Sunday, June 7 - Formula 1 race day. The excitement always builds a bit on this morning, for today we'll get to see the pinnacle of race talent and technology battle it out for the most prestigious title in motorsport.
We were blessed once again with a very nice day - much like the previous day, but slightly less cool and slightly more hazy. We chose a slightly less-crowded way back to our stands, arriving comfortably before the start of the first event : the second F1600 race.
Unlike yesterday's F1600 race, things did not commence smoothly. Somewhere, some rapidly-spinning wheels touched one another, setting off a chain reaction of spinning and smashing just a few metres after the running start. We could see cars, dust and smoke thrown up as cars veered, flipped up and spun - some into the concrete walls lining this part of the track.
courtesy JInnes
#94 Didier Schraenen - the third-place finisher from the previous day's race - got the worst of it. His car smashed head-on into the concrete wall, and then he was hit from behind by a spinning #2 Michel Bonnet. A full-course yellow was declared and the cars were soon led slowly around by a safety car.
We could see all of the post-crash proceedings from our seats. Didier remained in the car for a long time as increasing numbers of emergency vehicles surrounded his wrecked car. Eventually, he was carefully extracted and placed into an ambulance. Apparently he was relatively unhurt and awake the whole time, but officials were clearly not taking any chances.
After about twenty minutes of full-course yellow, wreckage was cleared away and the tracked re-opened for racing. Immediately there was some excellent wheel-to-wheel action for first place between #6 Zach Robichon and #90 Patrick Dussault. That's one thing about these lower series - there is often intense, continuous action for positions one and two - something you don't always see in formula 1.
Unfortunately, some mechanical failures combined with questionable decision-making cut the racing action short: #69 Bruce Kitchen's car blew its engine, spouting flames and oil and coming to rest on the side of the track only metres from our seats. A yellow-flag was produced at our corner. When the next group of cars came around the corner, driver #3 Ben Hurst, still apparently racing (right through the yellow flag), attempted an outside pass here and came face-to-face with Bruce Kitchen's car, which he couldn't avoid and crashed into.
Meanwhile, back at the front, the battle between Robichon and Dussault continued, with Robichon just edging things out for the win. Close right to the end.
During the intermission after the F1600 race, we got to see the track crew in full action. The accidents and track contamination from the race required a bunch of cleanup - most of which was right in front of us: oil absorbant, brooms, brushes, vacuums, blowers. It was like a yard cleanup crew on overdrive!
