Preparation for a race series is very important, especially when Team Bumble Bees consists of only two people: Boelo: Team Manager, and I: Driver.  We had lists for everything, Pre race day car preparation list, driver apparel list, track map with notes from previous sessions, and tire pressure settings.

A typical race day's events in the Open Saloon Series at the Autodrome is as follows: Morning - 20 minutes practice, 20 minutes qualifying.  Afternoon - 20 minutes Race 1, 20 minutes Race 2. I did a few laps in the practice session, just to get used to the track, as I had never raced on the Club circuit and to check the tyre pressures when hot.  I was pretty comfortable. In qualifying I got held up a bit by traffic, but manage two clear laps. Back in the pits Boelo rushes over and tells me that I was on pole.  I could not believe it! Calculating that I needed approximately 75 litres of fuel for two races I left the circuit for gas. On my return Boelo is not so happy; there had been an error in my data-logging transponder and in a field of 14 cars I actually qualified fourth behind a 911 GT2, SEAT Cupra, and a 911 GT3, with a GT3RS just behind me on the grid.

This made me nervous. Fourth position means that I would be on the inside and, also on the dirty line. I select first, set the launch rpm, Lights go out, it's a race to the first corner, I pass the SEAT, and I am tucked in behind the GT2 and GT3, followed by the SEAT - a full on race car weighing 1100kg with massive front brakes, and over 300bhp. Even though it is his first outing with it on the track.  He can carry some really monster speeds in corners. I eventually pass the other GT3, and the SEAT passes him as well. Coming into turn 14, the SEAT sticks it on my inside and gets by; I follow him and study his lines for a few laps then out of turn 16 and onto the front straight I tuck in behind him and pass him before turn one.  This passing and repassing goes on for a while.  I noticed that while I was behind him, I was getting showered with bits of rubber from his tires, he was shredding them to pieces.  For the next few laps, I would pull away in the straight bits, and he would haul me back in under braking and in the corners.  A few laps from the end, I pass the SEAT one final time and he did not have the tyres to fight back, I finish second behind GT2.  It was an incredible feeling of achievement. We line up for race two, the GT2's in front, I am second, and the SEAT's in third.  Lights go out and we're off. The Cupra is right behind me, and he is very menacing with his red and yellow livery filling up my entire rear view mirror.  As we get to the front straight I was shocked to see the GT2 stuck in the middle of the track, the entire field manages to pass around him.  He broke a drive shaft and could not go anywhere.  The race was red flagged.  We line up again, and I felt the pressure to do well. Lights go out and away we go again, the SEAT was all over me, and I kept him behind me for two laps, I then outbraked myself into turn four, and he gots through.  I then stayed behind him for a few laps, remembering how much abuse his tyres got, and when the moment was right I passed him down the straight.  He tried to pass me coming on my inside on turn 16, but I changed my line and passed him right back within 50 metres, it was beautifully executed racing choreography.  I won my second ever race and I was over the moon.