I started off the week pretty calmly and using my standard race preparation: Run the track with my default setup (32 Front and 31 Rear wings), incidentally the same wing settings I've used all season so far. The tuesday session is meant to be an acclimitisation session to familiarise myself with the track.
This week, Wednesday was our show holiday and on Saturday I am off to help my mother move, so I'd lose that day of racing. Wednesday became my Saturday. Fortunately I was quick off the bat and my first race on Tuesday night was looking ok. I didn't have time to qualify but I was up a few spots on the first few laps and was sitting fourth when the leader went off and rejoined the track at a slow pace, right on the racing line and right in front of me. I moved to avoid and went wide around Carousel. A bad thing. My rear left hit the dirt and I spun off the track and into the wall. Race over. What a wasted opportunity!
Race two was worse. Again I hadn't qualified and I started 12th. I didn't make it past the first corner this time and was speared up the backside as the noob behind me completely missed his brake marker. I expect he was caught off by the last placed driver not slowing at all and spearing straight into the car in front of him and to my right. I was out of the race on the spot.
Race 3 and Wednesday morning. This time I decided to qualify. A good thing too because I led from pole and won the race, setting the fastest lap on the way and finsihing with zero incidents! It was a boring race though, as I didn't see anyone for the entire race, except for maybe a lapped car or two. I went very unchallenged.
Race 4 and more of the same thing. I started from pole (2:04.888) and ran away with it, winning by 40 seconds and finishing with zero incidents and the race fastest lap.
Race 5 and I qualified 3rd in a decent strength of field race, behind Paul A Nelson and some other dude, Steven Forster, I think. I got Forster after about 2 laps and grimly held on by just my fingernails to the back of Nelson. Riku the pro was fast approaching though, at about 1 second a lap. I let him through on about lap 13, not wanting to push over my ability in an effort to keep him behind me. At the end I finished 3rd 6seconds behind him and Paul Nelson. They finished 0.2s apart, with Paul just taking the win after running out of fuel on the last lap, after the last corner.
I rocked up to a Time Trial on Thursday night, with a slightly adjusted ride height and immediately did a 2:04.3 . I couldn't believe it! Next Time Trial and I did a 2:04.2. I jumped in a practice session just before bed last night and did a 2:04.1. I shared my setup with a guy that was doing 2:03.8's and he managed a 2:03.9 on it, exclaiming he couldn't believe a high downforce set went so fast on a low downforce track. He was running 18 front and rear to get his 2:03.8.
My set flies in the corners though. For my style, I've got no understeer when I get on the gas when I want to. I'm driving with utter confidence and it's gripping to the track fantastically. When it does let go I can control it with ease. A 2:04.1 puts me in the top 25 times in the world! Much better than my races to date.
