After having coffee with the boys in Ipswich on Friday morning I take off to Gatton which is 45 minutes west of Ipswich in the drizzling rain. Good excuse to fit the new $1000 set of race tyres instead of the baldy ones. My youngest son Andrew has taken on driving duties as Allan is now in Bowen. Allan is going to fly down for the 6 rounds of the Black Truck series this year.
I take the corty off the trailer and drive into the pits and the clutch master cylinder dies. Have not driven the car since the Noosa Hill climb in October 2012. Not a good start to the weekend. Down to Auto One in Gatton after lunch and pick up a new one and we are off again.
Ken Otto who is one of the local lads from Gatton brought down his standard Mk1 Gt corty he bought about 3 months ago to give us all a bit of a look. Very clean machine. It is exactly the same model and colour he bought new in 1965. He is just like me living in the past. Good bloke I might add.
Racing started at 0900 on Saturday and finished at 1700 with every one getting 5 runs. Sunday it started at 0730 and finished at 1510 with another 5 runs making 10 in total. Not too bad for $180 entry fee.
On Andrew’s second run he got a bit out of control on corner one and missed the concrete by only inches.
My mate Dave Waddington in his Lotus Cortina cleaned up the tyre barrier and so did his mate in a real nice red Mk1 Escort in exactly the same place.
There were 8 cars in our class and only 5 finished. Andrew got 3rd in class. Look out Allan he is after your driving job. Pictured below is Andrew holding the trophy, grandson Ross and son-in-law Gus.
On Sunday my mate Mike Sullivan drove all the way up from Brisbane with lunch for us all. Prawns, ham, chicken and bits and pieces. One of the best pit crew I have ever had. He does this for most race meetings.
We have had a cracked block in this car for 4 years between the 2 welsh plugs behind the alternator. We have mainly been doing 1 lap sprints and have to top up the radiator after every run. We put a tube of silastic on the block before going this weekend and on the last run we ended up with a bit of water in the oil so it will be taken out this week and a another block fitted.
That’s it for now, till the next race meeting next weekend, Round 1 of the Black Truck Series at Lakeside in the blue and white car. See ya.
Saundo