So it was just the Datti which I eventually put to the test late on the Friday afternoon. With a shortage of tyres we had to do with what we had and I decided that in view of the up coming Ford & Friends race I would refit my old 2011 set of tyres and in so doing try and save my 2012 set to last till the end of the season. Yes, believe it, I stretch them out for as long as possible, swop them, rotate them as I simply don't have a tyre sponsor to fit fresh rubber throughout the season. The weather was dry and cool and after scrubbing in a set of old and hard used tyres I nailed it for 1 or 2 laps and posted a low 1:30 lap time which I was most satisfied with. A cool crisp mornings qualifying could produce even better lap times and we left it as such without making any further adjustments. Instead, we pulled out the braai drum, lit a fire and sucked on a few brown bottles along with some good company.
Saturday morning and 'lekka' chilly with cool overcast conditions a recipe for good lap times, or so I thought. We prepped the Datti as per standard ritual and took to the track at 09h15 for our qualifying session. I proceeded to warm the tyres weaving somewhat a bit more than normal. Halfway down the back straight I opened her up and on change down from 4th to 3rd it simply locked up and spat me out in turn 5 (Cape Town corner). Somewhat red faced I waited for all other competitors to pass when I took to the track and tried again. The tyres felt OK but the box seemed strange for a split second. Having put in only 1 lap and posting a 1:30.1 on my second lap it was all I was afforded as on lap 3 going into turn 2 the gearbox let go, or so I thought and was left with a 'floppy' in my left hand. Yip, rather useless I'd say. I coasted to the center of the oval section between T2 and the Kink and waited for the qualifying session to end and to be towed back to pit. In the interim, a spare gearbox was collected from the workshop. To our relief it was soon found that the gear lever retaining circlip had broken and disappeared and had dislodged itself from the center shaft. A quick replacement and test soon confirmed all was ready for race 1 and our luck seemed to slowly start turning.
Race 1 was off at 12h15 with temps only slightly up yet still cool and overcast conditions prevailed. I had a fair rolling start at lights out holding the inside line in T1, the Scirroco ahead and the Alfa of Dave Alhadeff to my outside. All went wrong for the 2 big guns up front and with the Scirroco taken evasive action and with heavy braking I was left with nowhere to go other than into Sandro approaching T2. Luckily it was not a heavy punt and we managed to get out of that situation almost as quick as getting into it. I held the Scirroco out of T2, through the Kink with me on the outside, the Scirroco now stuck behind the Alfa with nowhere to go. Pure pressure going into T3 saw the Scirroco back out and I was now lying second. I gave chase to the Dave who was dumb founded that he was actually leading a race probably for the very first time in his race career. We crossed the start finish after completing our first lap and I was slowly catching. Down the back straight we headed and I had a great run out of T4 and tucked close right up and behind the GT Junior. Half way down I pulled out of the slip stream, held the inside line into T5 and took Dave under braking. Yes, the Datti was now the new leader albeit for a mere 500m before the class A guys who offed it in T2 had caught up and regained their rightful positions. I held 3rd place until lap 3 before being demoted to 4th place by the Scirroco and with a now hard charging Alfa was caught by Dave on lap 6. As hard as I tried I could not regain my position and finished 0.6 seconds behind him at the flag. A close battle but I needed to pull one back.
For race 2 Mr 'Datsun' asked me some pertinent questions and made the required adjustments he thought would best give the Datti a chance to challenge the 2L GT Junior. At lights out I held onto my place and already could feel a difference in the pulling power. Out of T1 we headed in single file, through T2, T3 and T4. The Datti could now close in on the Alfa and on Turn 5 I stuck it up the inside and took 4 place going into T5. Dave new my weaknesses but try as he may I was not going to relinquish this place that easily again. We often swopped places running side by side through T1 and T2 but in the end the Datti was the stronger and came home ahead of the Alfa by a mere 0.4 seconds and thereby giving overall to Dave by a minuscule 0.2 seconds. A brilliant dice that lasted for a full 8 laps and anyone's chance to win. Everyone complimented us for that race and deservedly it was adjudicated that the WPMC driver of the day was awarded to Dave Alhadeff for a determined and hard fought class B win. To say I was overjoyed by it all is putting it mildly. A better prepared race car could not have been asked for and once again Mr 'Datsun' showed his worth and true brilliance in preparing a Datsun.
So provided there is enough time to prepare both the Datti and the 140Z we will both turn up for the Ford & Friends event to be held on the 8th September where we willonce again hope to give our best.
Thanks 'Boet'
