Sun, 6th Mar, 2016 Brownhill Creek Van Park, Mitcham, SA (Clipsal 500 Race 3)

Very hot night and hot morning. Will need to get a good spot today. Probably wasn’t the best idea to do this travel thing but we all got up and down to the bus stop by 7.15am. Another chap was there and we looked closer at the timetable and realised it doesn’t do the early trips on Sunday!! You would think they would for Clipsal. Luckily I still had Paul’s number and I texted to see if they had left yet. They hadn’t so they swung by to pick us up. Another guy asked us about the bus as he was working in the bar and last year the buses did work early on the Sunday. Unfortunately we couldn’t fit him or the other man in so they walked to the next spot down the road to get the first morning bus of the area at 8.30am.

I rang the lady of the travel thing and explained that we couldn’t attend as the bus didn’t come and she said that was fine. I had to put a deposit down (to make sure people attended) so I went around to their tent and she gave me a refund – the other lady wasn’t as keen to be helpful. Anyway, lesson learned – don’t get taken in by a ‘free prize’!! She scratched off the ‘prize’ bit and we would have won a holiday but it would have been part of their scheme thing so it would have been a waste of time!!

In the end it all worked out fine and we got a good spot for our seats in the same area as yesterday. Walked over to the boys to say goodbye as we will head straight to the bus when the racing is finished and they fly out tomorrow morning.

Everyone was ready for a good day of racing. 

Qualifying was first with Scott McLaughlin on top then it was the Top 10 Shootout. Fabian Coulthard now driving for Dick Johnston Penske Racing put it on pole so we were happy that a Ford was out front.

The Stadium Trucks were great to watch again with lots of biffing and bashing.

The V8s came around to warm up and assembled on the grid for the grid walk.

Dark clouds had started to come over and near the end of the grid walk time the mechanics were madly changing the tyres on most of the cars as they were predicting heavy rain. We laughed as we got a few drops – happy to get wet as we were all very hot.

Mark Winterbottom didn’t change his tyres in time so he had to slowly get around the track then into the pits with a couple other drivers to do the tyre change then start the race from the rear.

Then the drops got heavier and we dug out our brollies.

They got ready to start as the rain poured down on Pit Straight – wasn’t as heavy where we were.

They delayed the start 5 minutes then ended up starting it behind the Safety Car.

Was a crazy start to the race and then Mark Winterbottom came in and topped up with fuel which brought out the rule book at Triple 8 as they were saying the race hadn’t started. Was a bit of a mess as the Race Director should have officially said the race had started. Anyway the lap counter was counting down.

Then the rain stopped and then it was the gamble as to when to change to slicks again as they were forecasting more rain.

Just as we put down the brollies the heavens opened and down it came, a lot heavier this time. I just huddled under my brollie realising I should have put my poncho on too as wind was picking up and blowing the rain over us. Temperature dropped 10 degrees.

Some die-hards just stood in the rain. Then the lightning and thunder started too.

Was an amazing race with the TV coverage determining the end of the race and as they had been behind the Safety Car for so long etc they were having an issue at the end with who had put in enough fuel to meet the race requirements. In the end the two leaders pulled in to get their last lot of fuel leaving Nick Percat in the lead and winning the race for Lucas Dumbrell Sport which was great as they have never won a race. The two DJR/Penske cars were next but as they hadn’t taken on the full fuel load they were excluded so the next two cars, Michael Caruso (Nissan) and Garth Tander (Holden) who had taken the correct fuel load came second and third.

Gave our chairs to some other guys as we didn’t want our cheap Bunnings chairs then headed off to catch our bus home. Sent a text to Paul and Les as they had gone off to pack up their van etc so we missed saying goodbye and to thank them again for the lift this morning.

Onto the wet track to walk back to the bus stop.

The band was warming up for the concert tonight – don’t think we will bother!!

The once dry creek was flowing well.

Everyone was laughing as we waddled our way up the track, dripping wet.

Back onto the bus with wet bottoms and home to our vans. The chap we met this morning at the bus stop got on to so we chatted with him all the way back.

Took off our wet clothes and put a load through the laundry hoping it will be dry enough in the morning.

Pete had tried to ring during the race then he sent a text later of a big spider he found. At 11.30pm he decided to ring us – such a nice friend!!