23rd November 2002

We did the 3 hour tow to Napier, this meeting was round two of the David Jones Motors Super Saloon Car Series and we (the Limited Saloons) were racing separately.

Race 1 was race 7, by this time the track had cut up real bad leaving big holes through turns 3&4, with turns 1&2 cutting up as well. There was only 3 Limited Saloons and 1 Super Saloon, I drew grid 2 and John Browne 18b was on pole, with Chris O'Connor 4b on 3 and Graeme Martin 29b (Super Saloon) was on grid 4. I new that I had to get the jump at the start on 18b to beat him into turn 1 which I did, from there on it was basically follow the leader. I took out the win with 18b second then 4b and at the tail was 29.

Race 2 saw me on grid 4 with 18b on 3 , 4b on grid 1 and 29b on 2. A few laps into the race I was chasing 29b who at this stage was the race leader, I tried to pass on the outside then inside but to no avail, mind you the track conditions still weren't the best, so I decided to out brake 29b going into turn 1 & 2  got up outside his right rear door and somehow I was squeezed into the wall, still having my foot hard down I came off the wall at what seemed like 100 knots and straight across the track to the infield. I could see a big tractor tyre right in front of me, I went to turn to miss it but no steering and I went to put my foot on the brake peddle but had no brakes as well which led me to hit the tyre at full noise. After I came to a stop I got out of my car to see that the right front wheel was tucked up under the door I semi surveyed the damage and it didn't look good. The towies picked the car up and took it into the pits where Brett (my tactician) Tanga my crew were waiting to see what we could do to get the car out for the last race but as we took the bonnet off we saw that their was to much damage for us to continue the rest of the night.  What we sustained was bent top and bottom arm, smashed two steering rose joints, tore the front support arm out of the chassis, broke a steering universal, smashed a lot of fibreglass on both doors and bonnet, both right rear tyres were cut and the rear rim was buckled.

That was me for the night and the club decided to cancel our last race. Then we had the 3 hour tow home.