No Promises

So 2020 happened. It’s one of those things you can’t plan against, so lets move one.

The ’21 racing season is taking shape and I sit today watching the first round of the v8 supercars taking place at Bathurst. So Good!!!

My car club has already run a Supersprint event this year, unfortunately I wasn’t able to run, having to officiate on the day.

The car’s dusty and now begins clean up, spanner checks and preparations for a shake down run in the coming weeks. Then the plan is a supersprint, a 6hr in April and then lets look at a MRA event. What do you say?

Do-Over

Well… 2019 didn’t shape up to be what I imagined, so I call ‘do-over‘.
The 2020 racing calendars are taking shape and I’m scanning through what I’d like to do.

I thought too, this is a good opportunity to go back to square one and review what is needed to compete.

  1. A Car. Doesn’t matter what, so long as it goes, is safe and appropriate for the events you’ll be running in and it helps if it puts a smile on your dial. Don’t forget to factor in transportation
  2. A Club. Very few events exist where you do not need to be a member of some club or another. So speak with the people that are running the events you plan to participate in. For Example: I compete in events that are run under AASA and CAMs (now Motorsport Australia). CAMs does not recognise AASA licenses, but AASA do recognise CAMs. So I chose a club that is affiliated with CAMs. To compete in Speed events I needed to be a member of a car club. I chose a car club that is not specific to one make or type of vehicle. If you want to participate with others that focus on one make only e.g WRX, then there are clubs for you there.
  3. A License. Easy enough, join the appropriate club and then apply for a license. You may have to obtain a physical or doctors approval. But this typically isn’t a big deal.
    – There are a number of people that are unable to get approval for the racing they’d like to do. But love knows no bounds, so there may be opportunities to participate in other capacities. Example: track officials
  4. Safety Gear. You might need a Helmet with Frontal Head Restraints (FHR), Gloves, Woollen socks. The list goes on. The regulations for the events you run in will stipulate requirements, but it helps a lot to talk with people. Don’t be afraid to reach out to fellow club members or delegates. They’re a friendly bunch and should steer you in the right direction

It’s no harder than that.

NSW 6 Hour 2019

Just life getting in the way meant my first run for the year was going to be the NSW 6hr at Sydney Motorsport Park.
This would be our fourth attempt and this year “…we had a PLANnnnnnnn!!!!!” – <evil laugh>

After fixing a leaky exhaust all seemed well. Rubber was still very new, the car was pulling full boost and we achieved a PB during Saturdays practice. Times were fairly consistent. The reset of the crew well…
John was ready as always
Mechelle, had a new buggy for the event, but developed a knock during practice which meant a long trip home with Greg to fetch her old faithful.
Greg had the skyline purring but running engine temps were hot at times.
Brad seemed to have a issue with the rear end and was hunting for answers.
Spirits were still high though. It was the easter long weekend and there was still time to sort out the small things (if you can count changing a car a small thing).

Heading home that evening, I wasn’t feeling well. Waking Sunday morning I was quite ill. A tummy bug had taken hold. I discovered that being sick and being at a race track is a really bad combination. You can’t sleep, you can’t do anything cool, thank god the facilities at SMP were first class. Or were until I arrived.

Unable to get into a car, the rest of the team stepped up running longer stints than planned. And I have to say, I was very proud. Emerging periodically and in a semiconscious state I kept up with the teams progress. At lunch time and half way through the event we were running in first place. Attrition though had started within the team. Brad was only able to run half a dozen laps or so before he had boost issues. John started to burn through tyres and safety cars were an issue. Greg and Mechelle, with the extra laps, were forced to scrounge for extra fue, but still, everyone was plugging along.

Mid afternoon and only 90 minutes remaining, we had slipped to third. But looked strong. At the checkered flag we were crushed to find we slipped to fourth. Pipped at the post for third place by two laps and six points. After the mathematics it worked out there was a difference of 0.04% points per lap between second and third.

NO PENALTIES!!!- Our first event, where no penalties were accrued. A stellar effort by all team members, especially our support staff, Andrew Dean – Pit Wall, Boe Basset – Lap count and Mariann Camper – Team Manager, who didn’t budge for the entire event.

The Event win went to
1st place – Phoenix Racing achieving 139 laps and 426 bonus points
2nd place – Blue Mountain with 140 laps and 425 bonus points
3rd place – Barge Racing, 141 laps and 387 bonus points
4th place – Team Southern with 139 laps and 381 points

By far our best result for this event. Here’s hoping that we can get this crew together again next year and achieve a podium.

