| Close But Not Close Enough | ||||
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Hi again, well we almost did it, after 15 round’s of the World Series Sprintcars I missed winning the series by just over 100 points. But at last weekend’s Classic it just wasn’t one of our best weekends. After I had set quickest time and in the heats we went okay which gave me a front row starting position in the Australian/American Challenge Cup. What can I say while leading I hit a rut, rolled the Krikke Motorsports Avenger and was out of the race, gee I was leading it well too. That meant that I lost valuable points but was still running in sixth position on the point’s table. Next night I had to make up those points and was starting back in the field in both my heats. Heat 11 and was going forward until I got involved with Ken Sartori who was spinning out in front of me, we made contact with him and rolled the Avenger over again. Twice in two nights but this time the way I landed, I had a shooting pain up my back and ended up with a trip to the local hospital, well that was that and my 2003 Classic campaign was over, maybe next year! The guys have repaired the car and as I write this I’m getting ready for the Title. I’ll be ok but still a little sore from last weekend. Getting back to the World Series, I’m really pleased with my performance especially racing with a new team. It was a great series and setting a couple of quick times was a highlight of the year. Going into the WSS time trails was one of my biggest concerns, you know with racing at Parramatta we haven’t done a lot of qualifying over the past couple of years and if I had a weak area going on the road, qualifying would have to be it. But I was rarely out of the top three in qualifying, we were good at just about every track we raced on. Going into this season we had set a goal and that was to win a couple of races and finish up in the top three in the WSS points, I think we beat that by a long way. Picking up five wins and to just miss out winning the series by 100 points what can I say? I think the entire team was very pleased with everything, we got on very well, and everything clicked. To be so consistent and not have too many bad rounds is what I think the team and I were most satisfied about. I went to a couple of new tracks during the series, Murray Bridge and Swan Hill and even places like Bunbury and Adelaide which I normally only race once a year and some of the regular WSS guys often race there so that could have been a problem. I was using a different car and motor this season too, and we had to guess a little on set ups and stuff at the new tracks where I didn’t have a starting point, where to work from. I think we did a good job and we were very close to the mark at most venues. I was definitely happy to come out of the gate at most tracks in the top four. And at Adelaide winning all three rounds, well that was unexpected. I don’t like or dislike any tracks but to dominate all three rounds! We stumbled on a good set up and it worked. Something worked well on our car that was suitable to that track. If there were a low light to the year it would have to be racing at Parramatta. Crashing into the wall at Warrnambool probably cost us the series but Parramatta was more disappointing because I really wanted to go well in front of my home crowd. I’ll be back there two more times in the Krikke Motorsports team after the Title so I hope I can bag a couple of wins. I think our team worked extremely well together, it was all new for us at the start of the WSS. It’s a well organised and professionally run team and I think we hit on a good combination. Peter who is the crew chief is just 21 and he’s running one of the best teams in the country and he’s very mature for his age. We built up a very comfortable relationship, which was so good for our racing. It’s a good team everyone has got a job and knows what to do. You don’t have to say a thing, everyone knows what to do, if I come in after a crash no one talks they just get on with fixing the car, Its a well drilled team and its been a pleasure for me all season. This has been my fifth year in an Avenger chassis and each year the cars have improved. The Avengers are a very good car and it just goes to show that you don’t have to go with the big name brands to run with the best. One of the most pleasing things about the World Series is the friendship I’ve developed with Daryn Pittman. We battled it out for the entire series, it was either Daryn or myself leading the series but despite this we become good friends. Daryn even travelled down from Sydney to Swan Hill then off to Adelaide with me and we often went out. There are not too many other drivers who you could do that with, especially since we were fighting it out for the series. I really enjoyed racing with Daryn; the racing was very clean. We still have tons of racing to go but I must thank our sponsors without them and Shane I wouldn’t be racing. Toyota Genuine Parts, PWR Radiators, Bunbury Toyota, Quick Race Parts, Avenger, Revolution Racegear, Valvoline, Forton, Central Districts Smash repairs, Mercure Hotel Parramatta, Terry Shields Toyota and A1 Signs. See you at the track, Robbie. |