The Botniaring jinx that seems to have bothered our team in the past certainly proved itself to be live and kicking today...
The trip to Jurva on Tuesday went well, but the evening gave already some foreboding of more to come - the fuel pump sputtered, and the PI C-dash flickered. Both problems were fortunately solved, but then my temp mechanic SMS'd me to say he was sick and could not come...
Well, I went on with the program, and the morning looked great. First session, about 14 laps, no real problems but needed more laps to get used to the track and the lines. Some smoke from exhaust, but that was no big deal since I had added some new insulation there. In fact, I had spent a great deal of effort on addressin heat issues on the left hand side of the car, something I was quite excited about given that the day was going to be hot - it was 25 deg C already in the morning.
Second session, going on my 15 lap, thinking I should probably go in now... But the driving felt good, car a bit slippery in the rear but I felt better and better pushing more speed and braking decisively, attacking the corners. Coming onto the mainstraight is a great tilted curve, which if you do well gives a great launch into the long straight ahead. I had been driving this more and more aggressively, turning in early, taking the inner kerb, and hitting the throttle early on. Sure, going out of the curve fast pushed me on the outer kerb, but hey I had seen the younger guns do that before.
What I had not seen, nor heard, was that many of those young guns had tried that specific turn with that same approach, spun out, and hit the right hand wall... And so did I. Out of the curve, dropping the outer rear wheel on to the concrete kerb, and whoopsiedaisy - off I went. Car spun around, I was traveling rear first at 100km/h+, thinking shoot. Not thinking "shoot!!!!" yet, since I did not realize that my trajectory would take me to the rubber wall which narrowed down as the track goes on. Smash! And jeez, the damage!!! Right rear completely gone, but what is worse some of the frame tubes bent too (wheel hit them). Exhaust gone (flattened - both tubing and catalyst), engine cover and left sidepod too... All wishbones, and the pushrod...
I will post a picture or two here in a bit, now the next few days will be running for repairs to get done...
