I don't want to brag (too much) but I had an absolutely awesome weekend of motorsport this weekend, at the new and improved Lakeside Park.
I booked myself in for the Big Weekend of Saturday morning practice, Saturday afternoon sprints and Sunday racing and had an absolute blast. I had never before driven in anger on the legendary circuit and I have come away in awe of the place. I am sore and totally knackered but man the adrenalin flowed all weekend.
The guilietta performed like a legend and although I need to grow some bigger nuts, we clocked some reasonable times.
For anyone contemplating a crack at the Alfa Romeo East Coast Challenge in July, I suggest you start sorting your car now and lock July 4 & 5 into your diary. it is going to be a weekend to remember. We had approximately 1000 spectators in attendance today, which made the racing an even bigger buzz. Wait until they hear the cackle of a full field of Alfas going for broke in July!
Cheers,
Brent
Way to go Brent. I'll have to go for a sprint in the GTV when i get my brakes sorted.
Cheers
Tony
Brent,
I have a small number of Vic's have indicated interest in coming up for the ECC in July.....trying to get a few more though!! Here's hoping.
Glad to hear all the positive reports coming from Lakeside!
How is the Giulietta going? All better after the incident last year?
Brent,
Tracks great, cars great, drivers great. Sounds like an absolute blast. Sadly i couldnt make it. Will hopefully be at the next one.
Cheers,
Anthony
Tony and Anthony, can't wait to see you blokes out there.
Phil: Good to hear there are some Vics showing interest. The Guilietta is running strong. I have had to soften up the rear end a little as the R tyres we run don't have the grip that Jim's big Michelin slicks had and I was getting a bit to oversteery for my liking. It sure has some poke for an old Nord engine!
Catch you in July,
Brent
I got out to Lakeside on Saturday afternoon, and took a couple of pics of the alfas there....
No exciting action pictures as I was on the straight - but pictures anyhow.
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/robandkirsty/Alfa/alfa1.jpg)
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/robandkirsty/Alfa/alfa2.jpg)
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/robandkirsty/Alfa/alfa3.jpg)
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/robandkirsty/Alfa/alfa4.jpg)
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk263/robandkirsty/Alfa/alfa5.jpg)
Rob
Brent.. what about some photos of the Giulietta in action? What happened in race three - after you did a 1:05 - but only 4 laps?
glad to see the Giulietta going around!
jim~
Couple of great Alfetta sedans there, giving you some idea's Matt Francis??
After seeing the pic of Ken Percival's 105 coupe with John French's name on it too I thought I would post a pic for John French at Lakeside a few years earlier! ;D
They were taken by a work colleague, Doug, who has had a bad case of the alfa virus over the years!
mmmm dont do it to me Phil! got big plans at the moment without you guys giving me even bigger, more expensive ideas!
Having said that, that is one damn nice pair of Alfettas.
Jim,
I spun the poor Guilietta! I actually had a tough day at the office. I thought I got black flagged for noise during qualifying, so I came back into the pits and ended up starting from the back of the field. Fortunately they are progressive grids so by the end of the second race I had worked my way up past all the Alfas and started from mid pack for race three. I got off to a good start, clocked my two fastest ever Lakeside laps, overtook a young guy in a very quick Toyota MR2, then got too excited and shot off around the back of the Karrusel at the end of the main straight. No damage done, just a 180 and had to wait for all the traffic to pass before rejoining the action.
I am still short shifting in places, braking early and backing off under the bridge and down the dipper into Hungry corner, but given a few more outings I'll do the old guilietta some justice.
On the Alfetta front Matt, that silver one is a really good Targa car that Michael Lew has run in the Classic Adelaide a couple of times. The old Maroon one is Mark Jackson's second car. His new Alfetta is having its head (TS) tweaked by Vin Sharp. The new Alfetta is an absolute weapon. The old one has seen a lot of action but Jacko is one hell of a peddler and squeezes every drop of potential from it. Jacko's daughter Sian races the old Alfetta on a regular basis and has a good rivalry with my little brother Chris who often races my 75 Tspark.
cheers all,
Brent
G'day Brent, I had an awesome time too. I posted one of the vids my Dad took on youtube,alfa sprint race car @ lakeside,a bit of poetic license. I think I have a vid of you starting will check,can't wait for ECC.
Regards
Steve(black sprint)
Hey Steve,
Great to see you there on the weekend mate. Glad you could bring your wife and kids back on Sunday.
Catch you at the next one. I'm not out there this weekend. Have to drop the exhaust out and weld up that cracked header and do a couple of other bits an pieces.
Cheers,
Brent
Mark's other Alfetta undergoing development...
It's a glorious machine Mike.
Hammer, I agree. Whats with the humungous front bumper though, isn't more usual to have no bumper at all?
Hammer, having built it, I think I should respond to that . Simply, it's a multipurpose device :-
>Comes in handy for our Queensland snow races,
>Excellent 105 nudge bar when we can catch 'em
>Finally it's a great sex symbol and more effective than the hanging dice from the mirror.
....or at least that's what I think passers by are meaning when I hear them say stuff like, WTF is that?
I feel certain you are all now wiser.. ;D
so what about some pictures of the Giulietta 'going-around' - do we have to beg?
~
Jim,
Sorry for the delay. My brother Chris is our usual photographer but he hasn't taken his gear out to the last couple of race meetings. Check out this link as this photographer got some decent shots out at Lakeside Park.
Cheers,
Brent
http://www.marsta.com/gallery/2009/090322_LSR/sun/sprc/