Dyno Day – Jan 2017

On the way back from Winton I stopped in at Motorsports Training Australia and put the wrxy on the Dyno. It was a hot day, not good turbo weather, but all the same, it wasn’t going to make that much difference on a stock WRX.

The team at MTA made five pulls achieving the best run on the last pull.

I’d like to think that soon I’ll have some budget to throw at an engine management system. I’d like to get a bit more get-up out of the corners.

Victorian Six Hour – 2016

The Victorian Six Hour​ is one of Australia’s premier regularity events. After missing out on getting a team into the event in 2015, Southern Sporting was well prepared for the 2016 event run on July 30­-31. The event was full just two hours after registration opened. The team talent Southern Sporting assembled, though questionable, was due to the fancy selection process. If you were first in with your money, you were in. Five drivers: Brad Bassett (BA Falcon), John Street (Mitsubishi EVO), John Rose (E320 Mercedes), Grant Camper (GC8 WRX) and David “Rookie” Glanville (Toyota Levin) along with four support staff: Neil Ruxton, Ray Hogg, Baeu Bassett and Marianne Camper, under the careful direction of Team Manager David Curry were selected.
A convoy started at Yass early Friday morning collecting people along the way with all being in tow by Albury. After an enjoyable but long day we arrived at Phillip Island late evening to drop off the cars and prepare the garage. It was then back to the hotel for pizza and the last of the strategy meetings.
Everyone was trackside before the sun was up on Saturday. Eager to get into it, the place was abuzz with engines warming up, wrenches clicking and announcements echoing over the PA. The air was crisp and filled with a sense of excitement that would rival the feeling of Bathurst. With pre­checks, team meetings and drivers briefing complete Brad Bassett took to the track for the first of our practice sessions, only to return with a vibration after a lap or so.
John Street was second up. Quickly realising he was going to be busy with the amount of traffic on track the EVO carried him round briskly. Upon return to the pits Streety mentioned there was a noise somewhere in the drive train.
I was nervous when John Rose took to the track, not able to stop the feeling that everything was not going as planned. But upon John’s return that feeling was gone. If ever there was a man happy to be there, he was it. He was grinning from ear to ear and he was talking about as fast as he had been driving. He was gasping words trying to relay the adventure he just had and the how cool the track was. He couldn’t wait to get back out there. The Merc looked like a silver streak down the straight but sounded like a cruise down a German autobarn.
Finally it was my turn. I rolled out of the pits and there was traffic everywhere. I tried to stay out of the way best I could, as I had no idea about this track. Only four corners in and a BMW flew by separating the group I was in, only to go straight into the sand trap at Siberia. Two laps later and I was feeling a little more confident. That was quickly shattered as I was about to pass an XD Falcon coming up into Luckey Heights (T9). He lost control spearing across the front of me and went off into the inside grass paddock. Thankful that the Phillip Island track was so wide I got past unscathed. You can run three wide here and before the weekend was out a few of us did.
David “The Rookie” Glanville was up next, though only a rookie to us, as this was the first time we were running with him in the team. Everyone else had run together in previous relay events. David’s Toyota Levin is a screamer and from the on­board footage I saw, looks like a
lot of fun to turn laps in. He was quick, very quick, putting in the best time for our first session and this was something he would continue to do throughout practice.
With Brad’s teething problems sorted (it turned out to be issues with new brake pads) we each started to find our groove. John however was more of a worry…
John Street…
I had a horrible noise coming from under the car maybe Diff or Transfer Case, we checked the wheels hoping it was that, John Rose noticed the upright was shiney and rubbing on the wheel so we put spacers on the wheels on Saturday night and that seemed to fix it ….
The pit guys were running around assisting with refueling, running the garage and recording times. David Curry was on the wall with Ray all day directing drivers. Mid afternoon David Glanville was paged to the stewards office for a yellow flag infringement and that solidified the “rookie” title for the weekend. He return saddened to tell the team we would be incurring a five lap penalty for the start of the event. No one had time to think about that, nor do I think anyone cared. Those things aren’t deliberate but David’s problems with the officials continued when he was black flagged for noise his next session out. No penalty was incurred and David quickly rectified the problem. The rest of the day was about trying to be as consistent as possible and find a time to nominate for the event.
Practice ended and it was straight off for a drivers briefing. Back to the garage and DC (Team Manager) got the drivers together, reviewed the day before disappearing to submit our nominated times. It’s non stop on a practice day.
Final preps were made to the cars and the garage made ready for race day. Then back to the hotel for two beers, take away and stories.
It was an exciting feeling as we arrived to the track on Sunday. There wasn’t much to do until the race began, but the opening ceremonies were brilliant.
In the words of Brad Bassett…
It was an event that reminded me of my early days with SSCC running 6 Hour events but I had the honour of sharing it with my son Beau. It was such a well run event and having the opportunity to start the race and sit on pos 12 out of 50 was an awesome experience even after 30 years of racing, The atmosphere with the pipers and pomp & ceremony was something I won’t forget. The comradery from the team was terrific and the piss take was special.

