This was a unique event! 13 were entered, 10 travelled from NSW with most arriving on Thursday afternoon and unloading before retiring to accommodation and some meeting for dinner and a quiet ale. (What’s new!). As he had the furthest to travel Chris Reeks elected to overnight on the way and arrive on Friday.
And then the plan went astray!
As I was heading out of the motel on Friday morning Greg Stott stopped me to tell don’t bother – heavy overnight rain had flooded all access roads to the track. At the same time Kevan was trying every road he could find to get there without success. Soon came word that practice was cancelled. Tony and Steve were staying on the north side of town over the Condamine River so made an urgent trip to town for supplies before the bridge closed. Just as well as the New England Highway bridge went under the water soon after. Well, what do you do for the day in Warwick? Not much, coffee then lunch, read a book and nod off until an early happy hour.
Greg was getting early information from the track via Lyall Moyes who was marooned inside so we already knew before the announcement that the meeting was abandoned. Chris was alerted to turn around and head home. The rest of us didn’t have that option because we couldn’t collect our cars. Dave Harley took Pete on a serious back country 4wd adventure to find a way in in the afternoon. Not suitable for Subaru tow cars apparently!
About 3.30 word came through that we could get to the track if we ignored some road closed signs. So early happy hour was abandoned and we retrieved our cars. Except Tony and Steve who were still marooned on the north side of town. They couldn’t get back across the river until lunch time Saturday, too late to head home that day. Don and Greg with wives included Kevan and I for dinner on Friday night before we headed off on Saturday. I’m still trying to work out why shitty nappies became a major topic of conversation, maybe we seniors are preparing ourselves!
The Queenslanders of course weren’t caught up in the excitement. Shame we couldn’t all get together.
So that’s the race report written before the meeting was due to finish. Hope that doesn’t happen again!
Cutch