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News Article
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Open Sport Nationals 21st- 23rd August
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Created On: 2009-08-29 at 09:10:08
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Well, what a weekends racing. It is certainly the best race meeting team Sticky Situation has had in a while, and probably will be for a long time to come.
This meeting was based at Shakespeare County Raceway, always a more tiring affair due to the extended distance to the track. The weather forecast was promising and inspection of the track gave rise to an optimistic feeling towards the weekend. Nigel had left early on Thursday to set up in the pits and the ever friendly team at Avon placed him in his allocated spot. Once set up he prepared himself and the car for the next three days of racing.
The rest of the team arrived early on Friday morning whilst the car was being scrutinered in the pits. This weekend we had lost Graham (Crew Chief) as he was off to have a rather nice break away and Kyle who was also busy. Standing in was Martin Curbishley to help Steve and Dale with the all important routine and Ruth Curbishley ended up as chief nanny, which the children thought was great!
The car was left as was from the last meeting at the Pod and after waiting for a small rain shower to pass we were eventually ready to run. We found ourselves paired against Tim Mugridge who now appeared to have a very reliable and consistent fast car, more than competitive in our class and our main rival in the Shakespeare County Raceway championship.
The first run was disappointing, whilst all the other Super Mod's managed decent solid times we were left with tyre shake and a rather pathetic 10.54 ET. Not what we were hoping for and we all headed back to the pits a little disheartened.
Due to another episode of precipitation (well writing raining gets so boring)we were only going to get one more run that day. It was decided to make a small tyre pressure alteration and we hoped to see a little improvement which we could then work on again the next day. Well, it all came together like you would not believe. The team knew the car had greater possibilities following a John Webster test day at the Pod a few weeks earlier which presented great 60ft times but we were all rather stunned when it actualy performed. As the time flashed up in lights it was all rather bemusing and for a split second it was hard to comprehend what it was telling us. Nigel had roared through the lights in 7.42 seconds a new personal best by a huge margin and the first legal 7.4 run for a Super Modified car(and a naturally aspirated one at that).
I can't begin to tell you the excitement, exhilaration and amazing sence of achievement in the team. A fantastic result and a moment we will remember for a very long time to come.
Saturday, what can I say. We continued to run with great consistency gaining times of 7.45 and 7.43 putting us firmly in the number one spot with Tim Mugridge in number 2 with his new PB of 7.51. Belinda was number 3 with a new Super Mod MPH record of 183.54. A few issues following an accident had left us all qualifying in the right lane preparing it nicely for Sundays eliminations where we were hopeful to keep the advantage of lane choice.
Our first run was a bye due to the five car field and Nigel continued to run consistently with a 7.45. Belinda had knocked Craig out in a really close race with a 7.63 to his 7.67 and Tim had beaten Rob Smallworth. This left us paired against Belinda and Tim on a bye into the final.This meant we needed to beat Belinda to be in the final and then we would be ahead of Tim on points and gain the Shakespeare County Raceway championship.
Nigel selected the right lane against Belinda. Belinda pulled a better reaction on the tree but the new found speed of the car saw Nigel break the finishing lights first with a 7.46 to Belinda's 7.62. We were in the final and this had now given us enough points for the championship.
A fast turn around for the final saw us back on the line in just over an hour. All cars were ready for the finals and Nigel and Tim sat side by side as the lights flicked down, but no one managed to see green. Tim launched early and pulled a red automatically passing the win to Nigel. Final run of the day a 7.47 at 181 mph.
What a fantastic weekend. A new PB, a new Super Modified record, the Shakespeare County raceway championship and due to points accumulation the National Championship. Big thanks to all the crew especially Martin and Ruth for there help. Thanks too to our sponsers without whom we could never have achieved such success.
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