Hallet, OK - Day Four (Part One)

The competition is really heating up.  We have finished the morning session at Hallet  Motor Racing Circuit in Hallet, OK.  This is a great track and very technical.  It has two turns that are totally blind and several braking areas that are down hill.

Brian and I arrived at the track early (second car in the paddock) and unpacked.  It also afforded us the opportunity to snag a two car covered parking area for us and the M Coupe.  After unpacking we checked the car over, topped off the oil, adjusted the belts, and got it ready for the first run of the day.  Neil and Woody arrived shortly after we did and went through the same process.

It was then time to walk the track and re-familiarize myself with the subtle nuances of the "bitch".  Sorry everyone, but that is what it is called.  It is a fast blind uphill left turn with an immediate downhill braking zone followed by a tight right hander that goes back up hill.  YEEHAW!

I went out in the third group and after finishing felt rather good about the effort.  I struggled with the uphill blind right hander until the last hot lap.  I also had a slow running car (a Honda) that I had to get around at a critical turn.  I had to go offline and slow more than usual to make the turn.  Stuff happens - it's the One Lap.  People watching said I looked good through the aforementioned b***h though.

The results are in however and my time was not as god as I had hoped.  I was 25th overall (approximately 60 cars running) and Neil 11th overall.  It was great run for Neil!  My combined time was approximately 7 seconds over three laps behind Neil.  I did beat the other competition in our class - a Porsche Cayman that ran in the mid-30's.  At this posting, I am not sure where we are in class, but we are 16th overall - tied with Neil and Woody!  Neil's driving moved them up 5 spots in the overall this morning.  Mine more or less kept us at even keel.

We have another session this afternoon and may be I'll pick up my times.  I may not catch Neil, but I need to keep us in the top 20 and close to them and in the hunt for top three in class.  Once we are finished here, we will head to Tulsa for the drag racing portion of the event.  From there we head east to Gateway which is just east of St. Louis.

Cheers!