Preparations for this state title weekend started for the “Outback Express Team when we brought a battered car home from Collie on the 4th November. New body, paint, sign writing etc to have the car shining for the first night of the title weekend. After the outside was done, the Total Asphalt Grand Prix was checked from front to back to make sure that everything was right for Robs crack at the title. Then comes title week!! The week started with the usual last minute thrash to make sure everything was packed in the truck before Rob and the boys left on Tuesday afternoon for Perth. The car was right, all the bits were in he truck, what had we forgotten?? Nothing I hoped. The boys and the car made it safe and sound to Perth on the Tuesday night for some sleep and a bit of relaxation before the Wed practice session.
As is the norm Dad has to stay and work until the last minute so I was going to be doing the Wed practice session by remote control over the phone. Practice went great; car was good, driver good, crew all happy.
Thursday: Today for the crew was going to be very laid back, take the car to the carwash for the mandatory two hour washing session to get the sticky Kwinana clay out of everywhere and then carry out a check of the mechanical bits to make sure everything was still OK. Everyone was happy and the car was in great shape. Now for the relax part. Afternoon of swimming, few drinks and a quiet BBQ.
Friday: The boys were up early, Travel across town to Racecar Tyres to collect the fuel and American Racer rear Tyres for the car. Then back to the caravan park for a Nana nap before heading to scrutineering at 2.30. I had arrived from Kalgoorlie on the morning flight and sat with Ray and Robbie to ensure that the car had been reset after the Wed practice. The crew was eager to get to the track on time, car scrutineered and then relax until the racing starts.
I arrived at the track just before 4pm and the car was set and ready to go, so with nothing to do I went for a walk to check out the opposition and say hello to some of the other guys. The grid draws finally arrived and the news was so so, starting positions heat 1 pos 12, heat 3 Pos 6, heat 5 Pos 5 and heat 7 Pos 2. Danny and Tania Smith from Rocket Racecars had flown over from their Lismore base to lend support to the teams running Rocket cars and Danny had a look over the car and made a couple of suggestions for some shock changes after looking at the track. Heat one and here we go, Rob had no signs of nerves and was eager to get the show on the road. Car looked good and Rob powered home to finish 4th despite a small altercation with a spinning car which bent the bumper back onto the right front wheel.
Fixed that and decide to make some changes to the setup and change the right rear. Corey, Ray, Jason and the crew worked quickly through the changes while Danny & Rob chatted about how the car felt. Heat 3 and we are chasing Troy Brook for 8 laps before Rob stood on the gas and effected a superb outside pass to take the win. “Don’t touch the car” was the cry from the driver as he emerged with a grin, its great, Even so the crew diligently washed, checked and rechecked the car and Jason & Ray found the bolt that holds the left steering arm has worked loose and needed to be tightened.
Heat 5 and the last for tonight, Rob was out of the blocks with a blistering drive through turns one and two and leading before the end of the first lap. But hello here comes Troy Brook with a sensational drive to be behind Rob and the he turned the tables and made the same pass that Rob had done to him in the previous heat. End result 2nd and leading the points at the end of night one. Every one was contented and then a few drinks and bit of a chat to the other crews and we would head off back to the caravan park for a some well earnt sleep before we do it all again. Just as we were about to leave bad news arrived with the report that fellow Kalgoorlie racer Dean Shores father Dave had had a heart attack in the car park of the motorplex and had passed away. Boy, did that put a dampener on the mood. Dean is a great mate of Robs and our hearts all sank as we realized what effect this tragic news would have on Dean and in fact the entire Super sedan fraternity at the titles.
Saturday: The boys were all up early and off to the car wash to clean off the remnants of the previous nights racing while Rob slept peacefully until his cheerleaders Blake and Liah decide it’s time for Daddy to be up. Yvonne and I have a wedding to attend at 11am so I needed to leave a list for Corey, Ray, Jason and Andrew to get done and then get the car packed back in the truck ready for the nights racing. Tasks included changing the damaged front bumper and resetting the car back to the baseline setup.
