GBGPL WEEKLY

25 JUNE 2007 / MEXICO

DC Jnr won 69's Mexico race

David Cooke Jnr was the winner of GBGPL 69 Mexico race. Starting from pole position on the grid, DC crossed the line 56s ahead of Kruger Enge to take the win. Natan Veksler rounded out the top three, finishing 1m 06s behind the winner.

Race results after 20 laps

  1 David Cooke Jnr, Lotus, 33m39.955s (FL)
  2 Kruger Enge, Matra, +56.970s
  3 Natan Veksler, McLaren, +1m06.596s
  4 Leffa Westlund, Matra, +1m23.224s
  5 Laurie Clemo, Matra, +1 lap
  6 Peter Stenning, Matra, +2 laps
  7 Dan Weggemans, Matra, +2 laps

rtd   Sid Manns, Matra, +12 laps
dns Robert Burton, Lotus
dns Bryan Waters, Brabham

BRYAN WATERS Power stayed on, net went out, I give up.

PETE STENNING Well I was caught napping at the flag passed by those behind my while I was reading war & peace, doh.
Passed Sid taking in some refreshment of Polo's, got on Lauries tail for a few laps made a mistake and had to close in again. Laurie had picked up the pace and was keeping the gap at around a sec.
Dan caught my but he was a lap down, then an engine blew and as I was about to move Dan made a slight tap on my car which sent us both spining.
I shift R ed, but as I past the pits I got stop/go have no idea why I had not cut the track .
So one cut track stop/go put my 50 sec down to Laurie and Dan back on my lap.
Dan was closing in at a rapid rate and I just managed not to do any more damage as I attempted some more wall of death tricks at the hairpin.
6th was ok ,could do better is the end of term result.
Grats to 69 champ DC Jnr.

LAURIE CLEMO For the last race of the season I decided to stick with the Matra MS80 and managed to qualify just ahead of Rob and immediately behind
Peter. When the flag dropped Pete was slow off the mark and I was able to pass him to start a most enjoyable eleven lap `battle royal' with Pete all over my exhausts. During this time we caught and passed both Sid and then later Dan as we fought over 5th place.
Then on L11 Pete dropped back quite a lot (guess he must have had a big `off'). Through L12 and 13 Pribluda was showing that DC was closing rapidly and was right behind me as we approached the
left/right kink leading to the Esses. I tried to keep well to the right as we exited the right-hander leaving DC plenty of room to pass me on the short straight leading to the Esses – unfortunately he tried to pass me on the inside of the corner and rammed into the rear of the Matra.
Luckily DC kept going and I was able to recover after a spin and continue the race. On L15 and 16 I was aware the Kruger
was catching me and on the approach to Peralta he was right with me.
I hugged the inside of the corner leaving ample room for him to overtake me on the outside or on the left as we came on to the S/F straight – alas `the plans of mice and men' seldom work as intended and he hit me on the exit sending me into an unplanned aerobatic display. After watching Kruger speed away from the cockpit of my 3-
wheeled MS80 I used the SHIFT-R team to get me going again and completed the rest of the race without incident to hold on to a
satisfying 5th place.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the race, especially the first 11 laps with Peter, but would ask the quicker drivers to be a little more patient when lapping us MCPs to give us a chance to move aside for you. We are at the back because our control isn't as could as yours, so trying to pass in or on the exit of a corner just seems foolhardy to me. As it turned out neither incident affect the final result – but it could have.
My congratulations to DC Jnr, Kruger and Natan for their podium finishes also to David for winning the championship. So the curtain
has fallen on what I feel has been a really entertaining series of races. My gratitude to Peter for organising it and for his company
in so many races, and finally thanks to everyone who took part and helped to make it so successful – thanks a million.
Oh yes nearly forgot – MCPs (`Mobile Chicane Pilots') what do you think VB? !! might keep you out of trouble next season – hehe.


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Updated by Roo.

GBGPL WEEKLY