|
Zandvoort
Race Report
by Peter Winsome
| Original
grid |
| Team |
Name |
Nationality |
| Teaflax |
1.Martin
Wizinc |
|
| MacLuren |
2.
I. Falafel Paludrino |
|
| Jetta |
3.
Jeff Akbar |
|
|
WYCC |
4.
Mark Hero |
|
| Shadowfax |
5.
Zita Caneloni |
|
| Shadowfax |
6.
Mombasa Mohnam |
|
| Teaflax |
7.
Hagbard Celine |
|
| Jetta |
8.
Sue de Lou
|
|
|
WYCC |
9.
Sun Starfire |
|
| MacLuren |
10.
Notofu Nofun |
|
Rain,
rain and more rain. Zandvoort was "nothing more
than a submarine race" in the words of one frustrated
pit crew worker.
The
torrential downpour over Holland threatened to burst dams
in the low-lying nation and delayed the race by a full day.
Saturday's slippery qualifying session had put young Martin
Wizinc in front, and he was excited to have taken his
first pole and was obviously looking forward to his first
win.
But,
alas, it was not to be. The race began with WYCC's
Mark Hero getting off to an exceptionally good start,
darting between I. Falafel Paludrino and Jeff
Akbar, but being caught off-guard by a sudden blocking
maneuver from Wizinc. Hero's car bounced over Wizinc, causing
Zita Caneloni's Shadowfax to vault end over
end, precipitating a mass crash that would eventually see
the race stopped and then restarted with only half the field
on the grid. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries,
despite the spectacular nature of the collisions.
| Restart
grid |
| Team |
Name |
Nationality |
| MacLuren |
1.
I. Falafel Paludrino |
|
| Jetta |
2.
Jeff Akbar |
|
| Teaflax |
3.
Hagbard Celine |
|
| Jetta |
4.
Sue de Lou
|
|
| MacLuren |
5.
Notofu Nofun |
|
With
a decimated starting grid, and continued rain, the race
was in danger of being called off completely, but was eventually
given the go-ahead. Paludrino and new Tibetan team-mate
Notofu Nofun bookended the group, with the former
getting off to a promising start, sadly betrayed by the
inferior quality of Firebridge's wet tires, which
also kept first-timer Nofun firmly at the back of the field.
The
race looked to be Jetta's from a fairly early stage,
and this proved to be the case, but not in the way most
observers expected at the halfway mark. Jeff Akbar
had defied a poor start and audaciously powered his white
car to a seemingly decisive lead, powersliding it into the
corners like a speedboat. Teaflax's Hagbard Celine,
always dependable in the rain, wasn't much of a threat but
was obviously keeping the pace, and MacLuren seemed
a likely podium finisher through Paludrino.
And
then, with about 20 laps remaining, it became clear that
championship frontrunner Sue de Lou had just been
biding her time. With her trademark combination of skill,
luck and faith, she suddenly came charging from the back,
her white Cessna-branded vehicle almost a low-flying
plane, with the water spray like wings easing her through
the corners.
At
the zig-zag of the Nissan corner she forced a braking error
from team mate Akbar which moved him from the racing line
just enough to let Celine get through for a second place.
So
- yet again - Sue de Lou proves that she is, far and away
the best driver in the series, whether in the dry or in
the wet. She may not have mathematically locked up the championship
yet, but it will take a driver with a lot of guts, much
heart and an incredible amount of luck to beat her. Will
that driver step forward at the Hungaroring?
Stay
tuned.
| Final
qualifications |
| Team |
Name |
Nationality |
Points |
| Jetta |
1.
Sue de Lou |
|
10
|
| Teaflax |
2.
Hagbard Celine |
|
6
|
| Jetta |
3.
Jeff Akbar |
|
4
|
| MacLuren |
4.
I. Falafel Paludrino |
|
3
|
| MacLuren |
5.
Notofu Nofun |
|
2
|
|
