That was a brilliant race for me! 5th in this field is a bloody win!
I basically had an epic battle with @c4rLo5 for the entire race. With one eye permanently on the mirror and the other one looking ahead for every lap I must have looked like Marty Feldman when I took my Rift off...
I qualified 8th - 1 spot behind Carlos, but with a good start I had a clear inside line for T1. I was right behind the Ed and Godzilla incident and immediately thought we're all going to get taken out "Independence Day" style...
Buuuut it didn't happen as Ed somehow found a keyhole to squeeze his out-of-control supercar through, and exited stage left!
I exited T2 just behind Godzilla and in front of Carlos. That proved to be the key move as Carlos had to put up with the sight of my rear end for rest of the race!! . He definitely had a touch more pace at times but I had the elbows out and just covered enough when I needed to. I had the pace coming onto the straight and he couldn't stay with me until T2 when he'd be on my bumper again. I was better on corner exit power down. He was better mid corner and braking. Fortunately at this track that was the right way around when in front.
When Carlos peeled off into the pits on lap 30 I thought "oh-oh" he's going to undercut me. I seriously considered pitting next lap but that was 1 lap earlier than I wanted, so I gambled on staying out 1 more lap. It luckily paid off as he was held up that lap by Anon and I came out literally into their path into T2 . I hit the brakes as late as I dared but on cold SS tyres I had her sliding like an elephant on ice (and possibly on Ice)!
Somehow I managed to keep both Carlos and Anon behind me (thanks guys for not punting me). The rest of the lap was scary as sht as I had no grip until the final corner and even that was sketchy!. After that Carlos pretty much blow-torched my rear end for the rest of the race.
He had plenty of opportunities to bump and run but never did. 100% clean - no paint swapped . That's the way to battle!
Grats to Shawn, Marty and teamy Rolz for the podium.
Bad luck to those who had... um... bad luck.
(oh my god that potato bum is freaky!)