Alfa racing in South Africa

[TopCat]

Dear Team
A good friend of mine left the IOM for South Africa for a 2 year secondment with a major bank

Of course he continued racing
and he writes really well as well!
Below is his latest race report from Midvaal race track - his chum's tidy driving in the YouTube link is a good example of some good racecraft as he hunts down slower cars in front of him (reverse grid)
enjoy:

Hi all

The Alfa Trofeo Club had a problem last week. I don’t know the whole story, but everybody is racing next weekend with the HRCR at Zwartkops, and nobody had entered this weekend race at Midvaal. If the club didn’t show they would be in deep poo with the MSA.

So I got a call on Thursday afternoon, will I turn out if they paid my entry?

It would have been rude not to, so that is where I went on Saturday.

Unfortunately, it didn’t go completely to plan!

We were only 3 cars in Trofeo, and there was a mix up in pit lane which let the modified saloons loose while we were still out qualifying. Not pleasant, they were loud and super fast as well as ill mannered. A cheek really because they were gatecrashing our session! Anyway my pain was shortlived, a circlip came off the clutch slave cylinder after only a few laps and I had to come in. That took a bit of fiddling to put right, and we bled the brakes at the same time.

Because we were so few we ran scratch races with Silvercup, modern saloons with mods but nothing too outrageous.

The first race was fine, dunno what times though because the timing system collapsed and they had to do everything manually all day. I came up from the back of the grid to finish 14th from 22 starters, second Alfa, which was as good as I could have hoped for. It was a bit lonely towards the end, the car in front was too far away to catch and nobody was behind. There was not a lot of grip so I had a bit of fun entertaining myself and the Marshalls, giving it some sideways action, letting the car get loose then bringing it back. Much applause at the end!

The second race was started with a reverse grid, and the quickest Silvercup drivers had to force their through the field to the front. And force they did, I have a pretty high fear threshold and don’t mind driving close to other cars, but blo*dy hell. It was tight going into some corners, with cars both sides putting on the squeeze. One character reckoned that I touched him and put him off, Tony Sharp in a Guilietta was right behind and thought he just got on the marbles, either way he left the scene rapidly and nearly collected Tony when he rejoined the track. Have a look at Tony’s excellent in car video, which includes this incident two or three minutes in.




Then my windscreen was hit by a stone just before the braking zone on the main straight, pulling 6k in 4th gear. I got around the corner but had to pull off because I couldn’t see a thing, see pic. The HRCR made me put on plastic film inside the screen last year, just as well otherwise I would have had the whole lot on my lap! Only my second non finish, the other being East London 2009, not bad over 62 races!

Trevor is tracking down a new windscreen for me.

So not quite such a perfect day in the African sunshine. But still pretty darn good!

PS I have come out of retirement and entered for Zwartkops this weekend. Two Trofeo races then a 1 hour Sports & GT race starting at 5.30. Finishing in the dark! Oh yes!!!

PPS I didn’t realise it was possible to roll a bicycle, but I did on Sunday. One minute I was pedalling up a hill, next minute I was lying on my back like a beetle, with the bike in the air still attached to my feet. I still don’t know what happened. More practice required….

PPPS I didn’t think quick enough though. A blonde stopped her car to see if I was OK.

I said yes.

Fool.

[Jeroen]

Welcome to the world of touringcar racing!

PPPS I didn’t think quick enough though. A blonde stopped her car to see if I was OK.

I said yes.

Fool.

LOL asking for mouth to mouth yourself doesn't sound convincing either