Alfa's at Historic Sandown

[hmd]

Neil,

Admit it you wouldn't have saved it if you had extra 50bhp

[Stewart Matthewson]

good to see the boys running around. Neil, what a save. Phil, great driving. Hope R3 went well for you.

[hmd]

I had plenty of mechanical issues throughout the weekend.
Half way thru qualy my fan belt broke I had to pit early, I went to Repco to buy a new belt and just got back in time for driver briefing and when I got back to the car Mick had already put it in, however we noticed the number 2 extractor pipe had been broken off. Phil, Neil and I tried our hardest to get  the extractor off to no avail and subsequently missed race 1, so I took the car to Monza and Hugh came back to the shop and open it up on Saturday night to fix it up.

Back to Sandown on Sunday for race 2 after which Mick found my muffler was sitting on the floor, luckily I had a spare one at home and a 45 min turn around on Eastlink, Mick had the spare muffler on the car in a flash ready for race 3.

My weekend would have ended real early had it be at any other track, that's one good thing about Sandown being in the suburbs of Melbourne. And of course HUGE thanks to Hugh and Mick from Monza Motors, their track support is second to none.

Hung.

[Neil Choi]

+1 AND MORE

HUGE thanks to Hugh and Mick from Monza Motors

[Paul Gulliver]

It was nice to see Spencer Rice in the pits on the weekend helping out with Lyndon McLeod's Alfetta ( NSW) . Pity he didn't bring his car down. I think the last time he was at Sandown was for the Historics in 2007 and  i think he managed  to post a time of about 1.28 in group NC which is pretty impressive ( make that bloody sensational )  for a 105. Anyway I found this clip of Spencer from Wakefield Park last year . Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvJVmzbViYg

[Chris Blanden]

Perhaps I should add my 2 cents worth.

Our weekend was the veritable curate's egg - good and bad in bits. Friday practice was trouble free, apart from the usual problem of slow driver. It was warm and there were lots of cars on the track so hard to get a free run. Qualifying was ok. I went faster than before but Hung still just beat me. Race 1 got an average start but held position and the rest of the race was good fun and I eventually got past a guy in a dark blue Healey 3000 which was much quicker in a straight line. Last lap coming around turn 4 onto the back straight I noticed smoke in the cockpit, a quick look in the mirror confirmed I was laying a smoke trail, so I quickly shut it off. Sorry Neil!! (BTW great save). DNF.

Turned out the sump plug had imitated Houdini and escaped despite wiring. Good news was that no damage was done and trusty pit crew Pat met Hung out at Hugh's for new plug, filter and oil (thanks Hugh) on Saturday evening. By Sunday morning all running again but starting rear of grid for R2. Reasonable start (beat Hung also rear of grid) and held position till at turn 2, a red Alfa made a 1/2 car width wider and barged past. Rest of race uneventful. R3 with a thinner grid, Neil got past into turn 2 and motor felt a bit fluffy. When I couldn't get past up the back straight I knew there was something wrong and then the rev counter started playing up to confirm it. Eventually got past Neil but not long later it just died coming out of turn 1, picked up and then cut out for good just around turn 4 (again!). DNF. Clearly electrical and probably the brand new Petronix ignition.

Worst part - no signature on the licence.   

[alfagtv58]

Thanks for chiming in Chris, I was wondering what happened to you in the last race.

Worst part - no signature on the licence.   

Thats a bugger.

[Neil Choi]

R3 with a thinner grid, Neil got past into turn 2 and motor felt a bit fluffy. When I couldn't get past up the back straight I knew there was something wrong and then the rev counter started playing up to confirm it. Eventually got past Neil but not long later it just died coming out of turn 1, picked up and then cut out for good just around turn 4 (again!). DNF. Clearly electrical and probably the brand new Petronix ignition.

Please let me live my moment of better driving getting pass you and running forward of you!!!!!

Got a great vision of great blocking Chris with Austin Healey.

[Neil Choi]

One of my good deed and comaradarie moment for the weekend was upon arriving at the track and having to run down to the Group N paddock to help Marty Lambert with his 105 to get it started.  Starter motor, as I have had a lot of experience with it recently.  So I walked back feeling like I am a super mechanic!!!!!

Great weekend of racing despite BOG and all the trouble but glad to return home in one piece, just.

[Chris Blanden]

I must say, and these posts confirm it, that one of the great pleasures of these racing weekends is the camaraderie amongst the Alfa runners.

Paul mentioned Spencer Rice looking after Lyndon. We shared the same garage over the weekend and Spencer was really helpful to me, with advice, tools and expertise and I know was similarly helpful to others. His car prep is scarily impressive. (BTW, I think I only got into a garage by fluke but they are comfortable) There is no lack of advice encouragement and interest from all quarters and it makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable, especially for those of us who are mechanically challenged/incompetent. Similarly, Hugh's willingness to interrupt the weekend and open Monza to help late on Saturday demonstrates a willingness to help above and beyond the call.

Well done all.

[hmd]

Clip of race 2 from last place, I was asleep at the start 

[Paul Gulliver]

I was asleep at the start 

Hung you might have been asleep at the start, but it looks like you got going very soon after that . Great vision . Thanks for sharing

[Neil Choi]

Reason why my car was so slow.

And some pics of the others.

[Neil Choi]

And a few more pics

[Neil Choi]

Peter Ellenbogen, a club member, has a great album of the event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterellenbogen/sets/72157627237850531/



Enjoy.

Neil