First of all, thank you to everyone who has partaken in the series, one way or another, you made it into a great spectacle
For my event, the altered track meant that the Hyundai had a slightly easier time to make its way around this track but it was still lairy in a couple of spots...
Qualifying 1: In Qualifying I didn't expect much but managed to get a very good lap together for being me and was sitting in 2nd for a little bit but both could and should have gone a bit quicker still but didn't manage to put it together so lined up 3rd behind two of the four David's in the event.
Race 1: Sadly, for me, I got a torrid start off the line and dropped back a few positions but was sitting in 6th I think it was, behind the Cavalier of Dave.
Spent a few laps behind him until he made a mistake at Dunlop Loop (T3) where he ran a little bit wide and I could sneak up the inside and past by the time we got to Dunlop Exit.
Dave missed his braking point by a few meters down at Winfield a lap or so later and gave me a small nudge but it was nothing major, just a small tap but apparently it dis-lodged my bumper as, on the next lap, Juha remarked on it and it caused me to lose concentration and go off heavily on the last turn, along with David Jaques unfortunately, who went off for the same reason.
Pitted for repairs and spent the rest of the race chasing cars a lap ahead to un-lap myself and look for a possible finish inside the points if possible.
With a few retirements and Jason picking up damage and being forced to pit for repairs, I finally made it into 10th position by the finish of the race.
Qualifying 2: Due to running with a damaged car in the first race I didn't quite have the feel for the car and ran a couple of tenths off my ultimate pace and ended up a little bit further back on the grid.
Race 2: Had another torrid start and lost out places but was still in contention by the end of the first lap.
Que a similar situation with Dave a few laps in and I could slip past. I want to remember something similar happened with Ray but I'm not sure, a lot happened in the race...
Now it was David Jundt, David Jaques and Richard Wilks up ahead of us.
The battle up front was frantic and hard. Could pick up a bit of luck with David Jaques running wide twice and I could get past but Richard was another matter entirely. His Audi was really strong off the turns and, even though he was carrying damage from the battles, I could never truly get close enough for a lunch up the inside. We exchanged quickest sectores, I think I was quicker down the hill from Dunlop Exit to Winfield Corner, partly due to me driving like a maniac through the quick turns and having a lighter car, but Richard had the legs on me on the exit of the slower turns and up the hill after the S/F line.
In the end, my tires fell of a cliff as the pace was a bit too quick for them and I dropped back a tenth or two for the last 4 laps of the race but 3rd and a final podium in a car that has no business being up there, was a great result.
All in all, I recon I pegged myself back a bit too far with picking the Hyundai for this season but in the words of Eddie Irvine after he moved to Jaguar from Ferrari, when I was winning every other event or race and always was up there fairly easily, it was becoming boring, getting that win at Calder with the Hyundai felt absolutely amazing and the battles I was able to have running the Hyundai was great fun
So all in all, I'll probably try to not pegg myself back quite so much next time but I really enjoyed trying to get the Hyundai up the speed in this championship against all of you great drivers
We've got a great looking championship lined up for the Autumn Wednesday Night series and I hope you'll all enjoy that and there will certainly be more Super Touring coming your way if I have any say in the matter, these are a blast to race
Thank you once again everyone and see you in the Autumn for more Weeknight, Wednesday action