Rob and the boys arrived at the race track and went through the usual set up before Rob was ambushed by the team from chequered flag to give a impromptu interview for the show they were doing on the title. Very tongue tied Rob managed to get through the interview and get back to preparing for the night ahead. Engine start time and the car came back a couple of hundred pounds heavier thanks to the clay collected off the track, nearly enough to build a clay snowman. The usual pre race conferences took place while the boys busily worked to get the car looking clean and presentable again. Heat 7 and we are out of pos 2, best starting position for the heats and all we need to do is finish in front of Troy and we will have locked up pole position for the final. Rob spent some time with Dean Shore who had decided to run the final night for his father and the team at Kwinana paid tribute by have a silence before the racing started.
Heat 7 at 6.45 and Rob takes the lead going into turn one and is never challenged to take a easy win and earn his second sate title le position in 3 years, maybe the gods will be kind and we can take the trophy home to Kalgoorlie. Now we had a couple of hours to kill before the final, Check the car again boys, Tyres!! What to use, my gut is saying soft but logic is saying the track will go off use a hard tyre. The decision is to compromise and use a SD38 compound for the right rear and hope that the track stays fair. I think Robbie must be getting the nerves because I know I am, everyone keeps coming up and saying it is ours, but we have been here before in 2005 and finished 4th after lapped traffic took Rob infield.
Final Time: The usual small talk between Me and Rob as e waited in the chute for the cars to be called onto the track, then it is “good luck mate” and Rob rolls out to take up the inside position for the four car salute to the crowd. While all the pre start rolling around takes place I was heading up the hill to join all the crew and supporters together with Yvonne and Becca to watch the race.
The start was great Rob slipped away to a handy lead for the first 15 or so laps then lapped traffic and Troy Brook slipped by as Rob was baulked be a slower car, F%$K was my thought as the yellows came on for the first stoppage of the race as Keith Higgs collected the wall in turn two, well we should go back to the front but if we don’t Rob has the pace to pass Troy I thought. Then the steward waves Rob back to the front and we get going into the restart. 13 laps to go and Rob skipped away again and Troy is behind him followed by a gaggle of cars dicing for positions then Marc Giancola and Peter Lyall come together and another restart, Before Rob has completed one lap the yellows are back on as Peter Lyall spins all on his own and heads infield to join Marc.
Then I look up and as Rob starts to slow down the left front corner collapses onto the ground but keeps rolling, then Rob stops at the stewards and after a quick conversation is waved off to restart in the front, another start and the car looks real messy but is going well and Rob is driving away from Troy who looks to be overdriving in a effort to catch Rob, then the yellows are on again and I walk away saying I can’t watch! I keep thinking the left front is going to break a steering arm and that will be the end, but the car just seems to sit up and drive away at each restart. With three to go I venture back to within viewing distance to watch Rob proceed to set the fastest time of the weekend on the penultimate lap with the left wheel just bouncing up and down. Then the whole front straight erupts as Rob exits turn four to collect the chequer and his first state title.
All of a sudden I feel a flood of emotions and a wet feeling running down my back as the crew decided to drown me in bourbon shouting “we won we won”. After kissing Yvonne and Becca I head toward the pits to be stopped by Tania Smith to offer her congratulations for Rob’s superb drive and I am continually stopped by a whole swag of people offering their congratulations as I slowly make my way toward the truck.
As I wait for Rob to get back to the truck the other teams and my crew mill around and the car arrives on the back of the tow truck. Danny Smith comes over to offer his congratulations. Rob finally arrives back at the truck and the crew gives him the mandatory bourbon bath before “THE PARTY STARTS”
Lastly I would like to thank all those that helped get us across the line, Corey, Jason, Ray, Jim, Andrew, Brewster for being the crew, Yvonne and Becca for letting us do it, Danny Smith from Rocket Racecars for a great car, Neville Rowe from Racecar Tyres for his support and most importantly the loyal sponsors who without we would not be racing,
Total Asphalt, Formaction, Brewster Ceilings, Geoff Watson Autos, ROM Services, Goldfields Bitumen & Bobcat and Basket Bliss, Tierney Contracting, Positron and Boofs Bobcat and BCM Marketing who have come onboard for this year.
THANKS
Frank Bawdon |
