Behind the wheel with a Kiwi

I?ve just completed my best race event ever.

Now, if you look at the results then you may struggle to see how exactly this can be, but the reasoning is simple.

The final round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge at Pukekohe was a breath of fresh air. I went into the event with a purpose – to secure third place in the championship – and even when this wasn?t achieved, I still left the circuit on Sunday night 100% satisfied with what had taken place.

I got through Friday practice without a hitch and confident of what the car would bring on new tyres. I quickly found in qualifying on Saturday morning that we were on the right track, and I put the car in third on the grid behind Baird and Reynolds who, to be perfectly honest, put in some magnificent driving to break into the 56-second barrier and put themselves just a little out of reach.

Even so, we had a great race car to work with.

In race one I made a strong getaway off the line and latched onto the front pairing for the duration of the race. Only when I made one small error at the hairpin did the gap increase, and I crossed the line within two seconds of the leaders – the chasing pack some way back in the distance.

The way I was able to attack the bumpy Pukekohe track with absolutely no fear was a tremendous rush, and I spent all of Saturday night contemplating how to go even quicker the next day.

This is where it may seem a little weird that I was still pleased with my weekend, as the second race ended at the first corner. I was hit in the rear by my closest rival for the final championship podium position, and sent spinning off the circuit at high speed. I limped back to the pits with a broken wheel and was forced to retire soon after.

Now, the chances of finishing in third in the championship were gone, yet strangely I was still buoyant. The bigger picture was still much more important. While I didn?t condone what happened, nor was I the least bit impressed about it, I still knew we had struck a ?sweet spot? in the car this weekend that would remain with us from that point onward.

It was this knowledge that excited me so much about the 16-lap final race, which I was to start from the rear of the grid. I chipped away at the field as the race went on, using the strengths of the car to attack corners where the opposition were struggling, and made it up to fifth by the chequered flag. The pace was evident on the time sheets – only 3/1000ths of a second separated the race winner Baird and I. And so without a podium once again, I left the race track in a curious state.

Even I was surprised by it – the pressure; the focus; the hunger to win still dominated this weekend like any other, but the big picture was more important, and I?m waiting with baited breath for the Hamilton 400 in a few weeks time. I think we?re really onto something here. More so than ever before.

I must apologise for being a little vague in my summary. Of course finishing fourth overall wasn?t what I expected after such a strong start to the season, but those who have followed it will know that things have gone the ?other way? on one too many occasions. I?m not interested in dwelling on them anymore – the future as it stands is looking much too bright and exciting. We have some potentially very fruitful opportunities over the horizon and my support base are all behind me more so now than they have ever been, despite the tough times we all know are upon us.

And at Pukekohe, everything that was within our control went like clockwork. The preparation couldn?t be faulted, and as a driver I felt so at one with that car and with myself that I could have lapped around that circuit all day and night.

This won?t be my last blog for a while – Hamilton is still to come as are a whole lot of other bits and pieces before November rolls around again for Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge round four.

So keep an eye out, and take good care!

Jono