Sitting in grid, before my first run, taken by Russell Hall
SSM, like always, runs first. I got out for my first run, and manage a 50.5 plus one cone. My main competition, Norman in his WRX wagon and Zach in his C5 Z06, put down 50.9 and a 51.8, respectively. I'm in the lead, but not by much. It is some what troubling that I coned again, as I threw away my fastest time last event due to a cone. My next run yields a nice 49.4, over a second improvement. Norm and Zach improve about a half second each, with 50.5 and a 51.4. I stay clean for once, and Norm hits a cone, giving me a little breathing room. Knowing my lead was slim, I push hard on the 3rd run. The time looks good: 48.8, but four cones are a killer. I barely clip all the cones, mainly in the slalom and lane changes trying to keep the throttle down. Norm and Zach again improve: 50.3 clean and 50.3 +2. Blah! I have a decent margin, but the cones are breaking my balls. On run four, I again push hard, and I think I stay off of the pylons with a 48.2, another big improvement. Ohhh, but wait, this run has two cones as well. Norm breaks into the 49's with a 49.9, and Zach cleans up to a 50.6. Last run, time for the magic. The legendary shit-talk of Tamscc has kicked in, and no one thinks I can go fast and stay clean. I shun all the non-believers, and focus on the task at hand: no cones! I pull to the line, last of the three to go. I see Norm stop on course for a down cone while I wait at the line. Son. Of. A. Bitch. Now he gets the last run... I get to the starting line, and go for it.
Ten seconds later, and I've just hit my first cone. I push hard on the last run, go slower to go faster, and the clock rewards me: 48.0, but plus 5 cones. I get back to grid just in time to see Norm come accross: 49.3!! Oh noes!! I just coned away the win! Luckily, he was also dirty on his last run, and I manage to steal a win with my second run (the only clean one). Wow. Once again this is way, way too close for my liking. Zach slows down on his last run and ends up third. As far as top time of day is concered, Sam Craven managed a best of 49.3 on a re-run (nice, hot tires). Again I had the time to beat him, and again I throw it away. The finishing order for the top 3 spots of SSM was the exact same as last event, so I have a scant two point lead over Norm for the semester championship.
I need pratice. It might be time to take the Corvette and street tire setup to some out of town events to prepare for the next event, which is now less than 2 weeks away...
Sitting in grid, before my first run, taken by Russell Hall
Dragging the brakes on the way to the starting line to get some heat in the brakes, taken by Russell Hall
Waiting in line to run, taken by Russell Hall
In the pits after another close win, taken by Russell Hall