Sunday Race Day.

Sarah and I got up at around 7 this morning, grabbed something to eat and rushed out the door to pick up the race car from the workshop.
We arrived at the race venue, Port road, at 8am in time for drivers briefing. It was raining quite steadily which I don't mind as I believe it gives me a much needed edge over the car that usually wins at this event. He has far more horsepower which means that he has trouble gaining traction in the slippery conditions. I myself enjoy a good sideways play on a wet road.

I thought the first run of the day was a practice so I hammed it up and slid the car all over the road, not realising it was an official timed run. No harm done, I was fastest anyway! :)

The next run was a lot drier with plenty of grip. I posted a personal best time of 87.7 seconds, a second faster than I'd ever gone before. (So much for taking it easy as I'd told the doctors I would, but at no time did I feel like I was on my limit)
Unfortunately the guy in the more powerful car also got a run in the dry and posted a time over 2 seconds faster than I did.

At this point Sarah and I left the event and headed into the cancer ward at the hospital and got a blood test done. Afterwards we headed home and spent the next few hours on the couch watching TV. The hospital phoned and said that my counts were worse than friday at .1 for white cells (5+ is normal) and 14 for platelets, however they did not want me to come back in until tomorrow.

It was now 2pm and I was bored, sitting on the couch watching something of no interest. I looked out the window and thought " Hmmm it's a nice day outside.. wonder of they will let me re-enter the event?"
I phoned the timing marshal and he said I could return and complete my final two runs. So I threw my race suit on, jumped in the car and headed back to Seaview.

I was immediately slotted back into the waiting queue of race cars and within a few minutes was once more tearing around the back streets of Seaview. The run was going really well until the car overheated and the computer wisely decided to severely retard my engine's power output. (later I thought maybe I had blown a head-gasket but then worked through the train of events and deducted that the computer was probably smarter than me and wanted me to stop)

I finished that run with a time almost exactly the same as my personal best from the morning, even with the misfiring engine.
I did a quick check under the bonnet, couldn't see anything wrong and headed out again for my last run. Before I even got to the first corner I lost my power steering belt and as a result my steering too! So I screeched to a halt a few feet short of the curb before gingerly maneuvered the car back to the pits.

By 3pm just one hour later I was back on the couch watching the same boring TV show.. I could have imagined the whole thing.
However the two new trophies atop the TV prove otherwise.

I took out second place over-all and in class, gaining 9 precious points towards the series, plus posted a personal best and firmly believe I can go a lot faster... maybe when I'm well again ;)

Health-wise, I have painful mouth ulcers that send a dull ache up my jaw and into my ear. Eating is excruciating. They should get better over the next few days.
I seem to have more energy this afternoon than I did this morning.. maybe I've been running on adrenalin? Guess I'll find out tonight when I crash into a screaming heap.

Cheers! ..Ron