I had been watching the weather reports for this weekend for some time. It did not look good. Just rain. Great. I left home on Friday morning under a cloudy sky. No rain though. I arrived at the track to find not many spots left, I thought I had left myself plenty of time. I found a spot next to the Wrights. This’ll do. Unpack the ute, then the car. Park the trailer and set up camp. Run the car over to the scrutineers for it’s check up and do my paperwork, all is fine, ready to go. I bought enough fuel for the weekend, (I hope) and do the rounds. A final check over for Billie, then time to relax.
Saturday. It’s raining. It rained half the night as well, so everything is wet. I had bought a new tent, so all my stuff was dry, beauty! We are 5th practice then 5th race, with another race in the afternoon. I’ve dropped the pressures in my tyres in anticipation of a cooler weekend. Our practice! It’s raining! I borrowed some rainex, hoping it would help, I had to apply it to a wet screen, not sure it would work. It didn’t as it turned out. Out we go! Try to do my best. Super slippery! Tiptoe everywhere. Use as much power as I can, brake as hard as I can. I know I am slow, so is everyone else. Huh? Why am I going backwards off the track? Hard on the brakes, hope I stop. I’ve gone off up the hill, I must have had some compression lock, I didn’t touch the brakes. I hope I haven’t hurt anything. I didn’t hit anything, so that’s good. Wait to get back on, away again. Where’s my wiper? There it is, stuck on the A pillar. The passenger one is still travelling. Wait on, no it’s not. No wipers, how many laps have I done? We have to complete 3 laps to qualify. I’ve done more than that, so in I go. I can’t see a thing, the rainex didn’t work. My qualifying time, 1m36s. Yuk! I’ll be up the back. Time to look at those wipers, the ball has popped out of the linkage. I’ll leave the trim off, in case it happens again.
1st race. Yep, I’m up the back. Who have I got around me? There is Bill in his Vauxhall, Mark in his Imp, Kerry and Cortina, Laura and Sprint, Alex and Mini. I get a great start! Billie just takes off! A huge traffic jam in turn 1. Take it easy, there is plenty of time. The track is dry, beauty! Wring Billie out, I’ve got a 3.55 diff in again. My tyres are my worry this weekend. not sure they’ll make the distance. Billie doesn’t bog down at low revs with this diff. Mark is getting awfully close at times, I get away from him on the straights. I’m right up on the Torana in the corners but I can’t keep with him on the straights. He’s braking everywhere, I just can’t keep in front of him. He does have disc brakes and a 4 speed box though. I’ve often wondered if I can lift an inside tyre, now I know! The race ends, we had 15 minutes. All good! Back to the pits, let Billie cool down, then the pit routine. My time, 1m17.1 secs. I want another half a second yet.
2nd race. Grid spot 14. That’s pretty good! Out for the warm-up lap, warm the tyres and drag the brakes lightly. Grid up and wait for the flag. Up it goes, about 4000 revs, down goes the flag. Slip the clutch, floor the throttle, away we go! Pretty good start, Kerry gets past, let the fast cars go through. I’m not getting in their way! Pitt St! Get in there! Up the hill, trying not to get tangled up, but stay fast and on line, sort of. Lots of brakes, playing sort ourselves out. Get into a rythym, don’t lose it. Another dry race, I’m pushing Billie as hard as I can. I’m watching my gauges, the oil stays on 30psi, the temp around the 200 mark. All ok. Go for it! I just can’t hold out Laura on the straights, Kerry is right amongst the thick of it. Mark is trying really hard and Alex has taken off. My tyres last about 6 laps before they start to go off, after this I just get more understeer. I try to get around as best I can, I just can’t push it. The race finishes, Billie is in one piece, I’m sweating like a pig. My time, 1m 16.6 secs. Beauty! My best time around here, I got my half second! Let Billie cool, change out of my race clothes and start the banter.
Sunday. 3 races. I’ve tightened up my shockies, half a turn on the front and a full turn on the back. I want to see what affect this has. Everything else looks good. In the 2nd race yesterday I had some fuel surge towards the end, I need to make sure I have enough fuel for each race. I put a bit more in. A bit over half a tank on the gauge. I’m convinced my gauge reads high. Oh well, it is over 40 years old. Getting old, like it’s driver.
1st race. I’ve dropped a couple of spots. No matter. I’m the only car in my class this weekend. Off! Billie gets a blinder! Geez she’s starting well this weekend. I wonder where the club guys are? No time to think of them, get on with it! Up the hill, traffic jam at the top. pretty slow in fact. Same again, Kerry, Laura, Alex, Mark, Bill and the red Torana. all trying to squeeze through. Geez Laura is close, has she slowed? Nope, just a corner. Maybe I can get her at turn 12. Squeeze through on the inside, she blasts past on the straight. My shockie adjustment seems to have worked a bit, I seem to be able to corner a bit harder, not bouncing as it was yesterday. My tyres will probably go off quicker though. They do just that. I find I can get in about 6 or 7 good laps, after that I’m just battling understeer and losing touch a bit. I keep racing as best I can, I have a great dice with Kerry. The race finishes, all in one piece. Good. I’m not worrying about my times today, I bettered my best lap yesterday, I know I won’t get there today.
2nd Race. There seems to be a few less cars this time. I’m still starting in the teens, so that’s good. Up the back are a couple of fast cars, I’ll have to watch them coming through. Away we go ! Another good start. Racing with the same guys, that’s ok, any racing is great! I’ve decided to push as hard as I can. I know my tyres will go off, I’ll go as hard as I can while I have them. Pushing hard behind Laura and Alex, around the top, down the hill and into the fish-hook. Hard on the brakes, hard left, a great corner! Keep into the apex, flat in 2nd gear, slide around the right hander and BANG! Huh? Why no go? Engine running, gear box working I think, but no drive! Shit! What to do? I know, I’ll coast into the pits. Keep the engine running so I have got brakes, hand out the window and coast into the pits. Clunk our way down the pits, how far will we go? Will I make the end? Not quite. A short push onto the apron and wait for the race to finish. Want a tow? Yes please! So Billie gets towed for the 1st time. Looking under, there is no sign of anything, so up on the jacks. A spin of each back wheel, yep the diff has blown. I’m lucky there are a few club guys over for the day. Assign some tasks and I reckon I’ll make the final race. The old diff comes out, yep, I’ve stripped all the gears off the pinion and the crownwheel gears are like razors. I actually cut one of my fingers on a gear. Bugger! We get the diff changed, a quick test of the gears, ready to fight again! This my old 3.36 diff, I wonder if it will last the distance. To Tim and Dave, thanks for the help and to Byron for the piccies.
Last race. I’m not starting last due to some guys coming in before I had my diff episode. Not many cars this time, some guys must have gone home. I’ll push hard while I can but I don’t trust this diff. Gosh it’s loud. Kerrys with me, I’ll circulate with him. There’s no-one behind us. Laura is in front, she’ll pull away. Go around as hard as I can, Try a few different cornering styles and see how we go. The tyres are going off quicker now, I’ll have to get a new set. Billie seems to be behaving a bit better in the tight corners though, the shockie changes I made seem to have made a difference. We finish the race in one piece this time, in to the pits for the last time, another great weekend of racing finishes!
The guys come over for a natter session and to help me pack up. Get the trailer, load Billie and start thinking about maintenance. say the goodbyes and head for home!
