MSCA Wrap: Winton - May 2021
Hi everyone
Welcome to the half season wrap. Can you believe we are halfway through our season? It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were in the heart of the lockdown, barely moving beyond our homes, let alone on a racetrack. It feels so good to be enjoying our sport once again. Winton marked the 5th round of the MSCA super sprints and the first round of the Victorian Super Sprint Championships. We saw a variety of cars and drivers joining us for a terrific day. Whilst the rest of Victoria experienced rather ordinary weather, we enjoyed a beautiful, albeit crisp, autumn day. The track did not disappoint us. There is something really endearing about Winton. Perhaps it’s the country vibe, the relaxed atmosphere, the squiggly track that frustrates some and challenges many.
For the first time in a while, Miss Elise and I ran freely on the track. I’m not saying fast, just freely; without thoughts of people, work, the world we live in or life in general. The track was lovely, and I was fondly reminded of how many laps I had cut around Winton over the past years; from numerous regularity relays to countless sprints, to Come & Try Days. Muscle memory is an amazing phenomenon. It felt like popping on my favourite pair of runners. I found my happy place. It looked like others were also enjoying the track. Watching the fast folks tousle it out in Group 6 was great viewing. The day largely went by without many dramas except for a Triumph GT6 coming to grief exiting the esses. The driver and car were okay, and we are hoping to see Gary back with us at The Bend. This was the only red flag for the day. The Husband (and Head-Honcho-Clerk-of-Course) had set a goal of two recoveries. That was always going to stretch us, but we got there! A great effort from a field of 110 competitors on a track that we hadn’t been to in over a year. Overall, the day ran smoothly, with plenty of uninterrupted track time on offer. Thank you to the drivers, crew and officials for being so cooperative with the check-in scanning process. A special thank you to our ‘gate helpers’ who made the process quick and seamless. I would have been lost without your help.
There were some fast times set throughout the day. Congratulations to the very lovely Peter Nowlan, who, despite visiting The Husband for passing under yellow, was fastest outright in his Clubman with a blistering time of 1:24.9. Apparently, Peter missed the yellow flag because he was distracted by the orange car he was passing (me!!). Next was Tim Blakeney in his beautifully prepared Ford Falcon XR6 with a time of 1:29:8.
The Bend, 13 June
So now we turn our thoughts and energy to The Bend. After talking about it for so long and a false-start last year, we are finally going there! We have a full field and it’s sure to be a great weekend. We are proud to be hosting the biggest field of competitors at an MSCA event. There are 165 drivers from VIC, NSW and SA joining us and we’re looking forward to sharing this weekend with you.
As a warm-up to the event, we are putting on a simulator night. Tony D’Alberto, professional driver (and Tim Schreiber’s favourite man-crush), will be talking us through the track and sharing some tips. This night is fully booked and with Tim not coming, others will get the chance to talk to Tony.
As we are crossing the border, we will need to do things differently, so please read our emails and respond when required. It is also important that you attend our driver’s briefing session for this event, so you know what to expect.
Sandown, 11 July
Entries are now open for this event. As always Sandown is a popular track and close to home for many, so get in early to avoid missing out.
I look forward to seeing many of you at The Bend.
Stay well and take care
Petrina