I had been quietly looking forward to the day, just minding my own business when suddenly Richard emailed me with:
(click for large version)
Oh dear.
Y'see, what Richard didn't know was that I've been karting a number of times and I'm actually - buffs nails on lapel - quite good at it. Some put it down to my 10 stone frame, I prefer to put it down to an inate talent at the wheel and a distinct lack of self-preservation.
The heat scoring system was 10 for a win, 8 for second, 6, 5, 4 for 3rd 4th 5th in the heats. With four lap heats, you also started in each of the five grid positions. The track had very few overtaking opportunties, so coming from the back was pretty damned tough.
Bearing in mind Mr Allans emailed boast, I feel it was probably a mistake for him to admit that he had never set foot in a go-kart before. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I think Richard scored 26. Me? Three wins and two second places for a total of 46. Which really should have been four wins, but for a silly mistake which let a very good driver through.
I qualified top in our group for the second Grand Final, which I think was the main one and was placed third on the grid of six starters. The pole was the same bloke that beat me earlier. I grabbed second at the start, but got pushed almost into the tyres at the first bend, dropping to fifth. From that point, I managed to have myself a true Moment of Zen as I discovered the best line through the s-bend onto the main straight, and simply picked off each guy in front, before getting the lead by about lap 7 and extending it for the overall win.
So, I'm writing this a) for the record because his email wrote a cheque his ability couldn't cash and b) so that Richard knows:
WHO IS THE DADDY?!
1 comment:
Once again an outpouring of total denial from Mr Landers! Everyone in attendance knows that I lost valuable points when Cheaty McCheaty from the other group overtook me on a red flag and stole my pole position from me. The lost points would have undoubtedly had knock-on consequences, similar to the theory of the butterfly that flaps its wings and results in a tidal wave. The ripple effect of those lost points would have undoubtedly meant that I was bound for podium glory, and yet the cruelty of fate (and the cheating bloke) meant that we will never know. Therefore I declare it a glorious draw.
In addition, when you factor in the inertia factor of a 17 stone standing start payload versus a 10 stone standing start payload, I pretty much whupped everyone else off the track. Mathematically speaking, you understand....
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