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Competition News Section On the podium again!
Competition News Section On the podium again!
| On the podium again! |
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The Marque Sports Car Association held the 12th 6 Hour Relay on 17 May 2009. AROCA SA was again represented by Scuderia Alfa and Team Aim who finished second and third respectively. Winners were JPS Racing with a winning percentage of 59.27%, Scuderia Alfa 58.25% with Team Aim further back on 54.18%. AROCA was also represented by two teams from Victoria (4th and 6th). Seventeen teams in all were entered. A great result for Alfa Romeo! Scuderia Alfa one of the foundation teams (1998) was chasing its fourth win in the event following a 2008 disaster where we finished with just one car running, but fifth place. Our assault starts months earlier with pizza and red wine meetings at team HQ, Eurosport. These meetings start at 7.30 pm and planning generally commences around 9.30pm, naturally these can be quite animated. Drivers are selected, team roles allocated and strategies reviewed. Serious fun (and winning) is the target, after all we are the team everyone wants to beat! The 2009 event saw drivers Joe Grilli, Ian Crouch, Dale Ashby, Peter Axford and Laurie Ardill, on the grid. Team Manager Joe Cardone efficiently called the shots, aided by a small but effective team, Dave Taylor and James Ashby on the pit wall, with great help from Simone Taylor and friend Sophia, taking the times. Nick Lenthall patrolled these areas, guiding the girls and overseeing the lap timing. Peter Canala joined the Team as sash changeover/form up motivator/barista and Sav Marafioti was again entrusted with the mechanical duties and his usual role as master chef! Practice was uneventful, save for dodging a number of large mobile chicanes. Three laps is barely enough to dial in a time for the day, but our previous experience counted and final times were confirmed with only a minor adjustment 11.00 am and we are off and running, not too many incidents and the weather was fine. Pete sets the standard for the day (28 bonus laps) as all try to match his regularity. It is worth noting that Ian Crouch got into a groove in his second stint and recorded eleven consecutive bonus laps. The day ran very smoothly, the Team bonding sessions had obviously contributed and Joe kept the drivers inspired. Accuracy of timing and clear pit boards (with the occasional thumbs up/down) providing further (unwanted/welcomed) motivation to the hard working drivers. Fortunately this year, the mechanical chores amounted to changing a rotor button and a set of spark plugs. Not like 2008, where poor Sav was needed to put his mechanical expertise to test as our reliability faltered. There is no official break for lunch, just a welcome meal of Savs antipasto and his famous pasta, between stints. Team members pitch in to other roles whilst all enjoy lunch. 5.00pm, Peter is shown the checkered flag and the pressure drops, now for a beautiful dinner in the Mallala Room a beverage (thanks Joe Grilli) and await the results. We are down the last two as Peter Hall and organiser Sue Stephenson build the pressure. We lose by just 1%. Just how do we not win by that much will be analysed and discussed at yet another pizza and red wine night! Success demands regularity and driving to the nominated time is the key to winning, so far the Scuderia Alfa formula has been the most successful of all the entries. Bring on 2010! Laurie Ardill, Scuderia Alfa
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