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944 Racing Association 944 Challenge Winton Nov 2005 |
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Abay takes out the Porsche 944 1 Hour Enduro What a great weekend at Winton - perfect weather and a track that was lush and green - yep, you better believe it, Winton was green and not the usual dust bowl!
Race two - 10 laps - Brent lead the field for about 8 laps until Abay passed him to take the flag, 1.8 seconds in front. Lange, Morter and Howe held their respective third, fourth and fifth positions for the entire race - confirming that consistency is what it takes to succeed at the front of any field.
Charles Davison, Sam Abay and Brent Rose Pictures and report by Kendra Abay
Report from the Commentary box Round 7 at Winton and twenty two cars qualified in the 944’s with Sam Abay a full second faster than Brent Rose with Robert Lange third. John Morriss appeared with the now left hand drive orange Mapperson car . Lucky re-debuted his new blue car, with Steve Tupek at the wheel. Barry Rowe debuted his new car in the series which has got to be the most inexpensive built to date. It wouldn’t do any harm to have another ten competitors with the same view to spend a minimum amount to have the maximum amount of fun. John Smallman, after spending all day Friday trying to cure fuel problems trailered the car after 6 laps and retired. Race 1 was as reported (above), however amongst the rest, Adrian Zadro suffered a "racing incident" at turn 1, and Peter Doherty’s car suffered from the warm weather, neither finishing. Race 2 and John Morriss retired with heat related problems, Peter Doherty outbraked himself into turn 3 and put another dent in the rear right panel of my #91 car. That’s the fourth time this year! (not all by Peter) At least Peter apologised. Charles Davison worked his way from thirteenth to eighth. After a stirling drive I worked my way up from seventeenth to sixteenth. On the cool down lap my exhaust expired, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I realised I didn’t have to do the 1 hour race the next day. (What were you doing under the car with a hacksaw, Phil?) Race 3, the enduro. Somebody suggested I help in the central commentary position. Murray Walker eat your heart out. You reckon he made mistakes. What a view. Sam did a runner and bolted from the rest. For a while I suspected he thought it was a 6 lapper and not a 36 lapper. But I reckon Brent knew he didn’t need to get involved in a dice with anybody, and he certainly knew I was no threat. Peter Doherty broke a sway bar and retired, Joseph Di Benedetto was losing speed and ultimately retired, Brendan Morter was having obvious handling problems and finished tenth after starting fourth. Honest John Goddard, Jed Comand and Lucky Patsiotis had a race long duel that I was sure was going to end in grief, but didn’t, with John proving to be the victor finishing seventh. Another great weekend except for Gary McDermott who redecorated his engine bay in a dark shade of black on Friday. The company and food in Benalla just keep getting better. Bring on Phillip Island. Who knows I may just start taking all this seriously one day. -Philip Meiklejohn |
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Saturday
- Race one - 28 degrees - no wind - Sam Abay qualified fastest and put the
Porsche on pole for race one.. A problem finding 2nd gear, as the race started
pushed Sam back into 6th place by turn one. By lap 3, of the 8 lap race the
Sharwood's entry of Dick Howe found himself a bit to close to the rear of
Davison sending Charles to the back of the field. Meanwhile, Abay picked through
the field and found himself in 2nd behind race winner Brent Rose.
Race
three was a harrowing 1 hour endurance race - 19 on the grid - 36 laps and 29
degrees - Abay started on pole and dominated the race from start to finish. It
was truly survival of the fittest and the youngest and the podium confirmed
this. Sam lead all the way and lapped every car up to 6th place finishing an
enormous 26.5 seconds ahead of Brent Rose. Charles Davison finished in 3rd place
after passing Lange with only three corners to go and only his fourth race in
the car!! At the chequered flag the field was spread, the pressure was on to
finish and it was a huge effort by all who competed. A great race - a great
weekend.
