- 34,629
- Addison,Texas
- GTP_RACECAR
One Day At Monterrey
Pre-Race
A nice sunny morning greeted me and so did some perfect skies. The machine for this race was another special one, this more so because I personally spent time and doing all the workings myself. It was the first car I actually did any sort of work on and I was keen to try it out. For the next 90 laps, I was about see how well I did.
Start/Segment 1 (1-30)
As the race started, I was immediately on the offensive for positions. I went on the outside knowing the first few cars would defend the inside. I stormed past the two mustangs and then around a Cuda before setting my sights on the Chevelle as well as the Iroc Camaro. Going down the corkscrew, I managed to get past both and from then on, it was just sailing on with the race and my Little Camaro was going. After 20 laps, I was beginning to feel the edge of the tires going as it was getting harder to stick the corners. Eventually at lap 29, I went off course in the corkscrew. Thankfully, no damaged happened so I was spared some dire consequence, but I had to pit soon other wise it might happen again the next lap. It was torture crawling around the track saving the car, but as soon as I saw those tire barriers, I finally was able to relax as I slowly pulled in.
Segment 2 (30/60)
Right in the pits I went for the first stop. Tires were the only thing I wanted and I felt confident I could make it on fuel for the next stop. I this time decided to back my pace down and save some tire through through this stint. So far so good, I had a good handling car and it was taking every corner like I wanted. For the first ten laps, I was keep it my lap times about a second or two off my faster laps and this time, had more tire to last. Thankfully that was solved as I was making my way around slower cars and began setting up for the final stop
Segment 3/ finish
Onto the second and final stop, this time with fuel and Tires and a Drink. Pretty handy to have a car with air conditioning and a Cup holder as it left me to get a good gulp while the crew fueled the car up and changed the tires. I was off for the final 30 laps and thought to myself "Alright, we're almost there". For the first ten laps, I was pretty secure about the amount of fuel I had onboard. The next ten, I was somewhat nervious, but sorta brushed it off as the fuel was a little past halfway. The final ten however were the most nerve racking. It was no longer the tires I had to worry about lasting, it was the fuel. The amount I instructed the crew to give me confidently was getting mighty close to empty and it didn't help that I had decided the lap before that it was ok to go flat out. So for the rest of the race, that fuel gauge was never out of my eyesight and with 1 to go, it was beginning to share as much focus as the road in front of me. The needle was ever so close to "E" and it was making my heart rate go up. One cough and all that work I did was going to be undone. As I approached the final corner, I kept remembering races where someone came so close only to sputter and not even cross the line. Thankfully when I came off that corner, That wasn't me as I crossed the line and exhailed the largest breath I had the entire time. I managed to win my first race with a car I tuned and worked on, thats an accomplishment I will have a hard time matching ever.
Reflection
As I sat in the motorhome, I staired at the picture from the victory lane celebration. That car was a impressive feat I did and its a memory I intend on savoring. Next Stop: Indy.
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The ending was definatly a heart stopper.
