 Speedway with Jo
Well I was like a kid before Xmas once Roger had
asked me to drive Jane Honda at the Glen! Talk
about count down the sleeps! Seemed really
strange driving out to the Glen without a car on
behind. Caz and I kept checking the rear vision
mirror and there was nothing there. Hmmm!  Does this
mean I'm a works driver! Just turn up at the
track and the car is all ready? And a rather
immaculate looking car it was. Oh dear....hope I
don't crash it. Knew I wasn't going to hit anyone
(yeah ...right!) cos I was going to start off the
back of the field each race. My biggest worry
then was that I was going to drive it like a
granny and everyone would lap me. Malcolm saying
"I'm going to get you" at least 12
times didn't do much for my confidence. He was
laughing and I did too....outwardly! So the
"let's lap Jo" challenge was on. Fluffy
didn't turn up. He knew there was every chance I
would beat him. (Yeah.....right! ....again)
In the car I hop. Nothing fits. I can't reach the
pedals. The seat leans backwards. I cant see over
the bonnet. And.....holy moly it's left hand
drive! Pedal adjustments occur, cushions
arrive.....it's still left hand drive. I'm out on
the track so early for wheel packing I wonder if
there will be enough fuel left for me to race.
Got to get used to the car though. Hmmmm - doesnt
feel too bad. Still left hand drive! We're
getting into our grid positions ready to race.
Eeek! There's someone on the inside of me. That
wasn't part of the deal. We're under green but we
don't seem to be going that fast. Are we still
packing the track but just faster? Are we racing?
Blonde I know but oh so different from
productions! I actually think if I put my foot
down I might be able to pass someone here. Oh
no...it's my mate Jason. He's gone a bit high. I
might sneak through on the inside. So I put my
foot down at about the same time Jase decides he
might race a bit lower. CRASH! Straight up the
back of him. There's goodbye to at least $1000 I
thought. (I bend it I fixed it was the deal). Had
no idea how resilient fibreglass was though and I
was VERY surprised to find out back in the pits
that it was all fine except for a wee bit of red
paint. Phew! I was also very surprised to find
out that in that race I did the 4th fastest lap
time! And I was even more surprised that no-one
lapped me. And somewhere along the way I passed
someone. (OK -it was Jason but he got me back
superbly).
Race two and race three went without incident
(apart from the near miss with the wall) and by
then I was wishing it was my car and I didnt have
to be so scared about damaging it. ( I still have
a very vivid memory of writing out a $6,300
cheque to fix Dean Buist's Evo after the Ashley
Forest Hill climb. The only redeeming feature
about that was I was sitting in 14th place after
day one with a 1 min 10 sec time.) I suppose I
should mention the "nearly hitting the
wall" incident. Things just got a bit wobbly
- I like to think they were speed wobbles but
somehow I think not! Then........the wall jumped
down at me! The $6,300 cheque flashed through my
mind and somehow I managed to save the moment. I
have to admit at that stage I was laughing inside
my helmet thinking about Roger having an
apoplectic fit watching his car that he had just
sold about to become fodder! I did give him the
thumbs up as I drove past but I think he still
had his eyes shut. I should also thank the new
owner at this stage for giving the ok for me
driving the car and yes.......I got your message
on Macgors about not making the wall my friend.
What more can I say? Thankyou Roger and Pam,
thankyou to your wonderful pit crew and Kev (my
pit crew who slid into the green uniform far too
easily!) and thankyou to all the A Grade drivers
for making me feel so welcome.What a neat bunch
of guys.
Cheers Jo
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Celebrity Invitation race at Ashburton driving
Rick
Donnelly's Victor. This is where I got the bug
for
speedway when I won the event over two races.
Invited to race a TQ Midget at Ruapuna ...
and I actually beat somebody!
Mitsubishi Tredia, first season at Woodford Glen
...
Must be the start of the race because I'm
beating Willie & James!
Tredia in wall ... oops! ... two broken ribs
later
Somehow managed to win a race in Dean Franklins
Ministock
Mitsubishi Galant, Season 2 ... Okay I said I
would run around
the track naked if I ever won a race at the Glen,
but this
seemed inappropriate as we needed the crowd to
stay!
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