As the event started it seemed all the work everyone had done, paid off. We all just got on with the job. Possibly for fear of getting yelled at by Marianne, who was responsible for driver readiness in the garage, but I like to think it was due to our preparation.
Though the sun was shining it had rained most the night, so Brad unfortunately had to kick off on a wet track. It was drying quickly enough, but the first group had no chance of hitting the times they had nominated.
John Steet was up second
John Street…
…As soon I got going in the race the noise was getting worse. It was any other meeting but Phillip Island I would have pitted. Going out of the pits for the 1st
time was pretty daunting but settled in to have a good run but most drivers kept blocking but it was for me to find a way around them, just loved flying around this great circuit but the drive train noise was getting louder but had a great 1st stint…
The day continued on. John Rose got out there and attended to the job at hand with tremendous aplomb.
My first stint was less glamorous. Overnight I seemed to have grown a pair and was beating my nominated time by three seconds. Some finger pointing from pit wall made it clear I needed to adjust, but I still caused the team the most penalties for the day.
David Glanville headed out for his first stint and it appeared to be business as usual for him. Upon his return Brad headed out for the second stint and found his groove followed again by John Street.
John Street….
my second spell I encountered 4 safety cars and yellow flags everywhere and a certain someone (me) got pinged for passing under a yellow.
John Rose continued on as did myself and David Glanville. The end of the day grew near, with under two hours to go, it got interesting…
Brad did his part and returned. Streety rolled out of the pits and after a short spell….

John Street…
The Transfer Case finally cried enough and went bang, but lucky I was just coming over Lukey Heights and was able to roll around to the pits so the sash could be changed

John Rose for the his last stint rolled out and did the job he prepared for. I pulled out of pit lane and with no­-one around me felt good. Eventually I came across a lone Lotus and he and I would battle. I passed him, he passed me, I passed him again. My times were ok. The Lotus seemed happy enough to have settled behind me, but pretty much under the rear bumper. Coming down into MG (T10) there was a “BANG!” and the car launched wide on exit. “Did he just hit me?” I wondered, my inexperience showing through. Around the last corner and onto the straight the Lotus was where he had been for the last number of laps with no mark on the front of his car, he didn’t hit me. Hey it’s an expensive car, now I wondering, was it a tyre? Did I imagine it? Turn one arrived and I sailed wide… I eased up and returned to the pits. David Glanville was ever ready and took over only to return after a few laps with a Oil Pressure alarm. Marianne per protocol had Brad ready and he again hit the black top. He would see out the event for us and as the checkered flag dropped everyone from pit lane was on the wall to receive the final drivers….
It was a brilliant day. The team performed admirably, though the result was less than hoped for, we were happy with our efforts…..
Brad Bassett…
As we said the result was not great but a lot learned for next year and driving fast around the Island the best track in Australia was always a highlight. Thanks to DC & Ray for their stalwart effort over the weekend. Thanks also to Marianne, Neil and Beau for their great support, couldn’t have done it without you. To the team Streety, Rosey, Grant & Dave great times gents bet you sign up again for 2017.

John Street….
I enjoyed the event and hope we get a chance to run in
it next year as I will again put my hand up to do it. Thanks to all my teammates as we made a great team.
The afternoon was all about congratulations to the winning teams and getting ready to head home. Turns out my supposed Lotus shunt was the right rear sway bar mount giving way. Three out of five cars had things to attend to after this event, but each of us look forward to doing it all again.
Thanks to everyone, the organisers, the supporters and Southern Sporting for a great time at the event. I look forward to next year.