What great racing over the weekend for the few vees that entered!
I was a spectator this time as were a number of others for various good reasons. So this is a report from the roof.
The group only managed 13 entries. Thanks to the Melbournians who made the trip, Matt Scott and Dean Briggs, Dean for his first Eastern Creek meeting. Steve Normoyle was an early scratching with a broken engine on Friday, suspected melted piston.
Practice times indicated some good racing to come and so it proved. Race 1 before lunch on Saturday saw Tony, as usual, refuse to join in the racing by running away from everyone else. Geoff Stone followed at a respectful distance and the rest divided into their own private battles with Dean, Gary and Don having fun together resolved in Gary’s favour and all finishing within 0.8 seconds. The best dice of the race was the next 4 of Greg Stott, Matt, Peter Mohasci and Norm crossing the line in that order within 3 seconds across the group. Bernie Cashin had no-go problems and didn‘t make to the start and our president Kevan stopped when his very tired spare engine finally died out on the track with run bearings.
The second race on Saturday saw a bit of a depleted field but closer racing. Tony cruised round to head Geoff by 2.5 seconds at the end and Gary had a lonely time a further 10 seconds behind. A bit further back Don and Dean crossed the line side by side, same for Greg and Matt with Peter close behind. Bernie still hadn’t solved his problems and Norm dropped out, cause unknown.
On Sunday it all came together with some amazing racing. In a race meeting that had terrific close racing across all classes the vees really turned it on to be on a class of their own!
Race 3 saw Tony run away as usual until he suffered a fuel evaporation problem (I’m told, yet to be verified) and slowed allowing every else to bank up behind. Bernie had the car running again and he, Geoff, Dean and Gary swapped places throughout with the order when the flag dropped being Gary, Bernie, Geoff and Dean but all had been leading at some time during the race. Greg and Matt were separated by half a second, a little behind and both off their normal pace. Norm and Peter were keeping a watching brief from a little further back. Don also had fuel problems and dropped out on the opening lap.
The final race was a 4 lapper run with the Fords but effectively stand alone as the vees started a few grid spaces behind and the Fords weren’t going to start lapping within 4 laps. And what a race!
The first 4 crossed the line all over the track with a total separation of less than half a second and the first 6 were separated by less than 1.2 seconds! The lead was constantly changing throughout and the sight of a line of 6 cars coming down the straight line astern until they fanned out for the pass is unforgettable. It’s the best race I can remember watching since the Amaroo days!
Tony and Greg had elected to miss the last race and Peter recorded a DNF. Bernie crossed the line first then Dean, Gary, Geoff, Don and Matt. Norm was sitting back slightly watching the spectacle! That was the order at the flag, pick any other moment and it would have been different.