I’m certain that more than enough has been said about this already but
I want to air my views on the subject.
I’ve always had my doubts about Ferraris’ choice of number two and
at Austria’s round of the world championship my doubts were confirmed.
In the same moment that I started to think I had been wrong all along,
and that Rubens was worthy of a drive in the best car in the world, I discovered
that the Brazilian should never be allowed to let his presence disgrace
a race track or other motorsport venue anywhere in the world ever again.
You all know what happened and probably all have an opinion, but when it
comes down to it Barrichello had the choice to obey unjust and last minute
team orders or be a racer and put his foot down. He chose wrong and showed
the world that he is the lowest form of motorsport pondlife, a businessman.
Say what you want about the all conquering hun but at least Schumacher
is a racer. He’s out there with only one intention – to win.
An intention I distinctly didn’t have at Lydden for Round 3 of our
equivalent of the world championship, the Marketing Machine Speed League.
The event of the day caused great mirth at the AGM of the Lithuanian Livestock
Handlers Association (L.L.H.A. apparently it’s a bit like the ASWMC). The
giggling started when I was moved by the oh so wise people at Rochester
M.C. into class D10 (fully modified, rocket powered, makes group B look
like its for girls) as they considered the dent in the Golf’s tailgate
and lack of opening passenger window modifications. Hmmm! There was blatant
guffawing from the direction of the meeting in Vilnius as on the first
corner of the first run of my first ever sprint, I went in search of the
hit of the whole fruit and got Tangoed on the entry to a very slippery
Chessons. I spent the rest of my day going as quick as I could and eventually
finished 51st out of 53. There were only 52 finishers but the chap who
finished 52nd absolutely must be a one armed Moldovan washerwoman in a
blind fold.
Finally my chance came to shut up the bunch of goat lovers on the really
rather rapid Swan rally. As on the Kent, fat boy Oli North was in the passenger
seat calling the shots in this, our first National B event. What
an event it was! The organisers had chosen some superb roads and as the
sun rose over Oxfordshire we were on it. But a very unclear bit of navigation
in the Novice road book cost us our only fail of the event and with it
second novice. Oh well. We still came home fourth novice and were both
pleased with the result. Although talking over the rally later it became
clear just how average the 30mph average was, it in fact was a rather high
average.
Two days later the intrepid duo headed to Whilton Mill kart circuit
for the annual grudge match between Oxford University and their equally
rubbish rivals Cambridge. Also along for the ride were Imperial, York,
Loughborough and Brookes – hence our presence. Brookes had four karts entered
and three finished in the top ten, The actual result was made into a big
joke by Imperial’s cheating which I won’t go into. But Brookes were the
spiritual winner.
Have just seen the Swan Rally results page, it has a superb graph of
how the rally went and it’s clear to see where the map book foxed us and
our subsequent charge up the class and oh so close to 3rd as well, in fact
we were third until the last passage check. Damn!
A bit of an appeal here - can anybody point me in the right direction
to find out the origin of the different disciplines and what brought them
to the way they are now? I would be most grateful.
In reply to Dawn’s tale in response to my comments last month I say
only this - Typical example of a woman causing an accident. Accidents
are rare when women are not around.
And with a crushing blow I deliver another top ten:
Top Ten Worst Things About Motorsport
1. Kart Racers
Grapefruits one and all, arrogant oranges that’s all they are.
2. Kart Racers’ Dads - Why oh why do they exist? Because level-headed people join motorclubs.
3. Brands Hatch
Expensive place that doesn’t care about anything except money. This
attitude keeps most competitors in the UK off the UK’s most fun track.
4. Silverstone
Yawn
5. Formula One
Zzzzzz
6. Boy Racers’ Understanding of Motorsport
Yeah I could beat that Richard Burns any day, my Nova’s got a two litre
lump in it.
7. The fact that I have never lapped the Nurburgring
Yes that’s bad for the whole world that is.
8. The way people kill great venues
Brooklands, Crystal Palace, Spa etc.
9. Anglesey
Whose idea was it to build a track here? And make it crap too. It would
be great if it were a decent circuit but it’s not.
10. Cost
I need a big buck and foolish sponsor!
Time to go because this post-apocalyptic world is full of mutants who look like David Coulthard.
Sam Collins