner. Ryan is going outside Simon and I am very strong off and go inside Simon. 3 wide and no lifting going to T2!!!!! Chicken man and we are trading paint!!! I LOVE TCC RACING!!!!!! Because I am outside I am scared going to Whiteford and T3-5! Simon lifts a bit and I get just around the outside! I get around Ryan too! I am off line pretty badly and go a hair wide at the MOBIL 1 sign but fear I will get crunched if I slow anymore to stay on track. IT all good!!!!!! I LOVE TCC RACING!
I am now P4! With clear track ahead I think I can extend as those two are still fighting for position. Now lets not screw the pooch Eric! We have another 10 laps of T11/12 to deal with……… I get thru T11/12 with Ryan v S in my mirror and then he is GONE! DISCO”D!!!!!
Now I see my ATCC Teammate Adam Vaughan lurking back there……….
Lap 3 Vaughnie pressures me and I screw the pooch trying not to cut T12!!!!!! I am off and very slow in the gravel stuff………I hate T12!!!!!! I drop 3 spots to 7th behind Joao! Another battle with him and its gonna be very tough again.
Lap 4 no change in position.
Lap 5 Simon goes off and joao and I close up. I pass Joao when he slips up out of T9. I get him incside to CLARK and I KNOW I can pull ANYONE off that corner today. T12 is my nemesis again and joao pass’ me………..I HATE T 12! Joao is wide at ASCARI and get get inside him to T13 and take the spot back! I LOVE TCC RACING!!!
Lap 6 some guys already pitting and I am up to P4. I will pit this lap. Joao is unable to pressure me and Tyler has him occupied now. I pit and they go forward another lap. I need a good stop to get away from those 2 guys. Maybe even gain some time on Simon who pits now too?
Lap 7 Simon is ahead so no gains in the pits. I am behind Robert Isles now. NO change of position.
Lap8 I beat Robert off CLARK and gain a spot at T11 and 12. And I don’t mess up here for a change….
Lap 9 I am catching Wayne and Reggie? Huh always a surprise when you cycle thru the pit stops. Wayne was wicked fast earlier…..wonder how it will be now? I am P7 with all good drivers ahead….. Reggie and Wayne catch up to Simon! 3 way battle? Can’t hurt me! Dariusz and Adam have contact and now it’s a 6 way battle!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE TCC RACING! Dariusz has contact with one of the Hondas and I slip thru into P6 at the last left hander at pitlane!
Lap 10 Adam touches Simon entering CLARK! Simon goes off! I slide thru to P4!
Lap 11 Well no change but I am trying to get Wayne to screw the pooch. He doesn’t oblige……………Pffffffft
Lap 12 I am pressuring Wayne big time! He won’t crack though. I just drop a tire off at the ASCARI exit and Simon gets inside! I hope to pull a crossover at STEWART. I am unsuccessful and lose out to 5th! ………….. I LOVE TCC RACING!
My racing was beyond exciting today! INTENSE and stressful? Hell yeah! But that’s what TCC racing can be like! Honestly, if you don’t like super tight hard core road racing then this is not for you. At times we all get jacked up about results etc. and can lose sight of the fact it is still just a game. That alone tells you about the quality of the game and the drivers you compete against.
Thanks to my fellow drivers for a very clean yet hard fought contest! I can’t speak for everyone, but the guys I raced were really excellent!!!!
See you all soon!
