GODSpeed

15 Feb 2009

"Godspeed, as a word, is a wish for a prosperous journey,
success, and good fortune."
---------------
Today is the 1st proper club race of the year. I was not
really dying for it to happen, but was somewhat looking
forward to karting again.

At about 5pm, I had already reached home, picked up a
pail of water to wash my dirty car. Then I bathed, and by
6pm I already started to write this.

You may think that I must be Superman to have plentiful
of energy after a kart race to do all these that I did and doing
now.

Well, obviously I'm not. And let me back up to the start of
the day and you will know what unfolds throughout the day...

Waking to the my normal hours when I'm head north to
JB at about 6.30am, I reached the track before 9am after
having breakfast at the usual place.

It seems to me that things go on well enough as a start
for me to have a okay race for the rest of the day.
Or so I thought...

For today, one of the important aspects is to have the
Qualifying and the 2 Heats started on time. Some of us
had put in some efforts to discuss this at length and was
eager to make it work.

We did have a drivers briefing at 10.45am, follow by
Qualifying from just before 11am till 11.30am.

Qualifying is an odd ball for me. When I did about 7 laps and
seeing that my time had better Louis's time I slowed and
return to the pits. However, the time on the screen reflected
it as slower by about 0.2 second. So I went out again to try for
a better time, but I could not. Thus it is 8th place for me on
the starting grid.

It's odd, because I realised later the setting of the MyChron
had to be set differently for it to have close time check with
the circuit timing device.

12.30pm. Heat 1.

We all did one good rolling lap. And then it's a green flag for
a race start. 1st corner was a bit of jostling, and when I was
approaching the apex I was going to floor the throttle....
suddenly Mary been just by the side of me edge slightly ahead,
then spun right in to my path and we crashed!
I reckon she had overcooked her throttling being too eager to
get ahead for the straight ahead and just loses the rear end then.

Her right wheel and my left wheel somehow got locked
together and the mech/marshals rush to separate both of us.
By the time I got going, the field had already went 2 laps.
Darn !
My race had ended even before I cleared the 1st corner!
Thinking back, I would say I could not do anything to prevent
it as it was the spot when we will start to accelerate hard for the
long straight. For Mary to spun there, right in front of me, crash is
inevitable. The only good thing is that none of us got hurt.

Once I got going again, I had a thought of should I continue
or should I get back to the pits for a early day. 2 laps down,
there's no way I can really hope for anything. I did continue
however and take it as a practice runs.

Heat 1, I 'finished' 8th. But will start 7th for Heat 2 as Lai Wee
How was later found to be under the min weight and will
start at the back of the grid, last.

Since Heat 2 was scheduled to start at 3pm, we all had about
more than 2 hours to kill. Some had lunch. Some laze around.
Some checked their kart. Some of us sat around and chatted.

At about 2 pm, we all decided that since all our karts are good
to go we will have Heat 2 at 2.30pm instead.

Heat 2.
Starting from 7th, right behind Louis. Before we started Heat 2,
I looked at the times Louis was doing for Heat 1 I thought it will
be possible for me to stick close and possibly overtake him at some
stage.
Rolling Lap was good for everyone, I think.
Green Flag, everyone got off the 1st corner nicely. At least I did.
Long straight. Some overtaking took place by who on who, I can't
recall.

Fast right hand turn for the uphill. I believed I overtook Mark's
6th position right after the turn.

After that I was readying myself for the fast downhill following
Louis's kart.... then BANG....................!!!!!!

I did not know what happen......

The impact was rather violent

My kart went into the ditch just before the downhill turn by the
left and facing the traffic. In effect, I was turned around by the
impact of something by someone.

My rib hurt a wee bit when I tried to get up. So I stay in my seat
for a while more before I got up. When I did, I realised that Lai
Wee How was sitting in his kart behind me.
Now, I know who hit/crashed me out.

Later, I'll update from a video and write what exactly happened
here.


Since there wasn't any way to get back to the pits then, so both
of us just sat there and watch the entire race.
Noel won it, followed by Tony then Graeme, fourth goes to Ivan.

Damage to my kart is the rear axle. I guess I have replaced it.
Just my luck that such serious damage for something that is
not my fault at all.

That's racing, for you I guess.
It just seems that this year I seems to 'attract' incidents.
Not good !

Anyway, the year is long. There's always a next race.
So I hope to learn something from today.
But I do not know what yet..

I really need GODSpeed !

Until the next track day / race.

cheers