Mondello Park, Ireland. June 6/7/8 2008

One that will be hard to forget as it was just me and Richard in the team heading to the circuit.  As Richard’s official title in the team is “Manager/Driver,” mine for the weekend was “Chief Mechanic, Cleaner, Crew Chief, Fuelman, Jackman, Navigator, PA, Photographer, Wheelman” and of course, “Teaboy.”  So I was expecting a busy weekend for me except “busy” was an understatement. More like “non-stop” as the weekend unfolds.

Friday testing was on a wet track.  What was worse was that the window wiper motor ceased and approximately a minute before going out on track, it rained.  It was sunny all day except just before testing.  I had to do a “Guido” from Cars changing slick tyres to wets in the rain and guess what happened when the trucks was out, it stopped raining.  Two minor problems were sorted with some help from #93 team after testing, misfiring and the engine was ticking over too high.

Saturday morning practice was sunny and dry.  After 8 laps, the red flags came out and I was trying to find out who went off track.  Unfortunately, it was Richard who brought the red flags out..  He got off track while avoiding pickup truck #14 on a fast bend and ended up in the tyre barriers.  Not a perfect start to the weekend.  After practice, there was only bodywork and suspension damage to the #24 truck and so it was a rush against time to get the truck ready for Race 1.  After some help from Sarge from #69 team and a lot of tape from #2 and #63 teams, the truck was ready for Race 1.  However just before race 1, alternator problems prohibited the truck to start and thanks to Stretch from #9 team, the truck got out on track just in the nick of time and Richard done only 2 laps.  Why?  Because there was only a box of neutrals as the selector broke after further inspection.  Long night ahead as me and Richard changed the gearbox.

Sunday morning practice and completed with the truck pushing a bit.  No major problems which is a good start to Sunday.  Just need a good finish as well and hope nothing else goes wrong.

Race 2 starting last on the grid due to new gearbox and just want the truck to finish in one piece.  Other trucks were dropping out and Richard was surviving.  Finished the race in our first top ten finish of the season with 9th place.  There were more bodywork damage or is that tape damage as Richard bumped #7 truck at the same place as when Richard hit the tyre barriers.

All in all, the start of the weekend wasn’t best but all our efforts paid off for Sunday and we had a happy ending to Mondello race meeting.

A big thanks goes to #93 team and the Grindrod brothers’ team for all their help over the weekend as well as others who I might have forgotten.

What an unforgettable non-stop weekend.

See you at Rockingham!
Yung
Mechanic