Do you know how hard it is to pray for rain and have it arrive on schedule?
Last Sunday's 2nd race was my best race in a long time. As usual, the first race is done in blistering heat where I give ground to the full race prepared Miatas since they weigh less than my car by more than 100 kilos. At the green light, I give it my level best to try to stay with them but there's just no way and I manage a lonely 3rd with the 2 fully prepped racing cars driven by Bubi and Lance that leave me steadily behind.
However for the 2nd heat, the rain I've been praying for the past week comes crashing down hard and soaks the track and the start is delayed 30 minutes to let the rain abate. I'm smiling ear to ear because it's raining and it's raining really hard. Do you know how hard it is to pray for rain and have it arrive on schedule? Finally, we're called to pre-grid in a light drizzle. I do my outlap (lap from pre grid to circle track 1 time to go to the actual grid on the start and finish line) and sure enough the track is nice and wet and I'm smiling because I know that the full race guys are gonna suffer from wheelspin because they have much more power than me and the spec tire isn't as good as our tried, tested and proven Yokohama Neovas.
I'm 3rd on the grid. Everyone all positioned and we do a warm up lap...I flip all my "go fast" switches on my car and in my head. There is a wide but shallow water run off crossing the track while entering turn 1 now right smack in the middle of the braking area and everyone is forced to brake early to avoid aquaplaning. I take note of a water build up at the slight right hand bend before the hairpin which is normally taken full throttle and accelerating in 4th gear and it's really scary to do that now so special care there.
|
I get all lined up behind the leaders. The Race controller, called the "Clerk of Course" (COC) tells everyone that the race has been shortened from 12 laps to 10. Suits me fine. 1st is Bubi Camus who has the biggest turbo I've ever seen on a miata and he dynoed his car and says he's got 200 horsepower on the rear wheel and I'll bet thats more like 220. 2nd is Lance Binamira, Juny's nephew is driving "Roxanne" which is the sweetest handling miata I've ever driven with maybe 160 horsepower which is about what I've got. I've driven Roxanne hard before for an extended period of time at BRC about a year ago and I know how she can be thrown into corners and come out of them like a shark going after prey, like a cat going after a mouse, like a deprived man going after... I'm sure you get it. I'm in 3rd and I don't bother with the guys behind me since well, since they're behind me.
|
|
All lined up the light turns red...then green and I make a good start to pass Lance into turn 1. He tries to stay with me but he drops back and I've got a slight lead on him but my main focus is Bubi just ahead and I am deep into his rooster tail and I'm not going to let him get away from me. Not his time. This is the closest I've got to him ever. I'm gonna make sure he stands up and take notice. Bubi is the perennial leader of the Miata Cup. I've known him for a long time going way back to 1996 when he was our race engineer with Jojo Silverio during the 1st Production car championships in Subic. I want his place on the podium and I'm going to do it as cleanly as I can now that I know I can stay with him and match his pace on this wet racetrack. Bubi and the rest of the Miata club are such good guys and fine gentlemen that I really respect their friendship and comaraderie. I would not do anything dumb or stupid that'll jeopardize that. Anyway, we go through turns 3 and 4 and I'm still stuck on Bubi's bumper. Exiting the straight Bubi's 200 horses come in and immediately pulls him 3 car lengths away and there's nothing I can do about it. We go through the bend before the hairpin and it feels like driving on ice for about 2 seconds at around 130 kph. I make up the 3 car lengths immediately under braking for the hairpin but lose it again at the exit as he powers his way down the back straight. Get it back again under braking for the chicane and final corner before entering the start and finish line straight. Nose to tail again. We both brake early for the rivulet (for want of a better term) before entering turn 1 and I see his weakness! He's wide and slow in turn 1 probably because he can't get the power down sooner than me and his spec tire is not gripping. I know I'll pass him there on lap 8 unless he goofs sooner. We do this lap after lap for 5 laps and I caught him looking at me through his side mirrors more than a few times and he knows I'm closing in for the kill and I try my level best and adding all the racing experience I've learned to pile the pressure on. We are doing this racing ballet in the rain. Giving ground and getting it back lap after lap after lap. Exiting the hairpin I know this is it and begin my preparations for my overtaking maneuver on turn 1. Planning a pass against the likes of Bubi is never a gut feeling. It takes careful observation, preparation, and execution--in that order. I learned this from Tito Poch. However, somewhere down the back straight my engine surges. "What the f**k was that!" And I notice that the car is not accelerating anymore but there are plenty, in fact too many revs. Then the awful smell of a burning clutch permeates the cockpit and my clutch starts letting go completely. "No no not now!" I'm swearing and crying inside my helmet. I've long since backed off the throttle but the clutch is fried. It won't grip and every gear feels like neutral. I'm dropping back fast as the car quickly runs out of drive. I look far a nice safe place to coast to a stop out of harms way. I stopped and turned off all the "go fast" switches. I took off my seat belt, helmet and gloves and wait for the guys behind to come by and I wave at them to go faster so the race ends sooner so that I can get my depressed state of mind and body back to the pits for a beer.
Checkered flag and Bubi wins again. But give credit to the Miata Club. Everyone and I mean everyone stopped after the race to ask if I was ok, offer me a ride back to the pits, and ask what happened. Now that is a grid full of gentlemen and I'm really happy to be racing with each and every one of them. I love the Miata Club Philippines.
Rene Mapua
|
|
