Redstar Raceway Delmas
Thanks to Sarel and the team from 8V Performance the Shield Golf was back to full power after it had blown a head gasket in Phakisa a month ago. Arriving at Redstar Raceway and parking the trailer, I was totally surprised to notice the one trailer wheel had more camber than the race car … boy, oh boy, we were lucky to make it to the track as a wheel bearing had decided to give up on us. Let this be a reminder to check your trailer wheel bearings and grease them up regularly. Single axle trailers you need to be even more careful with and fortunately we managed to get spare bearings in Delmas and make it to the track with the race car on the back of the Vito .
Friday practise went according to plan in what was extremely hot conditions out on track. I need a good few laps to get used to going around the the circuit in an anti-clockwise direction and the initial times told the story . Redstar change direction of the circuit every 6 months and with so many twisty corners you need Waze to give you directions . Participating in two classes on the the Saturday I dialed in the car and saved the tires for Qualifying as they still seemed to be sticky enough with sufficient tread for a few good laps.
Saturday Qualifying
Qualifying
On Track Clubman session was disastrous and only managed a dismal 2.20 which was 2 seconds off the pace due to my accelerator cable jumping out of position on the throttles, thanks to a simple cable tie not being put around the cable. I am so grumpy with myself this oversite cost me dearly as it only allowed for about 70% of full throttle which was extremely disappointing. In 111 with a cable tie in place I manged a 2.18 ,1 which was competitive enough as the front runners were just dipping into the 1.17s.
Raceday
111
Following Redstar there is only one more event on the calendar for 2023 on the 12th of November and had to ensure a podium if I am going to have any chance of bringing home some silverware at the end of the year. Roland Hopkins in Class B has been keeping me honest and on my toes with Adrian Dalton in Class A who is leading the Overall Championship based on a combined Index of Class Points and Index of performance – a very complex calculation that has caused a few bruised egos and bloody noses.
Heat 1 was an absolute hum dinger and for the first 5 or 6 laps was trying at every corner to get a gap to pass Roland who had managed to pip me into the 1st corner at the start. Running behind a car bumper to bumper lap after lap is no good for heat management and I noticed the temperature gauge climbing at a rapid rate even with the fan on full it’s still climbed. Not wanting to damage the head gasket which was just replaced I pulled into the pits to see what was going on… oh no an alternator belt which drives the water pump also had jumped off (this happens sometimes due to stones on the track and kicking up under the belt)
Replacing the belt was a simple problem to resolve and was extremely grateful that it was not a head gasket problem again and I at least had a chance to gain some points in Heat 2.
Heat 2
Going into the race with nothing to lose I managed to get in front of Roland early on and keep him at bay until around lap 7. Unfortunately, Roland ended up cooking his engine as he had to remain in my slip stream to keep in the tow to avoid losing ground to me down the straights. Hopefully he gets his engine sorted for the next race as this tussle really makes for its exciting for the spectators
Clubman’s
Splitting the racing into 3 Heats of 6 laps on the day made it extremely difficult for me to participate in Heat 1 as this was straight after Heat 1 of 111 – therefore only managed to do Heat 2 and 3.
Up against 2 extremely fast 24 valve golfs and a few multi-valve Hondas I was going to be in
for a tough time and would have simply been happy with a 3rd place but managed to win heat 2 and end 2nd in Heat 3 on the day. With this result managed an overall 2nd on the day.
