One competitor’s view
We vees had 14 entries for the HSRCA New Year meeting, the first full race meeting in almost a year.
The Briggs brothers arrived from Melbourne on Thursday ready for first session on Friday morning’s
practice. Almost everyone else was there on Friday morning for sorting out drivers and cars. Just as
well, there was quite a bit of sorting out to do after the long lay-off. Dean and Glynn were working
all day on Glynn’s car, not all of it cleaning mud out of its crevices! Tony had a miss corrected by
timing revisions. Steve B had loose (hub) nuts traced to an incompatible brake drum diaphragm.
Dave reported that my car had bouncing back wheels which set in train a series of setbacks resulting
in me running with Norm’s rear wheel and tyre, Don’s brake drum and Steve N’s wheel studs.
(Compromised my quick getaway on Sunday as I had to dismantle the rear of the car to return all the
borrowed bits). The dud shocker wasn’t able to be resolved at the track and I’m blaming that for
being off the pace all weekend. Chris replaced a starter motor and later in the weekend Steve Batty
need a new fan assembly. Amazing how many spares we carry!
However Friday’s problems were resolved ready for Saturday qualifying and 2 races scheduled.
Qualifying was uneventful apart from the fan belt on the road at the fishhook. We all were watching
temp gauges! The unlucky one turned out to be Greg Stott.
Race 1
Race 1 won’t go down as one the great races. Some grid confusion strung out the field before it even
started. And the start was delayed while Steve Batty’s car was towed after the throttle cable broke
on the warm up. Steve N and Don started from pit lane as punishment for passing under yellows in
qualifying. We down the back were frustrated by the LM cars until we could get past. However I
improved from grid 12 to 10, just failing to beat Don to the line by .06 seconds. Natsoft shows a win
to Tony with Matt Pearce close behind then the field strung out with the only other close finishes
between Dave Harley and Norm Johnstone and then Don and I.
Race 2
As we drove the warm up lap for the first race we were looking apprehensively at the rain showers
to the south – and the west – and the north! Apart from a few drops they stayed away until we were
back in the carports. Then the rain dumped! Pity the Fords who were out on the circuit – should
have been red flagged.
Our carports had water running right through them. Steve N was pitted near the scrutineering bay
on the grass and reported the water running through the floor of his car. There were further heavy
showers resulting in racing being called off for the day. So, no races after lunch.
Race 3
The program resumed on Sunday morning and we the first were scheduled for 3 races for the day.
The weather was kinder, overcast but dry. There was water across the track in the usual places
which brought many of us undone, including Norm on the warm-up lap. (Just testing adhesion) I
managed to improve to 8th in the first race despite the slowest lap times of the vees. My caution and
lack of spins paid off!
This time Matt finished in first ahead of Tony with Dean in third.
Race 4
I can’t report much about the day’s second race after I had a lonely drive way behind the rest after
some landscaping work at the top of the hill while trying to stay ahead of Damien and get ahead of
Chris. So much for lack of spins! Tony finished ahead of Matt this time with Steve Normoyle in third.
Natsoft indicates close finishes between Dean and Don, Glynn Briggs and Gary Meyers and then
Chris, Greg and Damien together. Maybe I should have been spectating!
Race 5
Matt took an early mark so Tony was unchallenged in the last race to get to the finish more then 20
seconds before he needed to. Gary, Dean, Don and Steve finished next with less than a second
separating the group. Greg, Norm and Dave were separated by less than one and a half seconds with
Damien not far behind. I couldn’t keep up with this group and watched them slowly drive away.
Glynn did me a favour by spinning (again?) and letting me through near the end. This must have
been the race to watch!
It was a great weekend of catching up with people we haven’t seem for a while. And all cars were
still running at the end despite some issues to sort out on Friday. Shame about the weather but, hey,
that’s Goulburn. At least it wasn’t too hot!
See you at Morgan Park,
Cutch