Team Wainman are in New Zealand to compete in the TWS World 240’s (World Invitation Superstock Championships).
Here is an update from Frankie of the weekend’s racing.
First heat started grid 10
Always a rough ride through the first turn starting on the outside so was important that I kept the pollock sponsored super stock as straight and fast as I could until I could dictate where I wanted to be on the track and make my own race .
As the track slicked off I was struggling for mid corner speed but managed a reasonable 8th place making up 2 places ,
I was a little disappointed in myself as I drove into the pits as I like to make more places in my first heat but the quality of the rest of the field is making the racing harder these days .
Back in the pits the team were working hard to check everything was ok with car and was down to me to make the alterations to give me the race car I needed in the second heat as I was starting off 24 so I had a lot of cars in front of me.
Second heat started grid 24
The only good thing about starting nearly back car is I’ve done it for 35 years so I’ve learned to enjoy it plus with that much experience I can usually pick a few cars off in the first bend melee.
A brilliant start and clean first corner meant a good few places made up and the first red light of the finals as cars crashed around me . On the restart the car felt awesome the stagger and rear 4 bar alterations came right to me as the track started to slick off and as the laps counted down I was picking 2 to 3 cars off every lap with one lap to go I was behind 127 Ethan Rees who was to be the highest on points so to catch and pass Ethan before the chequered flag was not only a personal result but also a big help in the points totals for the last heat.
Started heat 2 off 24 and finished 3rd so 21 cars passed in 15 laps not too shabby for an old guy in an unfamiliar car !!!
Back in the pits the pollock crew were all as chuffed as I was the only down side was I was now lying second on points to Ethan Rees 127 meaning the target on my back was a lot bigger for the third and final heat.
Frankie was interviewed before the final heat, just after the rain stopped, click here to watch that interview.
A big team talk with my Team GB boys before the last heat gave me and Charlie the best chance we could hope for and I was given a few numbers who were going to be blocking and trying to take me out, Jelle was off grid 1 in the final heat so he was hard on the brakes off the start allowing me an easier ride into the first turn as I was starting off 8 another outside grid slot, I managed to get into the first corner clean but I was held up by 87G mid corner allowing 5G to take a cheap shot at my back wheel guard causing it to bend and start rubbing on the rear inside tyre ??
The first few laps were very hectic with cars up the wall everywhere, about 3 laps in I was able to get a massive hit on 87G firing him straight into the wall and causing a race stoppage as he was checked over by the medics . Lap by lap I could feel the left rear tyre going flat causing me to slow in pace , deffo not a nice feeling when you have half the field trying to stop you. A few laps later I was caught and spun and ted was straight on the scene to make sure I was still mobile an ab must in a team game he then delayed the progress off 46B Quinn Ryan which proved to be all important in the final point’s reckoning so it was down to me to make the last few laps , all I needed was to get to the chequered flag to have a real good chance of a podium but with a shredding left rear tyre and no straight line speed this was always going to be a big ask.
Luckily over half the field weren’t running some of the credit for this was down to the efforts of all the overseas drivers all starting practice for the teams an a superb effort by everyone got me over the line and once the points had been calculated we were all made up with my 8th podium in the 240. Considering I had a flat left rear for most of the race I was ab ecstatic with this result.
Check out this video (click here) and notice how the steering wheel bends when I get a ‘big hit’!! (thanks to Jacob Smith for the video).
I would like to thank Sonja and Stan for the opportunity to take part in the 240 again and to Thomas and Wayne slater from POLLOCK CRANES and the team for an amazing race car ?
Last of all to my team mates over here for 2023, Ted/Charlie/Jelle and Niels,
thank you for having my back and working hard for me to be on the podium.
A great start to our campaign over here this season it’s always hard for us to even get a team together for teams but to have a team of this quality and the chance of having a real good crack at the teams champs with competitive cars is amazing so let’s give it a good shot lads and put team GB in the history books.
Photo’s ©Sam Wainman
