Jason goes out for his first run and looks like he is right on the cones and runs a great first run. He's so close to the cones that I'm dodging them as a spectator. Unfortunately it's dirty. This run would have put him right up there with the leaders. Jason makes the rest of this runs and stays clean, but is not able to match the time on his first run. Now his final position will end up being determined by how other drivers do.
We did the same as yesterday, we make our runs and don't know what the other competitors are doing. We have no radio and we can't hear the announcer, so we just go out and do our thing. From watching the other drivers in different classes, I think that the course is really fast in sections and what is not a braking point for RWD cars, is a braking point for FWD. I make my first run and decide to see if I can get away with no brakes. I spin the car in the first fast right heading into the slalom. So much for this run. I go after the rest of the course to see what it's like and get the tail out again in another section. It's fast with lots of grip for turn in, but the tail seems to be looser than normal. I now have 2 runs left to drive. I make decent runs, but make enough mistakes that I don't go much faster. It's enough to move me up to 4th place. Of course I don't know this until we start talking to others in impound and the results confirm that I'm in 4th.
We also have the pleasure of being one of the top 5 and brought over to the shed for a surprise inspection. Even though the car is legal, it's our first time at Nationals and we have no idea what to expect, so we are nervous. Once in the shed, we are told to remove the valve cover for an inspection.
Being comfortable wrenching, Jason is the first one off with the valve cover and Doug takes a look inside. There is nothing unusual to see. We are cleared and allowed to leave. We go pack up the car to be loaded on the transporter. When we are done getting the car ready for the transporter, some 45 minutes later, there is still one car missing for the transporter, we go to search for the car, which brings us back to the shed and we see that all the other Civics are still there. Kind of odd, but we don't go inside, we keep looking for our missing car.
We are not aware of anything else going on. We head back to the hotel to wash up before the awards ceremony. At the banquet, we start hearing word that there's been a protest and a competitor may be disqualified. No confirmed word. We also find out that if the inspection/protest is still in progress, no class trophies will be awarded tonight. It's later confirmed before our trophies are awarded that there is a disqualification and I'll end up in 3rd place. When trophy presentations for our heat come around, we are called up. I am given the 4th place trophy because they didn't have enough time to redo the 3rd place trophy. It's nice to have the opportunity to walk across the stage in front of everybody. Jr is the announcer and has some wisecrack of course.
This has been a most eventful Nationals. I think we have had the opportunity to experience everything that can go on at an event - all at the same event. What's next? Everything else is going to seem so boring after this one. Jason and I can't wait to come back and challenge for 1st place.
Videos...
Stephens Fastest Run
Click to play
Jasons Fastest Run
Click to play
No comments:
Post a Comment